Return to HQ was less Triumphant than we thought it would be. The older agents steered clear of us, even in the break room and workout areas where we would regularly get bothered.


    The others didn''t think much of it, but it bothered me, it was like we had broken some unspoken rule.


    Benz had given us each the "Special Agent" badge, I had gotten another badge, the Slayer badge, which I was told designated me as their go-to for dealing with level 100+ threats.


    Only one other Houska agent had gotten this honor, and that was Benz himself.


    After recieving that badge, no adult outside of Benz, Pilum or Singleton wanted to talk to me, even going so far as to leave the restroom when I entered it.


    They feared me.


    That fact, to Green, was exhilarating, it put a little more swagger in his step that these people, grown ups, previously so dismissive of and even antagonistic to us, now felt genuine fear at our approach.


    He used this to get our squad good seats in the mess, to walk grown men out of the work out areas, swiftly turning into what I hated the most, a Bully.


    Regardless if my qualms, my team saw nothing wrong with it as this was the norm back at Trigram, the biggest and meanest usually got their way amongst the JABs, Wolf, Love or Edge would correct him if he went too far with the menacing, telling him that he was being a shithead, so I suppose even they had limits to his BS when it came to the strength heirarchy stuff.


    One day, however, as we were working out and chilling, on my way to the bathroom I ran back into MAL, who I hadnt seen since the incident with Doctor Sharp. She was wearing a sports bra and sweat pants, with her bright red hair up in a ponytail.


    She looked down at me with disdain, no doubt having heard of what Green had been doing.


    The look hurt me in my deepest parts, I hated this, she was the first person to lift a finger to help us and now she obviously thought I was worth less than the ink she wrote into the letter she had sent us that fateful night.


    "Move." She said, indicating the treadmill behind me, "I need to use that machine."


    Green was still running off the high of being feared and decided now would be a good time to be a little prick.


    "Make me." Came out of my mouth 2 seconds before the entire room went dark.


    I tried to look around but everything was pitch black!


    "You disappoint me, Agent Green." Came a whisper that nearly carried me off to sleep, my eyes fluttering as I struggled to keep my feet.


    I can''t explain it, but MAL''s voice had an aggressively soporific effect on me, that combined with her apparent ability to induce Sensory deprivation made me contemplate what she could be, while I was genuinely interested, Green was furiously calculating odds of what strategy would work best to defeat her.


    ~need sweeping solution, Gas? Unavailable.~


    ~Sword? Didn''t bring it.~


    ~Fists?? No indication of success, but work with what we have.~


    I felt his thoughts waver as she laughed, a soft chittering, halting noise that once again sent me spiraling deeper into tiredness to the point where I felt like I was speed running my sleep deprivation training back at Trigram, it felt as if I hadnt slept in a full 24 hours, I still couldn''t see.


    ~im certain there will be an attack from behind, the moment something touches you, lash out and strike at weak spots.~


    ~What weak spots?~


    It was then that I felt a hand on the back of my head, cold, she was ice cold to the touch and though I could no longer turn my head, I caught a glimpse of her face as she peered at me through the darkness. deathly pale skin, her eyes were still silver, but luminesced in the gloom of this supernatural darkness, her mouth slid open into a vicious grin, revealing sharp sickle shaped teeth that sprang from beneath her gums like cat claws, circumventing her normal teeth and turning her face into what resembled an organic bear trap


    "Nobody can help you now."


    ~HOMO SANGUISUGA, MAL IS A VAMPIRE~ green shrieked in my head as we continued to weakly flail to absolutely no effect, she held us fast and we were getting tired as we did so, her chuckling voice causing my strength to ebb, even as Green bolstered our muscles with adrenaline and Dragon strength, nothing could fight the oncoming black wave of sleep.


    NOTHING we''d ever been taught about Homo Sanguisuga involved anything like this.


    <u>On Vampires</u>


    Species name: Homo Sanguisuga


    First known account: 1047 AD


    Last known account: 2000 AD


    Defining morphology: every instance of Homo Sanguisuga is characterized by pale, taught skin, growth of a human tapetum lucidum, retractable fangs hidden under the gums and a lean body structure.


    Contrary to popular belief, Homo Sanguisuga are not demons, but victims of the blood infection Hemovorus Pandemus Tenebris, this disease is believed to have been an extremely early attempt at a bio weapon in medieval Russia, concocted by an alchemist at the behest of Yaroslav the wise of the Kievan Rus.


    The disease gives superhuman abilities such as incredibly long life, imperceptable heart beat and other biological processes, enhanced strength, speed and endurance as well as incredible healing speed, as a trade off it eats through the phosphorus in the body, the waste product left in its place being white phosphorus, which is why Homo Sanguisuga bursts into flames when introduced to sunlight. the need for consumption of blood is also caused by the disease''s hunger for phosphorus, once most of the phosphorus in the body is consumed, the host will need to find alternative sources or die when inevitably all the native phosphorus is consumed. however with a steady supply of victims, feeding nightly, a single Vampire can prolong its life ad infinitum.


    At middle stages of the infection, caused by rapidly lowering native phosphorus levels, a previously logical victim will become delusional, believing itself to be demonic or undead in some way


    Later stages of the infection, caused by lower native Phosphorus levels, will cause the Vampire to take on a completely unique appearance as the genetic traits from its most frequent prey animal will begin to appear on its body, this will cause the vampire to develop anything from claws to antlers to wings depending on the most frequently consumed fauna.


    Known weaknesses: Fire, Sunlight, piercing the heart, removal of the head or otherwise destruction of the brain, exanguination via destruction of vital arteries, temperatures over 100 degrees, bright lights, depending on the religion the vampire followed before it died, the holy symbols from their religion may scare them if they are in or past the 2nd stages of infection.


    Edge''s advice: keep your distance, keep it in your sights, aim for the head and the heart, unless you have superhuman strength, you don''t stand a chance against a vampire, even an unarmed vampire can tear you in half without a second thought.


    -------------------------------------------------------------------


    You see? NOTHING about mental powers in there.


    When we finally became too exhausted to fight back I was expecting her to shred my jugular, but instead her eyes glowed brighter and her bear trap smile fell into a scowl, "after everything you''ve been through, You aught to know better."


    Green had receded because of the sleep miasma we were in, using this opportunity, I spoke to her, struggling to keep my eyes open, "I know...but Green is a narcissistic psychopath."


    She squinted at me, "You and Green aren''t the same person?"


    I shake my head, desperate to communicate the negative even as my neck muscles screamed at me, "I''m not him..."


    She dropped me and I rolled from my knees to my back as my body shook with any effort, "...more than one? There''s more than one of you in there?"


    I cough, breathing began to need more effort, "Yes...there''s more than one...and he''s not the best guy...im sorry..."


    She scrutinized me, apparently seeing some truth in my words, she set me down on the ground.


    The darkness faded away and MAL took a step back, her skin no longer pale, her eyes no longer glowing, I looked up, struggling to even blink as I saw that my team was assembling to my defence, I wiggled on the floor, "Guys...wait..."


    After they seemed to relax, Love picked me up, "you really need to stop instigating, Green."


    As she sat me down in a chair, MAL walked over to me, looking in my eyes, "Who are you? What is your name?"


    "Green." I responded with a wheeze


    She shook her head, "No, your name, before Trigram."


    My head fell forward as I stopped being able to support my head''s weight, knowing as I wracked my tired brain that I had forgotten my own name. "I...I dont know."


    MAL looked incredibly sad as she patted my head, "We''ll help you find out...all of you...for now get some rest....and STOP being an asshole!"


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    As if given leave to die, I faded out of knowing, my mind finally haven given in to sleep.


    I woke up in my bunk back at the Trigram bunker, I gasped for breath, looking down I saw that I was wearing my old coveralls, I was 12 again.


    "Green?? GREEN!?" i shouted, straining to hear if he would respond, only to be met with a disgruntled grunt from above me, Love had woken up and was now looking over the bunk at me, "Shut up ''42, I''m trying to get some sleep!"


    I blinked, 42, that was a nickname I had been given by my squad, I wasnt Agent Green, I was JAB-76842, we were in the early stages of the project still and judging from the long gash travelling vertically up my chest we had JUST placed first in the culling charts after I had taken a spear to my chest only to impale myself further and decapitate JAB-88888, I remember his face too, he had been so sure that his spear would keep me at a distance.


    Without my regeneration powers however, I was never sure if I was gonna die or not, Which is apparently the exact level of badass dumbassery that landed my squad on top of the charts.


    I sat up in bed, "Sorry 44...what day is it?"


    She hisses at me, leaning over the side and slapping me, a light tap compared to what she''d be capable of later, "i said shut up! Its Hygiene day tomorrow and I need the sleep!"


    As she spoke, Ripper leaned over her, his kind face smiling at me from behind her, "Go to sleep, lil'' bro, we don''t get to take naps remember?"


    His smile fractured, the skin of his face peeling off and away from his face to reveal the black oozing skin of that ooze monster, the one who I''m sure had died in the explosion, his smile wide, still speaking in Ripper''s voice, "Not unless it''s forever, y''know?"


    Suddenly I was sitting in another room that I immediately recognized.


    The Trigram Oxygen garden.


    The facility was so deep in the earth that oxygen had to be fed to the lower levels, so every 2 levels or so they had an oxygen garden, a patch of trees and other plants fed by a hydroponics system, inside the garden they kept wildlife to feed the plants, a completely enclosed ecosystem.


    This was oxygen garden 3, 3rd one down from the top level, in this oxygen garden was a raccoon I had fostered a bond with by feeding him at lunch time, I had named him stinky because he liked to mess with the skunk that also lived there.


    In my lap sat an MRE, mashed potatoes and sliced turkey with watery ass brown gravy, Stinky sat next to me, watching me look at him before reaching in to grab a handful of turkey, rushing off to eat it as I paid him absolutely no mind.


    "Hey 76842." A voice that seemed familiar, yet so strangely foreign graced my ears, there were seconds of confusion before I finally saw him standing in the door of the oxygen garden, his perfect grin terrified me, perfectly alligned and white, unnatural and eerily familiar. It was JAB-56473, he was older than the rest of us, closer to 13, larger at any rate.


    "I think that''s my MRE." He said in a nonchalant voice, once again setting off alarm bells in my head, I had heard that voice present day...but where?


    I stood up and defiantly handed the plastic container to Stinky who took the whole thing and ran behind a tree.


    He grabbed me by the front of my coveralls and kneed me in the crotch, I grunted in pain, bringing an elbow up and across his jaw, he staggered away, regaining his balance and swinging a wild right hook that I barely was able to block in time, though I was able to interrupt his swing, his fist still made contact with my eye, rattling my brain and making me fall over.


    He stepped over me and though I was too dazed to see it in reality, I knew what he was about to do.


    As soon as he had passed me, he grabbed for Stinky who was absorbed in eating, as I finally got up, I heard his anguished, fearful hisses and squeaks as JAB-56473 squeezed the life out of him, I turned to rush to Stinky''s aid, too late, I body checked that fucker, knocking him over as I climbed on top, grabbing 56473''s face, jamming my thumbs into his eyes with a yell of anger! Angry tears seeping down my face as I ground down, blood spraying into my own eyes as he struggled. After he had stopped moving, I let go and stepped off him, wiping my eyes.


    When things once again became visible, I was no longer in the oxygen garden.


    I was standing in a living room watching PBS kids.


    I looked around, the walls were a strange but comforting shade of salmon, there were works of art on the walls along with pictures of a family I didn''t know.


    Looking down at myself I could see I was no longer 11, I was younger, much younger, 1 or 2 perhaps.


    Into the room walked a woman, blonde, wearing wide rim glasses, she seemed older, she was holding a stuffed dalmatian, tiny but perfect for small hands, "Here we are, my grandson''s little stuffed friend, whats his name, Jackie?"


    "Didoh..." came out of my little mouth, she pulled me into a hug, "Ben! Get in here, He said his first word!!"


    A man with an oblong head and long hair rushed in, looking excited, "Jack said what? What did he say?"


    She pointed to the dalmatian, "Didoh, he told me the name of his little friend."


    Ben rolled his eyes, "Mom that''s not his first word his first word would have to be-"


    I cut him off, "Daddy!"


    They look at me shocked, then burst into laughter that blasted out my tiny eardrums, making little me cry.


    Suddenly I opened my eyes and saw MAL, she''d been holding my head apparently, there were tears in her eyes as well, "Your name..."


    I hold up a hand, my body feeling very well rested as opposed to how it had felt before that series of flashbacks, while my head throbbed in horrible pain.


    "Do. Not." She looked taken aback at my words, "Why? Aren''t you happy to learn it at long last?"


    I shake my head, the memory she had unlocked burning in my skull like hot iron, "it hurts." I whimper, feeling pathetic as she looked at me, worried.


    I sit up, immediately being forced down by Love who looked at MAL, "Go on, keep digging."


    She sat back down, "No, we''re done here...I know his real name and so does he, now I can start on all of you."


    I sit up and see that my squad and I are in the relaxation room of the gym, dim lights and beds, an empty room, robbed of the people who would usually need it, because of Green''s hubris.


    Love gets off me, touching my face gently, "When we''re done, we can finally know each other''s names!"


    They laid down on the other beds, MAL looked at me sadly, "You can go back to your bunk now...I''ve put Green down for a nap, I will send the others back to you as we uncover their names."


    I feel a twinge of worry, this was a creature of the night, notoriously out for themselves, she seemed way to eager to help us and my head still hurt, "how do I know that you''re not planning on sucking their blood??"


    She stopped, looking offended, "why would you accuse me of that when I''ve done nothing but help you??"


    Edge hopped up from his bed, rushing over and violently shoving me, "leave, now."


    I looked into his eyes as I stopped myself from falling over, they were furious, "Are you seriously going to try and stop someone from helping us get home!?"


    I lower my eyebrows, confused at his choice of words, "You...want to leave?"


    He looked like he wanted to hit me, his hands, shaking at his sides, "I''ve wanted to leave since we started!! At first I thought this was all there is for us, but MAL explained that we don''t have to be this way forever, if we can recall things about our lives we can get free and go home! HOME, Green!! Don''t you want that??"


    I look at my team, at MAL, and then at Edge who looked so angry with me, I felt nothing but pain in my heart and in my head as he seemed so ready to just beat the shit out of me, "but...I am home." My voice wavered as I spoke, the horror on Edge''s face was clear, I had somehow crossed a line, "What??" He seethed and I flinched, "Look, the comfort and love I get from you guys on a daily basis is all I think about when I think of family, our bunk, that''s where I feel at home, being intimate with you...all of you...It''s the closest thing I can think of when I try to imagine heaven."


    As he continued to stare at me in shock, I tasted salt, I was crying.


    He didn''t hit me, that was the worst part.


    He just walked back to his bed.


    MAL tried to say something to me, but I was already moving, I ran out of the room, the hallways turning into a blur as I rushed back to our bunk.


    Upon arrival I laid down, looking at the wall as I allowed myself to make the connection, the baby in that vision is the same little boy I''d been, killing JAB-56473.


    Agent Green


    And


    Jack.


    No longer one and the same, now separate people.


    I was myself...I was me.


    And like that I passed out.