It's been a month since manticore burned down. Sick part was i actually thought of it as home. being a genetically engineered human fighting weapon might sound cool to some, but im here to tell you it pretty much sucks. I know some people might think, that being able to jump high, have super human strenght and fast reflexis, not to mention being able to kick someones ass using your pinky finger is awsome but, like i said its not. My name is Hope and my designation is x5-495. I actually have a twin brother Alec. the night manticore burned down he tried to get me out, but i was captured by Lydeckers men, and so iv been looking for him ever since. Now lydecker is dead and I have yet another enemy White. Aimes White to be exact. Hes yet another puzzle to solve in my life, as if i dont have enough. Now here i am in 21st century seattle. how i ended up here of all places i have no idea. so, here i am a 19 yeard old young woman with a pathetic job at a local bar. The bar itself is pretty cool i guess called "Glow" i know cheesy but oh well a gilrs gotta make a living.

Your probobly wondering what the hell im talking about like what manticore?. well, here is the cliffnotes version. back in 2000 a company called manticore started experiementing in genetics and human gene splicing. They capured many women and used them as serogate mothers, then they used exsperimental drugs, to give the babies abnormal abilities. once the babies were born they killed the mothers and raised us all until we were nine. Life there was horrible manticore made us to be soldiers, treated us like things instead of human beings, everyday we trained and fougt and, when we didnt listen they used shock sticks. when we got sick, which was mostly seiszures, which were manily a side affect of the drugs they gace our serigate mothers. they either cut on his or killed us. there were 12 of us, including me they were in my unit we were known as the x 5 series. all of us had a barcode on the back out our necks, it was how they kept track of us. Of course, i wasnt in the earlier unit. turns out another x5 named ben was killed. we heard back at manticore that he had gone nuts. they killed him, and cloned him. his clone is my twin brother Alec. Then, apparently alec met another x5 named max (who by the way was in the original x 5 series) that escaped back in 2009. she burned the place down, and like i said before he tried to come back for me, but i was capured again. Im sure he thinks im dead. iv been out for a few weeks only, and i dont miss the place. All i know is im always looking over my shoulder afraid that manticore will never stop looking for me. i cant wait to find alec. Manticore never tuaght human emotions, but alec and i had always been close.

I stepped off the bus onto the grimy pavment. As usual,i wrinkled my nose i hated this part of seattle everything was so dirty. but mybe it was because i was so used to manitcore were everything was eerily sterile and clean. I reached into my pocket and put my hair in a ponytail. i have light brown hair with natural blond streaks. and green hazel eyes. my hair is actually getting long. it was already past my shoulders. I passed by bakers market and this old run down deli. I reached Glow and hurried inside, it was freezing outside. all i had was a light, leather red jacket on.

"Hope! get your ass over here" a voice screamed from behind ther bar. I sigh it was my best friend, Holly. I smiled and headed her way

"Hey, you don't have to yell my name across the freakin room you know" I hissed jumping over the bar.

"Sorry girl, but Z-man is gonna can your ass if you keep being late like this" she tossed her lon, dark braid over her shoulder. looking at our boss across the room talking to a customer. I threw off my jacket and tossed it in my cubby hole, the boss calls lockers

"Sorry hol, but there was an accident down town, so the bus was delayed" I told her fanning my shirt it was always so warm in here. I had on an off the shoulder black top on and jeans with tears in the knees. They were my favorite pair, i wanted new ones, but with my minimum wage job i just couldnt afford it. As if my messed up childhood and crappy apartment wasnt enough.Holly shook her head, she was half mexican and half american

"Damm girl you have the worst luck" she looked up as z-man walked over "Oh no...damm girl your in for it now good luck" she said leaving to assist a customer

"Hope! I have precious time..ok so if your going to be late again i suggest you look for another job got it!" he yelled. I glared at him. even with my special abilities i hate fighting. im a good hearted person, despite manticore trying to drill it into my head that everyone is the enemy and for us not to have emotions. My boss, everyone calls him Z-man Becasue he had zero personality. hes about 5,7 and scrawny with a small goatee. and about in his early thirties. No one likes him that much, iv heard rumors that hes gay, but im not believing anything till i see for myself

"Look z-man the bus was stuck in traffic because of an accident, so blame the bus company" I told him pouring Beer into a mug for a guy

"You must have me confused with soeones who cares, from now on dont take the bus" he sneered. I slammed the bottle on the counter

"Look! it wont happen again and fyi i have to take the bus, because its too far to walk" he mumbled something and walked off.

"Hope i didnt know you worked here" a voice said. i jumped startled and look up. sotting across form on on a bar stool sat, London Berrisford he was my ex boyfriend, that i had dated 2 weeks ago. it had aonly lasted a week, but oh well. i had really cared about him, considering he was the first person that i had trusted since i escaped from manticore

"London...uh hi I work here" I said blinking. he still made my stomach do flip flops. damm it! im a soldier and here i am acting all girly i though to myself. Noit that i can help it i mean he is easy on the eyes. hes about 6,0 and has dark brown hair, with bangs that hangs in his eyes somewtimes althoug he sometimes wheres them geled and spiked and has the most amazing clear blue eyes iv ever seen. Like me, he also has a crappy job, and acant efford clothes hardly. like now even though he wore thrift shop clothes he looked amazing, in Baggy faded green jeans, and red american flag shirt, that looked like it had been washed way too many times, and Brown boots. his jacket i noticed looked kinda new actually. it was nice looking black leather. I smiled something about guys and black leather just..made me nuts

"Well its nice to see you again..how have you been?"

"Im doing good and yourself?" I asked him pouring some scotch into a glass for him

"Im doing pretty good myself. iv found a side job the pay sucks, but i was able to buy myself a pair of new boots and this jacket"

I nodded and smiled at him. i really had missed him. i slid his drink over to him. he smiled at me and his eyes twinkled, and once again My heart started beating faster

"Thanks hope...i see you remembered my fav drink" he laughed and took a drink. he swallowed and put his glass down staring at it. something was on his mind i could tell.

"London is something wrong?" i asked him sighing a little. he looked up quickly and shook his head a little

"Hope...iv really missed you despite what you think i think we could work out...I still dont understand why you pushed me away" he said quietly, his blue eyes searching mine. Ok, I should admit right here that i have commentment issues. i was the one that broke it off. why? well because I was afraid that i was putting him in danger, that manticore would find me and kill him and I couldnt bear that. I love him too much

"London...I told you.."

"Yeah i know" he interupted "You were protecting me, you needed space" he said bitterly

"London...im glad your doing good, but i need to get back to work" he sigh and stood up grabbing his coat

"Yeah whatever later hope" he said banging through the door. I looked up at the clock and groaned. another 8 hours to go.