Don't get caught. Vincent, my warden or handler, as they call our 'mentors', tells me that the targets deserve their ends. They are 'disloyal, disgraceful, foolish' that they have betrayed us in one way or another. Deserve death because they were stupid enough to do these things and be found out. There is no room for traitors here especially ones who are terrible at hiding. It's drilled into us from the beginning, betray and it will be your last regret. Get caught and you are as good as dead either way. There's no place for failure. These are just the house rules.
It makes sense. If you are captured you are useless and you deserve your fate. Be captured and you might as well not come back. And failure, disobedience, or mistakes, forget it. For those too valuable there is a fate much worse than being an outcast. Anyone who has been here for more than a year has seen them. Those who come back from 'the cage', as we call it. People go in and shells come out, obedient, and quiet. If the cage isn't enough for them, the next step is being a lab rat. Only one person has survived experimenting, though she's not all there. Everyone else who has been a test subject, either died from the chemicals or went insane and were killed one way or another.
I broke the rules. I got caught, but I survived.
It happened on our 8th mission, we had just been assigned 4 targets. Killing the first two was quick and easy. But life's never easy. Someone set off an alarm. We've been found out. I thought as shots rang out. 2 bullets found their targets, one in my leg, another in my shoulder. Taking off in a sprint (a very shaky and faltering one), and reaching the quinjet I turned to Stephen, my best friend and brother in anything but blood. He was limping as well, but there was no time to check his injuries as soldiers flooded out of the exits.
Stephen and I had scrambled into the jet hoping to temporarily avoid death. It was a 30 minute fly that stretched longer with our silence. "We're screwed", I said, breaking the tension. "Yup" was the only thing I got in response. Minutes later we arrived back at the base we lived in, before getting off the jet we hugged each other. A silent promise, that everything we do, just like failing this mission, and soon going to the cage, we do together.
…
…
...
It was our handler himself who threw us in the cage. What looked like two tables with several restraints on each were lined up next to each other in the back of the room. A cement walled dark room that became too dark to see in when the door closed unless lit by the sole lightbulb embedded in the ceiling. He looked all too proud to do it too. Vincent never liked me, I never knew why though. He always stamped out my happiness whenever it showed on my face. Even going as far as mentioning the death of my parents. "It's your fault your parents died, they deserted because of you. You gave them something to be afraid of, and it cost them their lives. We lost 2 perfectly good operatives and all we got back was you." Stephen was the perfect one, he was found on the street and raised and "perfected" by the cruel man. A sad shake of the head after glancing back was the only acknowledgement Vincent gave to their past though. I took in the dried blood and scratches around the room as the door closed, bathing us in darkness. I stiffened and Stephen squeezed my hand. "Together?" he asked, "Together" I said.
An hour later, the punishment began.
The light turned on, startling me into awareness. Two men came in wearing black from head to toe, and faces covered as well, hauling us on to the tables and fastening restraints. A third one rolled in a cart full of weapons and tools and left again. "Golden boy and the murderous orphan, the inseparable tag team, never thought you two would end up in here." Man One began as the other sorted through the tools. "Looks like Harold picked some fun ones for you today", Man One said. "Come pick one out Seth," called Harold. Harold appeared next to me with a cruel grin and a hammer, while Seth walked up to Stephen with a knife. Sharing a grin the men started at the same time. I clenched my and struggled to stay quiet as Harold slammed the hammer down again and again, breaking each finger and moving to the rest of my hand. Stephen screamed as Seth started carving into him. Blood trickled down the sides of his table. My tear filled eyes met his, a silent reaffirmation of our promise. Together. I held on to my tiny piece of hope as the crunch of bone continued.
…
They left for a while and came back with more weapons. The toture seemed to last an eternity. And they left again.
…
It went on like this for days.
…
After what I assume was about 2 month from my counting and switching between weapons several times, Seth and Harold got bored. "It's no fun if they don't scream", stated Seth. "They should be begging for forgiveness by now", said Harold. "Maybe some needless will get us results", Seth replied. Fear flashed in Stephen's eyes making the faces of our abusers split into twin grins. My table jolted as they rolled us to the lab for the scientists to begin their experimenting. Stephen locked eyes with me like we had done countless times before. Together.
…
Needles, needles, needles. Again and again. Stabbed, inject, another stab for a sample.
…
After a while I stopped feeling it. Numb to everything except Stephen. Together. We remind each other. Together.
…
They let us out today. We haven't seen the sun in a while, and they gave us a few days before we continue training. I stare at the wall of my quarters, wondering how Stephen is doing. Looking for something to do, I go into the vents and make my way to his room. After a couple turns and some whispering he joins me. We continue our journey through the vents until we reach the area with our contraband. Some snacks we've collected along with two pillows and blankets are tucked into a corner. I dig through the pile and unearth a laptop we fixed a couple of years ago. Victor was going to get rid of it because it wasn't working, but what he didn't know was that we had taken out the battery and put it back together as a prank. We stole the laptop before it found its way to the trash and have been using the device ever since.
I pull out some headphones (I bought them on one of our missions) and we curl up in a blanket as Stephen picks something to watch. Neither of us is really paying attention. Neither of us is really okay. But we're together.
...
...
...
There's something weird going on, and I think Stephen's noticed too. There was a fire today, I don't even know how it started, probably one of the new recruits. Stephen and I went to help, but as soon as we walked near the room, the flames just went out. extinguished. Like they were never there in the first place. The next day during training, when Vincent was insulting me, as usual, he threw his sunglasses down. They started to melt, right there on the floor. Soon there was only a puddle of melted plastic and what looked to be burn marks on my Handler's face. He mumbled something scientists spilling chemicals in the lab and speed walked away. I was tired after that for some reason, and went back to my room.
...
...
...
The lightbulb in the (mess hall I guess, it's where we all eat) went out today. Stephen was complaining about its annoying buzzing and then it just popped. That made me laugh a little. Well until all the other lights broke and people were sending angry glares at us. I got in trouble for it and was stuck on cleaning duty. Worth it.
…
…
...
A little while later we are sent on our first mission since the pit. It's on the other side of the planet. Once again it was relatively easy, no one ever suspects the "rich kids fooling around". It was a little slower than usual though since we're a bit rusty. I honestly don't care about this stuff anymore. But I will do what my brother does and really there's nothing for me anywhere else. The first part of the mission is complete. We venture back to our hotel room and get ready for the next target. All these rich idiots together in one room. Especially the traitors who are dumb enough to be in the same place when they have common enemies. Basically inviting us to pick them off one by one.
…
…
…
As we made our way back to New York the pilot said we would have to jump out. We couldn't see why until we saw the swarms of what appeared to be aliens. They were everywhere. "I've always wanted to jump without a parachute. Haven't you brother?" I said. "Let's go for a dive." he replied, as we linked arms and jumped out. Landing in a smooth tuck and roll on a nearby building I had wondered what possibly could have happened while we were gone for all of this to start. I found a fire escape and called for Stephen to join me. A shield flew by at what seemed to be lightning speed, a lifeless alien rams into Stephen and I. He loses his grip on the railing, but I grab him as I quicken our descent.
Bullets, arrows, that ugly shield, energy from a flying red tincan, green fists, and. A hammer? With a cosplayer attached? Flying through New York. The whole area is full of chaos and it's hard to dodge, but I'd rather be back at the base on time. A few floors from a jump able layer of the fire escape, I am jolted out of my thoughts by several more aliens flying towards us. The blonde cosplayer takes off flying while someone shooting arrows and a woman with a gun runs off as well. I finally realize why they were running as something explodes next us. We fall through the window and crashdown to the bottom floor (on the inside) of the building.
The ceiling is crumbling as the battle continues to rage on outside. I get up dust myself off, and without looking, extend a hand to Stephen. "It seems we fall a lot these days. Right brother?", I mused. To that I received no reply, and he still hadn't taken my hand. Looking down I saw my whole world shatter. Stephen, my only friend, my otherJo half, my brother, laid there taking shallow rasping breaths. Metal, glass, and concrete on his chest. "Calliste." He calls. Then looked up at me and with a broken laugh and spluttering cough he uttered his last words, "Sister, I guess I broke our promise." The light left his eyes and I kneeled there in the pool of his blood.
Empty. Anger and bitterness flooded my heart, washing over me like a wave. I scrambled for something, anything and I felt myself fill with something. Loud enough to echo through the building, I sobbed. The building exploded. Running in an attempt to not be crushed by the upper floors, I left. As I looked to the sky I saw the flying red tin can man (Iron Man or whatever, he's a tin can), he was carrying a bomb.
There was death everywhere. Despite being a trained assassin, I gagged. Not only disgusted by this massacre, but with myself for being weak. I'm done. Just done with all of this.
…
…
…
Back at the base, I turned in my mission report. Few questioned where Stephen was but Vincent who was only upset because of the time he "wasted, training a useless brat". I snapped. Lunging at Vincent I pulled a knife out of my belt. As we stopped rolling it was digging into his throat. "Don't ever talk about my brother. You didn't deserve to even be near him. You should have died instead." I growled punching him with one fist and still holding the knife with the other. Someone came up behind me and hauled me up. "You're just as weak as he was." Vincent claimed, snickering. I saw red. Pulling myself from the grip of my captor, I stab my handler. He'll have to wear an eye patch for the rest of his days. And missing a piece of my soul I lost another bit of my sanity.
…
...
…
They took me to the cage to see if I'd learn my lesson. I laughed when the tortured me.
They kept trying.
For a month. And it didn't work.
…
I cackled when they stabbed me with more needles. Not even a flinch, just laughter.
…
…
…
A new room. They said the things here had only been used with one other person. I think I got electrocuted, but I couldn't really be sure.
My brain was mush. Besides some my sanity's already gone. What's a little more?
…
…
…
I didn't know how long it had been since Stephen died, I thought, slowly reaching consciousness. The haze finally left my mind, I opened my eyes to find a man staring at me. He's probably here to help with more torture, I had considered at the time. The man started speaking in Russian and the haze came back.
"Anger.
Blazing.
Vent.
Midnight.
23.
Vengeful.
Nine.
Roost.
Two.
Rubble."
A pause.
"Soldier?"
"Catalyst, ready to comply."