Note: Things get a bit bloody in this chapter. If you're easily offended I suggest skipping the descriptions from "What the?" to "What did they do to him?". Hopefully you can still follow (or guess) what is happening (happened).
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Chapter 5: The Savage Beast
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster."
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
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Two days later Molnar walked into the lab.
"Any luck doctor?" Mendez looked and indicated for Molnar to look at the screen.
"We've had some surprising results." He pointed at several spots on screen. "See here we have a DNA strand similar to that taken out of subject two."
"The feral?"
"Correct. While she was feline, we have determined that his is canine."
"What is so special about that?"
"On its own nothing, but see here and here we have a new type of strand. My guess would be that he has psionic DNA as well. We've also detected minute amounts of DNA similar to the molecular mutant."
"Remarkable. Your telling me he has multiple strands." The doctor nodded.
"Correct. It was believed that all mutants like this died at an early age."
"Will this help accelerate your research?"
"Unfortunately no. He is a unique case. Also, as one strand is removed his body is able to replace it with another."
"Will the treatments still kill him?"
"I believe so, but his death could be very dangerous."
"How so?"
"Either his psionic powers become dominant and he loses control. This would result in a total mental collapse while throwing off an unimaginable psionic blast capable of killing everyone within miles."
"Or?"
"His bestial nature overpowers him. In this event he will become virtually uncontrollable. Depending on the circumstances either he'll surrender to the beast within or he'll become able to control the beast. How his other abilities develop is unknown. Needless to say in any event he will become a very serious threat and I recommend an immediate termination." Molnar considered this for a moment.
"Very well doctor. Wake him we'll finish him off in the pit. It should be quite a spectacle."
"As you wish."
As the team sat down Adam turned to face Molnar.
"What now, another one of your shows?"
"Actually a rerun of the previous one. It seems that Major Wolf has outlived his usefulness." Two guards dragged Orion into the pit. "Major Wolf, will you fight now?" Orion lifted his head.
"Never!" Molnar stood and walked behind the team.
"Very well." A shot rang out through the arena.
"NO!" Orion raced forward to catch the body as in fell over the railing and into the pit. "Lisa? Lisa?" She didn't respond, the bullet had passed right through her heart.
"Now you will fight." Screamed Molar. "Or another will die." The crowd to approach the railings as in the pit the two guards were joined by four more and they all closed on Orion. Very slowly Orion began to move.
"What the?" One of the soldiers remarked. Something was moving under Orions skin. Hair began to grow from all over his body. One of the soldiers walked up to Orion and grabbed him by the soldier. The mans face registered the shock as his heart stopped. Orion stood and turned to face the remaining soldiers who backed off. He was covered in fur. His face had been altered so that large, powerful fangs could be seen. He hoisted the dead soldier with the hand buried in his stomach and threw him at his friends. As the soldiers recoiled Orion slashed at the nearest man who fell clutching at were his throat had been. Two of the soldiers sprang forward only to be maimed with one violent uppercut across each mans chest. The two remaining soldiers turned to run. One never even took a step as Orion pounced onto his back smashing his head off the ground. The last soldier was grabbing the steel gates screaming to be let out as Orion grabbed him from behind and crushed his neck. He grabbed the metal gate and gave a tug. Realising it wouldn't bulge he turned to face Molnar.
"What the?"
"He's lost it!" Screamed Mendez. "His feral side as taken over! We've got to get out of here!" Orion sprang onto the pit walls and began to climb.
"Take them!" Molnar yelled to his guards as he ran back into his complex with Mendez close behind. The guards began to shuffle away encouraging the team to pick up the pace. The last guard was nearly through the door when he stopped. His face was frozen in fear as he fell down dead. Everyone turned as Orion came stalking into the building. The nearest guard raised his weapon but never fired as his arms were ripped off. He collapsed in pain. Orion turned to face the remaining guards and the members of Mutant X.
"Duck!" Yelled Adam. On instinct the team followed the order. The guards however were not quick enough and Orion pounced onto the first one. The guards forgot about their prisoners as the ran down the corridor firing wildly at the monstrosity that was following them. As the team picked themselves up they stared at the creature that had once been their friend.
"What did they do to him?" Asked Shalimar.
"I'll explain later. Right now we have to get to the lab if we want to save him."
"Can we save him?"
"I don't know Brennan but we have to try." They followed Adam as they ran through the maze of corridors in the building.
"Hold up." Yelled Jesse as he pointed at door labelled 'computer room - do not enter'. Adam nodded.
"Jesse you and Emma see what you can get out of them. The rest of us will head to the lab and see if there's anything we can find that will help cure Orion." Jesse and Emma entered the room and made quick work of the operator. Soon Jesse had access to the central mainframe.
"Got it!"
"What?"
"I've disabled the governors and the remote explosives." Emma touched hers lightly afraid it still might explode. "Hello." Emma leaned over his shoulder and began to read the screen.
"What have you got?"
"Records of monetary transactions between someone called Paladin and Molnar. It seems Molnar was being paid to carry out illegal research on new mutants."
"Copy it to disk and let's get out of here." As they exited the room they ran into Orion. He noticed them and growled. As he began to approach Jesse backed off.
"Emma what are you doing?" She stared at Orion.
"Trying to reach him." She reached out to him mentally. Barely see him through the darkness she reached out to take his hand.
"Em-ma?" Said Orion. The words sounding foreign to his body but not to his mind. She reached out to touch him but he recoiled. "NO. Me diff-er-ent, dan-ger-ous. Might hurt." Emma shook her head.
"It's OK I know you won't hurt me."
"Not me. It." The words were beginning to come easier to him.
"It? You mean the beast?" He nodded. "Fight it." He shook his head verdantly.
"No! Me want to kill. Kill him."
"Molnar?" He nodded. "You don't want to do that do you."
"He killed her."
"Lisa?" Again he nodded. "I know you want revenge but it's not answer." He tilted his head in confusion.
"It not? It feel natural."
"But does it feel right." He seemed to think and his image became clearer to her.
"Not sure but think no." Emma smiled. Just then two guards came round the corner and noticing Orion pointed their weapons at him. He pushed Emma behind him and prepared to pounce. The guards opened fire but Jesse now stood in their way. Orion waited until they stopped firing before bounding over Jesse and smashing into the guards. Both went flying into a wall.
"Are they.." He shook his head.
"No." He turned to Emma. "You OK?" She smiled sweetly at him.
"I'm fine now let's find the others." The trio moved off back down the corridor slowly looking into each room for the rest of the team. As they approached one door Orion recoiled.
"What is it?" He looked at her.
"Room evil. No go in there."
"One sec." Jesse phased and stepped through the wall. He opened the door.
"It's OK, the others are in here." Orion refused to move.
"Take my hand." Said Emma. As he did he sensed her in is mind and closed his eyes to see her. The pair walked into the lab to find Adam frantically working at the computer while Shalimar and Brennan stood over Mendez.
"Oh gods no!" Remarked Mendez apon seeing Orion. "Keep him away from me!" Everyone in the room looked at Orion. While distracted Mendez made a run for the door only to be cut of by Orion who slammed into the wall.
"Orion wait!" Yelled Adam. "I need the codes." Orion looked at the doctor.
"Give codes." Mendez seemed to gain some resolve.
"Never!" Orion ran a claw along the doctors' forehead drawing blood with seeped into his eyes. "Darksky. The password is darksky! Please don't kill me." Orion bared his fangs before throwing the doctor across the room and into the far wall. As Adam accessed the files Orion walked over to the Mendez and dragged him to the table. He slammed the old man onto the table and tied him down.
"Now you feel same." The doctor was confused until he saw Orion hit a button and the mechanical arms descend apon him.
"I've got the data let's get outta here." The group ran out off the room leaving the doctor to his fate. As they raced through the maze of corridors they came apon the steel gated entrance to the pit. Orion stopped and walked over to the door. He began to howl as the gate refused to budge. Jesse touched him on the shoulder.
"Let me." He phased through the gate collected Lisa and came back. They headed off for the exit. As they approached Orion stopped and headed over to a pile of crates. Shalimar soon joined him.
"What is it?" Shalimar and Orion were both staring at something behind the crates.
"Boom!" Said Orion before he sprinted into the open. Shalimar was right behind him. The other looked at each other.
"Bomb!" They said as one and followed their friends outside. The two were already running to a nearby transport plane when Orion stopped and took off after one already in motion. As the rest of the team boarded the aircraft Orion scurried after the other.
"What's he doing?"
"He said Molnar was on that plane." They other looked at her. "In not so many words."
"Jesse can you fly this thing?" Asked Adam. Jesse walked towards the cockpit.
"It's not exactly the Helix but I can try." Adam stepped back out and watched as two figures fell out off the taxiing plane and watched as a white haired man closed the door.
"It can't be."
"Adam?" Brennan asked as he stepped out. Adam shook his head and patted Brennan on the shoulder.
"It's nothing." He pointed to the two bodies. "Let's get over there." The pair raced over as Jesse started the plane. They approached the two bodies and noticed neither was moving. Adam knelt next to Orion. His extremities had returned too normal but the body was still covered in fur.
"He's been shot but I have a pulse." He turned to face Brennan and noticed the lack of colour in his cheeks. "Is he.."
"Dead." No emotion was in the voice. The two half carried half dragged Orion over to the waiting plane and with help got him on board.
"Jesse go?" As the plane began to accelerate Orion stirred.
"Faster. Faster." Taking the hint Shalimar ran into the cockpit and helped Jesse as the others began to check Orion.
"Controls. Must see controls." Adam and Brennan helped Orion into the cockpit. He took a quick look at them before touching Jesse on the temple. "Learn." Orion fainted.
"Jesse?"
"I'm fine Adam. I know how to fly the plane."
"How?" Asked Shalimar.
"He must have transferred his memories of this plane into Jesse."
"That's why he wanted up here."
"Correct. Now lets get him strapped in. It might be a long flight. The plane had barely left the ground as a thunderous explosion shook the complex, destroying all evidence of the research and the horrors inside.
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