The Joining of Four and Seven (I Am Number Four/NCIS Crossover)

Chapter Four

Totally boss cover made by marvelously_crazed! :)

***

Three Years Ago

The Hollywood Hills

She runs through brambles and thickets as fast as she can, supposed to be pursuing a suspect. Why she had decided to go outside in the middle of the night, she has no idea. She just knows that she saw someone murder someone and that it's her job to catch him. 

She's in fact so distracted that she doesn't pay attention when she runs into another figure who seems the same age as her.

"OW!" she shrieks, falling back and landing on her butt.

The other figure sits up, rubbing her head. She's a few months younger than Marina, her dark hair streaked with orange. She glares at Marina with a piercing brown gaze. "I'll say, I was going just fine until you showed up!"

Marina grumbles, standing up and brushing her pants off. "I was chasing a killer!"

The girl stops short. "You're not here to kill me?"

Marina frowns, shaking her head. "No, why?"

The girl sighs. "I escaped from a science lab. They . . . did something to me."

Marina nods. "I'm not normal, either."

"Yeah, a federal agent who's . . . what, twelve isn't normal," the girl drawls.

Marina looks around, making sure no one's nearby. Then she slides up her pant leg and takes her Loric pendant out from under her shirt. The other girl's eyes widen when she sees the swirling Loric numbers branded into her ankles and the number on her pendant. "I'm an alien," she replied casually. "From a planet called Lorien. I've got super speed, strength, and soon enough, I'll be getting more. If you think that you're different, think about me."

The girl nods her understanding. "Do you know how to control them?"

Marina shakes her head. "My Cêpan - my guardian, Gibbs - and I are always busy at NCIS to even pay attention to what I can do."

The girl beckons to her, going down a path Marina can't see. "I can help," she offered. "I've been training ever since I escaped."

Marina frowns, starting to follow slowly. "What's the catch?"

The girl grins over her shoulder. "Could you show me how to shoot so if the lab finds me again, I can defend myself?"

Marina considers. She finally nods. "What's your name?"

"Savannah Starlight. I usually went by Savvy when I was younger, though."

Marina nods again. "I'm Marina Nightshade. If you want my Loric number, I'm Seven."

***

Present Day

Paradise, Ohio

Marina shakes her head in amazement, running over and hugging Savannah to death, who hugged her back. "I can't believe it!"

"Neither can I," Savannah laughed, pulling away and flicking her bangs back. "I ran for all my life's worth to get here. What're you doing in Paradise?"

"I'm undercover," Marina replied quickly before John, Sam, and Sarah could get within hearing distance. "My name now is Annalise Ramaya."

Savannah nodded her understanding. "Which reminds me, I changed mine for a while to Aliyah Sayegh." She grinned. "And it's not Anastasia now?" she joked.