Bit dodged to the left and cursed quietly; the stupid soldiers from the
Falcon Syndicate were on his tail. The blonde man leaped to the side of a
building and scuttled up the wall, ending up perched on the corner. He
gritted his teeth together as blood from the three bullets embedded in his
chest trickled down his arm.
"Shit." Bit rolled to the side as a knife passed over his head and hit the ground running. He ran all the way back to the Blitz Team base.
Leena sighed as she stared into the coffee mug. Brad was sitting ramrod straight in a chair, Jamie was doing something with a computer, and Doc was sleeping on the couch. Bit walked into the room.
They looked up and gasped. Ragged holes were torn in his flesh, and blood flowed in a steady stream down his back. "Bit!" The green eyed pilot sighed. "Don't worry. It's only three bullets in my heart. I've had worse." They gaped as he pulled off his shirt, plopped down, and began to stitch up the holes.
"Bit Cloud, I think its time you told us what was going on." Jamie choked out. Bit glanced up with a smirk on his face. "My story? Very well then, I'll tell it to you, if only to see how long you're kept awake screaming."
Bit pulled his shirt back on, leaned against the wall and began.
"I do not know who my parents were, where I was born, or why I got the alias I use today. Before this mission, I was simply known as Project Alpha. My younger brother Aethon, who was lucky enough to have a name, was Project Delta. My other younger brother, Project Gamma, also did not have a name. Project Beta was killed in testing. We were the products of an organization known as the Falcon Syndicate. They were a crime and smuggling ring, specializing in zoids and weapons.
The three of us were made for one purpose only. And that was to kill. After the first slaying, there was no remorse. Emotions and shame were for weaklings. If you were strong like we were, you lived. If you were weak, like Beta, you died screaming in agony.
As for the testing, I will do my best to describe it. Stage one, which began from birth and lasted until you were five, was simple. The complete destruction of all emotions was first. Later came weapons training, and at four, the first kill. After the first kill, you were tested to make sure you had no feelings of remorse. Beta did, and as such, was slowly tortured to death.
Stage two lasted from five to eight, was also simple. Operations, genetic manipulation, and implants were the orders of the day. From five to seven, I lived in a drugged haze, knowing nothing, seeing nothing. But the way my life has gone, those were some of the happiest years of my life.
Stage three was from eight to fourteen. That was physical and mental training, and slowly, slowly, you became one of them."
Here Bit broke off and assessed the reactions of the others. Brad was staring in shock at the living hell Bit had gone through, while Leena, Jamie and Doc were faintly green. Bit sighed and continued.
"The last and most horrific stage was stage five. This was called, Innocence Lost. Let's just say that we were violated quite often. At the end of this, I was fifteen, Aethon was thirteen, and Gamma was twelve. During a routine mission, Aethon was killed. He was killed because of me. Because I didn't reach him in time. My brother, in life and in death, in joy and horror, was dead because of me.
I returned to the Falcon Syndicate and received my next mission. Which was to steal the Liger Zero. However, when I met the actual Blitz Team, I forfeited my life and my mission, all for the love of a Liger.
When the Falcon Syndicate heard of my decision, I became an outcast. If anyone saw me, I was to be killed on sight. So I went to work for the resistance, known as the Gold Dragons. So I have lived this way for the last three years. The only one who knew of my past was Liger.
So, my life is constantly in danger. I forfeited my life, my past, and my brother, all for the love of a Liger. And I see that you have doubts. Very well then."
He stood up and looked at them with a bitter smile on his face. "You want proof?" He pulled out a loaded pistol and put it to his head. Leena surged forward and screamed as he pulled the trigger. The pistol fired and the smell of gunpowder filled the air.
Bit stood there, his right eye blown to bits. Crimson blood trickled slowly down his cheek. The room was silent. He smiled as the skin pulled itself together and the eye reformed out of flesh. He blinked once and sat down.
"Small injuries like that don't matter. I have to have at least fifteen bullets in my heart for me to die." Leena lurched forward, sobbing into his chest. Bit looked down and pulled her to him, whispering, "You didn't have to worry, Leena."
He looked back up and said quietly, "You know that wave of killings that struck all the criminals in New Hope City last year?" They nodded. Bit grinned bitterly,
"That was I."
TBC?
"Shit." Bit rolled to the side as a knife passed over his head and hit the ground running. He ran all the way back to the Blitz Team base.
Leena sighed as she stared into the coffee mug. Brad was sitting ramrod straight in a chair, Jamie was doing something with a computer, and Doc was sleeping on the couch. Bit walked into the room.
They looked up and gasped. Ragged holes were torn in his flesh, and blood flowed in a steady stream down his back. "Bit!" The green eyed pilot sighed. "Don't worry. It's only three bullets in my heart. I've had worse." They gaped as he pulled off his shirt, plopped down, and began to stitch up the holes.
"Bit Cloud, I think its time you told us what was going on." Jamie choked out. Bit glanced up with a smirk on his face. "My story? Very well then, I'll tell it to you, if only to see how long you're kept awake screaming."
Bit pulled his shirt back on, leaned against the wall and began.
"I do not know who my parents were, where I was born, or why I got the alias I use today. Before this mission, I was simply known as Project Alpha. My younger brother Aethon, who was lucky enough to have a name, was Project Delta. My other younger brother, Project Gamma, also did not have a name. Project Beta was killed in testing. We were the products of an organization known as the Falcon Syndicate. They were a crime and smuggling ring, specializing in zoids and weapons.
The three of us were made for one purpose only. And that was to kill. After the first slaying, there was no remorse. Emotions and shame were for weaklings. If you were strong like we were, you lived. If you were weak, like Beta, you died screaming in agony.
As for the testing, I will do my best to describe it. Stage one, which began from birth and lasted until you were five, was simple. The complete destruction of all emotions was first. Later came weapons training, and at four, the first kill. After the first kill, you were tested to make sure you had no feelings of remorse. Beta did, and as such, was slowly tortured to death.
Stage two lasted from five to eight, was also simple. Operations, genetic manipulation, and implants were the orders of the day. From five to seven, I lived in a drugged haze, knowing nothing, seeing nothing. But the way my life has gone, those were some of the happiest years of my life.
Stage three was from eight to fourteen. That was physical and mental training, and slowly, slowly, you became one of them."
Here Bit broke off and assessed the reactions of the others. Brad was staring in shock at the living hell Bit had gone through, while Leena, Jamie and Doc were faintly green. Bit sighed and continued.
"The last and most horrific stage was stage five. This was called, Innocence Lost. Let's just say that we were violated quite often. At the end of this, I was fifteen, Aethon was thirteen, and Gamma was twelve. During a routine mission, Aethon was killed. He was killed because of me. Because I didn't reach him in time. My brother, in life and in death, in joy and horror, was dead because of me.
I returned to the Falcon Syndicate and received my next mission. Which was to steal the Liger Zero. However, when I met the actual Blitz Team, I forfeited my life and my mission, all for the love of a Liger.
When the Falcon Syndicate heard of my decision, I became an outcast. If anyone saw me, I was to be killed on sight. So I went to work for the resistance, known as the Gold Dragons. So I have lived this way for the last three years. The only one who knew of my past was Liger.
So, my life is constantly in danger. I forfeited my life, my past, and my brother, all for the love of a Liger. And I see that you have doubts. Very well then."
He stood up and looked at them with a bitter smile on his face. "You want proof?" He pulled out a loaded pistol and put it to his head. Leena surged forward and screamed as he pulled the trigger. The pistol fired and the smell of gunpowder filled the air.
Bit stood there, his right eye blown to bits. Crimson blood trickled slowly down his cheek. The room was silent. He smiled as the skin pulled itself together and the eye reformed out of flesh. He blinked once and sat down.
"Small injuries like that don't matter. I have to have at least fifteen bullets in my heart for me to die." Leena lurched forward, sobbing into his chest. Bit looked down and pulled her to him, whispering, "You didn't have to worry, Leena."
He looked back up and said quietly, "You know that wave of killings that struck all the criminals in New Hope City last year?" They nodded. Bit grinned bitterly,
"That was I."
TBC?