Z.E.R.O (Wattys 2016)

Ch 4 - Beautiful

A CHAPTER FOR THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR!!!

💃🏼❤️😊

*FLASHBACK*

I winced as my eyes opened. My hands were tied up behind me, and I was sitting on a chair. I could feel excruciating pain coming from the back of my head. I couldn't remember how the hell I got where I was, but I knew that I was in trouble.

I tried to look around the room, but I couldn't see anything. Instead, I was in a dark room, and from experience and the sounds around me, I knew I was the only one in the room. It smelled like death, which just confirmed my thoughts on being screwed.

The door creaked open, allowing with it a little light. A little girl around my age with red hair came into the room. She walked to the side, and when the light came on, I assumed she'd been the one to switch it on.

My suspicions on the room were confirmed when I looked around to see that I was placed in the middle of the room. The little girl stepped up to me. She didn't say anything for the longest time. She just stood, staring at me.

She finally smiled. "I'm Rio."

"That's nice," I replied.

I may be twelve, but I'm not stupid.

"I just escaped. I'm here to help you," she informed, going around to untie my hands.

"How did you escape?" I asked.

"I know what you are. I'm the same, except I work for Genesis. I don't know who kidnapped us, but I know we have to get out of here," she told me.

I was about to reply when there was clapping at the door. We both turned to the door since she'd just finished untying my hands. We couldn't see the person since it looked like they were fully dressed, down to a mask.

"My, my, they weren't kidding when they said you're prodigies. The boss will be real happy about this," the person said through a voice chip.

"What do you want with us?" Rio asked.

"We only want to make you the best," the person replied.

"And why should we trust you?" I asked.

"Because we only have your best interests at heart."

We just didn't know that it would be the beginning of hell for us for the next six weeks.

***

She'd been asleep for more than twelve hours now, and as I promised, I didn't leave her side. Instead, I brought my tablet with me so that I could work while she slept. I wasn't tired, despite my ten hour workout.

If anything, I was more energized than I had ever been.

I was working tirelessly to find any leads on who may have taken her, except I was beginning to realize that for as long as she hasn't told us anything else, we're really just chasing after nothing here.

Everyone else may have seen her before me, but Mr Solano wasn't kidding when he said she would only talk to me, so she hadn't told anyone anything. I figured its better that I let her rest and get her energy back, before we drain her through memory recollection.

My phone buzzed and I reached over to answer it. "Tell me good news Mordecai."

"I've tracked her, but she knows I've found her," he reported.

"How?" I asked him.

"Well, when tracking her digitally wasn't working, I took to tracking her physically. I'm actually with her right now," he replied.