The tiny brown head shook back and forth as she watched Doc examine me.
“Maggs?”
She stuck her tongue out, wrinkling her nose. Doc ran his fingers over the scar hidden in my hair, with a perplexed look.
“Every wound healed perfectly except for that one.” He sat back scratching his head. “Your memories are still intact, yes?”
“Yes. Well, everything from the last six years at least.” I shrugged. “Lilly?”
The girl shook her head again.
“You mean to say you have no memory of your childhood?” Doc looked at me in surprise.
“Nope.” He didn’t need to know I had a few flashes of memory. It was better just to keep those to myself. As much as I liked Doc Porters, he was still working for the other team. And, until I knew exactly who the other team was, the more I played dumb, the better. I tried another name. “Anders?”
“That sounds like a boy’s name.” Arden piped in from his cot.
“I agree.” Doc said, jotting down something in his journal.
“Well I’m running out of ideas here. If you two don’t have any helpful suggestions you can keep your mouths shut.”
The little girl grinned as we quarreled. We had spent the last few hours trying to guess her name. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she tapped her chest.
“You have an idea?” I offered her my words.
She nodded. She tapped her chest and then pointed to me.
“You want my name?”
She shook her head. She tapped her chest again, held up her palm in the air and then pointed to me. My forehead creased as I stared helplessly at her.
“I think she wants a name like yours. Something a little less… conventional.” Arden said.
She nodded bouncing where she sat. Doc stopped writing, his interest piqued.
“Okay…you want a different name. Let me think.”
I had chosen my new name out of a necessity to start fresh. When my parents died in that alley so did their precious little girl. I was what rose from her ashes. Phoenix naturally seemed the most fitting choice for my new life.
"I didn't keep my given name either you know? I chose mine and I think it's your right to choose the one you want," I said, meeting her curious eyes. She nodded furiously.
I looked at the way her small hands fidgeted as she watched me. Her eyes flickered from my face to the ground, quick and nervous. She reminded me of a mouse. Her small delicate features, dishwater hair and soft brown eyes seemed to fit the description.
"Mouse?" I asked tentatively and for the first time since we started the name game, she smiled.