Rated PG-13 for language.
Note: Here is the sequel to Angered Souls: Hidden Rage. Please read and review.
Disclosure: Jordan, Evan, Kayla, Lee, Erin, Jason, Andy, and Bobby belong to me until they show up as an X5. Evan is from the story Manticore Gathering, which can be found under Evil Gets a Delivery. Jordan is from the story Lost Family, which can be found under Family Innocence.
X5: The Special One
Part II: Experiments
They sure don't hesitate here at Manticore, do they?
Seems Madame X has read the scientists' file about me. How do I know? It's been a week and right from day one I've been locked in a room with a one-way mirror, bound to a wall in restraints. She is deliberately trying to send me to that state.
One thing I don't understand is Why did that scientist leave plans behind to create an "anger inducing" machine if he was so afraid of me reaching my final form? Because it seems that Madame X has gotten hold of those plans and constructed the machine.
What does it do, you ask? Well, it shoots a laser at me. Oh, don't worry, it doesn't kill, but it hurts me like a bitch as it sends pain shockwaves throughout my body. Basically, since my power is fueled by anger (which, in turn, is fueled by emotions), Madame X is pushing me emotionally, to get me to crack. But I haven't, not yet anyway. Though I'm hurting and she's getting furious at my resistance.
The machine whirred to life and I brace myself for another round. The laser hits me. She's turned it up a notch, I realize. My screams give her pleasure.
"It won't be long now till she cracks. Then we can plant the seed of destruction amongst the field." She beams, speaking to no one in particular.
My screams echo throughout the facility and beyond. In the gym, where the X5s that had stayed behind during the escape and are now running through fighting tactics. Kayla, Lee, Erin, Andy, Bobby, and Jason had stopped their exercises and gazed in the direction of the scream.
"What was that?" Bobby stood up, speaking.
Jason's eyes went wide, "That sounded like Max."
Erin looked at him, "What would Max be doing here?"
Andy answered, "They got Zack and Brin, didn't they? Why would Max be any different?"
"Yeah." Kayla piped in.
That shut Erin up and she nodded.
"But what are they doing to have her scream like that?" Lee questioned.
Jason shrugged, "I don't know."
The group turned as the door opened, and their TAC leader of the day entered. Jason quickly gave the hush up signal and they all stood at attention.
"All of you return to your barracks now." The TAC leader ordered. The group, without a word, carried out the order.
When Madame X decided that I had enough for now, she had ordered the machine to be shut off. Then she walked out of the room, leaving me alone.
How nice of her. I hang my head. I feel so week, so drained. I can barely move--breathing hurts, hell, even thinking hurts. But I can't close my eyes and let go-I have twelve reasons to keep fighting. Zack, where are you? I can't do this alone. I need you. A tear trickles silently down my cheek.
I am lost within myself so I don't hear Madame X's return. The machine whirrs to life. I look up at the mirror. No, not again. Please, no more. I can't see her, but I know she's there, standing with her hand over the 'fire' button.
"Why do you continue to fight me?" I hear her voice over the speaker. I throw my head back in a scream as the laser rips into my soul once again.
Jason and the others hear me. Even from the Barracks, which is farther than the Gym. They gathered around Jason and his cot to be able to whisper to each other.
"Sounds like their killing her." Kayla spoke first.
"But what can we do?" Lee questioned.
Brin was with the group now. She remembered the time Max had screamed before and wound up saving her. "Do you remember that incident about Max?"
"The one when you were whipped?" Erin asked and Brin nodded to confirm it.
"Didn't she go spastic and start killing the guards?" Brin nodded to Jason's question.
Andy chimed in, "Zack told us it had something to do with her emotions."
Jason turned to Erin, "Since you're the smallest, I'll sneak you to the Lab and you can find out what they're doing to her." Erin nodded and the two left.
Back in Seattle, back in the abandoned house, twelve crushed hearts were gathered in a circle.
"So that's how she creamed Lydecker?" Jondi questioned, shocked.
Zack nodded, "Logan can give testimony to that."
Logan dove into it as they all looked at him, "You should've seen her. Lydeckers' attack on Zack and I completely snapped her. It was hard to follow her because she was so fast." Zack nodded and Logan continued, "And her strength....it was unimaginable. She slapped me and it felt like my head was crushed."
There was a moment of silence as Logans story sunk in. Then Zack hesitantly added, "I was even afraid of her."
The ten others gasped, dropped their jaws in shock, or did both.
Tinga shook her head, "No way. You, Zack, scared?"
Zack shot back, "Yes." Zack stood up and walked out of the circle. The others remained quiet. He then turned around, "We nearly lost her."
Krit jumped up, interrupting Zack, "What do ya mean, almost? She just turned herself in!"
"Yeah! If she has that much power within her, they'll work to harness it and turn her against us!" Syl added.
Zack shouted back, his eyes tearing up, "Don't you think I know that?! You all need to understand. Yeah, they'll try to turn her, but-"
Jondi moved over to Zack, "Hey...it's ok, Zack. We'll get her back. It's ok!"
He pushed away from her, "No, no it's not. If they're turning her, they're working on her right now and have been for the past week. If that's true, then she's useless to them."
"I don't understand!" Jace spoke for them.
Logan then understood where Zack was going with this, and decided to help out. "She uses up a lot of energy. Even for the short time after she hit that point, she was out for almost two months."
The siblings eyes went wide in shock and realization. Zack added, "They'll push her to hold that state, for who knows how long. She could die from overuse."
His last sentence hung in the air, as he faced his siblings. Tears were in his eyes, but it was ok, the others had tears as well.
"That is enough for now." Erin heard Madame X speak.
Oh no, Max! You look like shit. Erin thought upon seeing her sibling.
I could barely resonate the two soldiers scooping up my body. And I barely notice when I'm placed upon a cot. Then I'm left alone. Erin uses this to her advantage. She sneaks into my private room, and approaches me. I see her, but at the same time, I don't.
"Max?" Came the scared voice of my sibling. All I can do it moan in response. "What did they do to you?" She continued as she knelt by my side.
She then disappeared from my view as Madame X entered the room and stepped up to me, speaking in a soft tone, "How do you feel?"
I don't answer, and she shakes her head. Erin has hidden herself under my bed, holding her breath. "You disappoint me, Max!" Madame X spoke, turning to leave.
Erin came back into view, "What is she talking about Max?"
I can't answer, so I let a tear fall. Erin looks up toward the door, "Look, I got to go now. They'll notice me missing." Erin stands up, and leaves. "I'll be back," are her last words to me.
I am alone with my thoughts again. I realize that I'm nearly ready to crack. I've held on for so long. I decide to use my solitude to sleep to regain my lost energy.
Lydecker opens his eyes, once he realizes he's alone. He has been out of his coma for some time now, only faking it to bide his time. The image of me at my best fills his head again. You are mine, Max. And mine alone. Madame X, you will pay for using her for yourself. She belongs to me!!!
Lydecker sits up and moves to the door. When the time is right, and a unsuspecting soldier walks in to check up on him....I will take him by surprise!
The door begins to open, and Lydecker smiles at his timing. During the time it took the soldier to realize where Lydecker was, he was overwhelmed. Lydecker then swiped the gun from the now dead soldier. Now, time to find Max.
When Erin and Jason reached the others, Erin had filled Jason on what she saw. Erin then repeated her report to the others.
"She looked so horrible." Erin spoke, the others gathered around her. "Madame X is definitly doing something to her, I've noticed how weak Max was."
Kayla shook her head, "I don't believe this. They're going to kill her. I knew they shouldn't have escaped. Now they are all paying the price."
"Don't talk like that." Jason hissed at her, "I'm glad they got out. We all knew that not all of us could make it."
"Yeah, just remember Kayla, Evan and Jace got out! And so did Zack." Lee reminded her.
"I never believed it when Lydecker told us they were dead." Andy added. "I always knew that they'd gotten out."
A TAC leader entered, "Lights out!" And then left immediately.
Jason laid awake, listening to the others breathing. We'll save you Max, don't you worry.
~~**++**~~
to be continued
Note: Here is the sequel to Angered Souls: Hidden Rage. Please read and review.
Disclosure: Jordan, Evan, Kayla, Lee, Erin, Jason, Andy, and Bobby belong to me until they show up as an X5. Evan is from the story Manticore Gathering, which can be found under Evil Gets a Delivery. Jordan is from the story Lost Family, which can be found under Family Innocence.
X5: The Special One
Part II: Experiments
They sure don't hesitate here at Manticore, do they?
Seems Madame X has read the scientists' file about me. How do I know? It's been a week and right from day one I've been locked in a room with a one-way mirror, bound to a wall in restraints. She is deliberately trying to send me to that state.
One thing I don't understand is Why did that scientist leave plans behind to create an "anger inducing" machine if he was so afraid of me reaching my final form? Because it seems that Madame X has gotten hold of those plans and constructed the machine.
What does it do, you ask? Well, it shoots a laser at me. Oh, don't worry, it doesn't kill, but it hurts me like a bitch as it sends pain shockwaves throughout my body. Basically, since my power is fueled by anger (which, in turn, is fueled by emotions), Madame X is pushing me emotionally, to get me to crack. But I haven't, not yet anyway. Though I'm hurting and she's getting furious at my resistance.
The machine whirred to life and I brace myself for another round. The laser hits me. She's turned it up a notch, I realize. My screams give her pleasure.
"It won't be long now till she cracks. Then we can plant the seed of destruction amongst the field." She beams, speaking to no one in particular.
My screams echo throughout the facility and beyond. In the gym, where the X5s that had stayed behind during the escape and are now running through fighting tactics. Kayla, Lee, Erin, Andy, Bobby, and Jason had stopped their exercises and gazed in the direction of the scream.
"What was that?" Bobby stood up, speaking.
Jason's eyes went wide, "That sounded like Max."
Erin looked at him, "What would Max be doing here?"
Andy answered, "They got Zack and Brin, didn't they? Why would Max be any different?"
"Yeah." Kayla piped in.
That shut Erin up and she nodded.
"But what are they doing to have her scream like that?" Lee questioned.
Jason shrugged, "I don't know."
The group turned as the door opened, and their TAC leader of the day entered. Jason quickly gave the hush up signal and they all stood at attention.
"All of you return to your barracks now." The TAC leader ordered. The group, without a word, carried out the order.
When Madame X decided that I had enough for now, she had ordered the machine to be shut off. Then she walked out of the room, leaving me alone.
How nice of her. I hang my head. I feel so week, so drained. I can barely move--breathing hurts, hell, even thinking hurts. But I can't close my eyes and let go-I have twelve reasons to keep fighting. Zack, where are you? I can't do this alone. I need you. A tear trickles silently down my cheek.
I am lost within myself so I don't hear Madame X's return. The machine whirrs to life. I look up at the mirror. No, not again. Please, no more. I can't see her, but I know she's there, standing with her hand over the 'fire' button.
"Why do you continue to fight me?" I hear her voice over the speaker. I throw my head back in a scream as the laser rips into my soul once again.
Jason and the others hear me. Even from the Barracks, which is farther than the Gym. They gathered around Jason and his cot to be able to whisper to each other.
"Sounds like their killing her." Kayla spoke first.
"But what can we do?" Lee questioned.
Brin was with the group now. She remembered the time Max had screamed before and wound up saving her. "Do you remember that incident about Max?"
"The one when you were whipped?" Erin asked and Brin nodded to confirm it.
"Didn't she go spastic and start killing the guards?" Brin nodded to Jason's question.
Andy chimed in, "Zack told us it had something to do with her emotions."
Jason turned to Erin, "Since you're the smallest, I'll sneak you to the Lab and you can find out what they're doing to her." Erin nodded and the two left.
Back in Seattle, back in the abandoned house, twelve crushed hearts were gathered in a circle.
"So that's how she creamed Lydecker?" Jondi questioned, shocked.
Zack nodded, "Logan can give testimony to that."
Logan dove into it as they all looked at him, "You should've seen her. Lydeckers' attack on Zack and I completely snapped her. It was hard to follow her because she was so fast." Zack nodded and Logan continued, "And her strength....it was unimaginable. She slapped me and it felt like my head was crushed."
There was a moment of silence as Logans story sunk in. Then Zack hesitantly added, "I was even afraid of her."
The ten others gasped, dropped their jaws in shock, or did both.
Tinga shook her head, "No way. You, Zack, scared?"
Zack shot back, "Yes." Zack stood up and walked out of the circle. The others remained quiet. He then turned around, "We nearly lost her."
Krit jumped up, interrupting Zack, "What do ya mean, almost? She just turned herself in!"
"Yeah! If she has that much power within her, they'll work to harness it and turn her against us!" Syl added.
Zack shouted back, his eyes tearing up, "Don't you think I know that?! You all need to understand. Yeah, they'll try to turn her, but-"
Jondi moved over to Zack, "Hey...it's ok, Zack. We'll get her back. It's ok!"
He pushed away from her, "No, no it's not. If they're turning her, they're working on her right now and have been for the past week. If that's true, then she's useless to them."
"I don't understand!" Jace spoke for them.
Logan then understood where Zack was going with this, and decided to help out. "She uses up a lot of energy. Even for the short time after she hit that point, she was out for almost two months."
The siblings eyes went wide in shock and realization. Zack added, "They'll push her to hold that state, for who knows how long. She could die from overuse."
His last sentence hung in the air, as he faced his siblings. Tears were in his eyes, but it was ok, the others had tears as well.
"That is enough for now." Erin heard Madame X speak.
Oh no, Max! You look like shit. Erin thought upon seeing her sibling.
I could barely resonate the two soldiers scooping up my body. And I barely notice when I'm placed upon a cot. Then I'm left alone. Erin uses this to her advantage. She sneaks into my private room, and approaches me. I see her, but at the same time, I don't.
"Max?" Came the scared voice of my sibling. All I can do it moan in response. "What did they do to you?" She continued as she knelt by my side.
She then disappeared from my view as Madame X entered the room and stepped up to me, speaking in a soft tone, "How do you feel?"
I don't answer, and she shakes her head. Erin has hidden herself under my bed, holding her breath. "You disappoint me, Max!" Madame X spoke, turning to leave.
Erin came back into view, "What is she talking about Max?"
I can't answer, so I let a tear fall. Erin looks up toward the door, "Look, I got to go now. They'll notice me missing." Erin stands up, and leaves. "I'll be back," are her last words to me.
I am alone with my thoughts again. I realize that I'm nearly ready to crack. I've held on for so long. I decide to use my solitude to sleep to regain my lost energy.
Lydecker opens his eyes, once he realizes he's alone. He has been out of his coma for some time now, only faking it to bide his time. The image of me at my best fills his head again. You are mine, Max. And mine alone. Madame X, you will pay for using her for yourself. She belongs to me!!!
Lydecker sits up and moves to the door. When the time is right, and a unsuspecting soldier walks in to check up on him....I will take him by surprise!
The door begins to open, and Lydecker smiles at his timing. During the time it took the soldier to realize where Lydecker was, he was overwhelmed. Lydecker then swiped the gun from the now dead soldier. Now, time to find Max.
When Erin and Jason reached the others, Erin had filled Jason on what she saw. Erin then repeated her report to the others.
"She looked so horrible." Erin spoke, the others gathered around her. "Madame X is definitly doing something to her, I've noticed how weak Max was."
Kayla shook her head, "I don't believe this. They're going to kill her. I knew they shouldn't have escaped. Now they are all paying the price."
"Don't talk like that." Jason hissed at her, "I'm glad they got out. We all knew that not all of us could make it."
"Yeah, just remember Kayla, Evan and Jace got out! And so did Zack." Lee reminded her.
"I never believed it when Lydecker told us they were dead." Andy added. "I always knew that they'd gotten out."
A TAC leader entered, "Lights out!" And then left immediately.
Jason laid awake, listening to the others breathing. We'll save you Max, don't you worry.
~~**++**~~
to be continued