Chapter Four

The next morning, as Trace walked reluctantly to school, her thoughts turned to ponder the previous night's events. She remembered leaving her belt in the window when she snuck out and walking around for hours.

She remembered hearing that strange noise in an alley and stupidly going down it. Then that weird creature attacked her. Trace could remember the pain as it bit and clawed at her before throwing her aside.

Then those two pairs of feet showed up and she passed out. She couldn't have been out long though, because, when she awoke, the man and woman that the feet belonged to were still fighting that thing. All Trace had known was that she needed to get out of there.

So, as quietly as she could, the teenager had crawled to the end of the alley she had entered from and around the corner. As soon as she was sure she was out of sight, the girl had run. She remembered running all the way to her bedroom window, opening it, flying inside, slamming it shut, and collapsing on her bed.

When she woke up the next morning, Trace would have considered it all a dream if it hadn't been for the huge tears and bloodstains on her clothes. Other than that, however, there had been no evidence that it even ever took place. There was not even a scratch on the girl's body. She had then quickly taken a shower and dressed before heading out to school.

When the school came into view, Trace sighed. That jacket was her favorite. There was no way to repair it, though. All too soon, she was inside the building, daydreaming through her lessons.

As soon as it was lunchtime, Trace practically ran to get her lunch. After she procured her food, she decided to head to the courtyard outside.

The teenager had been sitting at a picnic table eating in relative silence until Todd Smith appeared five minutes before the bell.

"What do you want?" she asked him, clearly annoyed.

However, he was not going to be intimidated this time. "I want to know if you will go out with me."

"No," she said bluntly.

"Don't you like me?"

"No."

"At all?"

"No."

"Not even a little?"

"No."

Todd was starting to lose his confidence. "Then why'd you kiss me?"

Trace answered smugly, "Because I can."

The boy was starting to get annoyed now. "So you just go around kissing people just because you can?"

The bell rang. Trace stood up and said, "Yup," before heading inside.

Jack and Gwen had gone out to pick up some lunch for the team. On their way back to the Hub, they passed by the fenced-in school courtyard.

Gwen had been glancing at all the kids when a particular girl caught her eye. "Jack, that's her! That's the girl!"

Jack, who understood what she was talking about, immediately turned to look at the girl she was pointing at. The teenager was tall, had short brown hair and blue eyes, and looked almost familiar to the immortal. Unfortunately, it was at that moment that the bell rang and she went inside.

However, the two adults noticed that the boy this mysterious girl had been talking to was still standing there. So, Jack decided to try and talk to him.

"Hey! You, boy!" he called out.

The young man in question turned to look at the strangers curiously.

"Yeah, you! Come over here," Jack said.

Startled, the boy walked over.

"Yes sir?" he asked timidly.

"What's your name, son?" the Captain asked.

"Todd. Todd Smith, sir."

"Okay, Todd, what can you tell me about that girl you were talking to?" he inquired.

The boy looked nervous. "I don't think I should be talking to-"

He stopped as Jack showed him a badge.

"Oh, okay. Umm, her name's Trace Peterson. She just moved here from London, I think," Todd told the pair.

"Thanks kid," Jack said as he turned and started to walk away.

"You've been very helpful," Gwen quickly added before running to catch up to her boss.

Todd, realizing he was late, ran to class wondering what the hell just happened.