Sorry for the delay but this chapter really took it out of me. Tons of rewrites ... followed by more rewrites ... well you get the idea.

Course none of its possible without cheshire and canuckle : )


The two soldiers stood a few feet apart in a circle of dirt that had been around for decades. They were outside and the sun was at it's peak beating down on them. One soldier was taller, well built, but lean from training and stood relaxed. The other was shorter and stocky, as if a boulder had grown legs and taught itself to talk. His name was Chris and he stood with his arms crossed and scowled as he called out first.

"Ten moves."

The crowd that had gathered around the two quickly formed a tight circle as hurried bets were hashed out. Sweat, shouting, and cursing filled the air.

"Seven moves."

The taller soldier said evenly, his bare arms resting now on his hips, his face neutral.

"Six moves."

"Five moves."

Chris shot a quick look towards his friends and smirked. They'd worked on this for weeks. It would be a new record.

"Four moves."

The crowd started shouting out bets now. No chance ... There was no chance it was going to get any lower. No one could win in less than -

"Two moves."

The crowd went quiet and the shorter soldier went slack for a moment as his head tilted as if to make sure he'd heard right.

"Two moves or go lower." The taller soldier still sounded still relaxed and that seemed to piss off his opponent who spat into the dirt.

"Bullshit."

At the word the crowd seemed to go into a frenzy as both combatants took a ready position, the air tense, as they squared up. A few seconds passed and aside from the taller soldier cracking his neck neither moved. The crowd egged them on and finally with a grunt Chris dashed forwards, changing levels at the last second to take his opponent down and -

"I Quit!"

No one was really sure how it'd happened. One second Chris had been lunging forwards and the next the taller solider had landed a kick that had somehow brought Chris to his knees and then the taller had used his other leg to wrap around Chris's neck and brought his knee to the ground with the shorter soldier's neck trapped beneath his thigh, the rest of his body laid out uselessly behind him. He'd barely been down for second before he'd started tapping and just as quickly Chris found himself flat on his back and gasping for air.

"You telegraphed."

"You always say that." Chris glared up at the offered hand.

"You always do it." Chris gave his head a little shake and with a smirk grasped the hand and shot back up to some shouts from the crowd.

"One day I'm gonna put your ass in that dirt." Chris grimaced as he worked his neck.

"Till then ... you'll keep it warm for me." The taller soldier smirked as he gave Chris a mock salute and headed towards his own cheering squad.

A dozen yards away three men stood beneath one of the few trees that littered the training camp. Two wore suits while the other army fatigues.

"That's him ... one I told ya about." The older soldier's name was Lieutenant Colonel Brad Stevens and had been in the army his entire life. Army brat turned soldier turned marine turned captain. Now he ran the entire company. Word had come down to be on the lookout for any ... special individuals. Now he didn't know what the hell 'special' meant but ... if there was anyone that matched that description it was him.

"What brought him to your attention?" Stevens called that stiff Suit One.

"You wanna find somebody on this rock? He can do it. Best tracker I ever saw ... yanked him from behind a computer in counter-terrorism. Turned out he could track 'em over land too. And he's damn good soldier." Stevens responded briskly.

"That's all?" Suit Two sounded annoyed. Good. But higher ups had made it clear not to mess around with these two so ... he worked with it.

"Never seen a man take down so many people that quickly. Today was just the latest ... you saw the video we sent you right?"

"That we did." Stevens could hear it their tone ... they wanted him. Heh ... good luck. Weren't the first ones to show up and try to poach him.

"Take it you'd like to have a word with him?" Stevens didn't bother looking over his shoulder.

"We'd like to examine him first. We have our own med team team standing by." Suit One answered. Stevens just shrugged.

"Haynes!"

The tall shoulder turned to see the colonel calling him.

"Med bay. Five minutes!"

Colton gave a nod as he noticed the two suits standing behind the colonel and somehow still in the shadows despite the heat.

"What's that about?" Josh, darker than Colton and slightly taller, turned to where Colton was looking but he just gave a shrug.

"Who knows. Don't care. Besides ... we got more important things to worry about." The group lost its humor and quickly fell silent as they slipped around Colton. Mission was coming up and they all needed to get briefed and prepped. This was their last week of down time before shipping back out. If you'd asked what part of the military their squadron served in each one probably would have told you a different answer. The rest of the camp gave the entire group a decent amount of space. After all ... never piss off the guys that are probably gonna be sent in to save your ass.

"You always know how to ruin a good time you know that?" Martinez grumbled as he put the rations, magazines, and cigarettes they'd won in his pack.

"Yea ...," Colton looked back over his shoulder but the men were gone, "I do."


"How did you do it?" Suit One asked without any real introduction. Colton sat rigid in his seat and just stared somewhere between the two suits. He didn't know what the hell was going on but he didn't like it.

He'd gotten to the Med Bay and some doctors he didn't know had given him what he thought was one of the weirdest physicals he'd ever had. They drew blood and asked him some weird questions. Had he ever been sick ... Been injured ... Even took pictures of his teeth ... which was new. Then they gave him some "updates" on his inoculations. But he was a soldier and seeing as how Stevens was stationed someplace outside ... he went along with it.

"I said how did you do it?" Colton let out a breath. He hated suits. Almost as much as he hated doctors.

"You'll need to be more specific sir."

"How did you take that soldier down so ... efficiently?" Colton narrowed his eyes a bit at the choice of words but kept his gaze forwards.

"Training. You people put so much money into it ... didn't think anyone would be complaining."

"And if we offered you an opportunity to use that training?" Suit One asked confidently. But Colton already had his answer before the question was finished.

"Not interested. My team is here." Both suits just smiled as Suit Two opened a manila file and started scanning through it.

"What exactly do you do Captain Haynes?"

"You tell me. You have my file." Suits never just got to the point. They all knew why they were here. Why always the need for some damn show?

"This ... is useless," Suit Two tossed the open file on the table that was between them. Colton didn't need to look down to know almost the entire thing was redacted. One of the benefits of doing what he did ... people in Washington preferred not knowing about it. He did his best to keep his smirk on the inside.

"This however ..." Suit One pulled out another file with a black folder and his name on it, "this is very interesting." And then Suit One started listing off his entire mission history. His training. Where his team had been. His confirmed kill count ... which was something he hadn't even been certain about. Who the hell were these guys?

"That's classified." Colton kept in his chair but he was tensed like a wire ready to snap. These guys weren't friendlies and they knew way too much. More than anyone was supposed to.

"To most people." Suit One said smoothly as they closed his file. Colton looked between the suits cautiously for the first time.

"Who are you ... NSA? CIA? Cause you sure as hell aren't military." He let the facade of respect drop but the suits stayed the same.

"We're from a special division."

"That's not an answer." The three just stared at each other for a few moments and Suit One went with another question. He was getting tired of them jumping around like this.

"Why did you join the military? Made it through basic ... MCRD ... Become one of the youngest to join DEVGRU ... what's behind that drive?"

"Like the views." Colton grumbled back.

"We think different. We think ... you do it to protect people. After all ... what are you if you can't protect the things that matter the most to you?" Colton pushed back from the table and stood up as the chair skidded across the floor. Mentally Suit One gave a nod to the psychs back at base.

"OK 'special division' ... I'm done." He didn't wait for a response and headed for the door when one of the suits calmly called after him.

"How would you like to make a real difference? To really protect this country?" But Colton just snorted a little as he kept heading for the door.

"Really? That's what you ended up going with? Last guys had a better pitch."

"And what about your brother?" Colton froze and slowly turned to look back at the suits who were still standing where he left them.

"What did you say?"

Suit Two was back in that black folder.

"Your younger brother ... Jason ... he died when you were 11 correct? Some kind of accident it seems."

Colton just stood there ... how did they know about that? He'd never told anyone in the military about that ... not his CO ... not the psychs ... no one.

"Don't talk about my brother."

"How would you like to make sure nothing like that never happened to anyone else? What if we told you we could give enhance your powers so that you could protect everyone? So that you could have protected him?"

Colton felt a bit numb.

"I don't have powers."

Now both Suits were smirking.

"Of course you do. But knowing someones weakness and some fighting skills aren't enough. Not if you want to protect the rest of your family like you couldn't with your little brother."

Suit One never would have gotten the gun out of his holster. He had a slight hitch in his right shoulder that made him slow on the draw. He'd put his face through the table. Suit Two he'd disarm and break his right hand. Suit would swing wild with his left and he'd snap that wrist too. Bury them both in the desert. Stevens would understand.

But instead ... Colton just breathed. These guys didn't know anything. This was some test ... some kind of bullshit attempt to see how'd he react. These guys were probably some type of black-ops that wanted to see him crack. He wasn't a mutant ... there was no way.

"Not interested." He said it slowly and calmly and again headed for the door.

"You're making a mistake captain." One of the Suits called after him but this time he didn't stop.

"What now?" Suit One asked in a language no longer English.

"Base already made its decision. His bloodwork came back positive ... he's the first viable candidate they've had and his power potential has them invested."

"So why did we let him go?" Suit One sounded skeptical.

"Who said we let him go?" Suit Two smirked.


"I'll be safe ... Yea mom ... About a week ... Tell Dad and Ashley I'll seem them soon ... Love you too." Colton couldn't help but smile a little as he hung up the phone and grabbed his pack. Always left him feeling a bit more easy after he'd called home before heading out.

"Never gonna figure out how you turned out to be such a momma's boy." Josh barked over the sound of the chopper they were all headed towards.

"Don't worry ... I gave your momma a call first." Colton barked right back, earning a laugh from Josh as the team loaded onto the chopper.

The rest of the team settled in and went about their own little rituals. The chopper was taking them to the nearby airbase and from there the next mission. But Colton's mind was on everyone around him. His team. Everyone seemed alright and as the chopper took off he put in his ipod's earbuds and closed his eyes and quietly prepped for what was to come.


Quite

Shouting

Explosion

Gunfire

Darkness

"GUHH!" Colton jerked awake and only fell back when the restraints on his wrists pulled him. His breathing didn't slow down as he looked around and found himself in some kind of hospital room. He was hooked up to some IV's ... was he hurt? Looking down and from his own senses he knew he was sore but it didn't feel like anything serious. Where was he ... how did he get here ...

Gunfire

Expolosions

The team. The mission. What ... did something go wrong with the mission?

Colton rolled his eyes.

He was in a hospital. Of course something went wrong with the mission. But where was he? There were no windows ... No labels or signs anywhere. He knew he wasn't at a veterans hospital ... or command ...

"Oh you're awake! Excellent." Colton paused as a female nurse, a very pretty female nurse, came into the room. Though a part of him felt something ... off when he looked at her. Like the oncoming of a headache.

"Where am I? My team are they -"

"Relax Captain. Let me just check these," the nurse went over to his IV's and fiddled with something and his headache started getting worse," and I'll go grab the doctor. Don't go anywhere."

"Ma'am," the nurse looked back at him, "mind taking care of these?" Colton rustled the canvass binds on his wrists. He assumed they'd been to make sure he didn't pull out his IV's or maybe from transport. But the nurse just smiled back at him.

"Oh don't worry about those. I'm sure the doctor will explain everything."

Colton's vision blurred red - metamorph - as his headache spiked.

"What do you - hey what hospital is this?!" But the nurse was already gone and there was a audible click as the door was locked. Colton pressed his head into the hospital bed as the pain in his head turned into a dull ache. OK ... none of this was right. Some part of him knew this wasn't right. He had to go. Now.

Glancing around he didn't see anything to cut the binds. Frustrated he gave a pull and in surprise almost hit himself in the face as they snapped.

"What the hell ..."

Elsewhere, a set of monitors watched by a dozen scientists were being carefully scrutinized as one man stood apart and behind them, watching everything. The screens showed the inside of the medical room with Colton quickly grabbing a pair of nearby scrubs.

"Send in the first wave."

Colton had just tied off the scrub pants when four men in military fatigues burst into the room all yelling at him to get on the ground. None of them had any type of insignia or badges.

"Hey ... I don't know what's going on. Where am I? What happened to my team?" He spoke calmly with his arms slightly raised as he slowly put the bed between him and the men.

"We told you! Get on the ground! Now!"

"Not till you tell me what is going on!" Colton yelled back but dropped to a knee as the pain in his head spiked again.

"Take him." One of the soldier's barked but all Colton could do was breath as he squinted up at the four men ... and saw red surround them. Like a dull hue.

Knee

Right Clavicle

Tactile Sedation

Strength

Left Patella

"Miller put him down and tell command it's another failure."

Colton's breathing turned haggard as Tactile Sedation stepped towards him. He had no idea what that meant ... but he knew he couldn't let that person touch him.

"Night nigh - GAHH!" Miller screamed as the bone in his right arm stared back at him. Colton had grabbed his covered wrist and thrust up with his other hand and broken the arm. Even if he'd only intended to dislocate the elbow.

Miller dropped to his knees in shock and in short order the three other soldiers joined him. Colton could only look at the damage he'd done for a second before bursting through the door and suddenly finding himself in a dim, concrete hallway. Yea ... definitely not a hospital.

He ran.

...

"Progress?" One of the scientists responded clinically without looking up from her screen.

"The subject has been in the Trial for 33 hours. The second, third and fourth waves have been cut down, Director. But his vitals are growing stronger. Dr. Killebrews's primer serum has taken well. Power readings are strong ... seeing positive growth of the x-gene."

"Dr. Cornelius?" The Director turned to a man in a lab coat at his side. He too was looking at the screens and readouts carefully.

"It's better than we could have hoped. We should get him into stage three immediately."

The Director nodded his head.

"Send her in."

He should be dead. Or at least tired. Yet somehow he was neither ... in fact ... if his head didn't constantly feel like it was splitting open he'd actually be feeling pretty good. Aside from all the blood, scratches, and holes covering him of course. But you know ... all things considering ...

Of course none of that took into account just how he'd managed to stay alive this long. Never mind against mutants. He'd always been good at fighting. Hell he'd been fighting basically his entire life until he'd sent that Jimmy Hillman to the hospital in seventh grade. But he'd always just thought he'd been able to read people, how they moved, how they fought, and taken advantage. Now it was - it was like he knew just where to hit them just by looking at them.

He'd have thought it was wrong if it wasn't currently so damn useful. Then there was the strength ... must have been whatever they'd been pumping him with. Steriods maybe?

"What the hell did they do to me?"

He ran again for what felt like days through the halls trying to find some way out of this place when a voice stopped him cold.

"Honey ... why are you running?"

"M - mom?"

He was dreaming. The realization hit him along with a feeling of relief. None of this was really happening. It explained everything ... along with his mom dressed like he remembered her the day he left two years ago standing right in front of him.

"Colton, why are you fighting?"

"I - I don't know. The soldiers they were - I was ... I had to get out." Colton took unsteady steps towards his mom who simply smiled at him and when she opened her arms he fell into them.

"I missed you." He managed to get out.

"Well I missed you too. But you don't have to fight anymore."

Colton pulled back a little and looked down at his mom ... right as his head started to ache again.

metamorph

"Mom I - somethings wrong ..." Colton put a hand to his temple.

"Well of course something's wrong. You're trying to leave."

"What?" Colton took a small step back but it was too late as his fourty-seven year old mother punched him in the face right before she leaped into the air and roundhouse kicked him to the temple and he crashed into the wall. Dazed, he saw a light red haze surround his mom as she changed right before his eyes and suddenly became a young woman with blue skin, white hair and eyes.

"Sorry kid. We're just getting started."

Colton barely felt the next blow before his world went dark again.


"Captain ... Captain ..."

Colton let out a groan as he came to.

"Good you're awake. I wanted the chance to explain things to you before it was too late."

OK, now he was awake.

"Hell are you?" Colton grumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck and slowly got off the metal floor and took things in. He was still in the bloodied scrub pants and in some type of glass box ... couldn't have been bigger than ten by ten but it went straight from the floor to the ceiling. He could make out a much larger room around him with a number of lab coats moving around. Colton squinted as he realized that red haze was still covering everything. Looking over his shoulder he saw what he swore looked like five blonde teenagers in matching gray bodysuits standing close to each other in a tight circle.

telepathy - mind alteration - astral projection -

"You can call me the Director."

Colton tried to keep his nerves down as he turned back look at the 'Director.' Really? That's what this ass came up with?

"OK Director ... you mind letting me out of here?" Colton tried to subtly touch the glass and look for a weak point. There had to be some type of door. The Director simply smirked at the subject's attempts at calm. The last few had been so pathetic with their crying and begging. God he had missed working with real soldiers.

"Not quite yet Captain. You see ... you've started down a very special path. And now it's time that you completed it."

Colton figured it out immediately: these people were insane.

"My team's gonna find this place. And when they do, they're gonna -"

"Your team is dead," the Director looked down at a chart some lab coat was showing him, "so are you for that matter actually."

Colton felt his blood run cold.

"You're lying."

The Director simply sighed almost out of boredom at having to explain this part and reaching into a coat pocket pulled out a newspaper clipping and held it up to the glass. It showed a picture ... of him.

"No ..."

Colton barely whispered as he quickly read the short story: It said he and his team were ambushed in Pakistan and killed by rocket fire. No bodies were recovered. Then he looked at the date ... it was from over two weeks ago. He put a hand on the glass as he felt the world start to tilt. His family ... his team was - how was this ... he barely registered the Director still talking.

"... had you simply taken up our offer none of that would have been necessary. But you see you're very special Captain Haynes. We suspected your powers had excellent applications and it seems we were correct. Now that your body is primed for the next stage it's time that we see if all of our hard work has paid off."

"Wait ..." Colton slowly looked up "you ... you killed my team?"

The Director shrugged.

"I would argue that you killed your team but that doesn't really matter anymore." Colton took a step away from the glass.

"I'm gonna kill you." Colton said it so calmly that the Director actually smiled.

"And in any normal circumstances I am certain that you would. But unfortunately for you ... if all goes to plan and you don't die ... you'll never remember that this conversation even happened."

Colton lost it and started beating on the glass and screaming hard enough that blood began to smear across the glass where his fists were hitting it. Like a parent waiting on a child the Director let him have his fit and moved on to check with the scientists. Over a year of research and headaches and millions of dollars would finally come to fruition. He had lost the most prized weapon of all ... and had finally found a way to make a feral of his own.

But better.

Dr. Minos's research had been expensive and the doctor himself likely insane but unquestionably a genius in cross-species genetics. The subject screaming in that box was the personification of the perfect soldier ... peak physical condition ... the highest tactical intelligence marks ... years of combat training ... but he was still just a man. Time to make him something better.

"Dr. Killebrew?" The Director took his place on the raised platform directly across from the glass enclosure whose occupant was now heaving as he glared at him. Good ... he needed a killer.

"Ready to initiate Weapon Program Apex on your mark sir." Dr. Killibrew tone clearly showing his excitement.

"Mark."

Colton looked up at the sound and saw some type of blue smoke start to move towards him. He knew it was pointless but that didn't stop him from throwing himself at the glass that surrounded him. He had to get out. He had to get home. But he'd never wanted anything as much as he wanted to kill that fucker that called himself the Director.

As the chamber filled up with the dark smoke he thought maybe something had gone wrong ... after all ... he didn't feel groggy. But then he felt something within him snap and he knew something was wrong ... very wrong ...

"AHHH!"

and Colton fumbled backwards, his hands over his throbbing mouth as it felt he had taken a wicked blow to the jaw… Now a broken reminder of what it originally was as it went slack… But through the numbness… he blinked in surprise… Blood… He could taste blood… And as he ran his tongue over his teeth… He could have swore that his canines were… growing… And then his hearing started to fail him as everything went duller and duller and suddenly without warning… Too loud, as if an airhorn had went off next to his skull… Instinctively, he clasped his hands over his ears… only for his grip to slacken slightly in confusion as he could have swore they now felt pointed… But even the benefit of doubt escaped him as there was a sickening crack in his neck before it felt like it was lengthened and stretched to its breaking point.

"Update." The Director demanded cooly as Dr. Killibrew managed his team of scientists.

"It's taking sir. Vitals are good."

Inside the cage Colton had all but given up on trying to remain upright and had finally collapsed against the glass. It felt like his heart was trying to beat out of his chest but it was difficult as the 'settling' of the pain that had begun from the base of his skull was now growing in intensity and moving deeper, from within the muscles, down into abdomen, his organs and deep back into his very bones. For a moment there was nothing, and although he desperately prayed for the slim chance that whatever that was poisoning him had ceased… That the director had made an error, that the procedure was flawed and the entire process would quickly reverse to be truthfull…. He knew he was being stupidly optimistic when the most immense series of pain he had ever felt seemed to explode within him.

It all began with his spine twisting and contorting while the muscle beneath his skin seemed to bulge and ripple as if increasing. Breathless with fear Colton reminded himself to breathe, though there was little he could do by trying to see through his blurred vision. Looking down at his abdomen, it had increased frighteningly in length and size and was still growing. But something else was happening from within the base of his spine, a searing sensation in his tailbone he couldn't comprehend, the pain growing immensely worse as the seconds passed. Then as if to throw salt in the wound… the heat hit him… Colton screamed as it felt like his skin had become too tight for his body as his muscles gave one final violent coil, thickening as new ones appeared quickly increasing his mass.

At the same time it felt like a million pinpricks were trying to tear him from the inside out, manifesting as short, black hairs spreading up his arms and all over his body. With what sounded like a roar to his own ears, Colton quickly clawed at his shirt, only to find that his nails had lengthened and grew black, becoming deadly claws, and as he clenched his fists in horror, he realized his palms had became coarse and rough like pads.

"What ... Is ... GAAAH!" and that's when he lost his balance completely, fallling to his knees and then onto his side… Watching in muted horror he could only take shallow breaths as his legs started to pull and stretch from the knees, dramatically changing in shape, the heel lengthening and with another snap, sickeningly snapped themselves into place, bending themselves grotesquely at an inhuman angle. With that alteration to his lower body, came the same sensation of claws emerging from his toes the bubbling of his skin to which he had assumed had now became pads,

Another strange heat erupted from his core before he gave another scream as his tail bone gave one final excruciating pull, tripling in length tearing through his scrubs and waving wildly as if possessed, his pain increased when he kicked it in his panic… Clenching his fist, Colton was now in a world of pain as he curled into himself before choking and as he coughed violently, teeth clattered onto the ground as newer ones grew in their place. Clenching his eyes shut… He absorbed the final flashes of pain as he felt his face crack and morph into the beginnings of what could only be described as a muzzle…. All this time the black hairs finished covering his body in what now was clearly midnight fur, while his ears migrated to the top of his head where they pinned themselves flat from the final fleeting moments of pain.

All was still for a moment.

"Doctor ..." From the sudden silence in the lab the Director was alarmed that perhaps the subject was dead. It was almost impossible to see anything beyond shadows with all the smoke. Suddenly a roar echoed through the lab as a fist hit and shook the glass. The next hit left four clear claw marks.

"Killibrew!"

"Send in the Cukoos." The doctor called out and the five sisters quietly gathered around the chamber shaking. "Dr. Minos's mind wipes were effective ... but crude. The subject wasn't just selected for his ability to accept the change but his training. I have found a way to keep what we need and get rid of the rest."

"How?" The Director asked warily as again the chamber shuddered.

"We will focus his mind. Limit it to only what we want it to be. Right now he simply can't understand the metamorphosis. The change is too traumatic. It's why we chose to do it with him awake. His mind is fracturing ... and we get to put it back together."

For a few seconds Colton wasn't sure where he was. What was wrong with him. Why he was so desperate to get out. But he was.

Then ... just as suddenly ... everything was quite. He was himself, dressed in his favorite jeans and plain white t-shirt. He looked around the empty space thinking he might be alone when suddenly a voice that somehow sounded like many called out.

"Do you know who you are?"

"I know who I am."

"You are no one."

Colton couldn't have known but already his mind was betraying him. The cuckoos quickly infilitrating every corner of his mind.

"I'm Colton Haynes." He felt a little silly saying it out loud.

"You are a weapon."

"No I'm Colton Hay -"

"You are no one."

Some part of Colton's mind managed to remember something ... some one had told him something ...

'You'll never remember that this conversation ever happened.'

"No."

"You are a weapon. You are no one. You are a weapon. You are no one. You are a weapon. You are no one."

He tried blocking out the voice but it was everywhere. And as he tried to close out his mind he could feel parts of it collapsing. He was running in his own mind as it collapsed around him.

"You are a weapon. You are no one. You are a weapon. You obey. You are no one. You are a weapon. You obey. You are no one."

School ... Friends ... Holidays ... It was like the more he tried to hang onto memories the faster the voice took them away. He tried focusing on his own memories to keep them safe. Mom ... Dad ... Kaylie ... Caleb ... His Team ... Mom ... Dad ... Kaylie ... Caleb ... You are a weapon ... His team ... Mom ... Dad ... You Obey ...

"Leave me alone!" Colton whirled around as if screaming would stop what was happening but the voice was unrelenting. Over the chanting the voice spoke to him again.

"Do you know who you are?"

"Colton Haynes!" He shouted it like a curse at the damn voice as he felt more of himself disappear. He had to hold on. He had to remember ...

"No ... Colton Haynes is dead. You are a weapon."

Suddenly it was like mirrors had appeared and everywhere he looked and staring back at him was a monster. A giant panther far from human. But he didn't curse or run because a part of him already knew ... that was him. But what was he? Who was he ...

"NO!" He cringed at the roar that came from his throat as he tried closing his eyes from the sight.

"You are a weapon. You are no one. You are a weapon. You obey. You are no one. You are a weapon. You obey. You are no one."

"I know what I am ..." He barely manged to grunt out as he tried repeating the list of memories in his head ... Mom ... Dad ... Kaylie ... Caleb ... weapon ... obey ... Mom ... Dad ... Kaylie ... Caleb ... weapon ... obey

The voice droned on and on ... first for what felt like hours ... then days ... then years ... and he lost track of time entirely. But he still tried holding on to his mind.

Mom ... weapon ... Kaylie ... Caleb ... weapon ... obey ...

No one ... weapon ... Kaylie ... Caleb ... weapon ... obey ...

No one ... weapon ... Kaylie ... no one ... weapon ... obey ...

No one ... weapon ... killer ... no one ... weapon ... obey ...

No one ... weapon ... killer ... no one ... weapon ... obey ...

He could feel it in the last corner of his mind ... it was screaming something ... it could feel the darkness closing in ... it was banging against the walls ... he didn't like it ... it didn't belong ... it was trying to fight ...

WEAPON ... OBEY

It was silent

"Procedure ... Complete." Killibrew said quietly as the Cuckoos shared a silent nod between themselves and slowly stepped back from the chamber. A small light on a collar each wore flashed red. It had been almost an three hours.

The Director made a gesture and two dozen soldiers quickly filed into the room to surround the chamber and take aim. He had already lost one weapon to a procedure like this ... he wouldn't make the same mistake. With a nod to Killibrew, a series of buttons were pressed as the gas in the chamber was cleared and its occupant slowly came into view. The Director couldn't help but smirk in triumph. The beast stood silent with its eyes closed as if waiting for him and he strode to stand a few feet from the glass.

"Captain ... Haynes ... Colton ..." The Director called out each title clearly and loudly to no affect.

"Weapon." The soldiers took a step back as the panther's eyes shot open, the once brown human eye now amber and feline.

"Do you know who you are?" The Director called out and slowly the beast shook its head.

"Do you know what you are?" This time it nodded.

"Tell me." Killibrew held his breath behind the Director.

"Weapon." Its voice was a deep rumble and seemed to be somewhat of a struggle to produce. The Director was smiling openly now as Killibrew released a long breath.

"You see sir? I told you it would work," Killibrew quickly came to stand slightly behind his employer, "his mind is ours. Just like I promised ... a feral under our control."

But suddenly the Director's smile faded as his face once again grew hard.

"Raise the glass."

Killibrew seemed suddenly uneasy but as the glass rose it was hard to not be somewhat awed by what was standing in the center of the room.

"Weapon," the beast looked down at a human ... one he somehow already knew. He didn't question it. "Do you know who I am?"

It nodded its head.

"Do you obey me?"

Another nod.

The Director didn't hesitate. He wanted to be sure.

"Kroll ... Cook." Two soldiers directly behind the Director stepped forwards with their rifles raised. "Fire."

Two shots rang out and matching holes ripped through the panther who did nothing other than growl. The Director waited for some other response ... but none came.

"How was it done?" Killibrew assumed the Director was talking to him.

"Well sir ... each Cuckoo put up her own psychic walls around the subjects mind to meet the specifications we discussed. There was overlap but that was only to reinforce the programming. All unnecessary skills and memories we simply discarded. Think of it all as a four key lock." Killibrew beamed. He'd been working on the process for months with plenty of now mindless test subjects to attest.

"Can it be corrupted?" The Director asked aloud.

"Sir?" Killibrew questioned.

"The process ... can it be undone?"

"Oh I assure you the physical mutation is quite permanent. The forced mutation was triggered at the genetic level ... we went slightly further than Dr. Minos' work to assure that process after his past failings. As for the psychic focusing ... well I mean it would take all four cuckoos at once but even then -"

The Director had heard enough.

"Seize them."

Without looking around the soldiers grabbed the now powerless psychics who began to yell and curse at their captors. The Director had what he needed ... now it was time to start cleaning up.

The Director glanced around until it settled on the cuckoo to his left and in one smooth motion drew out his firearm and shot her between the eyes ... which in a somewhat surprising result had all four sisters drop simultaneously. With a nod the soldiers holding the three remaining but passed out psychics took them away.

"Sir! Sir I must protest ... that was entirely unnecessary!"

"Weapon," the Director re-holstered his gun and ignored the doctor as the beast focused on the Director, "kill the rest."

It was a slaughter. Barely a bullet was fired before it had tore through the first soldiers and the screaming started. Once it had eliminated the soldiers it moved on to the scientists as a thin layer of blood crept over the floor and onto the Director's boots. He let things go on until he was satisfied no one would be left to repeat what they had accomplished.

"Hold."

The panther froze with one paw raised above his head ready to eviscerate the cowering Dr. Killibrew clasped in his other. It's eyes were locked directly onto the Director's.

"Release him."

With a relieved cry Dr. Killibrew fell onto the blood soaked floor.

"Well done Killibrew." The Director looked around the lab with a critical eye at the mess of bodies.

"Th - thank you sir." with a shaky hand Killibrew pushed his broken glasses back onto his face as he got onto this feet and quickly moved to stand beside the Director and away from the now blood soaked panther that had yet to move.

"Does it have a name?" The Director asked as if talking about a neighbor's dog.

"Uh - n - no sir. This is basically its prime programing. In terms of an identity ... well there is none." Killibrew stuttered out.

The Director seemed to think for a moment and glanced down at the folder still in his hand and smiled. Of course.

"Apex."

"Excuse me sir?" Killibrew kept his eyes on his creation.

"Code name it Apex. I want a full work up on its functionality as soon as possible. Let Stryker know we have something new for him coming to the Facility." The Director walked back over to examine his newest weapon more carefully.

"Is there - sir I'm not certain if field work at this stage would be -" Killibrew started but the Director cut him off distractedly.

"Don't soil yourself doctor. When I have a weapon I like to make certain that it's working. Besides ... there are still some loose ends that need to be tied."

It was silent as the two humans spoke and left him in the room with the bodies. His mind simply going over all that it knew. All that was important.

Weapon ... Obey


January ... 6 Months Ago

It was a little past 5pm but in Colorado winters that was close to dusk. Greer squinted through the light snow that the was covering their windscreen as she stole a look at Colton who was in her opinion, was even quiter than usual as he drove their jeep through the forest. He hadn't said a word since he'd picked her up in town when she'd called him with the good news.

"And you're sure it was Haynes?" It had been Greer's idea to come to Colorado. Having access to Stark's database was one of the cooler perks of working with the Avengers. And she'd finally gotten a hit on one of her searches and had talked Colton into meeting her and heading out to one of the little neighborhoods that dotted the snowy mountains around Denver. The two had split up that morning and Greer had followed her phone to the address she had found but she'd frowned in disappointment when no one had answered the door.

"Are you looking for someone honey?" Greer had stepped back from the patio to see a woman around her mom's age but with more grey hair smiling at her. With a smile Greer had walked over, glad she'd worn her inducer, and the quickly began talking. Greer explained why she was here.

"Yup ... they were the last family to live there before the new family moved in about two years ago. Nice family ... good looking son too." The woman gave a little wink at Greer who smiled back.

"Well I'm really looking for the Haynes. Do you happen to know what happened to them? Where they might have moved to?"

The woman's smile fell and she took a slight step back from Greer with a knowing look ... but as if it was something she didn't want to know.

"I - I'm sorry but I gotta go inside. I'm sorry." Greer reached out and grabbed the woman by the arm as she tried to leave.

"Hey ... what is it? What happened to them?" She felt bad as the woman suddenly seemed near tears.

"Th - there's a cabin up by North Turkey Creek. That's all I wanna say." And with that the woman broke free of Greer's loosened grip and marched quickly back inside.

"Thank you!" Greer called after her but she was already gone. Greer gave the neighbor's house a frown and picked up her phone.

"I have a lead."

Across town Colton got Greer's location and hung up. Looking down he put the pictures back in the folder and with a quick look around tucked it into his jacket and left the police station. No one ever knew he'd been there.

Two hours later the two disguised felines stared at the modern log cabin in front of them. Greer knew his irises flicked along where the old police tape that still circled around some trees. Greer bit her lip ... The sight of that small yellow and black banner and the that woman's behavior had her feel uneasy.

Gripping the steering wheel a little harder, Apex forced the jeep forward. The sound of snow crackling under the wheel only increasing Greer's tension within the suddenly confining vehicle. Colton must have sensed this and before Greer could say anything, he had already threw open the door and stalked towards the cabin. She saw him only hesitate for a moment and shake his head before slipping inside.

Inducer forgotten, Greer felt something in her stomach twist. Something really awful must have happened for Colton to be acting like this. She shrunk a little into her jacket, suddenly feeling a little guilty. She had always pestered Colton to find out more about himself. In fact she had planned this trip for that sole purpose. Greer's eyes drifted again to the bit of tape billowing in the wind … Maybe some things were really better left forgotten.

She really didn't know what to expect when she entered but she felt her ears lower slightly and her tail cease its flickering when she caught sight of what was on the walls.

Claw marks.

Greer tried her best to distract herself from the faint smell of old, dried blood. The tigress noted the faint outline of large, bloodied paw prints not too far from where she was standing. Carefully she followed them, allowing herself to travel further into the cabin. She shivered as she took notice of a an empty gun rack and a few stray bullet casings. In a corner, a stain that must have once been an alarming pool of blood. Greer nervously brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face ... she could only guess what had happened but … it wasn't hard to put two and two together. And the scene playing in her head caused Greer to back pedal trying to get as far away from the source as possible.

"Colton? Colton where are y- son of a bitch…." And she quickly looked under her shoes at the bits of broken glass. Wait … Broken glass?

Getting onto her knees, Greer felt around the floor, brushing aside snow and old newspapers until she found what she was looking for. With shaky hands she lifted the dusty frame, wiping off the grime and god knows what else with trembling fingers. Her eyes widened in recognition at the handsome but slightly smaller features of her human looking boyfriend. A trait she noted that came from what must have been Colton's father. A stern almost intimidating looking man who must have seen his fair share of hardship. Greer's eyes then drifted to the woman beside him and her lips tugged at the corners. She also recognized that look … a look of protectiveness and a gentleness only Greer knew Colton possessed. What caught Greer's attention however was the girl Colton had his arm around ... a sister. The girl had to be thirteen… maybe even twelve. So young ...

The tigress got back onto her feet and held onto the picture. She had to show Colton. Maybe it ... Maybe it could help trigger his memory. Shed some light on what had happened here. Though something in the back of her mind questioned if that was a truly a good idea. Truth be told ... Greer had pictured this whole scenario being far more rewarding and sentimental. Not the cold gnawing at her chest and stomach…

Getting back up … Greer followed Colton's scent until she found him on the second floor his back to her. His entire figure rigid but his ears drooped. And as Greer's eyes traveled around the room she understood instantly. The stuffed toys ... The faded boyband posters … Oh god… Carefully, she made her way to him and gently took away the folder he had been reading.

"Colton ... Colton it's OK.." She said softly. Trying to get him to look at her.

"They called it an animal attack." He rumbled quietly.

"We don't know what happened… " Greer tried to sound earnest but he slowly shook his head.

"I do ..." And the fur on Greer's neck bristled at the panther's growl.

"I killed them."

Present - The Shack

"Killed who?"

Apex blinked as he came back to himself and looked over at K.

"I don't know."

"You don't know." K leaned back and let out a sigh. "Well. What the hell are you so worried about it for then? Either figure it out or quit worrying about it." She hopped off the table she was sitting on and tossed the empty bottle in her hand across the room to clatter into a trash can. "I don't have time to hold your hand if you don't care enough to dig up your own shit."

Apex finally looked over at the woman he had been so convinced he knew.

"You really don't remember anything do you?"

"Clearly not what you want me to remember," K leaned back on her heels a bit as she took the assembled arsenal on one of the walls, "You could enlighten me if it bothers you that much."

Apex quickly sidestepped K's comment.

"I know exactly what I did."

Now it was K's turn to give him a look.

"Thought you just said you didn't know who you killed?"

Apex met her eyes for a moment and went back to looking at the board.

"I killed my family."

She watched him for a moment with an unreadable expression. "You're lucky then."

Of all the responses K could have given ... that was easily the last and his change in posture showed it.

"Why would you say that?" He didn't sound offended. Simply confused. K scoffed a little.

"Guess you don't know as much about me as you thought fuzznuts."

K noticed the silence and looking over her shoulder saw that look Apex gave when he was trying to figure something out and let out a long sigh. "Look if you really need a hobby, but it's a waste of time."

She started to walk toward the entrance of the bunker.

"Come on. Tig's waiting for you. Cut her a break and show up early for once."

Apex looked at the wall of faces one more time and met K at the top of the stairs where they started back towards the Mansion.

"Don't let this run your head. Let it go." K had her eyes on the stars she could make out through the canopy. Apex had his right in front of them.

"I don't feel guilt." K looked over at her glowering companion with a sad smile.

"Of course you don't." And patted his arm, getting Apex to stop as K kept walking. He watched her walk as he questioned everything he knew about the little feral. Giving his muzzle a shake Apex quickly resumed her pace and the two walked the rest of the way back together in silence.