Of course she was wrong. Of course her mistake from this morning would have gotten her in trouble. She had pushed the boundaries too far, and now she screwed herself over. Mai fidgeted with the hem of her tunic as Kasarov spoke. Her gaze was fixed on a stained spot on the carpet so that she wouldn't meet his eyes. That stain had been there since before she returned home. It was weird to think that now she would never get to know why it was there. Mai never questioned what her parents' life was like before she was born, or what it was like after she was taken away. A part of her never connected with them. She was afraid of them in a way, or afraid of them not liking her. The air around the family had always been tense and distant, and now Mai's heart was breaking thinking about being taken away again and never getting a chance to actually know them. Would someone tell them what happened to her? Would she be allowed to keep in contact with her parents? Or would she be locked in solitary again.<br/><br/>As badly as Mai wanted to ask questions, she decided to keep her mouth shut. Instead, she bit the inside of her cheeks, and kept silent. She let Kasarov go about his exam; groping and prodding, and moving her in whatever way he wanted. The physical exam was always embarrassing and awkward and a little painful. Especially when she was a teenager, and started being aware of how some officers abused their power, Mai hated the way they touched her. Kasarov wasn't as bad as most. In fact, he was the only one she was tolerant of after she left the military camp. However, that still didn't ease her anxiety. Her heart beat rose slightly, and her collar started to beep steadily. Her radiation level was rising, but she wasn't worried about it. She knew how to handle it. She could feel the power tingle in her finger tips, but it was dull, and she wouldn't let it spread further.<br/><br/>A moment later, however, her collar was off. To her surprise, Kasarov removed it. She watched in a mix of horror and almost intoxicating surprise as the veins in her hands and arms turned black, and she felt a burst of power run through her body. She hadn't felt that much power since her last test at the base, and this time, it wasn't someone else controlling it. It was her power, and no one else was making her use it.<br/><br/>But it was over in a second. As quickly as the power came, it was taken away. Mai felt a sharp sting in her neck, and weight pulling against her skin. The black blood resided, and she was suddenly feeling very drained. She whorled to glare at the man sitting in her chair, and despite her subdued state, fire burned behind her eyes. She caught the clothes and restraints in her arms and hugged them to her chest. "You're taking me back?!" She spat the words out like they were poison in her mouth. Her voice was soft, and quiet, but her tone was sharp. "I don't want to go back. I've spent my whole life under your constant super vision, and all I want is to be free. I didn't ask for any of this bullshit, and I am tired of being under your control!" Mai could feel her blood begin to rise, and she took a breath to calm herself. She knew it was no used to argue. Especially as guards entered the room, she knew it was hopeless. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she gazed down at the stain on the carpet. It was then that she started to notice the warmth that had filled the house. "You leave them alone," she said in almost a whisper. Then, looking back at Kasarov, she spoke a little louder. Her grey eyes glaring into his. "You leave my parents alone. Move them to a better district. Give them a better home, with hot water and heat, and real food. Make up for the hell you put them through and what you're going to put them through again, and I will come quietly. No arguments, because they're the only innocent ones here. They deserve more than this."