1986

The screaming could be heard all the way down the hall in the commons area. May, later to be known as Char, was the first to go in, naturally. The rest of the kids could here them screaming from here.

After god knows how long, she was pushed out on a gurney, very much unconscious.

Samantha looked around. She saw the worry of the people around her. "Don't worry, she's not dead," Not yet at least, but they didn't say that last part out loud. They knew she wasn't dead. They knew exactly was a dead body would look like.

Then, after a few minutes, a doctor came into the commons area. "Raven?" He beckoned, holding out his hand. Raven, later to be known as Astra, was hesitant. She'd just heard her roommate screaming and be wheeled out, unconscious, but according to this one girl, not dead. The brunette didn't move, instead looked back at Vivian, who was sitting with the rest of the caretakers. Vivian nodded.

Still hesitantly, they stood up, taking the hand of the Doctor.

Soon enough, her screams could be heard,

-

May was directed into a large room, a metallic one. She could see doctors and scientists and Vivian watching her through a window. One of them spoke into a recording device. "Test subject 001, May Mildred Jones, age nine years old, testing for the ability of pyrokinesis."

May stared up at the window before Vivian spoke. "May, honey, can you hit that target for me? Just focus and your powers will bubble to the surface, I promise."

The blonde held out her hand. Just focus, they told themself. This was all so new. Though, they had felt a bit warmer since they'd experimented on her. They focused, for once in their life, and soon enough, a fireball, although small, shot at the target, burning it slightly.

"Test 001 is a success. May, you may leave."

-

Raven was next up. The same doctors and scientists were all in the window, along with Vivian. There was a mannequin in the room with Raven. 

"Test subject 002, Raven Lily Ray, age nine years old, testing for the ability of cryokinesis."

"Focus, Raven," Vivian urged. "Freeze the mannequin."

Raven looked over at it, holding her hand out. A ray of ice hit the mannequin's middle, beginning to freeze it.

"Test 002 is a success. Raven, you may leave."

-

Mary looked around the room. No mannequin or target or anything for her. She was hugging herself. She was getting scared, if she wasn't already.

"Test subject 003, Mary Magdalene, age eight years old, testing for the ability of shapeshifting."

Bella opened her mouth to say something, but, instead of Mary, there was now a brunette boy standing in the room. "Where the hell am I?!" He shouted.

Bella spoke. "Mary-"

"Mary?! I'm Sydney! Sydney!"

Bella blinked. She'd met Sydney before. He'd fronted while Mary was being experimented on. So, this is what Sydney was supposed to look like. He honestly just looked like a male version of Mary, which made enough sense. She wondered what would happen when Rachel or Saturn fronted. Rachel had fronted when Bella and Mary were being introduced to one another. She hadn't met Saturn yet, and admittedly she was a little scared to. She'd only heard about Saturn from Mary, but they didn't sound that bad.

"Test 003 is a success. Mar- Sydney, you may leave."

-

Trixie tapped her foot on the floor, hugging herself. Why was there a bucket of blood next to her?

"Test subject 004, Beatrice Donna Graves, age ten years old, testing for the ability of hemokinesis."

Savannah spoke. "Trixie, focus on the blood there. Try to shape it into something."

Trixie looked between the bucket and Savannah up in the window. "Like what?"

"Whatever you want. Maybe a weapon of sorts?"

They walked over to the blood bucket. Several thoughts were racing through their head. Who's fucking blood was this, first of all? Where did they get it from? She held her hand out. She had to focus. And then there was a red, dripping dagger. They immediately dropped it and it vanished back into the blood bucket, some splashing onto their white oversized shirt. 

"Test 004 is a success. Beatrice, you may leave."

-

Anubis tapped his foot, impatiently. If he was gonna be here, he wanted this to be worth it. It had hurt like hell when they were poking and prodding him with needles and electricity and everything else.

"Test subject 005, Anubis Ra Hesham, age nine years old, testing for the ability of umbrakinesis."

Hannah had her arms crossed. "Okay, Anubis, try to turn your hand into a shadow. You gotta focus, alright?" Anubis nodded in response. He waved his hand around. It shadowed. As he did that, his eyes turned purple.

"Now, go back to normal."

His hand reappeared. His eyes went back to normal.

"Test 005 is a success. Anubis, you may leave."

-

There was nothing in the room with Lucie. She stared up at the window, anxiously twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

"Test subject 006, Lucie Maria David, age six years old, testing for the ability to replicate voices."

Hannah blinked a few times before speaking. "Lucie, I'm going to say something and you're going to repeat it back to me in my voice, okay?" Lucie nodded. "I am at Mercer Laboratories."

"I am at Mercer Laboratories." That was Hannah's voice coming from Lucie. A male doctor spoke. "Lucie, say that again but in my voice."

"I am at Mercer Laboratories." That was the doctor's voice coming from Lucie. "Okay. Thank you, honey."

"Test 006 is a success. Lucie, you may leave."

-

Laura had her arms crossed. She was pissed off, already. A few doctors spoke to one another, though the blonde couldn't hear them. "Show us your numbered wrist." One told her and she held up her numbered wrist. 007.

"Okay. Test subject 007, Laura Macy Easton, age six years old, testing for the ability of superhuman speed."

"Laura, just run around the room as fast as you can." Hannah told her and she did just that, running at speeds nobody could, leaving a silver colored trail as she ran. At some point, she ran into the wall, falling backwards onto the floor, and she immediately began crying. 

Hannah sighed. "I'll deal with this." She said to the professionals and went into the room, picking up Laura.

"Test 007 is a success." Laura and Hannah were already leaving.

-

Callie was chewing on her fingernails. There were a few blocks on the floor. There was a lamp. There was an unnamed person in the room.

"Test subject 008, Callie Veruca Callahan, age six years old, testing for the ability of energy manipulation."

"Callie, try to float the blocks." Hannah told her and Callie held out her hand, the blocks being encased by a scarlet energy. "Good. Now focus on the lamp. Make it burn brighter." She dropped the blocks and turned her attention to the lamp. It burned brighter. "And lastly, you see the person there? Make them bend down."

Callie was unsure if she wanted to do this. Should she? 

"Callie, you don't have to majorly hurt them. Just force them down, okay?"

Callie held out her hand and the person was bent down, encased by scarlet energy. "You can let them go now, Callie." She let go.

"Test 008 is a success. Callie, you may leave."

-

Christi was chewing at her nails. She was sweating. One of her hands was shaking. She needed something.

"Test subject 009, Christina Lizbeth Garcia, age ten years old, testing for the ability of mind manipulation."

Instead of being up in the window, Savannah was in the room with her. "Alright, just tell me to do something and we'll see what happens."

"Uh- um, walk around." Chrsti didn't know what in the hell she was supposed to say. She was scared, she needed pills. But, nonetheless, Savannah marched around. She seemed fully aware. "Okay, you can stop." Savannah stopped.

"Test 009 is a success. Savannah, please take Christina to the infirmary."

-

Hadley twirled around, repeatedly clapping her hands. Bella was instead in the room with her. 

"Test subject 010, Hadley Clarissa Blackwood, age four years old, testing for the ability of superhuman strength."

Something had to have happened, right? Bella knew her eyes had changed. They were green now, she was certain they were brown before. She'd asked her if she was having any vision problems, but the little girl had reported no changes. 

Bella held Hadley's hand, directing her over to a large couch that had been moved into the room. "Okay, Hadley, can you flip this couch?" Bella gestured over to the couch and let go of the little girl's hand, who walked over to it. She placed her hands under it and, virtually effortlessly, flipped it over.

"Can you maybe try to pick it up?"

She nodded excitedly, putting it back to normal. "That was easy!" She said. Not a word about it being too heavy or hurting.

"Test 010 is a success. Hadley, you may leave."

-

Natalia was fidgeting around with her hands. There were blocks in the room with her. She looked up at the window, where Savannah and some doctors were watching her. Why couldn't she just go home?

"Test subject 011, Natalia Lucille Haden, age ten years old, testing for the ability of telekinesis."

Natalia looked at Savannah, who smiled and said "Natalia, try and float those blocks."

The blonde opened her mouth, about to speak. About to ask why couldn't she just go home. But what did it matter anymore? Would she ever get to go back? To hug her brothers and sister again? No, probably not. So, she focused on the blocks and made them float. Then, she shot them into the wall, making a dent.

"Test 011 is a success. Natalia, you may leave."

-

In front of Tiffany, there was a row of soil, with three wilted flowers. A magnolia, a rose and an iris.

"Test subject 012, Tiffany Noa Abbott, age eleven years old, testing for the ability of chlorokinesis."

Vivian spoke. "Alright, Tiff, focus on those flowers. Make them bloom and come back to life, okay? You got this." Tiffany nodded, still not exactly sure of how she felt about being called Tiff by Vivian. 

The blonde bent down in front of the flowers, shutting her eyes and practically begging them in her head to bloom. When she opened her eyes, she saw that they had bloomed. The magnolia and rose were in full bloom and the iris was just about getting there.

"Test 012 is a success. Tiffany, you may leave."

-

Emma, later to be known as Artie, could already hear them. This wasn't the regular voices in her head, she knew that. They were people of the past. Why was she in here? There was no reason. They might as well have just told Savannah they could already hear it.

"Test subject 013, Emma Lee Hart, age ten years old, testing for the ability of clairaudience."

Savannah opened her mouth, presumably to ask if Emma heard anything, but they cut her off. "I hear them. The dead have spoken to me. I hear them off and on. Can I go now?"

The doctors and Savannah blinked for a minute.

"Test 013 is a success. Emma, you may leave."

-

There was a large bucket of water in front of Venus, who was playing with her hair, borderline pulling at it.

"Test subject 014, Venus Lana Grace, age seven years old, testing for the ability of hydrokinesis."

"Venus," Vivian spoke. "You see that bucket of water? Take the water out, make it splash all over the floor."

Venus stared down into the bucket, just barely seeing her reflection staring back at her. They backed up, holding their hand out, soon enough sending the water into the air and splashing onto the floor and onto herself.

She looked up at the window.

"Test 014 is a success. Venus, you may leave."

-

Standing in front of Samantha was Bella, who was holding a gun.

"Test subject 015, Samantha Maeve Anson, age ten years old, testing for the ability of force fields."

Samantha looked over at Bella and the gun, her attention admittedly more fixated on the gun. They'd barely spoken a word since coming here. The only thing she'd said was the thing she'd said yesterday about the blonde girl not being dead. What was her name? It started with an M, that's all she could remember.

"Alright, Samantha, I'm going to shoot at you and you're going to put up a force field to protect yourself, okay?" Her tone was gentle but also the slightest bit firm and worried. Samantha debated not even trying to put up a force field, instead just letting Bella kill her. They didn't want to fucking be here. Not that where she was before was any better, but still. But nonetheless, the brunette still nodded.

"Okay. Three, two, one..."

A few gunshots rang out and Samantha swiftly put up a force field, which appeared to be purple in color, stopping the bullets. "Good job!" Bella praised and the force field dissipated.

"Test 015 is a success. Samantha, you may leave."

-

Michael ran his hand through and over his hair.

"Test subject 016, Michael Luis Holub,-" The Holub part he did not like. "-age nine years old, testing for the ability of invisibility."

What he had to do was simple. Just vanish. That's what Bella told him to do and so, he shut his eyes and waited to vanish. He wanted to vanish from here, but that probably wouldn't happen anytime soon.

When he opened his eyes, he could still see himself. Had it not worked?

What would they do then?

Would they let him go or would they just kill him?

But now that he looked a bit closer, he could see that he was a little bit see through.

"Michael, you can reappear now." Bella said and Michael did just that, his features once again becoming firm. 

"I could still kinda see myself. But I was see through. Did I just completely vanish in front of you guys?" He asked. He was curious. Bella nodded. "I couldn't see you. Neither could they."

"Test 016 is a success. Michael, you may leave."

-

When Nikita had been brought here a week ago, her hair was blacker than a turned off TV. Now, it was whiter than a lady yelling at a minimum wage teenage employee. So, this had to have worked, right?

"Test subject 017, Nikita Allison West, age eleven years old, testing for the ability of extreme flexibility."

"Alright, Nikita, can you bend backwards for me?"

Nikita did just that, almost like it was nothing. He hadn't done gymnastics or anything like that before. But even so, wouldn't this hurt a bit for a gymnast? It didn't hurt one bit for him.

"Now, put you head through your legs."

Her back still bent, she placed her head between her thighs.

"That's good, Nikita. Stand up straight, now." Nikita did just that. "Now, one last thing. Hold up your leg and bend it. Bend it unnaturally." So, he did exactly that.

"Test 017 is a success. Nikita, you may leave."

-

Althea fiddled with the hem of her shirt, chewing on the inside of her mouth, pleading to the gods that be that they would let her go.

"Test subject 018, Althea Hope Holt, age eight years old, testing for the ability of teleportation."

Teleportation. That sparked a bit of hope in her. Before Hannah, could even speak, Althea was out of here. Well, she'd tried, anyway. No sooner had she tried to teleport out, than her face had hit the wall and she was sliding down onto to the floor, on the verge of tears.

Hannah sighed.

"Test subject 018 is a success. Hannah, please take Althea back to her room."

-

Hunter was surrounded by too many lamps for his liking. The ginger twirled a strand of hair around their finger as the doctors and whatever the fuck spoke and Vivian told them what to do.

"Test subject 019, Grover Hunter James, age ten years old, testing for the ability of light manipulation."

"Hunter, focus on the lamps. Make them burn brighter or lower. Okay?"

So, Hunter focused. He focused on these damn lights. He focused on the fact that he did not want to be here. Were his parents worried about him? Was Gianna okay? At least they were still letting him transition here.

And soon enough, the glass to the lamp lightbulbs shattered. 

"Test 019 is a success. Hunter, you may leave."

-

Much like everyone else, Lyla did not want to be here. But where else could she go? Her home life was horribly abusive. So, what? Should she just live on the street?

That honestly sounded better.

"Test subject 020, Idylla Jane Clarke, age eleven years old, testing for the ability of hypnosis."

Bella was in the room with her. Lyla turned to look at her. "Alright, Lyla, what I want you to do is tell me to do something. Okay?" Lyla nodded.

Should she make a large request? Like get me out of here? Or just something simple?

"Hit yourself."

Everything in Bella's body seemed to go limp and the she hit herself.

"Again."

Bella smacked herself again.

"Okay, uh, you don't need to do it anymore."

Bella went stiff again, rubbing at her cheek where she'd hit herself. "Ow."

"All were a success." A female doctor laughed, followed by cheering of the scientists and doctors. "All twenty were a success!" After a good minute of cheering, they said finally said. "Thank you. Idylla, you may leave now."