Virago : I Am Number Four

Chapter One: Welcome to Paradise

Daniel and I woke up slowly the next morning. I lifted my head up, realizing I had used Daniel's arm as a pillow as we slept. I don't remember falling asleep, but with Daniel's leg we wouldn't have been able to walk all the way home.

    Daniel rolled over onto his back, wincing as his leg moved. I sat up and held my arm to my chest, the pain now just a dull ache. Before I could open my mouth to ask him how he felt, footsteps grew closer to us. I looked at Daniel in panic. Could the Mogs be here already?

    He sat up quickly and placed his arm over my chest as a form of protection, though it wouldn't do much. Instead of a Mogadorian, though, it was Henri, his blade in his hand.

    I sighed in relief and pushed Daniel's arm away from me.

    "Number three is dead." Daniel told our mentor. We both stood up slowly as Henri asked, "Are you both okay?"

    "We're fine, just a little sore." I told him. He nodded, quickly asking, "Anyone else see what happened?"

    I shook my head, but Daniel's silence told the both of us that people had seen him. I sighed, knowing we would have to leave again.

    Henri motioned for us to head back to the house, Daniel leading the way even with his limp.

    I finished packing the minimal amount of clothes I could keep and started to take down the few pictures I had on my wall. Henri was taking down Daniel's things on his side of the room, ripping them off of the wall.

    The only pictures I had were of Daniel and I at the beach, smiles on our faces. I loved times like that where we could forget about the fact that were were being hunted and just live our lives.

    I picked up my bag and followed Henri out of the house, handing him my photos so that he could burn them. I gave Daniel a sad smile before placing my bag in the back of Henri's truck. The motion caused my burn to rub against my shirt sleeve, making me wince.

    Henri walked up next to me, tossing his own bag into the truck. He gave me a questioning glance as I held my arm, but I shook my head, telling him I was fine.

    He rearranged some things as I climbed into the truck, taking my spot in the middle seat. I placed my headphones in my ears and rested my head on the headrest behind me, closing my eyes. This is going to be a long drive.

+++++++

    Daniel and I stood in the bathroom of our motel room, boxes of hair dye around us. We had to change our appearance every time we moved somewhere else so there was less of a chance people would recognize us. We had chosen blonde hair dye, the complete opposite of our rich brown hair.

    I had just finished washing the bleach and dye out of my hair and I started to dry it with a towel as Daniel mixed his own dye in the small plastic cup that came with the kit.

    "... Alright, well, so Daniel and Dorothy won't be in school the rest of the semester... Okay, you too." I heard Henri say on the phone before he hung up. I placed the towel on the counter and looked at myself in the mirror, my blonde hair surprising me. It was definitely different, but I didn't think it looked too bad.

    "New IDs. And this time, you two stay out of sight. No school, no teams, nothing." Henri told us, handing us both our new driver's licenses. I read the names and laughed.