Live, Love, Lies

Careful, Trickster

This chapter does have some overlap with the previous chapter, but it's from Lia's (my OC's) view. Enjoy!

Talia Marie Alinac did not think her day would involve being drugged, kidnapped, and interrogated by a super-secret spy organization, being introduced to superheroes, or being threatened by a god.

Shows what she knew.

"If you're going to kidnap me before supper," she groaned dramatically to the wall, "then at least feed me." She scoffed. "Kidnappers are terrible hosts. No common courtesy at all."

Lia was proud of herself. Her voice hadn't shook, and she hadn't broken down and cried yet, so Lia thought she was doing pretty good. She wasn't exactly a pro at this whole kidnapping thing yet.

Of course, if someone had told her what the rest of her day would entail, she would have laughed in their faces. Right before she ran away screaming.

Okay, Lia. Deep breaths. In and out. In and out. There you go. In and out.

Lia clenched the table and slowed her erratic breathing, trying not to let her fear show.

Rule Number One in Lia's Survival Notebook: Fear makes you vulnerable. Vulnerability gets you killed.

It's fine. Everything's fine. They probably won't painfully murder me and chop my body into itty bitty pieces for the sharks to eat. No, definitely not.

Lia was going to throw up.

Stop it, Lia. They wouldn't go through all of this trouble just to kill you. They need something. Information? Or they found out about my powers? Or maybe they're connecting to Dad?

Lia's breath quickened again. If they kidnapped her because of him—

The door swung open. Lia jumped and struggled to wipe the surprise and fear off her face. She was pretty certain she did a decent job a few seconds later.

The man staring back at her was not intimidating. Tall and dark-skinned, with an eyepatch—an eyepatch! Like, who wears an eyepatch in the twenty-first century?—a black trench coat, and a permanent scowl, the man held a folder in one hand and a glass of water in other.

Nope, not intimidating at all.

The pirate man strode forward and sat across from her. Lia watched him quietly.

He raised his eyebrow. "What's wrong, Ms. Alinac? Cat got your tongue? You were so chatty just a minute ago."

Lia just blinked at him. Boredom produces many odd responses. Hers was rambling to an invisible person. But there was no reason for her to say anything. He would tell her what he wanted soon enough.

His lips thinned. He opened the pallid folder and slid a file across the table.

Lia glanced down. She barely managed to hold in a gasp of surprise. The paper had all of her personal information on it—name, birthday, social, picture, family, phone number. Lia's eyes kept skimming the paper, seeing even more information. She licked her lips and looked back at the man, who was watching her steadily.

"Talia Marie Alinac. Eighteen years old today. Eight-year-old brother, Kyland Alinac. Father's name is Reginald Alinac. Deceased mother. Deceased uncle. No other known family. Senior at Oakridge High. 4.0 GPA unweighted. Job at Allie's Creamery Wednesdays and Fridays. Need I go on?"

Lia swallowed.

"Oh, and one other thing. You're a mutant. Can't forget that little fact."

Lia's nails dug into her palms so hard, she'd be surprised if they didn't draw blood.