"Well Doctor, it truly has been a "pleasant" evening but I have some rather important business to attend to now before the departure."
She said in a stoic yet respectful manner with a fake mild smile.
"Of course, I understand. I'm glad we were able to work things out. I'm looking forward to working with the legendary Katastrophis. It truly is an honor, especially since your one of the subjects that was used on my formula for the genetic enhancements experiment- turning out to be a major success and still prospering by the way! I'm looking forward to see what we can accomplishment now even further."
He said genuinely with a full yet sinister smile; while getting up from the table they were sitting at as she did the same.
"Thank you for your time Katastrophis. I'll see you in a weeks. He said while putting his hands behind his back; then as a sign of respect, he bowed his head and left out the sliding door.
She just gave a quick nod of confirmation and watched him leave. She stood there for a second then left as well.
"The game of kill them with kindness has commenced." She thought to herself as she walked down the hall and placed her helmet back on.
-
Despite his attempt to black mail her, she knew she had to join the project. Since she had to join she was going to play it smart, and by ticking off the doctor that was supposed to be performing experiments on her was not the way to go. So she put on the charm and he bought it.
She had to do this, not just because of her annoying consciousness of others but to find out what that substance was formulated from, why it had such a weird effect on her and what it was capable of.
One things for sure, this was going to be the death of her or come close to it. Now there was one other person she had to deal with tonight and she was not looking forward to it.
The only person she has ever come to fear in her entire life and had overpowered her in everything. Her Commander in chief and personal Mentor- RED.
He was assigned to her since she had turned 13. Due to the percentage of their personalities matching up almost perfectly being 97.6% actually, and for other reasons. But they still had their slight differences.
He did years and years of dirty work as a Marine and later- as an assassin for the CIA. Was a Paramilitary operations officer and former U.S. Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance which is a special forces officer. He is well known and respected among the force; and certainly feared.
Physically, he was intimidating, well fit, tall at 6" 1', dark skinned, short buzzed cut hair, with scars and burns in some places; especially on his hands and knuckles. He wasn't experimented on like she was but he was injected with the serum once as per his request, more like demand. He almost didn't survive it and ended up in the ICU for a few months afterwards. Unfortunately it didn't take any affect on him but it did give him a few minor enhancements in his strength and speed. The conclusion was that he was older in age and wasn't experimented on throughout his life at a young age like Katastrophis was since she was an infant, which is why the serum didn't work and almost ended him.
Personality wise, he was burned out and pretty much dead on the inside; numb to everything. People say she had sparked some life back into him even though he tried to hide it. She knows he secretly struggles with the memories of his past, but when you've done and seen the things he has, one can only imagine.
He's a fatherly figure in her eyes to a degree. Being the only person that knows her inside and out, can read her like a book, rise her up and tear her down in a single second, both physically and mentally. She respected him greatly and feared him also.
Now she has to tell him that she made a decision without his consent?
This should be fun...
-
-
-
"You did what?!" Red shouted, towering over her.
"I- "
"Did I say you could speak?!" He shouted bending over to get in her face; with wide eyes of rage.
She flinched; closing her mouth instantly looking straight forward.
He straightened up while keeping his furious hazel eyes fixated on her; stalking back and forth.
She was sitting on the metal bench as he instructed the second she told him she needed to talk. Knowing it was something serious.
They were in a large training arena that was empty at the time, with only the moon shining in through the skylights. Only it seemed like it was only shining on her.
"I can't believe this. I would have expected this of someone else but you?!" He stopped abruptly staring at me. She said nothing but just stared in another direction holding her breath.
"Actually no! Scratch that I do expect this from you with how rebellious you've become over the years. But that's besides the point! You know my top rules! You tell me the truth, you always keep your word, and you come to me first before making any serious decisions! And what do you do? You go behind my back! You disregard my authority! And you disrespect my status as your commander-in-chief! I mean do you have any idea what you have just gotten yourself into?!"
He hovered over her shouting and with an already deep voice in an empty arena, his voice was amplified and echoed off the tall walls. She just kept staring forward; tensing up at his words and feeling dishonored. She clenched her jaw to hide her anger building up, but she had to answer for her actions.
"What do you have to say for yourself?!" He said staring down at her with eyes of anticipation and fury.
"I apologize for not meeting with you beforehand and asking for your input first. But that's exactly why I didn't." She said finally looking at him with a plain expression.
In disbelief by her words, he couldn't even speak because he was so outraged. With his arms crossed he just threw his back with a huff, then shook his head looking away from her with his jaw clenched.
She took this opportunity to stand up and explain herself.
"I didn't ask for your input nor permission because I knew you wouldn't grant it. I need to find out what that substance is and where it came from, why it had such an effect on me and more importantly what it can do. It's better for it to be tested on someone like me than on anybody else. I know what I'm risking by putting my body on the line and even my life but I don't care. I have to do this- I need to."
She said in a demanding yet respectful manner. She was already on thin ice and didn't want to fall through.
As she was telling him this, she stood before him keeping her stare locked with his. He finally looked back at her fully with his arms still crossed. She just waited for a response or reaction or anything! Either one she was prepared for and well deserved.
Finally he took a deep breath, shaking his head looking at the ground as she prepared for the worst. He looked back at her and said "you are to much like me." With a serious face.
She cracked a small smile because she knew what that meant. He huffed with a smirk shaking his head.
"I'm not to sure that's a good thing either because that means your gonna end up ticking off a lot of people." He said with an arched eyebrow and a smirk.
She just huffed with a small laugh.
"When is the departure?" He said.
She straightened up at his question knowing he was back to his serious commander in chief self.
"In a week. So next week Thursday at 1600."
"Hm. Location?" He said putting his hands behind his back in his classic commander-in-chief stance.
"Classified. Due to risks of infiltration."
"Not ideal but understood. Parties involved?"
"Chief in Naval Research Science and Technology Liaison team and military Occupational Specialty members."
Red paused at this and arched his brow.
"You do realize that the other 'Military specialties' are going to be individuals that are like yourself right?"
"Yes." She said with her eyebrows furrowed.
"That means you'll be seeing a few old comrades."
She was confused for a moment at where he was getting at. But then it hit her like freak train.
"No. You can't mean-"
"Oh yes. That's exactly what I mean."
He said uncrossing his arms and walking away towards the other bench to where his weapons were.
She just kept staring in the same spot he was just standing in with her mouth open in disbelief. As the worst possible scenario has just come true.
"You can't be serious!" She said turning to him.
"Oh I'm dead serious. Who'd else did you think it'd be?" He said turning towards her, putting his gun back in his holster.
"This can't be! It's been over 10 years! I didn't even know that they were still around!"
"You never even checked to see their statuses?"
"No! I never looked back after I left. I didn't exactly leave on good terms."
"Doesn't matter, its been over and done with. What'd you think would happen after you left? That you'd never have to see them again just because you went solo?"
"That's not entirely what happened. I don't remember fully what happened. Well it worked out pretty well for the past 10 plus years didn't it? Not checking up on them..." She stammered trying to remember everything.
"You can't avoid it forever." He said cutting through her thoughts, as he noticed she was trying to remember the past. "No matter what went down between you and them, it comes back around. Trust me I know. Either way, you'll have to face them again. In fact-next Thursday you will."
He said standing in front of her now, looking at her with a serious yet concerned look. She didn't say anything but looked away crossing her arms and taking a deep breath trying to grasp the situation at hand.
"Look, you were trained and brought up together. Despite it only being for a few years. You were a pack and it was good for a bit, but when you had the opportunity you made the decision to leave and move on to bigger and better things. You were granted that leisure. You shouldn't feel guilty for making that decision for whatever reason. Even if it meant cutting off some ties and making new ones. It's their problem for not respecting your reason."
He said putting his hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him a with a concerned expression. He just smiled back softly, shaking her a bit from her shoulder.
"That's the other thing Red, I can't fully remem-"
"It doesn't matter what fully went down." He said cutting her off. "What's done is done."
She sighed. "Great." She said closing her eyes with an irritated exhale.
He huffed. "Next time check with your commander-in-chief and you won't have this problem."
She opened her eyes just staring off as she felt the sting of karma come off his comment. He walked away and she turned around to stare after him. Then looked up rolling her eyes before uncrossing her arms, letting out an amplified irritated sigh before trailing after him and heading towards the sliding doors.
"Yup. No punishment that I could've come up with couldn't be worse than what you've gotten yourself into. But! Don't you dare think that you can get away with something like this again! Next time you go behind my back like this and do something without my consent-"
He stopped in front of the sliding doors abruptly and turned around to face her as she finally approached to where he was standing with a menacing look on his face.
"I guarantee you will wish that you never left that little pack of yours."
He said threateningly, staring at her with a death look that made her wish she never told him any of this. She straightened up taking in a deep breath. "No offense sir, but I'm one year away from being considered a master chief myself."
That statement stung him for a minute before realizing that she was right. He leaned back slightly before letting out a small huff. "That maybe true soldier but you still have a year to earn that title. Until then, your under my full command."
She nodded slightly confirming she understood. He nodded back and scanned her up and down quickly then examined her face before turning around to punch in the code opening the sliding doors.
"Come on, it's late and its been a long day and you need some rest. Especially with the training I have in mind for you tomorrow."
"What?! Your going to make-"
"-You didn't really think that I was just going to let you get away without some form of punishment did you?" He said turning around to face her again as the doors slid open.
"You just said no punishment you could come up with couldn't be worse-"
"-I know what I said. But that's next week, this week, you'll be stuck here. What'd you think? You'd just be lounging around here doing nothing- just waiting or "packing" for the departure?" He said crossing his arms over his chest with a cocked eyebrow.
"I don't lounge around." She said stepping up to him with an angered look. "There's no such thing for me, especially after meeting you." She stated calmly with a side of defiance.
He just glared back at her.
"Good. Then you should have no problem running the hellish drills I have planned for you tomorrow." He said unamused, turning around and walking out the doors.
She threw her head back rolling her eyes and letting out a growl. Then followed him down the hall.
"Wouldn't expect anything less sir." She said sucking up her pride and frustration.
_
After reaching the private dorms, where her room was next to Red's for the week.
Which was nice because the rooms were all spread out and had their own personal hallways that people had to enter before even getting to the sliding doors to enter a room. Which had one way glass so only the people inside could see out but nobody could see in.
It was one room with a built-in automatic closet that slid open at command with a hand print. Perfectly set up to hang armor on it's back wall and weapons of all kinds on it's designated hooks. The room was grey and made of Metal and cement, with blue technological lines- spread across it's borders.
Next to the closet was a bathroom and shower which she took after taking off her armor and placing it in the closet. Luckily her armor wasn't banged up or in need of repairs, so she didn't have to take it to the lab to get repaired. Built in the wall within the bathroom was a washer and dryer machine in one. She just threw her under armor in and it'd be ready by morning sitting in the closet from one of the assisting machines.
After the shower, she took out some clean under armor that was kept as spares in the closets and dresser drawers which were also automatic by movement. She always wore under armor, she was accustomed to it's tight body suit fit. Being the color of pitch black with it's pattern and bulked parts for my armor to lock on to.
After that she shut off the lights and laid in the bed that was like a built in crevice within the wall. With only the blue lines that outlined the room glowing dimly in the dark.
She just laid their staring up at the ceiling of her bed. Processing everything that happened today and what was going to happen.
The hellish training that awaited for her tomorrow didn't bother her. Neither did the program she was about enter, but the thought of seeing her old team again- that bothered her. Just the thought of seeing their faces again and how they were going to react. How was she going to react?
They were trained and brought up together since they were infants. Experimented on, genetically enhanced, and they were the only ones that survived. Just the 5 of them, They were then put together as a team and officially went on their first mission together at just the ages of 8-9 years old, they were more than ready.
And man did they dominate the battle field. They were a force to be reckoned with. Unlike anything else anybody had ever seen or even thought to be possible. They made history that day, being the youngest set of assassins ever recorded. They reeked havoc where ever they went, like a pack of wolves they showed no mercy or weakness whatsoever and they never lost a fight. For 5 years it went on like this, until they turned 13-14 years old, Katastrophis requested her release from the team. Or that's what she thought she could remember...
Without a warning, no heads-up, no words, no goodbyes, nothing. She just up and left and she never looked back.
That's when she met Red and the rest is history.
But now it looks like history is about to repeat itself.
"This just got interesting."
-
Note from the Author:
Red's character was inspired by John Creasy in the movie Man on fire played by Denzel Washington.
Disclaimers: I Don't own the pictures just edited them to fit the story.