September 26th 1984.

13

Troy throws a punch at my face and I just barely dodge it. Sweat trickles down the back of my neck. Papa gave me a new outfit for training. A plain white tank top, matching shorts, and a pair of white socks and sneakers. They are much better to move in than my bare feet.

"Come on, you can do better!" Troy screams into my face. I'm distracted and he lands a hit to my stomach. I crumple over for a second. I can't stop though. He'll hit me more, and then Papa will be sad and will send me to the bad room.

I kick upwards into his crotch and he lets out a grunt before attempting to grab my ankle. I stumble upright, but he still manages to grab me. He yanks me close to him so I can smell the stink of his body and feel the sweat on his skin.

I still. What is he going to do? Should I keep fighting? I glance towards Papa, but he simply stares at me.

"What are you gonna do now, slut?" Troy breathes heavily at me. I'm torn. What is the right thing to do? What does Papa want me to do?

I act on instinct, leaning in and planting my lips on his. They taste as bad as I thought they would, and I pull back with relief.

"You are a slut." Troy lets go and stares at me, astonishment in his eyes. I take advantage of his shock to land a blow in his stomach and to his head before kicking him in the back of the knees.

He lands on the ground and I pant. That was hard.

"I hadn't thought of that angle." Agent Frazier remarks as she approaches me with Papa. Troy groans and starts to stand up.

"You're dismissed Harrington." Papa doesn't even look at him, eyes stuck on me.

"Yes, that would certainly work." Papa smiles slightly as he examines me.

"She is developing rather well, but I'd give her a few more months to train." Agent Frazier murmurs.

"Yes. Come, Eleven. You've done well today." Papa gestures to me.

"Thank you Papa." I step off the mat and stay next to him as we walk to yet another white room.

"When was the Yekaterinburg trip?" Papa asks Frazier.

"It was planned for January."

"Good. We'll just have to work extra hard these next few months. You can do that, can't you Eleven?"

"Yes Papa." I nod. I don't know what they're talking about, but Papa seems happy, so I won't question it.

"Should we get her some more normal clothes to start training in? So she becomes used to them?"

"Yes. Get her nice things. We want her to look proper at that party."