Abby walked down the street after school, her bag loaded with library books, smoking a cigarette. Up ahead, several men consulted a clipboard standing at the back of a panel truck. When she was within half a block, a voice in her head spoke, startling her.
"Sweetheart, you need to turn back now." The voice had a slight Scottish accent.
Abby blinked, and shook her head. She took another few steps forward.
"I'm serious, turn back now. Run."
The men at the panel truck started toward her. Abby clutched her bag and bolted back the way she came, dropping her cigarette.
"Dodge down that alley on your left, two houses down, cut through a gate on your right. Lock it behind you, and run around the front of the house."
"Who are you?" She whispered, and did as the voice said, running in a crouch around the house in question.
"I'm your overwatch, darling. You don't think your parents spent that much money creating you, and then turned you loose without some sort of security?"
"I suppose not." Abby made the front yard, and paused looking around. "What do I do now?"
"Across the street, through the yard of the grey house. There will be an Uber waiting for you. Get in the back, it will take you home."
Abby took a deep breath and bolted across the street, bag of books clutched in front of her, through the yard, and out into the alley. A silver Prius with the Uber "U" in the front window sat there, engine running.
"Are you my fare?" He smiles, then really looks at her face, as she slides into the back. "I know you. You're Abigail Caldecott."
"Yeah. And I need to get home really fast, can we do that?" Abby took a deep breath.
"Yeah, yeah, sure." The guy put the car in gear and took off down the alley, making the turn onto the cross-street. "Your, uh, the guy who called for you gave me the address already."
"Cool. Thanks." She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes, feeling something sting her thigh through her tights. "Ow! Something..." She opened her eyes to see an empty syringe withdrawn from her thigh. "What the... the fuck did...?"
"Sweetheart! Stay with me!"
Abby made a grab for the door handle, but both doors were locked. Her tongue felt thick, and she was having trouble moving. She slumped down on the seat.
"Shit." The word echoed around her skull as she passed out.