It was the evening before Evelyn's 16th birthday. She sat on the stone bench, her notebook in her lap, and a pencil in her hand, sketching the little mechanical lizard that was always attached to the wall. She altered it slightly, making it look less machine and more real.

She knew it was her birthday because that was the only thing Dr Ava let her celebrate, she was given new notebooks and pencils or paints, or a new book. She wondered what tomorrow would be like. She sighed and the little lizards bright red glowing eyes fixed on her.

"Wish you could talk." She said quietly to the thing.

She held out her hand for it. It's lamp-like eyes staring at her. She had done this before, and it was never a good idea, the things had sharp teeth and liked to bite. The lizard climbed up onto her hand, she held her hand flat. It turned its red eyes into her and just focused on her face.

"Should I name you?"

The machine didn't move.

"How about...Hephaestus?"

The machine creature tilted its head

"He was the Greek God of machines, weapons and blacksmiths, silly."

The creature tilted its head the other way, its big eyes never leaving her face.

"Well Hephaestus? What do you think tomorrow will be like? Same as every day?" She paused and watched the thing it didn't move. "your right. Probably the same as always."

There was a knock on her roof top cage, making her jump. The lizard machine didn't like that and clawed at her wrist and bit her, drawing blood.

"Ouch! Hephaestus! What was that for?"

The lizard jumped off and scurried back up the wall, the door opened and Mr Janson walked in.

"Subject X, your up late."

His voice was always so naisley and dry. But tonight he had a smile.

"I like the night." She quietly and shrugged.

She kept her eyes down, concentration on her skin knit back together. Mr Janson watched her intently, she felt his eyes on her. He never did anything, but she always felt uneasy around him. He watched her all the time.

"Well, I have a surprise for you." Her head shot up and her eyes huge.

"Yes. You have asked constantly to meet others."

Evelyn nodded her head.

"Follow me."

He didn't wait for a reply, he just spun around and went back down the spiral staircase. She hesitated for a second and then followed.

Back in her room there was someone waiting for them. She was at Evelyn's book shelf and looking at all her drawings she had taped to the wall.

The girl was about the same height, but where Evelyn's hair was bright sunshine gold hers was raven black. The girl turned around and her bright blue eyes focused on Evelyn. She gave her a smile.

"Hi! My name's Teresa, but you can call me Tes."

Evelyn didn't say anything, she didn't know what to say. She had never met someone her own age, never mind talked. Her mind went blank, and her heart was racing. She was actually scared. She flattened herself to the wall.

"You constantly ask to meet others and now you hide? Come on Subject X!" Janson sighed in frustration. He rubbed his forehead for a second. "She is here to help you get ready. We have another birthday surprise for you." He turned to the girl named Teresa, "you have 5 minutes."

He spun in his heel and left the room. Teresa just smiled politely at her for a moment.

"Come on. We better get this going, RatMan won't like it if we're late."

Evelyn blinked and then tilted her head, "RatMan?" She whispered.

Teresa nodded. "Doesn't he look like a human rat? He's so twitchy!"

Evelyn let out a giggle. It was true. Teresa smiled even bigger.

"Here."

She handed Evelyn a small box, it contained clothes. But not the normal white ones with a WICKED letters stamped on them. The box contained a pair of fitted light brown cargo pants, a black long sleeved shirt and black boots. Evelyn looked up at the new girl confused. She just smiled and shrugged.

Once she was changed, Teresa handed her a brush and an elastic. Which she just slipped over her wrist. Quickly brushing the tangled out she looked back at Teresa. The other girl didn't say much. She nodded her head once in satisfaction and knocked on the door. Janson swung the door open, his needy eyes looked over Evelyn and also nodded.

"Good. Now Subject X. Happy 16th birthday. Follow me." He spun on his heel and walked away.

Evelyn was frozen. She had never left her room. In 16 years she had never been allowed to leave. Her heart raced and she felt kinda of sweaty. Her eyes darted to the other girl. She nodded with an encouraging smile. She held her hand out for Evelyn. She took it greatfully. Teresa tugged her. With hesitation she walked to the door and took a shaking breath and stepped into the hall.

"Have you never been out here before?" Teresa asked with a chuckle.

Evelyn shook her head, her eyes wide as saucers. Teresa laughed, but stopped abruptly when she saw how terrified Evelyn was.

"Seriously?"

"No. I was never allowed. My room and the roof top guarden."

Teresa furrowed her eyebrows and frowned.

"Have you never meet anyone else?"

Again Evelyn shook her head. Teresa pursed her lips frowning.

"They told me they were keeping me safe from everyone. Everyone wanted my gift so kept me away from everyone, all the bad people."

Teresa just hummed, and squeezed her hand. Leading her down the cold stone halls behind Janson. They came to an elevator. Waiting for the door, Evelyn looked around, the halls had the same stone as her room, everything looked the same. The elevator beeped and Janson ushered the girls inside.

Evelyn stayed flat against the wall, her eyes wide. When the elevator started moving she gasped, clutching at the walls. Teresa frowned even more but held her hand out again for the girl. Mr. Janson didn't seem to notice her panic. The doors dinged open.

Evelyn's mouth dropped wide open. This hall was bright white. The tiles on the floor, the walls and ceiling, everything was bright harsh white, there was shinny sliver everywhere, monitors and sensors. It looked like something out of her books.

"Come on. Almost there." Mr Janson called over his shoulder, "Teresa, bring Subject X please."

Teresa sagged, her face fell, but she avoided any eye contact and tugged Evelyn's hand. Evelyn was too busy trying see the new souroundings to notice Teresa's sudden shift in moods and body launguage. They followed Janson through the halls. Before Evelyn saw what was around the corner she heard voices, lots of them. They all sounded deep and angry.

Evelyn slowed down, her heart rate spiked. She had never been around more then a few people at a time. The most at once was when a wounded soldier was rushed into her room. Her stomach fluttered in excitement and nervous. She didn't mean to be gripping Teresa's hand so tight. Her hands were heating up.

"What the ..?" Teresa gasped, her own big blue eyes wide in wonder.

Without realizing it, Evelyn was sending small currents of healing energy into Teresa. She ripped her hand away and shoved them into her pockets to hid the glowing energy.

"Sorry." She mumbled, hanging her head hiding behind her hair.

They rounded the corner and Evelyn froze. Standing against the wall was a long line of boys. They all turned their heads in unison to look at Teresa and Evelyn. The chatter stopped.

Evelyn stood frozen. Her big green eyes flicked around to all the guys. Janson had stopped in the middle of the hall, and turned to address the guys.

"Gentlemen, this is Subjected X. And she will be joining you."

"What? She's coming?" Said a guy with messy black hair, and thick black glasses. His voice was demanding.

His dark eyes flicked to Evelyn and he frowned. His eyes softened.

"You never said anything about a girl coming! You told us this was dangerous!" He turned towards another boy with dark brown hair and whiskey brown eyes, he also had a white lab coat, "Thomas! What the hell?! Why is she coming? She looks like she's ready to faint!"

The boy named Thomas looked at him in confusion, "what? Who's going? What girl? Nick, what are you talking about?"

The boy named Nick pointed to Evelyn who had shruck against the wall, behind Teresa.

"Her! That blond behind Tes!"

Thomas followed the finger and his eyes landed on Evelyn. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.

"Janson? What's going on? Is she in group B?"

"No. She's where she's supposed to be. This here is Subject X. She has been... withheld for...reasons." Janson sneered.

There was something in those sentences that made the line of boys angry, they all started talking over each other. Yelling at Janson and the other men dressed in black, they all carried big guns. A few even rounded on Thomas and Teresa.

One boy, didn't say anything, but I saw the anger flash in his dark squinted eyes. His huge arms were crossed across his chest, I could see the anger building in his face. All his muscles were coiled and ready to spring into action, like a loaded and cocked gun.

In a split second he dropped his arms and pounced on the guard closest to him. The guard was unsuspecting and the Asian looking boy took him down. There was instant chaos. Another guard drew a small hand gun and fired it.

The Asian boy fell off the guard, red blossoming on his shoulder.

"No! Stop!"

Evelyn screamed, suddenly finding her voice. It was quiet even when she yelled. She threw herself into the chaos, to the boy on the ground. He was crying and cursing, blood pooled around beside him. She slid on her knees to his side. His eyes found her, and they were filled with pain, and fear and anger.

"Just hold on." She said, her voice hardly above a whisper.

She ripped his shirt. This had become regular routine, though back in her stone dungeon she had some medical equipment, here in this bright white sterile hall she had nothing. She could see the bullet, without thinking and quick as lightning she stuck her fingers into his bullet hole and pulled it out, while he withered and cursed and cried. She dropped the little ball if metal onto the floor. She then placed both her bloodied hands into either side of where the bullet ripped through him and she closed her eyes. Concentration, she felt the weird warm energy flowing through her and she forced it down her arms into her hands and into his body. The bleeding slowed down and then stopped. She felt everything inside knit back together. His breathing became easier and slowed down, he stopped screaming and cursing.

She opened her eyes, her big green ones met his dark ones, they were wide in shock and possibly fear. She removed her shaking bloody hands from him and sat back and scooted away. It was only then did she realize the hall had grown quiet and still, in a very tense uncomfortable way. Every eye was on her. The boy slowly sat up staring at her.

"Sorry." She mumbled, averting her eyes again.

"The shucken hell was that?" The boy just said.

"Everyone get back in line!" Janson barked.

The boys didn't move, they stared at her, still sitting on the floor, her bloody hands in her lap, still glowing slightly. For the first time in her life, she felt like her gift wasn't actually a gift, but a curse. Why were they looking at her like that?

"Thomas? What the bloody hell is going on?" A tall blond boy said, he was glaring at Thomas who stood just as shocked and speechless.

"I...I... Don't-"

"Don't give me that crap! You're working with them! How could you not know who she is!" The boy in the ground said, he picked himself up, anger making all his muscles tense again.

"Guts! Come on,"Teresa finally said, finding her voice. "We're no different than you, or anyone else, we just do as we're told! We have no idea who she is either! I just met her 15 minutes ago!"

"Say whatever makes you feel better," a tall dark skinned boy snarled, he folded his arms and leaned back against the wall, looking away. Everyone in the hall seemed on edge.

Teresa helped Evelyn to her feet. She felt awkward and shaky.

"What's going on? Where are they going? And why are they saying I'm going with them?" Evelyn asked, Teresa.

"What! She doesn't even know about the Trials? About anything?" Nick yelp, looking around at Thomas.

"Ha!" The Asian barked a laugh, "I've tried and tried to give you guys the benefit of the doubt. Figured you guys were going to help us out, know what's going on, but clearly, I was wrong. You've been working with them the whole time. You either are too stupid to see it or are really good liers."

"Minho..!" Teresa tried.

"No Teresa! Get outta my face!" He spat at her.

"What's going on?" Evelyn asked again, she had no idea what was going on. "Mr Janson?" She asked quietly, turning to see where he had gone.

He was standing off to the side, watching the whole thing, a slight smile of amusement on his twitchy face. He finally looked at her. His face went passive and he stepped forwards.

"Everyone back in line, against the wall!" He yelled. Every boys eyes were narrowed, muscles tense and anger twisted their face.

"Subject X? In line as well!"

Evelyn fought the terrified tears, with her head down, Teresa pulled her hand and led her to the end of the room, beside the tall blond boy. She was left alone, her head down, arms wrapped around herself. She didn't notice the boys were being dragged one by one into rooms with bug strange metal devices.

"Does Subject X have a buggen' name?" The boy beside her said.

Evelyn looked up. The boy was leaning against the wall, his fists jammed into his pockets. He was tense and looked anxious, but his big brown eyes were kind, his sandy blond hair hung in his eyes.

"Evelyn." She whispered.

"Nice to meet you Evelyn. Names Newt." He said, and held out a hand.

Evelyn stared at it, unsure what to do, she looked back up at him, her eyes full of questions.

He awkwardly shoved his hand back into his pocket.

"So, you had no clue about the Trials?"

"What trials? This is...the first time I've been allowed out." She whispered again.

"Out of where?"

"My room...cell, the dungeon...whatever you wanna call it."

"What?" He cried, making Evelyn flinch. "Sorry. You've been bloody stuck in your room the whole time?"

She just nodded.

"How long?"

"Tomorrow is my 16th birthday...I've been here since I was 4."

"Blood hell!" He muttered, his eyes wide and flicked all over her.

"I have a room, and stairs that go up to a small section of roof, but it's surrounded by walls and a electrical fence."

"Yeah but still, twelve years of being buggen' alone!"

She just nodded.

"Also...you have magic hands that glow. That's buggen' weird."

She balled her fists in her pockets and blinked the tears away.

"Sorry, don't mean to be bloody rude ...just shocked, never seen anything like it before."

"Yeah...I was born with it. It saved that boy from dying."

"Might have been better if he had..." Newt muttered darkly.

"What?" Her head snapped up, her eyes even bigger now. Fear and anxiety gripped at her insides.

"Nothin'." He turned away, his back stiff and shoulders tense.

Her big green eyes watching now what was going on, the line of boys was now half the length, most of the boys were now fighting the nurses and doctors who were trying to drag and pull them into the rooms.

"Next!" A nurse called.

"Happy birthday, Evelyn. You got your birthday wish; you wanted to see other kids your age. You wanted out of your room." Mr Janson whispered to her as he walked passed and down the hall.

What was going on?