Constance's hand felt cool in mine, as the girl pulled me down multiple sidestreets. Clinging to the shadows, it seemed everyone we passed paid us no notice. We were protected by darkness here. The anxiety resting in the pit of my stomach faded in that moment. In the dark, with this child, I would not be hurt by the scientist, or gawked at by the common man. How could a child make me feel so safe? There was something special about the girl, for in that one moment I was free, but that feeling could not last forever.

We passed an odd bit of graffiti, splashed on the brick wall of a building in a red paint similar to the color of blood. The anxiety returned. I was still in unfamiliar territory, fully exposed, and clearly not belonging. Constance lead me to a barrel, barely visible, in the faint moonlight obscured by the high buildings. What could she be doing?

She gave a light tap on the barrel, wrapping out an unknown rhythim. A few seconds later, a continuation of her tapping came from the other side of the container. Constance pulled me back, and I found the barrel rising slightly, as a piece of the ground slid aside to reveal a large hole. We were going underground? A dark skinned man popped his head out, and smiled at my companion.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite Vox in the making?" the man's brown eyes glistened with mischief, "Come to give us info- or. . ." He spotted me behind the girl, his voice suddenly growing colder, "Who is this?"

"Robin Lutece," I stated, unsure if it was wise to give this name.

"Lutece, as in the Founder Lutece?!" A gun was suddenly pointed in my direction, "Constance, get behind me."

I raised my arms, sure that I would be dead before even given the chance to explain, but Constance didn't budge, despite standing nearly directly in front of a gun. She just stayed, giving the man a look that instantly made me grateful I wasn't on this girl's bad side.

"Skybird Lookout, if you continue to point a gun in my face, I will be forced to kick yer teeth in," the girl huffed, suddenly sounding a lot stronger than she was during the fight with the cop.

"Alright, alright," the Skybird man lowered his weapon, "But if this girl causes trouble, you're explaining it to Fitzroy."

The man's head disappeared down the hole, giving us safe passage into the underground, if you'd even call the underbelly of a floating city "underground." I shrugged, as Constance lead me to the nearby ladder, before climbing down herself. I followed, and the hole above closed, leaving me in complete darkness. Shivering, I clutched the cold, metal rungs of the ladder tightly as I descended. There was a slight sound of dripping coming from below, followed by the smell of urine. Was I going into the sewer? I could only assume that was the case by the smell.

"Almost there," Constance called to me. I followed, before reaching solid ground. It was still dark.

A light immediately flicked on, and I was forced to quickly shield my eyes. Blinking spots out of my vision, I soon adjusted to the light in time to see a group of men their guns trained on me. What was with these people and wanting to shoot me? I scrunched up my wings and again waited to be shot.

That was when the line of men parted, and a somewhat familiar looking woman walked before us. I shuddered. If I thought Constance's look was bad, this woman's was worse. She grabbed Constance by the elbow before crouching to her level.

"Constance Field," her dark brown eyes held the look of a disappointed mother, "You dare bring a founder into our base? When your mother hears-"

"She'd dead" the words tumbled out of my mouth, the men that had grown lax watching the conversation, retrained their guns back on me, "An officer beat her to death with a billy club. I tried to stop him, but I got too scared to move. Then he pushed her, and I just couldn't let him hurt- and I'm sorry if you don't want me around. I promise I'm no threat. And I- I. . ."

"Hold it, girl," the woman looked me over, "This isn't the Lutece I know. Men, you can go."

Most of the Vox soldiers in that moment followed orders, but one stayed, Skybird.

"That includes you, Sky," she nodded.

"But Daisy-" he held up his gun. Was this the famous Daisy Fitzroy? Perhaps that's why she looked familiar?

"I'm armed if need be," she stroked the man's cheek, "Rest for now."

Skybird sighed before giving one final salute and heading through a nearby door. Daisy turned her attention to me.

"So why is a person such as yourself tellin' everyone you're a Lutece?" She gave a slightly nervous glance to my wings.

"I've been living in what remains of their home for several weeks, doing what they ask me to do," I shrugged, "It only seemed fitting in avoiding questions."

Daisy gave a loud laugh before stating, "Because I am sure you don't get questions."

"Usually I am disguised," I shifted awkwardly before remembering the weight on my shoulder, "But I was asked to come here to deliver a message."

"A message?" Daisy put her hands on her hips, quiet for a moment, "Well, are you going to give it to me?"

"It's not for you," I pulled the voxophone out of my bag before handing it to the girl standing beside me, "It's for Constance. I kind of got distracted by the whole police brutality incident."

"Wait," Daisy gave an odd smirk, "You're posing as a Lutece, and just delivered a message to Constance. . ."

"Yes?" I looked at the woman confused before

Daisy smiled at me, any sense of hostility gone from her face, "Girl, you have just proven yourself to the vox. Come with me."

Constance smiled at me before placing her hand into mine. This kid seemed to be the only thing keeping me alive here, so I smiled back. Daisy was already out of the room, when I began to follow. Pushing our way through a set of double doors, I found myself beside a river of what I could only imagine was pure filth. My nose crinkled in disgust, but I carried on, letting Daisy lead the way. She brought us to a makeshift ladder, reaching into a Vox-made hole in the ceiling. I let go of Constance, before lifting the now drowsy child up to Daisy. Afterwards, I climbed the ladder, popping up in what I could only assume was Daisy's room.

The ceiling and walls were adorned with banners. Stacks of wanted posters filled the wastebin. In the center of the room lay a map of Columbia, beside a strange device. Daisy pulled a chair up to the table, gesturing for me to sit down. I took a seat, turning to see Constance already asleep on the bed in the corner.

"So, you are this Messenger I've been promised?" Daisy again glanced at my wings. Was she nervous? ,"A day late and a dollar short, I'd say. We expected you months ago."

"I was indisposed at the time," It wasn't a lie. I looked to the sleeping child, "Is she going to be alright?"

Daisy slouched in her chair, showing a look I could only describe as pure exhaustion slip onto her face, "I don't know. Constance is not like most children here."

"What do you mean?"

"Folks here be calling her a genius," she sighed, "Most people, though, don't want a kid smarter than themselves."

"You're saying nobody here will care for her?" I could already see the unpleasant path this was leading to.

"The Vox would do as much as they could, but to be frank, there just aren't enough supplies for that," Daisy pointed at her map, "We haven't expanded enough to care for anyone other than our own."

"So, what will happen to her?" I knew the answer, but I had to be certain. If there was any way this kid didn't end up-

"She'll be left on the streets, like the countless other chil'ren that lost their parents to the police around here."

"She can put on that accent, though," Was there any hope for this girl? "Surely that has to help?"

"Only if she has somebody to vouch she isn't Irish, or from here," Daisy frowned, "If she did manage that. . . Then perhaps she could be of some use to the Vox?"

I frowned, "So why were you having her send messages? That couldn't help the Vox, could it?"

"We had at one point planned to use her to infiltrate the Sky-Lines, using her trained accent to fool the guards. The recordings were part of the distraction, but-" Daisy shivered, suddenly lost in thought.

"Alright," I relented, not wishing to cause the woman distress by forcing her to recall unpleasant memories. I moved to sit beside the child, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Such wasted potential, leaving a young one so bright in a place like this. Any youth forced to live here was doomed, but perhaps I could save this one? The Luteces did leave me money, and the girl could actually manage to go out when I couldn't. Yes. She could help me, get supplies and not get so lonely. This could work.

I looked back to Daisy offering a soft smile, "Daisy, what would happen if I adopted the girl?"