Chapter 2: The Identity

"My name is Kio Swanser, and I am like you." He says. He grabs my wrist and pulls me down the hall. He know has control of the soldier. "I know you are more powerful than this, Rica. But they must have done something to make you weaker until you were their trained hands. They were planning on using you for government issues."

"Where are you taking me?" I ask not really liking where this conversation is going.

"Some where safe, trust me."

"It seems I don't really have much of a choice. It's trust you or stay here and get punished."

He looks back at me, "Punished? Is that how you got those scars. Maybe that is what is making you weaker."

"Yeah, were you never punished?" I ask.

"No." With that silence comes, I know he feels pity for me but what can I do. I just told him that I was punished. I swore to myself that I was never going to tell any one and here I am with this boy, Kio, I tell him. Like nothing else mattered. What is wrong with me?

He breaks through a emergency door and a white van pulls up. He tries to pull me into the van but I wrench myself free. I run for the gate. The van follows me with Kio hanging out one of the doors trying to reach me. But I continue to dart away. He doesn't give up.

Then I feel something like someone trying to go through my brain, I watch myself run towards to van and jump in, against my will. I glare at Kio and then I realized who is driving. One cousin of mine who happen to escape, Cathy Downing. She was Alex's daughter.

"Cathy?" I ask.

"Hey, Rica. I told Kio that we needed to get you outta there but he put it on hold. He did not believe me when I said that you were in trouble. By the way, where is your mom and dad?" Cathy answers, not meaning to hit a string but I flinched anyways.

"They're dead, Cathy. When they found out about me, my mom tried to run and they shot and killed her. My dad died in there, he couldn't kill a man, so the man killed him."

"I am so sorry. I think you will be happy soon. You'll be with the rest of us. I started a Mindless group with Kio when I ran off. So I just knew where you were. I never knew how bad. But judging by the scars, pretty bad. By the way, Kio take of that collar."

He reaches to take it off and I flinch away, "No, I haven't had this of in years. Since they brought me in. It can help me with my powers."

"Actually, they give them to people to control and weaken their powers, we need to take that off. I got something for you to put in its place." She pulls out a box and hands it to Kio, all this while she is driving. "It is a replica of the collar but with out any of the technology in it."

"Fine, if you say I absolutely need to."

Kio takes off the collar that I have had on for years and goes to put the new one on, but I feel like I can finally breath and tell him that I will put it on later. There is a small bucket of water in the back behind a curtain. I do a mock shower and clean myself. Putting on new clothes. When I get out I see Kio and Cathy have switched seats. I ask Cathy if she would cut my hair, which she does. I put it in a pony tail for the first time since I graduated. I graduated early.

I look in the mirror an see all my scars, thinking about how all the people might make fun of me. I didn't want that. I want to make friends.

"Is there a way to cover my scars," I call up to them.

"Why would you want to cover them?" Cathy responds.

"Never mind," I quickly say, looking for something to hide them but I find nothing.

When the van finally stops, we are in front of what looks like an abandoned warehouse. We go inside and I see so any people. Had to be like 50 or more. I see people who had scars like me but not as bad. I see people who look flawless. I guess by the way they are all looking at me, I am not wanted by some.