Well, here's chapter 14. And I have a question, does anybody really WANT me to continue this? Or are you just hanging on? Cos everyone's saying it's too confusing, which is completely understandable. But does anybody really WANT to continue reading it? The ideas I have set for this story...well let's put it this way. I understand them, but I'm only HOPING everyone else will. So I need your thoughts. Shall I continue? Cos if it's only confusing people and NO ONE's getting it, I'll drop it here and do something else. Or shall I drop it? It's up to you guys. Anyway, R&R and tell me what you think, and enjoy this (possibly but hopefully NOT last) chapter!

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14

I sat on the ground next to Ari and tried to mentally checklist everything I understood so far. This was too much. Too much, and way too fast. Okay. Roland ter Bocht is a geneticist who was actually…created? Yes, he was created by someone more powerful, because he mentioned himself as being Type 1. I would guess that means he's the first of his kind? Sure, we'll go with that. Anyway, then by himself he apparently created a clone of himself, Type 1-B. Or…Jeb Batchelder. The only man I ever trusted.

A horrible stomach-churning feeling of guilt washed over me again. I never got to say goodbye to him. The real Jeb. It was Roland the whole time. Capturing Angel. Telling us it was all a test. And now apparently trying to destroy the world. But how? And why?

"We've gotta hurry, you need to get back or Roland will know," Ari's voice had a tone of urgency in it now. He was looking into the computer screen, watching as Roland left the room, leaving Jeb's body in a pool of blood on the floor. "He'll be coming to find me. He told me earlier he needed to talk to me, and now I think I know why."

"How come?" I was beginning to stand up and regain some form of composure.

"There's no time, just come on!" Ari grabbed my arm and ran at the lab entrance at full speed…just in time to have three Erasers knock us back onto the ground just a few feet from the door. "What the hell are you doing?" Ari yelled at the Erasers as he stood and faced them, fury filling his eyes.

The Erasers stood motionless, staring at Ari and I. Ari stepped forward and the Erasers all drew their guns. Okay, so now we had almost a thousand guns from almost a thousand Erasers laser sighting us. Any ideas, Voice?

Apparently the Voice did have some advice. Just stay calm. Wow, thanks for that. I began sweating and felt I was closer to death now than I had ever been. I thought about what the flock would do without me, and terror filled my senses. I had to get out of here.

"I said to stay calm." Voice, just shut up. But something was wrong, it didn't sound like the Voice anymore. It wasn't inside my head. "I'm not going to shut up, Max. I never will. Not until you begin listening."

I turned around and noticed something that sent a wave of panic and anger through me. Roland ter Bocht was rising out of the floor of the lab on a small steel platform attached to wires. Surrounding him were ten Erasers, all with their gun's lasers aimed at my chest. "So nice to see you again, Max." Roland's voice was exactly like Jeb's had always been. And he of course looked just like Jeb as well. Jeb was his clone. I guess that made sense. "I guess now you know, don't you?"

At first I assumed he meant that I knew Jeb was only a clone of him. But then I realized what he truly meant. In Roland's right hand he held a small silver box with six buttons on it. Roland pressed one of the buttons and lifted the box to his mouth. No…this couldn't be happening. I could hear his voice in my head…and right in front of me. "Saved the world yet, Maximum?" Saved the world yet, Maximum?