Chapter Two

We were sitting in what seemed to be the main room of the compound, Biggs was still in recovery with a parade of X-5 in and out transfusing their blood into him. He had come round once and muttered slightly and then passed out again. I had been introduced to a number of the other transgenics and been given food and a hot drink to build my strength back up.

"So what was your purpose at Manticore?" Alec and Max looked over at me there was a small gathering of transgenic working in the area, mainly repairing old electronics.

"I was trained for propaganda, reconnaissance and assassination."

"What do you mean by propaganda?" Max quizzed

"I was shown off as what Manticore could produce, it was also theorized that I could be used to control religious fanatics. Think about it, Manticore finds some nut job close to a person they want information on or taken out, I show up tell them it's God's, Allah's, whoever's will that they do this. They either succeed or they get caught and their reasoning is that an angel told them to do it. Who would believe them."

"So how do you fly, with your wing span, its only about six feet, that isn't enough to lift a person, who's what 5'5?" The desert transgenic who had been introduced as Mole looked me over critically.

"It wouldn't be enough to lift a normal human, which none of us are, they spliced my genes with birds not only to create the wings but also to make my bones hollow, bird bones. It made me light enough to fly."

"Manticore at work." Max muttered "So what's the down side?"

"Can't fight, not physically, I can shoot a gun but my bones break too easily for hand to hand combat. My weaponry has to be the lightest possible for me to carry it any distance."

"But you lifted Biggs out." Alec said

"I was running on adrenaline when I managed to lift Biggs out; also the buildings created a wind tunnel so I was able to use the updrafts to lift us out. Even so when I tried to fly back my wings gave out, which is why we ended up in the alley."

"Hair glows?" Joshua questioned.

"Manticore technology, it's not permanent, too showy and hard to hide. My hair was made to react to a phosphate. I pour the chemical on my hair and it causes a halo like glow for about three hours. Basically I was made to show off how advance the Manticore project really was, They had not only created humans, they had created an angel as well. Playing God."

"Hey guys, we got coverage." A transgenic on one of the landings called down. The television which had been running quietly had it's volume boosted.

"And covering the transgenic threat, we have a new development. Concerned citizens managed to capture and detain a transgenic attempting to escape capture." There were loud protest from everyone but quickly hushed so we could hear the rest of the broadcast. "What is described as an angel swept down and cut the rope holding the transgenic and carried him off, causing mass hysteria in the gathered crowd. More than ever we must have answers as to what was created at the Manticore labs."

"Biased bastards." Max cursed "Detaining him, they would have killed Biggs if they had another minute."

"Not much we can do about that until Eyes Only is back on the air." Alec stated

"Hey guys Biggs just woke up, Looks like he's gonna make it." Ray announced. It was met by a chorus of cheers. They may be under attack but they were going to fight this to the end.

"Right well. Best find you a place to crash. What's your name, by the way?" Max looked over at me.

"XH-021."

"Won't do."

"I doesn't suit her right Max." Alec smiled mockingly. "Max likes naming people."

"I so should of named you Dick." Alec just smiled in response. "So, not Angel, doesn't really work. What about Celeste?"

"Celeste?"

"Short for Celestial. Whatta ya think."

"I can live with that." I smiled I had found a place that I could call home, a place where I was accepted for who I was and what I could do.

"Celeste, welcome to Terminal City."