Lucy Malpense had woken up on Saturday earlier than she usually did. Something about this day just seemed to ring with energy. Something was going to happen. Maybe if she was lucky, it would be that cute boy in her French class asks her out. So she got out of bed and headed downstairs. Her mom was still there, dressed for her job as a computer programmer. Red hair was pulled back into a tight bun and green eyes flickered over to Lucy for a second before returning the task of making lunch.
"Hey Lucy, you're up early today."
"Yeah. Think I'm gonna watch cartoons for a while. Have a good day mom."
"You too sweetie." Her mom hurried out of the house. Looked like it was a busy, problematic day then. Usually, her mom would stop to talk a bit to her only daughter. Problems must have aroused yesterday at work that she has to sort out today.
Lucy Malpense was a bright young girl. She had red hair and bright blue eyes that could stare down many of the bullies at her school. Like her mother, she was brilliant young girl. She had proved that to herself just the other day. Yet here she was, watching a mind-numbing tv show. Oh well. Can't grow up too fast.
After a few minutes she got up to make her breakfast. Maybe an omelet or something. On her way over, she looked at a picture of her mother and her. It had been taken 8 years ago. Lucy was sitting on her mom's shoulders, wearing the biggest smile, her mom laughing and almost causing Lucy to fall. There was no dad in the picture. There wasn't in any of the pictures around the house.
Lucy had asked her mom, time and time again, about her dad and had yet to receive a straight answer. When she was younger, it was game. Today, dad was on a mission to protect the president. Now he's investigating ruins. But once Lucy had grow older, and she wanted to know the truth. And the truth never came. All that Lucy knew was that he had left them for whatever reason. On good days, she just wondered what he was like, if she had his nose, or if her eyes were exactly like his. On bad days, she cursed his name.
The front door suddenly broke open.
Lucy whipped around to see a man, clad in black, standing in the shattered doorway. He was Asian, long black hair pulled back into a ponytail. In one of his hands was a gun. Lucy felt her heart skip a beat for moment as fear started to consume her. This was because of what happened the other day, wasn't it? Well, she wasn't going down without a fight. Lucy rushed at the man and threw a punch at him only to hit empty air. She had just enough time to look over her shoulder and see the gun before a loud sound like an explosion filled her ears and the world went black.
oOo
Sterling Fanchu was in his family's workout room. His parents were huge on the importance of exercise. It did make a sense, especially since Mr. Fanchu was a gym teacher at his school. Mrs. Fanchu claimed to be a Veteran, explaining her strength, but Sterling had yet to see any proof on the matter.
"Sterling, come up here! It's a Saturday, spend some time with the family."
Mrs. Fanchu's voice rang down into the basement. Sterling rolled his his eyes, but put the weights back onto the floor, grabbing a towel to wipe some of the sweat off of him. He actually hadn't been down here very long.
Mr. and Mrs. Fanchu were sitting next to each other on the couch. Sterling looked more like his father, with his black hair and dark eyes, that Asian touch to him. His mom had long blonde hair that seemed to always fall just perfectly. They had been married for 14 years, but somehow still kept that newly-wed spark.
"Honestly, if you spend all your days down in that workout room, people are going to think you're bland. Just like your father when we were younger."
"I wasn't bland, just focused." Mr. Fanchu protested.
"Tall, dark, handsome, and as many facial expressions as a book. C'mon, you have to admit that we livened up your life a lot." At this, Mr. Fanchu let our a deep, booming laugh that he was known for.
"A little too much, I'd say."
"Did you call me up here just to watch you two talk all cutesy to each other, 'cause if so I'm gonna go before it gets worse." This tended to happen a lot, but even though it got a little aggravating at times, it was one of the things that Sterling liked about his parents.
"We're going for a walk today, since we're all together. Go and get your jacket."
"Mom, I don't need a jacket, it's not that cold out."
"Then go ahead and humor me."
Sterling sighed but relented, knowing better than to disagree with his mother. He opened the door to his room- and was greeted by a woman aiming a gun at him. He quickly dodged to the side , narrowly avoiding being shot. Sterling got up in the woman's face, trying and failing to get through her defenses.
His parents were up in seconds, having heard all the noise. His mom gasped and... his dad, did he just whisper...?
Sterling didn't have time to finish the though, as a hard blow hit his head and fell into unconsciousness.