When Steven came to he noticed the voices, it was dark, but that could just mean hospital at night. He groaned as his eyes squinted open, he saw that he was in a car.

Panic tried to set in, he forced his mind calm. Given what he’d been doing recently, he can nearly be certain that blowing up the car by accident wasn’t something he could survive.

He noted four woman and one man nearby, they were talking about something called “Gem Hybridization” and whether or not it was feasible. It went on for nearly two minutes before the tall, square haired lady noticed he was awake.

“Oh, hi there. May I ask your name?”

“Um, Steven”

The lady who asked the question pointed to herself “I’m Rose, this man is my husband Greg. He was the one who pulled you off the road”

That explained the van at least.

“Do you know where your parents are?”

The man, Greg, obviously had good intentions, but Steven had to stop another panic attack from that comment. In doing so he ended up muttering his response.

“What was that”

“Orphan”

The man, did not look terribly surprised.

“Let me take a guess, you ran away to avoid being bullied because of that Gem in your chest?”

Steven responded with a nod. That was so close it was scary, Steven had to wonder if the man could read minds. Steven could, but not very well. It wasn’t even working on four of the five people here.

“I need to talk to my sisters, can you stay with Greg? Be sure to drink the water he gives you slowly, you won’t absorb it otherwise.”

And with that, Rose walked off out of ear shot, the three other woman following her.