Teenage Bones

Friendly Danger

They didn't want me.

Story of my fucked up life.

Mr. Clarke gave me his army jacket as we set off driving to see Starr and Lilly. Like an anti-social teenager, my legs were pulled to my chest as each cramp in my stomach threatened to worsen and I just kept my head tucked into my knees- best not worry Mr. Clarke.

We've been driving for what felt like solid hours, but really the sun hadn't even risen and it was still just as icy cold, even though the car heated were turned on to the max. Even without looking, I felt his quick glances toward me- checking for possible signs of my nearing corrosion. I wasn't stupid, I saw the sedative in the jacket he's wearing. And I hate the feeling that I know he's right, knocking me out is the only thing to calm me until we reach a safe place to work out what the hell to do now, I don't know-

A sting in my side snaps me out of my thoughts- and I drift to sleep.

_*_

Elijah Clarkes's POV

As the needle slips from her hip, there's a thump as her head hits the door and she sleeps, putting us both in a more comfortable state. I could hear her gears turning even as she refused to look at me. Tossing the needle in the back seat, both hands return to the wheel and turn my knuckles white with tension. 

Why the hell didn't they take her in?

But then, why would they? She would take up all their resources and even compromise them to the people they were running from. 

Tyler's face popped into my head, making a flush of anger to come over my body. We led him straight to her- that's how Roman knew there they were. He was a mole the whole time, he had to be. 

I don't even know why I care about her.

"This has gone too far, Suzanne," I say, shutting the door quickly behind me as I slipped into her office. She sat in a desk chair, her elbows on the desk, and a tired expression painted her face. Steel eyes regarded me quickly, barely taking in I was taking a seat on the other side of her giant oak desk.

"Or not far enough," she said while swirling the whiskey glass in her hand, "we haven't even trialled her with the Weird Women."

My eyes snapped to her face, surely she's kidding. The weird women were supernatural beings that wouldn't bow under anyone, and only had their own interests in mind.

"Esmé is not-" I begin but get cut off before I could finish.

"Not human." With a bang, she flings her glass on the table without toppling it over, glaring at me with daggers in her eyes. "That is what you were going to say, yes? The girl dragged in from school was a girl, this monster we are creating is already a monster, that's it." Suzanne rose from her seat, stepping carefully around the desk to stand in front of me. I don't realize I'm standing until she's looking up at me.

"You are going to kill the subject," I relay, "and this is the closest we've been. This needs to stop-start training instead."

"You, Elijah, are a soldier. You know nothing about science." Thin milky fingers move my chin so my bruised cheekbone is facing her, "and you aren't even a good soldier either. I suggest you focus on your known training before your social skills," my chin is released as she hovers back to her chair, sipping on her drink. "Is that all?"

"Why don't we just get her to hurt someone? Teach her how to use it instead of making it happen by accident?"

"We have other tests. I've contacted someone already, they've agreed to imprint with her." Suzanne takes another sip. My mouth runs dry.