FLASH! We are now two and a half years into the future :) no, seriously. This chapter is two and a half years after the last one.

Hermes's POV

My earliest memory is a flash of my mother, a purple platypus.

From then on, all I remember is frightening experiments where they strapped me down and cut holes in me and sewed them up again after implanting things in me.

My only friend during that time was Anke. Nobody else even talked to each other, but Anke and I were close friends. I called myself "Matty" when I was around her, but I knew that wasn't my real name.

I didn't understand what they were doing to me until I was three, and I found that I could levitate objects. Dad—I'll never get tired of saying "Mom" and "Dad"—says it's called telekinesis. He says with some practising, I can not only lift objects, but manipulate them, crush them, and throw them.

I must say, that does sound quite exciting, because I hated my power at first. I couldn't control it. I could be talking to Anke one time, and then suddenly she would start to fly. And it could be hours before I manage to make my power put her down.

Meeting my family was amazing. I have three siblings: Teddy, Hazel, and Quinn. Technically I have two more: Piper and Parker, though they are Teddy's mate and Hazel's mate respectively.

Then there are Paige, Athena, Cody, and Austin, my nieces and nephews. They just call me "Hermes", not "Uncle Hermes" or anything like that. Because I think of them almost as siblings, since we're so close in age. And I'm about to have a new niece or nephew; my sibling Hazel is pregnant for the second time. Parker has not come to the office since finding that out.

Half a year ago, something bad happened. Fifteen of the twenty Bionics left in the night. They weren't kidnapped; they just left. Usually agents begin their training at age four, but we were told a while ago by Major Monogram that training shouldn't start until we're five, just to give us a little more "room", as he put it. Perhaps that's why they left; after all, we haven't been allowed to use our powers, and beforehand, they were talking about how restless they were, not doing anything with their powers. Anyway, nobody has any idea where they went and we haven't seen them since.

I was three and a half years old when I finally found out who I am. Now I'm five years old and I am adjusting to life in my new family.

Training begins today.

Dad has brought in a friend of his, Diana Fay, who has special powers of her own. She's going to help us hone our abilities.

The only five left are me, Anke, Adrian, Lateysha, and Noah. The two phoenixes and I aren't exactly friends yet; the reason for this is because they've mostly stuck together for the last two and a half years.

We're in the gym, which has been specifically cleared for this purpose. Diana, a brown-haired woman, is standing in front of the line of us.

She claps her hands together. "Right, everyone. My name is Diana, and I'll be teaching you how to control your powers. Of course, my own abilities are not exactly the same as yours. In fact, if I recall correctly, I can't even do any of the things that you can do. But I do have experience in controlling abilities that no-one else has, so Major Monogram believed I was the best person for the job. Anyway, today I'll be helping you take your powers to the next step. There won't be a massive difference today, but hopefully by the end of at least the week, if not the day, you'll be able to do something new with your abilities. Any questions?"

Adrian puts his paw in the air. "How am I going to practise my healing?" he asks.

Diana points at him. "Good question, Adrian. As it happens, there was a training accident yesterday and about a dozen agents have various minor injuries. I have special permission from Apollo to let you into the hospital bay and practise your healing abilities on them."

Adrian fist-pumped the air. "Yes! I've always wanted to meet Apollo!"

"Any other questions?" Diana asks, an amused smile on her face.

The rest of us shake our heads.

"Then I will come around and get each of you started while the rest begin practising."

We split off spaces. Diana goes off to take Adrian to the hospital wing.

Because my telekinesis power is just levitation at the moment, I have a single wooden box to practise on. I lift it up with no problem. As Diana says when she comes round to me a few minutes later, my task is to try and throw it.

"Hold your hand like this," she says, holding her hand by her shoulder as if she's about to throw a shot putt.

I copy the movement but my focus wavers and the crate falls to the floor with a crash sound.

"Don't focus on me, focus on the crate," Diana instructs. "Lift it up and keep your eyes on it as you put your hand in the position I showed you."

I keep my eyes firmly on the crate as I lift it up and move my hand into the position. I don't take my eyes off the crate, not even when Diana instructs me, "Now make a movement as if you're throwing your shot putt."

I do so. The crate doesn't move. I turn to look at Diana and grimace as I hear another crashing sound. "It didn't work," I say.

"I know," Diana replies. "You have to imagine yourself holding the crate in your hand, if it'd fit. Imagine you're throwing the crate using your hand instead of your power."

I lift the crate yet again and copy the position. I close my eyes and imagine the crate in my hand. Then I throw my invisible shot putt. I hear a crashing sound and hope that I haven't just dropped the thing again.

I open one eye and see the crate lying on the other side of the room. I turn excitedly to Diana, who gives me a wink and a thumbs up. "That's really good, Hermes. Keep practising."

Part 2 of the training session is coming next!