The Alliance

T H R E E

I lick my lips at the sight of scrambled eggs, toast and oatmeal. "What's your name?" I peer at her as she throws me a glance over her shoulder.

"Doris. And you're Valerie Adams right?" Adams. I had not heard that name in months but it was one I went by for twenty-one years. Hearing someone call me that felt like a shock, almost as if everything that had happened was merely a dream. I had to shake the weird sensation off.

"Yes." I answered quietly looking away from her and outside the window. Through the bars I saw an endless forest surrounding the outer part of the facility. Beautiful grass and flowers made up the lawn where patients were allowed to stroll the grounds and enjoy fresh air and sunlight.

"You like the outdoors?" Doris asks, but I do not bother looking back over at her.

"Love it." I breathe, watching as a pretty blue bird flies by my window.

"If you are on good behavior, perhaps I could take ya for a walk?" She leaves the desk, flats clapping against the tile floor. Heading for the door I see her pause from my peripheral. When I looked over to her I found her watching me with sad eyes. The look made my stomach drop and I had no idea why. It was almost like she pitied me. "Dr. Yu will be in shortly to discuss your treatment plan as well as your schedule and goals," I wanted to laugh, the only goal I had was to get the heck out of here, "then when he finishes up I will come get you for Free Time, 'kay?" She grabbed a set of clothes from the cart that she laid on a small round table next to the door, it too was nailed into the floor.

My eyebrows wrinkled but she winked and left, locking the door behind her, before I could ask what free time was exactly. Looking over to where the food awaited me, I cautiously watched the door but hurried over to it. Some part of me knew it was probably stupid of me to eat food given to me by these people but I was so hungry, and would need my strength if I had any hope of getting out of here. I ate quickly, never allowing my gaze to falter from the door. When I heard footsteps nearing, I swallowed what was left and gulped down some water before running back to my bed. The lock twisted before the door was thrust open, and a tall, slender man with a head of thinning black hair walked in, thick black framed glasses perched on his beak-like nose. His almond shaped eyes fasted on me, the mocha depths assessing me quickly. He pulls a chair from the hallway into my room and closes the door behind him, holding a black folder between his side and arm. He is dressed semi-casual in jeans, black shiny dress shoes, and black fitted blazer over a maroon button up he had tucked into his pants. He looked exactly how I would imagine a therapist would it was almost incredibly cheesy.

"Good morning Valerie, how are you?" His tone is cool, clipped and professional. A total opposite from the sweet Miss Doris.

I observe him the same way he had me, watching as he takes a seat on the seat he brought with him, placing it a comfortable distance from where I sat on the bed. "Fine." I answer simply, mimicking his professional demeanor. I could play along, but I refused to act crazy. Yelling at them that I was a super who had been kidnapped and dropped off here, only to be drugged by two psycho nurses that had yet to show up again, would surely get me locked into a padded cell. I could not even prove it because my powers had been asleep ever since yesterday, images of that woman last night injecting me flashing in my mind. I would bet a million dollars it was Poise. Yeah, I would look downright batshit, exactly what I am sure Krista and her two helpers wanted.

"What do you have planned for today?" I did not really know how to answer that. He asked it so casually it was almost like I had the option of saying, well I think today I will be heading home! He flips his binder open, pulling out a black pen and begins scribbling on it.

"Um, I'm not sure, actually."

He looks up at me, hand ready to take notes. "That's okay. They told me you just got in last night, so I will be going over your schedule with you. How does that sound?"