Hive

2

There's a small beach outside of the lab I grew up in. I would always go there after a "treatment". In a way, that beach was the first garden of mine. It gave my mind room to roam, and it gave me a place to let it. I hope that I'll eventually get to go back to that beach.

Glendale gardens was peaceful- but it wasn't any place where I could find solitude. It was too much of a park. On one side of it, there seemed to be a fundraiser going on. That was probably where I'd find Erik. On the other side of the park, there was a small playset and a basketball court. Small flowering shrubs lined a pathway to both sides of the park.

My head hummed constantly, reminding me of the task at hand. I ordered my mind back to me, and tuned into the humming. Instead of the usual message system, I'd turned on a speaking system. What my father said to me, I heard instantly. What I said to him, he heard instantly.

"Vee, are you there? He'll be entering from the back of the park. Try to get to him before anyone else notices him or you."

"Does he know what I look like?"

"Plan like he will."

I moved toward the back entrance of the park. Hopefully this would be over fast, the wig I was wearing annoyed me. It was too long, the dark strands kept getting into my face. I preferred to keep my hair short, and my normal honey-color suited me better.

I stopped at a bench about halfway there. I shouldn't make it seem like I was waiting for him. My mind wanted to wander. He'd be here at 7:27, it was currently 7:00. I had time. Crouching down to the shrubs, I cupped one of the flowers in my hand. They seemed slightly over-watered, but were mostly healthy anyways. There were a few small weeds around the base of the shrubs, and the grass was long there too. The rest of the park was well manicured though, with the grass cut evenly and the fallen leaves non-existent. I sat on the ground and focused back on the shrubs.

"You like flowers?" A voice behind me broke into my thoughts. I turn to it.

The voice belonged to a man in a suit. He held himself tall, with an arrogant demeanor. I glanced at my watch. 7:29. I called my mind back to me.

"Vee! What are you doing? He's right there!"

The voice confirmed my fears. The man before me was Erik Maro.