I woke up wth a scream in my throat. It took me a while to realize that I wasn't at Black Rock when I was sure I was there. I was instead in the woods that I had been living in for three months. As I rolled over, I glanced around the tent. There wasn't a lot of space, maybe 7 feet by 5 feet. Food and clothes piled up in the corners of the room, with my bed pushed up against the wall opposite the entrance.
When I was awake enough I sat up and focused on the food and water bottles. After looking at the things for two minutes and doing some mental math, I realized I didn't have enough to last me more than two days. I sighed and realized that I had to get up and find more food, which meant that I couldn't come back to this location again. Using my powers, I started picking up everything and placing it into the bags that I had with me.
When everything was packed and on my back, I started walking toward the highway, that was between my current location and a farm with a bunch of food and clothes. As I approached the highway, I slowed down enough to listen to the passing cars, hearing no one crossing the road when I heard a car start up. I froze for a second, before I broke into a dead run toward the woods where I had come from. The best place to hide was where I knew, not where I wanted to stay.
As I was crossing into the woods, a car stopped behind me. My yellow powers weren't the finest of my powers because I was living in the woods as I practiced everything else. However, I knew enough to stop the car in its tracks. When I looked back, I saw that the two adults had gotten out of their car. They were surprised not only to see me, but to have their car completely short circuited. I turned around and burst out running into the woods. Fearing what they might do, I didn't use my powers until I knew I was far enough from them. When I was far enough, I threw myself into the air and hid myself in some of the branches.
I heard the two stomping around the ground below me and when the man finally looked up. He saw me, "come down kid," the man yelled.
"No way," I yelled and he didn't seem surprised. After a few seconds, I realized something about the man that I hadn't felt in a long time. Deciding to throw the two off, I yelled "why don't you use your powers to get me down?"
The man seemed shocked and the woman yelled, "what do you mean powers?"
"He's a red," I called down in a singsong voice. I could only see the man's face, but it was one of utter shock. "It's not too difficult to tell," I said, lying down on the branch so I could see the two. "You have the red twitch."
"What twitch?" the woman yelled.
"All reds uncontrollably twitch some part of their bodies," I said and they seemed surprised by the news.
"How many reds do you know?" the man asked, his voice strained.
"DID I know?" I asked, and they looked at me shocked. "It doesn't really matter how many reds I know because they're all dead." Though it wasn't completely true, it was at least partially true. When I left Sawtooth, some of the reds had been killed by the PSF's, and the others were on their way to mental or physical death when I left.
"Sorry kid," the man said, "who are you by the way?" I didn't reply to the question so he said, "my name is Cole Stewart. My friend is Cate Connor. You don't have to answer honestly, but can we call you by some name?" I paused for a moment before answering.
"My name is Hailey," I answered after a second.
"Is that your real name?" Cole asked.
"No," I called down. "What are you doing out here anyway?"
"We're getting off a mission for the children's League," Cate yelled and I paused for a second, because I could hear other thoughts I had heard about the children's league and the many things that they had done to free the psi kids.
"Why are you out here?" I asked after a second.
"Trying to find a cure," Cole yelled.
"There isn't any cure, none that works long-term anyway," I said and we both paused.
"How would you know that?" Cole asked, and I felt sorry for the man.
"They're still looking for a cure at Blackrock," I said and they nodded.
"What do you mean they're still looking for a cure?" Cole asked.
"I escaped from Black Rock a few months ago," I said and he winced. "Why are you trusting someone like her?" I nodded in the direction of Cate.
"Because she helped me hide," Cole said. "How about you come down?"
"No, go away," I said and they sighed.
"You could question him about his powers," Cate said.
"I'm from a camp that experimented on people like him," I said loudly, "what makes you think I don't know how a red's powers work?"
"You could ask an orange about theirs?" Cole offered as if that would work. "She's from Thurmond. You could also get free food and training." I paused for a second.
"The oranges from Thurmond are dead, they were shot five years ago," I called and they seemed surprised by my answer. "What? I was at Thurmond before Black Rock. When we were pulled from Thurmond I was one of the unlucky ones to be taken to an experimental camp. So whoever they are, whatever they can do, it doesn't interest me. Food, I'm fine, powers I can figure out on my own. So if you don't mind, go away," I replied.
"Someone saw you," Cole said and I gave him a harsh look. "You could get hurt."
"I'm not afraid," I said and walked past him. He was about to say something, but a shot rang out. I turned around and saw a man nearby with a gun. Cole saw him at the same time and shot an impressive fireball at him. The man was killed immediately and Cole looked at me. "I'll try it," I said, "but I'm only interested in food."
"Fine," Cole said, "you're going to have to fix the car."
"Fine," I said and started climbing down the tree. When I was on the ground again, I walked past him. I gave Cate a harsh look and she stepped out in front of me so she could lead me back to the car.
"How did you get out of Blackrock?" Cole asked from somewhere behind me.
"A kind doctor faked my death and when they attempted to bury me I managed to escape," I lied. Both seemed to pause at that. What really happened was, I had to use my powers to burn a part of the building. After recharging the truck, we drove away before someone could shoot at us again.
After several car changes we ended up in LA California, which I wasn't happy about because of how many people were milling around. As we stopped in front of a warehouse, Cate said, "you're going to work with this kid named Jude, he's used his powers for years now. He's one of two yellows we have on base, other than you of course."
"I'm only here to eat," I said as I jumped out of the van. After a few seconds, the two adults got out of the car. Cate took the lead again, and led us into the warehouse. We walked into an elevator, which took us two stories down. When the door opened, I saw a thirteen year old boy waiting for us.
"So, Hailey," Cole said as we entered the underground area. "This is Jude." He waved at a young boy who was a bean pole with a mop of red hair on his head.
"Hi," Jude said with a bright smile. He reached out his hand for me to shake it, but after a few seconds of me staring dumbly at his hand, he dropped it.
"Jude, this is Hailey. She's a yellow from Blackrock," Cole said and I saw his eyes widen.
"I want you to teach her how to use her powers," Cate said and Jude nodded eagerly. "I'm planning to go talk to Allen and tell him about Hailey."
"Okay," Cole said and Cate walked away. As she walked away, Cole clapped his hands and said, "I'm gonna show you your room." I nodded and followed him farther into the building with Jude talking his head off about the power that we shared. Eventually, Cole snapped at him and he stopped talking. When we stopped in front of a door, Cole opened it with a dramatic sigh.
"This is your room," Jude said helpfully.
"Thank you," Cole replied as he opened the door. "You have the room for the time being." Thank God, I looked into the room. There was a bunk bed, a desk and a drawer inside and I walked over to the bunk bed and set my bag on the bottom bed. Using my powers, I felt security cameras in the hallway, but not in the room itself. "The only people allowed in the room are the kids themselves."
"Thanks," I said and he smiled.
"You can get settled if you want to," Cole said and I shook my head.
"I want to start training," I said and Cole and Jude seemed surprised about my determination. "Look, I hate wearing these things." I raised my hands to show them my gloves. "So if I can figure out how to use my powers soon, then I can stop wearing them." Jude looked at Cole as if he was waiting for a response. Cole sighed and nodded.
"Fine, Jude get a walkie talkie and you guys can practice on that," Cole said and Jude nodded eagerly. Jude walked away from the door and I heard his footsteps walking down the hallway. Cole gave a bright smile when I told him that he was exuberant.
"We call him sunshine and the one-man welcoming committee," Cole said.
"Does he know what you are?" I asked as I heard his footsteps return to us. Cole shook his head hard and I nodded in understanding. Cole was maybe a few months over the age cut off, so it made sense why hiding as an adult could be beneficial. I also knew what it was like to have dangerous powers, and the desire to hide them.
"Come on," Jude said eagerly as he walked into the room.
"Coming," I said, trying to match his mode, it didn't work well. If Jude heard it, he didn't say anything. We walked for a few minutes before we walked into a room where several other kids were sitting and eating. Looking around, I figured we were most likely in the dining room. Jude led me to a table with three teenage kids sitting around it.
"This is Nico," Jude said pointing at a seventeen year old boy with black hair. "He's a green." He pointed at the white sixteen year old who was sitting beside him, "this is Vida, she's a blue and finally" he gestured at the second teenaged girl "this is Ruby, she's an orange from Thurmond." He said it as though it was supposed to impress me. Her being alive was impressive enough. "Everyone this is Hailey. She's a yellow from Black Rock."
"How did you survive?" I asked as I pulled one of the few chairs at the table and sat down. I placed my backpack on top of the table. Jude looked at me confused, but he sat down as well. The four kids at the table seemed surprised by the question, so they all leaned back to look at me.
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked after a few seconds, pushing her food on her plate uncomfortably.
"I was at Thurmond before being taken to Black Rock," said one of the four kids. "As I was being taken out of the camp, all the oranges were killed and thrown into a mass grave." They seemed to pause as they processed the information. "So, how did you survive?" I leaned back in my chair.
After a few seconds, Cole, who seemed like he had been near enough to hear what I had said, walked into the room saying "she used her powers to hide what she was."
I looked down at my nails and said "I wish I did that." Wouldn't have helped, Nico thought. "Where are you from anyway?" After a few seconds, and many what's I asked "you said that Ruby was from Thurmond, which was slightly impressive, but none of you have mentioned where you're from."
"Cate saved Vida and I from being captured by PSFs and Nicos from an experimental camp that's in Philidalphia," Jude said and I nodded. That explained what Nico was thinking, he was probably the one who I could probably relate to. Ruby stared at the table for a second, and I noticed something that I had seen at Thurmond and Sawtooth occasionally, an orange who was using their powers. Instead of saying anything, I grabbed one of the forks off the table and inserted it into the table between two of her fingers. After hearing the resounding bang, she jumped and pulled herself from my thoughts.
"What the heck?" Vida asked after a second, making a move to defend her friend. I gave her a harsh look and she sat back down.
"The next time you try to read my mind, I will stab you in the eye," I said in a threatening voice to Ruby who nodded scared. "Good, you seem pleasant enough, so leave me the fuck alone."
"How did you know she was doing that?" Nico asked, leaning forward curious. "Not many people can do that."
"I wouldn't have noticed if she wasn't so obvious about it," I answered leaning back as Ruby raised an eyebrow. "What, you were as obvious as a forest fire." She sat back stunned. "Jude, you said that you would show me how to use my powers."
"I thought you were hungry," Cole said, and Jude nodded.
"No, I said that I was here for the food," I answered, raising my finger. "I didn't say anything about being hungry."
"Be more specific with what you want," Cole said and I shrugged. "Jude go show her how to use your powers." Jude nodded and stood up. I followed a second after him, leaving the others in the room in shock.
After a few minutes of walking, we walked into a different room that was covered in electrical things. "This is the yellow training room," Jude said, waving his hand. "I know it's not a lot."
"The room where I was held at Blackrock had more electrical things," I muttered under my breath.
"Show me what you can do," Jude said, trying to be his happy go lucky self. I walked to one of the desks in the room and grabbed an old radio. As soon as I touched it, it completely short circuited. "That's impressive," Jude said and I glared at him. I touched it again and it restarted. When he saw that it was working he raised an eyebrow.
"Good start," Jude said and started explaining how I could touch something without destroying it.
An hour later, Cole walked into the room and he seemed to want to say something, but Jude got angry. "You know you're not supposed to be in here."
"Alban is looking for Hailey," Cole answered, taking a few steps back so he was no longer in the room.
"Why?" Jude asked and after reading their minds, I knew enough of the man that I really shouldn't be having a face to face conversation with.
"She's a newbie," Cole said simply.
"And not wanting to stay for very long," I answered, holding up my finger.
"He wants to meet you anyway," Cole said and I glared at him.
"Fine," I said and walked out of the room with him, leaving Jude confused. After a few turns, we stopped in front of a door.
Cole knocked loudly on the door and as we waited for an answer he said, "don't worry about him. "He can be a pain sometimes, but he cares about the kids here." As soon as he finished talking, a man called out from inside the room. "Come on," Cole said and he opened the door.
Inside was an older man who was maybe fifty years old. He gave me a humorous look as we walked into the room. "My name is Alban," the man said, standing up to introduce himself. I didn't shake the man's hand, and after a second, he sat back down. "Cole said that you're not staying for very long."
"That's correct," I said and he looked at me as if he was trying to figure me out. "I want to know what I can do and then I'm leaving."
"Are you sure that you don't want to stay?" Alban asked, and I poked around his mind and saw that he wanted to use me,
"No thank you," I said and I felt the urge to leave the room.
Cole seemed to understand that I wasn't comfortable in the room so he said "How about we let Hailey finish training so she can get out of here?" Alban nodded and Cole led me out of the small office. As we walked down the hallway, I said "you know he wants to use me as a weapon, same as you."
"I know," he said with a sigh. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into a small enclave.
"What are you doing?" I asked, and he pulled out a gun. "What is that for?" I looked down at the gun, surprised. He grabbed my backpack and slipped the gun into it. HE reached into his pockets and pulled some boxes filled with bullets out of them. He slipped them into the backpack as well. Using my powers, I knew that he hadn't put a tracker amongst them. "Why are you giving me a gun?"
"Because you're a yellow, and you won't be around long enough for hand-to-hand training," Cole answered my question.
"Thanks," I said and he nodded.
"Come on," Cole said and pointed in the direction that we were heading towards. "You can get some cans and water in the kitchen." I nodded again, and he started walking down the hallway. After a second, I joined him.
"Why are you letting me leave without doing anything?" I asked.
"Because I don't want to force a kid into doing something they don't want to do," Cole answered and I paused for a second.
"How old do you think I am?" I asked and he paused to look me up.
"Sixteen," he guessed and I gave him an offended look. "How old are you really?"
"Nineteen," I answered, "I need more food."
"I agree with that," Cole said, and we started walking again. After a few seconds, we met up with Jude again. "You can take her Jude."
"Okay," Jude said and he led me away from the older red. "What did Alban want?"
"Wanted to meet me and was curious to see why I didn't wish to join the Children's League," I answered and I heard him think why doesn't she wish to be with us? "I don't want to join the League because it seems pretty corrupt."
"How did you know what I was planning to say?" Jude asked, blanking his mind for a second. "Are you purple?"
"What's purple?" I asked, and he groaned.
"I knew it," he said and I raised an eyebrow. "You have a nasty poker face."
"How would you know what a purple is anyway?" I asked.
"Nico knew one of the few purples still alive, she lived in his camp," he said, waving his hand. "Why did you stick with yellow anyway?"
"Cate and Cole saw me using the yellow powers," I answered, "didn't want to try and explain what I really was." He nodded and thought for a second. "What were you classified as?"
"Red," I answered and he winced. "Yeah."
"One question and I'll leave you alone about it," he said and I nodded. "Were the reds treated as badly as some of the rumors have said?"
"What did you hear?" I asked, feeling my stomach sink.
"They were being used as soldiers," he said, and I nodded sadly. "I'm sorry, though it explains why you don't want to say."
"Yeah," I answered, and waved my hand. "Do you want to show me how to use my powers so I can get out of here?" He nodded and led me into the room.
"How have you not figured out how to use your yellow powers?" Jude asked.
"I know how to use them in a practical way, but I haven't been able to actually use them," I said. "I have been able to practice everything else." He nodded and I walked over to the radio we had been practicing on earlier. After some explaining, he asked "what are your green powers? Photogenic or fast processing?"
"Would you believe me if I said both?" I asked and he nodded. I turned around and turned up the volume of the radio. After a few seconds I lowered it back down. "Before you ask I can hypnotize people and read their minds."
"Oh," he said and he seemed to realize what happened earlier. "So that's what happened to Ruby earlier."
"Yep," I said.
I managed to get the yellow powers under control three days later, and as I was preparing to leave Cole approached me. "What's the matter?" I asked, leaning over to check the three bags of food and clothing Jude had gathered for me.
"I'm taking you with me on a trip, I have to go undercover again," Cole said, and I looked up at him.
"The one you were driving back from when you found me," I asked and he nodded in response. "You'll drop me off?"
"North California, there aren't any camps nearby," Cole said with a smile.
I replied, standing up. I threw my backpack over my shoulder. Once it was secured, I grabbed the other three bags. "Come on," I said and led him to the elevator door.
"Wait up," Jude called from behind me.
"What's going on?" I asked, and he handed me a small baggie with something brown in it.
"These are brownies," Jude said, handing the baggie over.
"Thank you," I said and set them aside so I could grab the baggie. I opened my backpack and put it in the bag. I closed it again and threw it over my shoulder again. I hugged Jude, which he was grateful for. As I pulled away, I grabbed my other bags.
"Come on," Cole said and he led me toward the elevator again.
I turned around and said, "thanks Jude."
"No problem," Jude said as the elevator opened. "I hope to see you again." I stepped into the elevator.
"You as well," I said as the door closed in front of me. "He's a good kid."
"I know," Cole said and we waited until the doors opened before he spoke again. "You could stay."
"I don't want to," I answered and he sighed.
"How were you able to learn your powers so fast anyway?" Cole asked as we walked out of the building.
"I'm smart," I lied and after a few seconds, we walked up to one of the cars.
"Sure," Cole said as we jumped into the car.
Hours later, we were in north California and Cole was dropping me off in the middle of the woods. "Are you going to be okay?" Cole asked again as we got out of the car. I truly felt for the man, but there was only so much I could handle from him.
"I lived alone for months before meeting you," I answered, folding my arms across my chest.
"And you got caught, by me," Cole answered and I nodded in agreement.
"How about you drive away and I'll start walking," I told Cole and I pointed in the direction that Cole was driving.
"Where are you planning to go?" Cole asked.
"I have some family up in Whyoming," I lied, and he nodded. "I'll be okay. Where are the camps anyway?" Cole looked up at me. "I want to know which states to avoid."
"There's one in South Texas, West Virginia, South Dakota, New York, Hawaii. There was one in Ohio, so stay away from that one. He listed several other states to avoid and I absorbed each one carefully.
"Thanks," I said when he finished and he nodded again.
Cole finally said, "I'm leaving now," and I nodded. I hoped to see the man again. He jumped into his car and when he did I walked into the woods.