I picked up the stupid manila folder that symbolized everything I had been trying to run away from. Jeb, the Flock, Itex, and just saving the idiotic world that couldn't save itself.
Why did they need me? Because I was an avian hybrid? No. It was because I knew Itex. I had grown up in its School, and it was just for dramatic irony that I had to be the one.
Ooh, that sounds sinister. The One.
I opened the folder and a picture of a woman that looked like me was papercliped to the top. She had short blond hair, her eyes were a little bit darker than mine, thinner lips, and no scar, but she could be my twin. Itex must have gotten some of my genes from her parents.
I read the little paragraph they had on her. She used to be a defense contractor for the grand U. S. A. but Itex offered her a lot of money. A lot. Hmm, so she turned against the president and her country for 8,000,000,000 dollars. Money can buy everything.
So apparently she was being held here for the time it takes to complete my "mission". Collecting intelligence would be a boring mission, but oh well. I was going to impersonate her since she had a meeting with the big bad director herself. More guns for Itex!
The air moved behind me as I read. I was standing in an abandoned hallway, reading with the first lights of dawn peeking through the cracks. Someone had wrecked havoc on this wing, Ren had told me. A saved experiment gone crazy. He wouldn't answer when Nohemi asked what happened to him. She didn't have to if she knew its gender, but never question a mind reader/manipulator.
"Hi Marcus."
Marcus materialized behind me.
"How did you know it was me?" He grinned.
I never looked up from the packet. Jeb had finally given me the blueprints for Itex's upper and lower levels. 'He couldn't get the basement' the scrawl read.
Marcus shifted.
"You can make yourself invisible, walk without any sound, but you can't erase your smell." My lips quirked.
Marcus raised his right arm and took a whiff of his armpit.
"I don't smell anything." Marcus said astounded.
I chuckled. Men.
"Everyone smells like something, smart one. I can smell you 'cause the scientists at the School were elated at having a guinea pig." I looked over my shoulder and grinned at Marcus. "But don't worry. You don't smell bad."
He smelled pretty good actually. Kind of musky with a trace of…
I mentally smacked myself. No. Bad Max. Marcus friend. FRIEND.
I jerked my head towards the packet and continued reading. I was supposed to have someone come with me as my assistant. Jed wrote, "They have to be male".
I knew he would prefer Fang. I preferred Marcus. But I would say my assistant is sick. I did not need anyone to come with me. I could take care of myself.
Surprisingly, Jeb didn't know that by now.
There would also be three teams of two to be stationed around the Itex building. Compound is more like it. Heat sensors, x-rays that could penetrate metal to see inside a car, armed guards, and motion detectors were just at the entry points. Things were much worse around the fence.
Marcus leaned over me, and I could feel his breath on my neck. I flinched, and nonchalantly started to walk away.
"Hey! Where are you going?" He yelled after me.
"To talk to Jeb." I yelled back.