Oh my god, he must think I'm a freak, Hera thought to herself as she saw Joel watching her. He probably remembered how he calmed her during her last 'episode', and now she felt like she owed him something. Maybe I should say thank you, she mused to herself, but before she could mouth the words, he had turned away. 

No big deal. 

Her gaze returned to the slides and realised the lecturer had already moved on to the criteria of schizophrenia. Trouble concentrating, delusions, and hallucinations that can be seen, smelt and felt. Her heart started beating quicker, and her face flushed. Sweat was rapidly prickling down her back. Hearing the list of symptoms read out, all of which seemed to fit her experience so clearly, made Hera woozy. 

She tried to take slow, deep breaths, but they quickly turned into hyperventilating gasps. Her surroundings went deathly silent as if someone had sucked all the air out of the room, creating a vacuum. Hera was horrified when she noticed students all around falling to the floor, mouths gaping and closing like dying fish, their eyes reddening and weeping. 

Hera sat frozen, terrified of the unfolding scene, looking from left to right. Her body shook, but she refused to make a sound, fearful it was another delusion. Then, from her side, she saw a red-faced Joel appear, obscuring her vision and stabbing a needle into her throat.

...

5 Minutes Earlier...

She looked so tired, Joel thought. But on that note, so was he. Every day, he had to make sure Hera was safe and under control on campus. The smallest thing could set her off. It was infuriating.

So he followed her everywhere, invisible. Joel had only recently discovered his father, Michael, had a role in protecting her at their high school graduation. Joel remembered how confused he felt when he saw him suppress the visual systems of the entire student body. All because of Hera, whom he secretly referred to as the 'raven-haired banshee'. Hera had somehow caused a miniature earthquake as she walked to accept her tacky graduate gift. She probably thought she was crazy when no one reacted.

Pathetic.

Joel couldn't believe his bad luck when he had inherited the same curse of hiding her antics as they started University. It was no wonder that he resented her. Now he couldn't live his own life because of a promise made by his father. All because of Jacqueline's desperate pleading. He would roll his eyes every time he saw Hera's aunt. He couldn't understand why she would keep her niece in the dark about her peculiar family history.

Usually, Hera sat near the middle aisle, so he could keep watch from over her shoulder when he came in behind her. Today, however, she was much later than usual, and he had to sit opposite her. He tried to watch her through his peripheral but gave up and took a quick peek to his side, noticing immediately she was staring straight at him.

Joel had only just awkwardly turned away to start writing notes when he felt it. His lungs refused to draw breath. With one look at Hera, silently imploding, he fumbled in his bag for his anaesthetic syringe and rushed over to her seat. With more force than probably necessary, he jammed the sedative into her neck. Hera went out instantly. Gasping for air and struggling to repress the rage rushing through him, Joel called his father. After a simple, "Help... Now," his father hung up, leaving him staring at sleeping beauty and all his hysterical classmates. 

"Seriously, what the fuck was that?" Joel muttered to her peaceful face. A single tear slid down her cheek as he hoisted her over his shoulder and walked out the door. Joel's father ran past as they reached the main road, barely sharing a glance with his grumbling son. He was off to fix her mess again. Joel almost hoped she would be caught by Panacea agents and get taken away. That would help him get his life back, at least. 

Joel felt a twinge of guilt at being such a selfish prick, but he knew who and what he was. No point in denying it. He walked out of the campus fairly quickly, able to suppress the vision or at least comprehension of the few students that passed. He would probably never be as powerful as his father, but being able to make oneself invisible technically was pretty sweet. 

He chucked her into the backseat, and she slumped ungracefully against the door. He didn't know how long the sedative would keep her out for, but he needed to get her to her aunt's place ASAP.

...

Hera groggily woke after a sudden jolt of pain ran through her cheek. She sat up slowly, carefully unpeeling her bruised face from the door's armrest and allowing her eyes to adjust to the muted light in the car. "Joel?" 

He turned abruptly from the driver's seat and growled low in his throat, "just sit there and stay calm. I don't need another episode out of you." 

She sat back, shocked at his tone. "What the hell is going on? And what is your problem..."

"Look, I don't want to set you off again, okay? So for fucks sake, wait for your aunt to explain everything."

Hera sat in silence for the next five minutes, numb, exhausted and mildly catatonic from whatever Joel had shot into her neck. 

The car pulled up next to her aunt's place, and Joel climbed out, slamming the door behind him. He opened her door and practically dragged her out, leaving half-moons in her arm from his uncut nails.

"Hey," Hera protested, trying to shake the heaviness from her limbs. " What is your fucking problem?"

Joel's face flushed with anger. "You nearly killed us all. That's my fucking problem!" he dragged out the last words, spittle hitting Hera's shirt.

The door opened, and Jackie hissed at Joel, " Go home before I tell your father how you behaved just now. Do your job." Hera had never heard such a violent edge to Jackie's voice; she was even more startled when Joel disappeared right in front of her along with his car.

"Don't let him fool you, Hera. He's just clouding your mind. You need to open your eyes."

She had no idea what Jackie meant and stood there staring at the spot he had been in a daze.

"Come in now, Hera. Just forget it." Jackie's face was sunken and grey, and her mouth drew in a grim line. "I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner; it just never felt like the right time..."

Hera shook her head, " I don't understand what's going on. Am I crazy? Joel said I nearly killed people. What does he mean? Everything is in my head, right...?" She started to panic, and as the bile rose in her throat, the house lurched beneath her feet too.

"Hera, stop this right now! If you let yourself get overwhelmed, you will lose control. You are not crazy, alright. Sit down." Jackie all but dragged Hera from the doorway, and they sat together at the breakfast bar where she had been just hours ago. 

Everything felt so different now.

"Listen to me right now. I don't have much time before Panacea starts sending investigators to find you."

Hera's body jolted upright. "What do you mean? Who the hell is that?"

"Just listen!" Jackie took a deep breath and tried again, "I'm going to keep this really, really simple, Hera. Don't overthink; just try to accept... You and I are direct descendants of the first Evolved humans. Panacea is a branch of big Pharmaceuticals. They... Hunt us. They have found a way to harvest our abilities to make weapons and modifications for basically anyone with money. They're dangerous..." 

Hera's face slackened, dumbfounded by the revelations as Jackie's slim frame was wracked by a violent coughing fit. Hera robotically fetched her some water and sat beside her again. Her throat burned, and eyes glazed over as she stared intently at the flecks of colour on the benchtop. 

Slowly the mystery unravelled further. "When you were six, they sent agents to your home a-and, something happened. Something terrible. All I know is Monroe brought you through a portal to me, and I haven't heard anything from your parents since." 

Tears threatened to spill over Jackie's papery lids. "I'm so sorry, Hera. I took it all away for you: your memories, your emotions. I had to take them from you so you wouldn't suffer. You were so small and so powerful. I had to. Please forgive me, Hera," she begged, "you were too powerful, and if Panacea found you-"

Hera held up her hand. "Stop, Jackie. This is insane. You seriously can't expect me just to accept this!"

Jackie choked back sobs, and Hera was terrified she would collapse. "Hera, please let me try to show you. I am so weak now, but maybe if I..." Her lip trembled. "If I give some of your memories back... some of your pain, maybe you would believe me."

Hera's insides were hitching a ride up to her throat. "How?"

Jackie lay an up-facing palm on the countertop. "Here."

Hera gently clasped Jackie's and let the tears fall as grainy images flooded her mind. 

Her mother held her tightly and whispered fearful instructions. Dark shadows ran and shouted as she peered out from under a child's bed. Wood and plaster exploded around her as a gentle embrace pulled her down onto Jackie's kitchen floor. 

Hera snatched her hand back. "Why did you take this from me?"

With a painful groan, Jackie leaned across the countertop towards her niece and whispered, "I love you so much, and I'm sorry, but I had to protect you, and I need to protect you now... In my closet, there is a bag full of everything you need. Get it and come back to me." Jackie's pale skin looked a little brighter as Hera made her way up the stairs. Passing her room, she pushed into the far bedroom heading for the closet. 

She found a large backpack with some spare clothes, a locket, a flint, and some other tools. Her hands reached to the bottom of the bag and gripped something hard and cold. 

Dread filled her as she pulled it out and realised Jackie had given her a gun. 

She swung the bag over her shoulder and ran down the stairs, gun in hand. "Why did you give me this? I don't know how to use a gun. What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Calm down, Hera! It's just while you learn how to use your gifts."

"No." Hera's word was deathly final. "Take it back. I am not keeping this." Hera dropped it on Jackie's lap and stepped back. No givebacks, she thought.

Jackie conceded. "Fine, Michael is outside and is going to drop you off, and then you will meet a very dear friend of mine. His name is Monroe, and he is the one who made the portal that brought you to me. He's going to take you out to the mountains to help you train and control your Evolution, and then when it's safe, I will join you."

Hera frowned. " Why can't you come now?"

"I'm not well enough to travel yet, and Monroe can't take us both without risking being tailed by Panacea. But, I'll be fine, and when I'm recovered, I'll find you. I promise."

Hera's face was scrunched in confusion. "What do you mean recover? No offence Jackie, but you are really sick. I don't think this is something you just recover from."

Jackie smirked. "You still have a lot to learn, my love. But it's time to go. Listen to Michael, and do not forget Monroe's code. It's stupid but important to him. He will say, 'The hound howls by night. And you reply, 'The rooster crows at dawn.'"

"Jackie, that sounds fucking ridiculous..." Hera was baffled. She couldn't help but think she was in a dream.

"Language Hera, fucking hell, I thought I raised you better than that." A sad smile tugged on Jackie's lips, " I love you, now go. I will see you soon."

Hera embraced Jackie and whispered the last goodbye before she was pushed out the front door and saw Mr Anders, Michael, in a tidy Nissan in the driveway.

The car smelled like old cigarettes and aftershave. Hera decided against shotgun and sat behind her former teacher. They rode in silence for a time, dark eyes flicking to the rearview mirror every few minutes.

Finally, the silence got the better of her. "What?"

"How much do you know?" He stared her down through the small reflective surface.

"Would 'I have no idea' suffice?" She stared right back.

Michael sighed and proceeded to tell her his role in her life. Mainly the constant suppression of Hera's Evolution for the entirety of her schooling life. She felt sick to her stomach. "The only reason your powers have been getting out of control is that I had to trust Joel with your suppression. But, unfortunately, he wasn't ready, and now we're here, so I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry."

Hera sat speechless for a few breaths and looked at her lap. "Why?" She said in a small voice. Everything just felt too insane. Maybe she was delusional, and this was just a part of one of her episodes.

"I'm sorry, I don't have time to give you much more information, Hera. " Michael said with a sigh as the car came to a sudden stop. " I hope Monroe can offer you some more insight." 

After a single deadpan, "thanks," Hera gathered her belongings and walked towards the harbour where Michael had gestured. The wind bit into her, and she shivered, spotting the shape of a person at the end of the dock as her safety drove away.