Chapter One: Plan

This is if Zane didn't die. Instead, he was turned into a superhuman, stronger than Tally, or any other Special. He had been studied and tested on, officially pronounced dead, but more alive than ever.

Zane's POV

They had me strapped in the plastic and steel chains I wore whenever there was a way of escape near me, but I was getting stronger and stronger each day. One day, and one day soon, I was going to break free from this hellish facility. They tested me, physically, scientifically, and mentally each day. They studied my every reaction and move. They had all the right technology to tell weather I was lying or not, so they knew everything I did was honest and as far, fast, or much as I could go. They knew exactly how well my brain worked, and my exact intelligent level.

Well, they thought they did.

When I ran, I ran half as fast as I knew I could, and I faked getting worn out, when I knew I could go for days longer. I purposely slowed my reflexes, which was the hardest thing to do, and I made sure to never use my full intellect or insight on any test they did, clandestine or otherwise.

I knew when the were testing me. I was sure to monitor my every word, every thought, and every move all hours of the day. Even when I was pretty sure I wasn't being monitored or studied. Which was hardly ever.

I could also lie as well as I could tell the truth. My heart rate didn't quicken the least bit, my pupils didn't dilate, my breath stayed even, and I never faltered the least bit.

That's why they thought I was much less powerful than I really was.

I was stronger than the strongest Special, faster than any hovercar, and smarter than any famous genius in history.

Okay, well, maybe that was going a little too far, but I could be if they let me. Whatever I learned, I learned at an amazing rate and acquired as if I learned it years ago, and practiced frequently, instead of seconds beforehand.

Any day now would I escape and be with the person I'd been made for. I knew Tally Youngblood was my soul mate and I knew I had to be with her.

Wait until she sees me now, I would think, imagining her reaction as she took in my flawless, intimidating, sharp features, my lean, muscular body, my crystal-clear mind, and my inhuman and graceful reflexes and movements. I'd be like no other special she'd ever seen. No, I'd be much better. I would be the one setting the standards, the one holding the bar.

I never looked at it that way, like it was either one or the other, one dominate, one subordinate, but I couldn't deny the amazing feeling I got when I imagined her looking up to me, that she would be the one taken aback by my sheer presence.

I knew I was getting a little cocky, but my reunion fantasies were all I had during the boring days and nights.

I remembered back in the Pretty days, when Tally and I had first met, when we were starving ourselves and pushing ourselves to our limits. I remembered Tally's amazement at my speed, strength, and fearlessness. Until I got those damn headaches that melted my brain away, leaving her a Special and me a disgusting, slow-reflexed Pretty.

Not even when I was in the wild, a weak-minded Pretty struggling to make it, did I resent Tally for wanting me different, for wanting me to be more like her. Nothing even close to that. I was actually elated that she still wanted me, more or less. I feared that when she saw me, and in the condition I was in, while she was in the best condition of her life, she would turn her head away in disgust, rebuking herself for ever falling for such a fool in the first place, leaving my life forever.

Instead, she helped me, carefully hiding her emotions of revulsion towards me. She masked them almost perfectly, but I knew they were there. She didn't give me enough credit, though. I knew much more than she thought I did.

I proved that to her the night I was sure she was following me.

I had had my theories and suspicions that she was there with us, making sure we stayed out of trouble. I set up a trap for her one day, hoping she would fall for it, and sure enough, she did.

We talked, and I was "bubblier'' than I ever had been. I knew she could tell, too. I knew things were changing, going back to the way they were.

I made an impulse decision to kiss her at that moment, to see if things ever could go back to normal, and for a minute there, I thought she would.

Then she slit tons of tiny little cuts into my hand with her scaled sneak suit, and ran away from me, vomiting out of disgust after what she had just done.

At that point, I resented her just a little bit.

But that was the past, and this was the future. Now I could understand exactly how Tally had felt, and find her once more.

A little part of me was worried that things would still be different, though.

The first time I had seen her since her Special operation, she snuck into my room, eager to see me. And when she saw me, I revolted her.

I was fairly certain she had not expected to feel that way about me, or she would have either not come, or been prepared.

To be fair, I had changed quite a bit since she had last seen me, and she had changed, too. We changed in opposite directions, and fell apart.

I worried that what if this time I was disgusted by her? The thought seemed near impossible, but I'm sure it wasn't plausible for her to feel that way towards me when she had first seen me.

And the other part that worried me was that I overheard a few men talking about the changed rule; no more Specials.

The operation was to be reversed on ever Special, changing them into… not as special Specials. The new specials looked less dramatic and intimidating, no longer had "built in weapons", like their teeth and nails, and were not as strong and fast. They were still technically Specials, though, just like the people here.

This had me extraordinarily worried until I heard the second man speak.

"Do you know if they fond those two that escaped?" the second one asked.

"Yeah, I heard the first one was found a few days ago, but no such luck with the second one."

"What was her name, again?" he asked his friend.

"Tally, I think. Yes, Tally Youngblood."

After I heard that, it took much willpower not to grin and shout out in victory.

That's my Tally, alright! I thought to myself gleefully.

But that was days ago, and I knew better than anyone that a lot can happen in a short time.

I was curious, at first, on why they kept me. Or, why they kept me the way I was. It didn't take long to figure out that if there was another attack on Diego, like there was when I had supposedly "died", when Specials became illegal, I would be their weapon. Their secret weapon that would ensure victory. After all, to them, I was nothing more than a robot that follows every command. Day by day, as I proved myself even more obedient, they let me a little more unrestricted. I was gaining their trust, so to speak.

Each day was going by slower and slower, the anticipation of breaking free making me more on edge. I already had my plan. Everyday, they push me further and further, testing my strength and speed. One day, one of those rare days when security isn't as tight, I would push myself "too hard" and beg for water. They thought I needed food, water, and sleep more than I did. It was tough to be fully rested and energized after a little over two hours, enough to keep me going for days, but having to lay still for three more hours, keeping my breaths even and my brain activity slow.

I could eat a few bites of food and be good for days, but they fed me a full meal every day, much more than I needed.

And the water. They gave me more water than I would ever need again in my life.

One day, I'm going to eat my full meal. Every day. I've been eating more and more, slowly building up to eating the whole thing. It wasn't a pleasant task, but it didn't bother me too much.

I would drink more water, too. But the day I would escape, I had to load up to supply me for who knows how long. At the exact right time, I would casually rip off my tracking pulse reading cuff, and make a break for it, before any alarms can even go off, or any security measures follow through.

I knew if the cuff was broken an alarm would go off, so the second the cuff came off was the second I would have to make a run for it.

The cuff was made of special aircraft plastic, coated with steel, iron, and carefully sculpted and melted into place diamonds.

With my recorded strength, there would be no way I could ever stand a chance to take off this cuff. With the strength actually I have, it would be as easy as ripping away tissue paper.

I was so looking forward to using my strength, speed, and reflexes to the best of my abilities. The best part is that they won't have a clue on how fast I can go, so they won't have a clue on where I will be, if they take a hovercar, weather they would pass me, or be behind me.

I knew the day was getting closer and closer. I knew it was only a short matter if time before I was able to see Talley again.

With ever passing day, my worries grew worse and worse.

The thing I worried most about was how I would see Tally. The gnawing thought was always hanging in the back of my head; What if I see her like she saw me?

I knew it was madness. I saw the other not-so-special-Specials everyday, and they didn't disgust me. But Pretties didn't disgust Tally, I'm sure, just the fact that I was so much below her, I was so much less than her.

And that's how I felt about the Specials. That I was better. I was more. Stronger. Faster.

So, yes, I would feel more superior over Tally, but would it matter? Could it maybe, hopefully, make it better? I needed her. I wanted her. I remembered her vividly and I knew she was unlike any Special I've ever met. And the reason behind me seeing these Specials around me as so inferior was possibly due to the fact that all they were were Pretties with Special minds, pretty much.

Yes. I liked this scenario. And Tally was still Tally. She'd always be my Tally, and I'll never stop loving her. Just the fact that she is now the only surviving Special proved she was still the strong, fast, smart, law breaking Tally I would never loose.

"Good. That's very good news," I heard from down the hall, disrupting my thoughts.

"Yes, I can't believe we've actually found him. I'm still slightly stunned that he actually exists."

"The wild boy. The boy who's technically not existent." This caught my attention. They couldn't be... were they...? Was it... David?

"Born in the wild. How pre-Rusty is that!"

"I heard he was the companion of the Last Special, too. They've been living together, hiding in the wild since the War of Diego."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"That we set up a trap for Youngblood and use ol' Wild Boy as bait? Already in motion."

Fuck no. They were not taking Tally. As smart, fast, and beautiful as she was, the traps were probably stronger than her. To hell if I let that happen. I was breaking out tomorrow. Bright and early, right after breakfast. My plan was now in motion.

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A/N: And that's the end of Chapter One.

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