The Alium

Chapter II

I wake up in a metal bed with a thin mattress, and look around frantically. I have no clue where I am, and I don't know how I got here.

    I stare at myself and shriek. I'm still covered in blood from last night. My hands are clean of the sticky red liquid, but my shirt and shorts are soaked in the substance.

    I notice a woman to my side. She has long wavy dark brown hair, mocha brown eyes, and olive skin. She's also dressed in a black combat outfit.

    Without much thought -and lots of fear and adrenaline- I throw a punch at her. She grabs my fist and twists it painfully behind my back. I cry out as she takes my head and shoves me against the metal nightstand next to the bed, causing my world to go black.

~

    I wake up again in the same bed, but this time, I am handcuffed to one of the metal poles that make up the headboard.

    There's a woman beside me again, but a different one than before. This one has curly red hair that barely reaches her shoulders, and electric green eyes. Like the first woman, this one is also wearing a black combat suit, but it has some modifications.

       "Are you one of hers?" I croak, but I croak with a fierce hatred.

    The woman looks confused, so I clear my throat to be heard.

       "Are you one of Nova's? Here to take me out?" I know I don't sound threatening, no matter how hard I try. The mere thought of Nova fills me with trepidation.

       "No. Nova escaped us again. We're not her followers, and we're not here to harm you. We're here to help you." The woman smiles at me with kind eyes, but I don't trust her.

       "If you're here to help me, why am I handcuffed?" I demand angrily.

       "You threw a punch at one of my team members. It's a precaution."

       "Your 'team member' seemed to handle me just fine." I recall how easily she took me down, and it doesn't make me feel good.

       "She did. This precaution is to make sure you will not be harmed. If you can't attack, we won't defend." The woman is manipulative. I can see it in her eyes.

       "Defending doesn't require knocking me out." My head is pounding like I just got run over by a truck.

       "In our line of work it requires much worse." A man walks in, and I jump at the sound of his voice. I didn't hear him enter.

       "Woah, calm down there, jumpy. Nice to see your awake. Sorry about the restriction there, but it's for the best." The man is asian, with black hair and dark eyes. He also has a strong New York accent.

       "Where is my family? Where are my parents? Where's Kaden?" The man and woman exchange regretful looks.

       "Faye, your parents are gone." The man's voice is soft, and I stare at him in anger.

       "No they're not. Last night was just... just... some trick! They're alive and they're somewhere here. You're trying to trick me!" I accuse them, refusing to believe what I saw last night.

    It was all a joke. Nova came, but she didn't kill my parents; she couldn't have.

        "I'm sorry, Faye, but what you saw last night was real." The woman comforts, walking towards me, but I jerk away from her.

        "No! They can't be! Mum's turning forty next month, and dad just turned forty-two!" I exclaim fiercely, tears dripping down my cheeks, turning pink as it mixes with the spots of blood on my face.