Anderson looked critically at the statistics on the monitor in front of him. Only a handful on months previously his three young charges had completed their final round of implant surgeries and had spent the better part of recovery time being tutored and guided into discovering their new abilities.
Jason was by far the most exciting member of the project. He had excelled in the sometimes painful training techniques and had far surpassed all expectations. He suffered few side effects to the growing repertoire of new abilites. Aside from his own growing ego and accompanying defiant nature, he was becoming exactly what the project had desired.
Tiny's focus had improved impeccably. The implant's most worrisome side-effect seemed to be more of a Steroid effect. The young lad's girth had doubled, as had his appetite. The initial concern was that the weight gain was purely fat, but after a recent physical, when the lad's BMI had alarmed the doctor's on staff, he'd been ordered to strip. Before them all stood a shy and embarrassed young Hercules. The definition of his physique had prompted one of the yound interns to suggest that Tiny would be the perfect specimen for the study of anatomy. Their only main concern now, however, was the new and improve youngster's impressive stature eventually slowing him down in combat.
Mark had been a complete disappointment, which had prompted this emergency meeting. The lad most expected to breeze through the process and training without fail was falling apart. Anderson hadn't and couldn't seem to understand just what their failure with young Mark had been. He had initially been eager and his training and aptitude unsurpassed by any other. Now, after the long and exhausting rounds of surgery and training, the young boy seemed to have lost all drive. His book smarts and theoretical training was exhilarating – there was no faulting his intelligence – but it was sadly being overlooked because of the absolute lack of practical drive. He was presenting tactical and analytical assessments within a few seconds when in the classroom, but out in simulation the young boy just had no interest or wants to do anything.
It was baffling.
"Doctor," one of the lab technicians probed as he used a pen to circle the air in front of the monitor display. "Mark's reaction to the implant stimulation is baffling. According to data his pre-frontal cortex activity is well above expectations. His serotonin and norepinephrine levels are well within normal ranges. Blood test analysis also revealed high adrenaline and endorphin levels, which should elevate his mood, not decrease it like this. You ask me, Chief, the kid's either emotionless and therefore uninterested in the project, or he's actually just having a bad couple of months."
Anderson's lips pursed. "So what you're trying to imply is that Mark is," he paused. "Sad."
The technician gave a shrug. "I don't know what else to tell you. There is no clinical reason for his current demeanour except that there's got to be something really bugging him."
Anderson sighed hard and rubbed at his chin. "Well he is recovering from his mother's death and the loss of his father. He has no other family to speak of."
"That'll rip apart any kid, Doctor. Do you think it's a good idea to keep him on the project?"
Anderson nodded firmly. "Increase his counseling sessions."
The tech shook his head. "He's in the chair three times a week already. The Shrink says that the boy has no emotions."
"That I find hard to believe."
Both men looked toward Mark, who sat apart from Tiny and Jason on an old railway sleeper that had been fashioned into a flowerbed guard. His forearms were on his thighs as he stared down at a model plane in the dirt. He didn't look up or even flinch when Tiny yelped out after Jason tackled him to the ground in a friendly game of football.
The technician watched Mark with pursed lips. "Have you ever seen that boy crack a smile?"
Anderson shook his head. "Not since Amanda took ill."
"It's like alight was snuffed out."
Anderson agreed. "He'll work it out in time. Mark's been through a lot in his young life." His attention snapped at the sound of an excited young female voice calling in from the doorway.
"Mr. Anderson!" Princess skipped into the room and leapt up to give him a big hug. She hooked her legs at his hips and hugged him tightly. "It's so wonderful to see you again."
He welcomed the affection and returned her hug in kind. "You too, Princess." He let her wriggle herself to the ground and whistled appreciatively as she spun to show off her new little dress. "That is a beautiful dress."
She curtseyed. "Thank you, kind sir." She pointed a foot in front of her to display her shiny new balled-slipper shoe. "Aren't they pretty?"
He smiled and gave her a nod. "Pretty shoes for a pretty little girl." He flicked his eyes to the technician as he cleared his throat to ask who the little girl was. "This, Doctor Michaels, is Cassandra. She will be joining our family and is here with us for every weekend until her adoption is completed."
Michaels cleared his throat again. "A girl?"
"Yes," Anderson said through a smile as he pulled a yo-yo from his pocket. "A girl."
"Are you sure that is a good idea? The implants and training schedules were created for boy-children, not girls."
Anderson looked up to him as he crouched in front of Princess. "Well you have six months to modify, test and perfect the implant for a female. She's already been accepted into the program." His gaze fell to the little girl. "Here you are, Princess. I kept your yo-yo safe for you."
Her face beamed as she took the toy into both hands and admired it. "Oh thank you."
"Now," he said gently, making sure that the shift in his attention was a definite end to the conversation with the technician. "How would you like to go and meet your new brothers?"
Her eyes widened and she nodded eagerly. "Yes please."
He took her by the hand and led her into the courtyard. "Jason, Tiny, Mark, please come over here. I have someone I'd like you to meet."
Jason and Tiny dutifully jogged over, while Mark maintained his position on the edge of the flower-bed. It was Jason who made the first comment before Anderson had a chance to introduce them.
"A girl?" His face screwed up in disgust and he rolled his tongue out of his mouth as if experiencing a gross taste. "I thought this was a girl free zone?"
Princess' face stretched in surprise, and then into fear as she saw Jason's face and body slowly morph into a typically brat-like pose and expression. She hid herself behind Anderson and peered around his hip at him. "He doesn't like me," she whispered softly.
Anderson folded his arms across his chest. "Jason, be nice, okay?"
Jason rolled his eyes to the sky and exaggerated a long sigh. "Fine." He extended his hand to Princess. "Hi. I'm Jason."
Princess didn't come out of hiding, but she let her hand whip out to shake Jason's. "I'm Cassandra. Um. Nice to meet you?"
Jason smirked. She was timid, so this was going to be fun. "Boo!"
She yelped and ducked in farther behind Anderson. She whimpered at Jason laughing hysterically at her. Anderson narrowed his eyes at him. "Play nice, Jason."
Tiny slapped a heavy hand on Jason's stomach and gave him a short glare. "Aww. Come on Jase, leave the girl alone." He peered around Anderson and gave a goofy gulp of a laugh as he extended his hand. "Hi Cassandra, I'm Tiny." He thumbed behind him at Jason, who was still laughing to himself. "Ignore him. He's like a vulture, he finds a weakness and when you're down he swoops in for the kill."
"That's mean," she whispered softly as she peered around Anderson's hip again. "You're mean."
He feigned a scary look that was softened by his own amusement, so she poked her tongue out at him. He chuckled. "Ahh, sorry Cassandra, I'm just playin'. Welcome to the family."
She started to find her courage enough to step around Anderson. She kept her hand on his hip as if for security, and angled her head as she looked across at Mark. "He doesn't want to say hello?"
Jason shrugged. "There's something wrong with him. He doesn't like to play with us."
Tiny nodded in agreement. "I dunno what's up with him."
She sighed softly. "He looks so sad."
Anderson crouched down beside her. "Why don't you go over and say hello, Princess?"
She pressed her finger to her lips and seemed to contemplate it a little. "Will he mind?"
Jason thrust his hands in his pocket and shuffled his foot in the dirt. "You'll be lucky if he even looks at you, Cass."
She tilted her head to Anderson and gave him a smile. "Okay, if he won't come to me, I'll go to him. What is his name?"
"Mark," he answered softly.
"Mark," she sighed as she skipped along the path toward him. She stooped to pick a small daisy that had poked itself up through the break between concrete slabs and continued toward Mark. As she approached she slowed her pace to approach warily. When in front of him she held the daisy outward. "Hi. I'm Cassandra. I'm new to the family."
Mark's eyes rose only to the flower. He sucked a breath of air with a snap through the side of his mouth and lowered his head further. "I'm Mark."
She pursed her lips at him not taking her flower, or even looking up at her so she flicked her hand in a manner to demand he take her offering. "Take it, Mark. I brought you a flower."
He snapped up his hand to take it without raising his eyes. "Thanks."
She was offended. This little boy was being deliberately rude to her. She kept a tight grip on the stalk and tugged against his hold. "It's not polite to not look at someone who's talking to you." she snapped. "You are being very rude."
From his section of the courtyard, Anderson watched intently. He knew little Cassandra wouldn't tolerate him being rude to her, and he would likely not tolerate her expected reaction to it – at least he hoped Mark wouldn't. He held his breath and waited.
Mark's eyes flared and he drew a frustrated breath into his lungs. His head slowly rose up from her pink ballet shoes, over her ribbed-lycra leggings, along the hem of her dress, and over the flowery pattern to her hands. He took a fast look at where she held her hands over his, and then flicked his gaze up angrily at her face. "Then if you don't like …" His breath hitched at the largest set of green eyes he'd ever seen in his young life.
"Then if I don't like what?" she spat in response. "If I don't like rude boys and bullies?"
He stood up quickly, quick enough to accidentally knock his head against her chin. He let out an "ow" and took a stumbled step backward. He closed his eyes in embarrassment and rubbed sheepishly at his head. It was when he heard her sniff that he opened his eyes to look at her. He felt his heart shift in his chest when he saw her big green eyes fill with tears and her bottom lip slowly protrude outward.
"You … you …" Her breath shuddered as it drew into her and her eyes began to blink fast as her face creased in warning she was about to cry.
Mark felt panicked. He just made a little girl cry. He flicked his head from side to side as if searching for either a way out, or for outside assistance. "Oh. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that." He reached out and touched her on the shoulder. "It was an accident, I promise."
She shook her head from him and tossed the little flower on the ground at his feet. With tears sliding down her face she turned and ran into Anderson's waiting arms. He cooed softly to her in assurance that Mark really didn't mean it.
Jason, from beside her, let out a laugh. He set his hands on his hips and made a show of laughing at her. "Awww. Did the little girl get beat up on by the other little girl?"
She sniffed hard and pushed herself out of Anderson's hold. She wiped at her nose with the back of her hand. "You are so mean," she growled at him through her tears. "That really hurt, Jason."
He leaned forward and flicked his fingers at her chin. "Little girl got a boo boo?"
She wanted to stomp her foot on the floor and snark back at him, but didn't get the chance before Mark drove himself in between she and Jason. His head was tilted aggressively and he stabbed his finger into his chest. "Back off, Jason."
"It lives," Jason growled in response. The glint in his eyes told he was going to enjoy a quick scuffle. "About time."
"Oh," Mark growled with a smirk of challenge on his face. "It lives alright." He knocked his chest against Jason's and shoved him backward.
Princess brought both hands to her mouth in shock and made to step into it, but Anderson held her back. "It's okay, Princess. Let them work it out on their own." He didn't know if he hid the thrill in his voice, but he honestly didn't care as he looked back at the technicians, who watched with wide eyes.
Mark seemed to have grown in stature as he faced off with Jason. His shoulders were squared, his stare was steeled and he seemed to circle the other boy as he formulated the most effective battle Plan.
Jason, for his part, refused to back down or concede any ounce of space or defeat to his aggressor. In fact, it seemed as though the lad was ready, willing and able to give and take a few in the name of contest.
As he saw both boys crouch in preparation to attack each other Anderson boomed a loud warning. "Mark. Jason. Enough. Save that for training."
Mark remained in place and spoke back at Anderson without taking his eyes off Jason. "Not until he apologizes to Cassandra."
"I think you owe her one too," Jason fired back, his stance and attention battle-ready.
"You first."
Jason snarled. "Who made you the boss?"
Anderson was quietly thrilled, but kept his tone firm and emotionless. "Both of you apologise, on the count of three. Whoever doesn't utter the word sorry when I say three, will be on kitchen detail for a week." He set his hand on Princess' shoulder. "One. Two. Three."
Compliance came in the low spoken sorries of the two boys. They still stared at each other hotly, but their body language had cooled.
Princess let out a gasp and skipped toward Mark. Without a second thought she threw herself at him, with her arms around his neck, and held him tight. "Oh thank you, Mark. Noone has ever stuck up for me like that before."
Mark was genuinely stunned. He looked up at Anderson with wide, stunned eyes. He held his hands out either side of her as though he had no idea how to react. When he saw Anderson nod and smile, he felt himself relax. He let his arms circle her waist and smiled as he leaned his head against hers.
"Get used to it," he promised softly. "I'll be your hero."
"You already are," she swooned.
Anderson strode back to the technicians, many of whom were frantically scribbling into their notepads and clipboards.
Michaels let out an impressed breath and offered Anderson a shrug. "Incredible."
Anderson thumbed his nose and slipped a hand into his pocket. "It looks like we've found the boy's trigger."
Michaels pursed his lips and shook his head. "A girl?"
"No," Anderson breathed. "He needs to protect. We're training him to be nothing but a mindless soldier. We're giving him nothing to fight for. He lost his whole family and thinks he has nothing worth defending." He watched as the pair separated and started to laugh and joke together with both Jason and Tiny – the previous disagreement forgotten. "In her he has found someone to defend."
Michaels gave a curt nod, and then shook his head. "Are you saying that Cassandra is being set up as the damsel in distress here solely for Mark to be able to fight?"
Anderson shook his head. "Oh I have no doubt that our little lady will be anything but a damsel in distress, Michaels. The only reason that she didn't face off against Jason was that Mark wouldn't let her."
Michaels raised a brow and looked down at his clipboard with a shake of his head. "For an eight year old, that boy can be intimidating can't he? I thought Jason was frightening, but Mark when he's mad … wow."
"You should have met his father."
