Chapter eight

Chapter 8: Storm

As soon as the last kidnapper had disappeared, I freaked. How the heck was I supposed to find them? Were they already dead? Were they in pain? Were only a few of them.
Tired, I leaned against the cool cave wall and slid down to the floor. This was going to be complicated.

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Hours later, I left the cave with a carefully devised plan hiding in my mind. Smiling, I stood in the small clearing and shot a long bolt of fork lightning into the sky, signaling where I was. Still smiling, I ran back into the cave.
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I woke to a loud bang. I knew it: They were here.
“I knew we missed one! But how did she escape…?”
There were footsteps slapping down on the cave floor. And then there were rough hands grabbing me. And then…
“I know you…” from one of the men. I knew him! His name was Jeffrey or Jeff or something in that area.
“Alina.” The response was short and quiet from the other.
“Alina isn’t my name. I’ve changed it. New life, new name.” My voice was barley a whisper, but it echoed around the clearing.
They didn’t speak but shoved me into a shiny black van. Hard. Well, that was not needed.
“You are going to the agency with your freak friends.”
I knew it. My plan was working perfectly on those stupid, ignorant scientists. They were just like I remembered.
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Just in case you’re wondering what my plan was, here’s a quick rundown:
1. Signal where I was
2. Get taken to the agency
3. Get away from the captors
4. Find my friends
5. Get the heck out of there!
There. I hope that was helpful.
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I guess I fell asleep, because the next thing I knew, I was being ushered into the tall, grey, bland building. Memories flashed through my mind. Horrible memories. I still have the scar on my arm to prove it. The doors were white, and there were no windows. Inviting, isn’t it?
They led me through the double doors, into my old nightmare. The halls were just as I remembered them: Peeling yellow wallpaper and awards for experimenters who had created wonderful mutants.
The man who had identified me pushed me forward into a small room. This one had blank black walls. But what was in it scared me. Almost all my friends were chained down and had tubes attached to their wrists, pumping some sparkly bright red liquid into them. Kage was in wolf form; Ares was double chained; Adara was missing. Few were awake: Ethan, Kichi, and Shelby were, while Kaylin, Kage, Nicole, and Ares were sleeping. Well, hopefully, they were sleeping.
I whirled around ready to shock one of the scientists with lightning, but they had mysteriously disappeared.
“St—Storm,” I heard Kichi weakly call my name. I was surprised to hear her sounding so weak. It scared me. But god knows what the heck they were doing to her.
Glancing around, and figuring out nobody bad was near, I ran to her side and undid the tube they had attached. I turned to get Ethan, but I was too late.
A scientist had come in and seen me right away. Crap. I don’t think I’m too good at this rescuing thing. At all.

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I don’t want to describe too vividly, but on instinct, I shot a mini- tornado at her. You’re probably like tornado? Hey, it was the first weather-related thing I thought of.
Kichi was way ahead of me, already undoing Ethan.
He stood, stretching. “Hey,” he said, not sounding surprised to see me.
Not responding, I undid Shelby, and she too stood.
Kichi and Ethan were each shaking Kage and Kaylin, while Shelby did Nicole, and I Ares. They all seemed faint when we first got them up, but after a little, they were fine. Okay to fight, I guess.
I stood in the doorway and caught a glimpse of a dark-haired female scientist coming toward our room. Without acting, I stood there like an idiot. I hadn’t prepared for this.
In a few seconds, she was in the room, with us standing there. Just standing.
“Er…hello. Nice weather we’re having.” I improvised. “Of course, from me…”
The scientist just stood there looking around at us all, giving Ethan the chance to morph into a tiger and pin her against the wall. I grinned. Ethan: the quick thinker.
“Where’s Adara?” I said, putting as much force into my voice is possible. “Where did you take her?”
“Containment…unit,” she gasped: Ethan had his claws at her throat. “Were you always here, Alina?” she added, directing it to me.
“Nope,” I said, trying to ignore everyone’s looks of confusion. Who’s Alina? That’s Storm!
Well, kids, I’m both. Get used to it.

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In the hallway to Adara’s “Containment Unit” Ares tapped me and I spun around. Everyone seemed to be listening.
“Why did that scientist call you Alina?”
I swallowed. I hated that name. Brought back too many memories. “If you must know, when I was little, I was taken by the scientists from my parents. My real name is Alina. When I was in this agency, I thought: Hey, new life, new powers, new name. Now, all the scientists call me Alina. I never told anyone who worked here my name. The end.” I finished, sighing. “But my name isn’t important right now. Adara is.”