Annie's POV

The red-haired boy wore curved rectangular glasses. He wore a lab coat with a green shirt and black pants. His hair was messy and swept around his face. He was about my age, maybe. I saw a controller in his hands, like the ones for video games.

"Hi. I'm Annie, oh, but I guess you already knew that. Um, do you want the other half?" I didn't want to be rude, and, in all honesty, I didn't really want to eat but I wanted to eat. It was weird. I was happy to see someone my age, but it wasn't the same.

He shook his head and took a step inside.

"You can sit with me, you know." GUN couldn't have a rule that said he couldn't sit and talk with me, could they?

I smiled at him, and he tried to smile back. He reminded me of Connor when we first met, shy.

He walked up to the couch and looked at the seat next to me.

"There-there isn't a special GUN rule that says you can't sit, is there?"

He shook his head.

"So… won't you talk?"

He cleared his throat and then… pressed something on the controller. I saw it grow into a console that looked like a small keyboard. He sat down as far away from me as possible on the couch.

I tried smiling at him again and he pointed at Mini Omega.

"Hm." I looked over at the screen.

Hello, Annie. My name is Chance.

Chance… I like it.

"Hi, Chance. Do you know my friend Caleb?" I looked for his picture on my wrist gadget and showed my screen to Chance when I found him.

He looked at the screen.

I saw him type stuff up.

Not personally, no. I've seen him around of course, but I've never actually spoken to him.

"Oh." I was hoping that since the classes were pretty small, they would have talked. Caleb doesn't even give me real names for his classmates. He names them after vegetables for me to follow his stories.

I'm sorry.

"Wha-" I turned around to look at him. "No, no, no, no, no. It's okay. Not everyone is friends with everyone. You can't help that."

I saw him nod. Then, he typed some more.

I suppose you're right.

"Yeah…"

I took another bite. That's when Mini Omega moved. Oh right. I forgot that Mini Omega moved. Mini Omega walked around the coffee table and stood next to Chance.

This might be better. I'm sorry to make you move your head so much when you're trying to eat.

"Oh, it's okay. No big deal." Then it hit me. "Wait, was that you this whole time?"

Yes.

"That's really cool. Did you build it?"

With my father's help, yes.

"So, you're like part of the invention side of things here?"

Yes, exactly.

"Cool. I wish Uncle Tails, Ben and Whits were here to see this. Your Mini Omega is neat. What else can it do?"

He stared at me, and I tried to smile away missing my family. Uncle Tails, Ben and Whits would have way more questions and they'd talk shop all day with Chance.

Mind if I keep the name, Mini Omega?

"Uh, sure, why?"

It's better than anything I've come up with so far.

"Oh, well that can't be true." I can craft and bake pretty well, and I can help build metal machines and fly a plane, but I never programmed or coded anything. I never liked that part anyway.

I'm afraid so. As for your second question, Mini Omega is a helper. He sets alarms, schedules meetings, and helps me communicate.

"So… no rocket launchers, or stretchy limbs or anything?" I thought all robots had to fight.

No, those robots we keep in the lab.

Locked up? Good. I've had enough killer robots running amuck hunting my family.

How do you like your lunch?

"It's good." I shrugged. "Could use some mayonnaise though."

That defeats the purpose of the avocado.

I laughed. That's something Connor would say. He's actually got quite the pallet.

"I know it's not exactly dignified or whatever, but I like both sometimes. You guys are on some special diet but I'm not. Sometimes, you just want to gorge yourself." Somedays, there's not enough chocolate or cheese in a dish and sometimes, a mix of salt and sweet in ice cream is the worst thing ever. And sitting there with a panini that Mom didn't make… I just wanted… I wanted something that tasted like home. Suddenly… I wanted to cry.

I heard Chance clear his throat. I looked up at Chance. He opened his mouth a little. I sniffed and quickly wiped the tears away from my eyes.

"It's nothing. I'm fine." But I couldn't rub away the tears fast enough. "I just miss my family. Have you heard anything from my mom and dad?"

No, not yet.

"Oh." That was it, there was no stopping it. I couldn't stop. I knew they were okay, they had to be okay. But I couldn't help it. My parents, my cousins, even Flash… And Connor and Marigold and Finn… They didn't even know that I was okay, and I couldn't call anyone. They're probably so worried and beside themselves wondering where I am… just like me, worrying about my family… even though… really, there's nothing to worry about. But… but I was still here all alone and I didn't know anything, not where I was, not how any of them were doing, not when this will end, nothing. The crying turned into sobbing.

I jumped when I felt something touch my back.

"Sorry! Sorry!" I looked over at Chance. He didn't sound like the voice I gave him in my head. I thought he would sound more like Connor but his voice was deeper. I stared at him for a few seconds. I sniffed and rubbed away my tears. Mini Omega stepped towards me. He opened up his belly and took out a tissue box. The machine held it out to me.

"Thank you." I smiled a little and took a few tissues. I cleaned up my face as fast as I could. Ugh, I couldn't believe I sobbed in front of someone I just met. "None of this is your fault. You're here because I wanted someone to talk to, I'm just…"

"Overwhelmed…"

I stared at him. "Yeah…" I know I just met him, but it was weird to hear his voice when I had only ever seen words on a screen from him.

Would you like to play a game?

I was surprised by his question. But a game sounds good.

"You mean like a training game?" This was GUN after all.

No, I mean like board games.

"You have some?"

He nodded. Have you finished eating?

"Oh, uh," Suddenly I had my appetite back. "Just a few minutes." I stuffed my face so I wouldn't be starving later.

May I take your plate?

"Mm-hm." I nodded as I swallowed.

He took the tray and plates and cutlery. I waited patiently on the couch. I was glad I had someone to have some fun with. When he came back, he opened up the coffee table and pulled out a few board games. Some I knew, some I didn't. One looked like it was in a different language.

"Oooh, I love this one." I picked one up. It was a favorite, a bit of a chance and a bit of strategy to build a simple civilization.

"I know." He closed the table.

"You do?"

When he turned around with the game, he kept his head down. He sat on the floor and started to type again.

It was in your file.

"I have a file? Why? I never did anything wrong?"

We keep files on all people of interest whether or not they have done anything wrong.

"So, you have a file on everyone in my family? My friends?"

Yes, to make your stay more comfortable.

"Yeah… I guess that makes sense. I guess that's how you guys recreated my room and living room." I started to unbox the game. "How long did this take anyway?"

"A few months."

I learned a lot from Chance. He told me he was in a special class where he came up with inventions.

"What have you invented?"

Most notably, Mini Omega.

"I thought you said your dad helped."

I did most of the work. He helped me when I asked him to when I hit a wall.

"Hm, yeah. Whits and Ben are starting to do the same thing. They created a fighter plane that I've been helping them perfect.

How does it fly?

"It's pretty wicked and smooth. I was able to do some tricks like loop de loops."

Sounds like a dream.

I giggled. "Yeah, it kind of is. I like testing out my cousins' inventions and getting to fly planes. Hey, can I try?" I pointed to the console in his hands.

He stared at me and then at the controller.

Sure. But be careful. The controls are sensitive.

"No problem." We scooted over to each other and then he let me take the controller. I set it in my lap. Huh, it really did look like a keyboard with a few more… dials, switches and stuff.

"Do I just type then?"

I looked at him and he nodded.

Hey Chance. Will you be my friend?

He looked at me funny. I held the controls out to him. He looked at the control, then at me, then took it from my hands. I looked at Mini Omega for the message.

I'd be honored.

I smiled and turned to Chance. He smiled back. Then, he pushed his glasses back up his nose.

We communicated like this for a while. He told me he was an only child. His Mom passed away when he was young, and it's just been him and his dad ever since. He doesn't have any family besides his dad. He doesn't have many friends either. His special classes keep him busy.

"So… all you really do is go to school and work on your inventions?"

Yes, I'm very comfortable in the lab.

"So, what other stuff have you made?"

Smaller things. I started with automotive models and gradually worked my way up.

"You mean toy cars?"

Exactly. My father had me start there to help me understand instructions, the building process, and the use of tools.

Beep!

An earpiece grew and surrounded Chance's ear. He cupped his ear and his eyes moved around.

"Yes, I understand." He spoke into the tiny mic that somehow popped out of the earpiece.

"What's up?"

The earpiece undid itself and shrank but hung around his ear.

"I have to go, Father needs me."

He got up.

"Oh."

"I'll be back with dinner."

"I can help." I tried again.

He shook his head. "You can't leave the room. It's for your own good."

I sighed as he left me alone in the living room. My own protection. That's really all that matters in the end. That's why I was there in the first place. I wondered. Maybe if I actually got good at defending myself, I wouldn't have to be under such tight security.

For the first time, I actually wanted to practice. I got to work. I moved the coffee table and the couch to the walls so that I would have enough room to work with. Moving the couch took longer than I thought it would though. I tugged and pulled on both ends of the couch so many times, I ended up crashing on the couch for like half an hour before I finally got up to do the stretches Ms. Maria taught me. I pulled my weapon out of my glove pocket and turned the dial to staff mode. Holding it in my hands, I took a deep breath and started to spin my staff in front of me. I went through the same different movements, positions, stances, everything I could remember that Ms. Maria taught me.

When I had enough, I sprawled out on the floor. I breathed in and out to settle my heartbeat. I was feeling loopy. I looked around the room and I almost forgot where I was. I pushed myself more that day than with Caleb, Ms. Maria or with my parents and Flash. Huh… I smiled when I realized something. I didn't hurt myself at all.

"Hey whatcha reading?" I asked Chance. He was reading a small but thick book on the couch. Must've used Mini Omega to move everything back. I left everything where it was when I left to shower. I looked towards Mini Omega, but he was facing away from me.

"It's a collection of short stories," he told me.

"Hm." I blinked and looked at him. He closed his book and sat up. He moved his glasses closer to his eyes and then he pointed to the coffee table. There was a set of domes on top of trays.

He cleared his throat.

Mini Omega moved so that I could see the screen. For a while, I wished that Ben could talk to me, period. But having Chance talk to me and then write messages was giving some whiplash. I never knew when and where I was supposed to look or listen.

I was hoping we could have dinner together.

"Oh yay. What are we having?" I raced to the couch and sat down next to him.

He smiled a small smile and then went ahead and lifted the domes up and set them to the side.

"Spaghetti and meatballs. Nice! What's for dessert?"

"I… will bring some ice cream after we eat."

"What kind?" I said as I started to spin some pasta with my fork.

"Cookies and cream."

"Can't wait."

I tried talking to him some more.

"So, what are you working on with your dad?"

I saw him stare at his plate.

"Ch-"

"Confidential."

"Ah, top secret. Gotcha." Of course. So many secrets… how can anyone keep them straight all the time?

He nodded and then we ate for a little while. I guess it's kind of hard for him to talk without using his hands.

"Hey, do you have a phone?"

He looked at me for a second.

"I know I'm not supposed to call or text anyone, but I thought maybe we could text or something. I mean, it should be okay so long as it's inside whatever range or cloaking or whatever it is you guys use to hide communications. I know you're probably busy but… I don't want to be completely like shut away in here." I gestured around us. It looked like home, but it didn't feel like home.

"I'll see what I can do."

I gasped with glee. "Great!"

After dinner, I asked him, "So what kinds of books do you like?"

"I read about folklore, dystopian societies, comedic plays, and sometimes mysteries."

"That's cool, got any favorites?"

"Well," he smiled. He started to sound like Marigold. He went on and on about all kinds of stories from the ancient echidnas. He told me about a series he liked about children living in a kind of desert controlled by adults to pick out the best ones for families. He told me about old plays I'd never heard of.

Beep! I sat there, kind of disappointed that he probably had to go now.

"No."

…

"Yes."

…

"I understand."

He turned to me as his earpiece shrank.

"Do you have to go now?"

He nodded. He typed.

Yes, but for a brief report.

"Report?"

On the day's happenings, yes. I'll be back. Can I take your plate?

"Oh, yeah sure." This was still kind of weird. Mom and Dad always say to pick up after yourself and now I have someone doing all the cleaning for me. I can do whatever I want with some rules. I didn't have to be tucked away in my room and living room. I could be flying a plane or... or listen to Connor practice or help Marigold find reports of supernatural activity in town... nothing juicy recently but we've got to be due to for something.

He left and I waited for him to come back. I picked up the book he was reading and glanced at it. It was in a language I had never seen before. The alphabet was different, but it wasn't glyphs like I saw in some of Marigold's textbooks. I set the book down and picked up the one I was reading earlier. The wolf was in the middle of recruiting a team to scout a new home. He really wanted his good friend to come with him. She was orphaned like him and really creative.

I looked at the door when I heard a knock.

Chance and Mini Omega were at the door. Mini Omega had a tray with two bowls of ice cream. I smiled and waved at him.

"How'd it go?" I asked as he walked in.

"It went well."

"That's good." I said. "What's that?" I pointed at the box in his hands.

"A puzzle."

He came in and sat down next to me. Mini Omega followed him and set the tray down. I took a closer look at the puzzle box. It was wooden.

"No picture?"

He chuckled.

He typed into the controller. It's supposed to be a surprise.

"Did you make it?"

No, I spotted it one day and thought the pieces were really pretty. You'll see what I mean after we finish eating.

"Hm."

He took his bowl of ice cream, and we ate in silence. I wouldn't want to handle the controller with sticky fingers either. Gross.

Afterwards, he and Omega cleaned up and I looked at his book again.

When he came back, he had a smile on his face. When we opened up the box, I looked at the pieces. Wow… The pieces were made of wood and the colors were pastel. I could see tiny flowers, a lot of greens, blues and white. So likely some bushes water and something else. We wouldn't know until we got farther.