Escape

Where?

Where?

We've been walking for hours. Scout and Ryker have taken me through every place Cade apparently 'likes' and she's hasn't been there. Each time they have this sound of defeat in their voice. It is all a rush until now. We sit on the steps of a public school. "Where could she be?" Scout grumbles in frustration, raking her hands through her bleach blonde hair. Ryker shrugs,

"No idea. I thought for sure she'd be at that mall." His legs collapse next to hers. I shove my hands into my pockets to keep them from freezing and I lean against the hand rails. I figure I can't be much help, considering I've only known these people for a day. Man, only a day, so much has happened. Anyway, I still try and think of what I know about her.

When almost nothing comes to mind, I think about girls in general. "Does she like to sing?" I ask. Scout looks at me,

"Yeah, but we checked at the local places she usually plays at already." Something in her voice is unusually soft.

"Have you tried the park? Don't people sing at parks for money? I know it's night time but, maybe she went there?" I guess. Ryker and Scout exchange a glance before Ryker is smiling, and Scout's eyes change expression.

"Wouldn't hurt to try..." Ryker says. Scout's lips turn up so small I almost do not notice in the dark and stands up.

"Let's go for it!" And with that, we head for the park.

The park is lighted by lamp posts scattered around. Each one reflects off the dew that had gathered on the ground. The only sounds heard are those of our footsteps hitting the cold pavement. "Ugh, We're never gonna find HER!" Scout complains as we near a park bench to sit down.

"She's not stupid, she knows the city isn't a smart place to be at night. She'll come home." Ryker comments placing a hand on Scout's shoulder.

"Jason is going to kill me." Scout trembles. Ryker just smiles and begins to coax her.

"He won't. You'll be fine." Her head shakes as she denies everything.

"I'm so dead. I'm gone for sure. I mean, you remember what he said." She whispers in his ear. I watch as my visible breathe blends into the sky.

"I am not!" Scout reacts to something Ryker says. I roll my eyes and begin walking.

The trees in the park are a nice contrast to the city around it. It's obviously fall for the trees are a sunset spreading across the grass. Leaves litter the ground as I kick them around. "Seth?" I hear a soft voice whisper. My head rushes around to meet bright blue eyes.

"Cade! You're okay!" I speak, not knowing what else to say.

"Yeah I'm fine. Did you come alone?" She asked worriedly.

"Nope, Scout and Ryker came with. Which reminds me, I should probably go get the-"

"NO!"

"Why not?"

She looks at the ground for a moment before answering. "I just need my space." I completely understand. Back at the Imperium facility, sometimes I would lock myself in my room. At first the guards would get mad and take me to the counseling office, but eventually they stopped caring.

"It's okay... I'll just go and tell them you probably are at some homeless shelter and we should turn in for the night." She nods at my alibi and I begin to turn away, but a hand on my shoulder stops me.

"Could you stay for a few minutes? I just need to talk to someone." Her voice is soft and almost shaken up. I turned to face her and did my best sweet smile.

"Erm, yeah, sure." She immediately grins.

"You've never been around people other than the Imperium have you." She says as more of a statement than a question. I nod.

"I can tell. You're too nice for a normal person." She laughs. I have no idea what that's supposed to mean. I've gotten in fights, I've pushed people out of my life, I sure as hell am not a saint. Then again, from what I've seen, who is?

"Thanks?" I mutter. She chuckles again. And we begin walking down the park.

"So what did they do to you in Imperium?" Cade wonders.

"Nothing too bad, they beat me, and took away one of my friends, but that can't be as bad as what happened to the kids in the Projects..." I start. This time the laugh that escaped her was more that of self pity.

"It was pretty bad." I stop, turn my gaze to her.

"Wait! You were in a Project?!" She glances at me and raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I was. I was in a test they called Project Lone. I had a team. The woman in charge of the Project was a devil. Acted like a mother to all of us. If only we had known what she was doing."

"And the thing she was doing would be?" I push and she gives me a look that reads 'Don't push it buddy'

"My team consisted of me, Claire Ward, Ben Terence, Tucker Simon, Sara Way, and Lucas Evans. We were like a family. If anyone was hurt, we did everything in our power to help them. we protected each other. We fought together."

"Wait, you were a warrior?"

"Yeah. We were a team meant to become a replacement for Project Monster. But after what happened with that team, they had to be sure we could take anything. We had to get random objects. Most of the time all we knew was what they looked like, not what they were. Our group was up against a few more. That changed quickly. Anyway, we were some of the best fighters around. And we all had specialties. Claire was a hacker, Ben was a weapons specialist, Tucker was incredibly smart, Sara knew martial arts, Lucas was strong, and I was, well I don't know what I was." She starts. Each time she said one of her friends names her eyes would turn full of happiness.

"Sounds amazing." I smile. She laughs, like the sound of tinkling glass, but it's sharp was well.

"It was. But one day, Lone was called to the training room. We all got in a line waiting for the director of the program, Dr. Grey, to give orders. The next thing I knew, the floor turned red and I was alone." Her voice quavers and tears begin to stream down her face. I can't believe they would do that to someone. Take everything they love and rip it away from them. I look down at the damp pavement and think.

"About a few weeks later I couldn't take it anymore so I ran." She croaks. Looking down in shame.

"You're really open about that." I observe. She laughs as if what I said was false.

"Practice what you preach right." I pause before speaking,

"Well at least your ok now. And from the looks of it, you have people who care about you. It may not be the same, it may not ever be the same, but its something." And as if on cue, the sounds of footsteps meet our ears.

"Cade! You're ok!" Scout gasps in relief. "Listen about, earlier, I'm so sorry, I was being a bitch. I-" She gets cut off by cade wrapping her arms around her.

"It's okay. I just needed to cool off." She starts. Ryker pulls me to the side.

"It's best not to get wrapped up in girl crap. Way too mushy and awkward."

"You know we heard you." Scout shouts and I can't help but laugh. Scout doesn't hug Cade back, but she's a little less stiff than I thought she would be. She's happy. Maybe.

"Hey kid, I like you, don't ruin that by taking sides with Scout." Ryker mumbles. I smile.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." I must be tired because I yawn afterwards. Ryker smiles and takes out a watch.

"Wow, 1:00 A.M. already. It's been a long night." He says. Cade walks over and looks at me.

"We should head back, Seth looks like he's about ready to pass out." And she is right. I feel like once I sit down I'll never get up.

"C'mon then, let's go home." Scout agrees. And just like that, we head...

Home?