“You’re my brother?” Creed’s dark-blue eyes were beginning to tear up.
Margo spoke over the room, “Now, we have no idea how this happened. All we can tell for sure is that Alik and Creed have the same biological father.”
Evan’s eyes were wide with surprise. “This is one heck of a way to prove your ability, Meggie!”
59 Perficio Res
Something was going on.
Though silence had been ordered across the Facility, every meta knew something was wrong.
Even the veteran metas—the instructors—had never known the entire campus to be on lock down before. Sure, they’d all had drills in the past. They practiced fire and disaster drills. They had even practiced how to assemble in case of immediate mobilization. But they had never been ordered to lock down “until further notice.”
Being creatures of habit, the cadets were anxious to get back to their routine—whatever it was they were doing when the first announcement was made over the campus-wide intercom.
The voice identified itself as Dr. Williams, though it didn’t sound at all like the doctor. Everyone listening to the bizarre announcement just assumed the voice was distorted because of the intercom system. The entire campus was ordered back to their barracks, immediately and without exception until further notice.
The cadets obeyed, of course, and dropped what they were doing. That was three hours, seven minutes ago. Now they looked out the windows of their barracks in restless hopes of seeing something that would explain what was going on. They murmured to each other possible scenarios that may have brought this on. Some metas couldn’t hold still and found ways to entertain themselves by doing as much physical exercise as possible within the confines of their crowded quarters. Others just sat at the edge of their bunks sharpening or cleaning their weapons of choice.
The crackle of the intercom broke the anxious silence across the campus. The voice that began speaking again identified itself as Dr. Williams, but this time everyone knew something was very different. And it wasn’t just his deeper, raspier voice; his behavior and word choice was different, too. But they were soldiers taught to obey their superior officers without question, so they stood at attention and listened.
“Metas, it is with great pride that I speak with you on this momentous day. All your diligence, your training, your expertise; all your loyalty and dedication to physical and intellectual perfection, everything you have worked so tirelessly for is to be called upon now, in our hour of need.
“Yes, my meta children, we are in grave danger as there are those outside these walls who hate us and want to exterminate us. Though I have known of this—terrorist cell for years, I had hoped I could change their thinking.
“But alas, no. Despite years of earnest due diligence, patience and forgiveness of transgressions, it was made abundantly clear today that our love of mind, body, spirit and earth is now threatened.
“This terrorist cell that means us harm is mounting their forces even now. They’re building an army, but they are going to fail in their attempts to cause us harm because they have evil in their hearts. They hate you for your perfection. They believe metas are freaks—born of a lab—with no heart or soul. They blame their self-loathing on you. So they have convinced themselves to ease their suffering, to balance the scales, mass meta-cide is the answer.
“Do not fear, my children. I have foreseen their sinful stratagem and have prepared for it. If there is a battle they want, then it is a battle they will get. The first platoon of metas leaves at oh-eight-hundred tomorrow. Tonight there will be a preflight meeting. If your name is called, you are to be proud; you are my ‘Perficio Res’—my ‘perfect beings’ ready to fight the oppression come to hunt us.
“I began moments ago by telling you how proud of you I am, but ‘pride’ doesn’t even come close to explaining my devotion to you, to all of us and to our way of life. We have created what the human species has not: a perfect, orderly, powerful civilization of superior beings.
“We have never before had to demonstrate our power to the outsiders, but they leave us no choice. We will be teaching them a lesson they will never forget!” Dr. Williams’ voice resounded triumphantly off the concrete walls of the barracks.
The metasoldiers who previously stood in abject silence, horrified at the thought of outsiders wanting to kill them because of their way of life, now were yelling—roaring with excitement! Their frenzy didn’t cool as the names of the Perficio Res—the first strike—were called. After each name, the barracks screamed in bloodthirsty pleasure, then quieted just long enough to hear the next name called. Thirteen names in all were summoned to meet in the lobby of the hospital building in precisely fifteen minutes.
From his hospital’s fourth floor, Dr. Williams pressed the yellow button on his land-line phone, ending the intercom communication with the entire campus. He watched with dead eyes as his soldiers scurried around ground level. He saw them nod respectfully to those who were heading to the hospital because they had been handpicked for this auspicious mission.
He turned around and checked the white table to be sure it looked as he wanted it to. There were thirteen syringes, each filled with one dose of the Infinite II serum. A simple .5 milligrams turned a human into a meta—just like every meta walking around his campus right now. These thirteen men and women he summoned were already treated with that first .5 milligrams. This syringe was filled with precisely .5 milligrams of the Infinite II serum. Once dosed, the soldiers’ bodies would house twice the amount of serum required to change a human to a meta.
Satisfied the room was ready, he walked out and headed toward the elevators. He didn’t want to keep his guests waiting. Besides, they had a lot of work to do in a short amount of time.
Even before the elevator reached the first floor of the hospital, the metas were standing at attention, staring straight ahead—silent, strong and keyed-up. Dr. Williams could smell their anticipation the moment he stepped into the lobby. He smiled at the raw anger, inhaled the blind trust and watched the red heat glowing off his soldiers.
“Thank you for coming, this evening, cadets,” he began.
“I know you have questions and concerns, and I appreciate your trust that I will explain everything to you in due time. For now, please, stand at ease.” He watched as the line of soldiers stepped out with their right feet and clasped their hands behind their backs in the customary relaxed position. As they did, they allowed themselves to look at the Director. To their credit, they did not gasp in horror; only their eyes widened in surprise at his horrendous change in appearance.
“I realize how I must look to you. My apologies. In my efforts to correct the current situation with the terrorist cell, this is what happened to me.” Dr. Williams removed the black fedora hat from his head so everyone could see and know.
He looked normal from the neck down. As always, he was wearing a custom, tailored three-piece suit. This particular one was black with faint pin-stripes. He wore black gloves, so the condition of his hands was not clear.
What was clear were the injuries to his skin from the neck up. His face was swollen and glistened painfully red. His eyes were bloodied and wept uncontrollably so the doctor had to dab them with his monogrammed handkerchief. His scalp was a mangy mass of bloody bald skin and tufts of white hair. Blood was seeping down his swollen neck and stained the white collar of the button down shirt he wore. He looked as though he must have been in a tremendous amount of pain, but if he were, he didn’t show it.
Casually, Dr. Williams returned the black hat to his head and said, “You can see we are dealing with a heartless enemy.” Again, he dabbed his weeping eyes. “Please don’t worry about me. I am being cared for by our excellent doctors here at this hospital.” He waved as though motioning to the physicians, but no one else was in the lobby with them.
The soldiers forced themselves to look away from the gruesome sight that was their leader. All of them, except one, that is. Noticing this, Dr. Williams walked over to the soldie
r. He was the last in the line and instantly recognizable to the doctor.
“Gavil Young. I did not call you here tonight,” The doctor’s voice changed from its former soft raspiness to an angry growl. Spittle flew from his bloated, red lips right into Gavil’s face.
Without flinching Gavil replied, “Sir, I want to fight, and I will go wherever you send me.”
“You want to fight? Why should I trust you again, Mr. Young? You failed me in California when you didn’t kill M57 at the Institute, and you dishonored yourself in the Retribution Match against your own little brother! You’re lucky I let you live!”
“You have let me live because you know I am of value to you. This team needs a leader, someone who can think for themselves when the need arises. They are drones, I am an individual. Let me lead this group to right the wrongs done against you—against all of us. I will not let you down, sir. You will be avenged,” Gavil’s gaze was unwavering and determined.
Inhaling deeply, Dr. Williams smelled something about this boy. He smelled intense hatred that stung the nostrils like acid. His facial expression changed at this and he smiled. “Yes, Mr. Young. I do believe you have a score to settle. Your fervor may be exactly what I need for this mission.” The doctor smiled his approval at Gavil revealing bloody gums. Gavil smiled back.
“Well, excellent,” he said, then addressed the room. “Our meeting will continue upstairs on the fourth floor. Please follow me.”
Gavil’s excitement was hard to contain. He knew Williams had great things in store for him and he couldn’t wait to get started. The other thirteen metas whispered softly to one another as the elevator moved up, but Gavil stood apart from them. He wasn’t here to make friends or even be civil; he was here to command and be feared. It all started now and he could taste the venom of it churn in his mouth. It was delicious.
Once inside the laboratory, Dr. Williams began explaining briefly what it was they were about to do.
“You see, children. My scientists have continued work on various subjects here on the fourth floor of this hospital. Our science has gone beyond and what is now considered standard operating procedure to us is still unknown and unaccepted outside the walls of our Facility.” He was pacing the room, gloved hands clasped behind his back as though he were giving a lecture at a university.
“One of the areas we have been studying is the effects of our Infinite II serum at different dosages. If ‘X’ amount of the serum turns a human into a meta, then what does ‘two times X’ do? Or ‘three times X?’ Do you see what I mean?” He stopped and looked up at his students checking for understanding, as any good teacher would.
Satisfied with their facial expressions, he continued. “What we found is that ‘two times X’ increased the performance dramatically. The strength and intelligence factors nearly doubled. Also, a very interesting theory about Infinite II came to light. Listen carefully, my children because this is very important.” He paused to look pointedly into each set of eyes watching him. His students sat motionless, completely focused on what the doctor was about to say.
“The theory states that the Infinite II serum, in a certain dose, is able to exaggerate the subject’s natural personality traits,” he said slowly so to be sure his audience had time to process the meaning of his words.
“For example, if a human child came to us as a subject and they already had a propensity for athletics, once dosed, they would be a physically ‘gifted’ meta who could outperform other metas in athletics.” He continued to watch the faces of his audience. He was looking to see who was able to take this new knowledge and quickly apply it to themselves and those around them. He was checking for the highest levels of thinking in his students.
It was no surprise to Dr. Williams when he saw it was Gavil who showed the clearest understanding of this theory and its effects even with this minimum amount of information. He smiled at the thoughts he knew were going through that violent meta’s mind.
“If a human child was good at reading people’s body language, tone of voice and word choice, then as a meta they might be able to…”
“Read someone’s mind,” Gavil finished in a whisper. His thoughts were replaying the events with the female meta M57.
“Precisely, Mr. Young,” Dr. Williams beamed with a sick sense of pride.
“Right now I want each of you to think about yourselves. What seems to come naturally to you more than others around you? Now imagine doubling or even tripling that ability.” Williams smiled as he watched each of his chosen.
Gavil spoke out, “What happened to the subjects who were given three times the dose?”
“Ah, now you’re thinking!” The doctor tapped his temple with his finger and didn’t notice when it came away bloodied.
“Three times the dose did one of two things. Either it a) tripled the subject’s strength, agility and fighting skills, or b) it killed the subject within forty-eight hours. However, all of these subjects were very difficult to command. It’s as though they changed into mindless animals. None of them were stable enough to be released into the Facility. They were useless as soldiers and therefore terminated,” Dr. Williams said coolly.
“What I’m offering you, cadets, is a very special opportunity not only to defend your meta family and our way of life, but also to become more.” He stepped aside and motioned to the table full of syringes.
“Now that you know the effects, you may choose to inject yourself with the Infinite II serum. Each syringe is already perfectly measured and waiting to give you more strength, more power and more of your natural abilities. The choice is yours.” He stepped back from the table, as though respecting their individual decisions in the matter, but knowing full well what they would do.
Without hesitation, the original thirteen metas stood up from their seats, walked to the table, picked up a syringe and injected its contents into their own meaty arms. Gavil remained seated.
“Oh, Mr. Young. Do not worry, I will personally prepare your syringe.” He turned toward a refrigerated cabinet and retrieved a bottle with the Infinite II symbol printed clearly on the label. He removed a fresh syringe from its packaging and began measuring carefully the exact amount. When it was to his satisfaction, he laid it carefully on a blue surgical sheet and stepped back motioning for Gavil to help himself.
All eyes were on the last meta as he took the syringe and confidently located a vein in which to dose himself. Once he was done, he looked at each of the metas sitting in front of him then back to Dr. Williams. He could feel the cold of the serum slipping up his arm and into his chest. It felt awesome.
“My Perficio Res,” the doctor cooed at the fourteen soldiers. “You’ll all begin to feel the effects throughout the night. By morning, we’ll be ready to discuss the logistics of this mission as we’re en route. Meet me in the courtyard at oh-eight-hundred. Our flight leaves promptly at oh-eight-thirty. You do not need to bring anything as I will have the plane stocked with supplies.”
“Sir, what is our destination?” A meta named Slider, who had no memory of a life outside the Facility, spoke for the first time.
“That all depends on our target. For now, we’re heading to the Hawaiian Islands.” Dr. Williams smirked.
60 We’re Better Than That
An hour or so after the big revelations, the family was still talking, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
“I don’t think people will understand,” Theo’s voice sounded far away.
He continued, “What I mean is, we know you four. We love you and accept you just as you are. But if anyone out there knew of your abilities—or your potential abilities—they could be very skeptical of your motives. Powerful people could try to manipulate you for their own purposes.”
“They’ve already tried,” Evan said with an edge of anger in his voice.
“Exactly. You could be ostracized or worse, hounded. We have never really discussed the social ramifications of these beyond-human characteristics you all possess. We’ve been so wrapped
up in just staying away from Williams and his hunters.” Theo stopped talking, and the room was silent.
Then I heard my mom say: “We do not need to worry about that, Theo. All we need to do is keep our eyes and hearts to heaven and let God take care of what is out of our control.”
“Well said, mom.” Alik sounded pensive.
“She’s out,” Creed nodded toward my sleeping body. “I’ll carry her to her room, if you all don’t mind,” Creed asked hesitantly and looked to Margo for approval.
“Sure, Creed. She needs her sleep. It’s been a very busy few hours since she came back to us.”
Creed walked over to my sleeping body and effortlessly lifted me up and off the couch, carefully tucking my head in the crook of his shoulder. He smiled contently at my closed lids, so familiar to him after a week of watching me “sleep,” and walked out of the living room back down the hallway to my room.
“Can you really trust that guy with her?” Cole said in a not-so-quiet voice moments after Creed was out of view.
“Cole! I’m surprised at you!” Margo gently chided. “If Creed were a threat, don’t you believe Meg would have ‘read’ that of him?”
“I still don’t like the idea of him being alone with her,” he mumbled to himself.
Margo looked outside the window into the darkening sky. “I wonder why we haven’t heard anything from that female meta in a while.”
“I heard enough from her, thanks,” Cole grimaced slightly at his shoulder as he tried to stand. “I’m just gonna go check on Meg.”
“I don’t know, mom. We haven’t heard from her since we ran over her land mine in the driveway. So it’s been, what, twenty-four hours?” Evan walked over to refold Meg’s wet towel and place it back on the chair.
“I want to go look for her,” Margo said as calmly as if she had said she wanted to go look for a missing sock.
“Look for her? You’re kidding, right?” Theo was studying Margo’s face trying to read her. “You’re not kidding,” he answered himself.
Winter's Storm: Retribution (Winter's Saga #2) Page 24