Hi Everyone! I've had some requests for a Jericho story- so here you go! I hope you enjoy it! Please review and critique- it's very very helpful. Also- for pronunciation purposes- the name "Nguyen" is pronounced sort of like "Winn." Thank you thank you! ~ Ripley
267 hissed, baring his teeth at the canine male who was pushed into his cage. The male had been given a drug earlier; even as a primate 267 could smell it. The male looked feral, there was no reason, no soul in his eyes.
267 watched warily, moving to the side, keeping the male in his line of sight, hissing to warn him off. The technicians watched from outside the cage. He could hear them cheering, making bets, calling out, revving up the male.
The male was growling, deep uncontrolled growls, as he stalked 267 around the cage.
He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to do this. He knew what was going to happen.
The canine male was a failure, one of the Wild ones, who looked more animal than human. 267 knew them, he'd been placed in cages next to them for most of his life. Because of his eyes. His eyes were too animal, a bright red, that with age had mellowed to burgundy. When he was very agitated, they darkened, but it was still the first things the new technicians and doctors noticed about him. The first thing that the females sent to him for breeding tests saw.
The male's eyes narrowed. 267 saw that his pupils had shrunk to pinpricks. He was getting ready to charge. 267 bent his knees and waited, and the male launched himself at him. He could hear cheering and felt the males sharp teeth fasten onto his arm. 267 roared. He didn't howl like the canines, his sound of anger was a combination roar and human scream, it never failed to disturb the humans listening.
267 flipped himself around. Rage made the male stronger, but 267 managed to wrap his arms around him. He inched his arm higher and higher until he could get it around the male's neck. Claws dug into his arm, but he didn't let go, he squeezed and squeezed until he was able to completely cut off the male's oxygen.
The technicians, who knew what he was doing, groaned, "Come on! 267 finish him!"
267 felt the change in the male, his entire weight deadened and dropped and he let him slide to the door.
"What'd I say?" one of them laughed, as the others threw their money at him, "I said it, he's going to put him out."
"Fuck," another one said, "I was sure he'd have no choice but to snap his neck."
"I'm out," one said angrily, and reached to his belt for his tranquilizer, "Step back 267," he said.
267 moved against the wall, hissing.
"Yeah, yeah," he said, and shot him.
267 felt darkness start to overtake him and he slid down the wall to the floor. His head hit the cement so he could see the canine, eyes closed like he was asleep.
He heard a pop and watched a pool of blood start to form around the male's head.
At least he never saw it coming, 267 thought, I did that much.