"Where are you taking me? How'd you know my name?"

"I know your name because I knew your parents . . . A very long time ago . . ."

"You knew my biological parents?"

"Yeah . . . , they created me and a good number of others . . ."

"They created you and others? Like . . . mutated animals, right?"

Luke looked over at Nicolei, "Yeah . . . . Mutated animals . . . We still prefer to be called people, though . ."

"Sorry . . . ."

"Heh . . . , I'm going to have fun explaining your family's history . . ."

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The bandicoot's eyes stared up into the doctor's, unsure of what was going to happen to him. "What are you going to do to me?"

A smile was placed on the man's face, "Aren't you going to ask what happened to me six years ago?"

Morgan cocked an eyebrow. How could he forget? It was so stupid of him to forget! Monroe sticking a needle in himself, the evil laugh that came from him while he repeated, ' I'm going to be sick . . . I'm going to be a freak . .'

"I never thought about it until you brought it up . . What happened?"

"Heh . . . Well, you'll find out, now, won't you . . . ?"

The scientist sent his fingers across Morgan's face, taking away flesh and fur from his cheek. Morgan turned his head away quickly, placing a hand where it stung. When he pulled his hand away from himself, though, fresh blood stained his fingers and palm. He looked up at the grinning man just to see something new on the tips of his fingers: one-inch, black claws. Monroe examined his claws with pride and a pleasant smile, "You know . . . , all of those experiments I did on you six years ago really paid off . . . They gave me unimaginable power and extraordinary abilities!"

He then sent a blow to the boy's jaw, knocking him over face-first into the tiled floor. "Morgan . . . , you disappoint me . . . I thought you'd actually give me a real fight. Maybe I was wrong about you being strong, though . . . You're a total weakling at this very moment!"

A foot was sent to the boy's ribs, taking his breath away as he curled up in pain. There was no way that he could tolerate another battle like this! He was already beaten to a pulp the first time! This scientist before him was about six feet tall and stronger than he. He, himself, was barely over five feet and not as strong as Monroe. What could he possibly do to defend himself? Choking on his words, he glared up at the man, "Okay . . . Okay . . I . . I g-give up . . ."

Monroe smiled, "You finally realized who's in charge . . . . It's about time . . ."

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Kael sat there, crying a stream of warm tears as she hung her head low. This was all too much. Why did Monroe come back? Why couldn't he just be dead? Her life would be so much better without him! Morgan's life would be so much better without him . . .

"Pst . ."

She moved her eyes from the floor to the figure opening her cell door. It was Weasel. Her eyes lowered in anger, barking at him madly, "What'd you do to Morgan?!"

"Shh! I've done nothing to him! I'm getting you out of this place . . ."

"But, what about Morgan? You have to get him out of here, too!"

"Shh! Keep it down . . ."

She sighed, looking up at him more innocently than her previous expression. "Where's Morgan?"

"After Monroe . . . got his ways, let's say . . , he took Morgan into his office for reasons I don't know. Now, come on. I'm getting you out of here, first."

----------------

"Morgan, my dear boy . . . . , you have a lot to learn . . ."

The bandicoot looked up at the scientist standing before him as he remained seated in one of the chairs in his office. "Like what, Monroe? How to tie my shoes?"

The sarcasm was all he needed to tick off the man. It was all he had that could tick him off. Monroe grasped the boy from the fur on his chest and pulled him closer to his somber face, "No! One of them is going to be how to control your sarcasm! Then, we can start with learning MY title: Doctor Monroe. Not Monroe!"

"Psh! Whatever . . . I thought guys like you only got the title of Nurse."

The scientist threw a fist at Morgan's face, "You think you're so smart, don't you? Well, you're not! Grow up!"

"I have grown up . . . And thanks for realizing my inner talent of being smart . . ."

Morgan's eyes gazed up at the doctor, giving him a fake smirk and knowing how much worse he was making everything. Monroe just began to laugh hysterically with his deep tone, confusing the boy that was seated more at what was so funny. "You just don't realize anything, do you, little bandicoot?"

"Apparently not . . ."

"How about I bring your girlfriend in here, and she can make everything clearer to you?"

"Don't you dare involve her in anything more!"

"Or what? Using her is basically the only thing to keep your sarcasm from escaping your mouth!"

Morgan just grunted, turning his head in the other direction. He didn't want to look into the man's eyes any longer. He had enough! The doctor simply just straightened his collar and cleared his throat before speaking, "So, are we ready to cooperate and do every favor I ask . . . ?"

"Yeah, but I got just one favor to ask of you, first . . . ."

"And what would that be . . . . . ?"

"Well . . . , we could start with you shoving your head up your ass . ."

The boy was sent to the floor, his cheek burning as if on fire from the previous blow. Even though Monroe was getting older and closer to the later forties man, he could still pack a punch, and Morgan had to give him credit for that.

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"Jon? What are you doing? You're going to get us both in trouble again!"

"Look, Cupcake . . . . She needs to get out of this place, and now. If she doesn't, Doctor Monroe will kill her and her unborn child . . . I need you to do me a big favor . ."

"Weasel, I'm not sure if I can. Doctor Monroe took it pretty hard the last time this happened, and I just got yelled at yesterday by him . . ."

"Please, Creampuff! You have to help me. You have to help her . . "

Silence fell in between Weasel and Cheryl while Kael just stood there with some confusion.

'In a time of crisis, he's calling her Cupcake and Creampuff? What planet is this guy from, exactly?' Kael thought to herself, 'These two are just . . . . odd. Especially Weasel, though. And why'd she call him Jon?"

Cheryl then spoke up softly in her slight, Puerto Rican accent, "Well . . . . ," she started to smirk a little, "lucky for you . . . . , I like a guy that brings trouble . . ."

Weasel immediately grinned with joy, kissing her right on the lips. "Thank you, so much!"

"Anytime, hon."

"Dinner still seven, right?"

"Yes, and I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Weasel gave her an innocent smirk as he quickly kissed her again, "Thanks!"

She looked over to Kael with a smile, picking up her purse from the counter and digging through it in search of her car keys. "Come on, hon. Time to get you out of here."

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"Morgan, I'm home!"

Ray opened the door wider just as her seven-year-old son, Remy, came running in with joy. Shopping, to him, was such a bore, and he was glad to be home! Ray placed some groceries on the counter and began to go out the door again to get some more. Coming back in, she shut the door this time, placed the remaining groceries next to the others. "Morgan?"

She made her way down the hallway towards her brother's room, slowly and cautiously. She knocked on the wooden, room door, opening it to look inside, "Morgan?"

She gasped at what she saw. His room was a terrible mess with his bed sheets all over the floor, a broken lamp still on the desk, a fallen CD rack with CDs all over nearby, and so much more. What had happened?

Ray rushed herself in, looking around frantically for any sign of her brother. He wasn't in his closet, nor underneath the messy blankets. The room was lifeless and empty.

"Morgan!"

"Mommy? What's wrong?"

Ray turned towards her son that stood in the doorway, looking up at her with his big blues. He spoke up again, "Where's Uncle Morgan?"

She sighed, her heart beating fast, "I don't kn-"

She stopped when a sudden thought came to her. Luke Jakyl. He had something to do with it! He probably had her brother! "Let's go, Remy. I'm taking you to see Jim for a while . . ."