CHAPTER 1
We were trapped in the DNA AlterationExperimentation Laboratory, otherwise knownas DAEL. It's a whack-job science lab whoselocation is unknown. There, innocent creatures are torturedfor the "sake of science and the wellbeing of mankind." Thescientists preferred to experiment on human children becausewe aren't fully developed and because it's easier to collectdata.
The main experiments are human hybrids—humanswhose DNA has been spliced and blended with that of anothercreature. I, for example, am a human-bird hybrid and Sara isa three-way blend of human, bird, and cat.
As a result of the experiments the two of us had wingsgrowing out of our backs, right between our shoulder blades, anda thin trail of tiny down feathers growing along our spines.
The scientists would perform torturous experimentson us and then throw us back into our cages. Talk aboutinhumane.
Sara and I survived together for three years. We were eachother's moral support. Many other experiments had long gonemad while we remained sane because we had each other.
Every day, we would wish each other luck as we were takenaway for another test, and after it was over, we would silentlytalk about it through my telepathic abilities.
I wasn't the only one who had gained a new ability.Sara could make her fingernails turn into three-inch claws. Isuppose it was one of the perks of being part cat.
All day we would silently talk and help each other throughthe pain. Not just physical pain, but emotional pain too. Dayafter day we would sit in our cages and watch the hybridsaround us die.
Once, I thought angrily to Sara, I can't take this anymore!We're just sitting here while innocent lives are taken by theday.
She thought back sadly, I know. This is driving me insane,but what in the world can we do?
I straightened and said out loud, "We escape, that'swhat."
She stared at me like I had just said I was going to shootmyself. Other hybrid experiments turned to stare with wideeyes.
I thought to Sara, I know that we can't save all of them.Just think about how many hybrids could be here. We couldsave a lot, though.
There is no way it would work, Sara answered. Remember,there are tons of cameras everywhere.
We will escape, or die trying. I don't care how long it takes.I just hope it's soon. Just then a scientist entered the room andstopped in front of my cage.
"Subject 26, you are needed in Lab 9." He opened the cagedoor and led me out.
I'll be back soon, I thought quickly to my friend. She justsmiled and nodded. I was led into the brightly lit hallway andpast dozens of rooms. The scientist stopped in front of a door.It was labeled but I couldn't read it.
It was a large testing room with a huge, transparentPlexiglas box standing in its center. The scientist opened thedoor to the box, shoved me in, and locked the door.
He stepped back and two warhounds—half human, halfwolves that were bred to kill—took his place, standing guardat the door, their amber eyes wide in hunger and their tonguesswiping across their hairy gray muzzles.
Over a loudspeaker I heard, "Begin test in three, two,one."
The walls of the box began to close in on me, literally. Iinstantly panicked.
My heart pounded hard and my breathing was fast anduneven. I balled my hands into fists so tightly, my nails duginto my flesh and my right hand began to bleed. The painforced me to uncurl my fist. As I held my hand out, not only diddrops of blood fall to the floor, but so did a small metal key.
The walls were touching my wings when I thought, I wasnever given a key. I picked up the bloody key and fit it intothe lock of the door. The walls were squeezing my shouldersand threatening to crush my wings.
I turned the key. With a click the door opened and I ranout. A warhound grabbed my arm, its ragged claws digginginto my skin. Blood ran down my arm as I let out a pain-filledscream.
A white-coat stepped forward and yelled, "Stop! Don'tdamage it!"
I thought angrily, I am not an it! I'm a person.
Another white-coat ran up as the warhound put me down."It's incredible!" he said. "It was able to scramble the atoms inthe air to create its own way out."
"I know, it's amazing," the first scientist replied.
My eyes widened. Unfortunately they didn't say anythingelse before they took me back to Home Sweet Cage.
Automatically Sara asked out loud, "What happened?"I reached through the bars and slapped my hand over hermouth.
Shh! Be quiet, will you? I thought to her. I think I gaineda new ability.
Her eyes widened like an owl's. What? How?
They tried to crush me in a giant box.
So, what's your new ability?
I'm not exactly sure. Apparently, I can make stuff out ofthese things called atoms that are in the air, I answered.
Wow! Do you think you can show me?
Um, I'll try, I thought back.
I held out my hand and concentrated on making a keyto the cages. After a few seconds I began to see what lookedlike particles of dust clustering together in the form of a key.It looked almost solid, but then it shattered and the particlesdisappeared altogether.
The other hybrids had been watching. Their expressionsturned from amazement to disappointment. They probablyhad thought I could have gotten them out if it had worked.
The boy in the cage across from me stared at me withlight gray eyes. He was fifteen, two years older than me. Helooked completely normal, but he could change the color ofhis hair and eyes, and he could completely change into a bigblack raven.
I accidentally picked up on his thoughts: I thought shecould get us out for sure but I guess that isn't happening.
That's not true! I will get us out.
Oops. I shouldn't have done that. Understanding floodedinto his widened eyes.
So that's why you and the Cat stare at each other all day,he thought.
Yeah, and she's not a cat. Her name is Sara. And yours is?
A name? I don't have one. Do you?
Of course I do! It's Jay.
He began to list different names in his head. At one pointhe had considered the name Max, but thought better of it.
I guess my name could be ... No. How 'bout—
How 'bout I just call you Sam?
He looked surprised at my suggestion but shrugged. Whynot?
Footsteps sounded at the door and a white-coat steppedin. He turned the lights off and left. The door closed and wewere enveloped in darkness. Because I had hawklike vision,for me it wasn't total darkness.
Sam sent one final thought. Good night, Jay.
After a few minutes of quiet, Sara surprised me by asking,So who is the creepy raven boy?
I turned to look. Her eyes seemed to glow in theblackness.
He's just a boy named Sam.
She smiled, closed her eyes, and went to sleep.
I didn't sleep. Instead I practiced making things out ofthat atom stuff in the air. By the time I blacked out fromexhaustion, I was able to make a drop of water and an ant.Cool, I can make living things too. My training had begun.
CHAPTER 2
After a week of practice, I went from making a dropof water to a cup of water and from an ant to amouse. Within weeks, I had made a bunch of stuff,like a gallon of water, a hawk-both of which dissipated once Ireleased my concentration-, and a lot more.
I still couldn't make the key I needed though. Each time Itried...
