The Best Intentions

Chapter Thirty Three

*Kate Harris*

Life is hard. Everyone already knows that. It's just that life sucks even more when you're lonely. Everybody experiences loneliness every once in a while. I doubt it's constant for most people, though.

I don't have any friends. I never have. My own family doesn't bother talking to me unless they need something. They exclude me. Maybe they even hate me, deep down. Even my parents left me.

I've never been told that I was loved. It doesn't really bother me. It use to, but after a while, you become numb to the pain and stop caring. I think that happened when I was nine, when my parents left. But I've always looked out for myself, so I was kind of use to it.

I don't want people to pity me. I'm fine.

I'm not talented. I was born into a rich family, so things have been handed to me from a young age. I'm not creative, though I wish I was. The one thing I'm good at is fighting.

I was always good at it, but after the chemical spill, I got even better. I'm still not sure exactly what my powers are. I'm not invisible, but I'm not nearly as susceptible to pain as I use to be. I'm quick on my feet and silent.

I guess that's why Kit asked me to look for Katherine. He should have hired a professional. I don't mean to doubt my own skills, but I don't even know what they are in depth.

It didn't take long for me to hear rumors about Iron Labs. I stared up at the building, chills creeping up my spine. It gave me a vibe that said it was straight out of a horror film.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts before walking inside. The lobby was empty. There was a camera, which I grinned up at. I walked down the white hallways until I saw a woman in a lab coat stepping inside the elevator. I took off running, but I didn't make a sound. I slipped into the elevator just before the doors closed. The woman didn't even glance at me, too concerned with whatever she was reading on her phone. After a moment, she took a key out of her pocket and inserted it into the keyhole. I edged closer to the wall as we started to descend.

The woman pocketed her phone. I tensed, waiting for her to turn around and face the sixteen-year-old girl that definitely did not belong. But she didn't. Instead, after humming a little tune to herself, she said, "Nice weather we're having, right?"

"It's storming thanks to Coldfront," I deadpanned, watching her closely.

She turned to face me, a small smile on her face. It dropped when she took in my appearance. The descent stopped and the door opened, but she blocked me from leaving. "What are you doing here?"

I can put on a show if I want to and now was the time. I grabbed the woman by the collar of her shirt and leaned in until our foreheads were almost touching.

"I'm Kate Harris!" I snarled. "How dare you speak to me in that tone! Do you have no respect for me or Natalia? You let me into the elevator with you, for God's sake!"

"I...I'm so sorry," she stammered. I rolled my eyes and practically dragged her out of the elevator, then slammed her head into the wall as hard as I could. I tried not to flinch when I saw blood, taking a step back from her either unconscious or dead body. I dusted myself off, hoping it was the former, then continued on my search after stealing her key.

I didn't even know this area of Iron Labs existed, and it thoroughly creeped me out. I could hear voices for a long way off. It sounded like being able to hear a loud classroom when you walk down a hallway or a school cafeteria.

I quickened my pace, practically running down the halls until I stumbled across a plethora of rooms that all look like prison cells. They were almost all empty, but there were still people in these rooms every now in then. Almost all of them were sleeping. A few started banging on the glass window when I walked passed. I gave an involuntary shudder.