"Is this some sort of joke?!" Gaia jumped to her feet.

"Gaia...please!" Eliza tried to grab Gaia's arms, but she missed.

Who was this woman?! Did she know anything?! Did she know what Gaia's life was like?!

"Get away from me!" Gaia pushed the woman back onto the bench, and she began to move to the other end of the room. She had to get out of here! Had to!

"GAIA!" Eliza began to run after Gaia, and got a hold of her. Spinning her around, they looked directly into each others eyes for a minute. "I know everything about you.more than you know yourself!" Eliza pushed Gaia's hair away from her face.

"What?" Gaia was shocked.

"I know your secret, Gaia." Eliza grinned.

Gaia looked at Eliza for a minute. She was so focused on Eliza that she didn't hear the door to the room open behind her, and for a second, didn't even feel the hand on her shoulder. The large hand spun Gaia around, and brought her face to face with someone she knew very well.

Gaia could barely talk. She swallowed, and looked into the eyes of..

"Sam?"

+ * * * + The alley was pitch black. No one in sight.

Flane spun around, and saw that the soldiers were behind him, but still hadn't seen him.

Flane ran into the alley, and used a pile of tires to his advantage. He ducked behind one, and slowly poked his head out to see if the soldiers had seen him. They hadn't entered the alley yet. Just to be safe, he ducked his head down behind the tires, and leaned back against the brick wall behind him.

"Ow." A small voice came from behind Flane.

Flane moved his body around, and for the first time noticed that his sister, Winter, had been sleeping behind him.

"Winter! I thought they got you!" Flane smiled, and hugged his sister.

"I was hiding, Flane." Winter smiled, and returned Flane's hug, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Good.we're both okay. Did you ever see Amelle?" Flane asked his sister with concern.

"They got her." Winter looked down at the plastic bag she had been using for a blanket.

For a ten-year-old, Winter had some of the most serious expressions Flane had ever seen on anyone.

"They won't get us. Don't worry. I won't let them." Flane cuddled up next to his sister.

"How do you know?" Winter asked, her voice shaking.

"I just know." Flane said, moving his hand down to his pants pocket where he felt the outline of the gun he had taken earlier that night.

Suddenly, the tires around Flane and Winter were knocked down, and a soldier threw his hands toward them.

"RUN!" Flane pushed his little sister away from the hand, hoping she would have enough sense to run. She did.

Flane stood up, and he pulled the gun from his pocket.

Although the soldiers eyes widened at the sight of the gun, he did not stop advancing toward Flane.

"Leave us alone." Flane pointed the gun at the soldier.

"Monster." The soldier grunted.

"STOP! Stop saying that!" Flane backed up to the wall.

"You and your sister.your friend, Amelle..is that her name? All of you.MONSTERS!" The soldier laughed, and moved his gun closer to Flane.

Suddenly, Flane cocked the gun, and pulled the trigger. The shot pushed him back against the wall, and the soldier jumped to the ground. Flane's bullet had missed.

The soldier's head began to move, and he started pushing himself up to his legs.

"Your the monster!" Flane yelled, jumping out from against the wall, and running down the alley back to the street.

At the end of the alley, he met Winter, who had been waiting for him, and he grabbed her hand. Without saying anything, Flane began running again, with Winter right behind him.