Chapter XIII: Vincent's Secret

File Number 7712

Experiment Number 42234

Codename: Wraith

Director's Notes:

The wraith experiment was a complete failure. He was supposed to be invincible, emotionless and heartless. But there's one thing I hadn't counted on, it was his ability and capacity to learn.

For ten years we tried to mold him into the perfect soldier. Obeying orders to the letter, not questioning what we told him. All that work ruined because one of the researchers wanted to 42234 for his own purposes. He had corrupted his mind, feeding him information that he couldn't possibly use.

Teaching him ideals that were irrelevant to his original programming. In a sense, he questioned the morals of our Organization. He questioned my orders. He fought against us.

There was one thing left to do. Terminate the project.

File End.

Status Report on Experiment 42234

We could not stop him.

>>>>>

Seraphim,

"What's going on?" Shego asked as she tried to calm Vincent down. Ever since they left the Manor, he was convulsing in pain as if something was hurting him.

"It's the nanobots," Felix said as he looked at Vincent from the front seat. "Seraphim! EMP!" A bluish glow illuminated the interior of the car an slowly, Vincent began to breathe easily.

"Nanobot?" Kim asked worriedly as she watched the road. She was seating on the driver's side but she wasn't driving. Seraphim had assumed control as soon as they entered the car.

"Micro robots," Shego said, remembering their fiasco with the nano tick. "What does these robots do?"

"Originally it was developed as a living metal," Felix said as he looked over Vincent and checked his vitals. "Then they modified some of the robots for medical purposes. And some..."

"Some were made as weapons," Shego said as she caressed Vincent's hair. Felix nodded solemnly.

"As far as I could tell, Vincent had been injected by a batch that was programmed to kill," he said much to their shock.

"Kill?" Ron frowned in anger. "That's so sick."

"And it's not even programed to kill humanely," Felix added. "It was supposed to deliver a great amount of pain before terminating its host. Actually, the host dies from intense pain before the bots could even execute the kill command."

"What have you been through?" Shego whispered as she kissed Vincent's forehead. Kim saw this action from the rear view mirror. She never realized that Shego had it for Vincent. And she had it bad.

"What's with the glow?" Kim asked as she looked at Seraphim's bluish interior. "As I remember, EMP stands for Electro Magnetic Pulse. If that's on, why is Seraphim still moving?"

"Seraphim's protected from the EM surges," Felix said. "But everything electrical in here would be shut down. I think that goes with your Kimmunicator as well." Taking her Kimmunicator out, she confirmed that Felix was right. The Kimmunicator was dead.

"Unfortunately, the EMP only placed the nanobots in stasis. Without it, they would become active and would resume their programming," Felix said almost sadly. "And i think they made a greater mess this time."

"How did he destroy the Hunters so fast?" Kim asked. "I mean, I didn't even see him move."

"I don't know," Felix said truthfully. "Maybe we could get some answers wherever we're going."

"We're going to Haven," Shego said as she looked out the window. "Sheila would know what to do."

"Who's Sheila?" Kim asked as she looked at Shego as she caressed Vincent's hair.

>>>>>>

Four Years Ago

"No," Vincent said as he pushed the man who was holding him away. "I will not do it!"

"She's a threat to our plans," the man said as he tried to convince him.

"OUR?" Vincent glared at the man through his eyeglasses. "Don't make me laugh. She's a threat to your plans, not mine."

"We're in this together," the man said defiantly. "I broke you out of that facility. I showed you the real world."

"I know," Vincent said, in vehemence. "But you broke me out for your own reasons."

"That's not true," the man denied.

"You used me," Vincent said. "You stole my inventions, you took credit for my works you corrupted my way of thinking, you destroyed what I believed in, you ruined my personality and you even tried to kill me."

"Those are lies!" the man shouted. "You're my friend. How could I..." the man didn't finish his sentence for Vincent slammed his fist on his face. The man staggered back, holding his bloodied nose.

"Damn it! You broke my nose!" he said as he glared at Vincent, only he faced the barrel of an automatic pistol.

"I'm through," Vincent said as he walked away backwards, aiming the pistol at him. "And so are you."

"What are you going to do? Kill me?" the man asked in anger but Vincent's face was stoic and emotionless.

"I don't have to," he said. "I just eliminated all of you mob connections and left a calling card of yours. I'd say you have about one hour before they get here."

"You bastard!" the man shouted. "You'll pay for this!"

"I already have," Vincent said with a sad tone and shot the man on the knee. Screaming in pain, the man dropped on his good knee and glared at him.

"Just in case you run away," Vincent said and he left the man to fend for himself.

Watching Vincent leave, the man vowed vengeance.

>>>>>>>>

Ten Years Ago

"Alert! Alert! Break Out in progress!" the P.A. System announced as the members of National Justice scrambled to their posts.

Gunfire suddenly erupted from one of the corridors and screams of pain echoed throughout the facility.

"What is it?" the Commander asked his subordinate.

"The Wraith is escaping," the soldier said. Automatic fire echoed once again, making the Commander nervous.

"I don't think that sounded like escaping to me," he said as he took out his sidearm and cocked it. "Eliminate him. Use unnecessary force if you have to."

"Yes sir!" the soldier obeyed and directed a squadron towards the attack. The Commander frowned in thought. The Wraith project was supposed to be terminated the day after but with this fiasco, it had to be moved a little earlier.

The screams of his men were getting closer which meant that he was getting closer. With a deep breath, the Commander formed rank with the remaining soldiers at his side and faced his enemy.

The soldiers never knew the name of their attacker.

>>>>>>>>

Fifteen Years Ago

"Hello," one of the soldiers assigned to teach one of the chosen children tactics smiled at the boy who just sat there like a good soldier with a perfect poise and calm demeanor. The soldier was new to the organization and didn't know how to proceed.

The children were trained since birth to be the perfect soldiers. The perfect killing machines but she knew that this one could do more.

She was asked by her superiors to teach the boy covert ops and she agreed. But getting to the boy's mind was a different thing.

"I'm Betty, what's yours?" she asked.

"Serial Number 42234," the boy said in an emotionless monotone. Betty sighed as she shook her head. She was there to teach him covert ops tactics and she was going to do it.

"Very well, but during covert ops training I shall call you by another name since 42234 is a mouthful," Betty said as she thought about it. "I shall call you Vincent. From now on, your main name is Vincent."

"Understood," Vincent said in the same monotone. Betty sighed, taking pity on the boy and began her lesson.

>>>>>>>

Twenty-one Years Ago

"These children were specifically bred for combat," one of the doctors said as he addressed the Admiralty. "By combining DNA from various selected hosts we were able to create a set of DNA that would produce the perfect soldier.

The Brass applauded and looked at the babies. One of the Admirals caught sight of a sleeping baby and looked at it intently.

"This one has violet eyes," the Admiral said to one of his staff.

"Admiral Credible, it's best not to get attached to the babies," one of the Doctors said. "I'm afraid that they'll just become instruments of death."

"I understand that an Admiral could sponsor one of the children," the Admiral said. "I would want this one trained for Special ops and espionage."

"Of course," the doctor took a note and looked at the admiral. "Any special talents?"

"Train him in culture and make him use that brain of his. I don't want just another mindless soldier. I want this one to be an officer."

"Aye aye, sir," the doctor said and went towards the baby and got its chart and label. Under the baby's serial number, the doctor wrote the sponsor.

42234

Credible

>>>>>>>

The Present

Seraphim entered the secret entrance towards Haven at full speed. With its precision driving, they were able to avoid hazards as they ran through the entrance. Within seconds, Seraphim reached Haven's entrance. A gurney was waiting for them as they got out.

Immediately, Shego placed Vincent on the gurney and wheeled him in. Kim, Ron and Felix followed behind. Entering the elevator, Shego waited impatiently for the other and when they entered the elevator, it began to move.

No one said anything and the silence was beginning to be deafening. At last, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Sheila was there waiting anxiously, concern etching her features.

"I didn't want to believe Seraphim but I knew he wouldn't joke at something like this," Sheila said as she helped Shego wheel Vincent in.

"Those Bastards destroyed his watch. That's when he screamed in pain and collapsed," Shego said, trying to control her emotions. Sheila was placing a blue band on Vincent's wrist, much like what she gave Shego earlier. And when the band was activated, Sheila sighed in relief.

"He's out of danger for now," she said, smiling at Shego. "But he needs rest."

"Really?" Shego asked warily. And when she saw Sheila's smile, she knew it was going to be all right.

"Come on," Sheila said as she smiled at the others. "I'll help you settle it. Shego? I suppose you would like first watch of Vincent? He may be fine but..."

"Okay," Shego sighed, exhausted with the emotional turmoil she had experienced. "Where's his room?"

"I bet that's the first thing on her mind when she first got here," Ron joked, enticing giggle from the group, all except Shego, who was glaring at them.

"That was not the the first thing I had in mind when I got here," Shego huffed. "Though," she smiled sadly as she caressed Vincent's hair. "I had other things I wanted to do with him."

"You had no idea what he wanted to do with you," Sheila said making the black haired beauty blush.

Shego had come to realize that she could not live without him.

And it was scary thought.

>>>>>>

Next: Ron will be able to find his light. And Shego will know Vincent a little better.

Chapter XIV: Ron's Light