Sticks and Stones

The Price of a Gamble

Nic woke up in a familiar, horrible smelling place. She knew where she was, even before her eyes opened. She knew she was alone and didn't move from the stiff bed where she was lying. Resolved to stay exactly where she was, and hope that losing Brice had been some horrible nightmare.

When Star woke up he was in a nice room. Honestly one that was much nicer than he had expected. Bucky was leaning on the wall and his head was in Sasha's lap, "Sash..? Is this real? Please tell me I'm not dreaming."

Bucky stood slowly and shook his head slightly, "You're awake. I told you to stay Star." He sighed heavily as Star and Sasha hugged each other tightly.

Sara entered the room and closed the door behind herself, "Star. Good, you're awake. I have a job for you to do." Star looked at her, confusion and defeat mixed in his eyes. "You will test the abilities of your new friends when they get off the tables. Until then, you are in charge of keeping Nic alive."

Star looked confused, "You aren't going to kill me Sara?" She shook her head and smiled slightly, "What if I refuse to do your bidding?"

Sara chuckled slightly, "Then you die by my hands instead of potentially by the hands of your friends." Sasha pulled him closer clinging to him at the thought of losing him again.

Star nodded slightly, "Okay Sara. I understand. What do I need to do for Nic?"

Sara pulled him from Sasha's arms and out the door, leading him down the hall, "Nic is depressed. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid. That's not too hard right?" Sara let him into a cell with a motionless Nic who looked like she had been tossed haphazardly onto a bunk. Star nodded and Sara locked him in the room with Nic, walking away.

Nic didn't move or speak for a few days even with Star's attempts at helping her. After a week, Nic was moving around at least, just not speaking. After that Sara came and took Star away and Nic didn't acknowledge the movement or change.

Sara took Star to what looked like an interrogation room where Eli was clawing at walls and trying to figure out where she was, "Your first friend has survived the procedures. Now go figure out what she can do for me." It was a command and not a question, Star knew that. With a small nod he stepped into the room, startling Eli.

Eli hit her back against the wall and looked at him, "Star? What happened? Why do I feel like this?" Star sighed softly and shrugged, "Do not do that. Everything is so fast... my head's spinning." 

She hit the floor and closed her eyes as Star walked to her side, "What does it feel like?" Eli shook her head, "Eli please. It will end as soon as we figure out what's different."

She looked at him and stood abruptly, "What's different? Star. I can see everything. I can see the probabilities of how you might move, weak points in these walls. It's like my mind is a few moments ahead of everything else. I feel like I'm crazy." She turned and a door flew open letting in a guard that looked familiar to both of them. Eli blinked a moment, "F-Felix?" In a moment she was sedated. 

As Eli was dragged out unconscious Sara walked in, "Good job Star. Too bad that Kale didn't make it. I was really curious about him." Star looked at Sara as pieces began falling in place in his mind.

Star looked at her, "Sara. How old are you?"

Sara just smiled and tilted her head slightly, "Why Star. You know you're the first to ask a question that good. Does it matter? I have a feeling you already know too much."

Star could feel his chest tighten, "There is no place off of this planet, is there? It's just this place."

Sara smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "Oh, Star. You poor child. You really do know too much, don't you?" Star shook his head backing away from the mad woman in front of him, not even noticing the door behind him open slowly letting in Amber, whose eyes were now a shimmering pearl white with Bucky at her side. oddly enough his eyes were a pearly pink color, like his red mixed with the color of Amber's new eye color.

"Sara. What is going on here?" The fear in his voice was real. His heart pounding like it might burst in his chest.

Sara glanced over his shoulder at Amber, "Fifty years of experiments. That's how long we have been functioning here. Weeding out the weak, pulling in the ones with the most potential, the others become employees here for safety. You really thought there was a happily ever after? I was the first success here, and I'm fifty six. I aged very well after the experiments, didn't I?" Star shook his head and looked behind himself.

He froze, "Amber? Wait. What's going on?" He looked between the two females in the room and Sara gave Amber a small nod.

Amber smiled slightly, "I didn't know I would feel like this. You have no idea how good this feels for me Star." The sweet child he had at one time helped sounded like a completely different person. Her voice made his legs feel weak and he suddenly felt compelled to fall at Amber's feet and do whatever she wanted. "Bucky, my love, I think Star knows too much." Star felt himself wanting to nod and agree with her words. Star's knees hit the ground as Bucky glared at him, "Take care of him for me love?" She touched Bucky's cheek lightly, "And don't make this hard Star."

Star nodded, feeling himself hang on her every word as Bucky walked to Star and snapped his neck with ease. The sound shaking the milky shade from his eyes. He looked at Sara and then Amber, "Amber? What..?"

Amber walked to him and touched his arm gently, "He tried to hurt me my love... You saved me." She fell into his arms and he held her close gently kissing her head.

Sara smiled slightly, "Good job Amber, I knew I could trust you to be a leader with me. I do apologize about Benjamin's fate though. Poor boy almost made it through the procedures too. He lasted longer than Kaleb, which surprised even me."

Amber looked at Sara and then at Bucky, "Thank you for not locking me away and making my new ability drive me insane from lack of use."

Sara nodded, "Of course my child. Of course." The three walked out together as another guard walked in and began to move Star's body, and clean the room from Eli's episode.