For Disclaimer, Warnings and Summary see the first chapter.
Number 39: The perfect human.
By Azure Knight
Chapter 5
I went to the cafeteria outside the hospital, where many officers and normal people stood, to get something for Colby and me. We had been in here for one week already, but Seifer's condition was still very unstable. Though I didn't know due to what he had been hospitalized yet, he refused to talk about it, no matter how much I insisted. He said it was for my own safety and I didn't doubt it. This was a top-secret military facility. That also got me curious about Seifer's job. The fact doctor Odine was involved in the process didn't make me less curious or worried. I just hoped this hadn't to do with my secret. It would be too much coincidence. There was no way Seifer would know about me with just a glance. Then again, coincidences may be fate's hand. Besides, there isn't a reason for me to back out now. Colby is my responsibility and I'm not going to let Seifer down. He trusted me his dearest thing. If Seifer knew who I was, he wouldn't leave his little son with me, would he? To him, I'm just a normal teen that obviously now knows too much of Seifer's life than he had wished for.
"So what do you want?" I asked the little blond standing beside me. His eager big brown eyes raided the food and then he pointed to a big chocolate croissant. I ordered it, a glass of milk and a coffee. While I was waiting for the order, I saw a huge black-haired man entering the cafeteria and directing himself to one of the tables where a tall blond woman talked to him scornfully. A few seconds later she got up and left the cafeteria, angry, while the man stood there smirking. All the people in the place seemed to have hostility towards him, though he didn't seem to mind nor even a little bit. He took a look around the cafeteria and his eyes stopped on me.
He checked me out from head to toe as if I was a piece of meat and sneered. Then he looked at Colby and arched an eyebrow.
"Well, well, well! What do we have here?" he said approaching Colby and me. "If it isn't Genevieve's son. You are pretty grown up." Colby looked at him confused. He didn't seem to know the man, though obviously the man knew his family, even Seifer's dead wife. However, Colby also looked afraid so I grabbed his hand reassuringly. The man continued, this time talking to me.
"And you are.?" he asked me, smirking.
"Mister Almasy's employee. You?" I said my voice firm showing no fear for his imposing figure. I was quite aware of my capabilities in this kind of situation. The circumstances weren't foreign as it wasn't the fist time I was being bugged by a ruffian. The fact this man was obviously a military didn't change anything. I just had to apply a little more force, if violence was strictly necessary.
He smirked and held my chin with his fingers while speaking. "Employee, he? Where does Seifer get sexy brunettes like you, hum? You're even cuter than Genevieve..." I narrowed my eyes and took his hand off my chin.
He laughed. "I could pay you much more than he does if you did certain things to me. Things you aren't unfamiliar with, I'm sure." My eyes widened and Colby clenched against me harder. The waiter behind me was looking disdainfully to the man. Many people on the cafeteria had the same look. It seemed this wasn't new, concerning the man. However I think it was drawing too many attentions to myself.
"Look here, mister. I don't know who you are, but you have misjudged me. I'm the babysitter of this boy, not what you have implied. I accept your apologies but I'd like to end this conversation here. Now, if you please excuse me." I said politely trying to get away. I didn't want disorder on my account. The people on the cafeteria nodded their approvals to my conduct. I wasn't getting in his game.
I motioned Colby to a table at a far corner and the waiter immediately got our order there. I turned to go sit myself but he grabbed my arm. I stopped and looked at his hand on my arm. Then I narrowed my eyes dangerously at him. He didn't get the message. From the corner of my eye I saw a gray- haired petit woman and a big man behind her get in the cafeteria that probably someone had called. Without previous warning the man pulled me to him and tried to kiss me. Two milliseconds later he was splashed against the opposite wall. I had tried to be calm and considerate. His fault he didn't comply.
Everybody stopped and turned to me after realizing what I had just done. I looked at my shoes. I hated having to use violence. I apologized to everyone and went to sit with Colby at the table, who was looking at the man astonished. When I sat he turned to me and gave a childish squeal.
"Go Quall! You'e te best!" and he started trying to imitate my move against his croissant. The gray haired woman and the big man from before approached us. As soon as they stood near, Colby let out another squeal, leaping off the chair and to their arms.
"Fuu! Rai!" The woman smiled and grabbed him while the big muscular man patted his head affectionately. I looked behind them to the man I had hurt, he was getting up alone (nobody cared to help) and besides a bleeding nose and maybe a dormant shoulder, it seemed he would be okay. He stood, looked at me and then at the two holding Colby with fury. He got out then. I stayed relieved; at least he wasn't doing any more scandal here.
Then the two approached me, while Colby sat and finished his milk and croissant.
"I'm Raijin and this is Fujin. We're Seifer's wing mates, you know?" the man said with a smile. I smiled politely as well. Colby liked them, that was a good sign, it was a sign I could trust them.
"I'm Squall, pleased to meet you."
"SEIFER TALKED" the woman said. She seemed to have problems with her voice, because she spoke rather loudly.
"Yeah, Seifer talked about you, ya know?"
"GLAD" Fujin spoke again.
"Oh yeah, we're glad you're okay. That man is captain Jalei. Since he entered the army he keeps harassing people. Specially young and pretty ones like you. The ones he thinks can't defend themselves." He said. Then he smiled.
"IMPRESSED"
"Yeah! We're very impressed. Jalei is one of the strongest men I know. You're very good. Where did you learn that move? I bet it was on a karate school!" I frowned. I couldn't tell them I had learned how to do that on a videogame, could I? The woman looked at me intently, seeing what I answered. She was expectative.
"Actually you're kind of right. I know a few karate moves because a sensei went to the orphanage once to teach us, so we could defend ourselves." I hated lying. The woman didn't seem to believe me either, but she didn't say a thing. Better she sat and ordered two coffees while pulling Raijin to sit as well.
"I knew it! Say, have you ever thought about entering the army or the Special Forces? You could have future, you know?" Raijin asked. I smiled and shrugged. I didn't want anything to do with violence. Sometimes I'm afraid of what I can do.
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I had brought dinner to Seifer when I came to his room in the evening with Fujin and Raijin. During our conversation in the afternoon I came to know them better and they me and when I noticed Fujin didn't seem so apprehensive anymore. She even seemed to start liking me. Few hours after Seifer ate dinner, other people started coming into the room. He called them his team and introduced us. Colby eventually fell asleep and Seifer told me to take him to his room and return and so I did. And here I am sitting on a chair ready to hear Seifer explain me the mission that had put him in a hospital bed, seriously injured.
"I know Squall isn't part of the team, but I trust him and I know he won't talk to anyone else about any of this if we tell him not to. Besides he was dragged here, so he deserves to know why. As well, maybe by explaining everything to him, we can find aspects that have escaped us before and may be important." The others nodded.
"What we may tell you, Squall will be horrific and almost incredible and may be hard to understand but try to follow me." I nodded. This was getting weird.
"As you probably know by now, I'm a lieutenant-colonel from the navy. But before that I was an agent from the Secret Services. That's why they recruited me to this mission. They wanted the best so they could defeat what we can call a monster. And we tried. The result was this and the monster is still out there." Seifer said and I become apprehensive. A monster? What kind of -
"Maybe you should try to start from the beginning." The beautiful blond woman named Quistis said.
"Yes, you're right. I'll start from the beginning. Twenty years ago a project was financed. The project had as objective to create the perfect human soldier. As said, a perfect human with the intelligence of machines, intuition of humans and other living beings' favorable characteristics. It was called the project SeeD and was directed by a rather fanatical doctor, genetic specialist named Odine." Seifer told me and I almost fainted, I knew I must look pale but my heart was pounding wildly. I couldn't believe my rotten luck. Looks like my suspicions weren't far from the truth. I tried my best to seem surprised, interested and shocked even, though I was having a really bad feeling about this. Quistis continued the explanation.
"To produce the human they used different genes with various characteristics, then they would insert those genes, remove others, manipulate the embryo's DNA to their liking. But you have to understand that the embryo was fecundated as any of us. He had a father and a mother. The mothers were usually bought to do the job or the doctor's assistants who contributed that way, as well to the project. So technically the mutants created were humans. Various experiments were made and many manipulated genes combinations tried. After 38 experiments, one combination succeeded: the 39. He was the perfect human. The project was a success."
It was now the time to the other injured blond, the young one called Zell to continue. "But then, the stupidest thing happened. They let the security down and the baby was stolen." My eyes widened. So that's what he told them. I had been taken by my father, not stolen. Zell took my surprise as if I couldn't believe such a thing could happen. "Really, the baby totally disappeared. That probably had to do with the mother who was an assistant named Raine that with her boyfriend (that nobody knows who it is) stole her son and destroyed the combination and almost all the information about the perfect mutant. However she died due to the replaced genes of the baby and a disease caused by them in the same day the baby vanished." I saddened. So she had died that way. And then the cowboy with long auburn hair spoke.
"What got me thinking...if she died in the place how could she have taken the baby out of the high secured laboratory?" I looked at him. Was he trying to say what I think he was?
"That's easy Irvy, her boyfriend did." The petit brunette, hyper girl with the laptop said.
"Well, yeah Selphie, but I think Irvine is right. To enter and leave unnoticed he had to be known, right? I mean if she came with someone unknown they could easily recognize him in the security cameras." Zell said.
"Exactly, Zell. We know that it was a secured facility, so only someone with an authorized code could enter, someone that used to frequent that facility. Other person who didn't appear often would be easily identified in the security cameras." Quistis confirmed.
"So, we have something here already. Selphie write down this conclusion. We'll go there later. Good point Irvine." Seifer said from his place on the bed. I knew that that way would take them to a dead end because the person they were looking for was well protected and had a good alibi. "Now, continuing with our story, Squall. A few weeks ago, a horrible massacre was made on a village in Nevada. One hundred people was killed, ate alive. When we arrived there it was blood and limbs all over the place. Some people couldn't even be recognized. Doctor Odine claimed that was that perfect human's job." That time I actually got out of myself.
"WHAT?!" I exclaimed only then realizing my mistake.
"Calm down Squall," Seifer said trying to calm me down. "I know it feels revolting but you chose to know." I calmed down and took a deep breath. I wanted to tell Seifer he was wrong, that hadn't been number 39's. He would never do something like that. I hate being forced to harm people, how could I kill them beastly? I must've been pale again because Zell gave me a glass of water with a soft smile. They were worried that I had been shaken with the event they had just told me about. If they probably hadn't seen with their own eyes (and I wondered exactly what atrocities they had testified), they would've certainly found strange I was so shocked with the describing.
"Can I continue?" Seifer asked now he also concerned. I swallowed my fury and indignation and nodded. "Well we were chosen to nullify or eliminate that human. We tracked him down since that village that curiously is near Odine's laboratory facility and found him on a forest where we met him. A normal youth if you see him or talk to him save for his reptile arm and longer canines. He made us a trap and we fell onto it. This was the result. We barely managed to flee with our own lives." I then looked to everybody. They all seemed defeated somehow.
"We were the best and we failed. I can't see how that thing can be stopped." Zell said.
"However we haven't heard from him since we left." Irvine stated. Selphie then answered him with a restored energy. "That's because of our leader's last shot." They all turned to her. "Yeah, a discharge of 100 mega volts makes quite a damage. He probably won't be able to hunt for a few months. His superficial organs must be too burned. Even a monster like him will take at least six months to recover completely. From what I gathered from our informers he hid and nobody knows where he is, but our weapons haven't been found either."
"Go Selphie. It's good to know we can count on your engines when we face difficulties." Zell applauded happily. Irvine reached her and patted her head. I smiled sadly.
"Yes, Selphie I'm glad you were with us. You saved my life. But by the way, could you do what I asked you for?" Seifer asked her. Her face lighted up again.
"Of course. I'm the best! I'll show you right away. I even printed it." She said and started fumbling on a suitcase she had brought with her. While she fumbled Seifer spoke.
"When doctor Odine talked to us, he indicated that the number 39 had been through regressions and he had acquired a scaled member. However, during our fight with the creature, Zell ripped his sleeve off and I could clearly see a 38 tattooed on his arm, not a 39. When I spoke about this with doctor Odine, he continued denying it, saying I was hallucinating." I looked at Seifer, so he suspected the number 39 wasn't the responsible. Somehow that made me glad.
"But I know what I saw and so I started thinking. The government suspended the funds to the project when number 39 escaped seventeen years ago and he was a baby. If it was known that now a fully trained experiment escaped, the project would be permanently closed and the rest of the mutants destroyed. So, if the number 38 escaped that would happen and he would lose his project and license, so he has all interest in deny my word. Besides, if the government cut the funds seventeen years ago where did he get the money to raise his experiments and train them? Certainly he didn't get it out of his pocket, right? Because all of this I asked Selphie to enter doctor Odine's laboratory network. I know it's illegal but it's for a good cause."
"And here are the results." The brunette girl said distributing papers to everyone including me. "I took out everything I managed to save. I even managed to recover a few deleted files, about what, you ask? Number 38 and Number 39's characteristics that had been eliminated. And if you check out page 158, final paragraph, you'll find a rather interesting feature of Number 38 which had been erased only four weeks ago."
"«As said on top, the majority of tests have been successful. However, failures have been detected in the Defense system namely on level of tissue regeneration. It's been proved that besides the rather high efficiency on his scaled member, the other parts of his body don't share that attribute taking almost as much time and care as normal humans to profitably coagulate and therefore regenerate the tissues.»" Quistis read.
"I knew it! So Number 38 has an scaled member." Seifer almost jumped. Selphie giggled.
"According to these charts and conclusions, the only failures in number 38 were the scaled member and the tissue regeneration." Quistis affirmed. Selphie shook her head.
"Nope, Quistis. I'm no specialist in the subject, but if you check page 201, second paragraph you'll see that and I quote «.contrarily to experiment number 20, 26, 27, 30, 32, 34, 35, 37 and 39; experiments number 15, 19, 21, 22, 24, 28, 29, 31, 33 and 38 manifest a natural tendency to violent behavior and cruel instincts since their birth, being number 39's few tests considered almost inconclusive due to lack of development information.»"
"That means that Number 39 didn't have violent tendencies but 38 has and 38 has a scaled member but 39 didn't. It isn't conclusive Seifer, but we might have here something. Though, number 39 can be influenced by the environment and develop those violent behaviors." I looked at them, and then a thought crossed my mind from the experience I had a few years ago when I accidentally cut my hand on a glass making a deep gash and seconds later after Matron took off the glass I had nothing that even proved I had hurt myself. Something must say in this little information about me that Selphie managed to get, that I have quick tissue regeneration, proving that it isn't me making the kill, but that other experiment. I searched the papers and finally found something.
"Excuse me. Check out page number 75, first paragraph. «..ek after the birth: Number 39 has all the systems running properly. Unlike number 38 the tissue regeneration has been an amazing success with the coagulation and further recover happening in mere seconds. The rapid effect and elevate number of plaques doesn't interfere with the free flooding of the blood due t..» and the rest has been successfully erased. But if number 39 has an efficient regeneration, shouldn't he be okay from Selphie's machine after two or three days?" they all kept looking at me. "Two weeks have passed and no sign of him, right?"
"POINT" Fujin said, speaking for the first time since the evening. Seifer nodded his head.
"So, it's almost a certainty. That wasn't number 39, it was Number 38 that escaped Odine's laboratory. Now how do we make others believe this?" Quistis asked.
"We speak to the Marshal. He'll love to hear the news. He never believed Doctor Odine anyway. Great, Squall." Seifer smiled at me.
"Yeah! Thanks for your help, man." Zell affirmed as well.
"That's great we know all that but that doesn't quite solve our problem. How do we stop the monster? We've already seen that we can't defeat him one on one, or seven on one actually. We only managed to escape because we had the element of surprise. Now he even might have our weapons. We're in clear disadvantage here." Irvine asked.
"Well Irvine, now we know his weak point. We have to use that in our favor." Quistis said. Then Zell suddenly got up.
"I know! Why don't we find Number 39? He can defeat him. That boy has enormous capabilities, he is better than Number 38 and he can learn really fast so he would be ready in no time, right? Why don't we ask him?" he said his eyes shining. The others rolled their eyes.
"So, you want to fight fire with fire, right? How are you going to find him? He can be anywhere and you don't even know what he looks like. He can be Squall, for Hyne's sake." Irvine said. I jumped alarmed and looked at him wide eyed. "Calm down I was just giving an example, Squall. He supposedly has your age, you know? Don't be so scared, he?" he said rising and patting my head with an amused smile. I sighed relieved. My secret was safe. For a few moments I thought..
The others chuckled. Then Seifer turned serious.
"And even if you found him, Zell. How would you tell a normal kid, perhaps with a normal family that he was genetically created and that now we needed him to risk his life to fight one of his own? You saw Squall's reaction only with that hypothesis. How would you tell him you'd have to seize him afterwards, control him so he couldn't become a threat for us or maybe even kill him? How would you know he wouldn't betray you during the process? After all you would be creating a more powerful war machine than the one you're trying to destroy." Seifer stated. Zell nodded sadly. This was all too complicated. Even for me. On one hand I don't want to be seized and destroyed. On the other I can't stay still seeing people die when I might be the only one able to stop it. I sighed. Do I want to see little children like Colby die as well as fair men and women like these? No. I will do something, when the time comes. For now, Number 38 isn't a menace. Maybe Number 38 won't recover and dies. Anyway, if or when he becomes one again I'll do something. Till that day I'll live my life to the fullest. With my decision taken I manage a big reassuring smile to Seifer. His eyebrows arched he gives me a small smile as well.
"So what will we do then?" Quistis asks. Seifer answers.
"We'll talk to Marshal Kiros tomorrow. We show him all we have. He'll know what to do about all this mess, Quistis. Until then we're going to sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."
They all nodded and left whispering goodnights. I got up and approached Seifer to help him lie down and cover him. He was still very hurt and pale. Then I turned to leave. I was by the door when he called me.
"Squall? What was that big smile for?" he asked. I stopped somehow thinking what that had been. It was because I was glad I had made what seemed a right decision but it was mainly because.
"I wanted to transmit peace, reassure and most of all hope. Everything will be okay, you'll see. If we face a bad day with a big smile, the day will surely run better."
Seifer smiled and nodded. "Thank you for everything Squall. And sorry I led you into this."
My turn to smile. "This regards every single soul that will be endangered, so it's okay. Goodnight. Sleep well." And I turned off the light and closed the door. But before that I could still hear a sweet whisper.
"Goodnight."
End of chapter 5
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A/N1: Sorry, sorry, sorry! I know you all love this story and that I've been neglecting it for a long time. But as I said, now with SOEG out of the way, I came to finish this story as well. So next chapter will come next week, the latest in two weeks. If I don't update by that time, hit me. Hard!
A/N2: This chapter was a little too scientific but this is a sci-fi fic so...if you have questions about something or you find something wrong don't hesitate and tell me. Next chapter will have some romance and possibly the so expected...revelation. Yeah, yeah possibly the lemon too ~_^.
A/N3: To my reviewers:
S. Wing - Yep, here I am continuing it. Enjoy
Redrum - Sorry I kept you waiting so long for this. But here it is at last. And as with SOEG, I really intent to finish this, this time.
LizBethy - No, sorry. This chapter doesn't have yaoi goodness. Seifer is still very hurt; he can't yet be so active. But next chapter he will be. Yeah, Squall would eventually find out about all this mess around him but the questions will not go on forever. The story is finally developing and revelations will come like a snowball from now on. Sorry I left you in suspense this long and I hope I'm still doing the good work.
GG - Yeah, that image did occur to me. But that will surely get worse next chapter.
Squall Morpheus Leonhart - here is the awaited chapter. The next one won't certainly take this long.
Promqueen - yep, Colby's so adorable. I keep picturing him a small Seifer with brown eyes. Well about if he can talk I think so. I have a neighbour with three years old (my second inspiration to do Colby) and he does talk. Actually, since he learned how to do it, he never shuts up, but he's a sweetie. Well, Seifer is hurt but he has Squall to take care of him, so don't worry, he's fine. About Esthar's Military Academy it will take a while.
Eriol-sama - yes, Seifer was married but his wife died during a mission when they were on the Secret Services. About n.39 nothing special about it. I think that it shows the quantity of experiments they made with human embryos so it contributes to the tension of the story. Yeah I just like SquallxSeifer too much as well. They do belong to each other I think. About Squall knowing his identity, he does because he noticed he was different and most of all, Squall has an unlimited memory so he doesn't forget anything, good or bad, like we do even for defense mechanisms. That's why he's so conscientious and non-violent. But you see, Squall has the other side lurking in and if sometimes he gets nervous or angry, he shows it. You had a hint of it against Jalei, but it does and will get worse. Thank you for your complements on this story and sorry about the long explanation.
Lady Yuskreven - Again, sorry I took so long. Thanks for your review.
Miss Dincht - well, do one when you have time. You certainly will write one better than me. I would love to read it. I hope this chapter inspires you some more, so you can write one really soon, he he he. Thanks for your review and I'm glad I didn't sound like Rinoa the other day. I was getting worried.
Flaming-Angel - thank you I'm working to make it even cooler.
faery-of-fiction - thank you for your review. I'm glad you like my stuff. Well now he does know the all truth and well, Seifer will find one way or another, because n.38 will attack again. Anyway, next chapter will bring the answers to the rest of your questions. But I'm sure they will get very intimate.
devildragon - well, I know I've been disappointing you guys, but now I'm back on the saddle and I'm here to finish this. I'm gonna work hard to have that 9 out of 10. if I don't hit me hard, kay?
cho - here it is. And that heavily awaited yaoi will come next chapter. Thank you for your complements, I'm very flattered.
Thanks for all your reviews. Love you all and enjoy the story.
Azure.
Number 39: The perfect human.
By Azure Knight
Chapter 5
I went to the cafeteria outside the hospital, where many officers and normal people stood, to get something for Colby and me. We had been in here for one week already, but Seifer's condition was still very unstable. Though I didn't know due to what he had been hospitalized yet, he refused to talk about it, no matter how much I insisted. He said it was for my own safety and I didn't doubt it. This was a top-secret military facility. That also got me curious about Seifer's job. The fact doctor Odine was involved in the process didn't make me less curious or worried. I just hoped this hadn't to do with my secret. It would be too much coincidence. There was no way Seifer would know about me with just a glance. Then again, coincidences may be fate's hand. Besides, there isn't a reason for me to back out now. Colby is my responsibility and I'm not going to let Seifer down. He trusted me his dearest thing. If Seifer knew who I was, he wouldn't leave his little son with me, would he? To him, I'm just a normal teen that obviously now knows too much of Seifer's life than he had wished for.
"So what do you want?" I asked the little blond standing beside me. His eager big brown eyes raided the food and then he pointed to a big chocolate croissant. I ordered it, a glass of milk and a coffee. While I was waiting for the order, I saw a huge black-haired man entering the cafeteria and directing himself to one of the tables where a tall blond woman talked to him scornfully. A few seconds later she got up and left the cafeteria, angry, while the man stood there smirking. All the people in the place seemed to have hostility towards him, though he didn't seem to mind nor even a little bit. He took a look around the cafeteria and his eyes stopped on me.
He checked me out from head to toe as if I was a piece of meat and sneered. Then he looked at Colby and arched an eyebrow.
"Well, well, well! What do we have here?" he said approaching Colby and me. "If it isn't Genevieve's son. You are pretty grown up." Colby looked at him confused. He didn't seem to know the man, though obviously the man knew his family, even Seifer's dead wife. However, Colby also looked afraid so I grabbed his hand reassuringly. The man continued, this time talking to me.
"And you are.?" he asked me, smirking.
"Mister Almasy's employee. You?" I said my voice firm showing no fear for his imposing figure. I was quite aware of my capabilities in this kind of situation. The circumstances weren't foreign as it wasn't the fist time I was being bugged by a ruffian. The fact this man was obviously a military didn't change anything. I just had to apply a little more force, if violence was strictly necessary.
He smirked and held my chin with his fingers while speaking. "Employee, he? Where does Seifer get sexy brunettes like you, hum? You're even cuter than Genevieve..." I narrowed my eyes and took his hand off my chin.
He laughed. "I could pay you much more than he does if you did certain things to me. Things you aren't unfamiliar with, I'm sure." My eyes widened and Colby clenched against me harder. The waiter behind me was looking disdainfully to the man. Many people on the cafeteria had the same look. It seemed this wasn't new, concerning the man. However I think it was drawing too many attentions to myself.
"Look here, mister. I don't know who you are, but you have misjudged me. I'm the babysitter of this boy, not what you have implied. I accept your apologies but I'd like to end this conversation here. Now, if you please excuse me." I said politely trying to get away. I didn't want disorder on my account. The people on the cafeteria nodded their approvals to my conduct. I wasn't getting in his game.
I motioned Colby to a table at a far corner and the waiter immediately got our order there. I turned to go sit myself but he grabbed my arm. I stopped and looked at his hand on my arm. Then I narrowed my eyes dangerously at him. He didn't get the message. From the corner of my eye I saw a gray- haired petit woman and a big man behind her get in the cafeteria that probably someone had called. Without previous warning the man pulled me to him and tried to kiss me. Two milliseconds later he was splashed against the opposite wall. I had tried to be calm and considerate. His fault he didn't comply.
Everybody stopped and turned to me after realizing what I had just done. I looked at my shoes. I hated having to use violence. I apologized to everyone and went to sit with Colby at the table, who was looking at the man astonished. When I sat he turned to me and gave a childish squeal.
"Go Quall! You'e te best!" and he started trying to imitate my move against his croissant. The gray haired woman and the big man from before approached us. As soon as they stood near, Colby let out another squeal, leaping off the chair and to their arms.
"Fuu! Rai!" The woman smiled and grabbed him while the big muscular man patted his head affectionately. I looked behind them to the man I had hurt, he was getting up alone (nobody cared to help) and besides a bleeding nose and maybe a dormant shoulder, it seemed he would be okay. He stood, looked at me and then at the two holding Colby with fury. He got out then. I stayed relieved; at least he wasn't doing any more scandal here.
Then the two approached me, while Colby sat and finished his milk and croissant.
"I'm Raijin and this is Fujin. We're Seifer's wing mates, you know?" the man said with a smile. I smiled politely as well. Colby liked them, that was a good sign, it was a sign I could trust them.
"I'm Squall, pleased to meet you."
"SEIFER TALKED" the woman said. She seemed to have problems with her voice, because she spoke rather loudly.
"Yeah, Seifer talked about you, ya know?"
"GLAD" Fujin spoke again.
"Oh yeah, we're glad you're okay. That man is captain Jalei. Since he entered the army he keeps harassing people. Specially young and pretty ones like you. The ones he thinks can't defend themselves." He said. Then he smiled.
"IMPRESSED"
"Yeah! We're very impressed. Jalei is one of the strongest men I know. You're very good. Where did you learn that move? I bet it was on a karate school!" I frowned. I couldn't tell them I had learned how to do that on a videogame, could I? The woman looked at me intently, seeing what I answered. She was expectative.
"Actually you're kind of right. I know a few karate moves because a sensei went to the orphanage once to teach us, so we could defend ourselves." I hated lying. The woman didn't seem to believe me either, but she didn't say a thing. Better she sat and ordered two coffees while pulling Raijin to sit as well.
"I knew it! Say, have you ever thought about entering the army or the Special Forces? You could have future, you know?" Raijin asked. I smiled and shrugged. I didn't want anything to do with violence. Sometimes I'm afraid of what I can do.
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I had brought dinner to Seifer when I came to his room in the evening with Fujin and Raijin. During our conversation in the afternoon I came to know them better and they me and when I noticed Fujin didn't seem so apprehensive anymore. She even seemed to start liking me. Few hours after Seifer ate dinner, other people started coming into the room. He called them his team and introduced us. Colby eventually fell asleep and Seifer told me to take him to his room and return and so I did. And here I am sitting on a chair ready to hear Seifer explain me the mission that had put him in a hospital bed, seriously injured.
"I know Squall isn't part of the team, but I trust him and I know he won't talk to anyone else about any of this if we tell him not to. Besides he was dragged here, so he deserves to know why. As well, maybe by explaining everything to him, we can find aspects that have escaped us before and may be important." The others nodded.
"What we may tell you, Squall will be horrific and almost incredible and may be hard to understand but try to follow me." I nodded. This was getting weird.
"As you probably know by now, I'm a lieutenant-colonel from the navy. But before that I was an agent from the Secret Services. That's why they recruited me to this mission. They wanted the best so they could defeat what we can call a monster. And we tried. The result was this and the monster is still out there." Seifer said and I become apprehensive. A monster? What kind of -
"Maybe you should try to start from the beginning." The beautiful blond woman named Quistis said.
"Yes, you're right. I'll start from the beginning. Twenty years ago a project was financed. The project had as objective to create the perfect human soldier. As said, a perfect human with the intelligence of machines, intuition of humans and other living beings' favorable characteristics. It was called the project SeeD and was directed by a rather fanatical doctor, genetic specialist named Odine." Seifer told me and I almost fainted, I knew I must look pale but my heart was pounding wildly. I couldn't believe my rotten luck. Looks like my suspicions weren't far from the truth. I tried my best to seem surprised, interested and shocked even, though I was having a really bad feeling about this. Quistis continued the explanation.
"To produce the human they used different genes with various characteristics, then they would insert those genes, remove others, manipulate the embryo's DNA to their liking. But you have to understand that the embryo was fecundated as any of us. He had a father and a mother. The mothers were usually bought to do the job or the doctor's assistants who contributed that way, as well to the project. So technically the mutants created were humans. Various experiments were made and many manipulated genes combinations tried. After 38 experiments, one combination succeeded: the 39. He was the perfect human. The project was a success."
It was now the time to the other injured blond, the young one called Zell to continue. "But then, the stupidest thing happened. They let the security down and the baby was stolen." My eyes widened. So that's what he told them. I had been taken by my father, not stolen. Zell took my surprise as if I couldn't believe such a thing could happen. "Really, the baby totally disappeared. That probably had to do with the mother who was an assistant named Raine that with her boyfriend (that nobody knows who it is) stole her son and destroyed the combination and almost all the information about the perfect mutant. However she died due to the replaced genes of the baby and a disease caused by them in the same day the baby vanished." I saddened. So she had died that way. And then the cowboy with long auburn hair spoke.
"What got me thinking...if she died in the place how could she have taken the baby out of the high secured laboratory?" I looked at him. Was he trying to say what I think he was?
"That's easy Irvy, her boyfriend did." The petit brunette, hyper girl with the laptop said.
"Well, yeah Selphie, but I think Irvine is right. To enter and leave unnoticed he had to be known, right? I mean if she came with someone unknown they could easily recognize him in the security cameras." Zell said.
"Exactly, Zell. We know that it was a secured facility, so only someone with an authorized code could enter, someone that used to frequent that facility. Other person who didn't appear often would be easily identified in the security cameras." Quistis confirmed.
"So, we have something here already. Selphie write down this conclusion. We'll go there later. Good point Irvine." Seifer said from his place on the bed. I knew that that way would take them to a dead end because the person they were looking for was well protected and had a good alibi. "Now, continuing with our story, Squall. A few weeks ago, a horrible massacre was made on a village in Nevada. One hundred people was killed, ate alive. When we arrived there it was blood and limbs all over the place. Some people couldn't even be recognized. Doctor Odine claimed that was that perfect human's job." That time I actually got out of myself.
"WHAT?!" I exclaimed only then realizing my mistake.
"Calm down Squall," Seifer said trying to calm me down. "I know it feels revolting but you chose to know." I calmed down and took a deep breath. I wanted to tell Seifer he was wrong, that hadn't been number 39's. He would never do something like that. I hate being forced to harm people, how could I kill them beastly? I must've been pale again because Zell gave me a glass of water with a soft smile. They were worried that I had been shaken with the event they had just told me about. If they probably hadn't seen with their own eyes (and I wondered exactly what atrocities they had testified), they would've certainly found strange I was so shocked with the describing.
"Can I continue?" Seifer asked now he also concerned. I swallowed my fury and indignation and nodded. "Well we were chosen to nullify or eliminate that human. We tracked him down since that village that curiously is near Odine's laboratory facility and found him on a forest where we met him. A normal youth if you see him or talk to him save for his reptile arm and longer canines. He made us a trap and we fell onto it. This was the result. We barely managed to flee with our own lives." I then looked to everybody. They all seemed defeated somehow.
"We were the best and we failed. I can't see how that thing can be stopped." Zell said.
"However we haven't heard from him since we left." Irvine stated. Selphie then answered him with a restored energy. "That's because of our leader's last shot." They all turned to her. "Yeah, a discharge of 100 mega volts makes quite a damage. He probably won't be able to hunt for a few months. His superficial organs must be too burned. Even a monster like him will take at least six months to recover completely. From what I gathered from our informers he hid and nobody knows where he is, but our weapons haven't been found either."
"Go Selphie. It's good to know we can count on your engines when we face difficulties." Zell applauded happily. Irvine reached her and patted her head. I smiled sadly.
"Yes, Selphie I'm glad you were with us. You saved my life. But by the way, could you do what I asked you for?" Seifer asked her. Her face lighted up again.
"Of course. I'm the best! I'll show you right away. I even printed it." She said and started fumbling on a suitcase she had brought with her. While she fumbled Seifer spoke.
"When doctor Odine talked to us, he indicated that the number 39 had been through regressions and he had acquired a scaled member. However, during our fight with the creature, Zell ripped his sleeve off and I could clearly see a 38 tattooed on his arm, not a 39. When I spoke about this with doctor Odine, he continued denying it, saying I was hallucinating." I looked at Seifer, so he suspected the number 39 wasn't the responsible. Somehow that made me glad.
"But I know what I saw and so I started thinking. The government suspended the funds to the project when number 39 escaped seventeen years ago and he was a baby. If it was known that now a fully trained experiment escaped, the project would be permanently closed and the rest of the mutants destroyed. So, if the number 38 escaped that would happen and he would lose his project and license, so he has all interest in deny my word. Besides, if the government cut the funds seventeen years ago where did he get the money to raise his experiments and train them? Certainly he didn't get it out of his pocket, right? Because all of this I asked Selphie to enter doctor Odine's laboratory network. I know it's illegal but it's for a good cause."
"And here are the results." The brunette girl said distributing papers to everyone including me. "I took out everything I managed to save. I even managed to recover a few deleted files, about what, you ask? Number 38 and Number 39's characteristics that had been eliminated. And if you check out page 158, final paragraph, you'll find a rather interesting feature of Number 38 which had been erased only four weeks ago."
"«As said on top, the majority of tests have been successful. However, failures have been detected in the Defense system namely on level of tissue regeneration. It's been proved that besides the rather high efficiency on his scaled member, the other parts of his body don't share that attribute taking almost as much time and care as normal humans to profitably coagulate and therefore regenerate the tissues.»" Quistis read.
"I knew it! So Number 38 has an scaled member." Seifer almost jumped. Selphie giggled.
"According to these charts and conclusions, the only failures in number 38 were the scaled member and the tissue regeneration." Quistis affirmed. Selphie shook her head.
"Nope, Quistis. I'm no specialist in the subject, but if you check page 201, second paragraph you'll see that and I quote «.contrarily to experiment number 20, 26, 27, 30, 32, 34, 35, 37 and 39; experiments number 15, 19, 21, 22, 24, 28, 29, 31, 33 and 38 manifest a natural tendency to violent behavior and cruel instincts since their birth, being number 39's few tests considered almost inconclusive due to lack of development information.»"
"That means that Number 39 didn't have violent tendencies but 38 has and 38 has a scaled member but 39 didn't. It isn't conclusive Seifer, but we might have here something. Though, number 39 can be influenced by the environment and develop those violent behaviors." I looked at them, and then a thought crossed my mind from the experience I had a few years ago when I accidentally cut my hand on a glass making a deep gash and seconds later after Matron took off the glass I had nothing that even proved I had hurt myself. Something must say in this little information about me that Selphie managed to get, that I have quick tissue regeneration, proving that it isn't me making the kill, but that other experiment. I searched the papers and finally found something.
"Excuse me. Check out page number 75, first paragraph. «..ek after the birth: Number 39 has all the systems running properly. Unlike number 38 the tissue regeneration has been an amazing success with the coagulation and further recover happening in mere seconds. The rapid effect and elevate number of plaques doesn't interfere with the free flooding of the blood due t..» and the rest has been successfully erased. But if number 39 has an efficient regeneration, shouldn't he be okay from Selphie's machine after two or three days?" they all kept looking at me. "Two weeks have passed and no sign of him, right?"
"POINT" Fujin said, speaking for the first time since the evening. Seifer nodded his head.
"So, it's almost a certainty. That wasn't number 39, it was Number 38 that escaped Odine's laboratory. Now how do we make others believe this?" Quistis asked.
"We speak to the Marshal. He'll love to hear the news. He never believed Doctor Odine anyway. Great, Squall." Seifer smiled at me.
"Yeah! Thanks for your help, man." Zell affirmed as well.
"That's great we know all that but that doesn't quite solve our problem. How do we stop the monster? We've already seen that we can't defeat him one on one, or seven on one actually. We only managed to escape because we had the element of surprise. Now he even might have our weapons. We're in clear disadvantage here." Irvine asked.
"Well Irvine, now we know his weak point. We have to use that in our favor." Quistis said. Then Zell suddenly got up.
"I know! Why don't we find Number 39? He can defeat him. That boy has enormous capabilities, he is better than Number 38 and he can learn really fast so he would be ready in no time, right? Why don't we ask him?" he said his eyes shining. The others rolled their eyes.
"So, you want to fight fire with fire, right? How are you going to find him? He can be anywhere and you don't even know what he looks like. He can be Squall, for Hyne's sake." Irvine said. I jumped alarmed and looked at him wide eyed. "Calm down I was just giving an example, Squall. He supposedly has your age, you know? Don't be so scared, he?" he said rising and patting my head with an amused smile. I sighed relieved. My secret was safe. For a few moments I thought..
The others chuckled. Then Seifer turned serious.
"And even if you found him, Zell. How would you tell a normal kid, perhaps with a normal family that he was genetically created and that now we needed him to risk his life to fight one of his own? You saw Squall's reaction only with that hypothesis. How would you tell him you'd have to seize him afterwards, control him so he couldn't become a threat for us or maybe even kill him? How would you know he wouldn't betray you during the process? After all you would be creating a more powerful war machine than the one you're trying to destroy." Seifer stated. Zell nodded sadly. This was all too complicated. Even for me. On one hand I don't want to be seized and destroyed. On the other I can't stay still seeing people die when I might be the only one able to stop it. I sighed. Do I want to see little children like Colby die as well as fair men and women like these? No. I will do something, when the time comes. For now, Number 38 isn't a menace. Maybe Number 38 won't recover and dies. Anyway, if or when he becomes one again I'll do something. Till that day I'll live my life to the fullest. With my decision taken I manage a big reassuring smile to Seifer. His eyebrows arched he gives me a small smile as well.
"So what will we do then?" Quistis asks. Seifer answers.
"We'll talk to Marshal Kiros tomorrow. We show him all we have. He'll know what to do about all this mess, Quistis. Until then we're going to sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."
They all nodded and left whispering goodnights. I got up and approached Seifer to help him lie down and cover him. He was still very hurt and pale. Then I turned to leave. I was by the door when he called me.
"Squall? What was that big smile for?" he asked. I stopped somehow thinking what that had been. It was because I was glad I had made what seemed a right decision but it was mainly because.
"I wanted to transmit peace, reassure and most of all hope. Everything will be okay, you'll see. If we face a bad day with a big smile, the day will surely run better."
Seifer smiled and nodded. "Thank you for everything Squall. And sorry I led you into this."
My turn to smile. "This regards every single soul that will be endangered, so it's okay. Goodnight. Sleep well." And I turned off the light and closed the door. But before that I could still hear a sweet whisper.
"Goodnight."
End of chapter 5
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A/N1: Sorry, sorry, sorry! I know you all love this story and that I've been neglecting it for a long time. But as I said, now with SOEG out of the way, I came to finish this story as well. So next chapter will come next week, the latest in two weeks. If I don't update by that time, hit me. Hard!
A/N2: This chapter was a little too scientific but this is a sci-fi fic so...if you have questions about something or you find something wrong don't hesitate and tell me. Next chapter will have some romance and possibly the so expected...revelation. Yeah, yeah possibly the lemon too ~_^.
A/N3: To my reviewers:
S. Wing - Yep, here I am continuing it. Enjoy
Redrum - Sorry I kept you waiting so long for this. But here it is at last. And as with SOEG, I really intent to finish this, this time.
LizBethy - No, sorry. This chapter doesn't have yaoi goodness. Seifer is still very hurt; he can't yet be so active. But next chapter he will be. Yeah, Squall would eventually find out about all this mess around him but the questions will not go on forever. The story is finally developing and revelations will come like a snowball from now on. Sorry I left you in suspense this long and I hope I'm still doing the good work.
GG - Yeah, that image did occur to me. But that will surely get worse next chapter.
Squall Morpheus Leonhart - here is the awaited chapter. The next one won't certainly take this long.
Promqueen - yep, Colby's so adorable. I keep picturing him a small Seifer with brown eyes. Well about if he can talk I think so. I have a neighbour with three years old (my second inspiration to do Colby) and he does talk. Actually, since he learned how to do it, he never shuts up, but he's a sweetie. Well, Seifer is hurt but he has Squall to take care of him, so don't worry, he's fine. About Esthar's Military Academy it will take a while.
Eriol-sama - yes, Seifer was married but his wife died during a mission when they were on the Secret Services. About n.39 nothing special about it. I think that it shows the quantity of experiments they made with human embryos so it contributes to the tension of the story. Yeah I just like SquallxSeifer too much as well. They do belong to each other I think. About Squall knowing his identity, he does because he noticed he was different and most of all, Squall has an unlimited memory so he doesn't forget anything, good or bad, like we do even for defense mechanisms. That's why he's so conscientious and non-violent. But you see, Squall has the other side lurking in and if sometimes he gets nervous or angry, he shows it. You had a hint of it against Jalei, but it does and will get worse. Thank you for your complements on this story and sorry about the long explanation.
Lady Yuskreven - Again, sorry I took so long. Thanks for your review.
Miss Dincht - well, do one when you have time. You certainly will write one better than me. I would love to read it. I hope this chapter inspires you some more, so you can write one really soon, he he he. Thanks for your review and I'm glad I didn't sound like Rinoa the other day. I was getting worried.
Flaming-Angel - thank you I'm working to make it even cooler.
faery-of-fiction - thank you for your review. I'm glad you like my stuff. Well now he does know the all truth and well, Seifer will find one way or another, because n.38 will attack again. Anyway, next chapter will bring the answers to the rest of your questions. But I'm sure they will get very intimate.
devildragon - well, I know I've been disappointing you guys, but now I'm back on the saddle and I'm here to finish this. I'm gonna work hard to have that 9 out of 10. if I don't hit me hard, kay?
cho - here it is. And that heavily awaited yaoi will come next chapter. Thank you for your complements, I'm very flattered.
Thanks for all your reviews. Love you all and enjoy the story.
Azure.