A/N: This is my second Max fan fiction. I don't own the idea. Enjoy.
Scout's POV
I drummed my fingers against the bars of the cage, waiting impatiently to see if Quinn was alright. She had been taken back for testing about an hour ago. I sat back on my haunches, rocking nervously on my heels.
The lab door creaked and I crawled toward the cage door. Dr. Hagen walked in followed by Quinn. Her normally tan skin was stark white and her gray eyes were frazzled. She gave me a weak half smile and ran her fingers through her knotted auburn hair.
Hagen grabbed her bony arm and unceremoniously shoved her into the cage next to mine. After checking the lock on the door, Hagen stomped out, slamming the door behind her.
I grasped Quinn's hand through the bars. It was frozen, literally.
"What did they do to you?" I gasped when I felt her cold skin.
"It's nothing, really. No IVs or injections. Just temperature tests, that's all," she choked out through blue lips. "I think they're trying to make me immune to the cold. It's not working." She gave a shaky laugh which I did not return.
"What do you think they'll do to me?" I asked, terrified. "I'm due any second now." As if on cue, the door banged open and a flustered young man in a pristine white lab coat burst in.
"Experiment 25," he called out. Instinctively, everyone who was able to pressed their left arm against their bars. A number was tattooed there so we could always be identified.
I already knew it was me. You couldn't be in this lab for fourteen years and not know your own number. I knew Quinn's too; 26. I didn't say a word as he prowled along the other cages, looking for the number.
When he stopped in front of me, he glared, as if he knew I had been holding back on him. I blinked innocently back at him, refusing to wince at his hostile gaze.
He unlocked my cage door and I climbed out. Just to bug him, I pretended to cluelessly stare into space, keeping my head scrunched in like a turtle, making it impossible for him to clip the tracking collar around my neck. He scowled and loudly cleared his throat. I smirked to myself, and feigned another innocent look at him. He sneered and I obediently relaxed my position. His brow did not soften as he clipped the metal band around my neck. It was a tracking collar, so if I tried to run and hide they could always find me. It could only be removed by a specific key.
"Woof, woof!" I sarcastically barked. "You forgot my leash." His scowl deepened and I heard Quinn snicker.
The lighthearted atmosphere crumbled quickly as he grasped me roughly by the arm and, leaving my cage door ajar, dragged me to the lab door. I caught Quinn's frightened gaze before he swept me from the room.
Quinn's POV
I watched Scout get dragged out of the room with a sense of dread in my stomach. She was my little sister and I couldn't do anything to stop this torture. Once she was gone, I tried to imagine what they were going to do to her.
I let my filthy auburn hair cover my shoulders to warm them. Hospital gowns don't offer much coverage or warmth. Careful, so as not to destroy the paper gown, I tore slits in the back. I cautiously let my blue wings extend.
They were iridescent black on the outer edge and the inside is a turquoise blue with a darker blue zigzag along the edge of the black and the turquoise.
Scout's wings were olive green in the center and along the outer edge. In the middle of the two is a mint green stripe and right between the olive on the outside and the mint is a layer of the same shimmery black. The very bottoms of hers were a minty turquoise.
I wrapped them around me for warmth, but butterfly wings aren't made for that. Yep, we're butterflies, (and before you ask, no, we're not fairies! You'd be surprised how many times that's come up…)
My wings reminded me of the experiments and my thoughts turned back to Scout in the testing lab. I shivered through my paper-thin wings.
Despite my frozen body, this shiver had nothing to do with the cold.
Scout's POV
The man led me through the maze of hallways to fast for even me to memorize them. By the time we had reached the lab, my head was spinning and I was dizzy beyond belief. He roughly shoved me in where I was immediately seized by three new white coats.
The lead one had bleached blond hair pulled back in a tight bun. Her icy blue eyes stared me down. The man on the left had black hair and sharp angular facial features. His eyes were just as dark as his hair and probably his heart.
The one on the right was obliviously a new one. With her plump cheeks and big brown eyes, she looked as if she had never witnessed the horror of what truly went on in here. She had her short brown hair held back with a lavender headband.
"Thank you, Clark," the blond lady said, curtly. It was an obvious dismissal. I looked around my new surroundings. The floor was covered with the same cool light green linoleum tile as the rest of the hellhole. The wall were painted a stark white and there were lab tables all around me.
"I'm soon-to-be Dr. Charlotte Hayes…" the newbie began, talking to me like she would an ignorant child. I cut her off with a harsh laugh.
"Why bother. I'm just going to hate your guts afterward. It's probably best that I don't know your name," I spat out. She looked surprised, as if she hadn't expected me to speak.
The blue-eyed women pushed Charlotte aside and, without speaking, shoved me back into a hard plastic chair. 'Martha,' her name tag read. 'Marty,' I thought grimly. I'd heard stories about this insane lady. Not very good stories.
The man, whom I later discovered was named Warren, busily prepared something behind me.
I watched Charlotte's face as I heard Warren approach from behind. I didn't wince when I felt him inject something in my arm. It hurt like someone was stabbing my arm repeatedly with knives, but I'd felt worse and my gaze remained locked on Charlotte and she flinched.
"For this to work, you must remain very still," he said in a curt cold voice. "This protection or what we hope is protection will only last a few minutes and will only protect your arm." I felt cold hands on my shoulders and I remained stock still as Marty's manicured talons bit into my shoulders. I couldn't have moved if I tried.
"Someone needs to trim her claws…" I winced as she tightened her grip, ignoring my retort.
Warren spun around again, a lighted candle in his hand. He brought it closer and closer to me. Then all at once, Marty clamped one hand over my mouth and my arm became engulfed in flames.
Even with Marty's hand, my screech of shock was not completely muffled. I fought until I realized something: it didn't hurt. My arm was on fire and it didn't hurt. I watched it, horrified. There wasn't a mark on my skin. No ash, no charred flesh, nothing.
"Yes!" Marty hissed her voice full of malicious joy. I continued to stare shocked at my arm
The bucket of ice cold water jolted me to my senses. My arm was normal again, no flames in sight.
"Good, Charlotte," Marty commended, "Now, Warren, prepare the full dose." Warren nodded and busied himself with prepping another syringe.
I still sat there, shocked, by what I had just witnessed. If I'm not mistaken, they are trying to make me fire proof.
"Marty," Warren warned and Marty carefully restrained my arms in case I tried to resist and she signaled Charlotte to put a hand over my mouth. Before she could, I quickly let my anger free.
"I'm not going to scream, doctor. I'm not a baby, but I want you to know that I despise you with all of my heart and if I get the chance, I won't hesitate to kill every one of you," I screamed to his face.
He shook with anger and grabbed my hair in his meaty hand and yanked on it so hard my eyes watered. But, as promised, I didn't make a sound. I kept my face expressionless as he glared at me.
"No attitude, missy, or your sister will face the consequences," he sneered, releasing my hair. That shut me up. I can't let anything happen to Quinn. I didn't say a word, but I did follow Warren with my eyes and stare him down when he approached, syringe in hand.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered under his breath and nodded to Char, who clamped her hand on my mouth with grim determination. Forcefully, I bit her hand and she drew back, examining her palm. Warren glared at her, but didn't bother to signal her back over.
Then, all in one motion, he plunged the syringe in my arm.
My scream rang through the room.
A/N: Cliffhanger! I will update soon and please, please, please review!
