Wahoo! Don't worry, there's more coming soon!
Read On ~ DE
MAX
Be careful Max. If you get in trouble, we won't be able to mount a rescue party for a couple of days, so don't get caught.
Agent Miller
P.S. Next time, could you give us a little advance warning? Like more then 2 minutes?
That was the response that we got from the FBI. Fairly obvious, but I can't fault the guy for making sure we know what we were getting into.
BOOM!!!
And that would be the bomb. "Darn it Iggy, I thought that it would be quiet!"
"That was quiet! Come on Gazzer; let's show her the loud one."
"NO! What part of 'low profile' do you guys not understand?" I whisper/shouted. "Gazzy, put that away and let's get moving."
Thankfully everyone got the (subtle) hint and stayed quiet as we made our way inside the mill. Iggy's bomb had blown a hole in both the outer and inner walls, so we ended up in the standard, antisepticky-smelling corridors of Itex outposts almost immediately. We made it walked for about three minutes without any of us freaking out or meeting any workers/guards. Then we had a problem.
The hallway split in two.
I mad a snap decision. "Fang, you and Nudge go and look for a computer. If you see any experiments on the way, turn them loose and meet up with us later. We'll go the other way and perform our own jailbreak." I saw by the look in his eyes that he was about to argue. "Fang, Nudge can find and hack the computers with no problem, but I want you with her to provide backup. Angel can help us find any whitecoats that need to get their butt's kicked as well as the kidnapped kids." With that I let Nudge figure out which way led to the computer database using her empathic abilities and led Iggy, Gazzy, Angel, and Total down the opposite path.
Five minutes of walking later, we had found no sign of any human, robot, or mutant presence anywhere. We knew there had to be people here, we just couldn't find them! Time to check on the Nudge Channel and Tall, Dark, and Handsome. Angel, can you get anything from the others?
Hang on. Two aggravating seconds later, Fang says that they found the terminal for the MCP. I'm also starting to "hear" some voices up ahead, but they don't seem normal.
Thanks hon. I looked at the door that the hallway ended in front of. In big bold letters it read: "Testing Terrarium." Well, what do you know…
Fang, Max wants to know how you two are doing. She is also thinking other stuff about you.
Fang looked up in surprise at hearing Angel's voice in his head. He quickly briefed Angel on what they were doing and then when back to concentrating on being invisible, trying not to distract himself by wondering what else Max had been thinking. He had found that if he actually tried to disappear rather then just letting himself blend in with the shadows, he could stay invisible even while moving or standing in direct sunlight. If he diverted his attention to try and attack something, he would become visible until he regained his concentration. He was getting better though, and thought that he would be able to master his power soon.
While Fang practiced his ability, Nudge was using her empathic power to hack into every file that Itex had in their databank. All of the boring stuff went into a USB drive that Fang had brought along, while more interesting articles went into a different one. As she went to select a file, she felt that the computer's last user had spent an extremely long time looking at it. Nudge called Fang over and together watched as she opened the folder.
Inside was a huge supply of other folders, and Nudge opened the first one that made sense to her: Summery
Project: DSB
To create a well balanced fighting force combining genetics from various species and the latest in human-machine integration.
Nudge moved to another file titled Status Reports
Subject N-35: Surnia ulula
Subject N-36: Dasypus novemcinctus
Subject N-37: Gulo gulo
Subject N-38: Chrysops callidus
Subject N-39: Ursus americanus
Subject N-40: Puma concolor
Subject N-41: Falco columbarius
Curious, Nudge opened two of the reports.
Subject N-37: Gulo gulo
Subject has responded well to changes resulting from the splicing of wolverine DNA into its own. Additional Notes: There are times when N-37 becomes irrational and extremely vicious.
Subject N-41: Falco columbarius
Responded poorly to initial treatments, likely due to large differences between merlin and human DNA patterns. After five months the subject was ready for the final injection and the biomechanical augments.
Fang looked at Nudge, whose face reflected the horror he too felt. The School had never stopped making new hybrids, and now they had created seven new monsters. Fang transferred all the data to the USB's and logged off. They had to tell Max what the computer said.
Subjects N-35 to N-41 ready for combat and are cleared to begin their mission.
Mission Parameters: The destruction of a group of six human-avian hybrids.
