The Lost

Hope for Freedom

The higher ups looked at Annabeth as she walked into the room.. they were shrouded in darkness, their faces hidden from her. "Sit, please." A female voice spoke.

Annabeth sat in the chair in the middle of the room. She looked between the three seats in front of her.

"You are a peculiar case, Annabeth." A male voice to her right said.

"Many have we witnessed surpass our expectations, but you have been the strongest. You accessed a Project that was well beyond your capabilities at the time, and you survived. Now here you are. One month later, and no sign of the previous damage to your body."

"It begs us to ask the question to the other leaders, what we should do with you." A mans voice from the center.

"You can let me go back to my life. I have no one else in which to live for. Allow me to try and find my place in the world again."

"Denied." The female voice again. "One such as yourself has to earn that right."

"And how do i earn that right!?" She basically yelled, standing swiftly. Het hands were clenched at her sides, and her teeth were set.

The man in the middle stood. She could see the outline of his body. He appeared to walk shakily from his seat, around a table. "Please sit down, Ms. Annabeth." She could discern it now. He was old. He stepped into the light and his face she could see was wrinkled.

She started to walk towards him, but he held his hand up. "Please sit. I walk around the table to show you trust. I know you are hurting, and you are still grieving. Your treatment thus far has been for our protection. You did, after all, annihilate our section 8 laboratory, where the curator put you back together."

"T-that--" she was caught off guard.

"That was pure survival instinct. And we will not hold that against you. We are bigger than our pasts, all of us here. We have all come together in the hopes of a second chance at a normal life. Or at least as normal as we can make it." Another chair appeared across from Annabeth, and the old man took the seat. "You may call me Elder Rich. The other two shall reveal themselves in time, but for now, please sit. We have much to discuss."

Annabeth sat down slowly. "Trust. You have been nothing but kind to me. If not a little strict." Tears fell from her eyes, and her shoulders shook. Meeting Elder Rich made everything else fall into place. This place, the different types of scientists, the helpers. This was a refuge of sorts. A haven for those looking to rebuild their lives.

Elder Rich reached out a hand, placing a surprisingly firm grip on her shoulder. "Child. I have lived for nearly two centuries. Trust is something that is both difficult to gain. And easy to destroy. Don't let my trust in you be in vain. Now i know you have a lot of questions. And i will answer them as best as i possibly can."

Annabeth thought hard for a moment. "How can i get my freedom back?"

Elder Rich nodded his head. "Straight to it, then. Given that we have now given you a second operation to make you better. We would like to do a long term study, before we just let you go off on your own."

"Okay, but how long?" She was exhibiting signs of impatience.

"Three years. If you can do as you're told for three years, you will be free to leave." He fell silent to let that sink in.

Annabeth's eyes looked scared. 'Three years.... such a long time... such a long time before she could see the final resting place of the one she changed for. The one she opened up to. "What would I have to do?" She asked her second question.

Elder Rich leaned against the table. "Missions, occasionally. Security work, retrieval. Otherwise, educate yourself, help us progress, and you may have your freedom again." He said.

Annabeth nodded, gulping just a little. "When do we begin?"

Elder Rich smiled kindly. "Tomorrow. You are dismissed for now, Ms. Annabeth."

She stood and bowed. "T-thank you." Before she turned around walked out the door....