My Brothers...
{Author's Notes: Thank you to my 'Waking Up' story fans! I'm a little busy right now and I've run into a little writer's block, but I'll try to post another chapter in a week. Anyways, this page was originally going to be a chapter in that fic, but its darker tones do not really fit the script anymore so I turned it into a one shot. I may lengthen this later, especially if it's liked. Please enjoy.}
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{What's going on?}, the young man thought to himself.
LA's eyes quickly jumped back and forth between the three boys sitting around him. They were sitting one to a bench, the benchs were arranged in a circle in the center of the estate's court grounds and right in front of the mansion that sat in the middle of the estate. The estate itself included the mansion, surrounded by many buildings which housed everything from gun ranges to learning facilities to the four's housing, all closed in with a ten foot high brick wall. This place had been their home for a long time now. Ever since that strange man took them out of their isolation. But sitting here was a strange phenomina, usually they were not allowed near the mansion. And this didn't seem like the setting for another one of their training missions either, even though those ranged to some pretty bizzare activities. For instance, last week their mission had been to just talk to some school girls. But those activities were usually observed by a cadry of scientists and soldiers; it was just them today.
LA, not being able to stand the tension anymore, decided to speak up.
"What do you think this is about?", he asked, looking between the three. The others paused at that.
"Perhaps you're going to get repatriotized again LA." the biggest one suggested coldly. LA almost cringed at that. Of the three, he had gone through the most of those for his 'emotional' displays. They were not pleasant, he was in no hurry to experience another.
"Maybe we're graduating?", the smallest suggested.
"It's just another mission." The one across from LA answered. LA turned to him.
"Its going to be something bad I think, LB." , he cautioned. LB regarded him slightly.
They were silent after that, just waiting for someone to tell them why they had been told to gather here. This wasn't how missions were started, it didn't make sense. The four didn't feel emotions, but they were trained to react to situations. And each of them felt like this was foreboding. Something was off.
But before they could get anymore wrapped up in their thoughts the mansion doors swung open, and a lone man in a lab coat and carrying a book stepped out and started for them. When he got close enough they all rose to attention.
"Rosenburg, sir!" , they said instictivly and in unison.
"Oh at ease gentlemen," the four all relaxed their stances at that, "Has anyone guessed why I've gathered you all here?" , the doctor asked smiling.
"Are we graduating?" , the big one asked.
"That's stupid LC, you four aren't students here." , he answered, "You are lab rats. Lab rats, sadly, that I no longer have any need of." , the doctor replied pleasantly. "We've tested you four in every way we needed to and we're done with you.", he clarified for good measure, still smiling pleasantly.
"I don't suppose we are free now.", the little one stated.
"No, LD."
"So you're going to kill us all?", LB asked, but Rosenburg didn't respond. " Not today." , LB pounced from his position and came at Rosenburg with everything he had, quickly followed by the other three. But they all found themselves frozen in place several feet from him.
"We've already exausted testing the effectiveness of my re-education techniques too, gentlemen." Rosenburg smirked, amused by their antics.
"We can still be usefull as soldiers! You spent so much time training us, killing us is a waste!", LA negotiated.
"You're only prototypes as super soldiers, it's not actually necessary nor wise to use you for actual missions. But lucky for you boys I might have one last use for you.", he said smirking.
"What for?", LD asked cautiously.
"Do any of you remember LS? The only one of you that's actually worth anything? The only girl?" , Rosenburg asked. They all returned blank stares, since when had there been five of them? They shook their heads. LA felt only the faintest amount of recognition.
{LS? A girl like us... }, he couldn't remember.
"Didn't think so. I just need someone to watch her. So, unfortunatly for you, I am only going to need one of you." At that the four immediatly started eyeing each other cautiously. LA chanced another question, even though he was pretty sure of the answer.
"Are we going to fight each other?"
"Good guess LA. This will be your final test, as it will also ascertain which one of you will be the most suitable for cloning in the super soldier project."
"How are we doing it?" , LC asked worriedly. LC was big, tough and agile. He was the physiquely dominant one of the group, but he was also the dimmest and the least skilled with weapons.
"Hand to hand, tournament style.", Rosenburg smiled.
"That's not right, the best soldier should be the smartest!", LD argued. He had cause to be worried, he was the runt of the group. But he had proven his smarts and his skills countless times.
"All of your IQs and abilities are well within the parameters the military desires, they've decided they want the strongest for their army.", the doctor replied non-chalantly. "Anyways that is enough talking, let us get started. LC, LD, go fight over there." he pointed to the east courtyard, "LA, LB, over there.", he pointed west.
LA's jaw dropped, this test was already in LC's favor, but now he had stacked the competition in his favor too! LD would go down easy, and since LA and LB had similar builds and abilities whoever won to fight LC would be worn out. And LB, the closest thing he had to a friend, he would have to kill him! How could he be expected to do that?
"And the winners fight in the south courtyard in the center." At that he pulled his note pad out and scribbled something, he then tore the page out and placed it into a book he was carrying and dropped it on the ground. "Last one standing reads that note and follows the directions. Also, before I go, I want to say it was nice working with you gentlemen. Now get to it!"
LD ran ahead of LC to their courtyard, desperatly trying to think of a way to gain the upperhand, probably. LC followed after him cooly and calmly. LA and LB on the otherhand walked slowly and cautiously, side by side, to their designated area.
LB was cold like the others, but LA had always tried to be friends with everyone. It was one of the reasons he had gone through so many repatriotations. But he had built a sort of friendship with LB, so he had to try to reason with him.
"LB, we don't have to do this." , he pleaded.
"...", LB mearly eyed him cooly.
"We could just hop the wall and make a run for it!", LA pleaded.
"You better be careful showing those emotions, LA." , LB grinned. "You don't want to get repatriotized again!", he taunted.
LC had never been through it, LD and LB had each gone through it once, but LA had been repatriotized three times now. He now thanked his stars he had never told LB about Rosenburg's warning, that if he ever had to be 'punished' again that it would be by death instead. LB, like the others, was devoid of any emotions and wouldn't think twice about using that info for an easy win. But LA felt he still had to try to reach him.
"LB, neither of us can win against LC, and I don't want to kill you."
"Then don't, just give me your head and I'll bash it in with a rock. Nice and painless. And you'll be helping me stay fresh for my fight with LC. That's what a friend would do, right?" , he smiled at LA. There was a long pause between them as they continued to walk.
"Alright." LA sighed. LB grinned.
They had entered the west courtyard, so LB reached down and picked up a good sized rock. LA got on his knees and laid his head flat with his ear against the ground.
"Please reconsider the running idea." , he begged. LB aproached him and got on his knees infront of LA's head, rock still in hand.
"They would just shoot us, I like my chances against LC much better." he said as he raised the rock over his head, "Good bye friend!"
LA pounced off the ground using his left hand, he then drove the index and middle finger of his right hand deep into LB's eye sockets. The act was so unexpected and quick that LB didn't have a chance to react. He dropped the rock and screamed, so LA quickly picked it up and finished him off with a strike to the skull. At that LB callapsed on the ground. LA hefted the rock and brought it down on his head one more time just to be sure he was dead.
"... Goodbye..." , he said weakly. He had expected to feel bad, but he didn't really feel anything at all. Nothing at all...
After a long pause he rose and started for the south court yard. He walked slowly, as he didn't see LC or LD anywhere around. He had finished rather quickly, perhaps they were still fighting? He eventually made his way to the center of the south court yard, but there was still no sign of the anyone. He decided he would check the east courtyard as best he could without actually entering it, as that was probably against the rules.
As he made his way closer he heard an odd scraping sound that puzzled him.
{What is that?}, he thought as he hurried for the edge of the south area, where he came upon a horrible sight. LD's body was massacred, his neck had been twisted and one of his legs was ripped to nothing but a stump. Blood was everywhere. He turned his attention to the one making the scraping noise, and nearly gagged.
"So unexpected, how in the world did you beat LB?" he asked, honestly surprised. But LA couldn't respond, what he was doing was nauseating.
LC was dragging a bloody bone back and forth across the rocks of the courtyard, trying to sharpen it or something. LC seemed to notice his stare.
"Pretty smart for the dumb guy right? Bet you wish you thought of it." , he smiled as he examined the edge he had put on LD's Femur ,"Yeah that's good enough." he said as he rose from his crouching position.
"How could you?" , LA asked. LC started for him slowly, LA backed away at a faster pace.
" 'How could you' ? Enough with your stupid emotions LA, I'm going to be the one to live!", he rushed LA then, holding the bone like a short sword.
LA was still holding the rock he killed LB with and used it as a shield while he backed away. The bone splintered and cracked with every successful block but it aslo managed to slice into LA a couple times. He hoped to tire LC out, but eventually LA ran out of running room as he was pushed back into the border wall. Smiling at his success in tactics,LC readied his weapon to run him through with. LA was left with only one countermeasure, he brought the rock back and swung it as hard as he could in one last ditch effort to block LC's attack. It was a sucess, the bone was smashed to peices and LC was left dumbfounded. So LA used that chance to bash him in the face with the rock, leaving a nasty gouge. But LC responded by beating into him with his fists as hard as he could, and LA dropped the rock. Seeing his chance LC brought his fist back and punched LA as hard as he could, sending the kid flying back against the wall. He slammed into it and callapsed to the ground. He then coughed up some blood and fell face forward into the ground, sprawled lifelessly.
LC smiled proudly, he knew he should probobly bash the kid one more time to be sure, but his eye was really bothering him were LA had smashed him and he was starting to feel sleepy. He knew he had to finish up and get some help quickly or he might pass out. So he slogged back to the center area remembering the note Rosenburg had left, he hoped it wasn't something too difficult. It took him quite awhile to find the book, he was bleeding into his right eye and it was messing with his sight. He eventually found it, picked it up and opened it carfully, then he examined the note a couple times. Reading was very difficult for him right then, so he took a couple passes at the four words written and read aloud them aloud for clarity.
"... Come to... my ... study ... L.. A?... What?", he asked, why was LA's name written? He heard gravel being disturbed behind him then and turned.
LA plunged a splinter of bone into LC's gut, just underneath his rib cage and wedged upward.
"GAHH... but you coughed... blood... errr!" , he gasped for breath.
"I bit my tongue.", he said with a slight mushing of his words.
"... On... purpose...?" , he asked but he passed out before LA could answer.
LA removed the bone knife from LC's gut and then drove it into his temple for good measure. He laid him flat and closed his eyes, still surprised to find he felt nothing. He felt he should feel something, these were his brothers after all. His family. But he felt nothing. No sorrow, no anger, no regret. Only a mild sense of relief. Relief that he had been the one to live.
He turned his attention to the book and note LC had been reading. The book was titled 'The abc's of Social Studies', but the irony was lost on him. He opened it and found the note. 'Come to my study, LA'. LA frowned at that, had the doctor guessed it would end this way? LA decided he would ask him in person and made for the mansion. A soldier opened the door when he neared and directed him towards Rosenburg's study on the second floor. He trudged up the stairs and towards the open door, marked Rosenburg in gold letters. He entered to find the man himself seated at his big desk, typing something into his computer. There was also another man seated in a plush chair off to the side smoking a cigar, he wore a military uniform and seemed pretty old and dignified. As LA stepped in, the door swung shut behind him and Rosenburg rose to greet him, the old man just kept smoking and didn't pay him any mind.
"LA, you're done! And sooner than expected." , he smiled as he congratulated him, "But so brutal! That was a veritable blood bath." Rosenburg chortled as he started walking towards him.
"I just did..." he didn't really have an excuse ,"How did you-"
"Oh I knew you would win, because you're the best.", Rosenburg answered. The other man let out a hurumph, but left it at that.
"But I'm not, LB was the-" he was cut off again.
"You are the one who lived, that's proof enough you're the best. But I have known it since you were born."
"What-"
"The names, they were rankings my boy. An A is better than B in school, isn't it? Its the same princible.", Rosenburg mused.
"... How come... I didn't feel anything when I killed them?" Rosenburg laughed at that, but quickly composed himself.
"Isn't it obvious? You don't have any emotions my dear boy."
"But you were always saying I did!"
"You were feining them of course. You faked emotions so you could control your brothers, it's pretty much the only reason you lived through that."
"You're wrong!"
"You made LB think you were going to give him your life, and he believed it because he thought you had emotions and were weak. This put him in a false sense of security allowing you to quite easily kill him." , he seemed bored explaining this.
"That isn't..." LA droned off.
"I've got a present for you, a present for winning. It will also put those doubts to rest." , Rosenburg stepped up to him then, and LA suddenly wanted to get away but he found he couldn't move. He felt like deer stuck in the headlights. Rosenburg, standing right in front of him, reached out and embraced him. It was such a weird sensation, he couldn't do anything. "Let those emotions out.", he whispered in LA's ear.
All of a sudden, an incredible pain enveloped LA. It was the worst pain he had ever felt, by a long shot. It hurt so bad he wanted to bash his head against the ground until it stopped. His eyes blurred as a hot liquid started flowing from them. His chest was paralyzed and he struggled as hard as he could to breath. All he could think about was LD, LB, and even LC and how much he wished he hadn't fought them. How much he wished he could take any of their places. He fell on his knees.
{Why, whywhyWHYWHYWHWY WWWWHHHYYYY DID I KILL MY BROTHERS !}, at that question he began sobbing uncontrolably.
"Is the hugging really necessary? I mean is this something I'm going to have to look forward to when the program is up and running? All this crying and fruity, touchy, feely control crap ?", the old man asked gruffly.
"No of course not, I have derived more 'army' suitable control methods since this process was developed. But it's impossible to ween these guys off of this once you've instilled it, one of the many reasons we didn't keep the prototypes. As for the crying, that's not going to be an issue either. The only reason he's crying is because we had him develope feelings for his brothers in a test some time ago, and we then locked those emotions away. All his emotional displays have just been his way of trying to reclaim those feelings."
"Mr. Rosenburg, please take them back! I CAN'T STAND THIS!", LA sreamed.
"Oh yes fine. You don't need to screech like a banshee, you're making the general uncomfortable." , he said as he helped LA off the floor and hugged him again, "Let those emotions go." he said softly. And almost as instantly as he said that ,they were gone. LA was back to his old self. "Feel better?"
"Yes... Doctor, please don't ever give me emotions again. I'll be perfectly good from now on, so please never again." , he asked solemnly.
"Oh don't let yourself get narrow minded, my boy! You have only just experienced the very worst side of emotions. You see emotions are like fire, they can keep you warm, raise your spirits, even give you a reason to live. But the can also engulf you and burn you alive. But the highs and lows are equivalent, remember that."
"That's okay, I think I'm good-"
"All we need to do is put you through some re-education so you forget your brothers and you'll be fine." he started leading LA out of the study.
"Wait I don't-" he was helpless to resist.
"Take him the repatriotation room boys, I'll be along shortly. Oh, and get him patched up too." he pushed LA into the arms of two soldiers outside the door and they took him away. He was helpless to resist orders. Rosenburg then shut the door and walked back to his desk. There was a pause.
"What's the real reason you picked him?", the general spoke up suddenly.
"I have a task and the data shows he's the best canidate." , Rosenburg replied calmly as he sat down to his desk.
"You're flying back to the states after this, are you going to take him with you?" , the general asked incredulously.
"Yes, that is correct.", Rosenburg resumed his typing.
"Why didn't you just pick him out? Why have him fight the others?"
"This mission is one he is going to do without knowing I want him to do it. If I just picked him out he might start wondering why and figure it out. Besides, the data we gathered was kind of usefull."
"Yeah, but he could have died, wasn't that a bigger risk?", the general replied.
"You forget my tricks?" , Rosenburg grinned, he made a circle with fingers around his wrist ,"I could have put the fight in his favor at any time."
"Alright, that just leaves the million dollar question; why did you pick him?"
"..."
"It has something to do with those school girls you bussed in the other day, doesn't it? I could have had you strung up for that, you know? You had the whole regiment's daughters talking to those freaks. But I knew you were up to something smart. What were you trying to figure out?"
"Which one of them was considered the most attractive." , Rosenburg replied with a grin.
"What!", the general wasn't as amused.
"We had the girls judge them by looks and by personality, not that any of them had one, and LA was the clear winner. Almost as much of the vote as the other three combined."
"Why?"
"I suppose his looks were a bit softer and his voice a tad more pleasant-"
"You know what I mean, why would you need to know that?"
"That is classified, general. Need to know and that sort of thing.", Rosenburg answered sharply. The general sat vexed for awhile, but suddenly, it dawned on him.
"You're going to have him go for that girl one aren't you? So you really are going to try and finish your father's work, huh? I'm dissappointed Rosenburg. I had you figured as a realist, but in the end you're just another mad scientist like your father."
"I am a realist general, I believe my calculations. That's all any scientist can do.", Rosenburg paused for a moment,"But, I wonder, are you going to try and stop me now?"
"I don't suppose your CIA work falls under my jurisdiction, but I better be clean of this if it goes belly up."
"You don't have to worry, general." there was another long pause in the conversation.
"... So, can they actually do stuff like your father thought?"
"Oh much more dear general, I've seen it myself."
"Then why don't I just use some of that freak dna to clone up some girls? Might be nice having a bunch of brainwashed witchs at my disposal.", the general mused.
"I'd warn against that, General."
"Oh you would, would you?"
"They need emotions to use magic, that would make them hard to control. But don't let me stop you. We all have to take our own tumbles after all." , Rosenburg made for the door.
The General sat in silence. Rosenburg shut the door behind him.
"Women don't belong on the front lines anyway." , he said as he remembered what had happened to that doctor that Rosenburg had had care for that LS, or Ellis, or whatever they called her now. And they were supposed to have liked eachother like a father and daughter, how would one of those treat an authority figure? He shivered at the thought.
No, he didn't want any part of that.
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{A/n: Yes, this is very dark and gruesome. Hope the intro was suitable warning. Looking back on this, I think I kept everything well within the parameters of the anime. Though I believe I have the L boys showing to much emotion, it's the only thing that doesn't feel quite right to me. But if I made them into lifeless drones like LA was at the end of El Cazador, I believe the story's impact would suffer. Anyways I already have a few ideas to extend this fic, but I want to give more attention to my other fics for now. Hope you enjoyed, and please post your input!}