The Girl in the Glass

one

Introduction

It was said amongst more than many, that Nova Gallagher held the secrets to the universe. She moved with grace and confidence, and seemed to have everyone wrapped around her little finger. Black hair, she had, dark as the night sky, shimmering this color or that as she moved under the light. She had a temper like a lightning storm and eyes of starry blue. There weren't many who knew Nova, but each year she aged, the stories became taller and taller. They say she held the secrets of the universe, and maybe, just maybe, they were right.

One

Cait tightened her finger over the trigger of the gun she held. The boy before her let out a moan of pain and staggered back, his shoulders hit the rough bark of the tree behind him, before he slid to the ground. More shots fired behind her, but it didn't matter, it was already too late.

Bright, blinding lights powered on overhead and Cait shielded her eyes as they adjusted. She took a few strides forward and offered a hand to the boy she'd shot.

Connor glared at her and swatted her hand away. He stood, swaying more than slightly, and stuck his gun into the holster that hung from his hips.

"A split second of hesitation and I would've had you."

"Sorry not sorry." Cait grinned, holstering her own gun and beginning to tug at the simulation gear on her thigh. The shot she'd taken there was starting to burn and she didn't want to have to bear it for longer than she had to. As the clasps came undone, the stinging feeling of a gunshot wound disappeared, and her leg stopped cramping.

"A little help here?" Connor gasped, clawing at the clasps that held his chest plate intact.

Cait rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "You guys played dirty. I should let you suffer."

"Nova." Connor growled, using the nickname Cait had been deemed when she had been born with black hair and blue eyes.

Cait reached over and popped the two clasps on his right side. Before she could move to the left, two others joined them. Lucy, the only girl-friend Cait had, was slightly ahead of Jon, the fourth and final member of their group.

"Who was it? Who got shot?" Lucy's words came out so fast that it was a miracle that anyone could understand her.

Cait pointed to Connor, who was still slightly doubled over. She quickly undid the clasp on the other side and the chest plates came undone and tumbled away. Connor breathed a large sigh of relief and stood perfectly still for a moment.

"I shot him twice in the abdomen." Cait stated proudly as they started walking toward the arena exit.

"We almost had you that time." Jon said, falling into step with her. Jon was a tall wiry boy with stark white hair and brown eyes.

"Yeah right, I had visuals on you, Jon. You didn't even know where either of us were." Lucy said, unclipping her gun from the belt holster and tossing her short white hair out of her eyes.

Cait caught sight of her own black hair out of the corner of her eye and cringed, as she usually did. Of everyone in the entire world, only a few were born with the genetic mutation of hair color other than white and eye color other than brown. Cait had been one of those unfortunate few. Not only that, but they had to be so starkly opposite of normal.

"When do you leave for the hospital, Nova?" Lucy asked, sliding the arena shoes off and her own shoes on.

"Tomorrow morning, actually." Cait answered, tying the laces on her flat every-day shoes.