Chapter One

Marina's out on the porch again.

After fleeing the marshlands in a dead sprint, both of us swapping Nine around once the other got tired, we managed to reach an abandoned cabin at the edge of the marsh. We've been here for two days, and we plan to leave tomorrow.

She hasn't spoken a word since we left Five behind, and Nine and I haven't tried speaking to her.

The only time she really interacted with us when she healed Nine, and then again when she gave a simple nod when we proposed to her our plan of leaving the Everglades and finding the others. She hasn't even had a bite to eat.

I don't know what to do. Marina always wants to be alone. I don't know how to comfort her, because I've hear how empty it sounds when someone says "I understand" or "I'm sorry".

"Just leave her alone," Nine says, startling me. I thought he was asleep. "If she wants to mope about Eight, let her. We're all a little damaged about him."

I remember the tears I shed as we ran from the Mogs. Marina and Nine couldn't see me, because we were all invisible, but I have a feeling that Nine knows.

"I'm going to try and contact Ella again," I say, biting my lip. I need to know if her and the others made it out alive.

"You do that," Nine says, he rolls over and goes back to sleep.

Ella, I think, Ella. Ella, come in Ella. Where are you? How are you guys?

I expect to be disappointed, just as every other time I've tried to contact her, but her voice cuts through my swirling thoughts and answers me.

The others are fine. Can't talk. They'll track my thoughts. Move now. I've been captured. I'm fine. I have no idea where the others are. Penthouse is gone.

The message is short, and I try to get her talking again. Ella, where are you?

She never answers.

I know that we have to move now, no time for any grief over Ella's capture. We'll get to her after we regroup. If not because of Ella's warning, then because the Mogs must have been searching the marsh for ages and they must have found us by now.

"Nine, get up," I say, shaking his shoulder. "There's a change of plans. We're leaving now."

Nine groans, but sits up. "Why?"

"I finally got through to Ella. She's fine, but captured. The others are okay too. We have to regroup and break Ella out," I reply. I open the door to tell Marina our new plan, but find that she is not sitting on the porch. I do a quick scan of the trees outside to see that all the leaves on the trees are dead.

"Marina!" I call. No answer.

Marina is gone. I am about to turn around to tell Nine, when a stone comes flying out of the darkness and hits me on the forehead.

Everything goes black.

A/N: A bit slow, but I promise all the real stuff is coming right up. This will be quite a Seven-Centric, because Seven is my biase, but I'll fit in everyone else too, so don't you worry your little noses off.