Ray was running for his fucking life; he turned a sharp corner, feet skidding across the slick alley floor as the cold precipitation spattered his jeans. His breath came in heavy, sharp, painful rasps as he pushed himself to keep going forward, knowing his pursuers weren't far behind.
He could smell the rage radiating from the men behind him and he wrinkled his nose as he picked up his pace, the taste of blood and salty sweat in his mouth, lingering there.
Lights shone above him but his vision was slightly blurry, glasses askew, but he could smell the docks ahead of him, and he sighed in relief that he was nearly there.
As he perched at the edge of the dock, he turned to the four men, a cocky smirk on his face. He took off his glasses with slow, deliberate motions, placing them neatly in his front pocket.
"Until next time, boys." He gave them a sarcastic salute as they raised their guns, but he was already hopping into the water. Midair, he began to transform. Gills sprouted on either side of his neck and his feet elongated into long flippers. He hit the water with a loud splash before kicking downwards into the deep; the men never even got a chance to fire their guns.
The next day, Ray was lounging on one of the top branches of a large tree, hidden from view. Though he was precariously laying, he was firmly attached.
"Fucking assholes." He smirked as he saw a man in a black suit and sunglasses walked slowly down the street, looking back and forth shadily before turning back with a resigned look on his face.
Okay, so maybe he purposefully got captured. It was just too fun, escaping them so easily and watching them run around like chickens with their heads cut off. As if they actually thought they could hold in an Adapter. He knew that's what he was, because he had overheard the little assholes call him that once.
He jumped from the tree, the sticky spines retracting into his fingertip as he strolled casually down the sidewalk, making his way towards an open cafe he often visited.
As he neared, he ducked into a corner, watching his body as it disappeared, skin creeping away until he was completely invisible to the human eye. He passed by a woman who was deeply engaged in a conversation with her date, snatching her freshly-arrived coffee and pizza slice off the table.
Moments later, the woman called the waiter over, complaining of the slow service and demanding a refund. Ray sniggered, taking a bite of the cheesy food.
He felt a sharp pang in his had and flinched, retreating into an alleyway as he let go, his body reappearing in an instant.
"Fuck." He mumbled, rubbing his temple with a forefinger. Doing small adaptations like gills was easy, but fill-body ones were much harder, and he was usually left with a bad headache if he did it too long.
He recalled when he was younger how adapting to the simplest situations was hard, how he had spent hours in his room alone, practicing; first with simple things, then to more important ones, such as the making the skin on his hand flame resistant He had gotten burnt several times in that practice.
As he grew, he noticed he could do more with less pain, and he relished in the development. Of course he never told his parents; he never told anyone, actually. Even in his young mind, he knew that what he could do was different and to be hidden. For a while, he was actually convinced he was the only one like him, until the first time he was captured by Them.
He didn't know who they were, or what they were called, he only knew that they wanted him, supposedly for experimentation and dissections and probably to make some army of people like him; that's how it always went in movies, anyways. Their attempts were always terrible though, considering he could adapt his way out of every situation. He enjoyed the game though.
He was feeling restless again and he needed some practice with his powers, grinning as he made his way to an old construction site, a place he knew that at least one of the men was always on watch. It wasn't long before he attracted the attention he was hoping for, he could smell the gas seeping out slightly as the employee (or whatever he was. Ray personally liked to call them Cockbites) pulled out the hook, throwing the small bomb at Ray.
He resisted the urge to adapt his lungs as he succumbed to the gas.
Ray let out a lazy yawn as he awoke in a small windowless room, his arms and legs strapped to the table.
"This is new." He mused. Usually he was tied to a chair. "Good job on the upgrade!" He called to no one in particular, certain someone nearby was listening.
As he expected, a tall man with dark hair stepped out of the corner, a grim look on his face. His hair was ridiculously disheveled and his face was well-chiseled, a hint of stubble gracing his jaw bone. Ray cocked an eyebrow at the new recruit, impressed.
"Well hello there, handsome." Ray purred, flashing him a toothy grin. "Come here often?"
The man grimaced, remaining silent. He circled around Ray, eyeing him closely.
"You know, the last time someone looked at me that way, I got laid." Ray winked at the Cockbite as he came back around, narrowing his dark eyes.
"I'd like to ask you a few questions, Mr. Narvaez." The man's voice was smooth with a hint of eternal laziness in it.
"Baby, you can ask me anything."
"Mhm. Mr. Narvaez, do you know why you are here?" The man kept his calm demeanor, but Ray noticed with a smirk that his cheeks were tinged with pink.
"Because this is easier than speed dating? And I'm guessing by these cuffs," He struggled his hands and feet a bit for emphasis, "that you're into some kinky stuff."
"This is no laughing matter, Mr. Narvaez." The man growled, resting a hand on the edge of the metal table.
"Y'know, you seem to know my name pretty well. I feel bad that I don't know yours. Give me something to call out, huh sweetie?" Ray wiggled his hips teasingly and the Cockbite turned away for a moment.
"My name is not of importance." The man whipped around to face him, his neck a soft rosey color; Ray always enjoyed roses.
"How about this: You tell me your name, and next time, I might be a little more cooperative." He paused while the older man remained quiet. "Well, this has been a lovely little date, but I really must be going now." His arms and legs jellified, slipping out of their cuffs before reforming. He hopped out off the cold metal table, sneaking in a little smooch on the shocked employee's cheek before bolting towards the door and fusing through it, running as fast as he could out of the abandoned warehouse and down the street.
Joel was about to run after when he was stopped by a voice over the speakers.
"Don't bother going after him, the effort will be futile." The sound crackled over the communication device and Joel let out a sigh of annoyance.
"He will be back, and next time we will be better prepared." The faceless person reassured him, but Joel's muscles remained tense. Something about that guy got under his skin.
"Whatever. I'm going to the range." He called out to no one in particular, leaving the temporary facility and getting into his car.
When he arrived at the main headquarters, his head was still swimming from his entire experience.
Ray Narvaez, otherwise known as Subject 00012, didn't seem like a monster. Cocky, sure; annoying, no doubt; but an evil killer? Joel wasn't so sure. Then again, the guy could just be a good actor.
Joel had been born into the Organization, his father being rather high up in command. They were a secret group, kept hidden from everyone except only the highest of government officials, and even they knew very little about it. They were mostly just there to fund their buildings, supplies, and research. Hell, even he didn't know everything about the Adapter Protection Facility (APF for short).
He knew they were there to find out what made the Adapters have the power they possessed, and to keep them from hurting people. His father had told him stories as a young child and he had learned the horror of the Adapters. They were like a small terrorist group, from what he understood. Creatures that thought they towered over humans genetically, working to eradicate them completely.
Though there were only twenty-one known adapters, their strong powers and inability to be contained made them a dangerous threat to humanity as a whole. APF worked to find ways to stop them, testing different methods of containment and keeping strong tabs on every Adapter. These creatures were spread across the entire world, but eleven of them were in America, one of them in Texas: Ray.
Joel had spent years training, learning to shoot, researching, and strengthening his fighting skills in several styles, including but not limited to Jui Jitsu, Jeet Kun Do, Judo, and Muay Thai. He was a walking, talking killing machine, at least that's how he liked to see himself. Joel had been thrilled when he was finally promoted to not only a Level 5 clearance officer, but a field agent as well.
He grabbed his gun, goggles, and mufflers, ready to unwind by shooting several rounds into a pretend-Ray's head. Seriously, that guy had some nerve!
However, he had only gotten a couple shots in before his wrist communicator beeped and buzzed for his attention. He groaned as he put up his equipment, making his way to Sector 5H.
He was called to Geoff's office, a Level 6 clearance officer known for his kind, laid-back attitude.. He wondered if he was in trouble for allowing Subject 00012 to escape, but that wasn't out of the normal. Just yesterday, he had escaped from the clutches of a very pissed off Ryan Haywood. Joel chuckled at the thought as he closed the door behind him, taking a seat across from Geoff's desk.
"Hey, Joel. Before you get too worked up, no you're not in trouble." Joel let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding at this, a lazy smile touching his lips.
"Actually, I've called you here to congratulate you. Today was the only time we have gotten Subject 00012 to make any interaction with an APF officer, let alone offer to give up information." Geoff smirked. "Even if the things he had to say were.. rather unconventional." Joel coughed awkwardly as he felt a blush creep up his face.
"Yeah, that was pretty weird." He mumbled, averting his eyes.
Geoff pushed on, playing aimlessly with a trinket his daughter Millie had made him on his desk. "Anyways, the point here is, for whatever reason, you produce results. Whenever he comes back, and we are sure he will (the asshole is a dickbag, and he likes to show off), we want you to try and make more interaction with him. Perhaps if you can get closer or something, he'd be more willing to give up some information about what he is and how it works. You could be our ticket to bringing these evil pieces of shit down before they strike us hard." Geoff pressed his finger tips together thoughtfully on his desk.
Joel frowned. "I'll level with you Geoff; the idea of spending more time with that pompous douche isn't very thrilling, but if it will help, I'll do it."
"Fantastic. Now we wait for him to come to us."
-
Ray strutted down the street, the grin on his face uncontrollable. It had been a few days since his little encounter with the attractive new Cockbite, and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't found a nice little private place that night and imagined the dark haired man coming undone in his freshly-pressed suit.
He was itching to see the man again, and he used the excuse that practice never hurt as he found his way to the abandoned warehouse, sitting down patiently.
"Hello, Mr. Narvaez." Ray looked up to see the man he'd been waiting for standing in front of him. He didn't appear to be armed.
"Honey, I'm home." Ray cooed sweetly, rising to his feet. "What, no gas this time?"
"I was hoping we could handle this in a more civilized manner, if you would like to come inside." Joel motioned towards the door and Ray curtsied before entering cautiously, still expecting some sort of trap. Inside sat a table with two chairs on either side.
On the table was a glass of what appeared to be soda.
"Aww how sweet, you've prepared a little romantic table for us." Joel cleared his throat, taking a seat as Ray did the same.
"Mr. Narvaez-"
"Please, call me Ray. I like to think our relationship is evolved enough for us to use first names." Ray interrupted, grinning. "Speaking of which..."
"If I tell you my name, will you truly cooperate?" Joel sighed wearily, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"To an extent, sweet lips." The Adapter leaned back in his chair, grabbing the glass of soda and sipping it. He should be worried about some sort of poisoning, but he could easily just fix the problem. Perks of being a freak, he thought bitterly.
"Joel. It's Joel." The Cockbite murmured, flushing.
"Jo-el." Ray let the word roll off his tongue and Joel felt a weird feeling he couldn't quite explain in his stomache. "I like it. A cute name for a cute man." Ray winked, crossing his feet on the table.
"Right. Well, now it's your turn to keep your side of the deal." Joel's voice was toneless and he crossed his hands together in front of him.
"Whatever you want, Joel baby." Ray hummed.
"Okay then. Do you know why you are here?" Joel cocked an eyebrow. Now was the time for it to get good, to get answers.
"I'm assuming it's because I'm fucking awesome. Check this out." He held up his arm and it erupted into flames for a moment before returning to it's natural state. Joel jumped back in alarm, his dark eyes widening.
"Holy Hell!" He yelled, breaking his professional calm for a moment before settling back into his seat and clearing his throat in embarrassment, groaning internally at the smug look on Ray's face. "Um yes, that would be why you are here. Do you have any idea how you became like this?"
"Shit man, I don't know. I guess I was born this way; the next rung up the evolutionary latter, y'know? Or maybe radiation, like a superhero. That would be kickass." He grinned and Joel had to fight back a smile. His excitement was infectious.
"Now, mind if I ask you a question?" Ray continued, putting his feet down so he could lean on the table.
"I suppose you can. I can't guarantee that I can answer." Joel connected his lips in a tight line, reminding himself that he wasn't talking to a person. This was a monster, a creature that had likely killed countless humans, and would continue to do so unless someone stopped him.
"Are you single? Because I know this great little cafe not far from here, and I'd love to take you there sometime." Ray smirked.
Joel spluttered.
"I hardly find that relevant." Joel grumbled out, looking away.
"It's relevant to my interests." Ray blew a kiss. "But if you don't want to answer, I guess this little session is over. Til next time," He paused as he stood up, looking over his shoulder with a coy smile. "Joel." And then he was gone.
Joel growled to himself under his breath, his wrist beeping as soon as Ray had departed. He was being called to Sector 5H again.
He rubbed his eyes tiredly as he once again took a seat in Geoff's office.
"Listen, we think you should do as Subject 00012 asks, go to him with the cafe, socialize." Joel's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he was hearing!
"By 'we' do you mean the faceless asshole running this organization?" Joel's face was red with anger and Geoff didn't reply. "Need I remind you that Ray... I mean Subject 00012 is a murderous monster?!" Joel yelled, stiffening.
"Of course I know that, but he clearly has no ill intent towards you. This could be your chance to get closer to him, gain his trust. The little bit of information you gathered today is precious to us already. We now know that they are not born of some weird scientific experiment, or received their ability later on in life, and that will aid in our research." Geoff remained calm, despite Joel's outburst.
"Fuck..." Joel mumbled. "I can't believe I'm doing this but.. fine. But if he tries to fucking touch me, I will not hold back in throwing everything I got at him and getting the fuck out of there." He threatened, and Geoff nodded.
"Understandable."
-
So that's how Joel ended up walking around the docks, looking for a monster. He hadn't needed to wander very far before he was startled by a figure dropping down in front of him.
"I knew you couldn't stay away from me." Ray smirked and Joel ground his teeth together.
"I just happen to enjoy coffee." Joel dismissed it, but Ray only grinned wider.
"Y'know, I didn't think it was possible, but you look even sexier in civilian clothing." Ray took a step back, looking Joel up and down as the latter shuddered under his appreciative gaze. Joel was in a form-fitting t-shirt and jeans, an unzipped hoodie thrown on carelessly; it wasn't really all that needed considering they were in Texas, but he enjoyed having it on. "What sort of fabric is this?" Ray rubbed the corner of Joel's hoodie, and the older man fought an urge mixing between pulling away and scooting a bit closer, much to his annoyance.
"Um, I guess cotton or something?" He tilted his head to the side.
"Really? It feels like boyfriend material." Ray whispered and Joel snorted.
"Wow. How about we just get to the cafe?" Joel turned to walk away and Ray jogged to his side.
"Excited for our date, hmm?" Joel scoffed.
"This is NOT a date." He rolled his eyes as they neared the little cafe, Ray dragging him inside. The place was homey and smelled of coffee beans and freshly baked pastries. He was a little sad he hadn't noticed the hole-in-the-wall hangout spot before.
"Whatever you say, big scary government man." Ray chuckled and even Joel broke a smile, his lips turning up at the corners despite himself. He glanced out the window as he sat at the counter to see a van stationary on the curb.
Monitored.
He was always being monitored.
"Yo, I assume you're paying for this right?" Ray broke him from his thought and he gave him an incredulous look.
"What? Why the fuck am I paying for you?" Joel demanded, but his tone was light and teasing.
"You're the asshole that wants to tie me up and interrogate me, psycho. Besides, one person always pays for the other on a date." Ray said smugly and Joel sighed.
"Fine.
But it's not a date."
