Companion AU piece with Cursed, Pranks, and Reminiscence. Sort of a prequel to the three, I suppose.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the plot.

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Invisible twigs snapped. Dark leaves rustled. Wet grass blades brushed against bare skin. The bark of dogs echoed. Lights pierced through the obscurity, searching for their subjects.

Looking for us.

The adolescent girl at the end of my hand slowed her pace, her breathing labored. Her sapphire eyes scanned her surroundings.

“Sis, we can't stop now,” I breathed. “If we do, they will get us.” I wasn't trying to strike fear into her heart; it was the truth.

They will kill us.

Her legs resumed running as adrenaline pumped through her veins. Her face was daunt, not daring to look behind her.

“Guys, over here!” a familiar voice whispered as a teenage boy with hazel eyes peered at us from what seemed to be a boulder. Holding onto her hand as if it were life itself, we half-ran, half-slid down the slope. The boulder turned to be a hidden cave. We manage to get in this hiding place just as the searchlight poured over the hillside.

“Listen closely to what I have to say,” the brunette boy paused as I nodded. “This is a clone of me. When I give the signal from behind that tree, I want you both to run to that cabin I told you before. A friend will be waiting for you. For his safety and yours, he never revealed himself to me nor his plans after you three meet. You will just have to go by faith.”

“What about you?” the ebony-haired girl asked, already knowing what he would say. Her eyes pleaded with him to come but he looked away.

“I'm their key test subject. It is necessary that I be here to liberate the others,” the boy stated with icicles hanging on every word. “May God be with you.”

“And also with you, my friend,” said I, returning his blessing. The clone dissipated as the original jumped down from his hiding place in the tree to the east.

“RL12! Where did they go?” a man's voice demanded as we scurried away. Through cries of pain, I could hear him say:

“Farewell...”

XXXXX

We didn't run anymore. There was no urgent need at this point and we were exhausted. Danger was miles away for now, thanks to Raphael. Sis, nor I, will never forget his sacrifice of freedom for our own.

The cool forest floor felt good underneath my tired bare feet as we treaded across. Soft snoring filled my ears. A small smile wiped across my face as I adjusted the weight on my back.

Out like a light...

In the moonlight, the small cabin shone through the darkness, like a beacon of hope. A jade Lincoln was parked in front with a man of European descent.

“Daniel? Danielle?” he asked. I nodded with uncertainty.

“For now, call me John.” Only a brief second did I need to read his navy blue eyes to get what I desired.

“Your real name is Jack Fenton, isn't it?” I inquired as a look of shock crossed his face.

“He did said that you were able to seethe through lies,” he paused as he looked around, making sure no one followed us. “We must go. I don't know how long it will be until they catch up to our location. Do you have any tracking devices in your body?”

“No. Raphael removed them last night,” I replied, looking down at the bandages that Dani and I wore on our arms while the gash healed.

I acknowledged his look of haste as I gently put the sleeping girl in the backseat of the car. Even though they were miles away, it still didn't mean that my ebony-haired friend and I were safe yet.

Those people had an uncanny ability to catch up with their test subjects, tracking device or not.

Smoothing out the white scrubs they had donned us, I sat next to the poor girl, holding her protectively as an older brother. Mr. Fenton hurried into the driver's seat, placing the key of escape into the ignition. Stepping on the gas peddle, we sped away as earth spurted into the air.

The car jerked and quaked as it traveled along the rough terrain. Dark evergreens blurred, wind howled. I put my hands together and prayed for them not to catch us now.

After a few minutes, the tires of the car touched asphalt, indicating we were on the highway.

“Mr. Fenton?” my voice asked, breaking the glass of silence.

“We are going to a town that those people cannot touch,” he responded. Never once did he take his eyes off the stretch of road ahead.

“Why are you doing this for us?” My own sapphire eyes wandered onto the girl whose head rested on my lap. She trembled, moaning.

Another nightmare...

“Because it is the right thing to do. You two don't deserved to be treated as test animals but rather human beings.”

“Don't you see us as monsters?” I mumbled, remembering what the 'doctors' said to us. He sighed deeply, more wrinkles visible through the rear view mirror.

“That's what they tell you, but you're just two kids who are different,” he exhaled. “Being different doesn't make you a monster.” Yawning resounded throughout the car.

“You're tired. You should rest.” I was concerned for this man, especially for all that he has done for us.

“Don't worry about me. It is you who should get some sleep.”

“But--” I cut myself off as a yawn escaped my mouth. I tried to fight the urge to give into those human needs, however my body was winning. My muscles relaxed as I surrendered to the realm of dreams.