I am not Stephenie Meyer. I do not own the Twilight Saga.
I'm really sorry it's been a while since my last update, but this chapter is nice and long to make up for it.
I sincerely hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
As I ran through the forest my heart thrummed with nervous energy. Dappled sunlight shone through the canopy of leaves overhead and Jacob's footfalls thumped quickly behind me.
In the next second, everything had changed.
I stopped running, realising that something was horribly, horribly wrong.
The healthy yellow light of the sun turned into a diseased and sickly orange that contained no warmth.
The once-stationary shadows of the trees came alive and slithered towards me. I shouted for Jacob and tried to run but my legs would no longer move, held in place by an alien command so powerful it overrode my own synaptic signals.
The shadows edged closer and began groping me with oily, dark hands. I tried to recoil from their touch, crying out for my protector and guardian, whimpering for my Jake.
He was there in the next moment, his arms wrapped around me with iron strength but the shadow shrouded hands clawed and scratched at him and I felt his reassuring embrace becoming looser.
Suddenly all I could see was a blinding electric blue light, it melted the forest and filled my ears with deafening silence.
Tears streamed down my face as the light closed in around my paralysed body.
Once again, I screamed.
I awoke to bedroom carnage. My sheets were ripped and twisted intricately around my limbs, no doubt a result of some nocturnal thrashing on my part. On top of that I was absolutely boiling, sweat plastered stray ringlets to my forehead and I seemed to be panting. I wondered what I'd been dreaming about to get me so....frenzied.
I cried again, mourning the loss of my dream. Knowing it had been something significant, trying to grasp it and feeling as though I were closing my fist around water. My tears of sorrow became tears of frustration as I agonized over how my mind could show me things in my sleep and not let me keep them once I awoke. Then my tears of frustration became tears of anger that I violently wiped away. I became furious with myself at having become some sort of weeping mess whenever I was left alone. Crying would not help me regain my memory.
I wiped away the last of my tears and disentangled myself from my cotton tethers. Once free, I rolled over and glowing green numbers told me it was 6:24.
I showered, dressed and was stood, eyeing my bed wreckage by 6:40.
A loud buzzing noise caused me to start so hard that I actually jumped high enough to slam the crown of my head into, what I could only assume was, a steel enforced ceiling. Fantastic.
I landed in a feline crouch as I twisted and turned my head to find the source of the noise.
BZZZZZZZZTTT! When it came again I was ready and whipped my head round to see it coming from the palm unit next to my door. I rose from my crouch, padded over and placed my hand on the pad.
The door whooshed open to reveal Maya standing in the doorway, grinning.
"Morning! I thought you might still be asleep so I came to give you a wake up call. Although it looks like you're an early riser just like me." The words came out of her in a non-stop string. She wasn't joking about being a morning person.
"Thanks Maya" I said, getting a mouthful of her scent as I spoke. It set the painful burn off again.
It actually felt worse than it had the day before and I felt a pang of worry deep in my belly as I realised I was going to have to seriously distract myself in order to put the feeling to the back of my mind.
Maya leaned around me and gasped. "What in seven shades of fuck happened to your bed?!"
"I just woke up and it was like that." I replied dumbly.
She raised her eyebrows and whistled "You must've been having some serious nightmares."
"Actually I don't think it was a nightmare…although I can't actually remember." I felt another wave of frustration crash over me as I tried to grasp onto my dream.
A look of sympathy flashed momentarily over Maya's features before it was replaced by a look of vague amusement.
"Apparently I curse like a pirate in my sleep."
"Really? And that would be different to when you're awake how?"
She giggled "No, I literally curse like a pirate. My brother woke me up one time, telling me that I'd just been screaming at the top of my voice, calling him the scurvy- ridden whoreson of a bilge rat! I don't even know what the fuck a bilge rat is!"
I looked at her and blinked several times before laughing so hard that if I'd had anything in my bladder, I'm pretty sure I would have peed myself.
***
As the door to the mess hall slid open I was greeted with a maelstrom of scents. There was coffee, food, soap and some scents I couldn't quite place, along with one scent I most certainly could.
Crane's syrupy odour invaded my nostrils and clung to the back of my throat. I'd forgotten how odd he smelled.
I walked into the hall and was surprised to find it more crowded than I had ever seen.
Tobin and Nestor sat on a squashy looking couch watching the massive TV. Torrin sat at the breakfast bar holding a tall steaming mug of inky black coffee, she had deep purple shadows under her eyes, as though she hadn't slept a wink, which I thought was odd considering Maya had told me she had gotten an early night.
Crane sat next to Torrin, dressed in khakis and a casual shirt, he was drinking tea from an elegant china cup.
Two identical massive guys with dark chocolate skin were sitting on the other side of the breakfast bar and munching their way through what I'm pretty sure was the entire contents of the double-door refrigerator.
Another man, with brown dreadlocks that brushed his shoulders sat on the other side of Torrin. I knew immediately that this must be Maya's brother, the skin tone and eye colour were exactly the same as hers and thus a massive give away.
Hard core rap music was playing over hidden speakers. I blocked it out, having absolutely no intention of hearing how many "prissy whore bitches" had performed acts of oral pleasure for the rapper.
There was a lot I didn't know about myself but I was pretty certain I was not a fan of rap music.
All eyes turned to me as I entered, it was like a parody of a saloon scene from an old western movie. I'm sure if there'd been a jovial piano player in the corner of the room he would have stopped playing to gawk at me. As it turns out, the "Big Mack Daddy Cheez" CD didn't notice my entry and continued playing.
Crane was the first to break the silence. He smiled warmly at me before offering me coffee.
The simple gesture seemed to quell everyone's curiosity, although I noticed Tobin and Nestor were trying a little to hard to ignore me.
Crane patted the seat next to him whilst beaming at me as though my arrival had been the best thing to happen to him this morning. "Take a seat."
As I moved across the room Crane addressed everyone else "Everyone else go and get changed, we'll join you shortly."
There was no argument or question, just scraping chairs, squeaking springs and shuffling feet.
Crane waited until it was just him and me until he spoke.
"How did you sleep?"
"Fine, thanks."
"Has anything come back to you?"
"Not really."
He looked thoughtful "Well I've spoken with Torrin and she's going to have a couple of one on one sessions with you to try and help you regain your memory. She understands the mind very well."
I suddenly remembered Maya's little show the night before "Maya said that everyone here is special, that they all have gifts."
A nerve twitched under Crane's eye but other than that his face remained suspiciously blank.
"That's correct, each individual that just vacated this room has a special gift. I won't explain the mechanics of it just now but one of my main reasons for building this facility and keeping it hidden is to maintain the safety and wellbeing of those kids."
Remembering the information he had given me yesterday, I asked "Does Humber know about them?"
Crane looked at me with approval in his eyes.
"Yes. On the night he destroyed my building in Central city he also tried to abduct the kids. He failed. Only managing to escape with the technology that brought you here. Evidently the technology was not his main priority as I had previously thought, seeing as he merely used it to travel to your world and take you."
"Do you think everyone where I come from is like me?"
He sighed "I honestly don't know. Hopefully it is a question you will be able to answer yourself if Torrin is able to help you."
Hope sparked within me. If Torrin had some sort of mental gift then my memories could be within my reach. I thrilled at the prospect of understanding and self knowledge – promising myself that if I got them back I would never take them for granted again.
"When will I have my first session?"
"Tonight. After dinner. Which reminds me, have you eaten since our meal together?"
My cheeks flamed faintly and I hesitated to answer, suddenly feeling as though telling him I had not eaten would disappoint and concern him.
"Yes." I lied
Crane leaned closer, wafting a lungful of his saccharine my way. I expected to feel the familiar burn in my throat but it didn't seem to come.
"Hmmm" Was all he said before leaning back again. "Well I'd like you to eat something before you join us in the training room. I've also left your training gear over there." He gestured to section of the kitchen surface that had a small dark folded pile sitting on it.
He made a move to get up and I panicked slightly, causing me to blurt out something that had been bothering me since last night "When can I go outside?"
Ever since Torrin had told me the Hub was situated underground I had felt a pressing sense of claustrophobia all around me. I was very aware that there was never a breeze, never an open window and a tiny voice in the back of my head kept telling me that standing outside and feeling the wind tickle the tiny hairs on my arms would somehow ease the urges I kept having for people's blood.
Crane froze and turned towards me painfully slowly. "I'm so sorry but that is yet another question I cannot answer just yet."
My face fell.
"You must understand that Humber will have people looking for you and if he abducted you once before then what is to say he will not do it again, given the chance?"
I didn't answer, so he continued to attempt to justify my imprisonment.
"Humber is capable of anything and I would never forgive myself if something happened to you."
I looked him in the eye and stuck my chin out "I'm strong. I wont let anyone take me." I said.
Crane smiled sadly "That did not deter him the first time though, did it?" He reached out and brushed the back of my pale hand with his fingertips.
I took a deep breath to calm the swirling emotion that was building within me and realised that Crane was right, he was only looking out for me.
I smiled apprehensively at him and was rewarded with a widening of his own lips. "I do not wish for you to be a prisoner here Ness. So I will find a way for you to go outside safely. Please be patient with me."
He rose to leave once more and I let him.
***
The training room was akin to an aircraft hanger. The ceiling was at least forty feet high, with steel beams arcing across to create a slightly domed effect. Harsh lighting shone down on grey walls that had padding stretched across the lower ten feet and the floor felt slightly springy underfoot.
Upon closer inspection I noticed dinner plate sized holes dotted randomly across the bare walls above the padding. There were also several sophisticated cameras watching over us.
The others were already stretching and warming up but I simply stood there, in my black stretchy cat suit and matching fingerless gloves that had tiny little metallic nodules all over them.
Crane had retreated to an observation room on another level so I had navigated the winding corridors to the room alone, thoughts whirling around like a tornado in my head.
Torrin and Maya were chatting with one another, or rather Maya was aiming an endless stream of conversation in Torrin's general direction whilst they did lunges. Torrin seemed to be concentrating on something else entirely. A faraway look claimed her stormy eyes.
The two massive guys who'd been eating enough food to feed a third world county were sparring with each other, their blows connecting only gently and yet sounding like rock hitting rock. I wondered what their 'gifts' were.
Maya's brother was staring at me intently whilst pulling one arm taught across his body. I found it a little unnerving and dropped my eyes immediately.
I could smell them all, hear their pumping hearts and thrumming pulses. The ache in my throat spread down my chest and ended in a gentle but white hot and acidic burning in my stomach. It was incredibly uncomfortable but I was noticing that as long as I tried not to think about it, it was not intolerable.
I wondered briefly where Nestor and Tobin were before simultaneously sensing, hearing and smelling their approach behind me.
I assumed my unimpressed face and turned towards them.
Tobin's eyes once again raked over my body and I felt exposed in the clinging black fabric. Nestor's look was much the same, but he seemed to leer more. I found his scent mildly offensive, it caused me to feel as though something shining and black with a thousand legs was crawling down my spine. I resisted the urge to shake myself like a wet dog.
"You're little display yesterday was impressive Newbie. But you're in my world now, I make the rules in this room." Tobin said, as he gestured around himself with open arms.
Nestor said nothing, merely choosing to back up his friend by snickering in a very oily manner.
I decided not to respond. Choosing instead to turn my back and walk away.
Maya grinned and waved at me as I made my way over to her. I heard the two assholes behind me muttering empty threats to each other and sighed.
"They giving you any more trouble?" Maya asked.
"Nah, just a bit of big talk." I said whilst smirking.
Maya grinned again "Did you get the 'I make the rules' speech?" Her slender fingers moved to form air quotation marks and her voice dropped several octaves in a surprising accurate imitation of Tobin's voice.
Before I could respond I heard several hidden speakers crackle before Crane's voice boomed over us "We will be starting in 5 minutes. You will receive no further warning."
The speakers crackled once more before becoming silent again.
"I want Ness on my team." Maya piped up first.
Tobin snorted before issuing his scathing reply "My game, my rules dumbass. I don't tell you how to plant flowers.
'I've set the programme, there will be no teams. It's every man for himself." He shot me a wicked grin before telling everyone to assume their positions. I noticed that Maya's brother was looking daggers at Tobin and wondered what his gift was - he looked like in that moment he wished it was to melt peoples faces with a single death stare.
People moved off to different spaces in the massive room, eyes darting from hole to hole on the walls.
I stayed where I was, figuring if everyone else was moving away from me then I already had my own space.
Seconds later a very disconcerting series of whirs and clicks began to issue from the walls. My eyes followed the noises but I could see nothing.
I expected the entire room to transform into some sort of giant killer robot and bunched my muscles in preparation to dodge whatever razor-edged, mechanical weapon he might throw my way.
Turns out I wasn't too far from the truth when one of the walls behind me spat out a black, rubber ball covered in the same tiny metallic nodules as my gloves. It was aimed directly for the back of my head.
It had been shot at such a speed that it seemed to whistle through the air.
I didn't turn, I simply moved my body to the side in a smooth motion. The ball was fast, but I was faster.
It whizzed past my head, missing me by a foot and shooting straight at Torrin, who was so busy watching me that she was unable to get out of the way fast enough.
I heard the empty thoink sound of the rubberised ball bouncing off her starlight locks. I heard the little oof that escaped her lips as her skull recoiled from the blow and then I watched her levitate several feet from the floor with an extremely pissed off expression on her face. "Aw crap." she mumbled as she hung there.
I couldn't watch her for long though, as balls started shooting out of the walls all over the room.
"Cheese it!" One of the guys shouted before everyone jolted into motion.
I tracked zooming balls bouncing all over the hangar-sized room.
One ricoched off the floor and hit Maya between her shoulder blades just as she had turned her body to avoid another. Her whole body froze, she was literally as stiff as a board and went down face fist onto the springy floor.
I felt the impact of Torrin landing on the floor a second later. She absorbed the fall into bent legs, then immediately straightened and ran. She seemed more alert now.
The dark skinned twins stood back to back at the other end of the room from me. I noticed they had ignored Tobin's speech about every man for himself and were working together to eliminate the other players by catching the balls that flew towards them and throwing them at everyone else.
The one on the right was aiming for Tobin, who seemed to press something on his wrist whenever a ball got close that made it somehow miss him. He was grinning maniacally as the massive guy continued to lob balls from his gloved hands with increasing force.
The guy on the left however seemed to be aiming his balls at people's shadows. Either that or he was a very poor shot.
I dodged left and right. I jumped high in the air and slithered low on the ground to avoid the wicked projectiles whilst the other players around me got hit with balls that electrocuted them, paralysed them, flipped them up in the air, repeatedly slammed into their heads seemingly of their own free will (one of the big guys got that one, I had to bite my lip to stop myself laughing out loud.) and all sorts of other crazy things.
Whilst all the action claimed my attention I had failed to notice that Nestor was nowhere to be seen.
It was a mistake I swore not to make again after the occurrences in that room.
My eyes were darting around me, keeping track of both people and balls when Crane's voice came over the speakers and said two words that seemed to make everyone in the room gulp at the same time.
"RED BALL!"
Everyone looked around wildly, muscles tensed and ready to spring into action.
I heard the clicking and whirring of the walls once more and followed the sound, two seconds later and angry looking red ball was spat out and hurtled straight towards Maya's brother.
He seemed to turn in slow motion towards the ball. His face was calm as he held up a gloved-hand in the universal 'stop' motion. The ball did not stop, it simply bounced off his palm harmlessly.
"Spoilsport" Tobin muttered before flicking his gaze my way.
The clockwork walls once again whirled into motion and another red ball was ejected from the hole directly opposite my face.
As I tensed my muscles in preparation for evasion, my eyes were caught by my shadow. It was moving oddly, like it was a millisecond out of sync with my body. About to shift my body out of the path of the oncoming projectile, I gasped as my shadow moved around me in an impossible manner before reaching out a black hand and grabbing me sharply by the ankle.
I knew immediately it was Nestor, I was struck by Maya's voice in my memory "I think you definitely have super senses if you can hear a shadow creep up on you" So that explained what his gift was. That's why he was able to seemingly appear out of nowhere in the mess hall, I also felt that somehow it explained the inky, oily quality he had.
Something else niggled me in that moment, something about being grabbed by shadow. It felt strangely like déjà vu.
My thoughts flicked through my head quicker than that of any human and barely a second had passed when my thoughts came back to the situation at hand.
Nestor's head had begun to take form, rising from the springy floor like a matte, black balloon.
Without even having to think about it I caught the ball with one nodular-hand, brought my arm around in an arc and slammed the red ball into what I hoped was his forehead.
It lingered at the point of contact, as though glued there. Nestor became fully solid instantly, writhing and screaming on the floor. A dark patch appeared on the crotch of his pants and I smelled the acrid stench of urine.
The ball rolled off his forehead to bounce gently away from him as he laid there, panting and soaked in his own piss. Unable to move his head, his eyes swivelled towards me, revealing too much of the white around them and giving them a decidedly insane look.
Torrin was at my side, I hadn't heard her approach. "Don't be a bitch about it Nestor. Go get cleaned up." She said before turning to address me.
"Pain ball." She said matter of factly "Stimulates all the pain receptors in the brain at once. Only for a second but it's enough to make you piss your pants." She looked pointedly to the mess on the floor.
"They move faster and they're heavier than the other balls so they're harder to catch. No one has ever done it one handed." She said with raised eyebrows.
I didn't know what to say so remained silent, aware that it was becoming a habit of mine.
All eyes were on me once again until Torrin addressed everyone "OK people, five minutes and then round two."
She looked up to one of the cameras and nodded before turning back to me again.
"You ready for round two Ness?"
I felt the warmth in my muscles from the exercise I had just done. I was not sweating, or panting like the others. I felt good.
"Bring it on." I replied.
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