《Experimental Monsters》 Chapter 1-Restart Emryn had grown to hate liars. They crawled everywhere like rats pretending to be mice. Sometimes she thinks if she had the ability to kill them all she would. Afterall, it was thanks to them she was here again. Inside a dark cell, chained like an animal, alone in a lab. The cold concrete floor made her numb to the point of relaxation. She scowled at the thought of being so mundane. A rusted weapon was a useless one. And she wanted to lashed out, to use her strength to tear through the bars and hunt down all the doctors and scientists inside the facility. The desire had even seeped into her dreams. Everytime she slept she was blessed by the images of the ones who wronged her. Harver. Adnan. Dr. Palai. Elias. Alex. Simone. Dr. Willow. Zaiden. Everyone. All their corpses decorated her nights. Their blood on her hands. Their bones beneath her feet. Then she¡¯d wake up crying. Oh how quickly her world had shattered. Now she could do nothing to fix it. She was nothing more than a puppet waiting to be controlled. ¡°Emryn.¡± She didn¡¯t want to look up, though it would be easy for him to make her, and everytime she hoped he wouldn¡¯t. Zaiden would come to see her almost every night. Sometimes he sat by the bars and said nothing, other times he¡¯d tell her about how Braun was doing, and on occasion he¡¯d tell her about Seth. Some days he¡¯d even tell her old stories about Malcolm. Those days hurt her more than most. But days like today he tried to get her to speak. He had loosened the restraints of the Mind Syfer in the hopes to get her to cooperate. She could speak if she wanted, move if she wanted, sleep if she wanted. All the things even an abandoned pet could do by itself. Zaiden watched her closely. She wasn¡¯t sure how well he could peer into the dark chamber but her vision remained clear. Every tremor in his breath, every shake of his hands, and every false hope on his tongue. She could read it all. As if he had become one of the very stories he told. ¡°Emryn, please,¡± he whispered. ¡°Say something. Scream at me if you must but I need to know if you¡¯re still in there.¡± His teeth clamped shut. ¡°I need to know how much I broke.¡± Emryn leaned back, her head pressed against the hard rough wall. He needed to pick a side. And she needed to see it. She refused to speak to him until he did. This constant back and forth hurt too much. Zaiden¡¯s a good person, Malcolm had said. But could she really trust him? Zaiden sighed and stood tall. Gone was the pleading boy and the perfect soldier calmly took his place. It scared her how quickly he could switch between the two. ¡°They¡¯re going to perform the operation to fix your implants.¡± Emryn¡¯s stomach dropped. She could already feel the pain. The salice crystalizing to her skin. Molding against her. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier for everyone if you don''t fight it.¡± As if she had a choice. ¡°Commander Amin,¡± a guard called from down the hall. Zaiden¡¯s eyes finally fell off her. He approached the guard with a hint of apprehension. With three fingers to his brow the man saluted Zaiden. Back straight and shoulders wide. ¡°Your father requests your presence in the viewbox.¡± Emryn watched as Zaiden¡¯s jaw tensed. It made her curious what this viewbox was. Maybe he¡¯d get a front row seat and see first hand what life was like for her those years in the labs. Zaiden followed the guard out and Emryn was left alone with her thoughts once again. She hoped Seth had managed to escape. He¡¯d done it before. There was no reason he couldn¡¯t do it now. It wasn¡¯t like he needed her. She curled her legs to her chest. It would be better if she was the only one who had to get hurt. She couldn¡¯t bear losing anyone else. -//---//\\---\\- White coats clouded her vision. She didn¡¯t know when she¡¯d drifted off but that slip of control allowed three doctors to enter her cell. Emryn sprang up. A hand reached for her and she punched the doctor''s jaw. She fell to the floor almost instantly. Blood already streaming down her lip. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°I thought she was detained!¡± ¡°Call the commander!¡± The two remaining doctors stepped back, frantically digging through their pockets. Weary glances adorned their faces. She heard the click of a radio followed by frantic requests for backup. The doctors at her feet scrambled away when she stepped forward. She may not be able to use her power but that did not mean she was without strength. Heavy boots raced down the hall and to her cell. Guns were in the air, all pointed at her. Emryn turned her chin up and smiled. ¡°Stand down!¡± They had the nerve to order her. ¡°This is your only warning.¡± Emryn cocked her head to the side with an up turn of her lips. They could warn her all they liked but she knew they wouldn¡¯t kill her. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Emryn tightened her fist at the loud commanding voice. Adnan had finally decided to pay her a visit. ¡°My son told me he had you handled.¡± He stepped forward. ¡°And yet here you are.¡± Emryn matched his icy glare. She wanted so badly to bring him torment and transfer all her gilt and pain to him. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you some advice, 636,¡± he started. ¡°The easier you make this the less we¡¯ll have to use the pretty device on your pale neck.¡± ¡°Try it,¡± she warned. ¡°I bet I can kill you before Zaiden could even utter a word.¡± Adnan smiled, wicked and cruel. He freely paced the room. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right. But you¡¯ll never get to him before he gets to O¡¯Connor.¡± Emryn couldn¡¯t stop the visible wave of worry from passing through her body. And he didn¡¯t miss it either. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he laughed. ¡°You actually care for the boy. Best not to put him in any danger now. You don''t want him to get hurt, do you?¡± Teeth clamped down on the inside of her cheek and blood filled her mouth. Seth hadn¡¯t escaped. In her heart she knew but hadn¡¯t wanted to trust it. If she resisted there was no telling what they would do to him. And until she got him out, she would never be able to fight back. ¡°I¡¯ll take your silence as understanding.¡± The Supreme Commander turned to his guards. ¡°Escort her to Dr. Palai.¡± Rough hands took hold of her arms, unchained her from the wall, and guided her down the hall. The cell door slammed shut behind her. Emryn casted her gaze to the area beside her cage. Broken bars twisted at odd angles. Stone debris and glass coated the floor of what once was another cell. It looked as though a creature the size of a wolf-spider rampaged through it, destroying everything in its path, or as if a bomb had been set off. The sight always gave her a glimmer of hope. As if it was proof escape was possible. The large double set of doors were pushed open and Emryn was dragged through the remote compound. These laboratories were smaller than the ones she grew up in, which now lay in crumbles of dust and destruction, if she were given the opportunity to observe the layout she might be able to find out where they were keeping Seth. They entered another white room, a color she was starting to hate, with a high ceiling. The walls consisted of large square metal panels apart from one section made of glass. It sat a good few meters above the floor she stood on, which gave whoever was on the other side a birds eye view of what happened in the white room. If she focused hard enough she could make out a few silhouettes shifting on the other side. The viewbox, she thought. Emryn turned away to get a better glimpse of the room. In the center was a table similar to the one doctors performed numerous operations with her on. She remembered the cool touch of steel and the gritted hold of straps around her skin. This table also had a slight indentation in the outline of a person. She knew if she were to lay down it would be a perfect fit. To the right of the operation table was a cart full of tools she wished she didn¡¯t recognize. Implants that replicated the ones already in her flesh were rested on top and on full display for her and the audience inside the viewbox. A collection of scalpels, bolts, and pliers sat adjacent to them. Already Emryn could feel their haunting touches. But the worst was yet to come. Needle-like claws and spider-like arms, Emryn stared at the machine closest to Dr. Palai, who looked at her waiting with trembling hands. She knew this one too well. It was a device designed to hold her muscle and tissue open, giving the doctors better access to the points of surgery while making her scream out with pain as the implants were switched. A mic on the wall buzzed before Zaiden¡¯s voice filtered through. ¡°Lay on the center table but move no further.¡± Emryn felt the Mind Syfer tic against her neck as he body moved without her permission. She could not read anything else behind his voice. Everytime he used it she hoped for one hint he didn¡¯t want to. But with her dulled senses, she heard none. Cold steel kissed her back, the thin shirt she wore doing nothing to warm her, and hands moved quickly to strap her in. The leather bit at her skin but she couldn¡¯t move away. Her heart began to race. It pushed against her chest and pulsed through her ears. She knew what happened next. Needles stabbed into her arms. She did not scream. Blades cut around the hardened salice lodged in her flesh. She did not scream. Metal tongs spread the skin, then the layers of muscle. She did not scream. Blood dripped down her arms, pooling at her waist. She did scream. The bolts in her arms twisted. She did not scream. Gloved hand took hold of the thin layers of salice in her arm and pulled. Slow and steady. Her body tried to cling on to the plates molded to her flesh. Emryn saw the fibers reaching out for them and they were pulled. The tissue was tarred and repaired simultaneously. She bit her trembling lip. Dr. Palai gave the implant one last strong tug. It ripped from her arm. Emryn screamed. Chapter 2- Fierce Determination Seth had been here before. He was sure of it. The gray stoned walls and set of iron bars all looked back at him with a ghost of mockery. If he weren¡¯t chained he would¡¯ve already broken out. For this was a place that still haunted his dreams. The ones filled with a blue eyed girl, fiery hair and a braid of straw. Head hung low he had a great view of the patches stuck to his skin, put there to monitor his vitals and God knows what else. Those Abrax freaks and their experiments. One day he¡¯d take everything away from them. They¡¯d die with their precious laboratories and their experiments would all go down the drain. Metal creaked and footsteps filled the room. Seth¡¯s lips quirked up. This was his favorite part of the day. He liked to call it the Hognose Hour because it was the one moment of the day his foolish guard would bring him food and water. Seth didn¡¯t know the man¡¯s real name, and he refused to tell, so he stuck to calling him Hognose. It took Hognose nine seconds to reach his cell from the set of steel doors down the hall. Hognose was a broad man with a striking beard and an even bigger nose. It was rounded like a pig¡¯s and rough like a bear¡¯s. His large feet did nothing to hide his limp, which Seth guessed was due to a prosthetic, and his heavy footfalls rang like music to the ears. ¡°Did you miss me already, Hognose?¡± Seth lifted his head, showing off his fierce grin. ¡°Because I have to say, I deeply missed you.¡± ¡°Quiet.¡± Seth¡¯s smile didn¡¯t shake. ¡°Come on, don''t be like that. I know you like me too. Otherwise you would have begged them for a different job.¡± Hognose glared but said nothing as he pulled a pair of keys out of his pocket. The cell door was shoved open with Hognose¡¯s free hand, the other holding a tray for Seth¡¯s food, and the large man stumbled in, practically tripping over his feet. A few stray grains of rice fell to the floor in the tussle. And Seth didn¡¯t bother keeping in his laugh. Part of him knew he made Hognose nervous and nothing was more entertaining than watching him try to hide it. ¡°Quiet Mallax scum,¡± Hognose yelled. After each word his face gained a shade of red. Seth tilted his head to the side so it rested against his chained arm. He regarded Hognose with soft eyes and an air of innocence. Or as much innocence could be hidden behind his wicked smile. Tentatively, Hognose approached. Seth remained still, not wanting to spook the poor animal, and instead zeroed in on the wooden spoon atop the tray. Interesting. It wasn¡¯t the best but Seth could use that. Hognose set the tray on the floor to pull out a syringe. Seth frowned. He hated this part. It was bad enough he had no clue what substance slashed inside the needle pointed shot he received each day, but whatever it was always made him feel weak. His body would grow tired, limps hard to move, and then break out into a cold sweat. It reminded him of when he would grow sick as a child. Though that was a feeling that evaded him since his first entrapment inside the labs. The needle pierced the skin of his arm, sending prickles of ice down his flesh. Seth tried to fight it but his healing only ever slowed the effects of the clear chemical injections. But he could still act as if it didn¡¯t hurt. He had perfected that particular skill over the years. Hognose placed the empty syringe back in his pocket and grabbed the food from the floor. Like a fool, he held out the tray, elbow locked and shoulders back, activity staying as far as possible. Guess the tough act could only last so long. Seth sniffled a laugh. If he wasn¡¯t chained to the ceiling he would have doubled over. This was why Hognose Hour was his favorite. ¡°How do you expect me to eat that?¡± He wiggled his hands for emphasis. ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to feed me yourself.¡± Honestly, he should¡¯ve known this by now. Hognose blushed even harder. He was so easy to throw off it was like talking to a child. Meaty hands latched onto the spoon, scooped up rice, and shoved it into Seth¡¯s mouth. Rather harshly he might add. Seth almost choked on the miniscule pieces of grain. So much so it was hard to not only contain his coughs but keep up an antagonizing grin. He reared his head back. ¡°Easy!¡± Then after a moment he regained composure. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so rough. I¡¯m not your wife.¡± Hognose whacked him with the spoon, causing it to crack and splinter. Seth''s cheek was red from the force, as if it had been a whip instead of a dinner utensil. But he carried on as though unbothered. ¡°That¡¯s not how you fed someone,¡± he said with a click of his tongue. ¡°I would''ve thought you knew better.¡± Once again Hognose shoved the spoon into his mouth, albeit slightly gentler. Seth tried to remain quiet through the whole ordeal. He had gotten what he wanted with Hognose¡¯s first initial strike but it was difficult not to insult him further. Seth eyed the half broken spoon, then the bowl of rice, already nearing its end, and finally how close Hognose stood next to him. When Hognose moved to feed him again, Seth dodged the rounded end and clamped his teeth down on the handle. The wood was torn out of Hognose¡¯s grip and then whipped across his face, breaking on impact. Splinters fell to the floor and Hognose staggered back, cradling the side of his face. For a moment Seth relished in his small act of retribution, a single shard of splintered wood in his mouth, but quickly moved on to his real goal. Seth curled his tongue around the rogue piece and hid it further inside his mouth. By the time Hognose reared back on him, throwing a punch to his stomach, Seth had all he needed. ¡°Next time you won¡¯t get any food!¡± Hognose threw a finger at his face. ¡°Nasty pig.¡± Then he stomped out of the cell, emphasizing his moves as he locked it, and exited down the hall. Seth found the irony of Hognose calling him a pig highly amusing. It almost made him forgive him for the hit against his gut. But Seth had more important things to focus on. Carefully, Seth poked the splinter out of his mouth and titled his head towards one of his arms currently chained. The hold wasn''t high enough to carry him off the floor and allowed him to move his hand just about the same position as his skull. Seth wrapped the chain around his hand so it lifted him off the ground. He was able to get a clear view of the lock and swiftly went to work. He positioned the splinter inside and began moving the wood with his tongue, listening intently for any clicks. Ever since he was child, picking locks had been second nature to him. Malcolm used to give him challenges when they were little. Asking him to do the impossible because he found it amusing how determined Seth would try. One game after another, Seth would play and enhance his skills. Because of it, he knew he could escape anywhere. And once he got out of this cell, he¡¯d take Emryn and Malcolm and the three would never have to see the inside of an Abrax compound again. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The lock finally clicked open and Seth smiled. One down, one to go. Getting out would require a complete knowledge of the layout and the locations of every armed soldier guarding this prison. Seth needed a way to explore. Getting his chains off was the first step. He knew he¡¯d be able to pick the cell lock with the same method. Wherever he was right now was lacking in modern technology. It was likely this section of the base was one not often used. There were cracks in the wall and rust on the chains. Why they thought this would actually hold him, he didn¡¯t know. It was another mistake he¡¯d have to relish in. Seth was suddenly grateful the Abrax military was so stupid. The second cuff came off as easily as the first. Seth approached the bars of his cell and peered down the hall, rubbing the sore spot on his arm. There didn¡¯t look to be any air vents he could use to map the area in. Finding Emryn would prove a bit harder than he initially thought. Seth paced his cell, needing to summon a new way of thinking. Although the facility was destroyed on his end, they¡¯d likely place Emryn in a more advanced area due to her power. She would also be placed as far from him as possible. Not only that but his current cell looked as though it was the only one in this wing of the building. Seth knew his squad had demolished every Abrax base capable of properly holding him. And he was likely in the remnants of one now. There was nowhere else he could be kept, other than back at their main base. But they wouldn¡¯t risk the safety of civilians again. Meaning all he had to do now was force their hand. If he destroyed this cell they¡¯d have no choice to place him closer to Emryn. Seth stopped his pacing and grinned. Now he only needed to figure out how to build a small bomb. If Abrax stuck to the same routine as the last few days he wouldn¡¯t have to wait long before a team of scientists dragged him out. Seth carefully linked the chains around his wrist, careful not to lock them, and put on the act of a worn out prisoner. With the chemicals in his bloodstream it wasn¡¯t hard to act tired but at the same time he needed to focus his energy on stopping the progress of the injection. His eyes fluttered closed as he felt the warm blood move throughout his body. The cold substance was still near his arm due to his previous precautions. Now he just needed to keep it from his heart while his advanced antibodies worked on eradicating the foreign chemicals. After days of the same thing, Seth had grown accustomed to fighting the injection¡¯s after effects off. Then Seth waited. The steel doors creaked open once again, this time by a team of eager doctors ready to poke and prod at Seth until he bled gold. Rough hands hooked around his biceps. He faked a comatose state, keeping his eyes vacant and dull while the team dragged him out of the cell, seemingly limp and scattered. ¡°Did the chains break?¡± one voice asked. ¡°Must¡¯ve,¡± the other answered, too optimistic for Seth¡¯s tastes, then added, ¡°Luckily after his body was drugged.¡± Oh to be so ignorant. Seth wished he too had the brain of a child. It would make life far less stressful. When they finally reached the lad he was placed on a table, too harsh for his liking but beggars can¡¯t be choosers. The team of doctors got to work hooking him up to tubes and machines, the mix of cold metal and warm valves caused his skin to prickle with odd sensations. Then his head was turned to the side. One device was placed inside his ear and he was immediately flooded with a loud buzz as it made rhythmic vibrations. Maybe their goal this time was to overstimulate him. If so it was working. Seth took the opportunity to gaze at the cabinets near the back wall where numerous chemicals were being stored. After spending hours with his mother as a child, Seth knew what each vial and glass held. The smells potent and fused but not enough to trick his advanced senses. That knowledge combined with the array of colors and the context of previous experiments gave him a pretty good gauge of what chemicals were being kept in there. Then he looked for any cameras. But like his cell, there were none. They were still in the neglected side of the facility at least. ¡°Secure the restraints.¡± Right. He had almost forgotten. His eyes trailed to one of the nearby tables. Scalpels, drills, knives; all of which he could use for the next part of his plan. And as soon as the gloved hands found his skin again he launched into action. Heavy machines fell from the force as he disconnected from them and warm liquid pooled on the floor from the various tubes falling from the patches adorning his flesh. The nearest doctors screamed and staggered back. Seth disregarded her for the table and grabbed the closest blade. A few doctors, who had previously gotten closer with the hopes of controlling him, flinched when he held it out. ¡°Come any closer and I¡¯ll gut you like the senseless pigs you are.¡± They froze and held their hands up, surrendering to his threats like mice in a cage. None looked as though they wanted to test his bloodlust. And none were brave enough to try. Seth jabbed the knife and signaled for them to step back. They followed his instructions fervently but never took their eyes off him. Once he was contemptuous with the space between them, Seth did something they hadn¡¯t sensed. He stabbed his arm. The blood trickled down like rain then poured when he twisted the knife. He felt the earlier chemical leave his body, it felt like he was finally breathing again. Like air filled his lungs for the first time in ages. The drops hit the floor one after the other, Seth smiling greater the bigger the puddle at his feet became. And the shocked faces of the freakish doctors made it all the more worth it. His lips turned up as he felt his skin knit itself back together. It was his own version of a high. The assurance that nothing could truly hurt him. Every time he healed he felt immortal. ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± he sighed. He rolled his head back, cracking his neck and relaxing. ¡°What did you do?¡± Seth recognized the man¡¯s voice as the same ignorant one from earlier and smirked. He stepped closer and leaned down to where the man was cowering on the floor. But the doctor turned away when he got close, hiding behind his hands. Seth tucked the knife under the man¡¯s chin and guided his face toward him. His head tilted at the man¡¯s tearful gaze and shaking form, then curled his lips back with a sneer. ¡°I did what you created me to do,¡± he laughed. But the doctor looked confused. Seth rolled his eyes then moved in closer. ¡°I thought you people wanted weapons.¡± The knife moved gently in his hand, tracing the man¡¯s throat. ¡°Let me show how successful you were.¡± Something clicked. And the sound echoed in his ears despite the metal still there. Seth threw the knife. Doctors in the cross hairs ducked out of the way screaming as the blade hit its mark in the radio at a scientist¡¯s hip. The nearest doctor took the opportunity to throw his hands around Seth¡¯s torso. But he was too weak. Seth tossed the man to the side almost effortlessly. When it came to strength there were very few who rivaled him and he would not be taken down by a scrawny man in a lab coat. He marched toward the group, who flinched with every step he took, and retrieved the knife. ¡°Your first mistake was thinking you were better,¡± he said. ¡°Your second was the absence of guards.¡± He twirled the blade, watching the way the light gleamed off the tip. ¡°If anyone moves from this spot, I send this into your skull.¡± ¡°What are you planning on doing?¡± one asked as she shook from his proximity. Seth ignored her and latched onto the closest person. With a hand around their throat, Seth slammed them to the ground and they were out cold. The others screamed as Seth incapacitated them one by one. Some tried to flee but were too slow, the knife landed in the first one¡¯s head. He tried not to take pleasure in it but something about the labs always pulled out a wicked side of him. Their touch had tainted his soul those months all those years ago. He vowed to never let them hurt him again. And soon they were all silent. Seth turned his attention to the vials near the wall. He tried to recount the pranks he pulled when he was younger, when he was scolded for playing with dangerous compounds and destroying his mother¡¯s tent. He kept an ear on the doctors as he moved to closely examine the chemicals, grabbing the ones he deemed useful and shoving them into a bowl he found nearby. He then gathered spare vials and containers. It wouldn¡¯t be the best bomb he made but it would have to do. Carefully he mixed the contents, going off of scent and appearance to identify the right amounts and chemicals. He made an extra effort not to move any too harshly to not set them off. If they exploded now his whole plan would fail. The finished chemical bombs were placed in the waistband of his pants before he stepped out into the hall. He didn¡¯t have much time until Abrax realized what had happened and sent over soldiers to restrain him again. He would need to do this quickly. Seth traced his steps back to his cell then removed the first vial. He aggressively shook it in his hand before throwing it inside and ducking away. The vial had a brief glow before it exploded on impact. The blast that followed was fused with an echo as the metal bars splintered and the walls crumbled. Seth didn¡¯t have time to enjoy his victory and ran to the next cell. He repeated the process for every containment unit he found. Running and navigating the area in a fog of dust and rubble. A bullet pierced his back, twisting inside his flesh and sending pain down his body. More shots fired without warning. Some went straight through him while others lodged themselves into his muscles and bones. Seth could barely turn around to see the soldiers attacking him. None of his vital spots had been hit but the shear pain made it hard to be grateful. They were going to take him alive. And if his plan had succeeded, they were going to take him to Emryn. Chapter 3- An Old Friend Emryn heard the chaos. It was impossible not to. The screams and gunfire brought up harsh memories and she wanted to rip her ears off. Because deep down she knew the screams he heard belonged to Seth. His voice. His pain. They had always mirrored her own. A constant link created by the laboratories and their sick torture. She curled into herself. Not again. She couldn''t do this again. Seth hadn¡¯t escaped. They were both stuck here under the thumb of people or disregarded lives for the sake of science and desperation. She looked at her arms, no longer caked in blood but full of scars. Marks made by the new implants in her skin barely peeking from the surface. Even though she could not see it, she knew there was a matching set of lines on her spine. A gold that shimmered in the light. One could almost mistake it as beautiful. They were going to die here. Armed soldiers approached her cell, their boots clicking shading the hard ground, guns swaying at their backs. They didn¡¯t so much as cast a glance at her as they found their positions near the cell door. Emryn was thrown off by the oddness of it. There weren¡¯t normally so many people guarding her up close. Only mere seconds passed before she knew why. Adnan Amin appeared in front of her, mocking her with his presence on the other side of the steel bars. He looked bored and impassive, his hard face cold as fallen hail. ¡°I assume you had no knowledge of it.¡± She didn¡¯t ask what, it was obvious he meant whatever Seth had just done beyond the walls separating them, instead she narrowed her eyes. He didn¡¯t deserve her voice. The Supreme Commander sighed, one hand falling down his face. ¡°I suppose conversation is beyond an experiment¡¯s capabilities.¡± She gave no reaction. She was too tired for one. ¡°Sir,¡± a voice called from the hall. ¡°There are no more places left to put him.¡± Emryn¡¯s nerves stood on end, waiting for what would be said next, anticipating what those words meant. Adnan scowled then looked at her. She doesn¡¯t know what he saw or what expression she wore, but the man¡¯s face soured even more. ¡°Bring him here for now,¡± he ordered, chin held up in disgust, ¡°We¡¯ll find a proper place later.¡± With that he left, his guards following close behind him. Emryn heard the hall doors slam shut. It was only then she felt she could breathe. They were bringing Seth to her. A thousand possibilities filtered through her mind, both good and bad. Seth had been known as an escape artist, someone impossible to tie down, and now he would be close to her again and the possibility of getting out no longer felt delusional. She merely needed him to work with her. If he wanted to. The last time they saw each other she smashed his skull, and before that she had caused his capture and endangered his comrades after she first captured Kiarra, one of his loyalists, not long before. It was likely he hated her now. That thought put strain on her hope but she had nothing else. The heavy hall doors were pushed open and Emryn shot to her feet. She heard groans and the rush of boots before Seth was dragged to her cell. His head was hanging low, blood coating his naked torso and lead bullets protruding from multiple places across his skin as it tried and failed to sew itself back together. Her stomach dropped at the sight, like claws were squeezing her gut and pulling her down. The last time she saw Seth this injured he had been lying on the floor with an unbeating heart and empty eyes, gold salice leaking from his arm. Seth was roughly thrown into her cell with little care from the men that brought him. One muttered foul curses under his breath but stopped when he caught Emryn¡¯s eye. She wanted to gut him like a pig and watch him bleed. The bars were quickly closed again and Emryn wasted no time rushing over. Her hand delicately brushed over his warm skin, blood coating her fingertips wherever she touched. His face was scrunched in pain, eyes closed, but he never cried out. Even now he had a strength greater than any man she knew. ¡°Seth,¡± she cried in a low voice. Her lip trembled when he didn¡¯t respond. He was all she had left. Emryn tore the fabric from her shirt and began wiping down his back. Her hand moved roughly against the bumps of bullets and flakes of dried blood, never stopping even when new blood started to seep from his wounds. She wiped again and again but there was no change. More blood kept coming, a mix of red and gold against his tan skin. She moved desperately. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you healing?¡± she whispered, voice cracking. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Seth had been invincible, practically untouchable because of his healing, but it was no longer working. Finally, Emryn stopped scrubbing, her cloth now too soiled. She went to tear another piece when a hand slipped around her wrist to stop her. She glanced down into those deep blue eyes and saw the pain of a soul crying out to her for help. But his lips still turned up in a grin. ¡°I found you.¡± He sounded far away, trapped in his own high of pain and confusion. She gently pulled him closer so his head rested in her lap and he laid on his side, then leaned down to press her forehead against his. ¡°You always do.¡± Seth¡¯s eyes fluttered close, his face more relaxed than before, and his breathing steadily slowed. Emryn watched his sleeping form, relaxing a little herself, and marveled at the man. Her hand combed through his soft brown hair, either to distract herself or him, she couldn¡¯t tell. But she knew once he woke again things would not get easier. His back was in tatters. She had a device fused to her neck. There was no telling if they had what it takes to break out of the lab, let alone their cell. To top it off, they may have reunited but the trust had been broken. For that she blamed herself. But maybe she still had time to get her old friend back. The boy she once knew from cell 13. She reminded herself Seth hadn¡¯t died then. And he wasn¡¯t about to die now. Emryn hooked her arms under his shoulders and began to pull him to the back of the cell, away from any prying eyes and scornful guards. Trails of blood were left behind on the concrete floor, acting as a map to the source, and Seth¡¯s low moans drifted throughout the cell. Emryn brought her head down to his and shushed his cries of pain the best she could, whispering soothing words into his hair. When her back touched the wall she finally stopped and fell to the floor. Then she situated Seth in her lap once more to examine his back. Rough patches of metal protruded from his skin and, to her horror, watched as the wounds tried to seal around them. His body was having trouble registering the foreign objects. It was a similar story for her implants. But Seth¡¯s healing was more advanced than hers. At this rate his skin would grow over the bullets. ¡°You have to pull them out.¡± Seth¡¯s gruff voice spooked her. She glanced down at his tired face pressed against her thigh and lower stomach. He was barely lucid, could hardly move, and yet he still knew what needed to be done. ¡°It will hurt,¡± she warned. His back rose with a haggard breath. ¡°I¡¯ll get used to it.¡± His eyes slowly closed but she knew he was still awake. She also knew she needed to act fast. There was no time to dwell on his pain. Her fingers caught on to the first bullet and pried it from his flesh, the wound closing not a second later. Emryn repeatedly pulled and clawed at the metal until she couldn¡¯t see anymore breaking the surface. Seth was breathing heavily and clinging to her leg with ironclad grip as he muffled his moans against her. Sweat dripped from his face. Emryn had tried to work quickly to minimize the torment but some pieces had fused into his muscles. It caused her to dig with her nails and tear through his skin. The sharp metal pieces sliced her fingertips and palms as she tightly gripped them. By the time she finished her hands were stained with blood, a mix of hers and his, and Seth had passed out. It was only then she could relax. She felt his hands heal and watched as Seth¡¯s body slowly moved with each breath. The sound of his heart rate coming down soothed her as she rested against the hard wall. She gently touched his skin, still warm from healing, and closed her eyes. Even though she knew it wasn¡¯t the best idea to fall asleep here with Seth vulnerable in her lap and her own exhaustion taking over, the anxiety and worry from earlier had dissipated now that she could see Seth. He was alive and this time she could make sure he stayed that way. Emryn slipped in and out of sleep, her dreams would come and go with it, but around the fourth time she woke she saw a bit of yellow by the bars of the door. Her eyes blinked into focus then squinted. Something had been placed by her cell. She carefully moved Seth beside her, who was thankfully still out cold, and slowly creped to the bars. Laying on the ground were two rings of braided straw, one more torn and frayed than the other. She peaked through the bars into the hall. No guards were currently stationed there meaning they were likely in the middle of a rotation. Emryn plucked one bracelet from the floor and examined it closer. Her eyes widened. It was her bracelet. The exact one Seth made her years ago from a sleeping mat. She had lost track of it through all the chaos of the past few weeks and nearly forgotten it. She glanced at the other. The second was not as familiar but it mirrored hers like a second half. Her mind went back to the labs nearly eight years ago. To the bright eyed face of the young boy who took her tattered and ugly gift and called it beautiful. Then to the man she saw months ago in a clearing, who pulled it from his pocket like something to treasure. I never go anywhere without it. Emryn turned to that same man sleeping by the wall, oblivious to her heart crying and laying soundless where she left him. Her eyes teared up as she placed their past around her wrist and held her old friend close once more. Chapter 4- Wake Up Call Chapter 4- Wake Up Call It was warm. Full of comfort. Maybe too much so. Seth didn¡¯t want to move. Practically paralyzed by the familiarity. He hadn¡¯t slept this good in ages. It was like laying on the warm sands of the cove he grew up by, where every grain molded around him and the sun kissed his skin, a feeling he had often believed to be heaven. Even remembering the days he used to lay with his friends while water tickled their ankles could give him solace. Before his clan had been forced to move, everyone played by the rocky water caves and beaches; like an unspoken tradition. And the closest he¡¯s ever come to feeling that way again was right now, enveloped by a vague sense of reality and cuddled up against an unknown warmth. The feeling of something threading through his loose strands of hair opened his eyes. In a haze he was acutely aware of the woman he had long thought dead staring right back at him. Dreaming. He must be dreaming. Slowly his hand reached up to brush a stray hair off her pale cheek. Then her eyes, the strange contrasting colors, widened. Not a dream then. Seth rose from her lap and backed away, a good foot of space between them now, and tried to ignore the ache in his back. Memories flashed through his brain like old film long out of use. The guns, bullets, and blood all painted the scene for him. His plan, though reckless and impulsive, worked. He and Emryn were now one step closer to escaping together. ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± The rawness of her voice was distracting. Like an itch finally scratched. He couldn¡¯t help the way his mouth lifted. ¡°Not sure what you mean.¡± He leaned closer. ¡°Maybe you should ask again. Closer. Just so I know I¡¯m hearing you right.¡± Oh she didn¡¯t like that. The closer he got, the further she pulled. Back at this game then. Fine, he could work with that. Her arms folded against her chest as her head turned away. Even still Seth caught the grinding of her teeth. ¡°You had a chance to escape. Why didn¡¯t you take it?¡± ¡°Were you expecting me too?¡± She angled closer at that. Surprise flickered through her skin but she didn¡¯t reply. The air was tense. Seth knew Emryn¡¯s opinion of him hadn¡¯t been good, skewed by whatever propaganda Abrax spread, but she had to have known he wouldn¡¯t leave her again. This time they were both getting out. ¡°I can¡¯t leave yet,¡± he finally offered. ¡°I don¡¯t abandon those depending on me.¡± Emryn scoffed. ¡°You don''t believe me? Look where we are, Sunshine. This ain¡¯t exactly a vacation getaway. I¡¯m not here because I want to be. I¡¯m here for you and Malcolm.¡± Her lips parted. The way she looked at him was lost, almost afraid. ¡°I know you two have had issues in the past but he¡¯s a good man and one of my own. I don¡¯t have time to get into all the details right now but I need you to trust me. He¡¯s been here too long. I¡¯m getting you both¨C¡± ¡°Malcolm is dead.¡± Seth¡¯s world stood still. Thoughts like frozen air no longer able to drift. He heard her wrong. Surely he did. He didn¡¯t know what to say. Words stumbled in and out of his mind, all that came out was, ¡°What?¡± Emryn fumbled with her loose chains and avoided his gaze once more. ¡°They killed him.¡± Her voice cracked. ¡°They found out who he was, what he was doing, and they killed him for it.¡± Seth shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He bit the inside of his cheek, the pain grounding him. ¡°He was too good for that. He lasted years without anyone knowing.¡± Somehow that revelation made it worse. Years. He had left Mal here for years. ¡°That was before I showed up.¡± Emryn¡¯s chest convulsed as she tried to calm herself. ¡°I disrupted everything. He said he didn¡¯t know if he could trust me.¡± Her hand covered her mouth when a sobbed finally broke out. ¡°Seth,¡± she looked to the ceiling, refused to let tears fall, then ¡°I couldn¡¯t save him.¡± Emryn met his gaze, but he wished she hadn¡¯t. Seth didn¡¯t want to see the anguish that he knew reflected his own. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Seth looked down at her hands, his blood crusted but still present on her pale skin. It hadn¡¯t been her job to save Mal, it was his and he failed. Healing was supposed to be his talent, an unnatural gift from powers far above him. It wasn¡¯t her fault he sucked at using it. ¡°How?¡± He didn¡¯t really want to know, but he was the one who needed to tell the others. He was the one who needed to know where he went wrong. ¡°They sent him out on a mission and had a soldier¡­¡± Emryn struggled to finish, ¡°stab him in the back.¡± Her hand combed through the tangles of her hair. A failed attempt at appearing put together. ¡°Then he brought Malcolm back to Abax to slowly die out.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Seth laughed. Slowly die out. It was nothing more than a coward¡¯s way of avoiding blame. ¡°Too scared to do it themselves then?¡± He laughed again, humorless and cruel. Emryn regarded him with cautious stares as he continued. ¡°Abrax never changes,¡± he yelled. Seth moved to the bars, gripping them with enough force to break if he had been at full strength. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right!¡± His voice echoed down the long hall gaining the attention of the guards. ¡°Back away from the bars,¡± one warned, he was taller and more bulky than the one on the left. ¡°Or what? You gonna come over here and actually talk to my face, or are you gonna stay by that door?¡± he hummed, ¡°Safe and far away.¡± The bulky guard stormed over after whispering something to the other, who left with quickened steps. Cowards the lot of them. The bulky man stood on the other side of the cell far enough away to be out of Seth¡¯s reach. He pulled his gun from the hulster and aimed. ¡°Back away from the bars, O¡¯Conner.¡± Seth smiled and reached between the poles, arms folded in front of them, and his face rested against the cool metal with serpent-like ease. A predator in waiting, luring their victim in. ¡°Or what?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me shoot.¡± ¡°I doubt you could,¡± he mused, ¡°No, if you wanted to hurt us what you¡¯d do is starve us. That way you can say you hadn¡¯t laid a finger on us. Nature simply went its course right?¡± ¡°Stop talking.¡± Seth continued. ¡°Because Abrax is full of bright eyed heroes who can do no wrong! You guys didn¡¯t kill all those kids, it was just a byproduct of natural selection. It¡¯s not your fault all the children you stole were weak!¡± The guard¡¯s grip got tighter and Seth got feverish. ¡°You''re supposed to be the good guys after all. And what¡¯s a few dead kids in the grand scheme of world peace!¡± A gunshot rattled through the room, the bullet grazing the side of Seth¡¯s ear. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± he laughed. His body fell against the steel bars and sank to the floor as he continued to mock the guard. ¡°Can¡¯t aim at point blank?¡± ¡°Seth.¡± Emryn¡¯s voice didn¡¯t fully reach him. But it brought enough sense back to his brain to make him pick himself from the floor. When he slightly faced her the guard lashed out. Meaty fingers curled around his bicep but Seth¡¯s movements were too nimble for him to take proper hold. Instead the guard was gifted with a twisted arm on Seth¡¯s side of the cell. Seth slammed the man¡¯s body closer, the bang echoing against his skull. He took hold of his neck and brought the guard¡¯s face up. ¡°Was it him?¡± Emryn¡¯s face scrunched in confusion but she didn¡¯t need to know what he meant. Seth could tell from the lack of animosity in her eyes this man couldn¡¯t have been the one who took Malcolm away from them. He threw him against the hall¡¯s wall before Seth fully lost his sanity and killed him. They didn¡¯t want to give Abrax another reason to add more restraints. More soldiers burst through the hall doors, guns at the ready, and following close behind was a face Seth only ever saw briefly. Adnan Amin stood tall hiding behind guns and men. A coward leading cowards. Seth found it rather fitting. ¡°Here to visit your pets?¡± he called. Abrax¡¯s leader walked up close, not even acknowledging the passed out guard at his feet. ¡°I came to get my weapons.¡± Seth motioned to the gun on the floor. ¡°There you go.¡± Adnan ignored him. ¡°Grab them.¡± Seth glanced at an all too familiar syringe in the soldier¡¯s hands. Golden blood of wolf-spiders secured perfectly inside a glass vile. ¡°Good luck getting that close enough to try.¡± Adnan smiled, a feature not meant for his face. ¡°I won¡¯t need to,¡± he said, then nodded to Emryn. A rectangular device was brought to his mouth. Seth reached for it the same time Adnan ordered, ¡°Restrain him.¡± A gold glow encompassed his body. Seth couldn¡¯t move, he could hardly breathe with Emryn¡¯s power surrounding him. He had almost forgotten about this not so slight obstacle to their escape. Seth tried to sneak a glance at Emryn but her hold was too strong. He heard her chains clank to the floor but she never came into view. Adnan would pay severely for this. With a wave of his hand the Abrax dictator led the group to a large open area, nothing inside except a few chairs and doctors. The white overhead lights buzzed with static as anticipation filled Seth¡¯s lungs. He and Emryn stood in the center of the room, void of their former selves and clear emotions. The absence of tools and the typical eerie tables puzzled Seth. He wondered just what kind of test Adnan had in store for them. Zaiden pushed through the doors and joined his father. This was the first time Seth had seen him since his abrupt arrival and the commander looked a bit worse for wear. If someone were to guess which of the two had spent the last weeks caged to a ceiling the odds of getting it right were slim. Zaiden¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, heavy and dark bags resting underneath. His hair was in almost as much disarray as his clothes. The usual commander¡¯s uniform was buttoned in the wrong places and tucked unevenly under his worn out belt. Seth would say he looked like he tossed himself out of bed but he seemed to be lacking a week¡¯s worth of sleep. Seth slightly reveled in the fact his once rival looked as rotten as his soul. The perfect soldier image was finally gone. Zaiden deserved much worse and Seth would make sure he got just that, as soon as he gets out here that is. ¡°Glad you could join us, son. We were just about to begin.¡± He tutted his hand at Emryn. ¡°Release him.¡± When her hold left him Seth felt oddly empty. And once he was free he made no move to flee. Assess and reassess. He needed to figure out his next move. Fast. ¡°I need to gauge what I¡¯m working with.¡± Adnan relaxed into a chair, gesturing for Zaiden to join his side. ¡°What do you think the best way to do that is? Hmm?¡± This time he spoke directly to Seth, mocking him with a snide tone and beat-less heart. ¡°I thought you were supposed to be smart,¡±Seth drawled. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you know that already?¡± Adnan grinned his anger away. ¡°I do have an idea.¡± He leaned his elbows against his knees, assessed Seth with curious eyes, then continued. ¡°We¡¯ll test your healing and any other surprises through combat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill anyone you put me against.¡± Adnan quirked a brow. A challenge. ¡°Anyone?¡± His eyes drifted past Seth, whose face went slack and stomach clenched. ¡°No,¡± Seth whispered, not meaning to say the word aloud. ¡°636,¡± Adnan called. ¡°Do put on a good show.¡± Then Seth was thrown to the ground.