Donald Lydecker looked around the cold concrete walls of the barracks where X-6 once called their home. It gave him a cold feeling that they were out there somewhere. Facing dangers that normal men and women would cower in fear from. He sat on one of the beds and stared up at the ceiling thinking about how for eighteen years his kids would look up at night and see no hope but just the dark rafters of the ceiling.
He wasn't entirely remorseful for what happened. He was a soldier and as such he followed orders but over the years his kids had begun to impress him more and more. To say he was proud of them was an understatement. He even grew with pride every time one of the X-5 escaped his grasp. For some reason they yearned for freedom even though they knew that this was where they belonged. Manticore was their home.
With a sigh he lifted himself up and visions of the past flooded through him. They abruptly ended with the vision of Madame X. He cringed at the thought of her and what she was making him do. He wanted them home more than anyone but he didn't want them brought home in body bags no matter what the risk of their exposure to the outside world was.
Caine had already checked in that two of the X-5 had already been captured and that the X-6 were now in Seattle. Lydecker smiled at the thought that Jacen was trying to prove his worth by bringing them in alive. Even in trying to prove himself he was furthering Lydecker's will. Soon Max and Zack would be locked up with Syl and Zane and Lydecker would take that moment to check in on them. He knew they would finish their goals with no problem but Lydecker wanted to be in Seattle to see Max and Zack as they were chained to the wall with their fellow brothers and sisters.
Lydecker didn't think of himself as cold-hearted but he would give anything to have his children back. With Brin now back at Manticore it was a reminder at how much they meant to him. Shaking his head and stretching, Lydecker looked at his watch and realized how late it was. He started to make his way to the door when on the floor below the light switch he saw what looked to be a small arrow carved in the ground.
Puzzled, he kneeled down to examine it and looked off in the direction it pointed. He soon found another arrow and others followed as they lead him to underneath the third bed from the right. Pushing it aside Lydecker pulled out a pen light and looked for whatever the arrows were leading to. With a jump he quickly pushed the bed over and rushed out of the room towards his office.
On the ground, underneath Jacen's bed, were a brief few words carved into the ground: "No walls or barriers will hold me. No rules or laws will stop me. No words or blows will hurt me. Nothing can hurt me. Nothing can stop me now. Freedom is but a state of mind and soon my body and mind will be one."
He wasn't entirely remorseful for what happened. He was a soldier and as such he followed orders but over the years his kids had begun to impress him more and more. To say he was proud of them was an understatement. He even grew with pride every time one of the X-5 escaped his grasp. For some reason they yearned for freedom even though they knew that this was where they belonged. Manticore was their home.
With a sigh he lifted himself up and visions of the past flooded through him. They abruptly ended with the vision of Madame X. He cringed at the thought of her and what she was making him do. He wanted them home more than anyone but he didn't want them brought home in body bags no matter what the risk of their exposure to the outside world was.
Caine had already checked in that two of the X-5 had already been captured and that the X-6 were now in Seattle. Lydecker smiled at the thought that Jacen was trying to prove his worth by bringing them in alive. Even in trying to prove himself he was furthering Lydecker's will. Soon Max and Zack would be locked up with Syl and Zane and Lydecker would take that moment to check in on them. He knew they would finish their goals with no problem but Lydecker wanted to be in Seattle to see Max and Zack as they were chained to the wall with their fellow brothers and sisters.
Lydecker didn't think of himself as cold-hearted but he would give anything to have his children back. With Brin now back at Manticore it was a reminder at how much they meant to him. Shaking his head and stretching, Lydecker looked at his watch and realized how late it was. He started to make his way to the door when on the floor below the light switch he saw what looked to be a small arrow carved in the ground.
Puzzled, he kneeled down to examine it and looked off in the direction it pointed. He soon found another arrow and others followed as they lead him to underneath the third bed from the right. Pushing it aside Lydecker pulled out a pen light and looked for whatever the arrows were leading to. With a jump he quickly pushed the bed over and rushed out of the room towards his office.
On the ground, underneath Jacen's bed, were a brief few words carved into the ground: "No walls or barriers will hold me. No rules or laws will stop me. No words or blows will hurt me. Nothing can hurt me. Nothing can stop me now. Freedom is but a state of mind and soon my body and mind will be one."
