CHAPTER 1

Linda slowly grasped the cold metal door handle she stood there for a while taking in solid deep breaths; she opened the door and walked into the office closing the door behind her; with a few steps, her heels clicked against the white marble flooring, she found herself standing in front of a man sitting behind a wood desk typing away at on a computer,

"I was wondering when you'll come in"

The sudden remark made Linda tense up even more as she stood there holding a black suitcase with both hands in front of her, on the desk, there was an office nameplate reading "Jameson White" that was incrusted in gold trimmings, he slightly turned his chair to face her; his face showing his age like a shirt shows it's been unironed, his gaze met hers revealing his cold grey eyes.

"So top of your class, all marks, critical thinker, talented. You've got it all don't you?"

Linda let out a forced kaugh averting her gaze from his, the man's eyes pierced her like a dagger.

"T-Thank you very much, Mr.White I do try my best,"

"I can see that. So why do you want to go to mars Miss.Harper?"

"Well, I think the proficiency and expertise I advanced in would push the adaptive habitats even further, resulting in larger and more efficient colonies on mars."

"In layman's terms, you just want to go to space?"

Linda flinched as Jameson had just read her like an open book, there was silence in the room for a while before Jameson spoke up

"Well if anybody is more tune to go to space it's you I'm sure you're mind would be of great help." Jameson had let out slight laughs with each word he had spoken

"N-Not at all Sir...well that's part of it, but I really want to help contribute to the program since people are in high demand at the moment sir."

Jameson stood up and walked around the desk to confront Linda; he stood before her towering over her like a sky scrapper do its people, he began to speak in a stern voice all of his actions made Linda feel intimidated by his presence, she could feel butterflies form in her stomach.

"Well, I see you're an opportunist Miss.Harper while I can imagine your mind is ready, I can also imagine you're body is not...Which is why you'll begin to undergo training effective immediately"

Linda couldn't help but let out an excited gasp her heart could be drummist just by how fast it was beating.

"R-REALY!? I-I had brought so many files that I thought I would need to be overlooked" she said lifting the briefcase slightly.

"I already overlooked them" Jameson put out his hand Linda quickly grabbed it shaking it up and down forcefully for quite a while.

"I think that's enough now"

"I-Iam sorry" Linda quickly withdrew her hand looking down now embarrassed

Jameson let out a small chuckle."Don't worry I'm sure they could use that type of energy up there at the moment. Now you'll respond at San Fransico space academy for training at 0500 sharp tomorrow understand.?"

"Y-Yes sir." Linda stood at attention and gave him a salute he responded in kind Linda; walked away her excitement shooting out of her and practically radiating the room, she grasped the metal handle and walked out of the office closing the door behind her.

She never would have thought the interview would have gone by that fast and smoothly; she walked down the large hallway with staff members pacing to and from destinations the ultra-modern look of the place would make you assume you were in a spaceship; the walls a reflective marble grey with white lines running down them with some inspirational people that sat in portraits here and there; the ceiling also reflective but pitch black in color with gold and white dots all in varying sizes scattering along it.

Linda stopped in front of a large gray elevator and pressed the cold glossy plastic button that had a black arrowhead pointing down, as she waited she couldn't help to not stay still she could feel the seconds passing by as If they were minutes she could feel the excitement; almost like a kid when their parents buy something for them from the store and having to wait a car drive before they could use it at home.

The ding of the elevator made Linda jump bringing her back to reality, the doors swooshed open Linda quickly got out of the way as schools of people poured out of the elevator as if it were a clown car, with the last person making their way out she entered the elevator as soon as she did she could feel the cold air gently blast her neck making her give off a shiver, she pressed the elevator button it would take her to the ground as it displayed a bold black 1.

As the doors were about to close she could hear a man shouting at her to hold the elevator before she could react the doors closed and she heard a loud thud on the doors, but she quickly pressed the "Open Door" button, the doors opened revealing a man of Asian descent dressed in suit and tie he had short jet black hair and black eyes, he staggered in the elevator clearly panting but trying to hide it.

Clearing his throat the man let out a "Thank You" Linda let off a simple nod, and as the door shut elevator music could be heard beginning to play they were on one of the highest floors so the awkward silence quickly filled the air.

Linda spotted the man a few times looking at her from the corner of his eye he then awkwardly faced her putting out his hand for a handshake "I am yang by the way just in case you...might wanna know"

Linda didn't respond she simply looked forward holding her briefcase in front of her

"Yang that's me..."

She shook her head as if she were nodding herself awake she looked at yang and let out a nervous laugh "Oh am s-sorry I wasn't paying attention, I'm sorry I'm Linda" she innocently said shaking the mans absurdly cold hand; she truly wasn't trying to ignore him she was focused on her up and coming plans.

"Ha no worries" they parted and the silence returned

"So you too uh?" Linda looked at him confused by the comment

"Interview I mean I could tell by the way your dressed."

"Oh yeah, you too uh? I guess that makes two of us what were you here for?"

"Plasma physicists, you?'

"Biochemistry, Atmospheric scientists, Aerospace engineering, just a few."

"Wow... that's gotta be some sort of achievement right?"

Linda let out a giggle "I wish!"

The elevator let out a loud *Ding* notifying them of reaching their stop, the doors opened revealing the lobby of the building, "well it was nice to meet you Linda" yang said walking out of the elevator his shoes clacking against the floor, "You too."

Linda left the elevator and soon the building reveling numerous steps to reach the sidewalk, she looked up and took a few moments to gaze upon the large glass and steel skyscrapers, as soon she looked up her nose was invaded with a plethora of wonderful smells that made her belly growl; she traced the scent and saw a small shop on the corner a block away from her, she danced to the smells that hypnotized her as it lead her to shop.

Once she was on the avenue she saw a man sleeping in a plastic bag slightly in an alleyway but still facing the main street, she entered the shop and it turns out it was a bakery.

She ordered several things some of the staff looked surprised at how many things she ordered, as Linda waited at the counter she let all of the smells the bakery gave enter her nose enjoying the pleasing scents, the smell of freshly baked bread, coffee, and sweets; the slight chatter from some of the customers entered her ears the wooded walls and flooring giving off a homely vibe, the kind of vibe where you would want to read a book or calm music and drift away into a deep sleep.

"Order for a Linda Linda!"

"oh, that's me!"

The cashier walked up to the register and tapped on the screen"your order rings up to 78.46 will you be paying with cash or card ma'am?"

"Card."

Linda left the shop and turned her view to the man she had seen sleeping before he was still there but now awake; now Linda could get a better look at him he wore somewhat clean clothes and he appeared awfully young looking no older than thirteen.

Linda made her way to him; the warm goods that were pressing up against her made her feel as though she was near a small campfire, once she stood in front of him her presence was now obvious to him she knelt down on the hard concrete the imperfections and the pressure she applied made her knee hurt a little.

"Hey, there what are doing here? I saw you and thought you might be hungry where are your parents?" Linda asked in a motherly voice, she then placed several bags of food in front of him "here you go, you can dig in if you want."

The boy then let out a harsh "thank you" as If he hadn't drunk in days he gently rummaged through the bag and took out a bottle of water and drank it as if it were a holy grail.

Linda got closer and sat beside him dirtying her fancy business dress that rubbed against the concrete.

"what's you're name? mines Linda."

it took him a moment to respond but once he finished drinking the water he slowly looked at the ground, "K-Kai"

"I see Kai why are you here where are you're parents?"

"..."

Linda read his face and decided not to push on it any further

"You wanna go the police?" Kai gave off a shy no with his head

"Well I can't let you stay here" Linda reached for his shoulder Kai responded by flinching and backing slightly away from her; this gave Linda all the information she needed to know, she quickly stood up and stood in front of Kai.

"I know a place you could stay that's way better than here! you could come with me and ill promise you'll like it! what do say?"

"..."

"come on you'll like it!" Linda put out her hand and with time he slowly took it his hand was warm and hard this surprised Linda once their hands collided she quickly pulled him up off his feet and looked up and down at him for a while "let's get you some new clothes come on its not far"

----

"You're order totals 548.09 cash or card?"

"Card"

"Confirmed, thank you come again!"

Linda and Kai existed the shop both of them holding large numerous bags

"Wow! it's already dusk I swore it was just midday." Linda looked at Kai who was clearly tired from all the shopping. "Come on Kai my car is just up the block" Linda and Kai unpacked all of the goods in the trunk of her car Linda sported a nice Lexus Rx 350 a 2035 model; the exterior was a sexy deep red with all of the windows heavily tinted and the interior was a wood brown leather.

Kai was now wearing blue jeans a black sweater and a white undershirt; they entered the car with Kai going in the back, once Linda started the car the nice cool air from the ac flooded the car, "Now that a relief that store was hot right?"

"..."

Linda pulled off from the parking spot the drive was so far silent with Kai awake resting his elbow on the door and looking out the window. Linda looked at him through the rearview mirror doing so every so often when not having to pay attention to the road.

"So why was it so windy inside the stadium?... Because there are hundreds of fans"Linda let out a forced laugh Kai only continued to gaze out the window.

"OK OK how about this one, whats a snakes strongest subject in school?...Hiss-story"

"Not that one either? ok here's one I'll know you'll laugh at."

----

Linda pulled into her condo parking garage "Well where here, home sweet home!"

The keys jingled as Linda unlocked the door to her condo once the door opened it revealed a disaster of clothes, paper, and food scattered throughout the condo.

"Sorry about the mess I wasn't expecting visitors today" Linda embarrassingly giggled at herself "If you want you could take a shower while I'll get everything unpacked, the bathroom is upstairs then you take right and open the second door BOOM there's the bathroom"

Kai followed her directions while Linda sat everything down while sorting some things here and there. The front door leads to the kitchen and living room with the kitchen being to the left and the sofa carpet and a massive tv dead ahead aka the living room; the floor was a white marble and past the living room were several large windows that overlooked some shorter buildings; Linda lived on the 9th floor so she had quite a few of the city.

"Oh that's right there's no towel in the upstairs bathroom," Linda thought out loud feeling stupid, she quickly grabbed a white towel from a small hallway closet and went upstairs; she grabbed the bronze knob to the upstairs bathroom and swung the door open.

"Hey, I'm sorry I forgo-"

Linda looked at the shirtless boy's back bruises black and purple along with several slashes big and small fresh and old spread throughout the boy's body he quickly turned to her but Linda had already slammed the door shut in disbelief at want she had just seen.

"You should have Knocked your utter RETARD!" Linda scolded herself internally.

"I'm sorry Kai I should have knocked...I left you a towel by the door sorry." Linda walked away from the door still hating herself for what she did.

----

Linda was sitting on the couch watching t.v the outside displayed that it was now midnight Linda turned around when she heard the light patting of footsteps from behind her; it was Kai he was wearing thin black pants and a white t-shirt he sat down on the couch near her, slightly inching towards Linda.

"I am sorry again Kai I should have knocked that was dumb of me."

"..."

----

Linda looked toward Kai she could see him slowly drifting away.

"L-Linda I-I wanted to say thank you very much" Linda's heart fluttered that was the most he had ever spoken to her today; Linda got closer to Him and cuddled him as she could feel his breathing get lighter he rested his head on her shoulder drifting away.

BATTLE WON...