Hopefully you enjoyed the last chapter ;3
~ Pastel
________
{Shelby's POV}
A few days later I was sitting in the back of a van, going on a mission with Max, Cory, and Alesa. I sat next to Max and across from Cory as Alesa drove.
Max told me we were just scouting for people and anything else we could find. We were going to make one full trip around the city, which he said would take a few hours. We had only just started so it would take a while.
"So, you're the new girl, right?" Cory said to me. I nodded.
"Shelby, and you're Cory, right?" I asked wanting to be sure. He also nodded.
"You have telekinesis powers?" He asked. I nodded again.
"Yeah, And mind manipulation. I can make people see things that aren't there, but I'm not good at it . ." I trailed off.
"You'll get better. We have a training area on the lower levels of the Latibule and people will help you control your power and help you grow stronger." Cory explained, "I normally go down to watch if I'm bored. I watch people use their powers all the time." With that Cory started to list off some people I didn't know and exactly what they could do and what they were like and looked like.
"Sheesh, how do you remember everything, Cory?" Max asked even though he knew the answer all too well.
"Maybe it's because I spend a great deal of my time there watching and observing?"
"Or maybe it's just the fact that you have a freaking photographic memory!" Max said a rush of frustration in his voice. "I wish I could have a photographic memory . . Maybe then I could actually remember to turn my alarm on to wake me up to go train in the morning for once." Max pouted.
Cory and I let out a small laugh and I noticed Cory's cheeks flush slightly. I remembered my cousin, Ross, telling me Cory didn't like to talk about himself or have people brag about him even if it was the smallest touch of it.
We continued on our way until the van slowed down. It kept moving but much slower now. Max stood up and opened the back doors of the van. Wind whipped at my face and blew my hair slightly. I pushed it out of the way.
Finally the van slowed to a stop and immediately Max jumped out and so did Cory. Cory waited for me and extended his hand for me to take. I grabbed his hand and jumped out, holding his hand helping me regain balance a lot faster. I nodded a thanks and let go.
"So now what?" I asked as Max shut the doors to the van.
"Now we look around." He said and I saw Cory hold a pistol in his hand.
Max and Cory started walking and I followed. "Normally we don't find anything but we get out to search around." Max said.
"We get out at least eight times. See that tree over there?" Cory pointed past me and I turned around to see a tree with a large 'X' carved into it. I hummed a yes. "We get out when we see those. We look around the area. Sometimes we find people out here, sometimes we find government weapons along with dead guards. It normally indicates there is an escapee from a facility close by and they just killed the men that were after them."
"Oh, I see."
"We are mainly just scouters. It's sort of like a baby mission? Though we go at least once every week or two. Bigger missions are like going into the city for supplies. Thing is we came from that city since it's the only one around for miles. We know it all to well. You won't find another one close by."
I kept walking along side them. We searched around for a good forty five minutes before setting off at the next stopping location.
We did this for the next five stops. Drive, stop, get out, search, get back in, drive. Then we got to the seventh stop, and I already new the drill by now. We all got out and walked around.
Our feet crushed the dead things and leaves beneath our feet with a small crunch. We weaved in and out between the trees, getting a little bit away from the van. We eventually split up, Max going by himself and I stuck with Cory.
We walked in silence until Cory spoke up, "So, you were in a facility?"
I went quiet for a second before answering, memories flooding my head, "Yes."
"How did you escape?" He asked slowly.
I thought, now trying to wrap my head around it, "I lost control of my telek. It had been a while since I had, but they had taken the cuffs off of me. They stopped me from using my magic, and they said something to me. I lost control and accidentally snapped some of the guards necks. I ran, and as I did I used my telek to get myself out. I also used a bit of my my mind manipulation to make the guards see me in places I wasn't to distract them. After about an hour I finally managed to find the exit and didn't stop running. I didn't stop until I could go no further. The only thing I remember hearing was the wall of the sirens. They blared in my ears. The flashing lights and the screaming. I was terrified but I had to get out." I said, in a whisper.
"Mm . ." Cory hummed softly. "Sorry I asked, I was just curious was all."
"You're fine."
We both went silent.
"What about you?" I asked cautiously. Cory took a deep breath and exhaled.
"Well, I was in a facility with Max and Ross and many others. They were all tortured and made the way they were with either their abilities or looks.
"Don't ask about Max though. You should just talk to him yourself. That is if he is willing to open up to you about it. He had it rough at the facility . .
"Anyways, um, me? I was more of a test dummy to put it simply. I was tortured, and poked and prodded constantly and my eyes were always checked. Always. Then finally they did it. They . . . Did such horrible things. They-"
"Cory, you don't have to talk about it." I said, putting a hand on his shoulder gently.
"I know but I asked you so I should-" Cory started but before he could finish a Shot was heard and he screamed in pain, falling to the ground and holding his arm.
"Cory!" I shouted kneeling down to him and frantically looked at his arm, seeing a bullet wound. Blood poured out and I took his hand and told him to hold onto it as tight as he could to stop the blood flow.
I whipped my head around as I heard another shot. My eyes widened as I saw guards running towards us, a black van seen from far away.
No! No no no! Not again! I wasn't going back to be tortured! I wasn't going to let Cory and Max and Alesa go back either!
I raised my hand and knocked the guards back off their feet and away a few yards. I looked back at Cory and helped him up, "Quickly! We have to go back to Max and Alesa!"
Cory nodded and yelled out slightly in pain as we both started running away trying to get to Max and Alesa. "Max! Alesa!" I shouted, trying to get some attention.
I heard something behind me and I made the choice to look back. It was Alesa's van. I slowed and Alesa stopped beside me, "Hurry, get in! We need to find Max!" Alesa said in a rushed voice. I nodded and Cory and I got into the back.
Cory took off his vest and hoodie and lifted the sleeve of his short sleeve shirt up, rolling it up onto his shoulder. He winced and I went over to him. "Alesa do we have any bandages?!"
"Yes! There should be a need bag in the corner with wrap around bandages!" She called back and I quickly grabbed it and opened it. I took out the bandages and towels.
"This will hurt . ." I said and pressed the towel onto his wound. Cory yelled out again and bit his lip. I dabbed up the blood, the bleeding having stopped a little. I started to wrap the bandages around his arm and then tucked it under so it would stay tight. "Hold it. We will get back and I'll take you to the med center." Cory nodded, holding his wound and wincing.
I opened one of the doors to the van and looked out, trying to look through the trees for Max. I couldn't see him and growled under my breath, "Alesa turn around he may be the other direction."
"Got it!" She yelled back and turned the van around and went the other way. I looked back at Cory, "I'm so sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?" He said his voice pained.
"It's my fault. They're looking for me. Not you. I shouldn't have come."
"Shelby! It's not your fault, okay? Even if you didn't come, they would've still found us! Shelby, I'll be okay. We will find Max, and we will kill the guards. We will go back to Latibule and I'll get the help I need."
I sighed in frustration and then heard a yell outside. It was Max screaming. "Alesa stop!" Alesa stopped and I jumped out running towards the source of the screams.
I heard yelling again. A yell of anger and a gun shot and then a yell of pain. My heart raced as I ran towards the noise, ears ringing and sweat dropped down my forehead. Panic and fear creeped up on my body and to pounced like a lion upon its prey.
I saw Max withered up on the ground and the guard hand cuffing him, the flames on his hands stopping immediately as well as the flames licking off his hair. The guards forced him to his feet and he yelled and cried out in pain as one of the guards yanked him by his right arm.
My eyes narrowed and I balled my hand into a fist immediately the guns the guards were holding crumpled up and were no longer of use. The guards looked shocked and quickly spun around to face me.
"It's her! 001!" They shouted and let go of Max who fell to the ground and curled up after a couple sharp gasps of air. I quickly raised my hands up and held both of the guards throats. Their eyes went wide and their gasps for breath sounded as I lifted them up off the ground by their necks, cutting off oxygen supply.
I didn't know exactly what was happening in this blind mode. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I slowly watched the lights leave their eyes. I let them go and they lay motionless and without breath on the ground. Dead.
I stumbled backward after realizing what I'd just done and fell to the ground. I took quick deep breaths, hyperventilating.
Max looked at me, "Shelby. Calm down! Take deep breaths! Focus on my voice. In and out. In and out." Max talked to me and eventually I calmed down. Tears rolled down my cheeks still and I slowly sat up, going over to Max.
He had been shot in the arm as well, bleeding heavily. "I-It'll be okay M-Max." I stuttered and stumbled over my own words. I held the wound tight and he yelped in pain. "I-I'm sorry but I have to stop the blood flow as much as I can."
Max winced but said nothing more. Soon enough a van came up to us, Alesa getting out, "Oh Max . ." She whispered and held the wound for me. She noticed the hand cuffs around him. "Go find the key." She said calmly and I went over to the guards and searched around for the key. Once found I went over to Max and I cuffed him. I looked at his face.
His face was tinted pink and he looked weak and sick. Tears rolled down his face as his lip trembled. "Th-they were gonna take me back. I couldn't. N-Not there again. I c-can't do it. I-I'm not going back." He rambled on and I hushed him.
"Don't worry Max, you're safe now. They aren't going to take you back. You're safe. I promise, we are okay. We will get you and Cory to the med center and you'll do just fine. You can see Ross and your other friends again. You'll be okay."
Max looked at me for a second before passing out, his body going limp.
"He's lost a lot of blood." Alesa said, and we quickly helped put him in the van, lying him down on the floor. "You hold the wound and patch it up. I'll drive us back to the Latibule." I nodded and patched up Max.
I looked at Cory who stared at Max for a bit before looking away.
"I'm so sorry." I choked out and broke down in tears.
{Sky's POV}
Training. More and more training. My dad wanted me stronger. Better. Faster. More persistent.
I was going to the training room at least three times a week now. I was getting more and more tired, my energy would just regenerate to full health and then he would take me to train again.
I guess the plus side was the fact they gave me a bit more food and water. I noticed.
My dad would take me out to train for three days straight, then let me rest for a full day. Then the next three days would consist of brain tests and scans complete with serums to enhance my power.
I was currently in one of the training rooms now. They gave me rounds and I shot them off at targets with my telek. Simply easy.
I had already tried to shoot the bullets at the glass the guards and scientists were behind, but I found out that the glass was bullet proof and there was no use wasting my energy on trying.
The buzz in my ears was low as I picked up a bullet and fired it off at the target, hitting it right at the center. Bullseye.
My dad said I would be using people as targets soon. Not actual people. He told me he didn't want to loose anyone at the facility of great value to him, but targets in the shape of people. I wasn't comfortable with that idea but then again I didn't have a choice. It's either you do it, or you retaliate and get beat.
I picked up three bullets and shot them off at three different targets, also getting three bullseyes.
My thoughts overwhelmed me as I kept practicing my aim. It had been so long since I had seen my friends. I always wondered if they were okay or if they were hurt. Or . . . If they even remembered me. I had been gone for at least eight years.
Over these eight years I wondered if I had any other powers that I just simply didn't know about. They injected me with so many serums. I wondered if my dad injected them into me, but then never told me of any other secret powers I had.
I stopped using my telek and tried it. Alright Sky, what other powers could you have? . . . Fire powers? Might as well give it a shot.
I closed my eyes and focused on flames. Red hot burning fiery flames in the palm of my hands. I opened my eyes and looked at my opened palm. Nothing. I sighed, maybe not.
I tried one more time just to make sure. Fire, flames, heat, smoke— and just like that, with enough concentration a small flicker of fire was in my hands. It stayed for a second, but it was there.
Maybe I do.
I hadn't even realized my father or the other scientist were yelling, talking and furiously writing down notes. All I knew was that I could also control fire.
Right then and there I decided I would try to think of any power I could and try to see if I could use it. I also decided I would practice my own powers that I wanted instead of what my father told me to practice. That would most likely earn a beating, but it was worth it.
If I could use even more powers I could possibly find a way to get out of here. Possibly.
{Seto's POV}
I sat crisscrossed, my wrists resting on my knees. I mediated, focused on my thoughts. I took a deep breath.
Faces flashed inside my head. Memories of my friends smiling faces.
Sky, Mitch, Ty, Jerome, Ian, Jason, and Quentin.
Other faces came across my memory. Memories of my mother and father. I sadly opened my eyes, staring at the floor as I tried not to cry. They were dead.
All the sudden the door opened and a familiar face appeared. Brice. He looked at me with a melancholy look. I stood up, and guessed he wanted me to follow him.
I followed him down the hallway to Lab Room 224. He told me to sit in the huge chair in the center of the room and I quietly went over and hopped on top of it.
Brice gave me a small tube. I looked at him questioningly. "What's this for?" I spoke softly.
"We need a couple DNA samples. Can you spit into it?" He asked. I stared and then slowly nodded, gathered saliva in my mouth and spit into the small tube.
"Why didn't you just draw my blood?"
"I would've, but my dad says your blood wouldn't work for what we are trying to do. I-I'm not exactly sure . ." He stuttered.
"You don't seem to know your information well, do you?" I asked.
"Sorry, but my dad only tells me the little pieces. Not the whole puzzle."
I went quiet for a second, "Do you know what you're doing?"
"As in. . . ?"
"What medical procedures your doing. Do you know what you're doing?"
"My father taught me the basics as well as the scientists and doctors here. CPR, taking a person's blood, what doctors do during checkups. Easy stuff. I can't do anything else pretty much. Though, my father is forcing to take classes to become a surgeon."
Brice rambled on, and appeared to be nervous. I interrupted him, "What are you going to do to me?"
He went quiet and we stared at each other for a while, "W-Well . . ." He ran fingers through his hair. "My father didn't tell me all that would be done to you, but I did over year some things. You will . ." He hesitated. "You'll have supernatural powers. You're a government experiment, and you'll fight for the government."
My breathed hitched slightly, and I stared for a while at him.
I was never getting out of here. My life was over. And I was never going to be normal again.
Little did I know that pretty soon my life would be a living hell.
{Ty's POV}
My mouth was still in pain. It ached as I held my jaw, and I ran my tongue over my teeth gently. It hurt just to apply pressure still and I had to force myself to eat through the pain.
As I ran my tongue over the tops of my teeth, I stared at the door. My gaze never shifted away from the door. Sometimes I would forget to blink and my eyes would water up.
I didn't exactly know what I was waiting for. Maybe a chance of revenge? I knew I wouldn't get that chance. Well, not now at least. One day.
A moment later the door unlocked and there stood Dr. Bailey as always. She had that same bright smile she always has when she greets me, but this time there was a hint of pleasure.
I willingly stood up, trying to ignore the pain in my mouth. I didn't want to talk considering it hurt to knock my teeth still.
"Teeth still hurt, 003?" She asked as she practically skipped down the hallway. I gave her a small nod and glared down at the ground as I followed her. "Well, today you are in for a treat~" she sang. "We are going to have some fun!" She flashed me a psychotic grin. "Today is the day 003! It's finally going to happen~" she chirped happily.
My heart beat rapidly. What were they going to do to me? What now? Whenever Dr. Bailey said I was going to have some fun, it always indicated something bad was going to happen to me. The only question was what?
We walked to Lab Room 219. It was right next to Lab Room 217. The room was a much larger than 217. There was a table that looked the same as the other one though. Laid down with straps for a person's ankles, wrist and torso.
The table was in the middle of the room and farther away all along the walls were cabinets and sinks. There were many scientists rushing around holding bottles and syringes filled with liquids I knew not of.
My heart pounded faster. "Sit on the table, dear!" Dr. Bailey said, excited. I did as she told me and hopped up on the table. I was about to lay down but Dr. Bailey told me not to so I stayed sitting up right.
I sat there for about twenty minutes watching the doctors before Mr. Mangle finally came in, practically jumping and skipping. My gaze went over to him, not look away. He was holding a syringe filled with some strange dark purple liquid.
Dr. Bailey came up to me and tugged at my dirty white tank top, "Take this off now. We have something special that needs to be done!" I hesitated but then proceeded to pull off the tank and set it beside me. "We've been waiting for this. We've been testing for days none stop. It's been super successful and now it is time!" She chirped.
I had no idea what she was rambling on about but she seemed like the psychotic had taken over her today.
Mr. Mangle came over and told me to open my mouth and that he wanted to check my teeth. I opened my mouth and he poked and prodded after adjusting his gloves. I winced as he pressed down on a few, "They seem pretty good . . Still hurt?" He asked. I nodded slowly. "Good." He smirked and took off the blue medical gloves.
Mr. Mangle took a syringe from Dr. Bailey and stared at me for a second before coming over and telling me to open my mouth again, and gave me another shot in my gums. One on top, one on bottom. I winced and tried not to move away.
Mr. mangle gave Dr. Bailey the syringes back and she gave him another one. This one was filled with more dark purple liquid. He came up from behind and grinned evilly as he moved my hair. I shuddered at his touch on my neck and forced myself not to move. I winced loudly as he injected the serum into my neck.
Nothing happened for a few minutes, but then all the sudden a sharp pain at the back of my neck hit me. I gasped slightly as the pain grew and moved down my spine. My mouth gaped open as my eyes widened. I couldn't make a sound. The pain was so intense and I could do nothing to stop it. Suddenly a scream erupted from my throat as I felt my bones snap and break through skin. The pain was so unbearable, and I felt like my back was going to snap in two. Blood ran down my back and I felt a heavy weight upon me. My eyes screwed shut as I fell off the table and onto my hands and knees, panting heavily. There was still a deep pain but it didn't feel like I was being ripped apart anymore.
I didn't dare open my eyes as I stayed there on the ground, frozen. Pain. Pain was everywhere, and I thought I would die.
There was a high pitched ringing in my ears and I couldn't quite catch was people were saying or anything. Finally my hearing started to get better, the ringing going away. I heard cheering and clapping. What the hell?
I opened my eyes slowly and looked around, my vision slightly blurry. I panted as I tried to look behind me, but I saw something far worse than what I was expecting. From both sides of me, giant purple dragon like wings with black veins stretched out, laying beside me. My eyes widened and I started to hyperventilate as I moved them up, stretching them out more.
The last thing I heard was, "Congratulations everyone. Thanks to you, this was possible. Thanks to you, we have our fist weapon at Facility Eight. Now. . . Dr. Bailey, if you would inject serum A24 and D17?" Then, silence. Then, darkness.
{Mitch's POV}
Blood. Blood everywhere.
Everything was red, dripping with crimson blood.
Screams filled the air. Many screams. Women, Men, children, all.
Everyone's blood pooling around them.
Everyone's blood pooling around me. Blood and the color red.
Red glowing eyes filled with the lust for blood.
Screams. Blood. Terror. My fault. My fault. My fault. It's all my fault.
I yelled out as sat up, panting heavily, escaping my nightmare. I hyperventilated slightly and then eventually calmed down, and realized it wasn't reality.
I looked around, blinked for second, and remembered where I was. I sat up fully and scooted into the corner, huddled up. I tucked in my knees and wrapped my arms around my legs.
I always so tough. I was never a crybaby. Even when I was a baby my mom had told me I never cried or screamed that much at all.
Funny, because now I was crying myself to sleep, yelling from the nightmares, screaming for help even though no one was there. I was alone.
Tears welled in my eyes as thought about my parents. Were they even alive? Or were they dead like Jerome's. Or like Ian's and Seto's and Quentin's?
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I stared at the ground. My thoughts were interrupted by voices from outside. They sounded like Dr. Bailey's, but there were more footsteps. They stopped. They were right outside my door.
"Yes, Yes, But Dr. Bay, the serum won't be done for months. We still have to test to make sure it works! We tested serum T49 and it works. It was for subject 003. We injected the other serums into him, and the additions are what we hoped for, though we will change a few things.
"As for the serum for subject 006," she continued. "That won't be done for months. We need more tests. We haven't even start on it."
"What about the serums for subject 005?" A male voice asked whom I assumed was Dr. Bay. I looked down at my wrist. They were talking about me. I ran my fingers over the tattoo and I quietly continued to listen to the conversation.
"Subject 005? Oh, the finished project won't be completed for years. We haven't even began to comprehend the technology put into this yet. We have a loosely built plan. We need to contrast many board meetings and meet with Mr. Adams and Ms. Arizona as well as Mr. Solace. The three helping along beside Mr. Mangle and I will be great, but it will take careful planning. If we were to go in soon with no idea what we were doing, we could potentially damage the test subject, and all progress would be lost. He would be a failed experiment."
"I see . . ."
"Listen, I understand you're new, dear. But you aren't in charge. Mr. Mangle and I are in charge. If you try to contribute without an order, believe me when I say Mr. Mangle will have your head. Literally. We've had failed experiments before, and it was not a pretty end for those who helped along with that end. We are not about to have another one."
No sound was heard so I guessed the conversation was over. Many thoughts ran through my head, my heart pounding. What were they going to do to me? Who were the other two?
"Now run along and go back to the lab. Now." Dr. Bailey ordered. She sounded threatening when upset.
I heard footsteps but they were slowly drowned out by the sound of the door being unlocked and the hinges squealing open. I was met face to face with Dr. Bailey. "Hello!" She smiled, her hoops earrings swinging back and for slightly.
"What do you want from me?" I asked, slightly glaring. The guards behind her glared back.
"Oh Subject 005 . . ." She merely giggled.
"What?" I asked through gritted teeth.
"I think our time together will be so much fun." She ended her sentence and grinned psychotically. My bottom lip tremble but I tried my best to remain brave.
One of the guards came in and forced me to my feet, and shoved me out the door and down he hallway.
Even though I wanted to be brave and pretended to be, 'Be Brave' was not on my agenda at all.
[Word Count: 5008 Words]