Striker Academy

"Did you know?"

"I had no idea."

"Did Verona, like, adopt her?"

"I bet they got sick of her."

It just kept going and going. They would talk about this for years. Did you know the Strikers have a daughter?

And I wasn't even able to straighten it out with the truth. I didn't even know the truth.

"Madison, can't we please talk about this?" Catherine asked leaning forward in her chair. A pleading expression stayed plastered on her delicate features.

I crossed my arms tighter and glared at her. "No."

James sighed. "Madison, we're still your parents."

I looked up at him like he was crazy. "Are you seriously trying to claim that?"

He stayed silent for a moment and folded his hands; his elbows were resting on his thighs as he also leaned forward.

"Please, don't even try. There's no point to it."

Catherine looked like she was about to cry again. That woman and her emotions! I must get my attitude from James; he was still composed with a hard look on his face. His concentrated composure was useless; his eyes were giving away everything. These people are top spies? I don’t believe it.

James spoke again, "There is a point. We want you to understand how much we love you."

My mouth twisted up into a smirk. "Funny. Real funny."

James eyes narrowed. "No one's laughing here."

"Har har har," I 'laughed'.

"Young lady," James started to reprimand, but my expression stopped him cold. He continued with a different sentence, "Is this how you always act?"

I understood what he meant. Am I always such a bitter bitch to everyone who crosses my path? I shrugged. "Somewhat. I'm always sarcastic, but I don't show so much disgust to everyone."

Catherine sniffled at 'disgust'.

I stood up from my chair. "I believe I'm done here."

James didn't hesitate to follow my actions. "I don't believe you are."

I just looked at him, no glaring this time. "That's too bad for you, because I am done."

"Madison, don't do this."

I rose an eyebrow and asked innocently, "Do what?" I, then, proceeded to walk out of the office and close the door behind me.

I sat cross-legged on the floor in the living room of my suite. I watched the cube orbit around me, a blue laser scanning the room. I'm packing. Everything that's mine is set to be pulled into the cube. It's like a black hole, but more stable. All my clothes, all my memory chips, all my music, all my food, all my money. It's all going in, everything that came with the suite stays.

A ringing sounded through the room suddenly.

"What?" I snapped.

The ringing stopped and I heard Mr. Verona's voice. "Madison, I want to speak with you straightaway. Please, come to my office immediately."

The call disconnected before I had a chance to reply. I smiled in spite of myself.

When everything was done packing, I picked up the small cube and slid it securely into my pants' pocket. I double-checked the settings on my armband; as soon as I left I'd become a new person. Entirely.

There's a difference between what I'm about to do and what my parents did. They left the Institution altogether, left everyone behind. Left the world vulnerable. I'm just dropping out of the Academy. I'm just hiding. I'll still be around, whenever you may need me. Remember how we used to talk to each other past curfew without Verona finding out? Yeah, give me a call anytime. Love you guys. – Madison

"She's leaving?!" Raquel screeched after she finished reading the note. It had been sent to everyone in their group via DSC (Data Screen Computers, flat glass screens no bigger than a person's hand and they could do anything).

Bobby continued scowling at his own DSC. How could she do this to him? Leave after everything they've been through. After promising to stick through it all with them?! This must've been how she felt, though, when her own parents left her. But, still, how could she be such a hypocrite and do the same to them. It's not different! She's still leaving.

"She'll still be around. She'll keep in touch. Madison just can't be here. You should think about it in her place. What would you do if you found out your life was a lie? Would you just accept it and live on? No, none of us would. Especially Madison, she's the only one who can hold a grudge for years. You know, she still doesn't forgive me for stealing her first kiss when we were twelve." Andrew said. "Madison needs to be far away from people here. As a result she has to stay away from us too. She's telling us that she still wants to be part of the group. So let her get her word in and accept it for what it is; the truth."

"Wow," Raquel whispered. "That's deep, Andrew."

Andrew cracked a smile. "Thanks, Rockstar."

Bobby looked up at the others; Raquel, Andrew, and Samantha; a small, but sure group. It was just missing its leader. "Well, if that's the case, we better catch her and say goodbye. You know, so she knows we still love her back."

Andrew clamped his hand over Bobby's shoulder and grinned. "Great idea, my man. Let us smother her in goodbye hugs and kisses."