Captive Shadows- Part III

Chapter Five



The moment the words left her lips, Saige knew she would regret them. It was a more than a shock that a thought or action as that, would come to her so easily ever in life. The only reassurance she had, was that perhaps their situation was the cause and not her, for she would have never been so thoughtless.

It may have been drastic, desperate even. But the thought that anything could put her in any more danger of her life, or those around her, had her acting first.

But the looks of doubt and shock on the faces of those around her, made her assess again.

Saige wiped a bloody hand across her brow, trying to focus her vision.

“We need to think about this...” Terri said, rubbing her bare arms against the chill, or the thought.

Saige nodded along with the others, almost glad.

“Let me look at your hand” Khan knelt down to her height and took her hand gently.

Saige could have assessed her own wounds, but Khan’s strong hands felt reassuring and comforting. The damage wasn’t too severe, just cuts from the concrete and a further one on her elbow that was the main cause for blood. Saige wouldn’t admit that was from Khan, when he tackled her away from the massive fissure. No need adding more guilt or problems to their situation.

She was more than thankful, injury or not.

But it wasn’t the hand or elbow she worried about. Her head was spinning and throbbing, her mouth and throat felt like sandpaper. She knew that without water soon, she had a problem.

“I’m so thirsty” Terri whispered.

They were all in trouble.

“I think we have bigger problems...” Saige said, looking pointedly at the roof.

She only then thought that perhaps the Haitian boy was right, the roof would collapse.

Even now she could see the shards of cement falling from the ceiling. The only source of light was now flickering in and out, some of the hanging florescence lights had already fallen.

The thought of being thrown back into darkness had Saige’s heart beating harder.

Nikolai, with Roza still under his arm seemed to have noticed too. His dark gray eyes rested uncomfortably on Saige for a moment before he spoke.

“I’m going to look around, maybe...” he frowned in thought, his eyes were unreadable as he glanced at his sister. Finally he sighed, “Maybe there is a way out”

No one said anything to that.

He whispered something to his sister and let her go. Almost immediately she protested something in Russian. It was clear he wanted her to stay, but she looked in a panic.

Saige gasped at a stunt of pain, Khan apologised quickly as he resumed wrapping her elbow with the bandana from his arm.

The Russian’s argued for a few moments more, before Nikolai had Roza convinced. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before making his way about the room.

“That’s the worst of it. Next time, think before you act” Khan shook his head at Saige. She just stared. “I’m going to look around too” he rose to his full height and caught up with Nikolai.

The adrenaline that had been keeping Saige standing, was beginning to fade. Making her feel more than exhausted, it was like waking up from a dream.

The facts were hazy, the situation they were all in seemed so surreal. They had been kidnapped, that much was for sure. But seeing so many people from around the world, made her think that all of it was very well planned.

It made her sick to know that someone such as their killer could have done this. Who was he? And why would he do something like this?

They were questions that no one could answer, yet everyone would surely wondered.

The room was in ruins, long cracks and holes covered the warehouse. The ground was covered in fallen debris and shards of glass from the lights that had fallen.

In each corner, people were huddled together, talking amongst themselves and comforting the more hysterical ones. Saige was glad to see there were at least no more fights.

Her heart ached for those who had died, fallen endlessly into the dense dark holes. Deaths that had been so closely to hers.

She wiped a stray tear from her cheek, only then noticing Terri had disappeared and Roza was staring very intently with sparkling gray eyes.

“Sorry..” Saige said, sniffling away the last of her tears. Not knowing what she was really sorry for. The whole situation, she guessed.

Roza gave a tilt of her head, causing her waves of blonde hair to fall over one shoulder.

Saige was quick to look away, uncomfortable under those eyes. There was something about them that made her uneasy. There was knowledge and age behind the eyes of the small girl, and something else she couldn’t name.

Terri was walking slowly around the warehouse, it wasn’t clear what she was doing until she approached the huddled groups of people. They all looked up at her approach, fear all over their faces. But when she began speaking, they seemed to ease.

Saige couldn’t blame them for being that way, anyone or anything could be the cause of death in this place. Trust, wouldn’t be handed out so easily anymore.

She smiled lightly to herself, almost proud to see Terri become so bold. Fear could certainly change a person.

“Cold” a musical voice chimed.

Saige sucked in a shocked breath.

It was Roza.

She was so convinced that Roza spoke no English, for she had not once spoken before. And her voice, well, it certainly matched her foreign beauty.

“Cold” she repeated, pointing a gentle finger in Saige’s direction.

Saige frowned, but only then noticed her body was convulsing in violent shakes and her teeth were chattering. But it wasn’t the cold that had her shaking, she knew enough to know that.

“Shock” Saige corrected, pointing to herself for emphasis.

Roza nodded her head, a sweet smile on her face. She seemed happy with her accomplishment. Her small shoes clicked against the floor as she made her way towards Saige.

“Roza” she chimed, taking a seat on the cold concrete floor. She tapped her chest and repeated her obvious introduction.

Saige smiled and tapped her own chest, “Saige”

“Saige” Roza repeated until she seemed content. She laughed lightly then rested her small hand on Saige’s arm. “Pretty” she said.

Saige felt her cheeks warm before shaking her head. She pointed a finger at Roza ,”Beautiful”

Roza giggled and blushed to match.

Smiling at their small exchange, Saige looked to check on the others.

She spotted Terri’s mane of fiery hair easiest first. She was now on the opposite side of the room than before, still talking quietly to the others. What about, Saige didn’t know. Perhaps she was convincing them to work together, which was all Saige could think of doing.

Though she knew the worst wasn’t over.

Nikolai and Khan were in deep conversation as they leant over one of the fissures, the biggest one. Saige felt like laughing almost, for the chances of Khan being there with her of all people.

Small world, she thought.

Now Saige was the one to tilt her head, as she studied the two boys-men she corrected herself, for that was what they were.

They were uniquely different from each other. Admittedly different from the usual boys that surrounded her. Khan had a rough sort of appeal, the sort of don’t-mess-with-me look. But there was something beyond that, which seemed appealing to her in a wrong sort of way.

A stupid crush wouldn’t help anything.

But Nikolai, he was an enigma. Like his sister, he had an air of intelligence and control. His dark looks seemed brooding, but Saige admired the way he seemed to always put his sister first.

As if sensing her eyes on him, Nikolai looked up from studying the hole and smiled softly.

Saige blushed from her cheeks to her hair.

“Niko” Roza put in, waving across the room to her brother. Saige smacked Roza’s hand away, which only made the girl giggle more.

God, I should so not be crushing on guys right now

But she didn’t truly think she was crushing on them, more so admiring them. Gaining a new found respect for those around her, after all that had happened, those still standing earned a certain amount of respect and admiration.

Saige sighed weakly, shutting her eyes and sending a soft prayer to god.

She wasn’t religious per say, but she considered any sort of faith in her situation. Any sort of respite would have been good, but it didn’t seem possible.

Certainly not possible when hell broke loose anew in the warehouse.

Saige snapped her eyes open just as the first round of yelling started. Immediately concerned for her friends, she looked towards where Nikolai and Khan were.

Nikolai’s eyes were on Saige and his sister, who seemed oblivious as she slept peacefully curled beside the unconscious caramel skinned girl. Khan was standing tall, fists at his sides as he stared ahead of him.

Following his line of vision, Saige saw what was going on.

A group of people were gathered into a group, shouting at someone in front of them. But they obscured her view, so she couldn’t see, only hear the profanity that left their mouths in varies of languages and accents.

Then it came to her.

Terri

Khan must have realised just as quickly, because he leapt across the fissure and made his way towards the crowd of vicious people.

Saige struggled to her feet, limping awkwardly towards the confrontation too. Only then did she see the flash of red in the midst of the gathering.

Her heart leapt in her throat.

“I say we kill her...” someone said.

The voices became stronger as she got closer, the maliciousness in the voices was clear.

“Terri!” Saige cried when she caught sight of the backing English girl. Her eyes were wide with fright as she kept stumbling back from the herd of people advancing on her.

Terri’s wide blue eyes briefly met Saige’s before she focussed on the mob.

Saige grunted with effort and forced her limbs to work faster, jogging towards Terri. Khan pushed and forced his way into the crowd, trying to make his way to Terri too.

“She knows. She works with him!” a gangly boy with a thick accent Saige couldn’t name called, followed by a loud cheering of agreements.

Saige stopped moving.

Did they actually think that?

With a new sense of panic, she stumbled onto the scene. The group was a profound amount of those who were left. Boys and girls gathered together, jaws tight and clenched fists. Seven all together. Saige got her wish, they were working together alright.

But not in the right way.

“What’s going on?” Khan demanded loudly, taking up Saige’s arm to help her stand.

The group barely seemed to have heard, they crept closer to an immobile Terri.

“Please!” she cried frantically, raising her hands in defence. “I have nothing to do with this!”

The mob snickered and grunted in disdain. Voicing their disagreement. One surly boy pushed through the mob and caught hold of Terri’s hair, she cried out in pain.

“No, Stop!” Saige screamed, fighting to make her way through. Someone pushed her to the ground.

“It’s that green eyed bitch! She knows too!” her assailant yelled down at her, Saige stared incredulously.

“What are you talking about?” she demanded frantically. The look in his eyes made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

He spat on Saige and cursed at her, “You are responsible for this! You work with him!” he took another step towards her.

Saige felt like it was de ja vu, though this boy didn’t have the shadows in his eyes, the intent was clear.

He wanted to kill her.

“Stop! Please!” she cried, scrambling backwards.

She frantically searched for help, but Khan was nowhere in sight, neither was Terri. Panic surged through her.

“You and all of your friends knew all along! You caused this, you.. you killed all those people!” his face twisted into such pure rage, Saige felt as though she would burn from it.

“No! Your crazy!” her own anger boiled, “None of us did this!”

“Lies!” he lunged for her, Saige threw her hands up to protect her face, expecting a blow.

But nothing happened.

Then there was a brief sound of impact and a thump.

When Saige finally opened her eyes she saw Nikolai just as he pulled her up to her feet. It took all of her strength to stand, looking down she saw the crumpled body of the boy who nearly killed her. He lay groaning and rolling into himself.

“Are you well?” Nikolai asked quickly, his eyes narrowed. Saige nodded before searching for the others. Nikolai noticed and added, “Khan has Terri, but these people are mad. We have to get out of here, there’s to many. They think we are responsible”

Saige gave him a bewildered look, get out?

But he was already pulling her away from the insane people, who’s eyes were all trained on them. Her head gave a sickening swirl of dizziness and she groaned at the nausea.

“These people... they are mind controlled” Nikolai said with a tone of disgust.

Saige didn’t have the strength to disagree, she knew they weren’t. Those people were literally convinced that she and the others were in fact responsible. It made her sicker to think of being compared to the monster who had in fact initiated the whole thing.

Nikolai stopped short of the biggest gap in the warehouse. Through hazy vision, Saige saw Khan carrying Terri in his arms and a now wide awake Roza beside him. There was no sign of the caramel skinned unconscious girl.

Terri appeared to be bleeding from her nose, but looked otherwise okay. It brought some relief to Saige, until she vaguely heard the shouts of the mad mob getting closer.

“...down hole” someone was saying, though Saige’s mind couldn’t keep up.

Her eyes felt heavy and it wasn’t long until they closed completely. Something lifted her feet off the ground and she felt like she was flying, then with force she felt her body freed from a grasp.                                 

She had a vague sensation of falling, then blackness consumed her.

She fell into the memories she had long thought she would never again remember.





Chapter Six



The small Honda made one last idle sound before Saige cut the engine. She took a deep happy breath and gathered her purse and belongings together, shutting her car door behind her.

She sighed wistfully as she gazed at her house. Small white picket fence and glorious handled garden, with roses and all sorts of foreign flora. Her mother was a legend in the garden and cooking to match.

The house was a small simple beauty, painted an off white that had changed with age, small heavy curtained windows and a winding pebbled pathway.

Your average suburban household really. She really would miss it, now that she made it into college.

Her long black boots made a soft clicking noise and crunch against the path as she made her way inside. The scent of baking made her stomach rumble. No doubt her mother had been baking all morning, awaiting the news.

Saige approached the sturdy front door and swung it open, moaning sweetly at the now stronger scent of brownies. She hung her coat up on the hook by the door, along with her purse. All the while having a broad smile plastered to her face. She caught her reflection on the front window and saw with pride that she was glowing.

“Mama?” she called, already heading for the kitchen.

She padded through the long hallway, gazing lovingly at the framed photos on the walls. Her cat, Bella, gave a rough meow as a greeting and jumped into her arms.

Saige gave her a soft kiss, “Hello there” she whispered, scratching behind her ears and continuing down the hall.

She approached the kitchen and saw that her mother had in fact been baking all morning. All across the small dining table were row upon row of baked goods. Brownies, cookies, cakes, cupcakes and small biscuits.

“Wow” Saige observed, setting Bella on the hardwood floor.

The kitchen had your basic house needs. The fridge gave an audible clack as it starting in on its loud noises of cooling, it was an ancient but worked. An antique cupboard was in the corner, covered in this and that. Photos, crazy little cows and other farm animals that her mother randomly collected. A clock ticked tocked above it, showing it to be just after midday.

Then there was the kitchen counter, marble topped, it curved around the far side and ended at a wash sink. Lined about were the stove, which was brewing up a delicious scented caramel and below an oven which resumed to be the sweetest smelling of all.

The most beautiful asset to the kitchen, stood with her hands on her hips and wore a disapproving look.

“You should know better Saige Ambrosius” she tsked.

Saige quit munching on a brownie and smiled despite being busted. No one ever ate before everything was done.

“Sorry mama” Saige replied, taking a counter seat across from her mother.

In Saige’s eyes, there was no woman more beautiful than her mother. She was a striking figure, even dressed in her cooking apron that read “Kiss the cook... If you can!”

With long dark hair and dark alluring eyes, she had a wise air that countered her beauty. Saige looked a lot like her mother, but had her fathers gem green eyes instead of her mother’s deep brown. She had the same Latino features as her mother though, dark skin and dark hair.

The strength of her mother was clear in her stance amongst everything.                                                                                                                Her mother- Catherine, had been through a lot before and after Saige’s birth. Catherine had a very strict Latin family, a very over protective and controlling family. Her older siblings, all men, had been involved in mafia and gangs that circled the world. Catherine, being the only female, was never out of reach from them. After finishing high school with killer grades, she applied for college. Only her family wouldn’t let her, refusing to allow her to be involved with the more ‘shabby lives’ of the ungifted and saying to attend would be offensive to her family. She was forced into the family business with argument and fell into the routine of all Ambrosius’, gambling and drugs.

Then magically by chance she met Saige’s father, Lucas, at the time he was a bus boy at a local diner that Catherine was a regular at. They dated in secret for a long time, Catherine was too afraid to risk her family finding out- he wasn’t Latino.

Lucas loved Catherine so much that he packed her things and his, taking her away from her controlive lifestyle and to a place where Catherine finally attended college and Lucas found a job in building.

Not long after Catherine fell pregnant with Saige, there was a horrible accident at a building site that left Lucas in hospital, where three days later, he died of a blood clot in the brain.

Catherine continued on as best she could, taking up random jobs to pay the rent and keep Saige and herself alive. They had now been in this house for 5 years.

Catherine seemed happier, yet Saige knew she would never totally stop grieving who she said was her true love.

“Well tell me, tell me!” Her mother gushed, throwing off her apron and leaning over the counter expectantly. 

Saige shook off the memories and launched excitedly into her story of acceptance into medical school. All the while her mother sat wide eyed and proud, giving an audible squeak when Saige finished.

She threw her arms around Saige, “Congratulations bambino! I am so proud. I was so nervous for you, I baked all day!” 

“I can see that” Saige laughed, wiping a stray tear from her mother’s cheek.

“Your father would be so proud of you baby” she whispered, crossing her heart and kissing her fingers. Saige repeated the gesture for her mother and not for a mark of faith, for she was atheist.

After her mother finally calmed down, she continued baking, allowing Saige one concession that day to eat all she liked, saying she certainly deserved it, but not to get used to it.

By dinner time, Saige’s stomach was still complaining of a sugar overdose. She sat in the living room at her mother’s feet, as Catherine idly played with her hair.

It had always been like that, their relationship was blood deep and beyond.

Catherine was Saige’s best friend.

“You know baby, I bet I have some suitcases somewhere for you. I hope they have enough room for your things. What are they like there? How are the facilities? The people?...” she went on and on, obviously in a paternal panic.

Saige turned her head and rested it on her mother’s knees, urging her to calm down. “Its okay mama, Ill come back on breaks and its really not that far away”

Catherine seemed to have taken a few deep breathes before she was composed enough to speak. “I cant believe your leaving me. I guess I got so used to having you around, but this is good” she looked at Saige with sad dark eyes, “This is good” she told herself again.

Saige smiled and reassured her again, finally she regained herself after a long drink of red wine and a refill. All the while Saige sucked back her own painful tears, she knew exactly how her mother felt. Being away from her would be like loosing half of herself. But it wasn’t forever, and Saige knew that whenever the opportunity rose, she would be back with her.

There was a loud siren, different from any Saige had heard before. She rose with her mother and approached the front window. The sirens sounded both distant and close, blue and yellow light rotated the streets and vehicles, stark against the dark moonlit streets.

“What’s this?” Saige asked, watching as people began exiting their own houses to see what the noise was about.

Vehicles began speeding down the streets, sirens and lights wailing in the night. Men in hazardous suits walked around closer down the street towards the town, looking like yellow astronauts. Saige frowned as she watched them.

“Perhaps a bomb threat...” her mother said thoughtfully.

Saige murmured her agreement. There had been a lot of them lately, thankfully always ‘threats’ and never any real ones. It was comforting in a way, knowing that at least even fakes were being noticed.

With a shrug from both her and her mother, they closed the curtains and tuned out the racket, blissfully continuing to watch the current movie on their flat screen.

By the end of the movie, they were both yawning with fatigue and Saige was dreamily considering her favourite flannel pyjamas and changing out of her blue lace blouse and denim jeans.

Then there was a knock on the door.

It was so unexpected, even Catherine jumped startled.

“Who would that be?” Saige asked her tiredly, slightly irritated for the disruption.

Catherine frowned, “I’m not sure baby, maybe its Mia. She might have news about all that noise earlier” she stood gracefully from the couch and went to answer the door.

With a sigh, Saige flicked through the channels wistfully. Edging towards the end of the couch to listen.

There was a creak of the front door as her mother opened it.

“Uh hello. May I help you?” her mother said, clearly the visitor was a stranger.

Saige’s interest perked.

“Saige Ambrosius?” a deep voice enquired kindly.

Saige’s eyebrows rose in surprise, she wasn’t expecting anyone.

“Oh no. I’m Catherine, Saige is my daughter”

“Forgive my mistaking, you certainly look young enough” he complimented. Saige pictured her mother’s soft blush as she heard her laugh quietly.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Saige joined her mother at the door.

The man at the door was a stunner, dressed in a Sauvé suit. He had dark eyes and brown hair, a slight stubble on his jaw was the only counter for his age, perhaps being in his late twenties.

Seeing Saige approach he raised his eyebrows and Catherine gave her a disapproving look for obviously eavesdropping.

“My ,my. I now see how I mistook you. Why, you could be sisters!” the man remarked.

Catherine laughed again, blushing deeper. Saige looked from the man back to her mother again, confused.

Catherine took her time composing herself, straightening her already crisp clothing and running her hands down her hair.

“What can I help you with?” Saige decided to ask, directing the mans eyes away from her mother, almost protectively.

“Well Saige, I am a friend of Headmaster Finch. I was asked to retrieve you, he forgot to give you some important papers of your acceptance” he said, then he flashed a charming smile, “Congratulations”

The smile was contagious, Saige smiled too, proudly, “Thank you sir. But isn’t it a bit late, I’m sure I could pick them up tomorrow”

He chuckled lightly, “Is it ever too late for dreams Saige?”

Saige was taken aback by that, how could he know her dreams?

“Um.. well”

“She will go right away” Catherine chimed in, urging Saige forward with pride. “I’m sure it must be very important to be so late” she added.

“Okay, okay” Saige said quickly, as her mother pushed her out the door she laughed.

“See you soon mama” Saige called, waving behind her as she followed the man to his sleek black car.

“I love you bambino!” Catherine called, waving at the door.

The man opened the passenger door for Saige and gestured for her to get in.

She did.

The seats were comfortable and the car luxurious. Although it had a scent of something acidic that burned her nose. Ignoring it, she ran her hands over the leather seats as he got into the drivers seat.

“Nice car... um?” she only then realised she didn’t know his name, which couldn’t be too good seeing she was in his car.

“You may call me Mr X” he said, starting the engine.

Mr X? Odd... 

He pulled away from the curb and Saige got one last look at her mother, still waving from the doorway, looking beautiful in the moonlight.

With a pang of sudden sorrow, Saige felt as though it were the last time she would see her. Which certainly wasn’t comforting.

Suddenly nervous for unknown reasons, Saige cleared her throat and asked, “Mr X? You said you were friends with Headmaster Finch?”

He nodded to himself as he watched the road, “Yes we are friends” he agreed.

Saige ran her sweaty palms over her jeans, “So you work at the university then?” she assumed.

To her surprise, Mr X chuckled and there was something creepy about it. Saige suddenly wished she hadn’t come.

“No, no. I don’t work there” he said.

Saige glanced almost anxiously out the car’s tinted window. With shock she saw that there were those flashing vans everywhere and people in the hazardous suits. They walked around slowly, seeming to study something. But the car moved again before Saige could see.

She looked back to the driver, “Do you know what’s happening? I mean, with those vans and stuff?”

He tilted his head and considered Saige for a moment, his dark eyes measuring, looking for something. Saige suppressed a shudder under that gaze, feeling small all of a sudden.

“Yes, I know” he said at last. If she heard right, there was an edge of anger in his tone.

Saige’s heart did a leap in her chest. “And?...” she urged curiously.

But he didn’t answer, he simply just grunted and returned his attention to the road.

Saige swallowed hard as they pulled into the university car park. When she got out of the car she was more than glad for the fresh night’s air. She leaned her back against the car and took a deep breath.

As weird as the whole car trip was, she was relieved that all she needed now was to get the papers and she would call a cab, insisting she was going to a friend’s house.

“Come now” Mr X called gently, making his way across the college courtyard.

Saige followed, if reluctantly.

He led her a different way than the way she would normally take, but she supposed because the school was closed, the lights were all doused proving that and there seemed to be no activity.

They stopped at a side gate with a keypad, he pushed a few buttons and there was a slight ding and the light turned green. He urged her to follow again, leading her inside.

“If you don’t work here... why do you have the key pass?” Saige asked hesitantly. Suddenly suspicious, she considered her escape options.

Mr X turned to her, raising a delicate eyebrow, “I used to work here”  he corrected.

“Oh..” Saige mumbled, feeling silly for doubting him.

He smirked before turning back inside.

Inside it was warm and quiet. It was also dead dark until he flicked a switch and the facility came alive. The generator motor was loud at first, warming up then it quieted to a steady thrum.

She was led to a room, the door read ‘Experimental Lab’

Saige blurted out, “Why are we here? Headmaster Finch’s office is down the other hall”

He ignored her and continued into the room, leaving Saige hesitating at the door. She glanced anxiously left and right, considering just leaving after all. There was just something weird about him that she couldn’t place. Something behind those looks and deep dark eyes.

But then Mr X appeared in the doorway, waggling paperwork in front of her. “Your paperwork” he declared.

Saige stifled a laugh at her over reacting.

Man, I’m paranoid. She laughed internally.

She took a step forward to retrieve the papers, reaching out for them, he snatched them away. Saige frowned, struck by de ja vu from earlier in the day with the blonde bad boy.

Mr X laughed and handed the papers over, “Sorry, just kidding”

Saige looked at the papers, the first was the same letter she had earlier. The others..

They were blank.

“What the...”

She was suddenly wretched into his grip, his hand closing over her mouth painfully before she could scream. She tasted blood in her mouth.

She kicked her legs out, dug her heels into the ground, but none of it worked as she was dragged into the experiment room. He kicked the door shut and wrestled her inside.

The lights were blinding and bright, Saige felt the cold press of metal against her back, as he lay her down onto a table. Then he gagged her with a gauze from a medical cabinet. She screamed against it, helpless tears streamed down her cheeks.

His face remained expressionless and impassive as he strapped her arms and legs down. She fought against the tough leather, but to no avail.

Throwing her head left and right in fight, she caught glimpse of something stark against the white room.

On the opposite side of the room, she saw the boy she had seen earlier. The bad one who took her purse, he was asleep or unconscious. Strapped to a bench like her, for reasons unknown, she cried harder at the sight.

“Now, now” Mr X mockingly cooed, patting Saige’s head. She cursed and spat at him through the gag. “What was that?” he asked, leaning his ear closer. “Why are you doing this? Well Saige Ambrosius, you will find out soon enough. You are a perfect specimen”

Saige stopped struggling, a million thoughts flying through her mind.

Specimen?

She looked around the room uneasily, seeing all sorts of instruments that could be used for torture, if that was his intention. Needles and swabs lay on the table beside her, among other things.

She watched as Mr X pressed a gauze of something over her nose, she tried not to breath it in, knowing it couldn’t be good. But she had to breath and when she did it burnt of that same smell in his car.

Chlorophyll.

Her sight already began fading before he removed his hand, her breathing slowed. Her head spun as she felt a stab of pain in her arm, as though something was being shoved into it.

She was so close to unconsciousness she couldn’t be totally sure he said it, but what he said left her head spinning further.

“Sleep well Saige Ambrosius. For the games begin soon”