Here goes it...
Disclaimer: Blah blah blah
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The Hunters... his Hunters...
Jeb mused as he went to get them. Why now? Why had she demanded they stay at the Institute for all these years, then suddenly...
He smiled as he entered the room. They were huddled up in cages. True, they were spacious and the bed was even comfortable, but still- cages.
He had created them, and they were his first successful experiment. Even before the Flock... and before Erasers. He had been so proud, and the Director praised him for his work. For these two yes, there were only two- paved the way for the rest.
They were both 1 percent owl, 1 percent falcon, 1 percent wolf, 1 percent cheetah, and 1 percent jaguar- a total of 2 avian, 2 feline, 1 canine, and 95 human. Amazingly, the best attributes of each animal had been present in the DNA grafted on to these two. Thousands more of Project Chimera had been created, only to fail.
The reason each of these had worked... well, mere coincidence. Fifteen years and millions of dollars had been spent on trying to make this specific type of hybrid. About 500 more failed tries after the younger one and the Director called it quits.
Jeb stopped in front of the elder Hunter's cage. He called this one Tor, after the Latin word for "Hunter." Tor, Subject 1191, was seventeen years old and six foot two. He had an impressive wingspan of fifteen and a half feet. His feathers were a very dark brown, like wet pine bark, with an occasional tan feather. His hair was an even darker brown, and his cat eyes matched his feathers- deep brown and flecked with tan.
His ears were slightly pointed due to the canine and feline influence. Tor himself was strong, fast, and intelligent. Jeb smiled as he turned toward him.
"Ready for the chase of your life?"
"Yes, sir," he replied as he turned to fold up his bed.
Jeb's mouth quirked as he caught a glimpse of the implant beneath the boy's long-ish hair. They had been a part of another experiment- Project Stabilize- since both were infants. The implant was designed to be removable, but the Hunters had been told that it meant death to do so.
He moved over to the adjacent cage. Atri- subject 1192- sixteen, almost seventeen years old. Two cat ears stuck out of her unruly, curly reddish brown hair. Jeb had- oops- put in more feline DNA than intended and she had these ears as a result. Her wingspan was fourteen and a half feet, her feathers were slightly darker than her hair, and she was five foot nine.
Atri's green eyes narrowed as he approached her. The implant kept them from feeling any emotions whatsoever except those the Network deemed "helpful." Suspicion was "helpful."
"What now?"
"Ready for a vacation to the beach?"
Her eyes narrowed further. "To do what?"
"Go after the Flock."
"Yes, sir."
Jeb smiled as he unlocked Tor's cage. Finally, he had a chance to make good. Ever since his collapse of reason when he took away the Flock, the others had been hard on him. That would never happen again.
He had been a part of the second Project Stabilize after he got back.
His son Tor and the girl Atri were the only other ones with implants.
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