"We're authorized to terminate you if you try anything funny." One of the transgenics (the male from the failed recapture of the trio) snarled. "And I myself am looking for any reason to snap your neck, so watch your breathing."
Aaron looked the transgenic over, then replied in a flat tone, "Simply terrified."
The transgenic's hardened expression faltered, and he wondered if Aaron had known that The Committee hadn't really given him orders to terminate. In fact, they specifically said that if he was harmed at all, he would be the one to be terminated. But he figured that Aaron couldn't possibly have known... could he?
He pushed the thoughts from his mind, and likewise pushed Aaron forward. "Move."
* * *
The Head of The Committee looked over the list of trivial problems they would ask Aaron to solve before they brought up the transgenic issue. He smiled at his own genius, basking in the glow of the fact that he was about to outsmart supposedly the smartest man on the Earth. He was brought from his egotistical musings when the door opened and Aaron stepped inside. He looked the man over, not seeing what was so extraordinary about him, just that he appeared to be a bit more attractive than the average genius. Nevertheless...
"Mister..."
"Aaron. I don't have a last name."
"How... unique." The Head spoke, then handed the list of problems to the man on his right and watched as the list made its way down to Aaron. "I'm sure you are quite aware of why we have brought you here."
"Yes, sir." Aaron said and accepted the list.
"Well, that is a list of what we would like you to take care of." The Head told him. "If you would like to take it back to your -"
"No, I can complete it here." Aaron interrupted as he flipped through the list.
Four spoke up. "But surely -"
"Two, may I borrow your pen?" Aaron asked, ignoring the outburst.
The man known as Two looked a bit flustered, but took the pen from his jacket pocket and handed it to Aaron, wondering how he had known it would be in his pocket. As Aaron poured over the list, he decided to ask. "How did you -"
"You're a man of business." Aaron replied and clicked the pen. "Every member of this Committee has a pen in the building, but statistically six of the thirteen present have left their pens in their offices, or other such places. You, being a man of age, will statistically be more likely to be concerned about always being prepared. The younger members will be prepared in other senses, knowing all the facts for example, but your age makes you practical. It's just a matter of common sense."
They all sat stunned and silent, even the Head. His hopes of outsmarting Aaron seemed less and less.
"Ah, here it is." Aaron said when he had reached the sixth page of the list. He scribbled something down, then flipped back to the first page. He handed Two his pen, then slid the list down the table to the Head. "I've answered what you really want to know."
More curious than he'd ever been before, the Head flipped to the sixth page of the list and looked at the fifth question on the page, the one that Aaron had answered.
What would you propose be done to take care of the transgenics at Terminal City?
You will receive the answer when the time is right.
The Head looked up at Aaron, his mouth hanging open. He made a small wheezing noise, then closed his mouth and swallowed the lump in his throat. His thoughts raced through his head a mile a minute, but he finally managed to slow them down and process the moment properly. "How did you know?"
"I was made to know." Aaron said simply.
"What's happened?" Five asked eagerly.
The Head passed the paper down the table and let each member read it themselves. They all stared at Aaron in the same way as the Head had, in an utterly confused and disbelieving manner. A silence fell upon the room, none of the members knowing what to say.
* * *
Orion wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. He had been running laps in an empty corridor of one of the bigger buildings in Terminal City, mostly just to keep himself busy. He found his new freedom odd. Instead of waking at dawn like he would at Manticore, he had woken up at 10am. 10am! He was quite shocked, as were TJ and Spring, that he was allowed to sleep that long. They asked a nearby X7 and he explained to them that they were allowed to sleep as long as they wanted.
He sat on the floor and leaned against the wall and took a few deep breaths. After his breakfast (a banana and a bowl of something called "Lucky Charms") he walked around with TJ and Spring, just exploring their new home. They managed to find the empty corridor he was in now and each had claimed one of the empty rooms for their own.
That was strange to him as well. His own. He'd always shared everything with his brothers and sisters, and never minded. It was just the way of Manticore, to share and be one. Independence wasn't on the top of the list, ever, and now he found that he would have to be independent because he could only count on himself in this new world. Sure, TJ and Spring would be there, but what if he was alone? Alone. He'd never been alone before. Terminal City was a whole new world to him, and he wasn't sure if he liked it.
"Orion?"
Orion shook his head to clear his thoughts and saw Spring standing near him, looking down at him. He smiled up at her. "Yes?"
"Or, 3 - I mean, TJ and I were talking and we decided that we want to tell Max about Aaron."
Orion thought that over. Aaron was back at The Committees facility, contained in a cell, that he knew. He didn't know much else about him than what was in his file, and even that was only basic information. Built to know the file had said. He wanted to know what that meant desperately. He rolled the risks around in his mind, then remembered that Aaron was genetically engineered, like himself. Then the thought that neither of them got to have real childhoods or decide how they wanted to live. And that to Orion made him family.
He pulled himself to his feet, looked at Spring, and nodded.
* * *
Max leaned against the door frame, watching Logan work on his laptop. She frowned unconsciously as the thought of giving him a hug was quickly followed by a vision of him laying on the floor, pale and with death in his eyes.
"Knock, knock?"
Max blinked at the sound of his voice. "Huh?"
"That's usually your opening line." He replied and turned in his chair to face her.
"Right." She said, obviously distracted. "Sorry. It's just one of those days."
He frowned. "But I don't see the 'Bitch Imma kill you' look."
She rolled her eyes and he chuckled. "God, does he tell everybody?"
"Pretty much." Logan smiled. "Anyway, what brings you here?"
"Just dropped in for a visit." She shrugged. "I haven't seen you in a few days."
"I've just been helping Dix and Luke." He replied and turned back to his laptop.
"Right." She said quietly. She stared at the back of his head, knowing that they had both been ducking out of sight when the other was approaching. It would have been charming in a first grade crush kind of way if they hadn't both been doing it out of fear and a brand of angst that was all their own.
He was about to turn around and tell her something, but her cellphone rang shrilly, interrupting him. He heard her curse quietly then pick up the phone.
"Yeah? ... Fine. I'll... be right there." She sighed and flipped the phone closed. She looked back at the back of Logan's head, but he turned around and she found herself staring into his eyes. She tried to say something, but turned and looked at the ground. She braced herself, why she had to she didn't know, and turned to look at him again. "That was Mole. The newbies wanna talk to me and - and it's kind of important."
"See ya then." He said, his mouth unusually dry.
"Yeah, see ya." She replied and quickly left.
* * *
Orion stared out the window in Max's office and watched the police and protesters around the building, wondering why they even cared at all. He couldn't see anything special about transgenics, besides the obvious genetical superiority, but other than that, weren't they all just human?
"You guys wanted to talk to me?"
He turned around and saw Max standing in the doorway. He walked over to TJ and Spring, who were standing near Max's desk. He looked at them, then at Max. "We wanted to tell you about the mission we were on before we left. The one that was really why we were forced to leave."
"You guys really don't have to tell me that." Max told them and moved to sit behind her desk. "You're starting anew."
"We know." TJ said. "But it's because of what the mission was."
"We were supposed to capture a genetically engineered superbrain." Orion said. "The Committee wanted him and we had to get him. Well, we got him and now he's a prisoner of theirs."
"We want to get him out." Spring added. "And - and we want your help."