Disclaimer: Don't own them.
Author notes: I'm so, so, sorry. My computer crashed and it took forever to get a new hard drive (And stupid me forgot to make backups!). So I lost all of my notes and ideas on these stories. When I got the new hard drive, I had to pack. I'm now in the city so that I can study at college. I didn't have internet, but I finally found a place that does. It also helps that I get to go home once a month.
Story notes: Everything will be explained. This chapter is just to explain a few things, but I'm going to carry on. I do have a few ideas for other stories with this setting. At the end of this chapter I'm going to explain the Dark Angel program for extra info.
Just want to thank everyone for their reviews, sorry for the long delay, and here's the next chapter. Hope you like.
o o o
"Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." - Sir Walter Scot
o o o
Lawrence smiled as he saw the private hospital come into view. He knew that he had power over them because he donated large sums of money to them.
As soon as the car stopped he quickly got out, knowing that every second was important.
As Lawrence touched the child he was shocked at how cold the child was. Quickly getting over the shock he carefully picked him up, carrying him carefully in his arms so that he didn't cause any more damage.
He knew that the chances of the boy living were slim, but he had to try.
Lawrence moved quickly as he entered the hospital.
Everyone knew who he was, so no one tried to stop him as he walked passed the nurses office, already knowing where to go.
He quickened his pace as he saw the familiar office.
Luck was on his side as he saw that the door was open.
"Lawrence! What happened?"
Lawrence looked up to see a man in his late fifties. His dark hair matched his dark brown eyes. His skin was pale, as if it never saw the sun. He wore brown pants with a light blue top which was hidden under his white lab coat.
"James I need you to save this boy!"
Doctor James McDysan looked at the small child in Lawrence's arms and knew he had to move fast.
"PREPARE FOR SURGERY!" James shouted to the nurse.
Lawrence carefully laid the boy carefully down onto the table.
"What happened?" James asked as he began to examine the unconscious child.
"I hit him, he just ran onto the road," Lawrence said as he saw the damage that he did.
James saw that Lawrence was having a difficult time.
"Lawrence, go and wait outside. I'll do what I can," James ordered.
Lawrence walked out as the room began to fill with nurses.
With all the adrenaline leaving his body, Lawrence sat down heavy on the hospital chair in the waiting room. He looked down into his hands and was shocked to see blood on them.
"No, not again," Lawrence pleaded as he closed his eyes.
He just could believe how everything in his life went wrong. He grew up in a middle class family, worked hard during school and married his high school sweetheart. Cynthia had such life in her, she always made him smile. They both had the same goals, the same dreams. Everything was so perfect.
A sad smile formed on his face as he remembered how wonderful his wife used to be.
He opened his eyes as he began to stare at the blood again. Anger filled him as he remembered how everything changed.
He remembered that day when everything went wrong. He remembered he was working on his plans to build a power pant when Cynthia announced that they were going to have a baby. He remembered how happy they were, how foolish they were.
The first few months they had researched everything there was on children, they even had a library in their house on children.
He still remembered the room, which was painted in a pale blue, with pictures of cartoon characters painted on it. Cynthia wanted the room to be bright and cheerful, but they decided that blue would be best, especially since they painted the ceiling so that it looked like the sky. He remembered Cynthia saying that this room would be good enough for their little angel.
Eight months later, the child was born, only there were some problems. He paid the hospital; he even had specialists flow in. But not even money could save a dying child.
He could still remember the child's little hand, it was so precious, so innocent...and there was nothing that he could do.
The day of the funeral was the day everything changed. Cynthia became withdrawn; her passion for work and life was gone. Lawrence knew that he didn't just burry his child, he buried his wife and a little bit of him too. After five years of going through depression, his wife started to live again. But gone was his soul mate. Instead was a shell of what the woman used to be. He had changed too. He knew it but he couldn't, wouldn't, change back to his old self. He didn't want to have other children. He didn't want to waste money; he didn't want to waste time by caring for them. He just wanted to work, to finish his research. He became focused on his work, not caring who he hurt, as long as he got his work done. His principles changed, he became goal orientated. He needed to work, to get money, to get power so that he could work.
Now, ten years after the death of his child, he was sitting in the same hospital, waiting to hear the fate of another child.
He couldn't believe how everything turned out, but he knew that if the child could survive, even though he didn't believe that the boy would, he would take care of the boy.
Lawrence was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear James enter the room.
"Lawrence, I need to tell you something amazing!" James said as he sat down next to Lawrence.
Lawrence looked at the smile on James's face and knew the kid was alive. With a sigh of relief he looked at his watch and saw that he had been sitting there for three hours.
"The boy made it?" Lawrence asked in surprise as he looked at James.
"Yes," James said quickly
"Is there permanent damage?" Lawrence asked, hoping that there wouldn't be.
"No, that's what's so interesting. The child is not normal," James answered excitedly.
"What?" Lawrence said in disbelief.
"If you had hit a normal child, he would be dead. But he's not. The child…It's like someone implanted a unique DNA." James said in awe.
"Unique?" Lawrence asked, not quiet understanding.
"It's so different! I can't explain it, but it's like someone enhanced the human body. I mean, what I'm trying to say is that somebody was playing with the human DNA and found a way to improve us!"
"So you are saying that the boy that I this is..."
"Genetically engineered," James concluded.
"But what does that mean?" Lawrence asked as his mind was working overtime.
"It means that boy isn't a normal little boy. It means that he isn't really human...It's better than a human," James blabbed, still unable to believe it.
"But..." Lawrence didn't really know what else to say, he was still shocked.
"Lawrence, think of it. Somebody has re-designed the human body. That 'boy' is healing himself; he has the power to heal himself faster than a normal human can. It's incredible. Just think of all the tests that we can do, think of all the research...think of all the information we can get for it," James said in awe.
"He also has a barcode," James said as he just remembered that fact.
"Menaticore?" Lawrence asked.
He had heard a lot about Menaticore, it was supposed to be a highly classified organization that the government didn't even know of. It was all rumors but he had a few resources that the government didn't have. He knew that there was a group of scientists who wanted to design a perfect solider, but not everyone believed in the idea. So no funds were given and the group disappeared.
"From what I heard yes, they finally did it. I need to tell them that we have this thing. We can experiment on it, see what else they did. This is excellent!" James said in excitement.
Lawrence snapped out of his thoughts when he heard what James meant.
"What do you mean by experiments?" Lawrence asked.
"Well, we can see how it responds to different things, like how long it will heal, how it will react to different drugs, how it functions! I mean, we have a live experiment on our hands, Lawrence, and no one can report it because I bet that this will be classified. And just think of what we can learn!" James said as he began to think of everything.
Part of Lawrence wanted to find out all these things too, this was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity...yet, he just couldn't bring himself to do it.
"No, I'm taking the boy with me. It's too dangerous, we must wait. In the meantime I want you to delete the death certificate of my son. I want to take that boy and pretend that it is my son," Lawrence ordered.
"But..." James pleaded.
"No, I'm taking that boy with me!" Lawrence demanded.
James knew better than to mess with Lawrence, but he just couldn't just let this slip through his fingers.
"But…"
"James, NO!" Lawrence replied angrily.
"Why?" James asked in desperation.
"My wife wants a child. She will have this one," Lawrence replied emotionless.
"But Lawrence, think of the research!" James pleaded.
"No, I'm taking the boy home with me." Lawrence demanded.
"But he might be dangerous," James said reluctantly.
Lawrence shook his head.
"You tell anyone, I'll make sure it's the last you do. But if you remain silent, I'll let you do some tests. Just not now," Lawrence promised.
James nodded, knowing that if he continued he would lose the chance forever.
"What room is the boy in?" Lawrence asked.
"Four nineteen," James replied with a sigh.
Lawrence nodded before he left the disappointed Doctor. He didn't know why, but at that moment, he just couldn't see a child being experimented on.
o o o
Lucas could hear the sounds of machines in the distance; he didn't even have to open his eyes to know that. His mind wondered over his life as he tried to wake up...
Zack was the oldest, immediately making him the leader. Max was second in command, but she was their big sister, always looking after them. They were all close. They weren't supposed to have names, but Max didn't agree, so they secretly named each other. They were always careful not to use their names around the guards as that would mean severe punishment and re-programming. That would also mean stricter rules, and more surveillance.
Everyone morning would start the same way. They would line up in a straight line, saluting their leaders. Then they would march in unison as they listened to their commanders. After that they would train.
He could remember being on a treadmill, wired and taped up with every kind of sensing device, but worse was the tube taped in his mouth as they monitored his breathing as he ran.
After the tests they would march through the hallways, in their grey pajama-like fatigues, to their next training session. They would be split up, some kids doing push-ups, others in a martial drill, others in a hand-to-hand combat training.
He never liked the hand-to-hand combat training, especially since they would be made to fight each other. He remembered the day he had to fight Max. She had always been better at fighting. On some days he could block her blows, but she always managed to deliver a blow that he would miss. He could remember the one day she broke four of his ribs with one punch.
After their training they would have class, where an instructor would stand against a large screen, gesturing with a pointer, to a tactical diagram making them learn knew ways to attack. They also had three words drilled into their minds everyday...Duty, Discipline, Teamwork.
Every now and again they were given a mission where they had to combine their training and work as one. They were given their details, and their orders.
He still remembered the day that made everything change. It was supposed to be a routine scan. They were given their guns and army fatigues. They were prepared for what was supposed to happen...but that's when it went wrong.
Lydecker wanted to see how they would cope with the unexpected. They were greeted with a surprise tactical advantage team, which lead to the death of X5-462. They were all shocked. They didn't expect Lydecker to kill them on a training exercise. It wasn't even a real mission...
He could still remember the first day they realized that staying at Menaticore would mean their deaths. That's when they realized Menaticore's mistake. They were trained as soldiers, they were trained to survive and staying at Menaticore contradicted their rule to survive. That's when they began to find out if there was anything outside the fence.
Their day came when Max and the others were ordered on a real mission to eliminate a target. That's when they saw that there was life outside Menaticore. That's when Zack decided on the escape. Everyone agreed, mostly because Zack was their leader and they trusted him.
Now he wasn't sure escaping was such a good idea. He didn't want to escape; he didn't know what lay outside the Menaticore boundaries. Menaticore was all he knew. He was never allowed on a mission outside the fence before, he only heard the tales the others, who had been outside, told them. Now, he would not even have the chance to experience the outside world. They had failed...
o o o
Lucas opened his eyes and noticed the white ceiling, finding it strange he quickly scanned the room. His gaze stopped at the man on his right.
"I see that you are awake," Lawrence answered.
Lucas didn't answer.
"I'm Lawrence Wolenzcak, I'm the one who found you. You are in a hospital," Lawrence explained.
Lucas remained silent, not really knowing what to expect as he looked at Lawrence.
"You've been in an accident, but you will be fine in a week," Lawrence explained.
Lucas kept his eyes trained on Lawrence, looking to see if Lawrence was lying or not.
"What is your name?" Lawrence asked.
"X5-456," Lucas answered immediately, knowing that any delay would mean punishment.
"X5? I don't know much on this. Do you have another name to go on?" Lawrence asked.
"X5-456!" Lucas hissed.
Lawrence nodded, he looked at Lucas again.
"You don't have to be afraid X5. When you are better, I'm taking you home with me, to my wife and home," Lawrence explained.
Lawrence was surprised to see confusion in Lucas's eyes.
"What is a wife?" Lucas asked carefully, not really knowing if he was going to be punished for asking a question.
Lawrence was taken back when he heard the question. He looked at Lucas's face, but it didn't reveal anything. Not even the eyes.
"I'll tell you tomorrow," Lawrence answered, already regretting his choice.
Lucas didn't really understand what the words wife or home meant, but he suddenly realised that he was not going back to Menaticore. He was both relieved and frightened.
He was a solider; he was trained to follow his orders. He suddenly realised that he was alone in an unknown territory without orders. He didn't know who he could trust or what he had to do. He never had been in this position before and for the first time in his life, he was truly alone.
O o o
To be continued…
Notes on Dark Angel-
As children they were part of a highly classified genetic enhancement project. Seven children were trained in a deeply secluded compound to use their superhuman powers. At a young age they escaped the compound and made their way in the world.
Basically there was a part of the government who wanted to create the perfect soldier, so they took babies and preformed "tests" on them making them better by mixing their DNA with animals. For example, someone had some Cat DNA which allowed them to move quickly and it enhanced their eye vision so that they could see something that a normal person couldn't.
So all these children were like super humans and were trained to be soldiers. But as I explained in the story they were trained, and they were treated badly (Which will mentioned later on in the story;-) They were treated as soldiers, not like children. Showing weakness was not an option. Because this was a military place they were given names, but code names.
Anyway I can't explain more as this will spoil the rest of the story, but everything will be explained as the story goes on. If you have any questions please fell free to ask.
Again I do apologize for the long delay.