When the feathers appeared, I knew I was in trouble. I had glanced at a mirror, all seeming normal, blue eyes, blonde hair. And then, a little white tuft. I leaned forward in confusion.

"What the?"

There were feathers on my skin. Small, white, soft feathers, growing above my scapula, all the way across to my shoulder, than abruptly stopping. In attempt to get a closer look, I took of the gray shirt I had put on this morning. Yep, those were feathers all right. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, what in the world was going on with me.

I glanced at the door knob, it was locked. My secret was still safe. I would have to check with Lucy about this. Lucy was the one friend who knew my secret, and was okay with it. She was a veterinary doctor at the nearby animal shelter, kind of appropriate considering my current situation. If I was getting more feathers, she would have to know.

I grabbed a hoodie and pulled it over my head, it was winter, so that wouldn't look suspicious. Before I went out, I made sure it covered the feathers, it did. Then I was off, jumping down the stairs two at a time, I didn't want to run into my parents in case they saw-

    "William!"

    I winced, my hearing better than normal humans. And my mother wasn't considering her volume at eight o'clock in the morning.

    "Yes Mom?" I asked, putting on my smile and turning to face her.

    "Where are you going?" She questioned, her white hair falling past her shoulders as she straightened my jacket.

    "Out, to visit some friends," I answered.

    She laid a hand on my shoulder, and I resisted the urge to brush it off. Shirts were already uncomfortable enough in my case. My skin itched indignantly where her hand was.

    "Just be back by five, your father has an important dinner tonight and you need to be here early to freshen up."

    I nodded and went on my way, sighing, and scratching at my back.

    It took me a full thirty minutes to reach the animal hospital. I pushed open the door, acutely aware that is was technically a business day, Lucy was on her shift. I would have to wait. So I seated myself down in the waiting room, the chairs there were actually quite nice.

    There was a large golden retriever sitting on the floor right next to me. It's owner was a middle aged man, brown hair, brown eyes, brown coat. His dog had a bandage around a stump of what was left of it's tail. It lifted it's head up, and sniffed the air, in my general direction.

    I leaned back, itching at my shoulder uncomfortably. It was calm for a few moments, then the dog started pulling on it's leash towards me, whining, and trying to get off it's leash.

    "Down, girl," the man commanded.

    She barked at me, and I started. He yanked on her leash.

    "Sorry," he apologized, turning towards me. "She used to hunting fowl, you haven't been around any birds lately have you?"

    I made a mental face-palm. How ironic. "No sir."

    "Well that's strange," he said through gritted teeth, struggling to hold her back.

    "William!" I heard my name being called. I looked up to see Lucy with her old fashion orange/brown hair and golden eyes, beautiful as ever at thirty-two years old.

    I hurriedly got up from my chair and across the room. "How did you know I was here?"

    "To be honest, I saw you out the window, then the main desk called."

    I grinned, myself visiting was so routine, nobody questioned it. They just called Lucy down as soon as she was done.

    "So why are you here?" She asked, after we were safely back in her office.

    "I have a problem," I tugged off the hoodie, and pulled at the tee shirt to reveal the line of white feathers.

    "Oh dear," she muttered. "It could be spreading."

    "Spreading?" My heart clenched, I was already so much of a freak, I didn't need this too.

    "I don't know," she went into a cabinet and pulled out a glass jar. "Do you mind if I take one?"

    I nodded, and she softly pulled out a feather, I winced, feeling relieved once the pain soothed. She dropped it in the jar and brought out a large binder. I knew this contained information about me. I didn't like that she had it, and would prefer it be in a safer place.

    "I already have a blood sample that I took last summer, but it told me that your genes were stable and weren't going to break out like this," she flipped through some pages of information, stopping to read something, then continuing on.

    "So why am I getting more feathers?" I rubbed my hands anxiously, already feeling clammy.

    "I don't know, it's possible you're continuing to mutate, or this could like, and allergic reaction of some sort..."

    "Every time I get sick I'll grow feathers?" I gasped.

    She shook her head, "I'm just not sure, it's not as if you can look this stuff up, you're the only case ever recorded with you're kind of ability, it's amazing."

    "I don't want more feathers," I sighed. "It's hard enough."

    Lucy gave me a sympathetic look. "I know, but-"

    She stopped suddenly, and held her hand up. I froze as voices floated across the hallway. Lucy's office was at the end of the hall, nobody came this far back unless they were coming in. I panicked and pulled the hoodie back on.

    "That's weird, I don't have any appointment for the next two hours," her lips pulled down into a frown.

    Just as I pulled the cloth over my back, the door swung open, and three men in sharp, crisp, black suits and dark sunglasses, filed in.

    "Lucy Green?" Their leader asked, a blonde with a sneer coming on.

    She nodded, looking pale and confused. I started to step away hoping this had nothing to do with me, the leader put out his hand like a stop sign.

    "This involves you too William."

    I stopped. How did he know my name? I had never seen him before. The guy pulled out an I.D. Flashing in an official way.

    "James Worthington, I'm from the Legal Assault Biologies, and we've been monitoring you for some time William."

    Legal Assault Biologies? A small voice in my head realized in spelled LAB, but It was pushed aside with no later thought. How did they know about me, and by monitoring mean they knew about my wings?

    "You make weapons?" I tried to divert the conversation. He had said assault, and it intrigued me.

    "That is a good question. Through genetic manipulation, we are able to create enhanced soldiers, better than humans, twice as durable, and half as costly." He replied, flashing a practiced smile at me, his teeth too white.

    They knew, I shifted uncomfortably. "What does this have to do with me?" I asked, even though already I half knew.

    "Fifteen years ago your parents signed up for and experimentation. They thought it would result in a healthier baby, though we both know that isn't true, right William?"

    It must have shown on my face because he laughed again. Lucy squirmed and opened her mouth as if to object, then James turned to her.

    "And you, Lucy Green, were the one to give the serum to his mother."