Part 1: The Escape
Ava longed to fly. She wanted to leave the School. She wanted to learn. All those things would have been possible for any other kid like her, but she was trapped in this horrid place. They poked needles in her, they forced her to change forms, "be Angel," "be Max," "be Nudge," and other nonsense. And she wanted to leave this behind.
"Subject Twelve, come with me to the lab," said a young scientist named Stacey. She was one of the starfish people who can heal almost instantly. "I'm going take some x-rays. It will just take a minute."
Ava never liked these tests, but x-rays were the least painful. They didn't take long, but she still wanted to leave the sick School.
Can they stop, can they stop, make them stop! If anyone could help, it was her brother. Not her real brother, she doesn't have one of those. The other half of the Avian Memorial Project, "Male Subject Eight" as they called him, or Ian, as she called him, came to her rescue. Though he was a year younger than she was, he could comfort her easily.
"Let's go play in the yard. I bet they will let us fly this time.” Ian's perfect Gazzy style smile calmed her down. Having Minddrinker telepathic abilities were also super useful.
“…And you had better behave; this car is made of carbon fiber, the strongest and lightest material known to man. If you even try to escape, you will never be allowed in a car again. Also, no dessert for a month. I'm only trying to help you, you know that.” The rules delivered by the only whitecoat she trusted, Jeb, were clear and simple. They were going to take her on a ride around the desert in the night, and they were going to bring her straight back to school. Ironically, the school was in Death Valley, exactly where Max and her flock's school was. So much for a memorial. Not that Ava knew anything about Max or her flock.
"Can I leave for one second? I really want to learn how to fly," Ava pleaded, but she already knew the answer.
"No.” Said Jeb, irritated.
"Please," Ava gave him the Bambi eyes.
"No."
"Please."
"No."
"Please."
"No."
"Oh, really," Ava commented.
"You are too important to be led outside. You will be able to go when you are old enough," he answered.
But Ava didn't buy that explanation. She was thirteen, old enough by her standards, and she wanted to breathe fresh air. She could also read a higher goal behind Jeb's words than to protect her. His mind was very good at hiding his direct thoughts, though everyone was.
"I'm old enough and I know you know so as well. You could let me out, and no one would blame you. You know I would never tell.” She expected a promise is a promise, but Jeb couldn't betray the School in that way. He would never do that in a million years.
"No is no, Twelve. I'm just trying to protect you," he responded. Still, she could read his insincerity behind his words. More like, she could detect them from his thoughts. I wish could really truly be sincere about something. If only someone could tell the truth to me. I really need to know something.
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