Chapter 3:

As the two (Alec and May) walked down the corridors, May glanced into the cells they pasted through the barred windows in the doors. Some shutters were closed, most were open. May would see X5's from her division. Some she didn't know. And others. she didn't want to know. Alec walked behind her, his eyes searching around the corridors, re-memorizing them for the third time that day.

When they reached the Cafeteria they were early to dinner and no one was in their but the four stationary guards that rotated every two hours, the two guards that had taken them down their, a few staff members seated up at the staff table, and the cooks. May and Alec walked over to the stack of trays, picking one up while grabbing a plate. They spooned out the portions of food. They were fed well. Males were given slightly larger portions, however, this didn't bother May at all. She smiled as they sat down at one of the many long rectangular tables. A division of X-7's, the younger ones came in, accompanied with a few guards, White, and another head of department he was speaking with. May and Alec spoke to a few of the younger kids as they dared to speak to them.

White and his friend, of sorts, noticed May and Alec and walked over to them. The younger kids grew silent and Alec and May turned around standing up to attention. White spoke first. "494, 497, you two are to come with me, now." He ordered, before turning on his heel, followed by the other mysterious man. Alec and May picked up their half-eaten meals and tossed the rest. The kids resumed their chatter, Alec, and May followed, side-by- side once more behind White and the other man.

Once out of the cafeteria White spoke again as they walked down corridors neither of the two had been down before. The walls were white, rather then dull metal. "You two are being brought to the labs, for some testing. Considering you had the day off I presume you won't mind a few simple tests. You had one when you came in to Manticore, it won't be any different then that one, except a few minor details." He motioned them into a room; four doctors (dressed in white) were in the room. White and the other man walked through another door, obviously to a room where they could watch and talk without being heard.

May frowned. she hated testing, it was so. pointless. But, she changed into the shorts and tank top anyhow. Coming out of the changing room, she eyed Alec, who was clad in longer shorts and no top. Two of the doctors worked with Alec, while the other two worked with May.

They measured height, weight, flexibility, and other sorts of things. As White said, minor changes, meaning, more sit ups, longer periods of time under water holding your breath, and longer, faster running. Alec and May both lived up to standards and over the average. As expected of course. White and Smith (as was his name) walked out of the room, as the four doctors exited.

"Congratulations. You passed. Now go resume what you were doing. But, wait one moment 494. 497 please go back to your cell." A guard escorted May out, while White and Smith stayed to speak to Alec.

After May had left, White and Smith waited for Alec to change. When he came back out White took a seat on a stool the doctors had left out. "494, do you have any feelings for 497?"

Alec flinched, feelings. What a horrid word. It was so un-descriptive. Anyone and everyone have feelings for each other. But, he knew what White meant. Did he? He didn't know. "I don't know Sir." He looked at his feet. hesitant.

Smith frowned. "Ames, I thought you said he was your best." White grinned. "He is, but having feelings for 497 only makes him better. You see, because he does, he will take more care in what he does and try harder. She has yet to distract him. And as you know she is of my blood, as he is of yours." Smith nodded once, yes, before pacing in a circle around Alec.

"494, did you find the scavenger hunt challenging?" asked White.

"No Sir" answered Alec. "It was below standards of what I've done before, the opponents were hard but the objects were easily found except one or two which two Ma-497 and I were not hard to spot." Alec slipped up; he looked at his feet blankly. He'd almost called her May. He wanted to, but. not in front of White.

White glared. "494! What did you call 497?" he asked, slightly angered he sighed, still waiting for an answer though, he did relax a bit.

Alec stared blankly at White, careful not to show emotion, though it was difficult not to he pulled it off. "I called 497 by her other name, May, Sir." He answered.

"Do transgenics have names 494?"

"No, Sir."

"Then why'd you call 497 by May, 494?"

"Sir, it was her name before she came here, again, and she is not just a transgenic, she's a transgenic of your blood." He answered, carefully.

"494?"

"Yes?"

"Your excused." Said White before getting up, exiting with Smith, two guards got up and escorted Alec back to his own cell. May, on the other hand, sat, leaning against the stone wall, singing softly to herself. On the other side of the wall, Alec sat, leaning against the same stone wall, thinking. Her voice carried between cracks into his cell. He listened carefully, recognizing her slightly high-pitched voice. His smiles crept over his face.

May sang a little louder. 'Somewhere, over the Rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.' The song, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, was fairly short, and the only meaning to May of it was that her Drama class had done the Wizard of Oz play in 9th grade. four and a half years ago. But that was the past, look to the future May. She told herself, she had to live through this, it wasn't that bad. At least she had Alec. She murmured his name, thinking.

Alec untied his boots, it was nightfall, almost lights out, and he slowly took of his boots, and shirt. Lying gently on the pull out bed he stared at the ceiling, boredom swept over him until he began to think of May, day dreaming.

May, was in a similar state, lying down, except, she still had her shirt on. She too was thinking of Alec. Who was that man? She still didn't know. And why had Alec had to stay longer and speak? She still didn't know at the moment.

Back at her high school, a report, made up by White and his officials, had declared her murdered and her body not found, a funeral had been held. Her father or, adoptive father committed suicide in her loss. Her mother became insane and was transferred to the insane asylum in New York, only to be killed in a train crash. Her friends were devastated beyond recovery. She had been a great gift to one of the few schools still open. Maybe she would liven up Manticore a bit? No, that would never happen. She'd already become a bit rougher so to speak. Learning to fight gave her more confidence. And she was less spacey, having learned to focus, concentrate, and pay attention to detail.

A/N: No Idea were I'm going with this story, but we'll see. we'll see. Read and Review, please. If you have any ideas at all I'd like to see them! Thanks Mel for reading the first to chapters. You inspired me to finish the third one tonight. I won't be home tomorrow; because I got a Dance Clinic at the real Kentridge and a thing I have to help out with at my church. maybe I'll post something tomorrow night!