[writing] Project Chaos - Chapter Ten

[djtenku]

Title: Crisis
Word Count: 2902
Summary: Questions. Shock. Turn.

The silent carrier plane still sailed high above terra firma over the billowing cumulus clouds – thunderheads, Zigor had told her, banking gently to the right.

“I didn’t think a snowstorm would have lighting,” Meeko observed, watching from a section of a glass window on the lower deck.

She grew listless from trying burst transmissions for the past three hours, and her worrisome nerves were made worse by the cups of caffiene; she had to get away. The clouds seemed to stretch infinite from what she had seen. Occasionally, a bolt of lighting would skip from one cloud to another. Meeko frowned and backed away from the window. “None of this won’t hit us, will it?” she asked to no one in particular. Forty-thousand feet above the ground didn’t seem as comfortable as she originally thought.

“Storms are unpredictable,” Michael replied sagely, “you should know that.”

Meeko rose, and caught a slight vertigo. “I think something’s happening down there,” she suddenly said. Just then, the radio dash buzzed to life by squeaking a few garbled words before becoming crisp and clear. “…ni? Oni, come in!”

The doctor signed in total relief as Michael answered. “What’s your status, Shina?”

“A little worse-for-wear, but I think we’ll all live,” she replied quietly. “We’ve also found the hostage; all but dead. But, something’s up…”

“Such as?”

“A father-son reunion between him and Rowan,” she said flatly.

Meeko glanced at Oni as she passed by, noting his mild look of surprise on his otherwise stoic face. Zigor was too, and started to say something, but kept to himself. She wasn’t surprised at all.

“Anything else?” he asked, breaking the stunned silence.

“Other than being chased, shot at, nearly scorched, dislocating something, and having no weapons,” Shin replied, “I’d say no.”

Oni nodded in consideration. It was going better than he had expected, a little too well. Maybe it was sheer chance, or deceit. Either way, one part of the mission was done.

“As you said before,” Kento chimed in, “these guys are packing something else. The reason we couldn’t call back was that they had jammers – the transmission cut out every time they got near. I think they could pick up our frequency lines too.”

“Who’s ‘they’?”

“Some kind of mercs,” Shin replied. “They’ve some sort of skulls as an insignia, and they wear all black. Even has stealth and a weird weapon…I think they use sounds.”

Michael narrowed his eye. “So, the Screamers are still active,” he said, more to himself. Even though they were formed fifteen years ago – considered young – the Screamers quickly became feared for their skills. He was called for being the commander, but refused. He never did like their style of execution. “Listen to me,” he said sternly, “do not make contact with them at all. In fact, do not bother engaging them at all. The Screamers will kill you on the spot – weapons or no weapons. You will be lucky if you encounter one and live.” He paused to let the warning to sink in. “Now, before you move Mr. Xander, please question him.”

“I bet he’s tired of it, I’ll try,” Kento said.

“Let Shina ask,” Oni said with a slight smile. “I’m quite sure he will be more inclined to answer to her.” He glanced at Meeko, and noticed sadness and anxiety blended in one, and wondered.

-

Kento frowned as he deciphered the comment the former general made. It never failed that he insulted him one way or another. He glanced at Rowan, who had not said a word. He still had a deep scowl on his ghastly face and his emerald eyes were bright with fury. Kento was glad he wasn’t on the receiving end of the murderous glare. He noticed that Xander had his head down and hadn’t looked up for some time, and wondered what happened, but he would have to ask later. “You heard him,” he said, folding his arms.

Shin threw a glare at him before facing the weapons president. “Now before we get you out, Mr. Xander, I’m going to ask a few questions,” she said softly, encouraging him by placing a hand on his back, “and I want you to be truthful.”

Xander looked up briefly, eyeing Rowan before gazing down at the floor again. “Alright,” he said meekly.

“Did you reveal anything dealing with this new weapon?”

“Other than the press meeting we had earlier, no. I’ve been tortured, as you can see, but I did not say a word about it,” he answered.

“Is the weapon a Project?”

Xander hesitated. “It’s name is Chaos,” he confirmed, “and as you might know, it was developed about two years ago, after Zero’s destruction.” A little bolder, he added, “I would like to strangle the bastards who stolen and destroyed Zero.” He looked up again, confused as Kento coughed purposely.

“One, I killed the bastard who stole it, and two-“ he added a smirk. “-I don’t think you can strangle me, sir.”

Xander’s eyes widen and his face flushed. “My apologies,” he stuttered, “but that’s how I feel. Many things have happened since then.” He smiled ruefully. “I’ve even tried taking my own damned life. I was almost successful…”

Rowan spoke for the first time, his deep voice a growl. “But you were too much of a coward to go with it,” he said, finishing his sentence. He scoffed. “Typical.”

“Rowan!” Shin gasped. “How can you say such a thing about your father?”

“He is not my father,” he declared.

Xander sighed. “I deserved that, along with many things that may happen to me. Oh, I have strayed off; please continue.”

Shin glanced at Rowan before turning back to Xander. “What are Chaos’ abilities?”

The weapons president shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t even know what weapons it’s equipped with! It’s strange, I know, but all I know is that it has Zero’s scrapped arsenal.” He paused in thought. “Bonol knew more about it, but…he’s dead.”

Shin blinked. “Shouldn’t there be some sort of safekeeping of the records on them?”

“In fact there was, but I wasn’t allowed to access it. Very hush-hush, and it belongs to the military; that’s where Bonol’s company is based on. It’s strange, they make electronics too, but it’s all a farce.

“A dummy corporation?” Shin’s answer was a grave nod.

“Rumor has it that he’s been trying to buy out all of the competition, or forcing bankruptcy on them. A vaccuum, I’d say.”

“We’ll take care of that later, “Kento reassured him. “Anything else on the weapons?”

“They may be from the black market, or weapons that we have not developed yet. The testing programs and prognosis are tucked away…”

“Must not be if a Project can be built in two years’ time. And if it has the same type of armor, it’s going to be hell trying to destroy it.”

Xander stared at him in astonishment. “Oh no no no! You can’t destroy it!” He gave a sharp, harsh laugh. “The materials are about five times stronger than Zero. There’s no way in hell it can be destroyed, not even with a nuclear weapon!”

“When there’s a will, there’s a way,” he said simply.

Xander seethed, but kept his temper in check. “You’ll have to forgive him, Mr. Xander,” he heard Shin say. “We’re just doing our job.”

“That is,” he suddenly added, “if you can get past the security measures. Should a guard becomes incapacitated, all the others in the perimeter will be alerted – and there’s always at least four. Inside the buildings are cameras that immediately sound the alarms when it spots something unusual, and some are equipped with guns. This whole base is equipped with the most complex weapons, and most have not have entered mass production.”

“Man, you’re quite the pessimist,” Kento said, earning him yet another glare from Shin.

“Like these?” She showed the president one of the silver pipes and he nodded.

“Yes. The old grenade design is a bit of a liability nowadays – if not obsolete. This design allows for better concealment while delivering the same type of damage. How it works is that the chemicals are separated in two chambers, and is activated by the heat of the human hand. A special enzyme that separates the chamber dissolves, making it active.

“It can be held indefinately, as along as someone is holding it. When you release it, the chemicals mix together and explodes five seconds afterwards. The other way to make it active is to simply shake and throw it.”

“Well, we are in dire need of weapons,” Shin said, “is there an armory around here?”

Xander nodded. “It is southwest from here, past the sub-building connected to the main building.”

“And Chaos?”

“It’s far underground, under Facility ‘B’. It’s right across from the armory. There is an elevator that will take you down there but be warned. It’s heavily guarded.”

“I’ve got one more question.” Xander looked up, facing Rowan again. To his relief, he wasn’t scowling anymore, but he had that cold look. He feared the worst. “Why did you leave?”

He didn’t want to answer the question. He knew at his weak state, he would be easily be killed if Rowan decided to strike him. But, he wanted – no – needed to tell him everything, for closure. “My research required me to be elsewhere. I had to leave immediately, so I could not say my goodbye to you or your mother,” he said quickly, avoiding his gaze.

“Is that why you divorced her?”

Xander shook his head. “Unreconcilable differences, really.” He smiled wanly. “You know how it is; we were always apart and – “

“That’s no excuse to just abandon me,” Rowan growled, taking a step forward. “Why was the research so damn important that you just had to leave?”

Xander stood up, trembling. “You see I…”

“Tell me!”

Fear paralyzed the Grasino president. He wasn’t ready to die so soon. Within a blink, Rowan slammed him against the steel wall, creating an indentation, and hoisted him high by the neck. “So help me if you don’t tell me,” he said minaciously, “I will kill you right now.”

“That’s enough, Rowan,” Kento called out. “Put him down.”

“Or else what?” he dared, glancing over his shoulder. “I need to hear the truth, and I won’t do it until I hear his own words.”

Kento knew he was about to snap completely – he wasn’t thinking anymore, he was irrational. If I even look like I’m about to lose it, use this, he had told him. Kento searched his pocket and brought out the blue medical pen, and gave a small signal to Shin.

Xander squirmed under his son’s single-handed chokehold, clawing at his hand and gasping for air. He had to say it now. “You’re an experiment!” he blurted out. The dreaded words echoed in the empty room for what it seemed forever and absorbed quickly by the walls. The silence was so spontaneous that he thought he went deaf.

“What did you say?” Rowan whispered, not quite sure what he had heard. An experiment? His headache came back, piercing his mind even more.

“You’re an experiment,” Xander repeated. He coughed violently, clutching at his throat after he crashed into the floor. He gazed up at Rowan, and pleaded. “Please forgive me! I had a pact with the Human Science Agency to test the effects of infected strains of genes. I had no absolute say in it, and I tried to call it off! If I didn’t comply, they would have killed us all anyway. That’s the real reason why I left! I couldn’t bear the thought of it anymore!

“I admit I was too much of a coward to tell you,” he said, tears threatening to come out,” I told your mother and that’s why we’ve divorced; for your safety and hers. I…” Words were caught in his hoarse throat and came out as sobs. “I didn’t mean for all of this to happen!”

Rowan couldn’t feel anything at all. In fact, he could barely breathe, but did not let it be known. Everything up until now was a lie, even his whole life. Just an experiment? “I…is the research s…still being conducted?” he managed, trying to fight back the urge to kill.

“Yes,” Xander replied sadly. “Do you know of a Dr. Maria Meeko?”

-

+Maria,+ Rowan managed, +why didn’t you tell me about all of this?+

Meeko was disconcerted about the way he sounded so calm and collected – to her the calm before the storm. There was so many things to say; she had earned his complete trust and now the very thing was threatened. She bowed her head at the thought of losing it. She glanced up at the pilot, then Michael for a grave, approving nod. “I’m not sure if I should apologize for this,” she replied, “I’ve been meaning to tell you this from the start, since I joined the staff about two years ago. The HSA promised me my license if only I gathered feedback and info on the exosuit, since you were the only one tested positive for capabilities and fitted for it.

“However, I was concerned with the results in the time frame of July and November of last year. I started sampling your blood and looked over the results. Turns out that you have Stage Two Lunar Dementia. Your DNA strains are beginning to dissolve, starting with the adenine. The rest of the amino acids are unaffected for now. The stabilizers have a temporary adenine bases that will take the missing acid’s place until it dissolves, whenever that may be. However, it also depends on the severity of the attack.

“But, like your father, I am under a pact,” she said, her voice shaking. “If I even considered calling it all off, I will be killed by the nanomachines in my blood. I’ve only made enough samples to ward them off as I find a cure…In a way, Rowan, I’m keeping you alive. They haven’t considered you a failure since I started, and you were basically at Death’s hands. But…”

Meeko paused, trying to gather words in her cloudy mind. Cold tears streamed down her face. “Please forgive me, Rowan.”

Silence hung in the air, and she buried her head into her hands, weeping.

-

By that time, it had finally arrived in full force, and he could not push it away like he did before. The invincible hand wrapped itself what rationale that he had left and crushed it, triggering the primal side – the beast within. All of his thoughts ceased altogether, and became a single chord. His body barely reacted to the sudden change, and his whole demeanor changed; it was no longer confused and broken. Instead, he felt rejuvenated.

“Rowan?” Shin asked cautiously. “Rowan, talk to us, are you alright?”

Rowan lazily turned around with a crazed look, green eyes bright. His pupils were constricted so much that they disappeared in the color. “Oh, I’m more than alright, Shin,” he said, chuckling.

Xander squeaked as his son turned to him with a smile. He stood up but found himself cornered. He found himself out of it though, when Shin yanked him by the arm before Rowan could bring down his fist on him.

“Go to the armory and wait for me there,” Kento instructed, giving back the Desert Eagle. “Stay put and don’t let him out of your sight.”

Shin nodded keenly, and escorted Racre Xander out of the room.

“Why did you have to go and do that?” Rowan asked, clearly confused.

“Snap out of it,” Kento reasoned. “Listen, I know what you just heard was a bit…damaging to say the least but-“

“Bullshit! Don’t you dare persuade me otherwise,” he bellowed. “I just told Shin I was alright. What, you don’t believe me?”

“No, I don’t,” Kento replied flatly. “You’re not yourself anymore.”

Rowan glared at his squad leader. “I’m not myself, you say? Ha! This is my real self, right here! I’m real, Kento. That other person; just a cover. I’ve been trapped under that for years. Years,” he stressed. Rowan then changed again, this time glaring at him with murderous intent. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got something to say to my father.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said minaciously. “I’m warning you, don’t make me hurt you, because I will.”

“Are you threatening me?” Rowan’s voice was low and dangerous.

“It’s a promise,” Kento replied, slowly balling his hands into fists.

Rowan scoffed. “I guess reason is not going to work here, as usual. You’re in my way, and I guess the only way to get through is to kill you.” He shifted, letting his right foot slide half a step behind his left, and brought out his left hand, forming it into a fist and holding it out. His right was near his jaw, and his elbow was tucked in. “Well?”

That was it; if he needed a clear sign to act, he had it. He couldn’t just fight him, he had to use the medicine as well, and that probably wouldn’t go as planned. He couldn’t gauge his strength either; he never seen him fight, and he only had heard about it only once…

“So be it, Rowan,” Kento declared. “I’m not going to give you any mercy.”