One

Anderson is dead. I shot him about a week ago. I remember it so vividly. The boat, the solders, Sonya and Sarah. All of it. But the one part that scared me the most was thinking my friends were gone. But they're not. They are all here, sitting down in a circle in Aaron Warner Anderson's training facilities. Me, Warner, Adam, James, Kenji, Brendon, Winston, Castle, Ian, Lily, Alia, Sonya and Sarah. I can't believe we are all alive.

"So, what's our next move?" Kenji asks. "Juliette? Got an idea?"

"I think we should rebuild the houses and make sure everyone has food and a roof over their heads." I say.

"And what will we do after that?"

"We could build some medicine stations for the ill and injured." I turn in the direction of the healer twins. "Can you girls try to heal them?" I say to Sonya and Sarah.

"Of course, we will do anything we can to help." Sarah says. Sonya nods in agreement.

"What can I do to help?" James's head pops up. "I want to help too!"

"Hey, buddy." Adam cuts in "Don't worry I'm sure there is something that you can do."

The sound of the elevator doors opening catches everyone's attention. We are all crowded at the back of the room, and I know we are all wondering who has just stepped in so uninvited. The soft ping goes off to signal the arrival.

"Hello, everyone. So sorry to interrupt but do you know where we might be able to find Juliette?"

I freeze. That voice. I know that voice. It is the same voice that would yell at me and tell me to stay away. The same one that told me I was a monster, that I had ruined their life. It belongs to the people that tossed me out like I was a piece on trash. That emptied me of their pockets and left me to rot in a hole in the ground. I used to sob myself the sleep in their house every night. They locked me up and said I should be thankful. Thankful for their food, for their shelter, for their humanity towards such an awful, terrible, creature like me. How? How could I forget that voice?

"Who are you?" Ian demands. "What are you doing here? How did you even get in here?"

"That is none of your concern. All we want to do is pick up Juliette and we will be out of your way."

Adam tenses. "You're not taking her anywhere. What do you want with her?"

The familiar pair of blue-green eyes walk up to me. And everyone else parts out of their way, too interested to object. All but Warner who is at my side in an instant.

I can't believe this is happening.

This can't be happening.

This cannot be happening.

"Mom? Dad?"