Unlikely

Avians

River awoke, finding herself still groggy from the drug the men had given her. She looked around, seeing nothing but the white walls of the large room. Vexen who sat near her had been awake for a while, watching over her as she slept. She could see that he too still felt the effects of the drug, for they sat in two cold metal chairs, bound to them only by the effects of the drug. The familiar click of Aisha’s heels against the tile floor floated into the room, quickly followed by Aisha herself. Behind her came the sound of new sneakers squeaking across the floor.
River tried to turn her head, as that was the only part of her still able to move, but the man belonging to the squeaky sneakers quickly held another cloth to her face. Aisha did the same to Vexen. She wasn’t sleepy, but her head and everything else was now immobilized. She stared in front of her as Aisha began to talk. “As you may know, I own you. I own your flock, every part of you. So I have determined what to do with at least you two. If it works, I’ll try it with the younger ones once they get older. But I guess I should tell you what I’m talking about now. Darren, step out here please.”
The man stepped out from behind River. He smiled wildly when he saw River’s face. He stepped towards her, grinning like a mad man. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, sloppy and wet. Vexen stared wide eyed at him, struggling against the drugs. Aisha grabbed Darren’s collar and pulled him back. “Now Vexen, I’d like you to meet my good friend. Oh Maria!” she called.
Maria walked through the doorway, her heels clicking like Aisha’s. She covered Vexen’s eyes playfully. “Hey hot stuff.” She giggled. She kissed him quickly then joined Aisha and Darren standing in front of them. They stood there for a while, River doing her best not to look into Darren’s eyes and Vexen having the hardest time looking away from Maria.
“You both have a choice. The scientists and I have decided we will try to engineer a “super breed”. But messing with DNA has too many nasty side effects. So instead we are going to breed you with the best fit werewolves. River, you can choose to be with either Darren here, or you can choose to be with Vincent in the next room.” Aisha explained.
“I pick Vincent. No doubt about it.” River answered quickly. Darren lunged at her, trying to change her mind, but Aisha tugged on his collar again. He stayed obediently by her side.
Aisha continued, “Vexen, you can be with Maria or Isis. Now remember, if you choose Maria, you won’t have to deal with the younger ones any more. Frankly, neither of you will anymore, no matter who you choose. You will have your own houses so there will be no distractions.”
River waited for Vexen’s answer. She hoped he would pick Isis, but she feared the temptation of being alone would be too great for him. She held her breath as he began to talk, “I choose… Isis. This means I can still see River, correct?”
“Correct. Now if you will wait for a second, I have to get one of my colleagues to deal with these two.” She walked out of the room and returned with a burly man. Maria screamed slightly as he injected her with a deadly poison. Darren attempted to run, but the man threw the syringe at him, killing him on impact. River shuddered at how expendable they all were to the scientists. “Please take these two with me Dr. Jones.”
The scientist hurled the two of them over his back. He walked out of the lab, and out into the bright sunshine. The man threw them into a car with Isis and Vincent next to them. Her fingers began to twitch and a few moments after that she was able to sit up on her own. Vexen sat himself between Vincent and River, afraid of who knows what. “I assume you know what’s going on. We’ll talk later.” She assured Vexen as she and Vincent were escorted to their new home. Before she went into the house, she saw Vexen take the hand of Isis and whisper something into her ear. River shut the door quietly behind her.