The Atlantis Girl

by S. A. Beck

  Akiko was convinced she wouldn’t be able to lie on the test results, either. Thanks to the intelligence analyst, Meade would have more than enough evidence to the contrary, even if she said the subject wasn’t a match. The girl fit the profile. She had the characteristic hyperintelligence. She had the unique botany abilities that Akiko hadn’t seen in any other patients. She didn’t know if the girl was just as strong or fast as the other participants, but she had a history of strength disproportionate to her size. Akiko had no idea if the girl could read minds or use mental powers to move objects around, but the patient had all the other signs of an Atlantis gene carrier.

  They traveled the rest of the trip in silence. Across the seat from Akiko, General Meade was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to pay her any mind. He needed to figure out how to get the teenager under his care, and he had to do it in a way that wouldn’t get any dirt on his hands.

  The initial six subjects were over twenty-five and had health challenges from poor eating habits, smoking, and drinking. None of them were suitable for anything more than harvesting stem cells and studying their genomes. With a young, healthy, viable subject like the teenager, the possibilities were endless for what could transpire. Meade envisioned a prototype special agent with the Atlantis gene, one capable of feats no human counterpart could match. With training, education, and the remolding of her psyche, this Jaxon Ares Andersen could be the one.

  He rubbed his hands together restlessly. Soon, very soon, she would be his.

  Chapter 11

  APRIL 25, 2016, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

  11:00 AM

  There was a tap on Anthony’s doorframe, and he glanced up to see the director of the group home. “Uh, I’ll call you back, Brady.” He hastily hung up the phone and smiled at Mr. Vance. “What can I do for you, sir?” He had been trying to find out if Brady would come down for the Forever Welcome group home Annual Friends and Family Day. Once a year, the residents were allowed to invite outsiders to come see their home. It was the opportune time to get Brady to meet Jaxon, but that conversation would have to wait. The director of the facility appeared to be in a hurry.

  The gray-haired man in the sable three-piece suit ambled into the office with a folder in hand. “Not here to chat. I’m already late. Just stopped by to drop off a file for an incoming student.”

  “Ah! Another newbie.” Anthony brightened. He accepted the thin file. “Male or female?”

  “Sixteen-year-old girl. Make sure you get her placed and settled. I won’t be here for the intake. Do we have to move around anybody to make room? I can’t remember the last demographic printout.”

  “Not at all, sir. The last resident, Jaxon Andersen, has a free bed in her room. Oh, sir, I wanted to talk to you about Jaxon when you get a moment.” It occurred to Anthony he could ask the facility director how best to promote Jaxon’s excellence without leaving her prey to exploitation.

  “It will have to wait until I get back, Hollis. I’ve got a plane to catch and a vacation to enjoy. Good riddance to babysitting overgrown teenagers.” Mr. Vance chuckled.

  “Forgot you were off the rest of the week.”

  “You’d think with all those sticky notes, you’d be more on top of things. Please tell me you have everything together for the open house next month.”

  “Got it covered,” said Anthony. He had only a few preparations left, but he’d have things in place once classes were over for the semester. Anthony had already met with the rest of the staff to get the grounds ready, and he had a shipment of party supplies on the way. Invitations were being sent by the residents.

  Mr. Albert Vance breezed through the arch but tossed a word of advice over his shoulder. “Oh, and Anthony, do something about this place, would you? You realize you don’t have a door to hide this mess behind.”

  “Will do, sir.” With a sigh, Anthony flipped open the file folder for the new resident and perused the contents. Loose papers slipped from his desk, but he didn’t notice. There was always something slipping, sliding, or falling in his cluttered office. The new resident was Ginger Edwards. Interestingly enough, there was little information on her background. The file contained only her name, date of birth, blood type and health information, emergency contact numbers, and transcript with her grades.

  He frowned at the lack of accompanying paperwork. “Maybe her caseworker will bring it over when he or she gets here.” He shrugged his shoulders and set the folder aside. Anthony wrote a quick note and ran upstairs to Jaxon’s room. He hoped she wouldn’t mind. In fact, he knew she probably wouldn’t. The girl outside playing with other residents was a far cry from the girl who had first arrived at the group home. Anthony said with pleasure as he went back to his office, “Well, it can’t be a bad thing that she’s finally coming into herself.”

  Chapter 12

  APRIL 25, 2016, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

  3:30 PM

  She was getting a roommate. Jaxon had received the message when she came in from extracurriculars, spent down in the basement with Otto and his friends. She stared at the note from Dr. Hollis and chewed on a fingernail, trying to decide whether the news was a good thing or a bad thing. She had been at Forever Welcome group home for over two months, and that was probably the longest stretch of time in her life that she’d had a room to herself. She glanced over at the half of the room that still looked untouched and pristine. Jaxon had hardly taken up all the space.

  The evening sunlight pierced through the blinds of the bay window, slanted across the black duvet, and lit the green throw pillows on the narrow twin bed. The writing desk that wasn’t in use had a thin layer of dust coating the surface, while Jaxon’s desk was neatly organized with a stack of workbooks, her smartphone perched on a corner and charging. There were still empty drawers in the dresser bureau and still room in the closet for someone else’s belongings. She had known from the very beginning—Dr. Hollis had warned her—she would eventually have to share that space with someone else. She just wondered what sort of person she would be rooming with and whether she could get used to having her sanctuary invaded by someone else again.

  In the time she had been at the group home, Jaxon found that the experience had lived up to her expectations. She had been prepared for the bullying because Jaxon had dealt with being picked on and harassed nearly all her life. She wasn’t surprised by the structured environment and rigorous class schedules, either. Considering the group home was an award-winning facility, of course they would push their residents to excel. While she had been scared out of her wits the day Dr. Hollis told her he was putting her in advanced placement classes, she was doing well. Her final GPA reflected high marks across the board. But for all the encounters she had expected, Jax had also had some unexpected events along the way.

  She had met and become close friends with some remarkable people. She respected and admired Dr. Hollis, despite his meddling. He had made it clear that he wanted only what was best for her. The psychiatrist was dreaming of university admissions and doctorates in her future. He was trying to prepare her for a world outside of foster care, and she appreciated his doggish tenacity, even if it meant she had to evade questions about the so-called top-secret plant formula he thought she had created.

  Jaxon had a love interest, a thoughtful, intriguing guy who knew all her hidden capabilities and didn’t look at her as if she was some kind of freak. It was strange and lovely that she could count on Otto to listen to her problems, to come to her aid when needed, and to make her feel included. Even more impressive, his acceptance of her led to other residents at the group home taking her into the flock and making Jaxon feel a part. Even Lizzie had scaled back her verbal jabs. Getting points docked and being scrutinized more closely after Otto wrote her up had forced the bully to leave Jaxon alone.

  The most life-changing things that had happened, however, were deeply intimate and personal and had little to do with the residence itself. She was changing. She was growing into someone who didn’t immediately le
an toward distrust and defensiveness. Jax was still a fighter, but she didn’t have to fight anymore. No longer focused on trying to stay one step ahead of her enemies, she was starting to focus more on herself, and the self-discoveries were only leading to more questions.

  Jax dropped the note on the dresser bureau and stepped into her bathroom to shower and get dressed for dinner. Otto would be waiting.

  She was different from other people. Otto knew that, but what would others think of her if they knew? Jaxon had always been vaguely aware she was abnormally strong. She had chalked it up to adrenaline rushes fueled by anger. Yet even when other people were angry, they couldn’t do the things she could. And she had also added the trick with plants to her growing list of capabilities. Not for the first time, Jaxon wondered about her past. Who the heck was she? What was she?

  She wondered how much longer she could keep what was happening to her a secret, especially with someone else in her personal space. Jax sighed and shook her head at her reflection. The more people who knew about her, the more danger she was in. She would have to tread carefully.

  On Monday evening a week later, at the start of the new month, Ginger Edwards finally made her appearance. Jaxon almost missed her arrival, wrapped up as she was with preparations for final exams. The spring semester was coming to a close. She had reports and assignments due.

  “Oh!” Jaxon had exclaimed, surprised. She had burst through the door in a rush to change into gym shorts and a T-shirt, determined not to make it to the basement in her day clothes. She had completely forgotten the girl was even coming until she walked into the room after classes and saw Ginger sitting on the bed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were here already.”

  “Hi!” Ginger responded brightly. “Ginger Edwards. I’m your new roommate, but nobody told me your name, but that doesn’t matter because now we have plenty of time to get to know each other. I’m so happy to meet you. I was wondering what you’d be like on the whole ride over here and hoping you’d be like the sister I’ve always wanted. I’ve always felt like an only child.” She was bubbly and vivacious.

  Ginger had translucent pale skin splashed with a smattering of brown freckles, eyes bluer than dawn, and coppery-red hair. She hopped up from the bed and rushed over to pull Jaxon into a tight hug.

  Jax was taken aback, uncomfortable with the overly friendly girl’s awkward embrace. Jaxon chuckled nervously to hide her uneasiness. “Um, nice to meet you, too.”

  Ginger grabbed her hand and pulled Jaxon over to her bed, plopping down with a cheerful smile and staring into Jaxon’s face. “Tell me everything about you. I’ve been trying to picture you ever since I heard I’d have a roommate my age here. At first, I worried you’d be all, like, all dark and Goth or something. This place is for juvenile delinquents, after all. But you look so normal!”

  Jax scooted away from her and laughed, a little overwhelmed. “I’m Jaxon,” she murmured. “Boy, you’re really excited to be here, aren’t you?”

  “Oh, yes. I’m a foster kid. I’ve been in a bunch of different group homes. I much prefer them to living with people who really don’t want you but want a check for taking care of you, you know? I hate living with strange families.”

  Jaxon nodded, surprised to find out they had foster care in common. Many of the other residents were like Otto and came from regular homes, sent to Forever Welcome for minor criminal behavior. “Yeah, I know what you mean,” Jax said, warming to her a little. Her vivaciousness would take some getting used to, but it was kind of cool to be rooming with another foster kid. Maybe the experience wouldn’t be so bad after all. “So, uh, why are you here?” Jaxon asked.

  Ginger’s cornflower-blue eyes widened enigmatically. “This, that, or the other. Nothing too serious. I’m not dangerous or anything. I just don’t fit in with regular society.”

  “Something else we have in common.” Jaxon giggled. “Well, have you had your testing and placement with Dr. Hollis yet? How long have you been here?”

  “Since this morning. I’m all placed. I can’t wait to see what passes for school around here.” Ginger chuckled and shook out a cigarette from a box in her purse. She put it to her lips and continued talking. “I hate school. I’m glad there’s only a month left of class, but I’m amped to see what the extracurricular shit is about. Who’s who around here? Are you going to show me around and help me get to know everybody?”

  Jaxon eyed the cigarette nervously. “You can’t smoke in here,” she said.

  Ginger rolled her eyes and pulled a pillowcase off her pillow, hurrying across the room and stuffing it in the crack at the base of the door. She came back and opened the windows, sitting on the window ledge as she lit up. “Relax, I’m not going to get you into any trouble. You want one?”

  “I don’t smoke,” said Jax, growing even more wary. She wasn’t interested in picking up any bad habits, either. Jax had a good track record at Forever Welcome. This new girl, for all her innocent appearance and gregarious personality, looked as if she was going to be a rule-breaker. “Uh, I’ll let you get settled in. I was on my way down to the basement for gym.”

  Ginger took a long drag on the cigarette and snuffed it out on the windowsill, leaving a circular burn mark. Jaxon bit her tongue and backed into the bathroom to get dressed for gym. On the other side of the door, Ginger called out, “Cool beans! I’ll come with.”

  “No, I’m sure you have unpacking to do,” Jaxon replied.

  “I told you, I’ve been here since morning, silly. I was sitting around here waiting for you. That Dr. Hollis guy said you’d be able to show me around.”

  Jaxon sighed. She wished Dr. Hollis had mentioned she would be playing tour guide. “Well, you might want to change out of the jeans and T-shirt and put on some active wear.” Jax opened the bathroom door, dressed in nylon shorts and a tank top. She crossed the room to the closet and dug out her sneakers. “I’ll wait for you.” Fanning her face, Jaxon coughed. She hated the smell of cigarettes. She idly wondered if she should go ahead and report Ginger before she made smoking in the dorm room a regular activity. “But hurry up,” Jax said gruffly. “Everyone else is probably already in the gym.”

  Ginger didn’t seem to notice her gruff tone or reluctance to have her tag along. The new girl rushed into the bathroom with a handful of clothes she had dug out of her drawer. Jaxon bit her lips as she noticed the drawer was left half-open with more clothes falling out onto the floor. “Okay,” she muttered under her breath. “This isn’t going to work.”

  Jaxon decided to give her a week, reserving judgment and preferring to give Ginger time to get into the swing of things at Forever Welcome. She suffered through evenings of choking on Ginger’s smoke, dealing with her new roommate’s clutter, and having her ears talked off. The only person she told of the mismatched rooming situation was Otto.

  They were having lunch outside on the patio when she complained, yet again, of Ginger’s contradictory personality. “On the one hand,” Jaxon said, spearing a forkful of food, “she’s this bubbly personality who is easy to get along with. I find myself telling her all sorts of things about my past, because she’s really easy to talk to. But she has this darker side, and I don’t exactly trust her. When Lizzie tried to give her a hard time like she did me when I first got here, Ginger broke into her room. She told me she rubbed all Lizzie’s T-shirts in poison ivy. Like, how sick and twisted is that?”

  Otto hid a smile. “Serves Lizzie right. I’d talk to Ginger, if I were you. Try to make friends with her. Tell her what’s cool here and what’s not so she doesn’t find herself in serious trouble with the director. The smoking in the room thing is serious. They’ll do more than dock points for that. Everything else, though, just sounds like pranks and kid stuff. Even the dirty room part. My roommate is a total slob, but as long as his crap doesn’t end up on my side of the room, I deal with it.”

  The door to the dining hall opened, and Jaxon wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Ginger standing there with a tra
y. “Speak of the devil,” Jax muttered under her breath. Ever since the girl had gotten to the group home, Ginger seemed to make it a point to cling to Jaxon. Jax could barely go to the restroom without the girl following. She had been spared all week in the dining hall, but Jax had known all along that Ginger wouldn’t respect her alone time with Otto forever.

  Otto grinned and greeted the newest arrival. Ginger ducked her head apologetically. “Hate to bother you with your boyfriend, Jax.”

  “No, it’s no problem. There’s room at our table,” Otto said with a friendly smile.

  Ginger quickly crossed and put her tray down on the picnic table. “I don’t really know anybody else inside. I hate eating alone. How’s your day going, Jaxon? Anything exciting happen?”

  Jax struggled not to roll her eyes. “The same ole same ole, but you’ve been there every step of the way. I hardly think you’ve missed anything.”

  Ginger burst out laughing. “You’re so funny! Oh, I almost forgot. Dr. Hollis told me you do gardening in the greenhouse sometimes. I’ve always loved gardening. He said you’d be able to take me. Want to go today?”

  Jaxon shrugged, frowning. She wasn’t comfortable taking the strange new girl to her hideaway. With Dr. Hollis monitoring her actions in the greenhouse, Jaxon hadn’t been back since mid-April and her first foray there. The last thing she needed was to take Ginger and have something weird happen with the plants while the girl was with her. “I thought you liked hanging out in the gym with us.” Otto tried to rescue her. Jaxon shot him an appreciative smile.