The Unknown

SIX | return.

"What do you remember last?" Jade's voice, low and commanding, was the first thing Tess heard as she peeled her eyes open. Her face was pressed against something cold and unyielding. It was a tiled floor, she realized, propping herself onto one elbow.

"I was shot." A phantom pain bloomed in her calf, but when she gripped at it, she found it unharmed. "Or did I dream that?"

Jade smiled, offering a hand to help Tess up. "Perfect."

Tess gripped the outstretched hand firmly, head swirling with confusion, and wrenched herself upright.

"We're going to do something very risky but very important."

"What?" Tess asked with a hint of impatience.

"The city has kept people like you and me in cells underground. We're going to free them."

There were flashes in Tess's mind, vague memories of teenagers trapped behind thick metal doors. There was a rush of adrenaline and determination in her blood. This was something she'd wanted to do for a long time, even before this new existence.

Jade saw the growing smile on her face and said, "Good, you're on board. We leave tonight, while the entire military is still deployed downtown, searching the skyscrapers."

Tess said nothing but gave a slight nod of agreement.

It wasn't until Jade left that Tess realized she had no idea where she was. It was a bare room, and the sun was shining into the only window. When she gazed outside, she noted that the grass was speckled with droplets of dew, and the sun draped everything in hazy orange light. It felt like a new morning, which meant she was missing hours of memory. She was sure she hadn't simply fallen asleep. Apparently, she'd been transported across the city from the downtown skyscraper, with no recollection of the journey.

Tess recalled a conversation about being separated from Kyle. She wondered where he was if she was here.

That's when Rosalie entered the room.

"Hey, girl," Rose said and caught Tess in a surprisingly inescapable hug for someone so small.

"Hey," Tess said, but her voice came out flat.

Rosalie backed up, eyeing her face. "What's wrong?"

Tess rubbed at the back of her neck, glancing out the window. "I'm happy to see you, don't get me wrong. It's just that I'm a little...disoriented."

"Jade can probably help with that. Do you want me to get h—"

"No, no. It's fine." Change the subject, she urged herself. "Did you have something to tell me?"

Rose pulled something from her backpack, which looked like a tray of fake fingernails. "I get to do your nails." Rosalie was beaming.

Tess didn't hide her baffled expression, considering they were supposed to be preparing for a potentially deadly mission.

Rosalie practically burst with laughter. "You know I love a good manicure. So Jessie and I developed an idea when we realized how annoying the tranquilizer syringes are. You have to hide them but also be able to pull them out quickly when you need them. It's not practical—but this is. Sharp nails dipped in a powerful tranquilizer. Right at your fingertips."

Tess's eyes widened as Rosalie spoke, impressed. But then she thought of one issue. "What if we accidentally prick ourselves with them?"

"It doesn't work on us. Alien technology. Nanobots or something, who knows."

The two of them sat down, and within an hour, Rosalie was finished applying ten fake nails to Tess's fingers. They were bright red and razor-sharp. She extended and flexed her fingers, enjoying the feeling of power they gave her.

Jade stepped into the room, sat down, and Rosalie began gluing them to her nails, too. "You know, I never thought we'd end up doing our nails when we were grouped together without the guys." She wore a genuine smile, and for a moment, Tess only saw the past memory of her friend. They all laughed together, and it felt certain that everything would be okay.

***

"The military thought their offensive would result in them destroying us. But leaving their assets undefended means we'll only grow in numbers." Jade's eyes looked sharp, deadly, as she spoke.

Tess, who hadn't realized they would be adding these kids to their ranks, swallowed heavily.

They were creeping through the streets, not far from Tess's original home. They had all changed into fitted black combat gear, lightweight but bulletproof. Their destination was the government building where she had once been held captive herself, and met a man called Van. 

They moved silently under cover of nightfall, the roads empty with the city still on lockdown. The only people they passed were a few rebellious teenagers breaking curfew. Tess felt they were not so different from herself, but simultaneously a different species.

Once at the building, they pressed a device to the door, which destroyed the lock with a small pop. Then they strode inside. At the empty reception desk, Jade used a computer to gain access to the security system, disabling the cameras and silent alarms. After this, they hurried down flights of stairs deep into the underground complex.

Through a set of doors, a security guard waited for them. "You're not supposed to be here..." he trailed off. He sounded intimidated. 

"Don't worry, we'll be leaving soon," Rosalie said with a flashy smile, advancing toward him. The man backed up, hand inching toward the weapon at his belt.

Rosalie slowed and reached a hand up to caress his cheek. He halted, seeming entranced, too stunned to move. His eyes went wide as she sunk her fingernail into his flesh, and he sunk immediately to the floor, collapsing in a heap.

"Powerful stuff," Tess murmured, but the others didn't acknowledge her.

The three of them continued, and Tess found herself taking lead, driven by the memory of this place. Her footfalls felt heavy and loud.

It wasn't long before they reached the place that was burned into her memory. Behind an unassuming door was a downward staircase leading into darkness. She found a light switch and flipped it. Rows of old lightbulbs buzzed to life. With this sound came bangs of metal and unhinged shouts and moans.

Jade and Rosalie were unfazed. They didn't waste time in breaking open the padlocks that held the prisoners in their cells. The first boy to emerge caught a glimpse of Rosalie, lavish Blonde hair flowing behind her, and said, "Are you an angel?" His voice was creaky and fragile. Tess was sure his question was serious; his eyes were bulging with confusion and disbelief.

Tess could now accept that they would send these kids to the alien species. It was clear that their bodies and minds would need superhuman intervention to heal. They'd been in solitary confinement, without sunlight and proper nourishment, for around four years. Their own species had failed them.