Ikigai

3

Jason's POV

After I left Aesira to herself, I was met with one of the agents. There was a squad that went out to find where she lived and see what she owned. It was a small apartment that held many interesting things. Weapons for example. Aesira may not have done anything bad, but she was definitely prepared for it. She also had papers and books in another language, but our systems couldn't identify it. 

The agent spoke. "Sir, this was found in a small box." She held out 3 pairs of very old dog tags that looked like they would crumble under the slightest pressure. They all had the same name on them. Aesira.

"Apparently, Aesira has been in the Vietnam War and both World Wars. She even has pictures but they are in holding."

"Why wasn't this in her file," I asked.

"She's had her own original files with her all along and we're guessing she destroyed all other evidence that she was even alive then."

I took the dog tags from the agent and thanked her before leaving to my office.

Third POV

The General walked into the identification/holding room and saw all the objects his team retrieved from Aesiras apartment.

"Sir, the objects we found are very interesting to say the least. This is a piece we think is great importance to her- it was in a safe along with some photos that are from old wars." The agent held up something that resembled a knife but was gold tinted and had dark blue marks all over it. He also handed me some pictures that were fragile and had people in them. 1 was Aesira, but she was more dirty with blood and dirt. Her hair was cut short and she held a rifle on her shoulder like the rest of the group. The other men were a bit taller and were dirty as well, but all of them were smiling and had their arms on eachothers shoulders. The background was surprisingly in the mucky trenches.

The next was of Aesira again, but with another group of people. They looked like they were resting in a military camp while playing cards. 

Another was Aesira and a Japanese family in the mountains. They were all smiling as Aesira held a little boy and an older girl standing at her feet.

The last 2 pictures Turner looked at were of Aesira in a Russian base with their General- shaking hands and both had smiles on their faces. And the other was her in a black leather, armored outfit with what looked to be a Samari sword in her hand. Her face was very serious and she had a black hood on. Aesira was turned half way so Turner guessed that she didn't know the picture was being taken. There was obviously a battle going on in the background of that photo.

"What else is there," The General asked. He set the photos and knife down on the table.

"Well, a lot of guns, random artifacts and military stuff from long ago. Papers were there, but apparently they're in another language. There wasn't much in her place."

"Why didn't you translate the papers?"

"Sir, they don't match anything. Not even from thousands of years ago," the agent said. Turner thought for a moment before speaking again. 

"I want everyone to be working on figuring out what this stuff all means, got it?" The agent nodded. "And find out EXACTLY who Aesira really is." 

"Yes, Sir."

I left the room for other business.

It's been a full week since Aesira first got here. Her secrets are slowly being revealed and she knows that. If she really tried, she could brake out of this place, but didn't want make more enemies- therefore she stayed and complied. During the day hours, she would exercise if her side didn't hurt, but it was healing fast and felt much better. When Aesira wasn't doing that, she would ponder over any Luke's and who those people were. 

Jason never came back since he asked her about the scars and even though he was keeping her here, she missed the gentleness and caring he had for many things.

Aesira was currently laying on her bed- staring at the ceiling when a loud explosion went off and red lights started spinning with alarms blaring in her ears.

Aesiras POV

Alarms started going off everywhere and I immediately sat up and off my bed. I looked towards the door that had guns shooting off behind and people were screaming. I felt the collar around my neck start to vibrate, but never shocked me. It beeped 5 times before going back to normal. Suddenly, the door started to unlock and I quickly got behind it. It opened and 3 people in matching outfits came in with guns drawn. I came from behind and knocked the first one out and used their gun to shoot the others. I kept the door open and walked out and pointed the gun at any possible danger. There were bodies on the ground and I realized they were part of the organization that held me here. I slowly came around the corner and saw another empty hallway with more bodies. I honestly felt bad for those people and their families who would have to hear the news. 

I couldn't find anyone that was alive or awake. Coming up to a door a long ways from my cell, I opened it to squint back at the sudden sunlight. It's not my fault I haven't seen the outside world for a week. Trees surrounded the building and thank goodness that it was overcast today or my eyes would have melted out of my head. I went outside and there was this very loud helicopter engine. I turned back to see one landing on the roof. I turned into a dragon (which surprised me because that collar would have shocked me) and flew to the roof and watched as 2 figures ran for it, but fell back as another helicopter fired an explosion and it blew up. I just then realized that those figures were General Turner and Jason. The helicopter got its machine gun ready to fire and I jumped in front of 2 scared gentlemen. 

I wrapped my body around them and took the gunfire. (My dragon scales are pretty much indestructible but my human form isn't) I gathered the General and Jason up in my talons and brought them behind some air vents before turning around blasting a fire ball at the helicopter. It went down in flames and I thought it was over, but it wasn't. 

Right as I turned around, a massive helicopter shot a large cable at me- getting wrapped around my neck. After that, it was like clockwork. More and more came and shot strong cables at me and wrapped around my tail, and feet. I think there were 7 or 8 holding me. My wings were the only things free and keeping me up in the air as the cable around my neck was thinning my airway and slowly suffocating me. One helicopter came up from the side, but was different from the others. It was smaller and had no guns. I noticed a man standing in the open doorway and watching me with an evil smile. At that point I realized who he was- Luke.

There was a massive machine behind him and a guy readied it and then fired. A big tube filled with blue liquid was shot into my lower neck and injected its substance into me. I instantly felt slower and more tired. 

Oh no.

I fought against all the cables in a matter to escape, but nothing worked. I couldn't use my fire because I couldn't breath. The man behind Luke shot 4 more tubes throughout my body and my wings started to slow down and get sloppy. It felt like years before my wings stopped and I fell into the cables. As the cables and helicopters held me up, I felt my mind drift into darkness as I went unconscious.

Third POV

Luke smiled as his new beast passed out and the helicopters all flew her away. He was excited to get to work, and told the pilot to move out- but never seeing the General and Jason.

Jason's POV

As I watched Aesira pass out in the cables holding her, I felt guilty. Guilty that we kept her locked up and her unable to do anything. She saved the Generals life and mine just barely and I don't know why she keeps doing that. The helicopters and her disappeared over the trees and clouds with that one helicopter following them. 

"I want to know who those people were and why they are here." Turner was very angry and I knew it.

"Sir, I think those are the same people who attacked Aesira in the city- for her abilities. The same ones who pushed us off the bridge," I said. It had to be, I mean who else could it be?

The General and I pondered on what to do next. Everything's different now, and we have to find a way to fix it back to it was.