Jacob was strolling the New York streets after procuring the equipment he 'needed' for his bosses experiment. This was only a rouse to get him permission to leave the base. So far he was loyal so they saw no need to send guards with him. For this he was thankful.

He arrived at the agreed café in a functional part of the city with a few minutes to spare. However as he entered he saw he in all her glory. Sitting daintily, hands folded in her lap, staring directly at him. He had heard of her, of how she excelled in the organisation before escaping, the last of the early Red Rooms. He was the only one he could think of to meet, she was well linked with those he'd need the help of.

He walked over the table confidently. He knew this would go two ways. One he would gain her help unconditionally or he would die promptly after leaving. He knew what to say to make her believe him. He thought of how to begin as he sat at the table.

"What is your business with me? Who do you work for?" She said. Eyes in slits and her red hair bouncing as she tilted her head back away from him. He gulped and took a deep breath.

"You won't like it. But you need to hear me out. I need your help taking something down and I think you have a personal interest..." the red head cut him off. Quietly she repeated "Who. Do. You. Work. For?"

"Project Latrodectus…" Her blank stare told him he needed to say the three words that could possibly lead her to take his life.

"The Red Rooms…"

I walked into the combat room, or Red Room, whichever, thinking it would just be me and Chase for my first session, that wasn't the case. I walked in more hesitantly than before, looking at the various different girls in the room. They all looked fairly similar in build, tall, hard and slender. I looked down at my relatively short form and curves. It hit my ego hard standing nearly these beautiful women. Some of their eyes showed nothing, they were cold, shallow, devoid of any and all emotion. Others eyes emitted fear and sadness, but they tried to stand strong. There were 21 women here in total, including me. I walked further into the room and noticed something that crushed my heart; a young teenager and young girl were standing close to each other in the corner, tears streaming down there face. They weren't related, the teen was Black whereas the girl was Hispanic. They held hands, so tightly I could see their knuckles turning white and their fingers red. I felt like crying myself. I stood near them and their eyes followed me in horror. They must think I am going to harm them. I smile softly to them, trying to convey without words I am no threat. The teen tensed as I went to walk behind them and I saw the childs lower lip tremble. I hushed their silent sobs gently, cooing out gentle words to try and calm them as I placed my hands on their heads. Both tensed but I began to hum and stroke their hair in attempt to calm them. They are far too young to be here. A voice in my head laughed bitterly…Weren't we all?

I continued to stroke their knotted hair as I hummed the familiar tune softly, a song I once sang to calm by sister when she had bad dreams. As we were waiting for chase to arrive I felt them relax under my touch. Once Chase arrived I ceased my humming and moved my hands to their shoulders, rubbing gentle circles with my thumbs, keeping the contact. These poor girls… I looked down at both their shivering forms and I vowed then that they would return home with me. They deserve a life, a normal life.

I would protect them as I did Lilly…

I took their hands as Chase prepared himself at the back of the room and pulled them back behind me, hoping the 'out of sight, out of mind' theory could apply. As Chase began to speak they held my hands tighter.

"I suppose you are wondering why you are not in your single sessions? Why everyone is gathered in this room. In all honesty there is no reason other than I do not feel like fighting myself today and who better to take my place than those who have had the same training." I haven't had any training yet?! I thought in a panic as he finished. The girls behind be began to tremble more violently, I forced my anxieties aside and squeezed their hand gently. I'll just have to examine how the others fight.

Chase motioned for two women to step forward and step to the centre of the room. I watched as one stood on my stain. My print in this room, then I looked at her, pushing the ugly thoughts away. Her stare was cold and the other woman returned it in equal fervour. The lady standing on my stain was very tall but very slim, her choclately skin stretched over her muscles so tightly I thought if she bent it would rip. Her shaved head suited her beautiful face and added to her imposing physic. I looked at the other women around the room and they all looked to be the same… It didn't look…Healthy, no not at all. This pretty African-American lady had a good few inches on her opponent who had pale creamy skin and wild red hair. Chase signalled for the fight to begin and I tried to drown out the noises of skin slapping skin and bones cracking, I examined their routines until the tall lady had won and the next fight began. I watched as the victor dragged each body they had overcome away from the fighting area, some I feared would not wake up. My fears turned out to be reality as some guards entered and dragged 4 of the girls away carelessly by a single limb, a trail of blood following them out the door. As the fights wore on I began feel the girl wet faces press against my sides, this must be so traumatic for them. I smiled slightly at how the frightened girls trusted me. I wonder how long they have been here?

I didn't notice was my name was called, stuck in my own thoughts until I felt the air around me change slightly. Instinctively I moved the girls to the left and reached out to grab something in the air before it hit me. I looked at my hand in shock as I caught the brick that had been aimed for, presumably, my face then to the wall were a dagger was embedded, my own skin felt foreign to me as it skin began to crawl and boil at the realisation that it was for the teenager at her side.

I threw the brick to the ground and pushed the girls further behind me as I looked Chase in the eyes.

"Oh. So you're paying attention now? Terri to the centre." My feet moved on their own accord, rage still causing me to see red. My eyes never left his. "Kerishai! Yu! Centre!" he barked. I looked around the room and saw that the two girls began to trudge forward. Sobs escaping their lips.

I turned to Chase. Face completely blank and said a single word. "No" His eyes widened at my defiance before smiling. "Your right. They only came today. I should go easy on them. You will fight someone else first." The girls stayed at the side of the room as three of the women who had battled before stepped to the centre circle. "You'll be much easier once these are through". I turned my nose up in disgust at him. I will die before I harm a child so maliciously…

I wasn't aware that the fight had begun before my hair was yanked so hard I fell onto my back, my head cracking against the stone floor. I felt the air get warmer to my left so I rolled backward to escape the attack, which turned out to be a vicious punch which collided with the concrete, eliciting a scream to escape the attacker's lips as she grasped her hand. I shifted onto my right knee and kicked the wailing woman hard on her cheek, sending her to the floor. I quickly jumped up only for my nose to meet someone's elbow. My head snapped back and I gripped my bleeding nose before feeling a sharp punch to my stomach causing me to double over, a swift kick to the side of my rib cage sent me toppling over. I cried out in pain as I felt my ribs crack at the force of the kick and opened my eyes to see the children's horrified expressions. I felt the three girls punches and kicks, felt my tissue bruising, heard the cracking sounds emitting from unknown places in my body. I kept my eyes on them, noticed how the brutal women in the room had congregated around them. If I couldn't get up, what would Chase get the others to do to them? Scenarios flashes threw my mind like lightning, each one making the anger swell within me, dulling any pain that was being inflicted.

I brought my knees to my chest, making me seem more vulnerable. As I expected, one of the girls walked from my side, slowly as the others hit me. As she crossed my legs path I shot my legs out as fast and hard as possible, aiming for her shin. The scream was piecing, but I had no time for that, the others had paused at the noise and I needed to get up. I pushed my aching body up and backed away from the two women before me. They stood side by side, one looking at me smugly, like they had already won the fight whilst the other looked at me more fearfully. The hesitant one, to my surprise, was the one who lunged at me first. She was incredibly fast but I moved so she only managed to hit my shoulder. I felt the air cool slightly and I looked to see her draw her fist back for a more powerful blow. I threw my body into a backflip, my foot catching her hard on her jaw causing her to fly backwards. I landed on my hands and pushed myself up to bounce into a standing position. The second I was upright the smug one charged at me with a ferocious look in her eyes. Her hits were powerful the blows she landed nearly knocked the wind out of me and the ones I blocked successfully left a painful sensation along my arms, like someone was beating my bones with a mallet.

By this point I was pissed.

I was tired, my head throbbed with every move I made and my skin felt like it was on fire. My opponent was tiring too, her moves not as fast as before. She gave a good fight, very damn good. But I was done.

I grabbed her wrists and yanked them in opposite directions, freeing her body. Without giving her time to react I pulled my head-butted her with most of the power I had left in me. Pain shot through my skull and I let go of her wrists to grab my forehead. She dropped to the floor, unconscious and I placed pressure on the piercing ache in my head. Hand still on my face I looked down at my opponents and winced. The girl who hit the floors wrist looked three times the size of her body, the owner of the leg I kicked when on the floor had her shin bone poking out the back of her calf…That's disgusting…and the girl I hit in the head had a Tom and Jerry style lump forming on her head, similar to the lump I felt forming on my own. I looked at Chase, keeping my eyes void of anything. "I won"

"Yes. It was impressive. Now to fight the new ones. Kerisha. Yu. Come!" He shouted.

"I will NOT fight children! That is disgusting and barbaric!" I half yelled at him. His angry eyes now turned into more dangerous slits. "Hold Her" was all he said and I felt four of the women grab my arms and legs. "Fine you will just watch." He said as he roughly dragged the two girls to the centre chaining their ankles to the ground. No… No, NO, NO, NO, NO!

I struggled hard against the girls, managing to move a little. Kerisha and Yu were openly cry now, their faces red and desperate sobs were passing their lips "LEAVE THEM ALONE YOU PATHETIC PIECE OF SHIT!" I screamed "THEY ARE ONLY CHILDREN!" I looked around the room, hoping any of them would stop this madness. Most of them just sneered. This can't happen! I said I was going to protect them!

SMACK!

I paused my struggling to hear little Yu cry out in pain. I looked at the left side of her face to see it already swelling badly, bleeding too from the ring on his finger. The bastard his a child! My body felt like it was on fire. I didn't even notice the women that were meant to be restraining me crawling to the corner.

"I WILL KILL YOU!" I screamed at Chase as he raised his hand to Kerisha. I ran, faster than ever before and rugby tackled him to the ground…hard. He yelped in pain and threw me away from him. I graceful caught my balance with my hand and skidded to a halt. I stood. I felt powerful. I looked over to the women now standing at the back off the room in fear. I wasn't sure what they feared but I was glad they did. They deserved to be as scared as those children.

I heard a whimper and turned to see Chase returning to the girl, fists clenched. I reached my hands out towards them as he threw a punch at Kerishas face. The young girl flinched but no impact came. Chases hand bounced off a shield surrounding the girls. Everyone in the room paused to look at it.

It was glorious.

It had the same marble effect as oil in a puddle. The colours swirls and moved against each over in an intricate dance to protect the girls inside. They colours were familiar though. They reminded me of my new eye pigments.

Was that you? I heard a small voice ask. I turned towards the girls to see Yu looking at me. I stared at my hands in shock. It couldn't have been…surely not… was it? I looked at my hands again to see them glowing once more and I . A shield placed itself around me too and I looked up to see Chase charging at me, murder in his eyes. He stopped abruptly when he saw the shield.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS? He bellowed. I ignored him and looked at the girls now smiling at me thankfully. I smiled back; I wish I could get them home. At that an array off images past through my head, two distinguishing tastes to them. Memories. The girls memories! They knew each other! They live in a flat block in Detroit on the same floor. I closed my eyes, needing a distraction from all this new information and pictured their floor wondering when they would be able to return. Suddenly, behind my closed eyelids, I saw them both on their floor. I smiled at the thought. Behind my eyelids they were looking around in shock and fright before embracing each other tightly and running to their doors. That's how it should be. The image faded and I felt a strange sensation. I felt completely drained but also the tastes were gone. I opened my eyes and saw the girls were gone as the shield began to slowly fade. What the fuck just happened? Was my last thought before everything went black.