Has it been so long? T he child that I witnessed being born forget me? The one I helped delivered? The one that used to play soccer. The one ignored by his brother. The one that used to follow him around.

"Kleiss?" said a small voice. He turned. He and the child were young to the project. He was newly transferred. Well, he was newer than most. The child was often kept in his room studying, so he wouldn't get in the way. But bright eyes, imaginative eyes, always found a way to the window to go explore.

"Shouldn't you be in your room?" he asked getting on one knee so he was the child's height. He looked at him.

"Hermano trabaja ahí adentro," he said softly.

"I'm sorry I don't speak Spanish," he said sheepishly. The child looked at him.

"And you probably don't speak English," he said to himself. He was a strange child. Strange for the lab. He was a normal child. Sports lover. Not really interested in the science field. He started to walk away.

"My brother says you're a third rate lab hack."

Kleiss stopped and turned around.

"You don't look too bad to me," he said innocently. Kleiss walked up to him. His eyes showed no fear.

"How old are you…"

"I'm Rex. Rex Salazar. And I'm eight. I turn nine soon though."

"Really? I didn't know that. Or that you spoke English."

"No one knows really. I self taught myself English, French and Chinese."

Kleiss couldn't help but let out a shocked look on his face.

"You don't believe me. Don't worry. No one does. I'm not good with science. It changes too much. It never stays the same. I can't stand it when things aren't constant," he complained, "That's why I love soccer! Can we play sometime?"

"I'm busy with work," he said reluctantly. Rex looked at him.

"Please?" he said with endearing eyes.

"After I'm done with my work."

He walked down the hall. Rex followed.

"Weren't you a doctor before you were a scientist?" Rex asked.

"Yes."

"Didn't you help deliver babies?"

"Only once. It was an awkward situation."

"Was it at St. Joseph's almost nine years ago?" he asked. Kleiss turned and looked at him. That was part of his private life. He knew he didn't tell anyone. True he was a doctor, that was why he was sent, and yes he did help once deliver a child, but only because it was an emergency, but to know that was almost nine years ago?

"Are you a hacker?" he asked with a nervous laugh. Rex looked at him.

"You aren't the only one with an awkward story from nine years ago," he said softly.

"But you're not nine yet," he countered playfully. Rex looked at the ground. Kleiss wasn't good with kids…or people, but he could tell that the kid wanted to tell him something. But felt like he couldn't. Like the thing he wanted to say was taboo.

"I was an unexpected child. They didn't know mom was pregnant until she went into labor with me. If she wasn't near St. Joseph's hospital, I would've died. I was coming out the wrong way."

It took a moment. Kleiss thought back. The woman he helped was Latino. So was the father who was rushing in. A son, about ten walked in behind, without a care. The baby was conceived there. He was the only one who was available to help. It was a very busy day. The baby was extremely small. He could easily fit in one of Kleiss's hands. A small baby gripping his thumb. A strong grip. A loud cry. But he remembered how it came out.

"HI-YAAAAH!"

"You were the kid right?" he asked. Rex nodded. Then he smiled.

"Remember. You promised to play soccer with me when you were done!" he cried running off in another direction. Like a Salazar, he was a strange person. Or, a normal person thrown into a world of strange people.

Rex's ninth birthday.

It was supposed to be a fun day. But he was in the cross fire. He and César, they were the ones who removed him from the shooting. Rex was caked in his blood. They rushed him to the closest room. Kleiss began to remove the bullets in his chest.

"César, we're losing him," he said sadly. He kept trying to keep Rex awake. César grabbed his brother and put him in the nanite chamber.

"Are you crazy?" yelled Kleiss, "If he survives in there, he might not come out alright!"

"It's all we've got," said César turning the machine on. Lights flickered. A strained cry came from the machine.

"Rex!" yelled Kleiss. The machine turned off. Rex came out. He looked tired. His clothes still had blood all over. But his body looked as though it was healing itself rapidly.

"Success! The nanite project works!" said César happily. Rex looked at Kleiss. His eyes seemed foggy. He looked over the workshop. He seemed to be seeing something he didn't. Like he was trying to dissect the room with his eyes.

"César? What's going on?" he asked.

"There has been an attack mijo. People want to set off the nanite project. The one we just used on your body."

Rex's eyes went wide. He ran into the corridor. César stayed and reset up the machine in case needed. Kleiss went after him.

"Rex! It's dangerous!"

Rex stopped and turned to him. Tears were in his eyes.

"Why didn't you stop him?"

"Rex I…"

"Now I'm just another guinea pig. Something for people to study."

"I didn't want to see you dead."

Rex looked him in the eye.

"Would I have really died?" he asked. Slowly. Kleiss nodded. Rex ran up to him and hugged him. Kleiss would never understand this kid. Rex looked at him.

"Promise me you won't let them do anything else to me?" he asked. It wasn't something he could do. But the kid's eyes…

"I'll do everything I can."

Is it so wrong that I try to keep the promise you made me keep that you can't remember? You run and hide from me. Call me insane. Call me crazy. Call me a villain. But I will always do what I can to keep the promise between me and the small smiling child with bright brown eyes. One who doesn't know what to do or where to go. But because of this promise, I might hurt you. But I'll never kill you. The day you forgot everything changed me as well. Come back to your family, not bound by blood.

Okay. Most of you hate this. But Van Kleiss knows something. This is just some stupid crazy idea that I had in school. Review…