Aria's POV

All heads turned to Richard as he spoke. "If that is what you truly are, then what is protecting us from you?" He asked as he waited for my reactions intently.

"The only thing that protects all of you from the gravitational pull of my core is me. Right now, I have a shield up to protect you so that viewing my core power may be possible. However, having my molecules mix with that of a human has also given me human emotions, volatile as they are. I'm still learning how to control them." My eyes glanced down toward the swirling of my event horizon; a bit saddened, yet not. But why was Richard asking the questions?

Pushing through the other scientists, he stood by my side to look into my eyes. "Aria, tell me what really happened with the man, that town, the woman, and the motel when you sent them into oblivion. Where did what was left of them go?" I tried to match his gaze, but I couldn't.

A few tears fell from my eyes as I gazed out over the heads of the scientists still studying me. "When they were reduced to molecules that couldn't be seen, I allowed the black hole in my chest to absorb them." Anguish crossed my features as I looked back at him sadly, knowing this would be the last time I ever saw him. How could Richard be expected to forgive the fact that my black hole must be fed? It's what they do.

"So, the life that you 'absorbed'... It will be in a manner of speaking, recreated into other forms of life..." My eyes met Richard's, and I closed them as my head bowed.

"Yes." When I raised my eyes, to my surprise, he was smiling at me. Questions were being thrown back and forth as the scientists converged on me. As gently as I could, I raised my molecules to push the men back carefully. Had anyone looked down, they would have seen that I had no legs.

When they realized what was happening, the scientists looked upon me with horror in their eyes. Quickly, I brought my molecules back, and my legs were complete again. I asked loudly, "Do any of you realize why you ended up so close to me despite seeing what I am?" My eyes a and them all to see who would reply.

"Your gravitational pull?" A military general asked hesitantly.

Smiling at him, I nodded. "You got part of it right. The other part is the reason I am here. Life attracts life. I am alive, so I look for others that are alive too. The species doesn't matter. I study them as you all are studying me now. I have studied your species in silence since the beginning. I finally came down to your world in a physical sense because I wanted to be around 'life.' If this causes you a problem due to the power I can wield, then I am sorry. It is not my intent to harm anyone. Unfortunately, though, I have." As I finished my words, the enormous double doors opened, and the military guards stood aside.

Six men in black suits entered the room, then a distinguished-looking man in a navy blue suit with a starched white shirt and a red tie entered the room. He seemed to be in his mid to late 50s with brushed-back dark brown hair with silver in it everywhere. He had a 'presence' to him as he moved toward me with pure confidence. His hand raised for me to shake. "So you must be Aria..." He smiled, showing white even teeth. He reminded me of a used car salesman. Annie had a lot of memories of them.

I was not impressed, but I placed my hand in his, and he shook my hand weakly. "Yes, I am Aria. Is there something wrong with your wrist? Your handshake seemed a bit 'off'." Laughing falsely, he pulled his hand away from mine.

"Yours would be the same after shaking hands with people all day. It all comes with the job." His grin would unnerve most, but to me, it was merely an irritant. Raising his arms high in the air, he faced the audience, and they cheered for him. Then he turned for the double doors. Lowering his arms, he set one arm down over an administrator's shoulder, and bending his head, he mumbled. "Now that I'm done and over with this little bitch, I need a damn drink. Our new weapon against the supernaturals will be assured once she's caged up in the underground vault."

The gold particles around my black core started to spin rapidly, sending off waves of gravity as my hands fisted at my sides; my anger began to rage within as I stared at the back of the man that called himself 'president'. I tried to control it, I really did, but suddenly I turned and faced toward the far side wall before a hole over 30ft in diameter got blown out of the side of the building, throwing men back against the walls of the room. Metal and wood, drywall sheets, and plaster went flying in different directions. As cars were suddenly visible through a 60ft tunnel. A clean and precise cut. I turned back to the President, who was now looking at me like I was a monster. "If you think you can cage me down, just try it." I looked him up and down and sneered, "Face it, human, you are out of my league... Richard, would you care to go now? I've certainly had enough of these insults and this place."

Richard smiled down at me proudly, flashing the phone at the President. "It's all been recorded. Everything. Mess with Aria, and all of this will go viral on the internet." Tapping the phone a few times, he grinned at me. "It's been sent off to a few of my friends in case anything happens to us."

Turning my back on the President, I reached out and wound my fingers around Richard's, pulling him toward the 60ft tunnel in the wall. So many eyes watched us as we walked among the fallen pieces of construction to the fresh air outside. So many cars lined up in row upon row of color. "So, where's our car?" I asked quietly.