Chapter 4

The ever present humming of the blue neon lights were making her uncomfortable the moment she entered block E. There was no sunlight or artificial sunlight that was usually used in such high tech laboratories. Blue light was often used to calm people down. Scientists of the Jefferson Medical College found out a formerly unknown photoreceptor in the human eye (fae were lacking that receptor as far as she knew) affecting the production of melatonin.

She had never seen something like this before. Not sure to be in awe or absolutely terrified she put her hand on the glass. Bulletproofed, she guessed. She stood in a narrow corridor, left and right 2x2m cells with a glass front. It took her a moment to focus her eyes. It left her speechless in every negative way.

„Wonderfull, isn't it Karen?" Isaac outstretched his arms. He beamed with happiness and his posture could only be described as proud.

The blond doctor felt like she'd throw up when her eyes roamed along the hallway, she slowly walked behind Taft who animatedly talked about his work while walking down the Aisle, that remembered her more of the green mile then anything else. She didn't know at that moment how right she was in some way with this comparison.

She stared into the empty faces of Fae. Most of them light Fae she had treated at some point in her time with the light. Their looks were shallow, vacant of any emotion they shown before. The arrogance, the genuine happiness, the pain, the love she had once seen in the eyes of this proud race were gone. Inside the small chambers there were only hollow shells, bloody and beaten. Some where running circles, driven crazy by their hunger. She guessed none of them had the opportunity to feed the way they needed to.

Others were knocking at the windows in full rage, not even leaving a tiny crack in the glass. The further she walked along, the louder the desperate moaning and whining got. The sounds were creeping insider her head, crawling down her spine only to freeze her body from the inside. A few even recognized her, begging her, the human, to end their misery. She saw a wolf cub, probably a shifter. Lying almost lifeless in the corner of his cell, whimpering while exhaling his probably last breaths, just skin and bones, his fur glued together with blood. „Scientists" standing in front of his cell making notes. It took all her strength not to punch them in the gut as hard as she could.

Everything in this block made her sick. The smell was exceptionally bad, being a mix between sanitizer, vomit, burned flash and feces. She'd been at many places seen a lot of horrible things, but this? This pain, the agony, how could they test on them? How could they treat them like this?

„We are not alone doctor. You see this 'people?" Taft Airquoted

„They are not what they seem on the first look. They are monsters, beasts, existing to hunt us, torture us EAT us."

„The Fae aren't monsters! Maybe some of them, but the same applies to humans too Isaac" She wasn't sure why she defended her captors of the last years so vehemently and felt insulted herself by his words.

Taft just cocked an eyebrow. „Fae? Hmm... So my assumption was right that you know of them... worked for them?" it wasn't really a question and more of a statement. She knew that denying her bond with the Fae was fruitless.

„What are you doing with them?"

„Oh... what do you think we are doing? We research... You of all people should know our way of working Dr. Beattie."

„We NEVER were this... this barbaric and we only tested on ourselves voluntarily. We did no harm, we were HEALING"

„Oh... really? splenic fever? virus', biochemical warfare? Oooooh I know your history with HFF, so stop LYING!" he yelled, roughly grabbing her shoulder.

„I...I... never... They said... they always... I didn't know..." her emotions were about to overwhelm her, her believes were crumbling down. He was lying, wasn't he? They always said that they were trying to find treatments, not harming people. But the more she thought back the more she understood. The secrecy, the way the government were hunting them, the „sudden" knowledge and breakthroughs.

„Shhh... calm down Karen. I'm sorry I didn't want to be so harsh" He cupped her face, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. He looked deeply into her eyes, but she wasn't focused on what was happening to her, she rather looked into the cell in front of her. Red glowing eyes fixed on her. Pure physical strength oozed out of his every pore. Saliva ran down his chin, teeth tightly clenched together. His body was vibrating power and deep anger.

„Let me ask you a question. What do those monsters... Fae you call them, what do they eat or what are they feeding on?"

„Honey Bun Buns? Stew?" She soon felt that it was the very wrong answer, before she could do anything she felt his hands around her throat.

„I told you not to LIE!" he spat in her face.

His grip was tight and she already felt getting dizzy. This definitely wasn't good. She knew she would pass out any moment, when the almost forgotten Fae in the cell behind them started banging against the glass with such a force that it started to crack.

Isaac immediately let go of her and hammered some numbers in the touch pad besides the cell. Green vapor streamed out of the ceiling of the cell. The hunky Fae started choking, looking helpless into Laurens eyes, begging for her to help while he clutched his throat fighting for air. Blood was trickling out of his eyes, ears, his mouth and nose. With the last power in his body he desperately punched the glass for one last time, only to slowly sink down to the floor in a heap.

„Did you just KILL him?" the blond doctors throat was a little sore from the choking, but she could at least talk.

„Well he would have killed us, if I hadn't pressed the button. His death won't be meaningless... The toxin conserves his cells and hinders the blood to curdle. His death is probably going to save the lives of hmmm 9-10 humans I guess, considering his size."

„Please what?"

„Did you think that I was doing this...this for fun? because I'm a sadist and like to torture people? And again you fail to see the bigger picture. Those Fae you call them are the key for humanity to evolve."

„But to what price?"

„For someone having your past you seem to have developed a strict moral code. We caught this ‚man' three nights ago in a back alley. He killed 5 people. 5! ripped them to shreds like wet tissue paper and he didn't even flinch. He grinned and enjoyed the pain he was inflicting and then he ate them. Literally. Those men and women had families. Call me a monster, then call him a monster. He is following his biological imperative? Well then I follow mine too."

The blond looked at him questioningly.

„What is the biological imperative of a human, Karen? tell me"

„To... eat to procrastinate, to survive..."

„And how did humanity manage to survive?"

„They evolved"

„Correct. Humanity got this far because the evolved, they adapted to their surroundings, grew stronger. Why shouldn't we speed it up? Heaving humanity onto the next step of evolution?"

„The end doesn't justify the means all the time Isaac..."

„Soon you will understand. I don't judge you for being narrow minded at the moment. I will open your eyes to see what I see."

„Come with me" he said reaching for her trying to help her up. She flinched at his touch, fearing that he would hurt her again, but he didn't. He was gentle and caring suddenly. It was hard to read him. One moment he lashed out on her the other he cared and helped her. She had to be very careful around him.

It was very unnerving for her that he didn't let go of her hand dragged her with him. She wasn't sure if he was just possessive, wanted to keep her from escaping or had a more sinister approach in mind. She decided against running. He was physically way stronger than her and she knew she had no chance up against him.

They reached the end of the corridor and stood in front of metal door. Taft looked into the retina scanner. Seconds later and the door opened and the entered.

White tiles on the floor, the walls and even the ceiling. On the walls were... tools, she wasn't really sure of what they were used for until she spotted something or rather someone that made her gag. Tears forming in her eyes, her body started shaking.

„Anaya..no..." the blond breathed.

A once beautiful Fae was chained to a metal chair in the middle of the room. Her head was swollen by the heavy beating she must have endured. Scorch marks and deep, nasty cuts were present all over her body. She was gagged, but the doctor could still hear her desperate whimpers.

She knew Annaya. One of the few Fae that treated her good. She was part of the light compounds guard. Her endurance and health was exceptional even for a Fae. Her son Lucas wasn't so lucky and had a long medical history. He was a regular on the light Fae compounds lab. Lauren had always been very fond of the young shifter, he reminded her of her own sister in some kind. She was in her second year with the Fae when she managed the impossible and found a cure for his condition. She'd never forget the beaming smile of the usually rough father of the boy or the happy tears of Annaya when she had hugged the blond doctor.

Lucas was a very healthy boy now, like every other shifter his age. She and Annaya associated amicably since then.

Annayas eyes were begging her to free her.

„A really, really tough one I have to admit... Resistent to fire... toxin... you can not imagine

how hard we had to hit her to leave a scratch... her skin is so soft, but on the same time unpenetratable like heavy leather armor. It's magnificent. There is one thing left we haven't tried... I want you to have the honor..."

„You are sick, disgusting man Taft. What is this accomplishing? Torturing just for fun? I can't imagine how this could be any use to medical progress."

„That's where you are mistaken Ms Beattie. We conserved everything we could from the living form. Now we are testing the limits, what is possible, how much she can endure, what we maybe can expect if our research is succesful.

„You should listen to yourself. That doesn't make any sense Isaac"

„Oh... it doesn't? well maybe I just like to see the beasts that killed my family put into place...Maybe I want to see them suffer, like I saw the people I loved suffer?" He grinned like a mania.

„I'm sorry, but I have to disappoint you. It's just for the science. I'm not the super villain with the secret lair and sadistic attitude you want to make me look like. I tolerate your behaviour for now, because I KNOW that you will change your way of thinking soon."

Why was he so full of himself? Up until now she hadn't seen anything that would persuade her that he was doing the right thing. She couldn't stop her instincts any longer and she walked up to Annaya, kneeling down to look her in the eyes, which was almost impossible. She had to be in unimaginable pain. She didn't dare to touch the woman, fearing to hurt her rather than help.

„Anna... It's me... You have to be strong... please, for Lucas. Fight. I'll do what I can to get you out of here... I promise you to unite you again with your family. Just... just keep on fighting..." the blond doctor whispered in Annayas ear.

The hurt Fae nodded weakly. She trusted the doctor.

„Can we go please..." she pleaded, but Taft shook his head.

„No... not yet. I'll be honest with you. I don't trust you after what happened today. When I'll let you partake in the discovery of the century or even millenia I need to know where your loyalties are. I know that they are not in favor of me in the moment, but I need you. You and your expertise..."

„What do you want me to do Taft" she hissed.

„It is actually easy...It has to do with your little ‚friend' here" he spat the word friend.

„WHAT? do you want me to torture her? No I swore an oath. I will not do willingly harm!"

Taft walked to another door, opening it with his key card. It was to dark and the angle wasn't right for her to see what was inside.

„Torture? No... I want you to end it." He turned around holding a pistol in his hands.

„You want me to fucking shoot her?!"

„Yes"

„Why? Why me, why like this and why her? Tell me ONE good reason and I mean a real one, why I should kill her instead of grabbing the gun and killing you instead."

„That's pretty harsh isn't it Dr.? To prevent to kill you want to kill me instead? A bit... hypocritical, don't you think?" he grinned.

„Oh and you wanted one Reason, huh? Ok. one word..."

„Just spit it out already"

„Ivy" His grin grew wider.

All color washed from her face, her insides tying in a knot. He couldn't... no...but if...

„You're bluffing"

„Am I? Do really want to risk your sisters life on that assumption? I captured those..those Fae, do really think that I can't put a bullet into your pretty little sisters head? And before think about killing me... my...men are briefed, they WILL kill her when I die, so don't try anything stupid."

„You are a fucking..." before she could finish she felt his finger on her lips.

„Shhh darling. I know that you are angry and that you don't mean it... Maybe you should know that we maybe able to cure some... serious heart diseases with what we can salvage from her body. Now be a good girl and take the gun..."

Curing... Ivy... saving... She carefully took the gun in her hand, weighing it. It was loaded, the safety in place. The metal was cold in her fingers.

„Beretta M9, semi automatic, standard hand gun in the US military..." she mumbled.

„The same kind of weapon you used in Afghanistan, isn't it?"

The blond gulped and nodded. „I'm a doctor... a healer, I wasn't a soldier..." Images of the war flashed through her mind. She heard the sound of gunfire of screaming soldiers and civilians, the smell of blood, gore, burning flesh and smoke. It was so vivid.

„You killed" Taft stated flatly.

„I... they... they attacked our camp. I had to defend my patients. I had to or they would have died. That was war Isaac. Ugly, merciless war." The night was probably the worst of her life. She had been watching over her patients and then everything happened so fast. The last time she used a gun was in boot camp. She was a doctor, meant to heal and not to harm.

„Do it" Taft growled.

Her eyes widened, showing the horror she felt. She couldn't kill an innocent person. Especially not like this. She looked at Annaya, who desperately struggled with her restraints to no afford. The bound woman screamed through her gag.

„Now or I will call my man"

Her hand, her whole body was violently shaking, when she tried to pull up the gun, pointing it at Taft.

„Do it and she dies. Your choice"

She tried to rationalize, to grasp on to any useful plan, but it was impossible. Her mind was in chaos, reigned by the urge to save her sister. She had already sacrificed so much for her safety and she was all that she had left. She promised their mother.

But could she let Lucas go through what she and Ivy had to endure? Could she take away someones mother? Could she kill someone cold blooded she liked? Could she take a life in general?

She took a very deep breath, but it didn't really help to calm her down. She hold the gun with both hands, nervously drumming her fingers on the handle. Another sigh and she turned. Muzzle pointing at Annaya.

Her heart was beating fast, cold sweat drenched her body. She wished Taft wouldn't be grinning like a maniac. Her eyes closed. Breath in, breath out. Her aim steadied, her finger hovered on the trigger. Do it for her..

She opened her eyes. They were empty. No emotions. Her mind was at a different place when she spoke the words.

„God... I'm sorry Annaya, please forgive me..."

A/N: Wow... got a bit longer than expected... Okay, Taft is a psychopath and very ooc... sorry if everything is very far fetched and unrealistic... Couldn't help myself... Proofread it and the moment I wanted to save fanfiction decided that it was time to log me out.. so I apologize for any mistake still left, but I'm to angry at the moment to think clearly xD