"You learned about New World Order at school, yeah?" His father began.
Ethan grunts in reply.
Levi raises a brow at his answer, pacing back and forth on the carpeted floor. His pinstriped robe swaying beside his bare feet. "Right. Well, this happened around five years before the government declared that New World Order has begun. Back then, President Russell was in charge. Jovan Powers was still one of the senators."
"Dad," Ethan stops him. "I'm tired, I have school tomorrow and my brain can't process a single thing you say this late so you've got to make it simple."
Levi rolls his eyes but continues regardless of his son's admission. "Project Future is a way to ensure the future by bringing a better chance at surviving. Life is never-ending but humans will never be. People thought—no, no, scientists all over the world know that humans will cease to exist. Hence why Project Future is made."
"So... you're creating humans?" Ethan concluded, finding the prospect unusual, something he'd find in a dystopian themed book or something.
"Well, we called it the Serum A."
Ethan scoffs. "Clever name."
"We already have a Cole in the house." His father reminds him. "I don't want a second Cole. Stop being smart on me."
Ethan quiets down but couldn't stop the running thoughts in his mind. For a scientist who could do anything science, they're crap at naming things. Just like F16, whatever that is.
"What your father is trying to say, Ethan," His mother says from her seat, eyes closed. "Is that we were trying to enhance humans. We do not create humans, we enhance them."
Levi flashes her a wink. "What your mother says."
"So did you succeed?" Ethan asks.
"We didn't." Levi's eyes hardened. "Your father did. Your mother and I weren't a part of it directly but Mark was one of the few scientists leading the process. There was one fatal mistake though, it's never been tested on humans."
"That's when the strike came," Mara adds, blinking awake. She yawns. "I'm going to sleep. Levi, I want him to know everything by tonight. Understood?"
Levi quickly nods, not wanting to anger his wife. He stares at her retreating figure, turning back to his son. "You know the rest, don't you? The attack, the bombing in the biggest lab in Geneva and several mini attacks at the other labs. Your mother and I were lucky to survive with a few scratches and wounds. Some don't. Like your parents."
Ethan swallows hard, staring onto the floor.
"Their bodies were never found, Ethan. The government stated most of them are dead. They gave up. Project Future was officially over. Now we knew they reopened the case again."
He stares at his father in disbelief. "You believe them?"
"No. Not yet." Levi shakes his head, breathing through his mouth. "I'll call a friend of mine tomorrow, see if it's true. In the meantime, do you have any questions?"
"Tons. What's F16?" Ethan raises a brow.
Levi stares at him for a good minute before nodding tersely. "A forgetting serum. It's made to keep memories safe by deleting it out but still manages to keep it deep down in the unconscious part of our brain. So it can be triggered and earned back. Any other?"
Ethan went quiet. Something's bothering him. There's an elephant in the room and he knows what it is. He just wanted to hear his father says so.
"I'm the one, aren't I?" He starts, a resigned sigh escaping his mouth. "When you said my father did it. He made me, didn't he?"
Levi sighs, his palms on his face, dragging down his skin. "It's—" he plops down on the couch, groaning out loud. "Yes, and I'm still wondering how he did it. But, as you've heard, we made you drink F16 when you were little and those memories need to be triggered if you wanted them back."
"So, was I kidnapped? You said my parents were missing. How can they made me into... whatever this is?"
Levi closes his eyes, sighing slowly. "I wish I could tell you more but only you know what happens to you. Are there any other?"
Ethan thought a while about this. There are a lot of questions he had in his mind now but nothing came out of his mouth. "No, dad."
"Okay. Just—" His father stops, leaning close. And he whispers to him, "If you want to ask, do it when your mother's not around."
Levi gave him a knowing glance. Ethan nods quickly, hiding a smile. His mother is a force to be reckoned with when angry. Nobody wants to mess with Mara Addams.
"Okay. Go back to sleep." His father blinks a tired eye. He stood there, on the carpet with his head towards the ceiling as if praying.
Not wanting to bother his father, he ascends the stairs gently. His bed looks inviting this deep at night. He couldn't help sneaking a glance at his brother, still asleep. Staring at the ceiling, he tried to sleep but tonight has caused some revelations to appear. Things that even his mother is afraid of.
What's so bad about Project Future anyway? From what he heard, it didn't sound as nearly bad as his mother pictured it. To top it off, they succeed in enhancing human. They know how to do it, why not make more?
*****
"So... you wanna take up my offer and go party with me?" Cole taps his fingers on the steering wheel.
It was supposed to be his turn to drive the car but since he was kept awake last night and Cole keeps to his new schedule of waking up early at five, they both decided that Cole should drive instead.
"I told you," Ethan murmurs, the aching pain in his head won't stop. "I'm only going if my girlfriend is going. If she doesn't go then I won't go."
"You are so in love." Cole mocks, a teasing grin on his lips. "Admit it. You love her!"
"Do I?" Ethan thought out loud, tilting his head to face his older brother. "I don't think you even know what love is, or how it felt."
Cole rolls his eyes. "So? Are we picking her up today?"
"I don't know." Ethan sighs. "She's not answering me."
"Tough."
Ethan could still feel the pounding in his head. A pain much like last night as if something wanted to be released. His vision is alright, save for a few blurred lines from the corner of his eyes. Ethan watched Cole slowing down when they neared Emilie's neighborhood.
"You sure you won't visit her?" Cole jerks his head towards Emilie's house.
Ethan prepares himself to be fully chastised by his brother for being such a crappy boyfriend but nothing came. Cole has a strange look on his face and drove the car again.
"What?"
"Nothing." Cole shakes his head. "Nothing."
His brother's at it again. Something's not right, Ethan decides but he won't push unless he has to. He closes his eyes, trying to rest with the remaining time before they arrive at school, which wasn't much, to be honest when Ethan saw students about a hundred and fifty feet away from where he is.
"What the hell is going on?" Cole mutters at the rising voices of students and a large crowd surrounding the infamous news board. Ethan could see a large poster plastered on it.
"Prom isn't this early, right?" He questions as he nears the board.
"God forbids that ever happens." Cole frowns. He slung his backpack over one shoulder, smiling carelessly at a girl who crashed into his chest.
"Is it Trevor?" Ethan doesn't even want to know. Usually, by this time, it would've eventually died down. Trevor would get whatever it was he was looking for and it'd be normal and boring days at Ransverra High again.
"Don't think so." Cole groans when he tried to push past a group of freshmen but fails. "I give up."
"Okay." Ethan surveys the growing crowd and thought about his first class. The hallways must be empty. "I'm gonna head to the library. Catch up on my work. Later."
Without waiting for a reply, he left. He couldn't stand everyone today. It only adds to his dizziness, which had reappeared. The library soothes a minimum part of his mind. Staring at books in its order made him calmer and he could finally think again.
"Son of a freaking cow!" he heard a girl yelps and watched that brunette girl glaring at a book that somehow has fallen on her head.
Laughing silently, he took the farthest seat in the corner of the library. He knows he's starting to bore himself under the expense of fewer than two minutes when he couldn't stop scribbling lines across his notebook. He sighs.
Last night was enough baggage for an eighteen-year-old. He knows that his parents trusted him with that information but it sucks to know that he can't find someone else to talk to except his parents. He let his eyes slide down on all of his mathematical equations that are yet to be solved, mind running a mile.
His phone dinged, halting his train of thoughts. It's Emilie.
I'm still sick. Sorry for the late reply.
Ethan types soon after. It's alright. I'll come over after school.
Okay.
Okay.
Ethan hides a small smile at how the conversation ended just like that, leaving curiosity in the air. He knows how abrupt she is at ending a conversation. He shakes his head to himself, chuckling lowly. Then, his worst nightmare shows up.
"The bell rang several times already. Get to class now." the librarian stands right in front of him. A scowl marring her wrinkly face. "Or I'll set Principal Hawker on you, boy."
Nodding, he left the place as fast as he can. Nobody wants to be left alone with the librarian. Even the name brought shivers all around the school. Classes went by a blur. Lunch was over too. He was on his way to his third period when he bumped into Cole.
"What?" He frowns at Cole's thoughtful expression.
Cole told him everything. At first, Ethan didn't believe it but when his brother pointed out that Bianca isn't at school today, it had him worried.
"Are you sure that's what you saw?" He repeats.
"I am. This time, my eyesight is right." Cole insists, taking a seat next to him. "Why would I lie to you about that anyway? What good will it do for me?"
Ethan shrugs. "And I'm supposed to know that?"
"You're my brother," Cole says as if it solves everything. "Just talk to her, alright?"
"Fine." He grumbly replies. It's not fair for his brother to accuse something like that. Emilie wouldn't lie like that to him.
Would she?
Ethan couldn't pay attention to the lesson now that something else caught his interest. Truthfully, it's more interesting than AP Physic. He doesn't know why he took this class. He doesn't even know how his brother got in this class.
It was later after school that he got a chance to visit Emilie. He wasn't sure why he's nervous.
Ethan fixes his brother a look. "Pick me up around five. Don't be late."
"Okie dokie!" Cole grins, facing him with a strange expression that honestly scared the sh*t out of him.
"You're weird, you know." He finally says as he jumped out of the car. Cole didn't even bother replying. He just drives, tapping his fingers on the wheel while blasting rock songs from the radio.
His brother is a weird creature.
Ethan forces himself to walk up to her porch, having an inner battle with himself when he couldn't decide whether he knocks or rings the bell. He chose neither.
"Em?" he calls out while fishing his phone out of his pocket. He typed her name and sent it just as the door opens.
Emilie was true to her word. She is sick. Her skin a notch paler and nose red. The frequent sniffing didn't escape his notice too. How he desperately wanted to hug her, comfort her out of the measly pain she feels.
"Hey." He starts, smiling carefully.
Her eyes crinkle as it brightens. "Idiot. How was your day?"
"Crap." He bluntly says.
"Great." Her enthusiasm erased his doubts of ever hearing Cole saw Bianca in her house. Maybe he lied. "I knew you couldn't last a day without me."
"Two days." Ethan corrects her. He gestures with his hands. "Are you ever gonna let me in?"
She blushes, pretty shade of pink on her skin. Ethan's grin widens. She steps aside to let him in. "Mom doesn't want you in my room when she's not here. Again."
He winks. "Okay."
It took every ounce of him to not get turned on by her eye-roll. She points at the sofa, glaring at him to sit. He took a seat and waited for her to sit close to him before speaking.
"Are we okay?" He asks, his tone serious, holding her close. She tries to yank free, the excuse saying that she's sick. He didn't let her go.
"Of course." She frowns. "What happened?"
He contemplates in telling her what Cole saw. Something Cole thought he'd seen. Honesty is the key to a successful relationship, right? Then why does he feel the need to lie?
"Nothing happened." He smiles, caressing her hair. "I was just afraid of you ditching school because of me."
"Why?"
Again. That one of the five Ws of questions. He hated that specific word. Why. He sighs. "I don't know. I just... had a bad feeling or something."
"Like?" she pushes on. A worried expression takes over her usual enthusiastic face.
"That... you might be... lying?" Ethan halts every word, trying to find the perfect word to describe how he feels. It's hard. All this time, he's been mocking Cole in the face for never expressing his love or whatever it was he felt with those girls he dated. He understands now.
"Ethan." She holds his face, careless about the fact that she's sick. "I'm not. Trust me, please."
Numbly he nods. Everything in him froze. It didn't seem right. It never felt right. Today, it feels like he just did something wrong. No, it wasn't about him lying to her. It's a completely different feeling. The rest of the time he spent with her, the more he realized that his mind is hazy.
He doesn't feel that specific need to smile at her every time she looks at him. And the fact that she's sick and touching him at the same time makes his disgust rise from zero.
What is wrong with him?
"Ethan? Ethan?" Emilie's face zooms in on him. "Are you okay?"
Suddenly, a familiar beep of a car made him stop short. He scrunches his brows. That an hour already? He stares at Emilie's confused face. The face he had grown to get used to. Today, that face lost its brightness. He used to think that Emilie is the brightest star in his world. Now, it's the same as the others.
Dull.
"Hey?" He says, smiling slightly. He directs her face to hers, leaning to kiss her shortly. "I gotta go. I might not see you this weekend. My family and I have a lot to discuss."
That was partially true. When he meant his family, he only means Cole. He's going to tell Cole everything. Emilie murmurs her reply, smiling carefully even though he can see the lingering curiosity in her eyes.
"How was it?" Cole asks. He's changed out of his clothes and put on a simple white hoodie. Ethan can tell he didn't bother showering first.
"Weird." He says, getting into the car.
"Did she mention Bianca? Did you ask her?" Cole whistles as he drives, glancing occasionally at him.
"No. I mean, I did. I asked. She says she's not lying, but Cole, she's sick." Ethan leans back on his seat, pushing it further until he lays 180 degrees on the moving car. "Okay?"
Cole abruptly skids against the sidewalk, starting a dizzying ache in his mind. The last thing he knows, the pit in his stomach growing vast, is that he, Ethan Addams, has lost his freaking mind.