Chapter 5

-Subject 14-

"Ayle" I grunted, burrowing myself further underneath my scratchy but warm blanket "Ayle, waikey unpi! Waikey unpi!" (Ayle Wake up! Wake up!) Bey's little nagging voice went off at a mile an hour as she shook me with her tiny hands. "Bey ge opfo mu" (Bey get off of me) I groaned as she continued to screech in my ear. In the end, it was her excited and unrelenting shade that wouldn't let me sleep.

So naturally I pushed her off of me and onto the floor, laughing as I slid out of my comfy bed.

"Oof" She glared at me with her bright blue eyes. Chuckling to myself, I pulled my little sister up to her feet and knelt down to ask her what she wanted. Her smile quickly returned as she tugged on my hand and dragged me out the door of our small hovel.

"Lek aite tehe skya" (Look at the sky)

I let out a groan as she looked up at the clear night sky "Yapun wopkey mu opfo fore tihes?" (You woke me up for this?) She nodded vigorously with a bright smile on her face. Rolling my eyes, I sat on the grass, pulling her down with me.

Even though I was tired, looking at her bright expression as she pointed at the different shapes and stars in the sky made it all worth it.

"Subject 14" someone was shaking me again "Can you hear me Subject 14" I groaned, trying to burry myself under the blanket covering me "Leva mu ailopun Bey"

"Should I call the translator?" The voice was deeper, definitely not Bey's. The blankets seemed lighter and the air seemed crisper, the usual scent of the fire burning was absent. Where am I?

"You know as well as I do that the translator is essentially useless Joseph" Another voice, this one more feminine, lilting with each syllable.

Both their energies seemed familiar, but at the same time I couldn't recognize them for the life of me. There were two more energies in the room, both seemingly hostile and eager for something. These two however, seemed conflicted.

I felt someone's breath on my ear and a hand envelop mine as if trying to comfort or soothe me "Can you wake up for me? I promise I won't let anything happen to you. I just need you to wake up before these other not so nice people get involved. So please, if you can understand me... try to wake up"

I want to roll my eyes at this person's naivety. Wherever I was, I knew that there wasn't a safe place in this world or any person that could fool me into thinking that it was. I felt bad, because this of how genuine this woman seems, in this world it's difficult to stay so... seemingly innocent.

Our world changes people, at some point in time it was my job protect Bey from that, it was my job to let her be a kid, unchanged by the world.

Ancestors knows I failed...

"Doctor, it's clear she's not sleeping. She probably can't understand you." The deeper voice paused "Trevor, would you call the translator?" There was a muffled 'yes sir' followed by footsteps.

"Joseph-"

"Face it Doctor Palvo you need help and-"

I tuned out the rest of whatever they were arguing about, I had to focus. I only had one choice now that they realized I was awake, I had to face them, get out of here, and find Bey.

As they were arguing, I slowly sat myself up, trying not to tug on the cords inserted into my skin. The light was dim, thankfully, but the air was still cold.

Looking at the two in front of me, I finally remembered why they were familiar. This wasn't the first time I'd woken up here...

Everything was so fuzzy then, thankfully now whatever they had done to me had worn off. Everything was clear now.

There was a man in black standing beside the door, looking up at the pristine ceiling as if accustomed to the pair's fighting. I grimaced as their voices grew louder, a headache was already starting to form.

While they were occupied, I decided to see what I was dealing with; the woman was small, but taller than me. She had glossy black hair, pulled into a tight looking knot on the back of her head. Overshadowing her crystal blue eyes were a pair of glasses. Wherever we were, to have something so rare in such pristine condition definitely tells me that whoever these people are... they must have connections.

Which in our world, makes you valuable... important... or something of the sort.

Just under her glasses, was the rest of her flawless complexion. Her skin was milky, absent of any scars, her nose following a straight line, as if it had never been broken in. Even her lips were glossy, not a single crack.

The rest of her looked just as polished, from the unwrinkled white coat to her straightened brown pants and blue shirt with buttons.

Her shoes were small and without any sort of straps, completely unsuitable for traveling anywhere.

I would bet all my food that her hands would be perfectly uncalloused and soft.

The only thing out of place was the cord around her neck, a piece of sewing string that held a single little bead around her neck.

The man arguing with her was nearly the same picture of perfection. His sandy brown hair looked messy, but was cut short and styled. His skin was slightly tanner than the woman's. He was definitely taller, and had enough muscle to look lean and strong. Not strong enough to have come from anywhere I had been, but strong nonetheless.

Something was different about him though, his eyes drew me in, they were deep pools of green. It was like looking into the water surrounding Delphine. They reminded me of home.

He was also wearing a white coat, but his clothes were slightly more rumpled than the womans, consisting of wrinkled brown pants and a green shirt.

Looking around the room I could see that there was only one exit and entry point, and although it wouldn't be much of a fight with these two, I worried about the man in black. Not to mention, when I did manage to escape this room, I would have no idea where I was going.

If I ever wanted to get out of here, I needed to cooperate. Or at least play it that way.

As if sensing my anticipation, another man in black came in with an older looking man who was eyeing me as if I were his new toy.

I knew he was harmless from his energy; he had an inquisitive and excited shade surrounding him. It would've been almost cute if he viewed me as more of a human.

"Eya muia" (Hello miss) I struggle to hold in my laughter, the poor man must be trying but he really sounds like a four-year-old Bey. "Whesa iasy mu naimey? (What is your name?).

Everyone turned, the white coats looking baffled to see me awake and sitting up in bed. I gave the man a gentle smile as he sat in the chair beside me "Ayle" The man lit up as if I had just given him an extra fish for free.

The man in the white coat was the first to speak after silence had settled over the room "What'd she say Henson?"

The man grinned "Her name is Ayle" The woman seemed to snap out of it, honing in on the translator "Can you ask her how she is feeling? Where she's from? If she can speak English? If-" Henson held up his hands, effectively silencing her "Riley dear, you know I love you and your darling niece but you need to shut your mouth" She nodded, her cold exterior broken for a moment as she blushed.

I chuckled a bit, as the older man turned back to me. Before he could start questioning me, I started "Beyfo mu aisyki, io dop sypik eyngilesy, ainde iote iosy 'Heseya' iofo yun deop nsop knopw somun" He stared at me for a moment "Hesya Henson" I give him a small smile.

The man stared at Henson, "And?" Henson shook his head "Sleowere muye frionsde" (Slower my Friend) I repeated slower this time. When he still didn't understand, I decided to try a new tactic.

Before I start I look around, looking at Henson I point to the guards and the overeager white coat man and point at the door. They would find out eventually that I spoke their language but as for now, I didn't want the thugs in the back to be able to use it against me. As for the white coat... I didn't trust him or the connection I sensed when I looked at him.

Henson turns "She want's you to leave" The white coat rolled his eyes "No, I didn't catch that Henson" The guards merely offered a shake of their head. Turning back to me, Henson looked as if he were trying to figure me out "I won't have your ego's getting in the way of finding more information. She clearly won't talk anymore with you in the room." They just looked at him.

Turning Henson offered them a harsh glare and shooed them "So leave"

Grumbling, the men made their way out the door.

Once they were gone the two left in the room looked at me expectantly. At this point I could simply talk to them in their language. I smirked, what's the point in that?

I pointed to myself "Io"

Henson nodded "I"

I pointed to my lips "Sypik"

"Speak?"

I nodded and then pointed at his lips "eynglesy"

His eyes widened as the word fell out of his mouth "English"

The woman was the first to speak "She speaks English?"

Before he could answer, I quickly intervened "That she does"