[Center][h2][color=teal][b]Amara [i]'Mara'[/i] Nguyen [/b][/color][/h2]
[i]Location: Auditorium - Examination room [/i][/center]

[i]'My family knows?'[/i] The thought baffled her as Mara leaned against the wall,  nursing her now throbbing hand against her chest. They had to have told them some lie. Her mother needed her. Someone had to keep the house hold in check. Help the younger ones with their homework and get them out of bed in the morning. Her mother couldn't do it, not that she didn't try, her job was just too demanding for her to pay full attention to her brood. 

Mara noted that her final question went untouched as the woman moved away to introduce a rather robust group of adults. [I]'Our coaches, eh?'[/i] She eyed them warily as one by one they stepped forward and called a name. Fatigue swept over her once more as she felt her body fully sag against the wall.

[B]"Amara."[/B]

A gruff voice called out. Her eyes widened a touch as she traced the voice to squat, burly looking man. Arms folded across his chest as his gaze met with hers. He arched his brows with subtle impatience and Mara felt herself slowly stir back to life. She slinked forward each footstep as uncertain as the last as she silently followed him out of the auditorium. Mara kept her arms folded closely across her chest, her head bent forward like a petulant child being lead away for punishment. 

Suddenly the man halted causing her to bump lightly into him. Mara mouthed an apology that her voice wouldn't allow her speak as he pushed open a door for her. 

Stepping into the room felt like being back in the room she started in. The walls a soft white wash, the tile on the floor polished and melted together effortlessly. There was a few furniture scattered around and a small cabinet off to the back. 

[B]"Take a seat Amara."[/b] the man commanded as he stepped into the room behind her. She shuffled off to a small chocolate colored armchair and perched on the edge. Her body bent over, fingers grasping the edge as she stared hard at her   shiny Mary Jane shoes. For the first time she noticed the small grey scuffs that marred the sides. Frowning she kicked lightly at the tile; she was particularly fond of the pair.

[B]"My name is Felix,"[/b] he mentioned as he took his own seat across the room from her, [B]"I'll be your advisor while you are he-"[/b]

[Color=teal]"Will we get to go home?"[/color] Mara interjected. Her questioned had went unanswered earlier but she asked it once more with little hope. Her voice was hard, even to her own ears, and echoed softly in the stillness in the room. 

She could hear a small puff of air push from his lips. Was it in frustration or sympathy? Mara didn't bother to look up to gage his reaction.

[B]"You'll be here for as long as you need to be."[/b] Felix answered his own words clipped, [b]"Now Amara-"[/b]

[Color=teal]"It's Mara."[/color] she interjected once more. She was sure that she was probably getting on his nerves but ot was important to her. She had started going by Mara in middle school when a group of bullies had decided to pick apart her name and call her 'Amoora' as a poor attempt at a jest. When she moved to her new school she never introduced herself as Amara and it felt strange to hear.

[B]"Okay, Mara then. As you've been told you're here to help develop your abilities in order told protect yourself and others from harm,"[/b] he pulled out a small note pad from his lab coat and thumbed through several pages, [b]"From what we've noted there is a small temporal disruption that occurs around you when you're in physical danger, correct?"[/b]

Mara's brows knitted together as she looked up at him, [i]'Temporal disruption?'[/i], it was of she was in a bad sci-fi movie. [Color=teal]"Come again?"[/color]

She watched as he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, [b]"Let's not do this, Miss Nguyen."[/b] He leaned forward and leveled his gaze with hers. Mara noted the weariness that lined his face and eyes, he was much older than he looked. It was subtle at first. Lost among the bulk of his body but there it was in the creases of his skin and the slight peppering that sprouted at his hairline. He was old and tired and not willing to put up with any of her nonsense. 

[B]"In layman's terms, time seems to slow around you. Does it not?"[/b] It wasn't a question. He knew that she knew exactly what he was getting at. Those weird gaps in time that felt like the very air was being sucked out around her. 

Mara didn't respond as silence hung between them.

He flipped through a few more pages, [b]"If you insist then. On December 12 you were walking home with your friend, Nova PeGan, to which you told her and I quote. [I]It was like everything froze. Or better it moved super, super slow. Like I don't know how to explain it properly."[/I][/B]

Mara's face was a open slate of surprise as she felt her mouth open in shock. Nova was the only one she had told anything about her odd feelings, afraid of the judgement that would come if she had, but Nova took it in stride. In fact she almost seemed excited as she chattered away with enthusiasm.

Licking her lips she nodded, ignoring the smarting pain that pulsed back at her, [color=teal]"Yes, I remember that. It was in regards to my father's car accident."[/color]

The gods knew she didn't want to talk about this. Her words fell softly and with a sad tremble as unbidden memories sprang to the forefront of her thoughts.

Felix gruffly stood from his chair and closed the distance between the two. He knelt down before her and there was a softness now that plagued his eyes, [b]"I know this is hard on you but we're only trying to help. Now I won't make you talk about it anymore today but you do need to be fully aware of what you're capable of."[/b] There was a sincerity that Mara didn't expect from him and a small smile graced her lips. 

He paused a moment before standing up and trudging towards the back medicine cabinet. Mara watched as he fumbled with a set of keys before unlocking the metal cabinets. [B]"For now, we're just going to take a blood sample and then you can return to your room. There's a special surprise waiting for you there."[/b] His voice almost bellowed out brightly as he mentioned the surprise. 

Mara had perked up a little as well as he came back with a small medical kit.  

If her face could turn any paler it would've. Mara hated needles with a vengeance. She extended her already bruised arm towards him while focusing her attention elsewhere. 

Felix wrapped the tourniquet tightly around her upper arm. Stubby fingers poked and prodded the inner her, [b]"Your veins are tiny."[/b] Felix remarked and Mara gave a dry laugh. It was true. She found out the hard way over time that every nurse she had, had a difficult time finding a vein large enough stab. It often left her with large bruises and occasionally a ruptured vein as they poked her with various sized needles. 

She was surprised at how gentle he was as he inspected her arm. Seeking out his target with great care. Finally, Felix seemed to find the spot. A sightly thicker vein hidden on the upper inside of her arm. Mara screwed her eyes shut as she felt the pinch of the needle and then the slightly tugging as her blood was pulled out and into a syringe. Seeing blood never phased her in the slightest, just the initial poke that'd cause her to tense up. 

He quickly withdrew the needle and held a cotten ball to her arm. [B]"Alright, all done. Keep this on for at least five minutes."[/b] He commanded as he stuck a piece of medical gauze over the cotten ball. He took a step back and motioned towards the door, [b]"Better hurry to your room for your surprise."[/b] Felix said with a awkward looking smile. 

Mara couldn't help but smile back before stepping back out into the hallway. Felix seemed like a nice guy. A little gruff and straight to the point but once she stopped resisting his prodding he relaxed around her.

She made her way back to her room, double checking the room number before entering, it looked exactly how she left it. Plain and simple. Only this time there was a small electronic device sitting on her bed.

Mara rushed over picking up the sleek tablet in her hands and swiped quickly. The device buzzed alive as it started ringing and she almost cried as her mother's weary face appeared on the screen.

[B]"Mara, darling?"[/B] her mother asked sleepily. Mara could see the blonde curls that had escaped her mother's pinning. The dark circles that were a permanent feature under the same dark blue eyes Mara had. Yes, this was definitely her mother.

[Color=teal]"Mom, I don't know where I am. I don't want to be here. Please. Come get me."[/color] her voice broke as more tears spilled down her face.

[B]"Oh, honey. You're not well, sweetie. The doctors said they're were going to help you."[/b]

Unwell? Is that what they had told her?

[Color=teal]"Mom, I'm fine. They [i]kidnapped[/i] me and drugged me and not just me! There's a ton of kids here! They're going to run tests on us to develop our powers or something. You got to help me!"[/color]

[B]"It's just like Nova said. You really are different,"[/b] her mom's voice was soft and sad, [b]"I know this is hard, honey, but they're going to take good care of you and how exciting is this?! You are special! More than a mother could've hoped for. These people are going to make sure your life is [i]amazing[/i] and full and beyond anything you could be achieved here. Now, Mara. Mommy has to get some rest before my next shift. You get some rest too. We love you so much. Work with the doctors and become the best you, you can be."[/b] Her mother rushed before the tablet went dark and the call disconnected.

Nova had told her mother? 

A new wave of shock hit her as she slumped onto her bed. Her mom sounded crazy. How could she just so easily accept that her daughter was taken from her? Had sleep deprivation messed that much with her grip on reality that she'd openly accept that her daughter was some sort of mutant? No. She knew her mother well enough. They would've coated it with medical jargon and price that it was somehow in everyone's best interest. Mara let her body be overtaken with sobs as she reflected on her reality. Her mother hadn't even told her anything about the well being of her siblings before rushing off. Curling onto her side she let all her frustration poor from her until her body could give no more and the tears would no longer come.