II. Interrogation

The girl woke up in a dark room. She tried to flap her wings, but--there's something on her back that didn't allow her to take her wings out.

Crap.

She started to cry, tears leaking out of her eyes. Won't her life just stop? What would they do now, cut her wings off?

A very thin ray of light permeated the otherwise dark room, and the lights were turned on.

A boy entered the room, almost piercing her with his gaze. She flinched and looked away, on the pretense of studying the room.

It was an admittedly nice room. She was even lying on a bed that had actual sheets. Still…this could just be a ploy to get her off her guard. But she reveled in the feeling of what seemed like silk sheets under her, and the soft pillow cradling her head to boot.

The boy stood almost at the edge of the bed, almost in reach of her hands. Her hands! She wondered why she hadn't noticed before. She wasn't bound in any way to the bed--nor to the wall. That was certainly strange.

"You are finally awake, I see."

The girl jerked in surprise. "How long have I been asleep?" The words were an ugly rasp in her throat. "Water, please," she managed to get out before dissolving into a coughing fit. The boy produced a small pill from a pocket. She eyed it with suspicion until he popped half of it in his mouth.

"It's a moisturizer. For the throat."

She took the other half and swallowed it. It was even better than water, cooling her throat with a fruity balm.

"What are you?"

She looked surprised, gray eyes staring in his. .05 felt a little uncomfortable, if he even had that emotion.

"Emotions? You still have a few."

.05 looked at her, completely bulldozed. She had read his mind!

"So who are you?" The girl asked, sitting up in the bed.

"I asked you first." .05 was annoyed (if he did have that emotion).

"Oh. I can see you're not a bad guy."

.05 raised an eyebrow.

"But you're not exactly a good guy either."

.05's eyebrow settled back into its usual groove.

"I think I'm still fairly human." .05 raised his eyebrows. "But…I'm called Caduceus by some."

.05 raised both eyebrows. "Caduceus? Why that particular name?"

Caduceus' defenses raised a notch. "I…hum…it's because of the wings."

.05 looked at her, trying to discern her thoughts behind the gray eyes. She turned away from his gaze.

"Will you…will you kill me?" Caduceus' voice trembled a little, and .05 noticed it. She caught his eye and he was surprised at the intensity of her gaze. For a ten-year-old, she seemed much more complex than that. Caduceus' mouth opened, perhaps to speak again, but her eyes closed and she fell against .05, who had rushed up to her as soon as he saw her eyes closing.

Caduceus murmured something as he arranged her on the bed. "…Not a ten-year-old…"

As .05 turned to close the door he looked at Caduceus a final time before leaving the room. Tear tracks shone on her face. .05 turned the lights off and closed the door, feeling slightly disturbed.

.

.

.

.05 was standing in front of Caduceus' door. She seemed like a ten-year-old, and yet she didn't. What was going on! He sighed in frustration.

He heard footsteps coming near him. It was Luther.

"We're leaving for Antarctica. Heard there's a situation about some monster polar bears and a giant squid…"

.05 jumped up. "I'm coming with you!" Space looked at him. "What about that girl? She's your responsibility, not ours. We can manage without you, you know." When he saw .05's look of fury, he added quickly, "Not that I'm questioning your skills."

When it became obvious that Space really could only take Kraken and leave him, .05 stamped around in a fury, finally waking Caduceus, who went down to find .05 sulking in the living room.

"You're angry." Caduceus looked at him with her gray eyes. "Yes, I damned am," .05 fumed. To think he would be left here with only Séance and Vanya for company, them having taken Rumor with them, even in her powerless state.

Caduceus sat beside him on the couch. He jerked with surprise, but she didn't seem to notice.

"You have been very kind…The bed was scrumptious." He stared at her. "I mean… you might kill me and all, but I still want to say thank you for the best night's sleep I've ever had."

She stared into space, as if absorbing everything around her. .05 cleared his throat. When she didn't look at him, he coughed loudly.

"Oh! Are you sick?" she asked, concern in her voice. "No," .05 replied shortly. "I just wanted to get your attention."

"Ok."

A few moments of silence ensued. Finally, Caduceus asked .05, "Do you want me to tell you something?"

"How old are you?"

"Me?" Caduceus seemed surprised. "Maybe thirty or more…I've been too long asleep in that box."

Thirty, .05 thought. Or more. She really isn't a ten-year-old if she really is telling the truth.

"I am telling the truth."

.05 looked up. "Will you stop doing that!"

"Doing what?"

"Reading my mind!"

"Oh. Sorry. Ok."

Just then, Vanya entered the room. "Oh, .05, breakfast is ready…" Her voice trailed off as she saw Caduceus. "Good morning!" Caduceus chirped out, running to Vanya. "Will you please take this off my wings?" She turned her gray eyes on her, pleading. Vanya shrugged and undid the device with a nod from .05.

"Ah…it feels so good…" Caduceus snapped out 11-foot wings and hovered a few feet above the ground, nightdress swirling around her, hair floating out.

Vanya stepped back from her, a little disoriented. "Um…were you born with that?"

Caduceus laughed, the sound a bitter pealing of silver bells. "No. I-I'm sorry, but… I don't really like talking about it."

.05 stared at her, trying not to think anything.

"I-I'm sorry…" Caduceus repeated. "I think…I'm passing out."

And .05 and Vanya watched as she fell to the carpeted floor, wings a limp blanket around her.