[TRIGGER WARNING: talk of SA and self-harm]
Lana wrapped another paper around the outside and told Kattie to wish her luck as she grabbed her bag and headed out the door. Next stop, room 2303. She found herself standing outside Paul's room. She knocked then heard a beep as the door unlocked. She took that to mean enter so she did.
Peeking around the corner of the door, she saw the tall boy sitting at a desk in a large room with gadgets everywhere. She smiled at how busy he had been in just a few short days. She smiled brightly as she approached his desk. "Hi Paul!"
He sniffed the air, "What is that wonderful aroma? Is that a fresh sandwich?"
She giggled, "Yes, you have a good nose, only it's a gyro. I thought you should give this a try. It has more nutrients." She handed it over. "I was wondering if I could talk to you about something?"
He looked up at her and nodded and returned his eyes to the gyro. He unwrapped it and started eating before she even started speaking. The expression on his face made it clear he enjoyed it.
"Do you know how abilities work? Is there a way I can grow my ability without it being displayed on my watch? I don't want to dump my problems on you but I want to keep my strength a secret. Is there a way I can do that?"
"Well, the only way the number on your watch will stay the same is if you top out on your ability and are no longer able to grow your strength. May I ask why you are hiding it?"
Lana looked at him with a bit of fear in her eyes.
"Look, I can help you if the reason is good enough but I need to understand the issue if I put my neck on the line. An altered watch is something they can find out about."
"Altered watch? You can do that?"
She closed her eyes and took some deep breaths. "Two years ago, a man who used work for this base came to volunteer several days a week with us. He saw some of my ability and he warned me that I would more than likely come here and there were people here that would come for me if they knew my ability and how strong it is."
"In fact, there are only two things I display in combat so everyone thinks I'm better placed as a farmer. Dens even went so far as to alter our records to indicate we had been adopted by a rich family to give us some sort of backing on paper but if they try to call those "parents" we will be screwed."
Paul finished eating his gyro and leaned back in his chair. "What is the exact nature of this danger?"
She took another deep breath, "There is a leader of a powerful family that has remained hidden. They collect abilities but want it to remain a secret. They work with someone powerful at this base. They do whatever it is they do then send the students somewhere to be experimented on. They are never seen again. They are labelled as terrorists. It's literally the source of one of my nightmares."
Without further questions, Paul held out his hand for her watch. She handed it over and in less than a minute, he handed it back. "That was a really good gyro. Can you bring me a few more?"
She smiled, "I was already planning on it. It was another thing I was going to ask you. I have a curiosity about food, things I grow period. I can test the quality of the nutrients in relation to degradation in a lab. I plan to work with my agriculture teacher to do experiments. What I need is taste testers for when I get all set up and am able to conduct those types of studies. Would you be interested in participating?"
Paul smiled a tired smile, "Anything for science."
Lana smiled back, "thank you! You look so tired. Try to rest."
Lana returned to her room. Kattie had already cleaned up the dishes. She was feeding Sven in her area of the room.
Lana smiled at her, "Let me know when you're ready to take him out." She sat at her desk and started studying the books she picked out. The first thing she wanted to learn was how to heal broken bones. She thought it might come in handy.
Lana studied for about an hour before Kattie informed her Sven was ready. She grabbed her bag and the two young ladies marched Sven into the park. He flew round for 45 minutes. In that time, Lana focused on growing grains and wheat again. The parts that were not needed were withered and returned to the earth. She wanted to create a bit of a stockpile to make flour. She wanted to make pot pies the next day, one for each person. She would also need to purchase pans that were the appropriate size.
Her bag was about half full by the time Sven returned to Kattie. They marched back to their room where Lana turned the contents of her bag into flour. She would use it for food the next day. Since there would be PT in the morning, formation at 4:30 in the morning, so they both decided to call it a night. Lana led Kattie through evening meditations then the girls climbed into bed to sleep.
Lana walked into the bathroom slowly as the sound of crying drew her in. She could see spots of blood on the floor. A trail that led to the last stall. As she approached, the sobbing grew louder.
"Hello?" she called softly.
"Go away!" came the response.
"I'm sorry. I can't do that. I see blood which means I'm automatically going to help you. Are you going to let me help you or do I need to call a teacher in here?"
"I … I need a …shower…," came the reply.
Lana's head went somewhere she hated being familiar with. In the gentlest voice she could muster with anger rising within her, "did someone … attack you? … sexually?"
There was a long pause on the other side of the door. "How … did you know? Are you with Donavan?"
Lana thought hard and fast. Donavan was known to have a lot of notches on his bed post and some were questionable. Many he claimed to have consensually shared his bed with avoided him after.
"Why would I be with a pig like him?" Lana said softly. "fortunately for me, he's not interested."
"Lucky you."
"Look. The day is almost over so I'll give you a choice. Either go to the nurse or call your mom and have her come get you. You need medical attention."
After what felt like an eternity, the door opened. Stacy, the girl who saved her brother's assailant from a painful death at her own hand only the week before, stumbled out of the stall.
"Can I walk with you, help you get to where you need to go?"
Stacy shook her head. "I got it. Get back to class before they notice you missing."
"You sure?"
Stacy nodded. "And please. Keep this a secret."
Lana promised and returned to class.
Lana sat straight up in bed remembering the day this happened with crystal clarity. A week later, Lana learned Stacy took her own life as a result of the assault on her. The guilt she felt at keeping the secret still haunted her.
Lana looked at her watch. The alarm would go off in 2 minutes. She decided to go ahead and get up.
The minute Lana got up, Kattie turned her light on. "Let's get ready and get out there," was all she said.
Once again, they had to form up, run in formation and do pushups and sit-ups. They were then released to get ready for the rest of the day.
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