"Ma'am, Shan Li has been recovered," the soldier said. She was clad in the sleek, black armor of Syntech's special forces unit, her hair cut short on the sides with the rest pulled back in a tight bun. She stood at attention, respecting the authority of the CFO sitting before her.
"And?" Unity LaCroix said, still leaning back in her chair as if unconcerned.
"She lives. However, she sustained significant injuries during her mission in MALMAL territory, and has been transferred to the CCC within the military hospital. They say she's stable, ma'am."
Mayundar Nezlo, standing behind the soldier, half listened as he stared out of the CFO's office window. The room was positioned between two of the three main towers at the center of Sanctuary. The bridge was one of many connecting the three buildings, but did more than house the offices of Sanctuary's elites. Their lower levels facilitated foot traffic for businessmen, leaders, and advisors, while the upper levels contained The Board's members. A third tower completed the triangular formation, which only a select few ever entered, for it belonged to The Chairman.
The waterfall filling the view to the east reminded the former DEITY of Shan Li and her countless hours of meditation beneath its spray. He wished he could go back in time to warn her. To tell her that he'd suspected something would go wrong on this mission. But he frowned at the childish thought.
"Did Shan Li have anything of... value on her person?"
"No, ma'am... Not to my knowledge."
"What of the others?" Unity said. This caught the attention of Mayundar and he turned from the wall of glass.
"We-" the soldier started, before May cut her off.
"Wait, what others?" he asked, stepping forward.
The CFO leaned forward with squinted eyes. He could tell she'd expected this reaction from him, but was annoyed that her prediction had come true. "May, this doesn't concern you."
"I'm your advisor. I'd like to think that matters of war concern me," he said. He wasn't sure why he was speaking out. He'd never dared to do so before. The news of Shan had sparked something in him that he hadn't known still existed.
"Watch yourself, Mayundar. I do not like your tone," Unity said, her lips becoming thin.
The soldier snuck a glance at the former DEITY now standing to her right. Most of the soldiers had heard at least one story about the legendary fighter that lost his chance at greatness. When he looked at her, she jerked her eyes away to stare at the wall ahead of her.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't know what came over me."
The CFO leaned back in her chair once more, her eyes lingering on May for a strained moment. "Go on," she ordered.
"Um, yes, ma'am. The soldiers that'd accompanied Shan Li were not found. We think that they might have been lost in the destruction of Darkpathe, or when they reached the underground facility."
Unity studied the top of her desk as she considered the soldier's report. "That is all. Thank you," she said, not looking at the young soldier again. She stood from her chair, walking to the window overlooking the city.
May saw the soldier out of the room. He closed the door behind her, resting his hand on its frame as if he'd collapse without its support. His emotions were begging to run wild, but he forced himself to keep them under control. Turning back, he studied the thoughtful CFO. She seemed conflicted with something as she stared blankly down at the surrounding cityscape. Possibly something that even her most trusted advisor couldn't know.
He moved closer. "Ma'am," he started, to see if she'd respond. She didn't. "I've known you for years now and I've never seen you like this. I've come to know you better than anyone. Well, besides it being my job, I'd like to help."
The offer had been sincere, but his intentions were slightly personal. He'd become quite experienced in politics from working with leaders and people in positions of power. Perfecting the practice of human interaction and social behaviors allowed him to get the information he desired. Put simply: he wanted Unity to talk.
"Rew..." she whispered to herself. Unity's voice sounded strange. He couldn't see past her hair but he could have sworn her expression was one of sorrow.
"Rew?" he said.
The CFO twisted from the window with a scowl. She quickly realized that her anger toward May was unwarranted and would only cause him to question her more. Her eyes were lit with a hateful fire. May had seen that look before when she'd make decisions based on passion rather than logic.
"Mayundar, tell them to initiate Project Revival," Unity ordered. As she spoke her words became more angered. "I want Shan back in the fight as soon as possible. I hate to admit it, but Syntech needs her more than ever. Something terrible is coming and I want her alive and capable. Screw that, I want that DEITY to be a damn killing machine."
"Ma'am, are you sure? Revival hasn't been proven to be one-hundred percent effective. She may not even be her former self. You could kill her."
"Does it look like I care?!" she yelled. "Get that DEITY back on her feet and into the field. We're going to rip our enemies to shreds. I'm tired of sitting on the sidelines, toying with pointless missions that get us nowhere. I'm taking matters into my own hands from now on."
Mayundar's mind raced. He didn't want to see his old friend experimented on with untested technology, but what could he do?
"May?! What is with you? Go now, tell Isotta to start the procedure," Unity said, turning her back as if to say the conversation was over. You have your orders, now go follow them.
"Yes, ma'am," he said, weakly.
He left the office in haste, trying to find a place where he could be alone with his thoughts. But in the hall there was no such place. He continued to move in order to keep his mind busy. The cameras watched him as he made his way down the tower's many floors. More accurately, The Chairman watched him. The mysterious leader of Syntech knew everything that happened in his city. Or so most people assumed.
However, Mayundar knew better. There were many secrets in Sanctuary and he was just beginning to uncover the truth. He just had to pry a little harder and the seal would come loose. But would he like what he found underneath Sanctuary's shiny surface? Something told him that paradise was one step away from becoming purgatory.
***
Rew hurried to Shan Li's side, which had been seared off completely. Luckily, the wounds had been cauterized upon infliction. She was breathing, but her eyes were shut. There wasn't much he could do to help her. If he moved her, it would only cause unnecessary pain. The DEITY would be dead soon and he could only watch as it happened.
He wished he could've done more to aid in the fight, but in his current state he'd only gotten himself killed. She was right. He needed to run far away from here. Away from MALMAL. Away from Syntech. Anyone who'd want to chain him up and dissect him.
Strange, hazy lights filled the rainy, night sky. At first he thought they weren't real, but when the distinctive echo of rotary blades fell upon his ears, he knew someone was coming. Someone had seen or heard the destruction of the underground facility. The distant hum grew as they neared his position. He quickly fell back into a dense section of the tree line, allowing himself a good vantage of Shan and the whole area.
Eventually, the hovercraft swooped in low, their rotating searchlights narrowing in on the DEITY's body. Small hatches opened in the bottom of the craft and soldiers in black armor rappelled down to the ground with expert efficiency, dispersing out in a circular formation. Two more soldiers exited the hovercraft, not aided by ropes as the others had been, and landed in a crouch. DEITY's.
From where Rew hid he could somewhat make out the faces of the two helmetless soldiers. One was a male with brownish hair and broad shoulders. He remained crouched, studying the soil around Shan Li. The other was a female with a dark complexion. She stood over Shan, looking down at her with those distinct yellow eyes.
"She lives," the woman said.
"Yes, barely," the man said, rising to his feet. He was at least two heads taller than the woman. "Can she be saved, Isotta?"
Isotta knelt next to Shan, producing something from within her black jacket. She injected her, then signaled the soldiers to fasten her to a small gurney. After Shan was secured, the soldiers on the ground each retracted out of the forest and back into the hovercraft via their rappel lines. The two DEITY's remained behind, waiting for the soldiers to depart before they began talking once more.
"Listen to me, Bhatar. I believe there is something I can do to save her. It's a terrible thing and I'm not sure if I want do it."
"But it's Shan," Bhatar said. "You must do what you can, correct? If there is the slightest possibility she can be saved."
Isotta lowered her head, her white hair hanging down at the sides. She finally nodded, pulling free the spear that had been holstered on her back. "We must be quick. Find what you can and let us leave this place," she said. Bhatar gave a quick nod before sprinting away toward the destroyed facility. Isotta started to move, then stopped. She looked back, her bright eyes shining in Rew's direction.
He ducked down behind the fallen tree. Had she seen him? He felt a sudden panic as if he shouldn't be hiding, but then he remembered his affliction. They'd treat him like a monster, some lab rat to be tested on with no rights or freedoms. He began hyperventilating, his mind racing at the thought. He forced himself to take a shakey deep breaths and peek from his hiding place. The DEITY was no longer there. And the hovercraft had moved as well, most likely following in her tracks.
Rew sat back against the tree and began to question everything. He grabbed each side of his head with shaky hands and curled his legs closer to his chest. The rainfall against the canopy lulled him into a moment of deep meditation. Did he go after his injured colleague and find out the truth? Or did he attempt to live a solitary life in hiding? Then it came to him. If he had been created, maybe he could be cured. It was the only way any of this could work. He'd find The Doctor, return to his former self, and then go find Shan.
He waited until the hovercraft was no longer circling the forest, signaling that Syntech had left and would not be returning. The young soldier stalked off toward the smoldering remnants of the nightmarish lab that had ruined his life. At least now he had some semblance of a purpose. It was the only thing that kept him from collapsing in the mud in the fetal position. He just hoped this new purpose didn't end in him getting killed... again.