Project: Wake

by M A Scrawl

  It wasn't his fault. Those men had chosen to stay behind, not hurrying to get in the shuttle before anyone else did. They deserved to be left behind anyways.

  It was getting late in the day, the sun lowering in the sky. The shuttle would turn around and go the opposite direction to another outpost. Tundra, along with the equipment, would drive in the large vans for about 3 hours, heading for the main outpost.

  Tundra followed the men carrying his clones, his children. They had his D.N.A. after all, and the boys were basically copies of him, but younger.

  It seemed as though his experiment had worked, as one of the male clones had exhibited powers in the cell. Further testing would be needed, but he would find out soon enough, after they had installed the chips into their brains and turned them into obedient mind-empty slaves.

  Caheel was in the midst of the bustle of people, his uniform standing out like a sheep within panthers. Passing men looked at him disdain. Caheel looked like he was looking for someone. He locked eyes with Tundra, and started navigating his way over to him.

  Tundra turned, walking the opposite direction. Caheel was following him, good.

  Tundra continued to walk away from the vans and deeper into the surrounding woods.

  "Hey Tundra!" Caheel said from behind. He stepped in front of Tundra, forcing him to stop. They were deeper in the woods now.

  "Tundra, where's my money?" Caheel said, crossing his arms.

  Tundra sighed, and reached into his inside coat pocket. Caheels’ eyes glistened, expecting the view of his pay.

  "Congratulations Caheel," Tundra said, pulling out a pistol, "I now have no need of you."

  He leveled the pistol at Caheels’ chest.

  A gunshot sounded through the woods.

  -----

  Tundra walked back into the camp, drawing the eyes of all the men there as he put his pistol back into its holster. He walked to the clones.

  They were strapped to the inside of one of the vans, which was made specifically for carrying prisoners. The seatbelts were strapped across their chests, clicking in place at their sternums, and their arms were strapped to the armrests of the chair they were in. Quentin was strapped using a slightly stronger cord in case they woke up. Quentin, Tundra knew, had expanded strength, and could probably break through the bindings. The only reason Quentin could even lift things heavier than himself was not because of his metal arms, but rather because of his enhanced spine.

  What were the names of the other clones? Tundra thought. Kadir and Katy! He remembered Quentin because he'd spent so much time designing him, making his arms and legs perfect, along with the implant into his brain.

  That had been a nervous operation, afraid he'd do something wrong and mess everything up, possibly killing Quentin. Everything had gone well, and Quentin had lived.

  "You," Tundra said loudly, pointing at a mercenary. He narrowed his eyes and approached the van Tundra was leaning on. "I need you to wake them up," Tundra said, pointing at the children.

  "Wake them?!" exclaimed the man. "That's not a good idea," he said again, scowling at Tundra. "You'll do as you’re told, now go!" Barked Tundra.

  The man scowled even more at Tundra, his fist tightening. He turned though, and jogged away, completing Tundras’ orders. Hopefully.

  A minute later another man approached, carrying a medical pack. He sighed, putting it down and pulling out three needles. "Which one?" he asked, gesturing towards the clones. Tundra thought a moment, then pointed at Kadir.

  -----

  Kadir had no idea what was going on. He'd just been in the detainment cell, talking aimlessly with his siblings, when Withers appeared, bruised and battered, as well as at gunpoint, at the entrance to their cell.

  There were these men surrounding Withers, holding guns and wearing armor, that definitely were not S.S. Soldiers.

  Caheel, who looked like he was with those men, had done something to the room, making them go unconscious. More sedative perhaps? How many times in his lifetime had he been sedated? It was getting kind of repetitive.

  His last sight was of this man, wearing all black, with black hair and sharp, troubled eyes. He also had a scar on his cheek, and he looked to be the leader of that group of men.

  Now, Kadir was awake, shaking dizziness off of his mind. Everything looked fuzzy, and he couldn't really see well. He discovered he was strapped to a chair in a shaking room. A car perhaps?

  He noticed his siblings beside him, Katy to his left, and Quentin to his right. Kadir blinked, trying to see everything in detail, not fuzziness.

  Then he noticed the man standing across from him, leaning against the wall, and another man, kneeling beside Quentin, injecting him with a needle. Kadir winced, watching, horrified as the needle went through Quentins skin and into his flesh.

  "Good evening," a voice said in front of him.

  "Evening?" Kadir asked, turning his head to the man in front of him.

  "Yes, you've been out for quite a long time," the man answered, and Kadir squinted, trying to get a better look at the mans face.

  The man stepped forward a little into better light. Kadir thought back, remembering the man that had been in front of his cell, wearing all black, with a beaten Withers behind him.

  "Who are you?" Kadir whispered, realizing he was a captive in this man's hands.

  The man chuckled, amused at Kadirs lack of understanding. “I’m you’re creator, Kadir.”

  "What?" Kadir asked, eyes widening.

  "I made you and your siblings," he explained, "I took my D.N.A. and created you all, using cloning equipment I found.”

  Kadirs’ mind spun, fear creeping into his mind. "I..I.."

  Tundra grinned wickedly, enjoying Kadirs torment. "You’re a clone Kadir. My clone."

  Suddenly every thought Kadir had was wiped away, horror spreading on his face. The horrible truth of it actually made sense, filling in all the gaps... But a clone? He had no mother or Father, the closest thing he had an insane murderer who would physically beat someone to get what he wanted.

  It made sense...It actually made sense, Tundra made them, and the government took the away, keeping them a secret from anyone else, and training them for war, the same as Tundra would do.

  His siblings on either side of him were now awake, their horror matching Kadirs’ own, it showing on their faces. Tears started going down Kadirs’ face as he realized he was created in a test-tube, not naturally, or with any semblance of humanity.

  Tundra laughed as he watched Kadir cry silently. "But don't worry, I'm going to take good care of you! After we alter your heads a little, we're going to have so much fun!"

  "Alter-" Kadir mumbled, tears still going down his face. Tundra nodded, enjoying himself. "We implant something into your heads to make you obedient, but don't worry! It won't hurt a bit!" Tundra laughed again and crouched down on the floor, crossing his legs. Kadir realized that this man was very much insane.

  The fear that had overcome Kadir every time he'd seen something sharp was nothing compared to absolute wave of terror and horror of knowing he was a clone.

  Then, a slow emotion gradually overcame his fear. Red and blinding, it washed over him like a wave, anger. He felt the rage building itself up in him, a result of him bottling it inside for so long. It burst out of him, and Kadir yelled, startling his siblings and Tundra.

  Kadir let The Flow burst out of him, much in unison with his anger. He continued to yell, electricity jumping off of him. Tundra yelped and jumped up, opening the door and leaping out, yelling.

  Kadir felt his bonds burning as the electricity smothered his entire body in a blue glow.

  “Kadir…” Quentin said next to him, “Your eyes-they’re glowing!”

  Electricity surged from Kadirs’ eyes, making them look blue. Lightning flew from Kadirs’ body like tentacles, and he bolted out of the chair, throwing open the door with a wave of his hand.

  He flew out, using the metal on the van as a magnetic hook. He rose up, electricit
y flowing from his body like never before. He looked around and saw-

  Earth.

  Green forests spreading out in all directions. A blue sky, the brown soil. Grey had been the main color for most of his life, and this burst of color could change a mindset so much. He felt the wind rustle through his hair and he felt tears coming down his face, sizzling and evaporating from the heat of The Flow.

  He heard shouts. Looking down, he saw men glancing up and aiming with their guns. “Use the tranqs!” Tundra was shouting but to no avail. They had real guns that fired real lead bullets. Kadir turned, electricity keeping him afloat in the air. He focused on The Flow, anger still coursing through him. He concentrated, and-

  Several gunshots echoed, guns firing at the same time. Kadir could feel the bullets as they glided through the air and made their way to him, fast as- well, a bullet.

  Silence overtook the mercenaries, and Kadir opened his eyes to see six different bullets hanging in mid-air. Kadir smiled, and let the bullets fall dramatically to the ground as he released the magnetic field he was creating.

  Kadir smiled grimly, remembering that these were men who would kill to get what they wanted, and would kill him and his siblings to get what they need. They wanted to fight? Kadir would give them a fight.

  -Chapter 37-

  -The Battle on Earth-

  Kadir dropped down, yelling as he lifted a mans rifle from his hands with a gesture, and flung it at another man's face. They continued to fire at Kadir, the bullets stopping and flying off inches from his skin. He gathered the bullets together in one ball and twisted, throwing it through several of the men before dropping it.

  He glanced back, just in time to see Katy and Quentin leap out of the van. Katy teleported through the air, punching and kicking people. She dropped and touched a barrel to have it warp above a man's face, crashing down onto his head.

  Kadir walked outside of the vans, throwing a torrent of metal objects at the men, knocking them over, bones cracking. Kadir yelled, picking up a barrel, The Flow coursing through him. He threw it at a man who had aimed his gun at him. It hit him in the chest, and he flew backwards, barely making any sound.

  Kadir flew through the air, shouting as bullets crashed in all around him, explosions coming from the barrels of the guns. Kadir could see Tundra running away, eyes wide as he screamed for them to use the tranquilizers.

  Lead gathered itself around Kadir, and he pushed the bullets back at the men, the metal pushing through their skin. Kadir yelled, reaching out with The Flow to electrocute the men on the ground. Electricity flew from their bodies to the next, then the next. The men fell, their skin burned from the heat of the electricity.

  Kadir noticed a group of mercenaries running to his left. Kadir grunted, using more electricity to lift the van. He flattened against the ground, groaning as he was pushed by the weight of the van. Screaming, he hurled it through the air, and it landed with a sickening crunch on top of several of the escaping men. A few barrels fell out of the back, dripping gasoline.

  Kadir watched in horror as the gasoline lit, started by his electricity, and then blew up right in front of him.

  -----

  Tundra found a place to hide next to the dirt road they had been travelling on. A small hill rose slightly, and he hid behind it, listening to the firing of guns and the screaming of the men subjected to Kadirs’ torrent of electricity.

  A group of men to Tundras’ left started running off into the forest. Tundra considered joining them, and was about to bolt of the protection of the small hill, when one of the vans landed on the group. Tundra bolted out, and was halfway to the van. He smiled and laughed at Kadirs’ idiocy in providing extra cover.

  The back door to the van opened, and a few cans fell out, leaking gas. Tundra saw the small thread of electricity spark the pool of gasoline.

  Oh no.

  The explosion encompassed Tundra, and he screamed, the screams in his own mind silent for once. His flesh burned, then his own screams stopped, his mind quiet forever.

  -----

  Fire encompassed everything in front of Kadir as a wave of heat started reaching out for Kadirs’ body. Kadir dropped, and was thrown backwards as the explosion triggered the gasoline in the van he was standing on. Fire built up beneath him, and the metal erupted with inferno. Time seemed to slow as Kadir went straight up, knowing inevitably that he’d fall back down again, right into the mouth of those flames.

  Then he started falling back down again, his back hurting from the heat of the explosion. He thought about his siblings, and was sorry that he was going to die like this, just after finding out he was a clone. Bad way to go, really.

  He had so many regrets, now that the thought about it. He remembered hearing something about your life flashing before your eyes when your about to die, and Kadir actually felt that.

  Now he was on Earth, but it was pointless, all the things he wanted to do were gone now, replaced by the burning feeling of the explosion on his back. All he wanted now was to go and leave to find America! What an adventure that would’ve been…

  All this ran through his head in a moment, time meaning nothing to his thoughts. The fire burned even hotter now that he was closer, the metal bending beneath Kadir. He looked to the sky and saw blue, the sun lowering in the sky. At least his last view would be a sunset, something he had never seen before.

  Kadir saw a red flash warp next to him, and Katy's face appeared, grabbing him before he hit the fire that was coming up to meet up. A red glow expanded from her fingers onto Kadirs’ skin, and when it reached his eyes, red filled his vision.

  -Chapter 38-

  -Surveillance-

  Withers was in Facility C, looking at the surveillance screen. They’d been able to reboot the computer about two hours ago to reset the surveillance system. After that, they’d been able to track down Tundras’ location. They were looking at a live video of an area of chaos, with burning trees, as well as charred vehicles.

  There’d been an explosion, with barrels lying all over the area, and mercenaries lying on the ground, not moving. Apparently the clones had fought their way out of the ring of mercenaries. They were nowhere to be seen however.

  Kirby stood next to Withers in the Control Deck, typing on her work-pad. She had been slightly traumatized by the mercenaries, although she’d never admit it. Withers smiled. The experience of being under the men would be good for her, and this incident would ensure Facility C to be more careful in their security regulations.

  A full report, including the incident with Caheel and Tundra had been sent to HQ down on Earth. It did NOT include the clones however, and Withers had already contacted Caspian Bard, explaining that the clones had been kidnapped and then killed by Tundra during the accidental explosion on Earth.

  The clones cell and bunker had already been cleaned and emptied.

  They would not come back, at least, Withers hoped they didn’t. He hoped they were trained well enough to stay under the radar of the government, and not go and attract any unnecessary attention to themselves.

  His first instinct was to send a team down there and bring them back to Facility C. But other thoughts told him not to. If he brought them back, they would eventually be found out. Then, more tests, more torture, and imprisonment for those poor children.

  Kirby walked over to Withers, looking at her screen. “Sir,” she said still typing, “What squad was sent down to the location of Tundras’ mercenaries?”

  Withers smiled. “None Kirby.”

  Kirby looked up, surprised. “But, sir! The clones-”

  “Will be absolutely fine,” Withers finished for her.

  “We need to go get them!” Kirby exclaimed, putting her work-pad down. Withers sighed, turning his head out to space.

  “Do we Kirby?” he asked, walking forward to peer out of the port window into space. Kirby walked up next to him, waiting for an explanation.

  “What do you think would happen to the clones if we kept them in here Kirby
? You know they were planning to escape this place! They thought of this as a prison, not a home.”

  Kirby shook her head slowly, pondering what Withers said. “They would escape eventually Kirby, or be found out by the U.S! Both our heads would but lopped off, and the clones would be shipped off to an even worse situation than they were in here.”

  “What if they get hurt?” Kirby whispered softly, her face showing that she didn’t like leaving them out there.

  “They were all trained in medical procedures, and Katy was advanced in this. They’ll be able to find some medical equipment in the wreckage if they need to.”

  “What if they go hungry?” Kirby asked, her brow furrowing.

  “Again, they’re trained for such things,” Withers replied, not looking at her.

  Kirby scoffed, “What if-”

  “Kirby,” Withers warned, locking eyes with her. “They would not be happy here.”

  Kirby opened her mouth, then closed it, nodding slowly. She sighed, turning and leaving the Control Deck.

  Withers sighed with her, turning and looking straight into her eyes. “I am sorry Kirby. It's not that I don’t care about the children. It’s just that I’m trying to think of what's best for them, and for us.” Kirby nodded slowly.

  Kirby was very attached to the children, Withers knew, but he wouldn’t allow them to be captured again. They’d been through so much, and they deserved to be free. Withers wondered how long they could go unseen without the government discovering them. If they were discovered, Withers would most likely be blamed. His fate after that would be decided by the government.