Spoilers: This is the third in my series of stories. The first
was Shattered Trusts and Whispered Confessions. The second,
which I only just finished, is Remembering to Forget. This
series is set after Hello Goodbye but does reveal spoilers from
the rest of the season, as I incorporate it into the story.
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine except for some minors. The ideas are pretty much mine though but I just want to say thanks to those who have reviewed my previous works, it keeps me writing!
Authors Note: If you really want to understand this story and enjoy it, then be sure to read the original parts one and two. Also, just wanted to say that yeah the story has got quite complicated and hence a little confusion from me let alone you guys who have no idea what is going on in my twisted mind. Thanks for sticking by me when I've been doing this. It's nice to know I have a loyal following.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:
Seattle; Waterworks Plant; October 23rd 2022
0040 hours
Alec made his way silently into the giant plant, his genetically advanced eyes continuously on the lookout for familiars. A flash of movement to his right made him spiral paranoid around, twisting his body so that he rocket- propelled through the air, feet connecting solidly with the offender's chest. His power and speed fuelled by both his still unresolved anger and grief over Biggs and his anger and frustration with Max. The attempted hunter, now the hunted, fell backwards onto the ground and Alec landed on their chest in standing position,
"It's just like surfing."
The young male looked up at the transgenic, recovering quickly from the shocking blow. Alec grinned evilly, sensing flight and fight movement. He lashed out, kicking against the familiar's neck, hearing a sickeningly familiar snap,
"Sorry mate, nothing personal."
Alec realised too late that talking aloud mightn't have been the smartest move, his handsome face not giving away his fear as six familiars melted out of the shadows and came at him. He reacted fast, reaching for two guns strapped to the sides of his thick vest. He let off a round of bullets from both guns, each scoring its target centre forehead.
Alec's sensitive ears prickled at a sound behind him and he back-flipped high into the air, coming down and letting off a barrage of ammunition. Two familiars shuddered from the impact, dropping to the ground.
"Oh that's gotta hurt. Even for you guys."
He heard another set of scuttles and turned slowly, patting his pockets for new gun clips, for his empty weapons. His jaw dropped as he turned a 180, his feet refusing to budge. A line of 10 familiars all facing him, eyes trained on him from every angle.
* * * * *
Alec's head spun around desperately as he searched for a way out, any exit that didn't involve dying. He was trapped - surrounded.
There was no way out.
Senator McKinley stepped forward, his face set into an expression of grim satisfaction,
"Take him to main supply."
Alec watched as the group laughed, then as a tazer was flung at his head, connecting with his neck.
Electricity seared through his body.
Ouch that hurt.
Then his whole world went black.
* * * * *
He knew he hadn't been unconscious long. X5's were designed to be able to withstand greater pain, take less time to recover from being knocked out and it took more than usual to even get them into that state. Alec moved to touch the aching spot on his neck, only to find that he was tightly fastened to a pole. He moved the handcuffs connecting him to the solid stone pole up so his arm brushed his neck. He could feel bumpy skin through his shirt. Great, they'd seared the flesh, even through his sweater. That better heal.
Alec looked carefully at his surroundings, his position was on a balcony level, bordering a ground floor. He could see a giant vat of water below, with a series of pipes connected to it. The main water supply. There were about 15 familiars standing at ease in various spots around the huge room, enough to cause a headache if he could get out of his binds and had to fight his way out. But then, he had just taken out like 9 already today.
He looked to his left, where roughly 20 metres away was a female familiar, her face painted in an jarringly tribal manner, her baldhead shining in the fluorescent lighting. She was the only one like that, perhaps a high priestess of some kind in this twisted cult. He could see her ripping the heads of snake after snake, throwing their blooding corpses into the vat below. She turned to grin at him, her teeth pointed and her eyes glistening with excitement.
The air hung thick with the stench of blood and Alec grimaced, it was all he could do to stop himself from retching. He shifted again, desperate to escape, but to no avail.
He looked around again, recoiling in shock as a familiar face stepped out of the shadows.
It was Ben.
* * * * *
Alec jerked at the sight of his twin emerging into his field of vision. What the hell was he doing here? And then it dawned on him that what he had, had the gut feeling about was in fact true.
The traitor.
His thoughts were interrupted and proved wrong seconds later as White surfaced next to Ben, a gun dug into the transgenic's back.
"What the hell have you got yourself into now Ben?"
Alec knew that his twin was the only one who would be able to hear him and this was confirmed by a nod in his direction, whereas all the familiars stood unflinching. He could see Ben's lips barely move as he answered in such a low tone, even White didn't pick up on it,
"Not my fault. Was trying to get info on the viruses people have been dying from. He tricked me. I thought I could trust him. What the hell have you got yourself into?"
"Runes said I was the one who would stop this. I just have to pick a side. Good or evil."
"Looks like you made the wrong choice, seeing as you've been caught."
"You're not one to talk."
"I know, so we expecting Maxie to come save us?"
"Don't count on it."
"What did you do now?"
"It was her."
"Isn't it always?"
Ben jerked slightly as White came to face him, staring into his green eyes. He resisted the strong urge to spit at the familiar filth, managing to only just refrain himself. Ames pushed him roughly, directing him to where Alec was tied up and binding him next to his twin.
"Nice one Ben, why would you trust that filthy creature? You had him in your grasp and you let him go."
"Psy-Ops didn't work, we couldn't get info out of him. I wanted to do the right thing, help people like you and Max would have."
Alec sighed, his foot touching his twin's - the only way he could be comforting,
"You did what anyone would have. You couldn't have known."
"Thanks Alec, really."
"Anytime."
* * * * *
God he was bored.
He almost wished that White and his Looney Tunes would kill him already, instead of torturing him like this. Alec glanced over at Ben, who had actually managed to fall asleep.
What the hell?
Lucky guy.
* * * * *
0130 hours
Max charged through the waterworks plant, fists clenched in anticipation of a fight. She stopped momentarily, as a familiar familiar's voice crept into her hearing, muffled through walls and distance. Cautiously, she crept forward to where the voice was coming from, pressing her ear against the thick door.
* * * * *
"I'll give you the opportunity to make a choice 494."
White leaned over Alec, dangling a key in front of his face as he addressed the transgenic in a serious tone,
"The choice of what side you're on."
"Whatever side you're not."
"That's a shame, because you don't know what a stupid mistake that is."
"What the hell are you rambling about White?"
"Your destiny of course, it seems to be the hot topic these days."
"What about it?"
"Well you must've deciphered the runes, why else would you be here? You know you are destined to pick a side - good or evil."
"I have picked. Good always triumphs over evil."
"I completely agree."
Alec gaped in shock at his archenemy, well rather Max's archenemy. Where was all this going? At least he was no longer bored.
"What do you mean you agree?"
"That what you're saying is valid. But let me ask you this 494, who created you - encoded your genes to produce the runes?"
"Gee that's a nail biter. Sandeman. Your whack-job of a father."
"That's right. He made you and all your little friends. But he was one of us. He made you, he made me - except I was more the old fashioned way. Why do you think he created you? To fight on the side of good, help the helpless and all that. My father would never create something that was made to kill me. Don't you see 494, that we aren't the evil ones, those ordinaries out there are."
"Stop it!"
"You are the epiphany of what we have been trying to achieve for thousands of years of breeding. We're not the evil ones. We're not the ones who killed X5-761 - do you remember what it was like seeing his mangled body, the way it had been an unprovoked act, done purely because he wasn't ordinary. Humans killed him. When it comes down to it, what makes more sense to you - helping out your father's son, your brother, or helping out those who will stab you in the back as soon as you turn around - and that's if you're lucky. You could end up like 761."
White leaned down and helped Alec up, leaving his hands still cuffed around the pole behind his back. The transgenic regarded him warily,
"How can what you're doing be good? Innocent people are dying!"
"There's no such thing as innocent people in today's broken world. What we are doing is liberating, it's doing a service for them - doing them a favour."
His face became more serious, as he continued to address Alec,
"Imagine a world without weakness. Without pain. Only the strong. Strength. Humans want you dead. They hate you. Get them before they get you. Help us make this world a better place to live in. a place where you can walk down the street with absolutely no fear of exposure or death. help us make that happen. You're not a soldier, you're a person - that's something they will never accept. They will never accept you."
Amazingly, Alec took it. He really actually bought it.
Hook.
Line.
And sinker.
* * * * *
To be continued...
Author's Note:
Thanks so much for all the support my loyal readers have given me, it makes me really happy to know I have people offering comments and feedback and that there are people hooked on my writing (honestly I don't know why!). Stay tuned and review please!
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine except for some minors. The ideas are pretty much mine though but I just want to say thanks to those who have reviewed my previous works, it keeps me writing!
Authors Note: If you really want to understand this story and enjoy it, then be sure to read the original parts one and two. Also, just wanted to say that yeah the story has got quite complicated and hence a little confusion from me let alone you guys who have no idea what is going on in my twisted mind. Thanks for sticking by me when I've been doing this. It's nice to know I have a loyal following.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:
Seattle; Waterworks Plant; October 23rd 2022
0040 hours
Alec made his way silently into the giant plant, his genetically advanced eyes continuously on the lookout for familiars. A flash of movement to his right made him spiral paranoid around, twisting his body so that he rocket- propelled through the air, feet connecting solidly with the offender's chest. His power and speed fuelled by both his still unresolved anger and grief over Biggs and his anger and frustration with Max. The attempted hunter, now the hunted, fell backwards onto the ground and Alec landed on their chest in standing position,
"It's just like surfing."
The young male looked up at the transgenic, recovering quickly from the shocking blow. Alec grinned evilly, sensing flight and fight movement. He lashed out, kicking against the familiar's neck, hearing a sickeningly familiar snap,
"Sorry mate, nothing personal."
Alec realised too late that talking aloud mightn't have been the smartest move, his handsome face not giving away his fear as six familiars melted out of the shadows and came at him. He reacted fast, reaching for two guns strapped to the sides of his thick vest. He let off a round of bullets from both guns, each scoring its target centre forehead.
Alec's sensitive ears prickled at a sound behind him and he back-flipped high into the air, coming down and letting off a barrage of ammunition. Two familiars shuddered from the impact, dropping to the ground.
"Oh that's gotta hurt. Even for you guys."
He heard another set of scuttles and turned slowly, patting his pockets for new gun clips, for his empty weapons. His jaw dropped as he turned a 180, his feet refusing to budge. A line of 10 familiars all facing him, eyes trained on him from every angle.
* * * * *
Alec's head spun around desperately as he searched for a way out, any exit that didn't involve dying. He was trapped - surrounded.
There was no way out.
Senator McKinley stepped forward, his face set into an expression of grim satisfaction,
"Take him to main supply."
Alec watched as the group laughed, then as a tazer was flung at his head, connecting with his neck.
Electricity seared through his body.
Ouch that hurt.
Then his whole world went black.
* * * * *
He knew he hadn't been unconscious long. X5's were designed to be able to withstand greater pain, take less time to recover from being knocked out and it took more than usual to even get them into that state. Alec moved to touch the aching spot on his neck, only to find that he was tightly fastened to a pole. He moved the handcuffs connecting him to the solid stone pole up so his arm brushed his neck. He could feel bumpy skin through his shirt. Great, they'd seared the flesh, even through his sweater. That better heal.
Alec looked carefully at his surroundings, his position was on a balcony level, bordering a ground floor. He could see a giant vat of water below, with a series of pipes connected to it. The main water supply. There were about 15 familiars standing at ease in various spots around the huge room, enough to cause a headache if he could get out of his binds and had to fight his way out. But then, he had just taken out like 9 already today.
He looked to his left, where roughly 20 metres away was a female familiar, her face painted in an jarringly tribal manner, her baldhead shining in the fluorescent lighting. She was the only one like that, perhaps a high priestess of some kind in this twisted cult. He could see her ripping the heads of snake after snake, throwing their blooding corpses into the vat below. She turned to grin at him, her teeth pointed and her eyes glistening with excitement.
The air hung thick with the stench of blood and Alec grimaced, it was all he could do to stop himself from retching. He shifted again, desperate to escape, but to no avail.
He looked around again, recoiling in shock as a familiar face stepped out of the shadows.
It was Ben.
* * * * *
Alec jerked at the sight of his twin emerging into his field of vision. What the hell was he doing here? And then it dawned on him that what he had, had the gut feeling about was in fact true.
The traitor.
His thoughts were interrupted and proved wrong seconds later as White surfaced next to Ben, a gun dug into the transgenic's back.
"What the hell have you got yourself into now Ben?"
Alec knew that his twin was the only one who would be able to hear him and this was confirmed by a nod in his direction, whereas all the familiars stood unflinching. He could see Ben's lips barely move as he answered in such a low tone, even White didn't pick up on it,
"Not my fault. Was trying to get info on the viruses people have been dying from. He tricked me. I thought I could trust him. What the hell have you got yourself into?"
"Runes said I was the one who would stop this. I just have to pick a side. Good or evil."
"Looks like you made the wrong choice, seeing as you've been caught."
"You're not one to talk."
"I know, so we expecting Maxie to come save us?"
"Don't count on it."
"What did you do now?"
"It was her."
"Isn't it always?"
Ben jerked slightly as White came to face him, staring into his green eyes. He resisted the strong urge to spit at the familiar filth, managing to only just refrain himself. Ames pushed him roughly, directing him to where Alec was tied up and binding him next to his twin.
"Nice one Ben, why would you trust that filthy creature? You had him in your grasp and you let him go."
"Psy-Ops didn't work, we couldn't get info out of him. I wanted to do the right thing, help people like you and Max would have."
Alec sighed, his foot touching his twin's - the only way he could be comforting,
"You did what anyone would have. You couldn't have known."
"Thanks Alec, really."
"Anytime."
* * * * *
God he was bored.
He almost wished that White and his Looney Tunes would kill him already, instead of torturing him like this. Alec glanced over at Ben, who had actually managed to fall asleep.
What the hell?
Lucky guy.
* * * * *
0130 hours
Max charged through the waterworks plant, fists clenched in anticipation of a fight. She stopped momentarily, as a familiar familiar's voice crept into her hearing, muffled through walls and distance. Cautiously, she crept forward to where the voice was coming from, pressing her ear against the thick door.
* * * * *
"I'll give you the opportunity to make a choice 494."
White leaned over Alec, dangling a key in front of his face as he addressed the transgenic in a serious tone,
"The choice of what side you're on."
"Whatever side you're not."
"That's a shame, because you don't know what a stupid mistake that is."
"What the hell are you rambling about White?"
"Your destiny of course, it seems to be the hot topic these days."
"What about it?"
"Well you must've deciphered the runes, why else would you be here? You know you are destined to pick a side - good or evil."
"I have picked. Good always triumphs over evil."
"I completely agree."
Alec gaped in shock at his archenemy, well rather Max's archenemy. Where was all this going? At least he was no longer bored.
"What do you mean you agree?"
"That what you're saying is valid. But let me ask you this 494, who created you - encoded your genes to produce the runes?"
"Gee that's a nail biter. Sandeman. Your whack-job of a father."
"That's right. He made you and all your little friends. But he was one of us. He made you, he made me - except I was more the old fashioned way. Why do you think he created you? To fight on the side of good, help the helpless and all that. My father would never create something that was made to kill me. Don't you see 494, that we aren't the evil ones, those ordinaries out there are."
"Stop it!"
"You are the epiphany of what we have been trying to achieve for thousands of years of breeding. We're not the evil ones. We're not the ones who killed X5-761 - do you remember what it was like seeing his mangled body, the way it had been an unprovoked act, done purely because he wasn't ordinary. Humans killed him. When it comes down to it, what makes more sense to you - helping out your father's son, your brother, or helping out those who will stab you in the back as soon as you turn around - and that's if you're lucky. You could end up like 761."
White leaned down and helped Alec up, leaving his hands still cuffed around the pole behind his back. The transgenic regarded him warily,
"How can what you're doing be good? Innocent people are dying!"
"There's no such thing as innocent people in today's broken world. What we are doing is liberating, it's doing a service for them - doing them a favour."
His face became more serious, as he continued to address Alec,
"Imagine a world without weakness. Without pain. Only the strong. Strength. Humans want you dead. They hate you. Get them before they get you. Help us make this world a better place to live in. a place where you can walk down the street with absolutely no fear of exposure or death. help us make that happen. You're not a soldier, you're a person - that's something they will never accept. They will never accept you."
Amazingly, Alec took it. He really actually bought it.
Hook.
Line.
And sinker.
* * * * *
To be continued...
Author's Note:
Thanks so much for all the support my loyal readers have given me, it makes me really happy to know I have people offering comments and feedback and that there are people hooked on my writing (honestly I don't know why!). Stay tuned and review please!