a's three-hundred-pound frame crashed through it like a wounded rhino. Her lungs burned, her heart poun

her chest heaving. "This is pathetic," she muttered, wiping the grim

athing. A strange insect, its body a lurid green wi

commanding her bio-manipulation ability to s

then died. The energy was too weak, too thin. I

ct buzze

green ichor on the bark. She stared at the glowing slime on her hand, a grim realization settling in. Her power was garb

liced a shallow cut across her forearm. Blood welled up, bright red against

inutes for the cut to close, leaving only a faint white line. By the time it was done, Alivia

ehydrated body. She pushed off the tree, fighting her way through thorny

fell to her knees at the edge, scooping up the cold water and splashing it over

ooked

irror. And the face staring bac

her cheeks and forehead, and her features were squished into the center by slabs of fat. She opened

she breathed. She had known she was ugly-the memories told her th

, she took a sharp breath. "Pity parties don't b

reflection with the cold, analytical eye of an agent assessing a target. Obesity. Hormo

ice flat. "It's a disast

e couldn't fight, she couldn't run, but she could at least get clean. She scanned the banks, searching

ing. She would wash. She would survive. And th