Ted muttered something, and Rachel furiously said something back. Sighing, I stood up and looked around again, wondering if there was anything I could use to remove the bars on the window. Shifting, I ran my hands over the stainless grey steel and sighed again. It was going to take a miracle, and I, unfortunately, was fresh out.
The Service had caught me again, and taken precautions against anymore ‘escapades’, as they called it. My ‘freedom’, as I called it, would not be handed over so easily. Not that there was anyone beside me who probably even cared, but even an orphaned freak doesn’t like cages.
I fingered the material of my jacket, glaring once more at the door, where the now faintly whispered conference of foster guardians was taking place. Stupid. Apparently they hadn’t been completely briefed on the strangeness that was Nicky Dell. The odd, blonde girl that had no history. Lucky for them. At least they didn’t have to be me, stuck in one room forever, or at least until the Service was tired of giggling themselves silly over me.
Taking off the jacket finally and revealing the thin undershirt I wore, I stretched, wingtips brushing the walls. Smiling, I smoothed one of them.
The soft down feathers, black and white speckled, grew from between my shoulder blades, and the tiny fluff continued down to the small dip in my lower back, black threads of some kind of vein circling and stopping suddenly right above my waist line. They ached from confinement, and I didn’t want the new ‘parents’ seeing them.
No matter how high up in the Service you were, only the scientists and my personal watcher were ever told about the wings, for some reason. But as I was about to relax, a key scratched at the door handle, and I quickly fumbled with the jacket, enclosing them in the bulkiness and zipping it up tight.
The door swung open, and I glared at the tall black-haired woman who stood there.
“Barbara.” I growled the word.
She smiled sweetly and walked over, taking my hand and dragging me from the room, dumping me in the hallway.
“Now Nicole, don’t you think it was rude of you to ignore the Michaels’ request to come out of your room for lunch and supper? They are your new parents, after all,” her grip was like iron, but it didn’t hurt.
I extracted my fingers from hers and stood, shorter by a good three inches, and spit savagely, “They are not my parents! They aren’t even briefed on any of this.”
“Actually, Nicky, we are,” Rachel spoke, voice soft.
“Really? What do you know, then?”
Ted stepped up now and said, “We were told that you have some unique issues and needed special attention. Also, you needed a strong family since you also have abandonment issues.”
I couldn’t help it. I was speechless. But just when Ted smiled, I busted out laughing. Where did the placement department come up with this stuff?
“Nicole,” Barbara’s voice was low, warning me. A threat. I smirked.
“Yeah, I’ve got some ‘issues’. You might say that."
Rachel smiled understandingly, and nodded, “The agent also told us you have a strong imagination and should be indulged. But Nicky, we’d rather work with you to keep your feet on the ground, instead of in the clouds, daydreaming.”
“You don’t believe me,” I muttered, “I don’t blame you.”
I touched the jacket’s zipper, contemplating.
“Nicole.” Barbara hissed, glaring at me.
That made the decision for me. I unzipped the jacket, and as Ted and Rachel walked forward with kind, confused smiles, I spread my wings.
They froze. Barbs cursed and got out her shiny black cell phone, calling the Service.
I stood silent for a moment, before realizing something, the breeze from the ceiling fan blowing through my feathers and down my exposed back.
The windows out here didn’t have any bars.
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