Anomaly:
The first signs of a real problem came one sunny afternoon in April. The X2s were but 6 years old. They were on a conditioning run around the property, following the perimeter fence, when they spotted an X1 returning from a mission. The prototype generations were not allowed to interact, but they knew of each other's existence. Apparently, the X2 generation didn't like the competition.
For some unexplainable reason, the group psychology of the X2s said "attack!" And attack they did. If it hadn't have been for the TAC leaders and the many guards with stun guns that X1 would surely have been killed. Even so, he was badly injured.
Lydecker ripped into the group -- the fiercest lecture I'd ever heard, and I wasn't known for being soft either. You could feel his yells shake the walls. I was put in charge of re-grouping guard teams and organizing the labor forces, so I often passed through the hallway leading to sector 7 -- Lydecker's voice echoed in the halls for days after. But later, he confided in me that, through all his screams, the X2s had seemed like they weren't even listening.
The within the next few days, the group attacked one of the guards assigned to watch them. They killed him before anyone even had a chance to react. Chaos started to show its ugly head in the halls of Manticore. People were scared, scared because they didn't understand what was going on.
Two of the X2s were found by Lydecker, wandering the halls. They tried to attack him and take his gun; he was forced to shoot both of them down. I came up on him right afterwards, he was shaking -- it obviously pained him to have to shoot down his own kids, his accomplishments. I just figured he was lucky there'd only been two. Lucky he was still there to feel pain.
"They were showing signs of mild psychosis, but now its seems they've imploded." Lydecker said into the phone the next morning.
"I don't know why, we're trying to figure that out," he continued,
"Right, yes. No, I understand. I will execute the order." He hung up, looking downfallen. He glanced up at me -- I was there to get some release signatures for maintenance work.
"Jones, have four padded cells, capable to locking up anything, built in the basement." There were many cells in the basement, even I was slightly nervous of the damn shadows that seemed to lurk in the corners down there.
"Yes sir." I said, a bit shaky. I got my signatures and walked off to see to my job.
The cells were ready in a week. My crews had converted old storage rooms from the original structure of the building into thickly padded cells. These cells were bigger and better built then the others down there. The thick concrete would soak up any yells or screams, and the heavy metal doors would keep anything inside. Anything. By the time these cells were ready, the X2s had tried to kill four more guards, a TAC leader, and a doctor.
"I want the oldest, the youngest, the one with the worst psychosis, and the one with the most normal psychology," was Lydecker's order. The whole X2 generation stood at attention just inside the doors to Block 12, all were heavily sedated and looking dazed.
Five TAC leaders went into block 12 and removed those four prototypes. The oldest, X2-723, glanced up at me, his glaring, almond shaped, yellow eyes sparkled despite the drugs. I shuddered. They were roughly hauled off to the basement and locked into the padded cells. Lydecker held onto the keys.
That same night, while the 7-year-old X2s were sleeping (sleeping soundly at that, having been feed another dose of sedative at supper) the 10-year-old X1s were marched silently in. Each X2 got a bullet in the head. It was done. A vision of their souls flying over the perimeter fence to meet the yellow-eyed legend formed in my mind.
"They were an anomaly..." Lydecker's voice trailed sadly off.
The first signs of a real problem came one sunny afternoon in April. The X2s were but 6 years old. They were on a conditioning run around the property, following the perimeter fence, when they spotted an X1 returning from a mission. The prototype generations were not allowed to interact, but they knew of each other's existence. Apparently, the X2 generation didn't like the competition.
For some unexplainable reason, the group psychology of the X2s said "attack!" And attack they did. If it hadn't have been for the TAC leaders and the many guards with stun guns that X1 would surely have been killed. Even so, he was badly injured.
Lydecker ripped into the group -- the fiercest lecture I'd ever heard, and I wasn't known for being soft either. You could feel his yells shake the walls. I was put in charge of re-grouping guard teams and organizing the labor forces, so I often passed through the hallway leading to sector 7 -- Lydecker's voice echoed in the halls for days after. But later, he confided in me that, through all his screams, the X2s had seemed like they weren't even listening.
The within the next few days, the group attacked one of the guards assigned to watch them. They killed him before anyone even had a chance to react. Chaos started to show its ugly head in the halls of Manticore. People were scared, scared because they didn't understand what was going on.
Two of the X2s were found by Lydecker, wandering the halls. They tried to attack him and take his gun; he was forced to shoot both of them down. I came up on him right afterwards, he was shaking -- it obviously pained him to have to shoot down his own kids, his accomplishments. I just figured he was lucky there'd only been two. Lucky he was still there to feel pain.
"They were showing signs of mild psychosis, but now its seems they've imploded." Lydecker said into the phone the next morning.
"I don't know why, we're trying to figure that out," he continued,
"Right, yes. No, I understand. I will execute the order." He hung up, looking downfallen. He glanced up at me -- I was there to get some release signatures for maintenance work.
"Jones, have four padded cells, capable to locking up anything, built in the basement." There were many cells in the basement, even I was slightly nervous of the damn shadows that seemed to lurk in the corners down there.
"Yes sir." I said, a bit shaky. I got my signatures and walked off to see to my job.
The cells were ready in a week. My crews had converted old storage rooms from the original structure of the building into thickly padded cells. These cells were bigger and better built then the others down there. The thick concrete would soak up any yells or screams, and the heavy metal doors would keep anything inside. Anything. By the time these cells were ready, the X2s had tried to kill four more guards, a TAC leader, and a doctor.
"I want the oldest, the youngest, the one with the worst psychosis, and the one with the most normal psychology," was Lydecker's order. The whole X2 generation stood at attention just inside the doors to Block 12, all were heavily sedated and looking dazed.
Five TAC leaders went into block 12 and removed those four prototypes. The oldest, X2-723, glanced up at me, his glaring, almond shaped, yellow eyes sparkled despite the drugs. I shuddered. They were roughly hauled off to the basement and locked into the padded cells. Lydecker held onto the keys.
That same night, while the 7-year-old X2s were sleeping (sleeping soundly at that, having been feed another dose of sedative at supper) the 10-year-old X1s were marched silently in. Each X2 got a bullet in the head. It was done. A vision of their souls flying over the perimeter fence to meet the yellow-eyed legend formed in my mind.
"They were an anomaly..." Lydecker's voice trailed sadly off.