Disclaimer: Vikki owns the characters, but their our story. Don't steal please.

'thought'

They could hear the sounds of the storm outside as the government truck rattled along the dirt road. Rain beat against the side of the truck, the thunder clashing above. The small group of kids huddled on the floor in the back of the truck. They had been traveling across the country for at least three days, and everyone was too scared and tired to say anything. 'It's strange how such a deep silence can fall even when the most ferocious storm is raging out side.' Thought Karin, the youngest of the group. She was 15 and had short dark brown hair and glasses. She was from Columbia but was visiting a friend in Kitchener when it had happened.

FlashBack

It was just like any other day except this day was special, for it was the first day of summer vacation. Karin had gotten out of school early so she could fly out and visit Craig. He is 17 going on 18 and was in his last year of high school with a bright future in programming. Now don't get me wrong, this guy wasn't your typical dorky brainiac. He was kind, sweet, caring, and was in no hurry in the relationship department. Oh, and he wasn't that bad looking either. At least that's what Karin thought. Anyways bright eyes, not too tall, with dark blonde hair; she absolutely adored him. They had met at an ice cream shop after she landed and everything was perfect. Karin sat there under a yellow and red umbrella, at a picnic table outside the ice cream shop. Watching him eat his vanilla cone while talking about what he planned on doing while she was here.

Unfortunately this bliss-filled state didn't last long. Not soon after they had finished their ice cream and were walking along a park path they were caught off guard by a black, armor plated truck. It careened around the corner of the walkway and the two barley had time to leap out of the way before the truck stopped where they had been standing.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" Karin sputtered as she started to pull herself up from the grass. She had done a face plant when she and Craig dodged the truck. But she never got all the way up. Before Karin knew it, someone had grabbed her by the back of her shirt neck and the seat of her pants. The man hoisted her right off the ground and tossed her head first into the truck like a rag doll. She heard an 'OOF' as she landed on something that should have been the truck floor.

"Get off me!" someone cried as she sat up.

"Stop pushing"

"Who are you?"

"Do you know where we are?"

To her surprise, she wasn't the only one in the back of the truck.

"Karin?" asked a groggy voice from the corner

Boy was she relieved to hear that voice. It was Craig, and hearing that he was there with her swept away all fear...until now that is.

End

The armored truck pulled up into the driveway, signaled only by the mailbox with McKay on it. Two men in suits got out and walked up to the door. The kids in the back sat silently in fear as they heard voices and foot steps approach on the wet gravel road.

"Thank you for being so cooperative Mr. McKay. I know this must be extremely difficult for you."

"Not really," replied the man who the kids assumed was Mr. McKay. "Couldn't get rid of her fast enough in my opinion. Pain in my neck since the day she got here. Her wacko mother, step-father, and sister had to go and die, and guess who got stuck with her...ME! That's who. Shame about her sister though, at least she had some intelligence."

"Of course Mr. McKay. We're more than happy to take her off your hands." said one of the men.

"Yes well, thanks a lot sirs," Mr. McKay said while tipping his hat that hid his bald head. "Sorry about the wait though. She should be along any minute now."

"Oh don't even think twice about it sir." said the other man, as the sound of feet splashing threw puddles game up to the truck.

"Hey, what's with the truck?" asked a young female voice. "Hey! W...what are you doing?! PUT ME DOWN!!"

The doors to the truck were wrenched open just long enough to throw the girl in hard enough to smack her back violently against the other end of the truck before the door slammed shut.

She was a strange little girl of about 17. She had long light brown hair that was tied back in a ponytail with raggity bangs that covered her blue eyes. She wore baggy guy pants and an even baggier shirt. Although the little light coming threw the bard window at the door of the truck didn't show much detail.

"Ow." she said in irritation after the door was closed. She sat there with her head down rubbing the back of it as the truck began to pull away. She looked up with a child-like grin smeared across her face as well as rain and mud. Actually now that Craig had a bit of a closer look, the girl seemed vaguely familiar but couldn't quite place it. She was soaked to the bone, she had been walking in the storm after all, she gave a quick shudder from the cold.

"Woah" she said "I think its a little bit chilly in here." she looked down at her bare arms. "Look." her eye brows went up in surprise. "I got goosily bumps!" she looked around at all the truck captives and her smile faded. She seemed lonely as if she had just lost something very close and important to her. She sighed. "I'm gone for a year and you all forget me already." Leaning back and putting her hands behind her head. "Oh well, I probably should have figured as much."

The other truck-mates all looked around at each other. No one seemed to recognize the new comer. But despite the fact of being totally forgotten by her old companions she couldn't help but smile to herself and wonder. 'None of them know each other, besides the ones that already did when I left. Yet here they all are, together. Where are we being taken? What's going on? Well, on the bright side this should prove to be rather interesting... Wait... how did Karin get here? She's from Columbia?!' No one knows how long the group sat in silence. The tension mounted, as time passed it was nearly unbearable. Karin yawned and snuggled closer to Craig; but he wasn't paying attention. The newest addition stretched then sat up cross-legged and looked around at all the others.

"So..." she said clasping her hands together." Who are you? Where are you from? and tell us a little bit about yourself."

Everyone looked up confused but no one answered. She sighed then grinned. "All right then. I'll start." She went around the group pointing to each person. "Glen, Cambridge, this is his first year out of high school. Resident player and he-who-knows-everything-about-nothing. Eric in grade 12, hopefully his last year of high school. Local WoW expert and sarcastic pro. Karin, Columbia... don't know what city. Youngest of our little group, she doesn't like snow. And finally Craig. In his second year of grade 12, he specializes in computer tech. Did I miss anything?"

Her grin grew into a full out smile as she watched the dumb-struck faces of her old friends. She put her hands behind her head and leaned back against the wall, unfolding her legs. "You still don't recognize me do you?" she asked sadly staring up at the roof of the truck, and blowing the bangs out of her eyes. "You know I expect Craig and Karin not to know me cuz I only met Craig once, and Karin... in never met her in real life, just over the computer." The scruffy girl stood up and walked over to the bared window in the door of the truck, she was the only one short enough to stand without stooping . Eric squinted as the light from the window reveled more of her features. The rain had stopped and the sun was just peeking out allowing everyone to get a good look at the mud covered kid.