Perfect Child 1.0

                   The Perfect Child

         `A science experiment proceeds on screen as the narrator speaks`

Scientists for years have tried to make the perfect child. Kind, sweet, gentle. But failed at every turn.

Fade to black, moves to a standard hospital where a doctor is walking down the hall with a young girl dressed in a hospital gown next to him.

He enters the lobby-waiting room, and asked the girl to sit down on the bench by the window. He then says something to the woman behind the desk, and leaves to do other work.

The girl sat on the bench, waiting for something, though she didn’t know what. She soon starts to feel funny.

Her head started to droop forward, but she made no effort to sit up, falls off the bench and lies on the floor.

The woman saw and heard her fall, and walked over to see what was wrong. She saw the girl lying there and said to the two other kids, “go stand over there while I check on her.” She leaned over the girl and pressed her finger in to the crease of her neck, she had no pulse.

The woman panicked, “oh, where is that key. I never have it when I need it,” she ran off to get someone to help with the girl.

A tall man with light brown hair, and some muscles on him, walked in the moment the woman left. He had seen what had happened, and looked at the girl himself.

She didn’t seem different to other girls somehow, but he tried CPR he had learned on her.

He gave her one breath before she started gasping and coughing to get air back in her lungs.

He was holding her when the doctor and the woman walked in, and they saw the girl breathing hard after what just happened, the man looking up at them not knowing what to say or do.

The doctor squatted next to the pair and asked the man, “Would you like to have her?”

The man looked at the doctor with wide eyes, “what, a, I don’t,” he looked down at the girl, she was gripping his shirt as she got her breathing under control, he looked back at the doctor, “yeah, I would, if that’s alright?”

The doctor helped the man to stand up with the girl in his arms.

The doctor led them to a back room and tried to take the girl from the man.

The girl whined and gripped the man harder.

The doctor said, “I need to do one thing, then you can take her home.”

The man held his arms out and allowed the doctor to take the girl.

She started to cry but the man smiled at her, silently saying ‘I’ll be waiting here for when you’re done’.

The doctor went into the next room, and his assistances forced the man into a chair.

“What are you doing?” he yelled as they drew some of his blood.

They took the needle out and walked into the room the doctor had entered moments before.

A few more minutes later, the man heard a scream coming from the room. He stood up and peered through the glass.

The girl was lying on the table breathing hard again, and saw the doctor pulling something away.

‘the needle with my blood’ the man thought.

The doctor walks back and hands the girl back to the man.

The girl reaches for the man, and he gladly takes her in his arms, kissing her forehead.

“We had to ‘finalize’ something before you could take her home. Now why don’t we do some work on some papers.” the doctor lead them out of the room and back to his office as he spoke.

~<>~

Gender: Female ~

Name: Angel ~

Age: around 8~

Parent’s name: Trent Barrow ~

~<>~

Another hour of paper work later, Trent walks into his home with Angel still in his arms, hugging his neck.

Trent’s younger sister was sitting on the couch as they entered, and looked stunned that he had brought a girl back from the hospital.

“I thought you just went to ask about something. I didn‘t know they gave away kids like a lottery or something. So is it a one-time thing or can I…” she asked with a smirk on her face.

Trent ignored her and walked into the spare room, and tried to lie Angel down so she could rest.

Angel lied down for only a moment before she sat up with a jerk, scared of something.

Trent sat down and allowed Angel to wrap her arms around him as he asked, “what’s wrong? Is the bed…” then it dawned on him.

Angel had fallen off the bench because her heart had slowed down so much, for some unknown reason.

Trent urged Angel onto her feet, and they both walked back into the sitting room. He told his sister, “Were going out to do some cloths shopping, want to come?”

His sister jumped off the sofa with a grin on her face, and reached for Angel’s other hand.

Angel didn’t understand the woman that was jumping around, and tried to hide behind her new dad.

“Sorry, she isn’t used to you yet. Come on, lets get you some new cloths,” Trent said as they headed out the door to the car.

They had been shopping at cloths store for several hours before Angel started to show any signs of being tiered.

Trent saw, and lifted her into his arms as they headed for home.

With Angel sleeping soundly, Trent finally got around to explaining how he got Angel to his sister.

“I was heading there to ask about something, I don‘t even remember what it was now, and saw her lying there. Her heart had slowed down so much it had nearly stopped, and she didn‘t seem to be breathing. I only had to give her one breath and she woke up coughing. The doctor walked in and asked if I wanted her. I didn‘t know what to say to that, till I looked at her again and knew. I said yes, we went to a back room were he took her into an examination room while his assistances drew some of my blood. I didn‘t understand, then I heard her scream in the next room. We walked to his office and filled out some paperwork, my name, her name and so on. Even with the crazy start and how I meet her, I still would have done it all again if you asked me to.”

His sister just stared at him for a second, then said, “So they just gave her to you. You didn‘t need to do anything special. No fitness test or anything like that.”

Trent shrugged, “they didn’t ask for any of that, just ‘do you want to have her’. I think they may have given her some of my blood, I don’t see why though.”

His sister then got sci-fi weird, “maybe she’s an experiment, and they let you have her so she would learn our ways or something. Or an alien, sent to spy on us and report back to her masters.”

Trent grabbed a pillow and hit her up side the head with it.

She jumped up and ran out the door, to avoid getting hit with the pillow again, and said as she reached the door, “see you later, maybe.”

Trent sat there for a few minutes, considering what his sister said.

It was odd that he was just given Angel with no questions asked.

Maybe he was over thinking it all, and she would be just a regular teen that he now had to live with.

The next several weeks though were odd, to say the least.

Angel didn’t understand the real world, so Trent took her to the library to try and show her.

He started by seeing if she knew her alphabet, then moved onto numbers when she had the basics.

Things were going so smoothly he tried history and science. When he got to the genetics part she got really quiet.

He turned and saw that she was looking at her hands, “is something wrong?”

Angel looked up at him as she closed her hands, “Am I human, or alien?”

He sat up straighter at her answer; she had heard what his sister had said.

He turned her chair so they were face to face and stated, “you don’t have green skin or multiple heads. You don’t talk in a foreign language or have tech that would be far to advance to be from here. You are human, not only that I’m your dad, and what this book says will never change that. Now I think we need to try after school activities.” he grabbed her hand and led them out of the library.

Hours later Trent fell onto the couch tired from playing so many games.

They had tried every kind of sport or game he knew of, and she managed to get them in a matter of minutes.

Angel stood at the door to her room and looked back at Trent, “Are you ok?”

Trent looked over at Angel, with look on her face to show if she was tired like him or not, making her look a little weird.

He waved a hand and said, “Yeah just tired. I’ll order some pizza later for dinner. Why don’t you get some rest, you must be just as tired as me from running around trying all those games.”

Angel shrugged, went into her room and closed the door. She lied on her bed, thinking of the events of the day.

They had started with books on science and reading, then tried outdoor games.

Trent was trying to show her the world around her, but she didn’t quite understand it all.

She closed eyes and fell asleep, and was soon having what she thought was a dream. *She found herself in a big white room, lying on a table. A person with a white mask and goggles leaned over her and showed a light into her eyes. When she could see again, she was in a chair that was leaned back a bit. The person from before stood in front of her and aimed a devise at her. She heard a buzz and closed her eyes.*

Angel woke to the sound of a car horn. She opened her door and heard her dad say, “thanks. Drive safely.”

Trent took the pizza into the kitchen and got out two plates.

Angel walked in and looked inside the box. It looked like a big mess to her.

Trent came up beside her and said, “I know you haven’t had pizza before. But believe me, its good. So take a seat at the table and have some.” he pulled out a chair for her.

She sat down and just looked at the pizza for a bit, still not quite sure about this. She glances at Trent and saw him eating it. She took it in her hands and took a small bite, then took an even bigger bite. It tasted amazing.

Trent had to cover his mouth as he watched Angel eat her first pizza. He knew she was learning just about everything for the first time, but it was sometimes funny. He couldn’t hold it and burst out laughing.

Angel looked at him wondering what was so funny, then it dawned on her. She put her pizza down and said, “I couldn’t help it, it tasted so good. By the way, I dreamt I was in a white room and a person in white was doing things, I don’t really know what though.”

Trent only sat back and shrugged. “Maybe your mind is has more memories then you know of. Or a past life. I am sorry that I laughed at you. It wasn‘t nice, I‘m real sorry.”

Angel smiled a, ‘I forgive you’, and they finished their pizza in silence.

~

Some men stood in a dark room around a table lit from an overhead light, with various files scattered across its top.

The men were discussing what had happened to the latest ‘subject’.

“The last record of the subject was at a hospital. They were readying it to be sent to the next facility and the next step in the project. What do we think has happened to the subject?”

“We believe it was stolen and is being held somewhere.”

“But it does not know not to trust who ever it is with. We must find and return the subject to the station for analyses before proceeding with the experiment.”

“Agreed. Men,” some men in black outfits step out of the shadows, “you will go find and bring the subject back here. It must be unharmed. Any harm and you will be punished severely. Ready yourselves and leave in five days.”

The black clad men left, and the light over the table went out.

~

Trent and Angel were shopping, this time for books.

Trent had already gotten a library card for Angel, but wanted to get her some classic books to see what she liked.

As they pasted an aisle in the shelves, Angel heard a child say, “Why do I have to read Shakespeare? Its so boring.”

They turned a corner and Angel asked, “what’s wrong with Shakespeare? Is he bad?”

Trent looked at Angel as he held a few books in his hands. “There’s nothing wrong with Shakespeare, He is just an acquired taste. You’re not ready for his stuff yet. Lets start you off with…ah, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz’. If you get tired of these you can look at the animal info books we found at that garage sale we went to. Now lets get some books marks to go with them then head home.”

They walked over to look at the racks of bookmarks, not knowing that someone was following them.

Angel looks for rainbow ones and glances to her left, and sees some men dressed in all black looking at her. She pulls her dad behind a shelf and says in as much of a whisper as she could, “Someone is following us and looking at me.”

Trent chuckled, “your over thinking things. I’m sure they are here looking at books,” he looks around the corner, and sees the men wearing sunglasses, “while wearing sunglasses, indoors. Ok, hold onto me and I’ll try to get through checkout as fast as I can.”

They sneak in-between two others in the checkout line, trying to look inconspicuous.

The men see that their cover has been blown, and attempt to make their way over to them.

Trent sees and decides that they will get books later. He throws the books at the men and runs out of the store with Angel trying to stay on her feet.

The men toss the books to the floor and run after them.

Once outside Trent weaved between cars as he makes his way back to his own car.

He stuck the key into the door and shoved/helped Angel into the passenger side of the car, then went around and got in on the drivers side and turned on the engine.

He pushed the gas pedal to the floor and drove out of the parking lot and headed for his brother’s house.

The men stood on the curb and watched as the man and the ‘subject’ drove away.

One took out a small walky-talky and said, “the target has evaded first attempt. Have seen a man with target and appear to be keeping target. First evidence shows that the target may not leave the man easily. What is the next step?”

He pauses for a moment then says, “understood.”

They walk around the corner of the building and enter a black car and drive off.

~

Trent stops the car in front of his house, thinking he has given the men the slip. He leans back in the chair after turning the engine off, and breaths a sigh of relief.

Why were they after Angel, did she do something wrong?

He shook his head; she has been with him since he got her at the hospital.

He started to relax in the car until he hears Angel ask, “can we go inside now? I don’t want to be out here if they come by.”

He restarts the car and parks it in the back.

He gets out and help Angel out and they walk inside, looking everywhere as they do.

Inside they both collapse on the couch and Angel starts to shake.

Trent grabs a blanket and wraps her in it as he tries reassuring her, “we’re safe now. They can’t see the car were I parked it, we saw no one follow us on our way home. Don’t worry, I wont let anyone take you from Me.” He carried her into his room and lays her down on his bed to rest.

Trent went into the kitchen and called his father to tell him what happened. He finished with, “Angel is resting in my room but she was shaking from the whole thing. I just want to give you a heads up if we make a unexpected arrival at your house.”

His dad said, “there is no problem. I would be happy to have you both stay here. Do you have any idea why they were there at all?”

Trent said no, then goodbye and hung up the phone. He walked back to his room, lay down behind Angel, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her next him. He rubbed her stomach as he sang a tune he had heard somewhere to help her sleep and hopefully not have nightmares.

When she seemed fast asleep, he picked her up and took her into her room and tucked her into her own bed.

He kissed her forehead and said “sweet dreams” before quietly leaving and closing the door.

~

In the basement of an old workshop, a group of science-dedicated agents were disusing the last known location of the last test subject.

“Wherever it is, it couldn’t have gone far without help. It doesn’t know much, so it can’t decide whether to take the bus or walk to anywhere. Even if it knew what those were.”

“It’s the first known one to survive the first step. We need its DNA to see what is different about it as compared to the others.”

“If we do it against a higher authority we may never be heard from again.”

A door opened and a small group of men in suits walk in.

One fixes his tie and says, “we need you to do something.”

The man explains what he wants done.

The ragtag agents all nod in agreement.

The men in suits hand them suitcases full of gear to use.

The suits leave, and the agents ready themselves for their new mission.

~

Trent put on his coat as he said, “I need to check on something. I shouldn’t be long. Just stay inside and double check the lock when I leave. I have my own key to let myself in. be back in a bit.”

Kissed Angel on the forehead as he walked out the door.

Angel checked the lock then stood at the window and watched as he walked down the road.

When he was out of sight she went back to her room and pulled out a book she had been reading for the past few days, A Wrinkle in Time.

Once they confirmed that the ‘guard’ was gone, they headed for the house.

Their objective was to get DNA of the target to take back to base and study it.

They approached from the front and back, to prevent escape before finishing the mission.

As they worked on the lock though, Angel could hear the clinking of the metal and went to the front room to see if her dad was back for something.

Moments later the door slammed open.

Angel screamed as she saw the men breaking into the house, she tried to run but one grabbed her and placed a breathing mask over her nose and mouth.

She struggles to get free, but started to feel sleepy.

They lowered her to the floor and draw some of her blood.

Trent was walking back home when he saw the car in front of the house.

He ran in and saw the men standing over Angel and yelled, “get out of here before I call…” but he was forced to the ground and held there by two other men, holding his arms behind him.

Trent looked on as they took the needle out of Angel arm and one by one they left.

When it was only the two on his back they jumped off him and ran out the door.

He ran to the door once he got to his feet, but by then they were long gone.

He went over to Angel and picked her up, took her into her room and laid her down on her bed. He sat next to her keeping watch until her eyes fluttered open.

She saw him and wrapped her arms around him as she cried.

He wrapped his arms around her and tried to calm her, though he was not shaking himself.

When she had cried herself to sleep, Trent called the police.

“I came home to find men had broken into my house, and doing something to my daughter.

I saw their car but didn’t get a good look at it. Why? Because I didn’t know what they might have been doing to my daughter.

I won’t be staying for a while; if they come back I don’t want her to be here.

I can leave a key so you can get in and search for evidence or whatever.

All right, I’ll bring the key by the station as we head for our ‘next’ temp house. Why would I tell you where I’m going?

I’ll have someone come pick up the mail and bring it to me.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to pack a bag for my daughter and me before we go anywhere. Goodbye!” and slammed the phone.

He got out some suitcases and packed his while he waited for Angel to wake up.

Once she woke he explained that they were going to stay at his father’s, her grandfather’s, house.

She packed her cloths in her suitcase as best she could.

They packed the car and drove first to the station to drop off the key.

Once on their way to his dad‘s house, Angel asked, “Why are so many people after me? I don’t think I did anything wrong. Do you think anyone else will come and try something?”

Trent shrugged, “I don’t know. I hope not. If they do try anything you’ll have both me and your granddad to keep an eye on you and protect you. Were here, my dad is really nice and will love you, so relax. And if he gives you anything, just put it your pocket and I’ll try and tell you about it later.”

Trent parked in the garage next to the his dad’s car and closed the garage-door.

As they enter the house, a tall man with white hair and a beard greet them.

“You were right, but I am always prepared.

The room is set and waiting for you. I figured after what has happened she would want to be/stay in the same room with you.

After you put your things in the your room, we can talk about what to have for dinner.”

After eating chicken potpie, which Angel had way too much after tasting it and like it so much, they sat in the living room to relax and unwind after the day’s events.

Angel fell asleep from a full stomach. Trent giggled and laid a blanket over her.

“Now that we are in the same place and you don’t have to rush off to be somewhere. Tell me the whole story of how you got the little Angel that is dozing next to you.” Trent’s father said as he leaned on his hand, resting his elbow on the arm of the chair.

Trent looked down at Angel, her head on his lap as she slept.

He took a deep breath and started.

He told how he went to hospital for one thing, but ended up helping her instead.

How the doctor just gave her to him and that he may have given her some his blood for some reason.

He then explained how her learning of the real world was going, and their encounters with other ‘groups’.

When he had finished, Trent’s father stared at him, not fully understanding it all.

He stood up and walked about the room as he talked, “so you saw her at the hospital, they gave her to you. Then two times some men have come after her, and one took some of her blood, from what you could tell.

You told the police about the break-in and they are looking into that.

What are you going to do now? You can’t hide out at your families’ homes for the rest of your, her, life.

We need to know why and what they want.” he paused for a moment before continuing, “I just remembered I have some work I need to do, see you in the mourning.” and left the room before Trent could say a word.

~

The black clad men stood in the center of the room as their superior yelled at them for not bringing the target.

“It is only a child, it should have come straight to you. Give me one of the briefing files.”

he read it for a moment, then snapped it closed.

He turned to a screen that had the silhouette of a person showing.

He said to the image, “it appears that the target has made friends with a man. They ran out of the building together and got in the same car. What should be done?”

The image said, “If we separate the two, the target could have a break down and die. We watch and wait; we have received word that another group has gone after the target. We need to know their indentions before we can know our next move.”

“Yes sir,” they all bow and leave the room. The screen blinks out.

~

The agents look at the DNA through their microscopes as they wait for their employers to arrive.

“I don’t see anything that special. Then again I didn’t study anything like this in collage.”

“Maybe they’ll tell us what we’re looking at. Their here.”

The door opens and the man from before walks in.

He picks up the vial of blood and gazes at it under one of the lamps.

He smiles and hands it to one of his associates who put it in a padded briefcase. “Thank you, but there is now another mission I need you to do. Protect the subject from other groups that would do it harm. If it has a relationship with the ‘guard’ as you called him, then you must also protect him. It must not fall into the wrong hands. You will be paid well for this mission and all expenses paid by the government while on the mission.”

The agents smile and gather their surveillance gear.

The man and his associates leave the agents to their work.

~

After days of his son and newly adopted granddaughter staying with him, even Trent’s dad thought that there was something odd about the girl.

He watched her as she went through a box fabric she had found, feeling each one in her hands.

She was fascinated by the fact that two kinds of fabric could be so different in texture.

As she placed some colors together, she would either smile or make a face of something smelling bad.

‘What are you?’ he wondered to himself.

Angel turned her head as Trent walked in adjusting his coat.

“I need to run some errands. I shouldn’t be long,” he kissed Angel on top of her head as he headed for the door.

Trent walked out the door but came right back in and slammed the door shut.

His dad asked, “What was that for?”

Trent peered out the window and said, “someone is watching the house.”

His father and Angel both looked out the window, and saw a black car on one end of the road and a white van on the other.

Trent pulled Angel away from the window as he said, “I came here to try and lead anyone away from her somehow. What does she have that they are so desperate to get their hands on?”

His father shrugged, “well, you said you got her at the hospital and that she doesn’t know anything before that. Maybe wherever she came from is what they are after.”

“The white lab coated man,” they turned and looked at Angel wondering what she meant, she continued, “I had that dream of being in a white room and a man in a white lab coat was doing something. Maybe the doctor that gave me to you can tell us what is going on.”

Trent raised an eyebrow, “its worth a try, and we have nothing better to do. Dad, can I borrow your car, they may know what mine looks like by now?”

His dad gives him the keys to his car and said goodbye as they drove off.

They drive right past the white van and head for the hospital.

At the hospital they search for the doctor, but find his office cleared of all his things.

They go to the lobby-waiting room and find the receptionist that had been there the day it all happened.

Trent asked, “Do you know how we can get in touch with the doctor that helped me adopt Angel? I would like to asked him some questions.”

The woman looked up and recognized them from before, she leaned back in her chair and said, “a lot of people would like to talk to him. The thing is, no one has heard from him since you two left. I can give you the last file I have on him. By the way, I love the name you choose for her.”

He said thanks as they headed out to the car. He looks through the file and finds records of work with an international science group.

“He was working on a project called ‘perfect child’. The project had so many problems they stopped funding It.” he paused as he read the date, “only a week before I got you! If they want their project back they’ll have to fight me for it, I mean you. We better head back home, granddad’s home.” and drives off.

Back at his dad’s house he tells him what he found out.

His dad thinks as he paces around the room, then turned to Trent and asked, “Does it say what the group was called?”

Trent looks again and finds a symbol that was supposed to stand for them.

The symbol for medical field but the ribbons instead look like DNA spinning around the staff.

Trent showed to his dad, who looked just as confused.

“Pretty secret group, since I’ve never seen this symbol before anywhere, and I know most of the special groups out there. I’ll go make some calls, why don’t you two get some rest.” and with that he went to his office, with the symbol in hand.

They went to their room to lie down, but Trent let Angel lay on his bed with him.

She still looked shaken up over everything.

He rubbed her side and hummed a tune he knew, trying to get her to relax.

Eventually she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

He gently moved her to her own bed, then laid back down on his bed to try and get some sleep as well.

*He dreamt of men dressed in black suits and white lab coats coming for Angel.

He tried hiding her, but whatever she hid behind fell like a stage prop.

He then ran with her to get away, but they didn’t seem to get any farther away.

They reached out and grabbed her and pulled her away.

Trent tried to grab back, but something held him at bay.

She kept screaming till he heard a drill.

He yelled as loud as he could.*

Trent sat up, covered in a cold sweet. That was the worst dream he had ever had.

Angel sat up and asked, “dad are you ok?”

Trent ran his fingers through his hair, “yeah, just a bad dream. You want to stay with me, live with me, as my daughter, right?”

Angel sat on his bed and hugged him around the middle, “of course I do. I know I haven’t been easy to understand, and you and your family think I’m odd. But I want to be your daughter, I really do.”

He wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug, “good, because I’m not willing to let you go for anything.”

Angel giggled and snuggled closer.

Trent and Angel spent another week at his dad’s, studying what was in the file.

Other then the paper about the funding being cut off and the paper with the odd symbol, there was nothing that was involved with the ‘perfect child’ project.

After his dad’s returns from shopping, he said, “they are still watching the street. As I drove down the street, I saw one looking at my license plate. Maybe to see who I am, and in turn who you are.”

Trent looked stunned, “I thought this would be the last place they would think to look, or at least be safe for a bit longer. What do we do now?”

“If they are still watching this street, then they probably know that she is here. You’re better off going home and hiding there, where you know the escape routes and close spots where you can run to incase the house is broken into.

Pack your things, I’ll drive you two back in my car, make it look like I’ve gone to check on something or other.” Trent’s dad said as he checked to make sure there was enough room for them both to hide in the back seat.

Trent and Angel repack their things and packed them in the back of the car, then they climbed in.

Angel laid face down on the floor as far as she could, then Trent laid on top her with a black blanket over them both.

His dad causally drove down the street, right past the black car.

A person in the front seat watched as he went by, but made no action to go after him.

Just when they thought they might get stuck in the position they were in, the car stopped and his dad said, “We’re here.”

Trent took the bags inside first, then carried Angel wrapped in the blanket inside.

Trent glanced at the car, his dad gave a slight nod, then went in.

His dad in the car then drove away, and waited for what Trent might need next.

Nothing happened for the next few days.

He had called members of his family to bring food and such over from time to time, giving them a chance to see Angel and understand why he was doing this.

They stay inside for the most part, only peeking outside to see if anyone was watching the house.

They were lounging in the living room; Angel was nearly asleep lying with her head lying on Trent’s lap.

Something falls outside, causing them both to jerk slightly.

Angel sits up to let Trent see what is going on outside.

Trent peeks out the window and immediately turns to Angel and says, “go hide in my room, I think someone is coming to look for something, or someone.”

Angel heads for his room as she asked, “how can you tell they are coming here to look for anything?”

“They brought a lot of men, just to talk. Now go, hide wherever, just hide,” he stashes some of Angel’s things in a drawer.

Angel just managed to get to his room when the doorbell rang.

Two men in suits stood at the door, with several more behind them. “We’ve come to ask you a few questions.”

Trent stared at them both, “what kind of questions?”

They shove right past Trent as they talk, “oh, have you seen any kids running around without adult supervision? Any kids who act out of sorts? Any one who is hiding from the law?” one turned to Trent and stared right back at him.

Trent calmly said, “no I have not seen anyone who fits that description. Now if you’ll be so kind as to leave of your own accord.” and motioned for them to leave.

They start to leave, but one steps on a toy that Trent missed.

He picks it up and looks at Trent as he asked his question again, “do you have any one who is running from someone?”

Trent grabs for the toy, but the men then grab him.

They take him out side as he yells, “let go of me. You can’t do this. This is kidnapping. Where are you taking me?”

They shove him into a black car, then head back toward the house.

Angel closes the door just before the men come back in.

She had heard everything they said, and her dad yelling.

She pressed her ear to the door to listen to what they were saying now.

“What do we do if it’s not here?”

“It has to be here, why else would that guy try so hard to get us out of here. We just have to look around.”

Then Angel heard one say something that nearly made her heart stop. “The bedroom door is closed. I say we check there first.”

Angel ran for the bathroom, but tripped over her own feet.

The men open the door and see Angel as she looks back at them.

She tries for the bathroom again, but the men grab her before she can get up.

She screams, “let go of me. What right do you…” but they cover her nose and mouth with a cloth that smelled funny.

She struggled for a moment before falling asleep.

They carry her out to the car and strapped her between two other men.

Trent looks on, but can’t say a word or do a thing. While the first men went back to take Angel, another one tied a gag around him mouth, and tied his hands together.

The drive to where they were going was long, and for Trent, painful.

He had let Angel down, He’d promised himself he would do all he could to protect her and keep her with him.

They finally stopped and two men take hold of Trent by the arms and lead him inside.

As they walk two men in lab coats walk to the car with a gurney.

Trent turns just in time to see them place Angel on the gurney, and strap her down.

They take Trent to an isolated room and remove the gag and untie his hands.

Trent just sit down on the only chair next the only table in the room and covers his face with his hands and cries.

He was losing everything he cared about. “Oh Angel, I’m sorry.”

Once he settled down some men walk in and begin to ask him questions.

-“Where did you get her?”

“At a local hospital”

-“What was the doctor’s name that gave her to you?”

“He didn’t give a name.”

-“Why did you take her in the first place?”

“I don’t know. It felt right, I guess. What does that…?”

-“We’ll ask the questions here, Mr. Barrow. How did you get her?”

“I already told you. I…”

At that moment the door slammed open, and Angel stumbled in.

She saw Trent and ran for him.

He reached for her, but the men stand between them.

One grabs her and the others grab Trent. Angel cried, “Let me go, I want my dad.”

Trent said in turn, “she’s my daughter, let me go.”

They struggle for several minutes before some men in regular cloths walk in.

The men stare at the new comers, as if waiting.

They finally lose their grip, allowing Angel to get to Trent and both hold onto each other like life preservers.

“We are sorry for the inconvenience. We lost track of her when one of ours took her to a hospital for a checkup. He came back but didn’t say a word, then disappeared along with his things. We only have one last question for you. Have you seen anyone else around when you’ve been out?”

Trent, still clutching Angel tightly, said, “I have encountered some guys when at the book store and in my own house, doing something to Angel. How many are after her, and is it because she is the product of the ‘perfect child’ project?”

Everyone murmurs under their breath.

One steps forward and show the men the file he found at his house.

The men closest to the door said, “she is the result of the project, and is the only successful one to date. The others, we don’t know their names or why they would want her. We just…what was that?”

The whole building shook from something going on outside.

The ceiling starts to fall around them.

They lead Trent and Angel outside, where an attack on the base was going on.

Trent and Angel make a break for it while the men are distracted.

They make it nearly a mile when a jeep pulls in front of them.

Men jump out and grab both of them and drag them back to the car.

They are driven to the other group’s base of operations.

They drag Trent and Angel inside and place them in a room with beds a table and food already there for them.

As they try to understand why they were being so nice, one says as he closes the door, “just hang tight while we call our boss and tell him you’re here.” the last thing they heard from outside was a loud click from the lock activating.

Angel laid down on one of the beds, Trent dragged a chair over to her bed and sat down.

“well they were nicer then the last ones. They puts us in the same room and we have beds and food,” Angel said as Trent placed a blanket over her.

Trent looked worried though, “yeah, but why? The first group was harsh, but they just kept us away from each other. I wouldn’t eat any of that food if I were you, you don’t know if they drugged it. You feel ok after everything?”

Angel sat up and looked her dad in the eye, “I know you did your best when they came. We’re back together now, I think that’s what’s important.”

They then hear people running around outside the room.

A moment later the door swings open and what appear to be men in military gear barge in.

Trent draws Angel behind him, waiting for what they might do.

One aims a gun and fire and dart at Trent.

Trent looked stunned for a second, he pulls the dart out just before he falls to the floor asleep.

Angel looks at her dad for a moment, then at the men who were reaching for her. She grabs some food and throws it, hopping it would distract them long enough to get away.

But they just blocked the food and grabbed her.

They dragged her out of the room, with Angel looking back at her dad just lying there, and whispers, “daddy,” before losing sight of him.

They take her to a room where others in white lab coats stand ready for her.

She tries to get away, but they hold on tight.

They strap her to a table, and place a mask over her nose and mouth.

She tried not to breath in, but could not hold her breath for long.

She fell asleep as the men moved around her getting ready for their study.

~

Trent woke up feeling like he had slept on a hard cold floor. He looked around and sighed, he had.

He went to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. “I knew they couldn’t be trusted. I have to get out of here and find Angel.”

He bangs on the door until he hears someone coming, then stands to the side as two men enter the room.

They stand there, wondering where the man went.

Trent crept up and shoved them to the floor.

While they are confused, Trent leaves and closes the door.

“now see what it feels like to be held against your will,” he says to himself as he walks away from the door.

He slowly walked along the hall, trying to figure out where they might be keeping Angel.

He sees a door ahead, and decides to try his luck.

Inside are more people tied up.

Trent unties them and asked, “Why are you tied up?”

“because we got curious about what they were after exactly. They caught us looking in files and threw us in here. Why are you here?” one asked as they stood up.

“they took my daughter Angel, because they think she is the clue to a project that ended weeks ago. Care to help me get her back?”

The guys look at each other for only a second before nodding in agreement.

They left the room and headed for a room they knew was set up for study and observing.

They round a corner, but immediately go back.

Several guards are standing at the door.

“the two of us will get their attention and draw them away. You guys and Trent head in and help get Angel out, and give a hand if you encounter any resistance.” so two men run up to the guards and get them to follow them far away from the door.

The others reach the door and slowly enter.

Inside there are a lot of computers and monitors set around the room, with Angel in the middle.

Trent runs to Angel and tries to take what ever they put on her off.

One of the guys stop him, “you don’t know what will happen to her if you do that. Just wait here while we turn things off. When we finish we’ll help you carry her out.” they get to work and have her unplugged in minutes.

She groans as they lift her off the table.

With a quick check outside the door, they run for the exit.

She wakes up fully once they get outside.

Once outside, the guys say, “we’ll go find a faster way to get out of here. Go find some cover.” but just as they leave men in military gear run toward Angel and Trent.

Trent dragged Angel around the corner of the/a storage building.

He shoved her in a nook and said, “Stay here. Don’t let anyone see you. I’ll try to get back as soon as I can help the others get hold of a car to get all of us out of here. Be good.”

He grabbed her head and kissed her forehead for nearly a minute before stepping away with tears in his eyes and runs off.

Angel stood there waiting for her dad to come get her, and pushed herself as far into the nook as she could whenever she heard someone coming.

She hears a rumble and felt the two blocks she was between tremble and pulls herself out moments before it crumbled in on the spot she had just been standing.

She had no time to see what caused it; she got to her feet and ran.

She could hear people shouting, but didn’t bother stopping to ask why.

Angel heard an engine and tried to speed up her run, but felt someone grab her.

She was about to kick when she hears, “you going to kick your own father.”

She turns and sees her dad smiling back.

She throws her arms around his neck as he pulls them both back into the car.

They drive several hundred feet before other cars start to follow.

The driver yells back, “better make a jump for it. I’ll try and hold them off.”

They hear guns fire and helicopters flying overhead.

Trent sees some large boxes up ahead, and points them out to Angel.

At the last moment, Trent and Angel jump/leap from the car.

Trent rolls to a safe landing, but Angel falls hard to the concrete.

Trent runs to her side as troops converge on them.

The men raised their guns and aim them at…each other?

The two groups that had been keeping tabs on where Angel was were now face to face.

Trent didn’t care what they did. He checked Angel pulse, it was slowing down.

He yelled at the two groups, “you came here to take her from me, but now no one will have her. She is dieing, do you understand. My daughter is dieing. Please help her.” he started to cry.

The two groups looked at each other. They shared the same goal, retrieve the girl.

One pulled out a walky-talky and said, “we need medics out here now.”

Moment’s later men in white coats run out with a gurney.

They gently lift her up and place her on the gurney and wheel her back inside.

They scan her for injuries of every sort.

Trent paced in what they called the waiting to see how Angel was doing.

One of the doctor’s walks in and says, “she needs a blood transfusion, but that requires a relative. As far as we know she has none.”

Trent turned toward the doctor sharply. The doctor that had given her to him had given her some of his blood.

He grabbed the man’s arms and said, “compare our DNA, it should match. The doctor that gave her to me gave her my blood. So my blood should work.”

The doctor stares at him for a moment before taking him to a blood drawing machine.

They hooked him in and say; “this will take it straight to her. Hopefully she will get enough and not take to much from you for it to work.” all but one leaves to finish the job/their work.

Trent sat waited for the good news.

As he waited he started to feel light headed.

He shook himself awake and tried to think of what they would do once they got home.

They could go to the park, and throw a Frisbee around, or play catch.

They could go out and get what every they wanted to eat.

His vision then started to get blurry just as a man in a white coat burst into the room.

He looked at Trent and yelled something, but Trent didn’t hear.

His head rolled back and his eyes closed as he blacked out.

Some time Trent opened his eyes to see his dad looking down at him.

His dad said, “they didn’t mean to, but they took to much blood to fast. You slept for quite a few hours, thought you went into a coma or something.”

Trent rubbed his eyes and asked, “Is Angel ok?”

His father chuckled, “your are a father. She will be fine; your blood did the trick. You can take her home once you’re both are on your feet.”

Trent smiled and sighed. He could take her home; those words never sounded so good.

Trent closed his eyes and fell back to sleep.

His father fixed the blanket and said, “just rest, you’ll both be home soon.”

It was only a few days, but it felt like weeks to Trent.

When they were both declared stable, they allowed Trent to stay in the same room as Angel.

The moment he saw her, he wrapped his arms around her and lightly cried into her shoulder.

She wrapped her own arms around him and buried her face in his chest.

After a few more days of testing, they finally cleared Angel, and let them go home.

With a military escort, they got home in just a few hours.

They left some numbers to call incase she had a relapse or something.

When they were all gone, Trent and Angel laid down on his bed, both a bit afraid they might come back and take her again. He held her as if she was a baby, and to him, the most perfect girl he had even known.

                                                                     '''

The men ran towards the building, with one goal in mind.

They reached the door and used a keypad scrambler to get in.

With out a second thought they ran for the elevator.

They went down floor after floor, till finally to the cold zone.

They stepped out and begin their search, soon one finds a pod with writing on it.

‘perfect child 2.0’

“finally, we’ll see our achievements finish and shine. Lets get thing out of here and back to our work site.”

It takes nearly an hour to get out, big container small door, then make their way back to their base of operations.

                                                 Next(time): PERFECT CHILD 2.0