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Chapter #7

Complicated.

His eyes opened and he looked blankly up at the familiar ceiling. His instincts told him that everything was ok, but he knew that it certainly wasn't going to stay that way. To his left lay Zane, talking randomly in his sleep. On his other side was a softly snoring Krit. Zack looked at his two brothers sleeping peacefully. He wanted to believe that he was doing the right thing. Keeping them in Manticore. After all they did have food in their stomachs and a roof over their heads. But something told him that they weren't supposed to be locked up this way.

He had thought of escaping once, when they were going to take Max away, his little sister, the one he always protected the most. But she was strong, she fought the pain. After that escape just didn't seem necessary. Why run away to something that's possibly worse then Manticore? The "possibly" was the thing that worried him... There was a never ending fear that something could go wrong. That, in the blink of an eye, they could take any of his siblings away.

Or even take him.

Then who would protect them? Who would make sure that Max and Jondy wouldn't kill one another? Or that Krit and Syl don't get caught with their tongues down each others throats?

"599." In the entrance of the small room was Lydecker waiting for a response. Zack mentally cursed himself for not noticing someone was there.

"Sir." he said loudly so that Zane and Krit would wake up.

"Get your unit ready. All X-5's must report to the clearing stage immediately."

"Yes sir!"

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Alec stood in line with Ben and Biggs at his side. For some reason all the X-5 units were together waiting in a large room. Renfro came in and walked to the center of the room where they could all see her. The Xs stood at attention.

"At ease," she said walking trough the lines, watching them intently.

"I'm sure you're all aware of what happened yesterday afternoon." she continued. "Because of that incident, the DNA lab was destroyed. Therefore, making a new X series is now impossible. This has left us no choice but to create a breeding program. The X-5 and X-6 will be paired up and will copulate until the females are pregnant."

She paused to study their reactions.

"We've selected very few of you for this mission. Research has shown that naturally developed transgenics are to much for a human, causing the surrogate mother, as well as the baby, to die in labor. Therefore, those who are selected will be on medical leave for 8 to 9 months."

She walked towards her briefcase and took out a clip board with the Manticore logo on it.

"This program will last until a knew DNA lab is ready for use. If your designation is called, you will go to the medical lab and wait further instruction.

Ben, Alec, Jondy, Biggs, Krit, Syl, Brin and Max, along with four other X- 5s and twelve selected X-6s, left the room and headed to the medical lab.

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