The Le Blancs lived in a private village where the wealthy and rich reside. Security guards always patrolled the area, and the construction workers and street sweepers were only allowed to enter if they had a clearance pass. The playground was filled with quality toys, the court was always cleaned every day, and the grass was always trimmed.

Alice’s favorite perk of living here was that she can walk at night, safe and sound. And she liked living next to the Browne’s.

“How’s your first day?” Wilson, her driver, asked. “Got any new friends?”

Wilson had been working for the Le Blancs for ten years now. They hired him and a bunch of bodyguards after adopting Alice, and ever since then, he had been a loyal staff. He treats Alice like his younger sister, and so she immediately felt comfortable around him. 

“I have a Principal that looks like Professor X,” she said eagerly.

“That’s good. That’s good. You can pretend you’re attending Xavier’s School for The Gifted.”

Alice chuckled. “Is mom and dad at home?” 

Meredith and George’s life revolved around three things: work, UNITY, and Alice. As of the moment, Alice was being slowly erased from those. They had not had a family picnic for months now.

Wilson’s eyes softened. “Sorry, little one. They’re at a UNITY meeting.”

They promised they would have dinner together tonight to celebrate Alice’s first day of high school, but she guessed they were too occupied to eat dinner with her.

She licked her lips, trying to hide the disappointment. “Oh. It’s fine.”

After a few moments of silence, she spoke again. “Do you want to eat dinner with me, Wilson?”

“Of course, little one.”

The Le Blanc mansion came into view as Wilson steered the car. Its lights were turned on, and the wide pathway was illuminated by the solar pathway lights. It was too big for a family of three and too empty and dull for little Alice.

After her quick dinner, Alice went to her room. Without changing her clothes, she opened her computer and searched the names she had been trying to forget. She was too young when her real parents disappeared, but she knew what they did. 

It was a part of her past she was trying to erase. But despite being a Le Blanc, people always regarded her as the murderers’ daughter. She knew the rumors, of course, the whispers that one day, she would be just like her parents: a murderer. 

Meredith and George tried to shield her from those, re: the bodyguards, but the whispers and insults still reached her ears.

Multiple news articles and blog posts regarding Vivien and Roger Warren popped on her computer screen. She clicked the top blog post and started to read.

TWO PEOPLE FOUND DEAD AT SEATTLE’S BEST’S PARKING LOT:

On the evening of February 16th, two people were found dead by Seattle’s Best’s employee Jenny Sparks. The bodies were identified as Fred Rocco and Nelson Rocco, the owners of Rocco Brothers. The bruises and cuts found in the bodies proved that the brothers were tortured before their throats were slashed. The murder weapon, which was found in Fred Rocco’s pockets, had multiple fingerprints. Two of them were from the brothers themselves, while the other two were of Vivien and Roger Warren.  

Vivien and Roger Warren were the co-owners of W&W Sugarcane Field which had a branch in Louisiana and Texas. At nine on the morning, the police declared Vivien and Roger Warren hostile and should be reported immediately if found and sighted. 

Alice browsed some more articles. She read the process of investigation and the witness’ statements. However, the information was not enough. She could not find an article that proved that Vivien and Roger were part of UNITY.

Was she wrong? Did she just imagine their faces in the picture of UNITY?

Alice felt a growing lump in her throat and the tightening of her chest as she read one article from another. Some of them mentioned her, Alice Warren, and how she was a fruit of bad people. She was only six years old back then, but they already branded her as a future murderer.

When she could not take it anymore, she shut her computer off. 

Alice massaged her temples as she climbed into her queen-sized bed. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe she just imagined it.

Before she slept, Alice reminded herself to go back to the hallway and check if that was really Vivien and Roger.

***

George and Meredith were already sitting at the dining table when Alice went downstairs. Her bag, full of notebooks and emergency comic books, was slung on her shoulders. 

Meredith gracefully wiped her mouth with a table napkin. “You’re leaving for school already? Isn’t it too early?” 

“Leia and I planned to meet up.” The lie easily flowed through her mouth. 

She cannot say that she would be checking if her real parents were members of UNITY. They never talked about Alice’s parents ever since they adopted her; it was like an unwritten contract between them.

George nodded as he chewed his eggs and slices of bacon loudly. “How did it go yesterday? Have you meet your classmates yet?”

“Yep. I met Candice.” 

“That’s wonderful!” Meredith beamed at her. She liked it whenever Alice befriended her rich friends’ sons and daughters. “Candice Carmine is a lovely young woman. You and Leia should hang out with the likes of her,” Meredith advised.

“Candice said Thomas Saint Clair will be studying at the academy.” Alice glanced at her parents as she popped a small quail egg in her mouth. “Isn’t that unfair? His parents own the school.”

“It’s not unfair, sweetie. The rules will still apply to him, I’m sure,” George stated, however, Alice believed otherwise. The Saint Clairs built that school for their son, it’s impossible to believe that he would not be treated differently.

Meredith smiled at her daughter. “You should also befriend Thomas, Al. He’s an art genius, and you like those little drawing books, right? I’m sure you two would click perfectly.”

Alice shook her head as she refrained from laughing. “Drawing books are different from comic books, Mom.”

“Is it?” Meredith looked at her husband for help, but when she saw that he was avoiding her gaze, she sighed and glanced back at Alice. “The point, Al, is that Thomas is a nice boy. You should try to talk to him. He doesn’t know anyone in the school, so it’s just right that you’d be friendly towards him.”

Alice doubted that he would be alone the moment he stepped right through the gates. He’s a Saint Clair, students would want to be friends with him. He certainly does not need her.

But, to give her mother some comfort, she spoke, “Okay, Mom. I’ll talk to him.” And Meredith gave her the brightest smile she had ever seen.

The academy was quiet and peaceful when she arrived. Only a few students were already at the grounds, and they were either making out, reading a book, or smoking. Alice, on the other hand, went straight to Athena.

Some of the teachers were already at the cafeteria, drinking their coffees and eating breakfast. She saw Miss Dalia not far from where she stood; she was occupied by her phone. 

Alice remembered the path to the hall of pictures. She went straight ahead, past the library, music room, an art room, and then she turned left. 

She stopped in her tracks when she noticed that the hall was not empty. A boy was sitting on the floor, his back was leaned against the wall, below the photo frames of UNITY. The good thing about this, Alice thought, was that he was sleeping, and he had earpods on his ears.

She slowly and quietly walked at the end of the hall, where she saw the photo yesterday. Alice focused her eyes on the photo, trying to decipher whether it was really her parents or just someone else. 

“The library is empty, you know. You could just hang there,” the sleeping boy suddenly spoke. Alice literally jumped out of shock.

“What?” 

“I’m here first. You should just go to the library,” he repeated.

Irritation crossed her face. “Isn’t this hall too big for only one person?” 

The boy stood up and removed his earpods. Alice immediately noticed his resemblance to Louis Saint Clair, the golden hair, brown eyes, and pointy nose. His features were undeniably good and pleasant to look at.

He was Thomas Saint Clair. And he wanted Alice to leave despite the hall having a spacious area.

“Yeah, but I was resting, and when a person is resting, you pay respect and leave.” Thomas’ arrogant and demanding tone annoyed her more. “So, you know, you should leave.”

“Of course. I now know that this hall is too big for you, Thomas Saint Clair. Especially with your big, arrogant head.” Alice spatted with a sarcastic tone before stomping her way out of that hall.