by E S Richards
It had taken him long enough to get to this stage so now he was in he wasn’t going to let it slip. Even though a part of him thought it had been a little easy, getting them to accept him as one of their own, and maybe the challenge wasn’t over. That part of him, like it often was, was correct. As Cain finally jogged through the gates of the mutant base – situated not far from the camp where Asher had been held – two mutants grabbed him from behind, pulling a black bag over his head and fastening his hands together with rope behind his back.
Cain remained calm. He had anticipated this and he knew the worst thing he could do was struggle. He’d heard about this hazing process before and knew he needed to keep his strength so he could appear strong throughout. He just hoped he could keep control of his mutation too: attempting a massacre in this base would only end badly for him.
With the bag over his head Cain couldn’t see where he was being taken, but as the floor changed from mossy forest ground to a hard wood he assumed he had been taken into the commander’s office. Another stage of the initiation process he had anticipated.
Rightly enough he was shoved down into a seat and the bag ripped off his face. He didn’t really understand the need for it assuming it was meant as a disorientation tactic, pointless as Cain was already fully aware which of the base’s buildings belonged to the commander.
The lead mutant sat in front of him, a wooden desk between them. This was by far the most organised and structured mutant base that Cain had come across, hence why he chose to join it.
“Get out of your restraints,” the commander said simply to Cain, whose hands were still tied behind his back. Cain inclined his head to the commander and continued rotating his wrists behind his back, something he’d started doing the minute they were tied together. It didn’t take long before he could move the rope with his thumbs and only a minute after that he had broken free, collecting the rope and placing it on the table in front of him. The commander smiled.
“Impressive. I’ve heard mixed reviews about you Cain and to be honest, before today I was this close to throwing you out.” He held his thumb and forefinger less than a centimetre apart, indicating how close it really had been for Cain. “Now, due to a combination of me losing four men and you impressing Mace in the field,” Mace was the flying mutant Cain remembered and smiled slightly. “You might just get your chance.”
Cain’s smile grew as the commander continued speaking; he already knew what was about to come next.
“But first, tell me why you want to become a member of my party?”
Cain straightened up in his chair, moving his head from side to side before answering, cracking his neck.
“I’ve travelled around for most of my life,” Cain started, his story fully rehearsed. “Up until recently I was happy being on my own, no one bothered me so I didn’t bother anyone in return. Until,” he paused, knowing he would hate himself later for the lies he was about to tell, but simply had no other option, “someone bothered me.”
The commander nodded his head slightly, indicating to Cain that he was listening.
“A young girl appeared at my cabin one day, a Gen 1. I knew I should have kicked her out, killed her even but she was injured and for some reason I helped her. I had been alone for a long time so I think perhaps I had gone soft, now of course I regret it but at the time I helped her, healed her wounds.”
The commander had wrinkled his nose at the start of Cain’s tale, clearly disapproving of his willingness to help such an underdeveloped mutant.
“I stupidly started to fall for the girl, started to trust her,” Cain continued. “Then, one night whilst I was sleeping she stole from me. Stole everything from me. I didn’t have much, granted, but what I did have she took and then ran away into the night.
“When I woke up I went looking for her. Searching the woods around my home and even the neighbouring settlements. Nothing. That bitch was well and truly gone.” Cain breathed deeply as he told his story, hoping he had deviated far enough away from the truth that it would never be connected to Zahyra.
“I’ve come here, to answer your original question,” he looked to the commander, “because I want to seek revenge. I’m angry with myself for letting such a low ranking mutant fool me, but most of all I’m angry with them. I want to make them pay, all of them. All those underdeveloped freaks don’t deserve to live. I’d heard about your deal as well, with the safe haven. And I’ve heard rumours of what they do to people there, that fate is worse than death…” Again Cain was lying, but he hoped his performance would be enough to convince the commander.
“I want to join your party and help you hunt for underdeveloped mutants to give to them. With the hope that one day I will find that bitch who stole from me,” he paused for dramatic effect, “and finally make her pay.”
The commander listened to Cain’s story silently, nodding on occasion or taking a drink of water. Once Cain was finished he allowed himself to breathe deeply for a moment, showing the commander how much he was affected by hatred and rage – or at least how much he wanted the commander to think he was affected.
“I respect your anger,” the commander said sincerely, “but you might have misunderstood what we do in this party.”
Cain raised an eyebrow in question and the commander continued, lacing his fingers together on the table in front of him.
“Primarily,” he continued, “we hunt for Zero’s. The safe haven has a much higher bounty on Zero’s and therefore we stand to profit better if we can provide them with Zero’s. Of course, if we come across less developed mutants in the field, Gen 1s and Gen 2s, we let the boys have their fun. But our main goal is to hunt Zero’s. Does that change your opinion at all about wanting to join?”
Cain shook his head violently. “Not at all, I had hoped that might be a secret agenda of this party. Those filthy scum are a stain on our world.”
The commander smiled at Cain’s words and Cain fought the urge to smile back. His story was definitely being bought, the commander believing he shared the same hedonistic and out-dated views as the rest of his party.
“That’s good,” replied the commander, “I think you’ll fit in well here Cain.”
“I just have one question,” Cain jumped onto the end of the commander’s words quickly. “If your trade deal with the safe haven is so important, for weapons, vehicles, that sort of stuff, why did you ambush them today? Won’t they be less likely to want to trade in the future now?”
The commander regarded Cain carefully at his question, seemingly weighing up whether he wanted to give him an answer or not.
“The safe haven is in a very fragile time,” he eventually breathed out. “I have a source on the inside that tells me they are desperate for Zero’s and will do anything to get their hands on one. If someone is desperate Cain, it means they are weak. Even with our ambush today – an easy way to acquire more bullets for our base – they will be willing to trade with us again very soon. They need us Cain; we are the crutch that supports them. We’ll give them a week or two without us after today but they’ll soon come back. An injured man cannot walk without his crutch.”
Cain listened very carefully to what the commander had to say. He had no way of telling how much of it was true but it did pose a very interesting theory. His knowledge of the safe haven was poor at best. Knowing the entrance had been a bit of a fluke and then the way they were treated inside followed nothing of what he’d been told about the place.
He worried desperately for Zahyra and Asher trapped inside, and with Asher as a Zero – and maybe Zahyra too, he wasn’t sure after what he had heard a few days ago – he didn’t dare think what they would be doing to them. If the safe haven was desperate enough to trade with the mutants for Zero’s then they really desperately wanted them. God knows what kind of things they were having to endure inside that mountain.
“Very impressive,” Cain replied to the commander after a moment, “you see, this is what made this party stand out to me. I checked o
ut several others, but yours was the highest ranked by far. It would be an honour to join you.”
“Well don’t get too excited just yet,” the commander cut in with a smile. “There are still a couple of tests where you’ll have to prove yourself.”
Cain leaned forward in his chair, unsure what was going to be thrust upon him next.
“Now,” the commander dragged out his words, “can you tell me about your mutation?”
Cain swallowed. He had known this question would come about eventually and he wasn’t nervous about telling the commander the truth. He just worried it would make him appear unreliable, or dangerous to the party in some way.
“Well,” Cain began, “I am a Gen 4. And technically I carry the MATH mutation – mutated adult testosterone hormones.”
The commander leaned forward at Cain’s use of the word technically.
“The difference is,” Cain continued, “that I cannot always control it. The majority of the time I’m fine, as you see me now. I am controlling my mutation so that it only comes out when I want it to. When I can best utilise it in an attack. There are times however when I… I lose control of myself. It is a very rare occurrence but sometimes, if I find myself in unfamiliar territory, or in an overly stressful environment, I lose control of the mutation and well… I just tend to attack everything. Kill anything I can get my hands on.”
Cain breathed deeply after his admittal. He had told the truth and now he could only do what the commander deemed appropriate in response. The man in front of him was quiet for a moment, considering what he had just heard.
“That is very interesting,” he eventually replied. “I have never heard of that being the case with anyone. Normally mutants who develop MATH are in a rage all the time. Your ability to control it is very valuable, you should treasure that.”
“You don’t think it makes me –”
“Unstable?” The commander finished for him. “Dangerous? Yes of course. But that is the kind of mutant I want in my party. You are clearly strong, demonstrated not only by your display in the field today but also by the fact you are controlling your mutation in front of me right now. That is undoubtedly a talent I don’t want to lose from my arsenal. No, you will be a good addition to my party Cain, welcome on board, on a trial basis of course.”
The commander extended his hand across the table towards Cain, who accepted the handshake gratefully. Revealing the truth about his mutation had been what worried Cain most about his admittance to the mutant party. Now that the commander saw it as an advantage he breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps it would even grant him more opportunities within their ranks.
“Find Mace,” the commander said after their handshake. “He’ll provide you with some sleeping quarters.”
“Thank you sir,” Cain said getting to his feet, “I won’t let you down.”
“I hope not,” the commander finished with a smile, spinning his chair around so his back was to Cain.
Cain sighed again in relief and made his way out of the building, walking out into the mutant base that would now become his home. He hoped not for long, but it was the first part of his plan that had fallen exactly into place. If everything else was as straightforward he would be back at the safe haven in no time, collecting Zahyra and Asher and taking them away with him. There was no chance he was going to let them stay in the facility for long after what he had learned about the place.
Chapter 17
Mace directed Cain swiftly to the sleeping quarters. He was given a bed previously occupied by someone who had died earlier that day and he set about clearing away the previous mutant’s possessions, piling them on a table in the room in case anyone wanted to save anything from them. As he lay down on the bed, knowing he had some time until supper Cain reminisced about everything that had happened since he was last at the safe haven.
After he was removed from the facility – just as he had anticipated – he waited around outside for a while, just in case Zahyra or Asher were given the same directions. He didn’t expect to see either of them, but couldn’t help waiting for a while just to be sure.
His removal from the safe haven was very similar to his arrival. Abrupt, unwanted and immediate. They looped him back around the ground floor so that he exited the same way he came in, Cain figured this was so he didn’t become aware of where the other entrances were and found it clever on the safe haven’s part.
After waiting for any signs of Zahyra or Asher he was uncertain of what to do next. Every fibre of his being wanted to be with Zahyra, but she was at least safe now and Asher too. If their safety meant that Cain couldn’t be with them then that was something he accepted quickly, hoping instead that maybe one day he would see them again.
With that resolved there was only one place for Cain to go: home. The journey back to his cabin would take a couple of days and without any water he knew he would struggle so put that as his main priority. He followed the mountain round the way Zahyra had gone before the safe haven’s alarm had sounded and soon enough found a small stream.
Thankfully the safe haven had let him keep his bag, although he noticed his gun was no longer inside. Still, the pan he’d taken from the scout hut in the forest would be useful for cooking food and an empty water bottle was all he really needed at that present time.
He’d lounged by the stream for longer than he should have, the heat of the sun beating down on him. A part of him just didn’t want to leave the area. With Zahyra still inside his heart ached for her, longing to hold her in his arms just one more time.
The situation between the two of them had been awkward, their conversation the night before still echoing around Cain’s head. He had told her the truth: that his mutation made it difficult to be with her, but he wished he had at least given it a proper chance. Now he didn’t have the opportunity to and that was what hurt him most of all.
He also realised he would miss Asher. Even though he’d only known the boy for a couple of days there was something that made it hard not to love him. He was so curious and knowledgeable, even after his days in the mutant camp. Cain had an idea what would have happened to him in there and he knew it would affect him eventually. From his time in the camp he always remembered the other boys being crueller than the older mutants in charge, each one wanting to prove something to the next.
Cain eventually left the stream as night was beginning to fall, knowing he couldn’t waste any more time yearning over what he couldn’t have. He continued around the side of the mountain, aiming to loop back around it on the other side to save him having to walk through the forest. It would make his journey home longer, but the idea of returning into the forest sent shivers down his spine and he was happy to give it a miss.
He hated himself for losing control of his mutation in there. Especially when Zahyra was already in such a fragile state from having to kill the two mutants. In a way he was thankful he had already broken down in front of Zahyra before, so at least she knew how to protect herself. He didn’t know what he would have done if she hadn’t been safely inside the scout hut. He didn’t dare to think about it.
As he walked he just hoped that wouldn’t be how she remembered him, or Asher either. All his life his relationships had been ruined because of his mutation, he refused to let it happen to him again.
In frustration Cain kicked at the ground of the desert in front of him, causing sand and dirt to pick up in the wind, whirling around his body for a moment. Then when the wind died down his ears pricked up as he heard voices coming from somewhere nearby.
He paused for a moment; trying to determine which direction they were coming from and then hugged the mountain wall, moving towards them. He was still travelling away from the safe haven’s entrance he was aware of but as he clambered up the mountain slightly and poked his head over a rock he realised he had discovered another.
The mountain naturally shrank backwards at this area and it looked like a large tunnel had been drilled out of it, large enough for SUVs to travel down
, as was the case now. A man and a woman were stood about ten meters further away from the mountain, clearly the two guards on watch. As Cain scrambled further over the rock face he approached them, getting as close as he dare without them noticing him. Then he leaned back against the mountain wall and listened.
“I can’t believe they just walked in from the desert,” the woman said, “how many were there?”
“Three,” the man replied. “Although we threw the older one out. Gen 4 mutant.”
It didn’t take a genius to realise the two guards were talking about Cain, his head shaking slightly as they referred to him as a mutant. Even though he knew that was what he was he never felt like a mutant and resented it when he was referred to that way.
“And one of them’s a Zero?” The female guard continued as Cain tried to lean in closer, hoping to discover more of what happened to Zahyra and Asher.
“Yeah, the girl,” the man replied and Cain froze. That wasn’t right. Asher was the Zero, he had seen the Turning Age Ceremony himself. Seen the dark branding on the little boy’s right arm and the fear in his eyes as he was marched out of the camp to his death. Someone in the safe haven had to have got it wrong.
Cain tried to zone back into the conversation, realising he had missed whatever the man had said next in his confusion.
“…think they can weaponize it. If they figure out what exactly makes her a Zero.”
Cain froze again but pushed the worry to one side and remained focused on the two guards. They were now walking slowly back towards the mountain so Cain wouldn’t be able to hear them for much longer.
“How would they do that?” The female guard asked and Cain thanked her internally for asking the question he wanted the answer to.
“Not sure, she’ll probably die. But I don’t think that’d matter. It’s just one life in the scale of millions after all.”
Cain was unable to listen to anything they said after that, his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. He slid down the mountain a few feet, planting his feet on the sandy ground beneath him and then sank to the floor in darkness.