Control

xi | lauren

"I THINK IT'S TIME," Auston said, walking into the training room. Mom was monitoring us as we practiced throwing punches and kicks, using our powers on each other. I used mind control on some of my fellow Evolutians, making them do stupid things like acting like a dog and chasing others around like they were squirrels. Mom surprisingly let me continue.

"Are you sure?" Mom asked him. "I still don't think-" She glances at me. This probably involves me. Everything the Institute does involves me.

"What? Why are you looking at me?" I asked. "What are yo dragging me in this time."

Mom turned back to her boss. "Auston, we should really talk this through."

"I've sent a letter to the royal family. They should be aware of our arrival tonight."

Royal family? Tonight? Are we actually returning to the palace and are they actually dragging me back after everything I've done? Even if we are, why?

"We should talk about this in your office." Mom stood up, brushing off the dust on her white coat. She and Auston started to head out the door.

"Wait." I shot up, my hands crossed in front of me. "I'm coming with you. You have to tell me what's going on. Why are we going to the palace?"

The adults just stop and stare. It took a while for them to respond, and it wasn't the one I wanted.

"I think someone wants to talk with you," Auston states, pointing behind me. I turn around, seeing Sofia there, a small smile on her face. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, yet there were strands covering her face and she wore the Institute's logo on her chest.

"Sof, you want to come?" I asked the girl, not wanting to be left out of the conversation with them or leave the girl alone. "You have to promise to keep everything a secret, okay?"

"Sure!" The girl said excitedly. I looked back at Mom and Auston, a scowl now on their faces. They continued to walk to one of their offices.

Sofia kept a close distance away from me, stepping on the back of my shoes more than a few times. She seemed amazed by everything in the building, from the technologies to the glass ceilings. I could hear a faint "wow" every now and then, making me smile a bit.

Mom unlocked the door to her office, which was buried in files and stray papers. She cleared off a chair for her and Auston, leaving me to stand. Sofia took a seat in one of the piles of sheets.

"Okay, what is this about?" I asked, leaning against the wall. "What is it time for and what do you want from me this time."

"Lauren, we really don't need to tell you all this in full detail. You'll be under mind control the whole time, anyway," Auston said.

"I hate how you can say that so casually," I said, trowing my arms out. "The people I use mind control on on a daily basis don't know what I'm doing to them, and you just casually say "oh, we're going to activate this device in your mind that will make you do everything we want you to do" and for some reason, I'm totally okay with that." I pause, trying to catch my breath.

"We tell you so you know what's going on and you won't try to break out of it," Mom says. "Soon, when you learn to accept that the Institute is doing this for the better, you won't be needing it. You'll be running this place, as well as the kingdom, and the whole world for that matter, and all the decisions will be coming from your head."

I look at her with confusion. Half the things she said made no sense to me. "Excuse me, what? Me, running the Institute? The kingdom too?"

"That's what tonight is for," Auston explained. "Tonight, we will ask - more like force - the royals to accept the union of you and Prince Tyson."