My lids cracked open and blinding white light streamed in. I shut my eyes again. The smell of bleach and chemicals assaulted my nostrils, burning all the way down my throat.

I must be in the hospital.

Memories came back in short clips. The broken glass.The battered truck laying on its roof. Noah and Peter. My eyes shot wide open and the blazing white light burned. I clenched my teeth, waiting for my eyes to adjust. Slowly my vision started to creep back in. My fingers grazed the cool stone I was lying on and with a shock, I realized I was most certainly not in the hospital.

The first thing I saw was the metal bars. I was locked in a cage that wasn't even big enough for me to stand in.  Noah and Peter were in the cage next to mine, their bodies slumped against the bars. The steady rise and fall of their chests told me they were still alive. Peter's lip was split open and Noah had a large cut on his forehead just above his eye. Other than that they seemed fine.

I let out a relieved sigh and surveyed my surroundings. We were being held in a small room which had no windows and only one solid door. My heart started pumping wildly and a slow rhythm was painfully pounding in my head. We needed to get out of here and fast. 

The handle on the door turned before I could further contemplate my situation, revealing a pair of black shoes before Miranda walked in closing the door behind her.  She had a white lab coat on with a black pencil skirt sticking out from underneath. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun and for a moment she looked almost normal. 

Walking over to the lone table she set down a clipboard and her gaze landed on me. Her face remained cool and distant as she walked over to me. She moved with grace and precision like she has done this a thousand times over.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth.

Taking out a small recording device she pressed a button and spoke, "Subject X is cognitive after a lethal dose of sedatives. Progress is remarkable, we can move forward to the next stage. Any bruises and injuries suffered during the accident have healed."  

She spoke as if I wasn't even there like I was some sort of animal for her to do tests on. My anger started to simmer low and steady until it started to boil over the brim. Her words drilled into my brain as I tried to make sense of everything.

Miranda turned to look at me as I held on to the bars of my cage with a white-knuckled grip. 

She sighed, "Subject seems to be showing signs of aggression, although contained."

"Contained my ass," I said gritting my teeth.

Miranda pressed the button on her recorder stopping it and walked closer to my cage.

"What do you want from me?"

I looked over to see Noah and Peter still passed out, I needed to think of a way to get us out of here. I kept my mouth shut refusing to speak to this woman. She had single-handedly destroyed my life. Rage boiled in my stomach until it felt like it was liquefying my veins.

"You are different from the others. You are strong, fast, you can heal quickly. Your body isn't deteriorating and you still have your humanity. I'd say there's a lot I want from you but we'll leave that for a later stage."

Walking to the edge of my cage she dipped down until she was eye level with me.

"If you think I'm going to be your lab rat, you're wrong." 

"I don't think you have a choice," she pointed to where Noah and Peter were passed out, "Their lives might depend on it."

"How do I know you're not just going to kill them like you tried killing me?"

"That was unfortunate, you were already dead the moment Dr, Benette reached you," She tapped her chin with a manicured finger, "although now I see it as a happy accident. At first, I didn't recognize you, but the moment I did I asked Simon to keep an eye on you. Just to confirm my suspicions. I must say you surpassed all my expectations."

That was a shock. Simon had been watching me all along. So that's why he was at the dance, not to keep Leah out of trouble but to spy on me. We were stupid to think we could remain in the dark forever. If only I had seen the signs, then none of us would be in this mess.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"Sydney this has got nothing to do with you personally. It's all in the name of science, to better the human race. Imagine a world with no sickness, a world where soldiers don't have to die on the battlefield. And imagine being the person responsible for such a great change. You have no idea what important part you are playing in all of this."

"Stop pretending like you're some sort of patriot trying to save the world. You have hurt and killed so many innocent people. You are the real monster. I will never let you do this to me."

"Innocent people? Oh, you mean Dr. Benette? Well, how innocent could she have been if she started this whole thing? You see it was her serum that made you what you are now. You can't hide away from what you are and you can't change it." 

Her words slammed into me at about a mile a minute. There was no cure and I would stay this thing forever and one day lose my sanity.

Peter groaned and pushed himself up against the bars. His eyes squinted until they widened in shock. Tongue darting out he licked his lip and winced. When he looked around his gaze fell on me and Miranda.

Moving forward he grabbed the bars but remained silent.

"Oh, I see your friend is awake. The Bennett's have been a thorn in my side for far too long." 

Peter's jaw ticked, "Where is my sister, what have you done with her?"

Dr. Freeman laughed and moved closer to his cage, "Dr. Miranda Freeman, but you already knew that" she rubbed her hands together and then smiled, "I'm sorry to tell you Peter, but your sister is dead and not from my hand." 

Peter's facade cracked, along with his heart. He sucked in a ragged breath with his face frozen in shock. Soon that started to fade as blazing fury colored his features, twisting his face into a sneer. 

"What did you do to her?" 

Peter's voice was laced in ice and I felt myself trembling. It was like watching a car accident in slow motion. You knew there would be carnage and chaos but you were unable to stop it. 

Miranda looked between me and Peter. When her gaze caught mine a sly smile spread across her mouth. A chill traveled down my spine and I tried swallowing the lump in my throat. In her eyes I saw her mind working, the wheels turning as she assessed the situation.

"Oh, he doesn't know does he?" she asked pointing a finger to Peter.

"Don't know what?"

"Oh you poor dear," Miranda said in a fake caring voice, "Your new friend here is responsible for the death of your sister. You see, Emilia created a serum that was meant to change the course of humanity as we know it. Instead, she tried to sabotage everything I had worked for. So, I used her own creation on her. She's the one who changed Sydney. But she was very much alive last time I saw her."

Peter's face blanched and his eyes went even wider. Ever so slowly his head turned in my direction his eyes blazing into mine.

Miranda walked casually towards his cage and kneeled in front of him.

"You see nothing could have saved your sister from her change but her death was not at my hands."

As she spoke his eyes never left mine, a burning hatred illuminated his eyes and his silence spoke volumes louder than a crowd of people. I felt how his hate and loss held me in place. It sucked the air out of my lungs until I was unable to speak or defend myself.

Miranda slowly rose to her feet, "You two seem to have a lot to talk about," she walked the door, turning back she gave me a small nod, "Remember my deal, Sydney, their lives will depend on your decision."

She walked out and the door clicked softly as it locked tightly in place. A deafening silence left in her wake.

My throat felt thick and tears burned my eyes, "Peter..."

"Don't even try and explain this"

"Peter, please" I pleaded.

"What! What can you possibly say to make me listen? You killed her!" Peter screamed, breaking the silence.

The blow of his words knocked all of the fights I had left out. Like blowing out a candle in a dark room. Tears pricked at my eyes but I didn't say anything. 

"You killed her! All this time you knew, you knew I would never see her again. All because of you!" Peter said shaking his head.

Tears welled in his eyes and I felt like my guts were being ripped apart.

Noah stirred next to Peter, groaning as he finally woke up.

"Where are we?" he asked in a groggy voice and flinched when he touched the cut on his forehead.

Peter's burning gaze swung to Noah. His eyes went wide before Peter had him pushed against the cage.

"What the hell man?"

"I'm telling both of you to know, once I get out of here I'm going straight to the police!"

He shoved Noah hard and then moved to the edge of the cage. He was shaking with barely controlled rage. I had no idea what to say to him, what could ever make the news he had just heard any better? This was all my fault, I should have told him. I couldn't change what happened but I could have been honest about it. It was the least I could do.

Peter didn't know the full story. He had no idea of the condition his sister had been in before she was killed. He didn't know that she was about to kill us. All he knew that his sister was killed and I had been pointed out as the murderer. 

"Peter please just listen, I didn't know." I tried again.

He was still shaking but refused to meet my eyes or acknowledge me in any way.

I still continued, "We didn't know, we were attacked by what we thought was a monster. I didn't even know what was happening and I only realized it was a person after," I took a large gulp of air before continuing, the memory of my grief and guilt all charging to the forefront of my mind.

"She's the one who changed me, I didn't know that until after she attacked us. The person you knew as your sister was long gone, Peter. Whatever Dr. Freeman turned her into made her a monster who was going to kill us." 

"Just shut up," it was barely a whisper.

Noah looked between me and Peter clearly lost as to what was happening. He gave me a questioning look but I shook my head. I should be the one to tell him everything. I should have told him everything from the start. Now Miranda has found a crack in our small group and turned it into a crater. 

"Peter you need to hear this, you should have heard this long ago and for that, I'm truly sorry," tears were now freely running over my cheeks, running down to my chin and landing softly on my jacket.

"I'm so sorry for what happened to your sister, no amount of words can ever say how truly sorry I am, no one deserves that. And I am sorry for the part I played in her...death," my voice cracked and a sob escaped my lips.

I saw Peter's shoulders shake, he pulled his knees to his chest, resting his head in his arms. Silent sobs racked his body as he processed everything I was saying. My guilt felt like it was going to consume me as I looked at the broken boy in the cage next to me. I had caused that, whether knowingly or not. It didn't matter. 

"Can someone please tell me what's going on and where the hell we are?" Noah asked clearly frustrated.

I wiped my face with the sleeve of my jacket. Taking a deep breath, I decided to give Peter some space to absorb everything I have said. He needed to come to terms with everything he just heard and I needed to update Noah.

"We're in Biotech, Miranda Freeman rammed into us and brought us here," I sniffed, my nose stuffy after crying and feeling emotionally drained.

"How did they know about us?" Noah asked.

I looked over to him, Peter still hadn't spoken but his sobs seemed to have stopped. His breathing was still erratic telling me he was awake and merely listening.

"She remembered me, Noah, she had Simon following me all along."

Noah hissed out a breath and slammed his fist into the concrete floor, "Shit! We were so careful."

"Nothing much we could have done, I mean they remembered me, so I'm the one who got you guys into this mess."

"Not true, I was in this because of my sister," Peter finally spoke, his voice no longer laced with ferocity but also not kindness. 

"So what now?" Noah asked.

I was surprised he didn't ask about what happened between me and Peter as he looked curious. I was also immensely happy that he didn't. This was something I would have to work out with Peter on my own and right now, was not place. 

"Wait, what did Miranda mean by your decision, Syd?"

He finally turned around directing the question towards me.

I swallowed the bile that rose in my throat at the mere thought of what was going to happen to me. Right now I needed to focus on getting us out of here and staying away from Miranda. Whatever was between me and Peter would have to wait, for now.

"She wants to do tests on me, apparently I'm different than the others," I shot a glance in Peter's direction and then continued, "and unless I do so willingly she's going to kill you two."

Noah's face went stark white as his eyes widened, "Syd, please tell me you're not seriously considering it?"

"Yeah like that psycho bitch would really let us walk just like that," Peter remarked.

I sighed, "He's right, we can't trust that she's not going to go back on her word and besides she doesn't really need my say at all. It's a mind game."

"So she's trying to see if she's got a hold on you?" Noah asked.

"Exactly, but we're not going to let her get her way," Peter said.

I shook my head, it was odd to see Peter on our side even after what he had just heard. 

"So what do you want to do, Syd?"

I looked at Noah, "We need to try and find a way out of this place, and fast."

Peter tapped on the cage pulling our attention to him.

"Just so we're crystal clear, the moment we get out of here, I never want to see you two ever again. Is that clear?"

I swallowed hard, Peter was just using us to get out of here and in truth, I didn't blame him. I nodded my head once, I understood, put in his position I would probably want to do the same thing and I was going to give it to him. Now, all we had to do was escape the high-tech facility, get past Miranda and whatever horrors lurked in this place. All before she came back. Peter was right, even if I gave her what she wanted she would not let them leave here alive, not with everything they knew.