Predators

3: Nightmare

"Max."

She turned around to face the subject of her thoughts. It was early in the morning and she was just about to get some breakfast in the 'mess hall' (an average-sized room where the transgenics usually ate) when he arrived. When she meant he, she meant Alec. And she wasn't exactly too keen on seeing him either.

After rethinking everything that Original Cindy had told her the night before, she decided that she'll tell Alec when she thought it was the right to time. It was a good thing that the arrival of the two new X5s interrupted their little plan of 'talking' with one another at her apartment, because Max had a feeling that she would not be able to confess everything she felt towards him.

"What?" she snapped in her usual 'what-the-hell-do-you-want' tone of voice. So far, attitude-filled Max will have to be her mask for the emotions that kept on flooding within her. Emotions that were meant for Alec.

"What did you want to tell me last night?"

Shit.

"Uh, nothing." She said all too quickly. "I just, uh, wanted to remind you that we're running low on computer equipment."

Alec fixed her with a piercing stare that seemed to go right through her head. It was unnerving. "Well, we already have a couple of X5s who're gonna do the heist tonight. Are you sure that's all you wanted to tell me?"

"I was just tired. And uh, yeah. That was pretty much all I wanted to tell you."

The look that was plastered on Alec's face told her that he did not believe a single word she said. But fortunately, he didn't ask her about it again. "Alright…if your sure."

"I'm sure."

She then proceeded to eat her breakfast which was getting cold. She was starving. But alas, someone truly hated her up there.

"Max! Alec!"

It was Luke.

At these words, she proceeded to cram as much food into her mouth as possible. And when Luke stopped right in front of their table. She gulped everything down, and downed her glass of milk. "What?"

"Everything alright, Luke?" Alec asked.

"Ice – he was found murdered." Luke informed them, his voice breathless.

Max shot out of her seat. "What?" Ice was a transhuman built to withstand incredibly cold weather – thus the name.

"He was doing sentry duty last night near the tunnels. We found his body this morning – he was stabbed to death."

Max nodded at Alec. "Let's go."

…

The liquid pool that surrounded the transhuman's upper torso was a dark crimson, and didn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what it was. A small crowd had already gathered around the crime scene, but no one made a move to touch the corpse. All eyes turned to their direction the second they arrived.

"Alright, stay clear of the way people." Mole was saying. When no one responded to his commands, he let loose two deafening bullets from the rifle he was clutching on his right hand. "I said, MOVE IT!"

The throng of transgenics immediately took several steps backward away from the dead body – away from Mole. Alec tried not to grin. The scaly transhuman had an attitude that matched his physical appearance. "Hey Mole," Alec greeted him, coming to a stop beside the growling mutant.

"When did this happen?" Max asked, bending to a crouch and studying the victim's bloody body. There were exactly four stab marks on his chest, plus an evident slit across the throat. Max grimaced. It wasn't a pretty sight to see – or smell either.

Luke, who had arrived with them replied. "No idea. I just saw him this morning – like that. I'm guessing it took place sometime last night – or sometime very early this morning."

"The blood's still a bit fresh," Max observed.

"Very early this morning, then."

"Man, something's up, guys." Luke said shaking his head somberly. "I mean, Devon just went missing--"

"What?" Max asked shrilly.

Mole fixed Alec with a look. "I thought you told her already."

Max scowled at him, and Alec shrugged. "I forgot."

"You forgot?" Max's voice rose several pitches.

"Hey, you were the one who were all 'I-have-something-important-to-tell-you-why-don't-you-come-with-me-to-my-apartment' yesterday. That was enough for me to forget." Alec said defensively.

Max's scowl visibly vanished to be replaced by an interesting shade of pink. "Whatever. Anyway, Mole, Luke, can you guys get rid of this mess?" she asked, gesturing towards the mess the blood had made. "And could somebody please bury Ice's body?"

"I'll do it," Joshua volunteered stepping forward from the crowd. A sad expression had gone over his canine features. "Ice helped Joshua make Mac and Cheese yesterday." And with a small at Max's direction, he lifted Ice's lifeless figure off the ground and into his arms. Several other transgenics followed Joshua as he led them towards the back portion of TC where more than a few other dead bodies had been buried.

That place had since then turned into TC's official graveyard.

"Show's over people," Alec said to what was left of their audience. "Get back to work."

After much whispering and chattering about the latest murder and news of an X5 gone missing, they left, leaving Mole, Luke, Alec, and Max alone. "Well, we'd better clean this up." Luke said pulling out a towel from his windbreaker. He then ensued to wiping the grimy ground clean.

Max was staring at the closed manhole that lead to the tunnels underneath – the sewers to be precise. This had become their means of entering and exiting Terminal City undetected. But now, she had feeling that it wouldn't be so undetected anymore.

Someone was keeping a close eye on them.

They had to be careful.

"We have to be careful," Alec said, voicing out her thoughts. "Maybe I should do the sentry tonight."

"NO!" Max almost shouted.

Alec stared at her.

"You're still recuperating, Alec. I can't afford for you to get yourself hurt again. We're already running low on medicines and equipment to tend to wounds like Ice's."

Alec grinned. "So nice to know that you care, Maxie."

Max was half tempted to tell him just how much she did but fortunately, she stopped herself in time, and said instead. "Whatever."

…

Psychological Operations was the horror that plagued the dreams of every soldier that had ever lived in Manticore. And Devon was of no exception. He had never been there before, but he heard enough stories about it to know what went on inside that room…he could even still hear his unit-mates' soft, frightened voices as they whispered tales of the 'nightmare room' to him…

"Psy Ops is even worse than physical torture. They will endlessly torment your soul until you can no longer feel anything…"

…

"They will obliterate every single solitary memory inside your brain, until all that's left of you is an empty shell…an empty shell trained to mindlessly follow orders…"

…

"No one comes out of Psy Ops the same person…"

…

"Did you see X5-453? She was 452's clone. They dragged her to Psy Ops yesterday, and now she's back. She barely speaks anymore.."

…

"494 failed his last mission. They practically tore him apart in Psy Ops…"

…

"Time for your trip to Psychological Operations, 720." Lydecker's icy voice cut through his thoughts, pulling him out of his trancelike recollection.

Time for your trip to the Nightmare Room, Devon.

"No!" Devon yelled, scrambling several feet away from Lydecker, until his back was neatly pressed against the cool bars of the cage they had locked him in. His eyes were wide with fear – with dread.

Lydecker tutted. "Now, now, 720. That isn't a very soldierly way to act, now is it?"

"Please," Devon begged. He was ashamed for the way he was acting now. But his fear for emotional torture was reaching its boundaries, and he would do anything to place himself away from it. "Please, I'll do anything. Don't – don't bring me there…"

Lydecker shook his head in disbelief. "You're acting cowardly, soldier!" He snapped, his silver-gray eyes flashing dangerously as four armed guards approached the cage. "And that is a weakness we have to get rid of! Sedate him." He ordered.

He was pulled roughly out of his prison, and he felt a needle go through his skin. He winced in pain as a burning sensation swept through his body in one swift, fluid motion.

And he promptly fell into a deep sleep.

And when he woke up, he found himself in his worst nightmare.

…

A/N: Sorry if the chapter's a bit short. Please Review. :-)