Chapter One

Carla Baker was three years old when her father and mother split up. Neither one of her parents were capable of taking care of her on their own, so the girl was sent to the city foster home. She made a lot of friends within the first three years of her life at the home. This wouldn't matter in the long run. Just three years into her time, her father returned for her. She didn't realize it at the time, but her father's way of "adopting" her was illegal. He hadn't signed papers or anything of the sort. Just picked her up, and left. It didn't matter to her then. All she knew was that she was with her daddy again, and no one would separate them ever.

They moved to a remote area of Antigua. The house her father had gotten for them was large, and spacious. For a while, Carla was afraid to go anywhere alone, scared of getting lost. She soon got over it, when, after only a few weeks, her father claimed he had to leave her to go on a business trip. She was left with only the house servants, and the promise of his return. That was when Carla realized she was destined to look after herself. She decided, though she wasn't old enough to be aware, that she would never depend on anyone again.

That was five years ago. Now she was eleven, and in fifth grade at Barton Academy for Science and Technology. It was a boarding school. She sat at her desk now, staring down at her faded "notes" on the shells she'd found on the beach when she four. She'd always had a passion for science, just like her father. Her classes at the school were starting to burn her out, so thinking about the simpler days were a lot less straining. Her best friend Melissa came to her side, and sat on the corner of her desk. "Hey,Lissa."

"Hey. You've been moping for a month. What's wrong?"

"I just wish my father was around more often. He's been away on some top secret experimental thing for months."

"Has he written to you?" Melissa tilted her head.

"No. That's the odd thing. He won't write me." Carla put her head on her desk, with a long sigh. "I don't want to be here anymore,Melissa. I don't…I mean, I'm not into this anymore. It was different when Daddy was around all the time. Now..it's meaningless to me."

"So, quit. Just make sure you give me your phone number in Antigua." Melissa smiled reassuringly. "You can afford to quit. My father would go mental if I did."

"I'm sorry,Mel…."

"Don't be. My Mama always told me that when your passion is no longer fun, it's time for a new one. You'll find one, or find something to rekindle your old fire for science. That's how I see it."

Carla nodded, and then looked up at the clock on the wall. "Well, we should get ready for lunch. It's going to be our last lunch together."

"Are you….just gonna leave? How do you know where to find him?"

"I don't. But I have to try anything."

"What if he's working for the government? It could be some diabolical scheme to take over the planet!"

"Lissa!" The younger girl cracked up. "You've got a seriously overactive imagination! I doubt Daddy would do anything illegal." Carla sat down, and waited for them to be served.

"It could SO happen. It happens in movies all the time." Melissa sat across from her.

"That's the movies." Carla regarded Melissa seriously. "Seriously, I am a little nervous."

"Don't go…" Melissa began, just as their food arrived.

"I have to go." Carla speared a piece of chicken on to her plate. "I have to know, Melissa. I want to know what my father finds more important than me." She pushed her plate aside, and headed back to her room. She locked her door, and looked out at the darkening streets, before pulling out her already packed duffel bag. "I'm sorry, Lissa…." She slipped out her window, and climbed down the trellis.

"I won't do it. I swore to her mother I would keep her out of this!" Stephen Baker looked at Dr. Morris, his partner. "Carla is my daughter, not a test subject!"

"We both know she's not really your daughter,Steve. You kidnapped her,from the orphanage. Her real parents died in a house fire after she was born."

"Yes, that's how it began,but I love her. She's all I have left,and I will not let you do this!"

"You fool! Your loyalty was to the Black Ghost Organization, not some child you weren't meant to keep!" Dr. Morris looked up at his partner. "You will bring her here as soon as you can."

"No! I will not. You can do what you will, but I will not turn my daughter into one of your experimental cyborgs!"

"Fine. As you wish." Dr. Morris walked over to the intercom. "I need security here to show Dr. Baker to his new "office". "

"What?! What are you doing?!" Stephen gaped at his former partner.

"Thanks to her countless letters, we know where Carla is. We don't need you anymore."

"Letters? What letters?" Stephen began to understand. Carla's letters had been withheld from him. "You…you traitor!"

"Actually, you're the traitor, and now your so-called daughter will suffer for it." The security guard took Baker away before he could say another word.

"001, there's activity on the island." 003 looked at the baby. "A new human."

"Really? What are they like?"

"I'm not sure. I guess we'll have to wait and see…..009 went to check on it."

"They could be working for Black Ghost…" 004 put in as he entered.

"I don't think so. 007 said the human was a child." 003 responded. "But she could be in trouble."

"You're right….we'll just have to wait until 009 returns with some news. "