Hey, everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated my story on here! I've just been so busy these past few weeks and didn't have much time to write. But now I finally got this chapter done and am well on my way to completing the next one! Enjoy!

The first thing that had to be done to me was to get myself all cleaned up. Apparently I would be less conspicuous if I didn't look like a "mangy little kid". I was given a rough and thorough washing, the first one I've had ever since . . . well . . . ever since I was born. I know, it's disgusting but they never gave me time to clean myself up with all of the training and locking me in my cell ever since I eavesdropped. It took forever because my matted hair needed to be untangled as well and I thought I would never get out of the washing rooms. I was given a pair of fresh, clean clothes after my bath of terror and was sent straight to my room to change into them. Once I was in the new clothes I had gotten, I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like an entirely different person. My pale skin, instead of being cut, bruised, and smudged with filth, was clean and had a healthy shine to it. My hair was no longer a mass of dirty tangles; it was a smooth, dark brown waterfall that cascaded down my shoulders. I tentatively touched my hair and found it smooth and soft to the touch.

I wore a long, light blue dress with a white underskirt and fancy, black dress shoes. My old clothes looked like a ragged potato sack compared to these, and that was no exaggeration. I'm pretty sure my old clothes actually were made from an old potato sack. But, even though I actually looked nice and didn't look like a kid that had absolutely no hygienic health, it felt weird, and it looked weird. I was so used to seeing myself as filthy scum that the girl in the mirror, even though I knew she was me, was still a total stranger, an alien. The only thing that hadn't changed was my eyes. That odd magenta shade forever dulled with pain. No matter what, I would never be able to truly hide those eyes. Perhaps Hydra intended it to be that way. Even if I managed to escape and run off, they'd merely have to ask around for the girl with the alien eyes. I sighed and turned away from the mirror, I couldn't bear to look at myself. Under the guise of cleanliness that was thrust upon me, I was still a filthy, disgusting rat.

The sound of the door knocking made me look to the sound. I opened the door and stepped back as a large group of guards stepped into the room. "Are you ready to go?" a scarred, seasoned veteran guard asked gruffly.

I nodded, "Yes. But if you mind my asking, where are we going?"

"Paris," he responded simply. I tilted my head to the side with a confused look on my face. What was this Paris he spoke of? I never could read a map very well or . . . anything for that matter. . . "You know," he continued after noticing my expression, "in France? Known for the Eiffel Tower? Don't you know about it?"

I shook my head, "Afraid not. I've never even been outside."

"Not at all?"

"No. . . I've seen the outside through my window, but that's about it."

"Well, today will be an interesting day for you then, huh?"

I nodded briefly and then followed the group. As we walked, I calculated all of the guards that were escorting me with careful eyes. Making a run for it would be impossible because of the sheer fact that all of the men were seasoned veterans, extremely strong, well-trained, and prepared for anything thrown at them. Besides, it wouldn't surprise me if there were even more guards watching us in the shadows to make sure I stayed loyal and didn't try to escape. Honestly, with this treatment, how could I not feel like a prisoner? We were slowly but surely approaching two large, metal doors that most likely led to the outside world. I was both excited and dismayed. I'd finally get to go outside, but after further inspection I knew that the exit was guarded heavily, meaning that I could never leave on my own accord and could only go outside for missions.

I stood there and watched in wonder as the humongous doors slowly swung open and squinted my eyes as the light of the sun hit my eyes for the first time in my life. My window was always in the shadows, so I had never seen the sunlight like I was currently. The light hurt my eyes slightly, but I grew accustomed to it after a few moments. I was led outside and my eyes widened at the beautiful sight around me. A rough, gravel road was under my feet and I bent down to inspect it, holding up a rock and feeling its coarse, hard surface. So that's what a rock looked like. . . I stood up and dropped the rock, and, despite my need to keep calm and professional, I rushed to the lush, green grass nearby and sat on my knees, feeling the blades of the grass with my hands. It felt cool and wet with dew, and it was so soft! Much softer than the itchy bed I had to sleep in all of the time. Perhaps I'd sneak some grass in with my on my way back to soften up my sleeping arrangements. I smiled and picked a small, yellow flower beside me and looked at it curiously, amazed by the vibrant colors of the flower. I watched small insects fly by with curious eyes and wondered how they could fly like that before my attention was drawn to the peaceful, blue sky and the white, fluffy clouds that dotted it.

I snapped out of my childish wonder when I heard a nearby guard clear his throat and looked up to my mass of escorts, each one of them with an annoyed look on their faces. It was obviously because of my reactions, but how could they blame me? I was a child that had never before been outside! I regained my composure with a sheepish glance at the ground and smoothed out my dress, placing the yellow flower I was holding into a small pocket as a reminder of my first day outside. I walked as calmly as I could between my escorts as we boarded a jet, that was rather dull looking in comparison with the vibrant world around it, and flew off toward Paris.