Chapter 10

Jedikiah had called in on the Founder to discuss John before making any decisions on his punishment. With most recruits, Jedikiah had the authority to make punitive decisions, but with John he knew getting it wrong could cost him his job, or worse, his life.

"Insubordinate behaviour will not be tolerated, however under the circumstances, I think this needs to be handled carefully. If we are going to continue trying to make him more powerful, it might be best to get him onside, to make sure he isn't a threat to Ultra."

"What are you suggesting Jedikiah?" The Founder asked, intrigued.

"The same method we used to train him and the others as a child, re-education. We will punish him, break him, make sure he feels alone, and then I'll be there to put the pieces back together, to help him see Ultra in a new light. As you know sir, desperate people are easy to manipulate."

"Very well, Jedikiah. I want John working with Ultra, do whatever you need." The Founder lowered his voice, speaking calmly. "But if you fail Jedikiah, and the boy rebels, on your head be it. Over the years, I have used a lot of resources to make that boy perfect and they will not be wasted. It was very embarrassing when you let him get away the first time, I will not be pleased if you let him run away twice."

"Yes sir." Jedikiah nodded, exiting the room.

TTP

When Jedikiah returned to John's cell, two human agents and Sam followed him in. John was still handcuffed to the bed in a rather uncomfortable position, the way Jedikiah had left him two hours ago. The time alone had just made John more angry, he thought about what Ultra had done to him, to the other TP recruits, to Cara… It made his blood boil.

As Jedikiah entered, John tilted his head, his jaw set defiantly. He sent a hateful glare in the man's direction. The human agents undid his handcuffs, one of them hauled John off the bed, pulling his hand behind his back and forcing him to face Jedikiah. John, who had lost all sense of self-preservation at this point, smiled brilliantly, hate still consuming him, a malicious sparkle in his eye.

Jedikiah had never seen John so angry, so hateful, his punishment was definitely needed, to remind John who was in control and where his loyalties lay.

"Clearly you don't regret your little temper tantrum earlier."

"Punishing me for violence, with violence? Cause that's not hypocritical at all." Jedikiah just shrugged.

"A soldier doesn't point a gun at his commander, John. Any violence from you towards any Ultra superiors is mutinous. Mutinous acts will not be tolerated." He signalled for Sam to come over, she stood at his side awaiting the command to begin. "Besides you've only ever learned through violence John, other punishments don't work."

"I'm not your soldier anymore, I'm not on your side." John replied coldly.

Jedikiah indicated for Sam to begin. She had clearly been waiting for this a long time, because when she started hitting she didn't hold back. She aimed a few blows at his gut, winding him before starting on his face. She punched hard, sometimes causing both John and the human restraining him to stumble backwards.

She paused for a moment, allowing John to catch his breath, instead he took the opportunity to defiantly spit at Jedikiah. He stared up at him, gritting his blood stained teeth.

Sam telekinetically slammed John into the wall. He felt her slowly push a wall of pressure onto him, crushing him, rendering him unable to breath. Sam was dragging it out, inching the pressure forward, allowing claustrophobia to consume John before releasing it. She brought him closer to her, before slamming him back into the cell wall with greater pressure, causing John to cry out in pain. Smiling to herself, Sam repeated this process a few times before Jedikiah indicated for Sam to stop.

Jedikiah stepped over to a concussed John, roughly grabbing his chin, forcing him to look Jedikiah right in the eye.

"Pretty soon, you will be my little soldier. Obeying every order and command."

TTP

As they exited, Jedikiah spoke to the guards.

"This room is quarantined. It is off limits to all people for the next 4 weeks. Food will be delivered while he is asleep. He will see no one, till I can be sure that all traces of mutiny are out of his head."

Jedikiah walked away. He was sure his plan would work. It always did. At Ultra, the thing John had craved above all was friendship and human companionship. Removing all human contact from his life would break him, hell, it would break anyone. Jedikiah always found the recruits a lot more agreeable after a stint in isolation. A few weeks alone and the kid will probably be begging to join Ultra, just so he could talk to people, he thought.

TTP

Since arriving at Ultra, Cara had not been given a chance to shower at all. Blood now matted he hair and covered her clothes, her clothes reeked of sweat and it was all starting to take its toll on her. She missed John and the others and her bed, she missed having freedom to do what she wanted and to use her powers. John had always told her that she wasn't like him, that she was a civilian and not a soldier and Cara had always refuted this, saying she was strong, she said that she was a soldier and she could fight Ultra. But Cara was beginning to see that John was right. She couldn't hack this life.

The Founder entered Cara's cell, he looked down at the girl curled up trembling in the corner with disgust. This girl, this weak girl was who John had chosen, he had dismissed all training and life experience that told him alone was safer, to be with this pathetic girl. He sat on her cot, watching her cruelly, her eyes were wide with fear.

"Why would he pick you?" The Founder wondered aloud.

Because I love him, and he loves me. It just happened it wasn't a choice. The Founder heard her as she thought this, she was too afraid to talk, but he could still get answers from her.

"Why are you so interested in him?" Cara asked, suddenly feeling brave. "You wouldn't be here if you just wanted to train him, your trying to understand him. I don't understand."

"I don't imagine there's a lot you do understand, Miss Coburn." The Founder replied. He was silent for a moment. There was no harm in explaining this to the girl, John would only see her from now on if she was being tortured and she was probably going to be killed soon anyway. Besides that, a cruel part of the Founder, wanted Cara to know what John was.

"He's my son, Miss Coburn." His eyes lit with amusement. "The boy you're in love with, whom you naively think will rescue you, is mine."

Dun Dun Duuun! Predictable plot twist has been revealed. Please review and thanks for reading.