It's been almost a week since that camping trip.

School's out right now, so I'm at the Planet. To be more precise, I'm under Dad's desk.

I want to surprise him.

It's a good thing I'm not technically alone because, as you may remember, I don't like being that way. I can hear and even see some people.

Where's Dad?

I guess he's off dong some sort of rescue as Superman. He should be back soon though.

Jimmy notices me.

I put one finger in front of my mouth then tell him my plan. He may be one of my friends but I don't want him to spoil my plan.

He nods then tells me, in sign, where he saw Dad go. He's learned a lot of sign, which I really like him for.

Anyway, Dad went to the supply closet.

I know what that means. He is out somewhere as Superman.

That's a scoop for my Dad, the reporter.

I get into a more comfortable position, since I don't know how long he'll be out.

It's kind of funny that I'm wearing my Daily Planet T-shirt right now. It's blue.

Lois got it for me. She said that she thought it would be funny.

I guess I can agree with her but the shirt's kind of big. I have my hoodie on over it though.

I'm also wearing blue jeans and my tennis shoes.

You probably already know what I have in my right pants pocket.

Jimmy said he thought that was why Lois gave me the shirt. He also said the habit of me keeping those items there makes him think I'd make a great reporter someday.

I'm not so sure I agree with him, mainly because I think that job would be kind of annoying when you're like me.

I didn't tell him that because I didn't want to. I just shrugged my shoulders.

That got me gentle laughter from him and Dad.

By the way, that was some time ago.

I'm wearing the shirt now, for the first time, because, as you may have guessed, I've grown into it more. It obviously used to be too big for me. I like how it fits better now.

Dad likes that I'm getting bigger and stronger. I like the latter more.

It's nice that I don't have to conserve my energy anymore. I can also run much further than I used to.

Wally helped me out a little with that. I don't feel like I'm as good a runner as he is but that's okay.

He told me so, saying that I can take his word for it as a speedster. I like that he's such a good friend and I think it's kind of funny that he's the only one I have that has red hair.

Jimmy's a redhead too. I have a name sign for him but I don't want to tell you what it is.

Sometimes name signs feel personal.

I will tell you that I don't have one for everyone at the Planet because coming up with so many seemed like too much.

For now, Lois and Perry are the only others that have one. The former gets an l in a hurry because she's often on the move.

The latter gets a p that I move from my mouth like how he loudly calls for people.

The way he roars Kent obviously is part of why I gave him that name sign. It kind of makes me think of Boomer.

I wonder how she and the rest of the people at the I.E.C. would feel if the found out that I have a new family.

I'm distracted from my thoughts by the sound of footsteps.

Good. It's Dad.

I can see him. I can't wait to surprise him.

Just as he about to sit down, I come out from where I was and say Boo.

He laughs. "You wanted to surprise me for a change, didn't you, Sayna?"

He gives me a hug. "I couldn't have asked for a better one."

Of course I'm returning the hug.

We let go then he puts me on his chair and starts typing his article.

I look at it so I can figure out where he was.

Stopping a train. That seems cliché.

I don't think I'm a snob. He's done that before.

I'm obviously pretty familiar with Superman's exploits.

Yes, I've read back issues of the Planet. I had time on my hands and I wanted something to read so I was led to the records by Jimmy.

I had, of course, asked.

I also found an article about my time in court. It was kind of interesting reading about myself through Dad's eyes.

I wouldn't say that it's my favorite thing I've read, mainly because I don't care for the memory of how nervous I was at first, but I liked the ending.

I carefully get down from Dad's chair because it swivels and grab my green backpack. I'm kind of hungry.

I open it then rummage through what I have inside.

There's my snack. Dad always sends me with one and lunch money.

Alder interprets for me so that the cafeteria workers know what I want. I think that they've picked up some sign but I still don't like eating in the cafeteria, partly because it's really noisy.

I'm also kind of self-conscious about eating in public, which that technically counts as. I don't think that I need to explain why.

The librarian's nice and she's told me that she doesn't mind the company.

Yes, I obviously eat in the library. I'm always careful not to make a mess.

Anyway, the librarian, Lorelei, knows about my curse. She was, as you may remember, sworn to secrecy.

I like that she recommends books for me more than the fact she keeps my secret. Sometimes, she'll find ones with mute characters.

None of them really feel like me but I have a new book with one now. A.G. Howard's Stain.

Well, new to me anyway. I was told that it came out in 2019.

I'm not sure how I feel about the title but it's in my backpack. I would open it but I have a snack that I really should get to first.

I grab it then close my backpack and get back on Dad's chair.

I open my green reusable snack bag and look inside. Pink Lady slices and baby carrots.

I look around, feeling grateful for the noise, then start eating the latter. The former can, in a way, be my dessert.

I'm just about to start eating them when I hear a roar of Kent.

"Right on schedule, as always."

I roll my eyes. That isn't funny, Jimmy.

What is Dad even being called for? Perry got the article, right?

Dad tells me, in a hurry, that he'll explain later then heads off.

I hope it's nothing serious as I finish my snack.

I soon put the bag back in the place where I had it.

I close my backpack again. I would grab my book but I doubt I'd be able to concentrate and it's not because of the nose in here.

I'm kind of nervous for Dad.

Thankfully, it isn't that long before he comes back to me.

I raise one eyebrow.

He doesn't like that we'll be leaving kind of early. I wanted you to meet a friend of mine. He's kind of busy so I learned about when we were going to meet at the last minute and, yes, that's why I got read the riot act."

Lois makes a noise that I'm not sure how to describe.

Dad rolls his eyes. "Really? The sad trombone*?"

Steve shrugs his shoulders. "Hey, she beat me to it."

I'm not sure how I feel about that or it seeming like hardly any time at all before Dad's taking me to the meeting, especially since I don't know who it's going to be with.

He tells me on the way there.

I mouth an Oh then get my book. I've also been told it's a standalone.

I'm okay with that because sometimes mute characters make me feel uncomfortable.

Sure, the representation's nice but, again, they never really feel like me. They're either selective mutes, which means they talk with some people, or they regain their voice.

I breathe out slowly. Is the mute character in this book going to be one of those two ways?

I'm pretty sure that reading about characters like that is the reason that, even though I'm used to my muteness, I try to talk in front of a mirror.

Well, that plus bullies and the part of me that wishes so much that I could talk.

I've had dreams where I can though mostly when I was younger.

I sigh and shake my head as I remember that those dreams would make try to talk. I wanted to see if the dream had come true.

I push back the memory and open the book.

I've barely started when Dad tells me we're here.

I reluctantly close the book and look up.

I mouth an Oh at what meets my eyes. It causes them to widen.

That can't be just a house. It's so big!

Dad laughs gently then, shortly, leads me to what he says is called Wayne Manor.

I'm kind of annoyed that I had to leave my book behind but I can deal with it. I think so anyway.

It's not very long before I'm faced with an older man.

Well, not exactly because I'm hiding behind Dad's right leg like how I was when I got taken to meet Zee.

The new person laughs gently. "I see your guest is rather shy, Master Clark."

He has an accent.

I come out, one, because I'm curious and two, I like the accent then wave a Hello.

He smiles warmly.

I also like that we have the same color eyes.

"Why, hello there, little miss. I'm Alfred."

That's a good name.

I don't know if he understands sign but I use it to give my name.

He leads me inside, letting me know he does understand sign and giving me a third thing I'm not sure how I feel about, which is that he called me "Miss Sayna".

I do thank him for complimenting my name though.

This place is really big. Who am I here to meet?

I don't think that it's Alfred who, I might add, shows us to the living room, where two people seem to be waiting.

I think that they're brothers. I wonder who they're waiting for.

Dad introduces them to me.

Their names are Tim and Dick. Both seem nice.

I smile on finding out that they know sign.

Dick seems concerned when he learns I'm mute though which I don't really like.

I look away from him and turn towards the sound of footsteps. They belong to a man who looks a lot like Dad.

His eyes widen on seeing me. "How did you escape the I.E.C., Silent?"

He broke the rule!

I look around nervously as my heart pounds. Could I hide somewhere?

What's going to happen now? I don't want to go back!

I don't want to leave my Dad!

I'm so scared that I blink, hoping that I won't be take away from him.

Please, please, please don't let that happen.

I look around while unseen as I count in my head.

One minute.

Three minutes.

Five minutes.

Nobody's coming?

I try to laugh. Nobody's coming!

I'm free!

I should become visible though.

I breathe out slowly then do so.

"Bruce, what's the I.E.C.?"

Well, if he can break the rule, it should be fine for me to, even in front of Dick and Tim. Even though part of me's still scared.

Be brave, Sayna. Show your strength.

I breathe out slowly again then tell Dad that I.E.C. stands for Institute for Extraordinary Children.

He looks at me. "You're ready to tell me about Silent's memories?"

I nod then run a finger through the writing on my shirt. This isn't a story for the Planet.

He gets the message I make.

I can tell because he said that he won't write it. Good.

I smile then tell Bruce Hi again. I like that he remembered me.

I also tell him that he's why my favorite language is Japanese.

He smiles. "You remember me telling you about mokusatsu then?"

I give him my answer, which I'm sure you remember.

His smile widens. "That's good. Now, as the prince of Gotham, may I welcome you back on behalf of the city?"

I try to laugh again.

"Can you tell me about the I.E.C. now? It sounds kind of like the Center for Paranormal Studies in Metropolis**."

Bruce nods. "It's a sister organization of sorts to that."

I don't think it's a sister you'd want to have but I could be biased due, in part, to my bully triangle.

I don't say that because there's a question I need to answer. I can kind of answer it anyway.

I tell Bruce that I don't know the answer to his question but I do know why I had to escape.

"Go ahead and tell me."

I answer him with what I overheard.

He raises one eyebrow. "Your funding ran out? Why does that mean you had to escape?"

I ignore the scared part of me and, after gulping, tell him that I overheard kids who don't pull in funding get terminated.

Four pairs of eyes widen.

Dad looks at me with horror in his eyes. "Oh my God. Sayna, tell me that doesn't mean what I think it does."

I start shaking so badly that I can't sign.

His eyes widen again. "No!"

Dick says "Oh, God." in a language I recognize as Romany.

Tim swears.

Bruce breathes out slowly. "I've seen the I.E.C. website. That is the last thing I expected the "No Longer With Us" section to mean."

He shakes his head. "I kept tabs on you for Batman. He took you to the I.E.C. when you were a baby. You used your telepathy on him though I doubt you know you did it. He told me you sent a feeling with it."

I would have been too young to send words. How did Batman find the I.E.C. when it's kept secret?

I ask.

"He had me help. I obviously have a different influence."

He gets down so that he's eye level with me. "It looks like you didn't get fed enough while you were there. Did you at least have friends?"

I nod then ask about them.

"The number of kids there is the same."

I smile. That means they're all okay!

I like that very much.

Alfred appears after Bruce gets up. "I've heard what you're capable of, Miss Sayna. You're remarkably intelligent for your age."

I thank him.

Dick smiles. "So, did Clark make you a Kent?"

I don't mind that change of subject either.

I answer him, liking how feels like a friend.

I'm told that's great.

I nod. I can definitely agree with him.

Tim smiles. "Are you a reader and do you have a middle name?"

I nod then shake my head.

Alfred smiles. "You seem to like the color green. Might I suggest Emerald for a middle name?"

Dad smiles. "Like the gem. Alfred, that's a great choice."

My smile widens. I like it too.

I tell him that, adding my favorite color.

It gets me wide smiles from everybody.

I jump up and down, knowing that I have four new friends. I like that very much.

This is a good meeting. I've never made so many friends all at the same time before.

Right. I have memories to tell Dad about.

I tell him everything that I told you then shake my hand out and grab my notebook.

I open it to the inside front cover then show Bruce the handwriting, asking whose it is.

"Well, now I have an answer to my question. That is Zoe Smith's handwriting. She must have smuggled you out of the I.E.C. when you were asleep, saving you."

Dad pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "That must have been the only thing she could do for Sayna. I found her on the streets. Zoe must have thought my little girl's connection with animals would help."

I think it did.

Dick raises one eyebrow. "So she was kind of living like Vanellope?"

He laughs gently. "She does kind of look like her in that hoodie."

I raise one eyebrow.

Dad had to have pulled up a picture on his phone because he soon shoes me what the character looks like.

Well, we have the same color hair and eyes.

Tim lightly shoves Dick. "I can't believe you! She totally looks more like Boo."

He looks at me. "I bet you've gotten that before."

You know he's right.

He laughs on finding out. "Called it!"

Dick scowls. "Great. The readers are against me now."

I shake my head.

I'm not against him, even though I do like knowing that I have someone to talk about books with. I can do that with Dad, sure, but it's nice having someone closer to my age.

Dick smiles. "All right. You want to have some fun?"

I look at Dad, since part of me isn't sure.

He laughs gently. "Go ahead and play."

I ask him if he'll look after my notebook and pencil, mainly because I don't think that I'll need them.

He nods.

I hand them to him, telling him that he can read the notebook. I obviously trust him enough to now.

I give Dad a hug that he returns then, after it's over, go follow Tim and Dick. What fun will I be having?

I'm led to a big room.

Dick goes to get something then comes back. "We'll start with bubble wrap."

Is this another object test? Those aren't very fun.

He unrolls a big piece then tears it off and has me walk all over it.

Well, actually, this is kind of fun.

I even do so barefoot but, even though I still haven't gotten sound, I try to laugh at the way that it feels under my feet, which makes Dick and Tim grin.

I grin too. I like my new friends.

*You might want to look this up.
**This is another reference to Superman: The Animated Series.