Chapter 11: Remembering with Rage

Cleburne's condition could be described as near fatal. The fatigue he felt, consumed his strength with every step he took. For more than five years, he hasn't slept nor had he ate a true meal in months. This was taken a toil on his mind and body since the nanos he had relied on were no more. He stumbled several times while he went down the long corridors. Every time he fell, more pain shot through his body. Finally, he couldn't go on any farther after the last time he fell. After he struggled to his feet this last time, he propped himself up against a door. The second his weight was put against the door, the door swung open, causing him to fall straight down onto his back.

When he struck against the floor, more pain went through his body. The pain he felt this time was too intense and he had to fight to keep from passing out. While the pain racked him to the core, an anger so intense which he had never felt over took him before he rolled over and crawled into the room he fell into.

In the next instant, he reached back and kicked the door, slamming it shut, cursing himself as he did in a struggling voice, "You damn fool!"

He fought to stand up, but he fell back down. While he fell, he accidentally flipped a switch that turned the lights and monitors on in the room. When Cleburne was struggling to get up a second time, he noticed he was in a room that had monitors all along every wall and a table and chair across from him. After he got up, he made his way to the chair and sat down in it. He sat there for a moment before he began to beat himself down with his own words.

"Look at me. I can't even make it to the stairs. Your pathetic, weak, stupid and a damn fool! What could you possibly do anyways if you caught up to Warwick," he said with anger.

After his statement, he slammed a fist against the table but he reached he back and held his side when he done this because pain shot up his rib cage.

The second his ribs started to hurt, he had a terrible cough and when he coughed, he tasted blood. Cleburne ripped off his mask and wiped the blood from his lips before he laid the mask down on the table. Afterwards, he noticed his reflection in one of the monitors.

A thought hit him, Its been a long time since I saw that face. The last time I saw you was when I had no scars nor any cuts on my head. You have changed so much since then.

He looked at the cut on his head, through blood matted hair that looked like it hadn't been combed in months, using the monitor as a mirror and while he looked at it, another cough hit him causing him to taste blood again. This time he didn't even bother to wipe the blood away while more pain went through his body. When he was coughing, he accidentally pressed a button under the table with his good knee.

On the monitors came up a saying, "Uploading in progress," which he noticed while he watched one of the monitors with half opened eyes.

After a few seconds, the monitors went blank and an imagine of a lab came up with a long table placed in the middle of the lab. Behind the long table stood thirteen men, all of which looked the same age. Cleburne realized who these men were after he studied them for a moment. He knew everyone one of them and at the end of the table stood a younger him before the experiment with his arms crossed before his chest and he looking at the floor.

He chuckled a little at his younger self while he thought, I haven't changed much since then.

After Cleburne stared at the monitor for a moment, it occurred to him while he looked around the room, where he was sitting at. He pushed the chair over to a switch by him and flipped it on. This caused all kinds of lights come on through the windows before him. It was the same room he was seeing on the monitors. He looked into the room for a second then back up to the monitors, in time to see a man in his late forties, with a white lab coat on, walking into view.

Cleburne stared at the man for a second before he realized who he thought the man was and Cleburne whispered, "Dad!?"

The man, who Cleburne believed was his father, turned and faced the camera and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, congressmen and generals. I am Mark Lawson. I have been appointed by all of you to be head of this project...the Orion Project. If this experiment is successful, then we will open a new door to countless military as well as medical applications. As you can see we have selected thirteen individuals of varies traits. This is for the testing of different people. We will first test the individuals endurance and strengths then go on to the first phase of the project."

Mark turned and walked up to the first man in the line and said, "William Cooper your name is no more until this is project is over. Your now only to be known as subject one or just one."

While Mark walked up to the next man, Cleburne searched around the table and room by pushing the chair around before he found the keyboard that worked the video and he thought when he heard one's name, Was he General Cooper's son?

When Mark began to speak to the next man, Cleburne fast forward it to right as Mark finished talking to the man before the younger Cleburne. Cleburne hit play on the keyboard while it sat in his lap and he watched the video, with hopeful anxiety, while Mark walked up to his younger self and said, "And last but not least. My son your name isn't yours anymore until this is over. You are to be called thirteen until then. Its an unlucky number, but I have always had luck with that number."

Cleburne stopped the video right after his father stopped speaking and left the screen.

In the next instant, Cleburne slammed his good hand against the table again and said, "That wasn't what I wanted you to say dad! What is my name!"

After Cleburne's fiery statement, he coughed again, causing more pain in his ribs. After he quit coughing, Cleburne continued the video again with a feeling of melancholy. The video started showing all thirteen men going through physical exertion. He began to feel a little less depressed when he remembered he was the only one out of the group to run twenty miles on the treadmill and still be able to continue the rest of the exercises.

Following the scenes of the men going through exercise, the monitors went blank and came back on showing the lab again. This time all the men were strapped into chairs with a strange green color vial hung above them and the liquid had a glow to it. After the camera panned by all the men, Cleburne heard his father explaining everything, out of view, that was going on, while every man including the younger Cleburne were injected with the substance in the vials.

In seconds, the men began to struggle and moan in pain. While the camera panned to show the look on Mark's face, which was of pure sadness, there could be wails heard from the men. The pain and moans grew louder, but moments later, they all fell silent as they all passed out one by one from the intense pain. He remembered the way pain felt.

It was pure hell, thought Cleburne while the monitors went blank again.

The next time the video showed something, it showed Mark in the room Cleburne was sitting in.

Mark nodded to the camera and said in a sober tone, "Its well into the fourth day of the Orion project. We already lost three subjects...two were found in their rooms dead. The cause of their deaths was a erupted heart and the third subject was found dead in his room dead by self hanging. We didn't foresee such drastic side effects caused by the nanos. Apparently the white blood cells are attacking the nanos, which is the cause for the subjects to feel extreme pain, and this is causing the body to build up pressure as well, which is the cause of the two subjects hearts to explode. We have ran blood test on all subjects dead or alive and the facts speak for themselves. As it stands right now...we very well might lose two more subjects before night fall," before the screens went blank again.

After a moment, the video came back on with Mark in the same room again before he said sadly, "Day fourteen of the project. There is only three subjects left...two of them won't survive to tomorrow. The other subjects that were alive ten days ago, have died from the same symptoms. A few, though, were found in their rooms turned inside out, as if their whole body exploded from the build up pressure. Another died from the hands of one my associates. The subject begged for mercy and death which my associate granted. He will, however, be going to jail for helping in the suicide-murder. The only subject still alive and seems the most resistant to the side effects is thirteen. I'm proud he has hung in there, which has dumbfounded me during the beginning nanos injections. He felt the same pain and had the same symptoms as the others, but after three days, his white blood cells and nanos started working together instead of fighting. I didn't know why until today. I discovered why after a blood sample turned up that was took the day this program started. Subject thirteen asked to volunteer for the experiment the day before the starting date of the program. He came storming into the house that day. I asked him what was the matter. He simply told me, 'She left.' I asked 'She?' He replied back with anger while saying 'Yes Sheila has, dad. Not even a goodbye. I don't understand it. We are or were in love I thought and even talked about getting married after our graduation.'"

Sheila? Shego? Is that why I remember you? Then its true you and I were in love, even close enough to talk about marriage, Cleburne wondered while he continued to watch the video.

" 'Well son it happens' I said 'don't worry about it,' he replied back, 'I won't but I never forget nor forgive her for doing this. Dad, I want to be in the program'. When he asked me that it shocked me, but he insisted to be involved. I couldn't stop him. He signed his name to the list before I could stop the names from going through. Thirteen, however, has now forgotten this Sheila girl because there is another side effect that risen. The nanos actually erase the subject's memory. It seems the nanos have developed a response to anything stressing Thirteen...even memories. So the key to the puzzle to why thirteen continues to survive is solved. Emotions is what kept him going, even now they do, but he doesn't know why he feels a certain why anymore. Anger drives him to continue to live even when he should have died earlier. I'm proud of you son."

With Mark's last words, Cleburne felt himself tearing up, but he could not understand why. He wiped the tears out of his eyes while he fast forward the video to see his father speaking again in the same room.

"Day 41. Thirteen is the only one left. He has pasted the first stage of phase one and continues to improve. The nanos have changed Thirteen beyond what we expected. He can now run 50 miles without stopping and can lift five times his weight. Phase two and three is next. These will involve tricking the nanos into creating varies equipment in Thirteen. There will be another injection to cause the nanos to response to direction. I have only one fear about this. As with phase one, we didn't know what the side effects will be until after the injections have occurred. I just hope Thirteen will continue to surprise us," Mark said while a tear ran down his cheek.

Cleburne fast forward the video again because he didn't want to see his father that way. He stopped the video at a point were his father appeared again in the room.

Behind Mark, Cleburne saw things flying around in the lab.

Mark said after watching this himself, "As I thought there were side effects. None of us are brave enough to enter the lab at this time. The anger that was driving Thirteen to live has turned into a full rage. The nanos have successfully created the varies equipment in Thirteen. The suit he is now wearing all the time is completely invincible to all be the most harden projectiles. It was developed by the military for future purposes. They said it was a titanium composite that we even don't know what it consist of. After 24 hours, the rage will subside, while the pain he is feeling lessens. Then we will bring him back to his room. Hopefully this outburst is the last one of this stage of the project because within the week we will take Thirteen through another phase of development. This will pertain to some kind of self surviving nanos that will keep him alive beyond even the oldest living person. The researchers of this phase told me to expect one of two side effects, which will be if the nanos don't act the way they suppose to then Thirteen could very well starve to death...the other is the nanos would over react and build Thirteen's body fat beyond human tolerance, causing Thirteen to bloat and eventually explode,"

After Mark stopped speaking, he let out a sigh and turned to watch the younger Cleburne trashing the lab. Cleburne begin to remember how much his father cared about him and he wonder where was his father at now. The next time on the video, Cleburne got his answer.

Mark said in the sadness voice Cleburne ever heard his father speak in, "I should have never let him in here. Its all my fault. The fourth stage was nearly a failure. Thirteen's nanos didn't react the way we wanted them to for nearly four weeks. Thirteen is beyond starving to death. He should have died a week ago, but his emotions continue to let him live. I always knew he wasn't a quitter, but I still don't know why he wants to live. He's just skin and bones now. He doesn't even know where he is. Finally, today the nanos are responding the way we want them to. We don't know why they have. There is plans to start the fifth phase in a month which will solve the problem of the nanos not being protected from an EMP charge as well as adding replication nanos. These nanos will recreate any other nanos that shorts out or is damaged. The only side effect we believe will happen is there be no way to ever remove the nanos from Thirteen's blood stream without draining all of his blood out of his body. So...once he is injected with the vial he forever, until his death, be what he is now. The other researchers have placed the vial of nanos in the lab, but the new phase I can't go through with. I have hurt my son too much. May he forgive me. That is if he ever remember who I am. I'm so sorry Merrick, someday please forgive me."

The second Cleburne heard his father say Merrick, he sat up straight in the seat and he began to have a terrible headache. While the pain of the headache increased, the memory block that kept his mind locked up cracked then shattered and every memory in his life rushed back into his mind.

"I...I'm...Merrick...Merrick Lawson. Thank you dad, that one word makes up for everything," whispered Merrick while he looked back up to the monitor to see his father about to get up when an explosion occurred in the lab.

While Merrick watched the video, he saw a black figure in the back ground run by.

What was that, Merrick thought, who rewind the video and watch it again. The figure he knew for it was Warwick.

So it was you who caused the accident, I... Merrick thought, but he stopped thinking when he heard his father scream, "Merrick!" on the video.

Mark jumped to his feet and went into the lab, only to disappear in a secondary explosion.

"No! That is it! I have had enough," Merrick screamed at the sight of his father being vaporized

While rage engulfed Merrick beyond he very felt, he thought, There's only one option now. I have to find that vial. I got too many scores to settle now. Warwick you killed my father, caused me to kill Shelly, beaten me to near death, and now you think your going to have your way with Sheila. Just wait. I have a promise to keep to Shelly.

He stood straight up even on a bad leg and started toward the door leading into the lab. The pain shot through him, but now his rage was fueling his will. He entered the lab and went over to several lockers. He opened everyone of them until he finally found a case that he thought held the vial. He opened the case and looked inside the case. He saw that there was a vial in it that was glowing a strange fiery red color. He sat the case on a lab table and he started looking all over the lab for a syringe. He found one and filled it up with the red liquid. While he held the needle in one hand, Merrick undid his vest and jacket, letting them fall to the floor, leaving only his black t-shirt on.

After Merrick unclothed himself, he stood there looking at the red liquid in his hand and he thought, I always wanted to be normal. I never have been. If this is normal, I realize I hate it. What good are you normal when you can't help the people you care about it?

In the next instants, he turned the needle so it pointed up to his chest; he took a deep breathe, and rammed the needle between his ribs piercing his heart. He pushed the red liquid into his heart. While the liquid started coursing through his veins, he pulled the needle out and dropped the syringe down on the floor. He looked around for a second while nothing happened. In the next moment, the most intense pain he ever felt raced threw his body, even his first injection of nanos didn't compare to what he felt now. He fell down to his knees and started screaming at the top of his lungs. He fell on his back while the pain coursed through him and he thrashed out and kicked in every direction.

He could no longer could scream while the pain grew with strength. He realized something while the pain was starting to make him pass out. He was holding his head with both of his hands. He rolled around on the floor for a few more seconds then he went still. His eyes had a red glow to them and in seconds, the pain subsided. He blinked and his eyes were back to their normal pale blue.

He sat up, looked around, and whispered at first, "Never again" before he stood up and he said in a louder voice while he started to stand, "Never again."

After the repeat of his words, he stood back up straight and his wrath returned.

Merrick screamed through clenched teeth while his muscles tensed up, "Never again, Warwick!"

He took a deep breathe and took off running through the room with monitors, knocking the door off the hinges, that caused him to fall, and clear across the hall before he ran up the hall toward Warwick and Shego.

All along the way he thought, Hold on, Sheila, I'm coming, while his rage became to the point were he would lash out at the next thing that moved.

A poor soldier felt that fury while Merrick ran up toward the stairs. The soldier fired at him, only to cause Merrick's suit to activate. The soldier dropped his gun at the sight of this and started to run away, but Merrick was right behind him. When Merrick got to him, he grabbed the man by the back of the neck and threw him through a wall at the stairs, while Merrick continued running.

When he got to the stairs, Merrick screamed out, "Warwick," while he started up the stairs and turned off his suit.