Oh my.
I apologize for neglecting this for so long XD
I had to re-read all my chapters to understand where I left off.
LOL O___O;

Enjoy!

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“Help, anyone! Please help my friend!” Thomas pleaded, knocking on random doors, “Anyone!”

Finally, someone answered his desperate knocking. A sturdy looking man in his mid 20’s frowned down at him unapprovingly.

“What’s the matter, little one?”

“I’m sorry, sir. But my friend’s been badly hurt, and she needs help right away!” Thomas answered urgently.

“My apologies, but there’s not much I can do.” The man shrugged indifferently.

Just as the he began to close his door, Thomas jammed his bow into the door with surprising agility. “Please, sir.”

The man raised his eyebrows in amusement, taken aback. “Just agree to one condition…”

“Anything,” Thomas vowed.

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When Alice woke up, Jasper was nowhere to be seen. On her bedside table, she found a note written in his impossibly neat script.

Alice,

First of all, I’m so sorry I put you in danger, but I have to leave. I don’t know how safe it’ll be for you if I stay here. I promise I won‘t be gone long. Please don’t get into too much trouble. William, Zhlink and Skria will take care of you while I’m gone. I’m sorry.

Forgive me.

Jasper

“I-i-impossible,” the word left Alice’s mouth in a hoarse whisper.

Without thinking, Alice rushed out of the hotel and braced herself for the crisp morning air. If she was going to look for Jasper, she would have to be fast before the others woke up.

Confusion affecting her clumsiness, she stumbled over a stump and fell. Alice could feel her chest trembling from the sobs building in her throat. How stupid it was to come looking for him. Who knows how far he could have gotten with that impossible speed of his? She lost control of her tears and they spilled over. Hours had passed when Alice finally decided to get up.

Alice started back to the direction of the hotel, vision clouded by her tears.

“Ouch!” someone protested as she stumbled into someone tall.

“I-I’m so sorry.” Alice mumbled through her sobs.

“Alice? Are you alright?” asked a concerned voice. As much as she wished it was Jasper, she knew it was impossible because this person sounded nothing like him.

Confused as to who this stranger was, she looked up at the same pair of green eyes that had baffled her the day before. “Oh!” Alice rushed to wipe the tears from her face.

A hint of a smile touched Silicon’s face, as he stopped her frantic hands with his, and wiped a stray tear with his thumb. “Hey.”

They began to walk, and the smile disappeared as he realized Alice was limping. In one fluent movement, he gathered her in his arms and lifted her up.

“So… happened back there?” Silicon raised his eyebrows curiously.

“Oh… uh…”

Humour touched his face again. “That’s alright; you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

Alice struggled to change the subject. “So, are you here with family?”

It was Silicon’s turn to be uncomfortable. “No… My father passed away,” his eyes darkened, “and my mother abandoned me.”

“I’m sorry, I had no idea.”

He grinned, the wary look completely leaving his face. “That’s alright, but let’s talk about something else.”

Alice learned that he was extremely optimistic, and began to feel comfortable talking to him. Conversation came easily. Before they knew it, they arrived at the hotel.

Silicon set Alice down gently on the hotel lobby. “Will you be alright getting upstairs?”

“Of course,” Alice replied, wincing when she thought of the trouble she’d be in when she got there. “Thanks so much for everything.”

“Anytime,” a sincere smile lit up his whole face, making Alice smile as well.

Not in any hurry to get upstairs, Alice turned around and began up the stairs. When she got to her room, they were waiting for her there, just as she expected.

William was the first to greet her. “Welcome back Alice. Mind telling us where you’ve been?”

Alice bit her lip, looking out the window. She was surprised to see it was dark. “I’m sorry, I just got lost…”

Zhlink started laughing. Skria shot him a menacing look, and that shut him up right away. Alice fought the urge to start laughing herself.

“Who was that you were with?” William inquired.

“Oh, that was just Sil. He’s just a friend I met not too long ago. He’s awfully friendly,” Alice replied.

Skria sighed. “Do you have any idea who he is? He’s one of us…”

“Skria’s right, even though he may not know it yet.” Zhlink interrupted, earning himself another glare.

“I don’t understand, someone explain?”

William was impatient. “Surely, Jasper told you who, rather what, we are?”

“Yes… but I still don’t-”

“The person who created is called Richard. He always had a desire to take over Victoria, but it wasn’t until he learned about genetic engineering that he had any idea how. Richard chose several people based on their human skills and changed everything to make us who we are. It’s also believed one’s strongest trait is enhanced when they‘re changed.” William explained.

“Yeah, Will here got his nerdiness enhanced,” Zhlink grinned.

William shot him another look, and Zhlink burst out laughing.

“But… why did Jasper have to leave?” Alice wondered out loud.

“He thought it would be safer for you. You see, when Richard created us, some of us didn’t want to help him take over Victoria. There was this huge ordeal about that, and we‘re living in hiding. Richard wants us to join his army.” Zhlink answered, a grin still plastered on his face.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be back,” Skria added so quietly I couldn’t be sure that was what she said.

Zhlink jumped in again. “You’ll be safe with us until then, so sleep. You look like you need the rest.”

And they were gone just like that.

Alice decided not to take that as an insult and turned around to walk toward her bed, but stopped when she heard a board creak right behind her.

Positive that it wasn’t her own clumsy feet that had made the noise; she whipped her head around and came face to face with her childhood friend from ten years ago. Of course, this wasn’t the first time she’d seen him in ten years, they had met just yesterday. But without the distance between them, she recognized him instantly. It was…

“Thomas?” Alice couldn’t believe it even as the name left her mouth. “Is… Is that you?”