Shields

Chapter 3: Mission

Two years after the escape:

I stormed down the hallway and into Julius' office. "Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded.

"You are on a need to know basis, Agent, and you didn't need to know." Julius said calmly.

"No, you should have told me. This was something I needed to know, Julius." I didn't bother with the sirs and captains. That didn't matter now.

"Agent Shields, you are very close to stepping over the line here." Julius' face hardened.

"Fill me in, then, so I don't have to." My voice was deadly and quiet.

"Why should I? You don't need to know." Julius repeated.

"It's about me, sir." I exaggerated the 'sir', placing emphasis on the fact that I didn't think he deserved the title right now.

"Regardless, it's for us to figure out."

I slammed my fist down onto the desk and the wood groaned. "I should know if I'm developing superhuman capabilities, Julius, and you have no right to keep that from me."

"Fine, tell the doctor I said you could have your files. Give him this note for confirmation." Julius scribbled a note on a piece of paper, signed it and handed it to me.

I took the note and stalked out of the office, still steaming.

The doctor handed me my files without complaint and I took them to my own little 'office' in the underground building.

File: Demetriot Shields

Physicals: Body functioning fine, fit as ever. No significant problems of any sort. Seems to be fine in all aspects. Will do another physical in a month or so. Scanning shows abnormal brain activity in his cerebellum, brain stem and frontal lobe. Will check into that more. Muscles seem suddenly stronger and more capable of handling extreme weights.

I continued to scan the file and found that the doctor didn't really have much of anything else that mentioned it or told me anything. The only other file I found was very vague.

Scans show a strange substance running through his system. Maybe a drug? The substance is unidentifiable. Scans have also shown traces of iodine and mars dust, as well as other elements. The effects of the drug don't seem to be causing much harm to the body. Seems more alert than usual as well, possible due to extra activity in the brain stem. Will continue searching for more information.

Well this is just wonderful. I've got mars dust running through my system. Just great. I thought irritably.

I returned the file to the doctor wordlessly and went to the training room to let off some steam.

Alven found me there a half hour later. "You okay there, Dem?" He asked me.

I shrugged wiping sweat out of my eyes and continuing to punch the bag in front of me as hard as I could. Finally, the cord holding the bag snapped and I stopped punching to look at Alven. "I don't know. I'm still angry at Julius for not telling me about it all."

"If it makes you feel better, he only just told me because he thought you could use someone to talk to."

"Did he explain anything to you?" I asked, guzzling down a bottle of water.

Alven shrugged. "Not really. He said something about a foreign substance going through your system. I'm not sure what to think about it, really. It sounds like you've been taking a weird, never before heard of drug, but I know you aren't into that kind of thing, so that's not what's happening here."