The next few minutes are a blur of activity, in which I'm ushered into the exam room. Without my permission, a needle is stuck into my arm, a calming drug immediately filling my senses. I don't even feel it when they put me into the giant machine.
Twenty excruciating minutes later, I'm free and seething. The drug has worn off, so when two guards not so gently lower me back into my wheelchair, I spit out a few curses.
This was five minutes ago. I'm currently wheeling through the hallway, a nurse and two guards on my tail.
"Where is he?!" I shout, going up and down the hallway.
"Ma'am, please calm down. Your father is very busy, and is studying your file as we speak."
"Take me to him." I demand, leaving no room for argument.
With a heavy sigh, the nurse jogs to catch up behind me and grabs a hold of the chairs handles, pushing me further down the hallway and to the left. We pass a few doors, before finally stopping in front of one. The nurse knocks hesitantly, and we wait a few moments in silence.
The door opens and Dr. James, a scientist I vaguely know, stand there, surprise coating his fingers at our appearance. I don't give him a chance to speak before wheeling myself into the room, Dr. James jumping back to avoid his feet being crushed by the wheels. I see my dad there, sitting at a table, photos of my x-rays spread out before him along with a few reports.
I shiver when glancing at the pictures. It's really creepy to see those ghostly pictures and know it's you in them.
When he sees the expression on my face, he turns to Dr. James, giving him a polite, but strained smile. "Thank you Doctor for your help. You may leave now."
Dr. James hesitates, obviously sensing the tension between his boss and daughter, but the second I turn my scowl on him he's out the door, faster than a blink. The door shuts, leaving just Dad and I.
For a few seconds, we have an intense stare down, before his gaze falters and his eyes avert back to his papers.
Unable to keep quiet, I explode. "What the Hell was that?"
"Ashley! Watch your mouth!" He fires right back.
"I'll watch my mouth when you start explaining!" I say, wheeling over to it, when suddenly the wheel jams itself and it takes a few tugs to get it rolling again. "Dammit! Why do I need this stupid wheelchair anyway?"
"Because you're back was severely injured, and if you say one more inadequate word I'll wash your mouth out with soap."
"Argh!" I scream, my hands raising in the air as fists. I feel like punching something. What is wrong with me? Why am I so angry?
"Ashley! You need to calm down! Ashley!" I distantly hear, but all I see is red.
"Dr. James! Get the doctor!"
What? I don't need a doctor, I need.........Zero. He's causing this anger, he has to be. Through the connection, I must be feeling his emotions, but why is he so angry?
"Ashley! Say something!" Is that Peter? Why is he here?
"Zero." I manage to gasp, before my fist suddenly shoots out, making contact with someone in front.
"Ack!" I hear Peter shout.
"Sorry." I manage to breathe, grabbing a hold of my chairs armrests so I don't do something rash again "I need...to see......Zero!" I say, screaming at the end.
"No, you need a doctor."'I hear my dad reply.
"Take me to Zero, NOW!!!" I roar, jerking in my seat.
All of a sudden, a blaring alarm goes off, and steel walls descend over the Windows.
"What's going on?" I hear Peter shout over the intense alarm, and I feel my anger slightly ebb, only to be replaced by a determination. This feeling scares me even more, because it's not just want, but it's need I'm feeling.
The need to kill.
Everything in the room comes into focus, and I see Peter standing in front of me, hands held up in a calming manner. I want to hear him scream, I want to grow my claws and rip him to shreds.
Wait.....claws? Since when does Zero have claws?
Funny how I'm worried over something I never knew about Zero, other than wondering who the heck he wants to kill.
Before I know what I'm doing, I'm standing up, the pain in my back non-existent. I take a heavy step forward, imagining ways to slaughter Peter where he stands.
"No!" I scream, throwing myself backwards.
I don't want to kill Peter.
I don't want to kill Peter.
I don't........
I can hear his heartbeat.
It drives the hunger inside until I'm looming over him, my hands fisted. Peter grabs a hold of my shoulders, shaking me.
"Snap out of it, Ashley!" He shouts, but it's too late.
I move to snap his neck, and I realize I've never known how to break someone's neck up until now. Nevertheless, my hands move on their own accord, reaching for him.
I'm tackled to the ground by Peter, and pinned while I thrash and scream.
"Restrain her!" I subconsciously hear Dr. Cartwright saying. No, he's not Dr. Cartwright, he's my dad.
"What the Hell is going on?" Peter shouts back and my dad mutters about that word again.
"Zero's escaped."
"WHAT?" I hear Peter yell over the still blaring alarm.
I hear my dad shout something into his phone. The room is suddenly further put on lock down stage. Bars drop down over the doors, a red, emergency light coming on since they turned the power off. I realize I'm still struggling against Peter, my hands subconsciously going for his neck. I need to stop, but I'm guessing it won't stop until Zero calms down or kills the person he wants to murder.
"You need to find Zero." I tell, Peter, and his grip slips momentarily on my hands, allowing one of them to break free and punch him in the neck. He chokes, but regains his hold, staring at me with wide eyes. "That's why I'm like this." I grunt. "Zero wants to kill someone, so I want to too."
Peter's eyes widen in realization. Good. That must mean he knows about the connection I have with Zero. I would be surprised if anyone didn't know.
"Doctor!" Peter shouts. "We need to get to Zero!"
But turns out we don't have to look for Zero. There's a thump outside the room, and all our heads jerk towards the door. The alarm shuts off, and I'm momentarily distracted from my urge to murder. Another noise sounds, and I watch horrified as the door dents.
"Let him in." I say, calmly, but no one moves to do anything. "Let him in!" I scream, struggling again. At my scream, the door dents again, deeper this time, until suddenly, it's ripped off its hinges.
Zero stands there, his grey eyes hard as steel, the only thing keeping him from us are the iron bars in the doorway. His eyes drink in the scene before him, and they relax slightly when they land on me, but when he sees Peter on top of me he lets out a growl so animalistic I flinch.
No one moves. We're all frozen, waiting for something to happen.
"Ashley." I hear my dad whisper quietly a few yards away. "You need to calm him down."
I nod slowly, frightened that any sudden movements will send Zero into a rampage. "Peter.....you need to get off me." I whisper urgently.
He stares down at me for a second, thinking, before slowly nodding and shifting off me. Zero growls again at Peter's movement, his eyes tracking him like a predator. I roll onto my side and stand up, cautiously moving towards the door.
"Zero." I whisper, only a yard away from the bars. His eyes connect with mine and I inhale sharply. He looks......different. The way his eyes focus in on everything, like a cornered animal. The way he shifts in his skin, like he's ready to run.
I think it hits me now that Zero is not human and will never be. Of course, I've always known he's not human, but these past few weeks it has been so easy to believe that he could be a normal human male. The image in front of me though is something completely different. I think back to Zero's words. How he said that Kinling's don't live, but survive. The person staring at me is a survivor, one that would do anything to keep breathing. If I'm being totally honest, it scares me.
A deep rumble drags me from my thoughts as Zero's whole body shakes. I try to feel down the connection,see what he's thinking, but I can only taste what he's feeling. Relief. Relief about what? I step closer to the bars, and put my hand through. Zero eyes it for a moment, before slowly taking it into his hand. He holds it carefully, staring at it like it might disappear in a second.
Guards appear down the hall, their guns leveled at Zero. He spins around, snarling at them and I press closer to the bars.
"You need to go with the guards, Zero." I say urgently. "I promise they won't hurt you"
Zero steals a glance back at me, and it gives the guards enough time to tackle Zero, restraining him with this weird, silver rope. I cry out, watching as they handle him so roughly. He struggles as they try and pull him away, and his eyes connect with mine.
He whimpers, desperation in his eyes, right as they turn the corner and I can't see him any longer.
I take a few deep breaths, my mind whirling with what just happened. Slowly, I turn around facing the my dad, Peter, and Dr. James.
The lock down system shuts off at that moment, now that Zero is contained, the steel uncovering the Windows and the iron bars easing back I to their hidden slot above the door. The second they're up I'm out the door, trailing the way the soldiers went with Zero.
I need to find him and demand to know what happened and why I wanted to kill someone.
Zero, I try saying down the bond we share. I'm coming.
Hello, readers! Thank you so much for your love and support. The comments have been really nice, so keep doing me a big favor by clicking the vote button and commenting. I love hearing your thoughts. I feel like this chapter was really intense. Sorry to leave you guys on a cliff hanger. See you next update,
Dangeroustoken