Chapter 1
Orlando, 2018
Zack looked out of the bus window onto the gloomy city of Orlando. He didn't want to be there, but he knew he had too. Krit had called him begging for help, and he could never turn Krit down. Krit had made a mistake and needed Zack to help clean it up.
Zack was excited deep down. He would see Zane, Tinga and Brin at the same time. Krit had left a message on the voice mail and it somehow ended up getting to Brin, Tinga and Zane. Brin, being the pigheaded girl she was on her way to save her little brother. Zane wanted out of New York, so she tagged along. Tinga had to be restrained from hijacking the nearest car to get her brother.
Zack laughed at his sisters. He would never do it in front of them, that would let them in on how much they meant to him. He preferred to just watch, and write in his journal. He had a ratty old binder he wrote in and regularly buired. He loved it, it helped him.
As he watched Orlando come into view, Zack wondered what Krit meant when he said that 'Someone who helped you needs saving'. Zack hoped that Krit had found Max, or Creeg. Either one would make his day.
As Zack looked out the vehicle, he saw a black hummer. He couldn't see inside of it, but it looked like something from Manticore. He feared that Manticore would get Krit before he could.
*+*+*
"You're objective is to retrieve the target unharmed, as well as to terrorize the others who fall in our way. We can use the first target to retrieve X5 599, and he will lead us to the other X5s," said Miranda Stonewall to her top X5.
"Yes Ma'am," barked the X5.
"Remember everything you've Learned. You are the leader. Your five other X5s will be following you! I have faith you can do this."
"Yes Ma'am."
"Any questions?"
"What if we run into rogue X5s?"
"You mean X5 599, don't you?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"X5 656 has been seen around here. X5 734 was nearly captured here, and X5 205 was seen in Miami. X5 599 has never been seen around here."
"But this could draw him in. I have doubts."
"About what?"
"X5 596. He still believes Zack could return to us."
"I have reason to believe that…"
"Please, you know me. Don't lie."
"Fine. Zack has been out too long. He's tainted. You have orders to use deadly force on him, NOT the other ones though. Only X5 599, mind you. The others we want alive."
"Yes Ma'am."
"Good luck X5 593."
"Thank you Ma'am."
"Should I call you X5 593, or would you rather be called what the others call you?"
"I'm not your big sister."
"But you are a person with a name."
"I am a soldier."
"Dismissed," said Miranda, sitting down at her desk as X5 593 saluted her and left. She looked at the pictures on her wall. Fifty Four shots of her kids. One when they were young, and one recent. Miranda looked up and wished they could be all together. She loved her kids, and they loved her, unlike Decks kids. Miranda hoped Zell didn't run into the rogue X5s.
Miranda wondered about her girl's choice of X5s, Cine, Sara, Kikai, Jaim and X5 596, Zephyr. Zephyr was the only one from the other group to have a name. Kurt ran a tight group, but his had problems. Decks kids ran away, Kurt's blew their brains out during training. Kurt only had nineteen by the time they reached puberty. Miranda loved her kids because they made her look good.
But she would never admit it to anyone.
*+*+*
"So what do you think we're doing?" asked Kikai, sitting on Zell's bunk waiting for his commanding officer to return. He was a handsome Asian lad with an impish smile that often cracked during drills, getting everyone a long lecture about keeping themselves on target.
"I don't know," said Misa, a blond girl with big eyes and cute smile. She was often admired by the guards, with her figure and her temperment.
"I think it may have to do with that Early Childhood Specialist, Adam Matheson. He jumped ship a few years back, and was caught aiding one of the rogue X5s," said Jaim, a tall lanky boy, who always had been told by Lydeckers X5s he looked just like their storyteller Ben. He always laughed it off, just like when they told Cine she looked like Eva, or Misa she looked like Syl.
"Isn't there some connecting between him and Zell?" asked Cine.
"I don't think so," said Jaim, "She would have told me."
"When?" said Kikai.
"Any given night. You know about her and I."
"Shark DNA," mutter Misa, shaking her head, "You think you have shark DNA."
"We do," said Zell, smiling as she bounced into the room and took up the spot in the corner.
"Damn straight," said Jaim, smiling at his sister.
"So we're going on a mission?" asked Cine.
"Yes," said Zell, "To Orlando. They've set up a place for us. We'll be tracking the movements of a few politicians, and one rogue Former Manticore Employee."
"Miranda gets us the best jobs," said Kikai.
"I get to chose three males and three females," said Zell.
"You know I'm going," said Kikai, "I've never had a chance to defend Manticore."
"Yes," said Zell, "Kikai, Jaim, Cine and Misa."
"Who else," said Jaim, his eyes widening in horror.
"Zephyr of course."
"Zell he scares us all!" said Misa, "I mean look at his crew. How many of them are dead?"
"I don't know, but that's why he's under my control. I am one of the few X5s he will answer too, and that's because I don't fear him, and I never will."
"He's so weird!" said Cine, pulling her knees up to her chest, "I saw him strike one of his soldiers."
"I'll admit Zephyr is a little off his rocker, but there are much worse," said Zell, "And you know how upset I'll be if you say anything to him."
"Yeah Zell," said Jaim, "So when do we leave?"
"Tonight. I have to talk to someone first," said Zell, "Important matters."
Authors Note: You all know the legal Mumbo Jumbo. Sorry thias was so short but I feel that Zell and Zephyr talking deserves a chapter. Thanks. REVIEW PLEASE