They're everywhere.

Enhanced recruits. Trapped in cells, like me.

Haunted eyes awaiting their fates. Pale, scrawny, hungry. The whole desperate lot.

They're in boxes of light next to me, in front of me, around me.

I can actually see into their cells and right now I'm looking at the one to the left.

Anger. Despair. Hopelessness. Each washes over their features, rendering the sharp angles to soft curves.

There are two girls next to me. I focus on the one to my left.

She's lying on the ground, her dark hair spread out under her head, stark white skin and dark orange eyes fixed on the ceiling.

She turns around and notices me, then fixes her gaze upon me for what seems like a century.

She's not afraid.

Good.

I turn around and view the other person.

She has rusty hair falling in front of her face, freckles, light skin. She feels my gaze upon her back and swings up.

Bright orange eyes glare at me from under the curtain of her hair.

Fierce one, too.

I choose the girl with the dark hair and concentrate.

Hello, I say in her mind.

The effect is immediate. She bolts upright, staring, eyes swinging wildly around.

Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you.

She opens a feeling to me, one of suspicion.

Well, we could start by getting to know each other.

Agreement.

I'm in the cell to your left.

She looks around and spots me. Shock, then disbelief, then understanding flash across her face.

I have a mild headache from concentrating too long. I rub my temples and look at her.

She's grinning. Mouthing something to me, she gesticulates wildly. Pointing to me, then the cell, then to her.

I shake my head. What?

She stomps her foot in frustration, then sighs.

Suddenly, I yelp. She's gone.

"That was cool, the way you talked to me."

Now I'm the one that's shocked. She's right behind me.

"Teleportation," she says, shaking her head. "Guess that's why the creepy red-eyed man wanted me."

"Hey," she said, seating herself next to me, "What's up with all the Enhanced?"

I'm blinking at her in surprise. I cough. "That red-eyed man is going to use you to destroy the world. At least, for the humans."

She's at a loss for words. "H-He can't do that," She stammered. Her eyes turned angry. "He can't."

Hmm.

"My name's Rissa, what's yours?"

I evade the question. I'm staring at the other girl.

Do you want the humans to become extinct?

"Doing your mind-thingie again, huh?" Rissa asked.

I wave my hand. "Ssh."

Suddenly, a barrage of feelings batter me. I sense distrust, fierceness, but...

"She doesn't want them to die, either." I say.

"What?" Rissa asks.

"Never mind," I reply. "You should probably get back. The guards are coming with lunch."

Rissa grins. "Right. See ya!" She disappears and reappears back in her cell, giving me a cheery thumbs up. I send a faint smile in reply.

An ally.

Before the guards come, I send one quick question to the rusty-haired girl.

What's your name?

She smirks. Suddenly, she pulls off some hairs from her head. She starts arranging them.

Before long, I see a word spelled out in ginger-colored hairs.

Aspen.

She quickly wipes it out with her foot, just as the guards come in for lunch.

Dr. Agarius comes in. Rissa hisses and Aspen frowns.

He ignores them, stopping in front of my cell.

"Have you changed your mind yet, dear?"

I grit my teeth.

"No."