Symbiosis: At World's End

Intervention

Merrick was being led through a maze of corridors he had never seen before. There were people milling about, heading this way and that. Eventually, they got to a large metal door and pushed him inside. He was in a room that was divided in two by a large glass wall. Well, it obviously wasn't glass. If it was, he could have broken through it with little to no difficulty. They weren't that stupid, even if they were close to being that stupid.

He didn't have to wait long before Medusa and two others entered the room on the opposite side. He felt his breath hitch. He knew that posture, the eyes constantly shifting, the muscles taut and ready to spring within an unfamiliar environment. They were Runners.

"What are you two here for?"

They looked at him cautiously.

"They sent us in here to talk with you."

Merrick shook his head.

"No, why are you in the compound, or whatever this place is?"

The boy answered.

"Those people in armor grabbed us and brought us here. They said they needed our help recreating conditions for a symbiote's preferred host."

Merrick chose to employ some very choice curses. He and Wendell were going to have a very long and pointed conversation. And when he got out, he was going to break as much of this base as he could during his escape.

Medusa just rolled her eyes.

"Oh boo hoo. Let's just get this over with. I have better things to do than sit in a circle and share feelings."

Merrick snickered internally at her parroting of his earlier sentiment.

"I don't like it any more than you do. I'd rather take my symbiote and run as fast as possible, away from here. Blame your bosses, not me."

Medusa snorted.

"Please. I give it two weeks before they pop a bullet in your brain and toss you in the incinerator."

Merrick clapped his hands together.

"Well, on that pleasant note, what are we even here to talk about? Why don't we start with names? My name's Merrick."

Medusa crossed her arms.

"I'm the leader of the Medusa Team. That's all you need to know."

The boy's eyes shifted between Medusa and Merrick, easily picking up on the animosity between the two of them.

"Well, my name is Terry."

The girl shrugged.

"I'm Paula. So, why do you two hate each other exactly?"

Merrick sat down lazily in a chair on his side of the barrier.

"She broke into my cell and tried to kill me. In response, I beat her into the next week."

Medusa bared her teeth angrily.

"I swear, I'm going to tie your tongue into a knot and strangle you with it."

Merrick laughed.

"Whatever you say sweetheart. Now, what are you two supposed to talk to me about?"

Medusa stalked off towards the door, demanding she be let out. Terry and Paula sat down in two chairs, rather hesitantly, which Merrick noticed.

"They had us bond with the artificial symbiotes they created and we're just a little... overwhelmed by the experience. Dr. Wendell thought that since you had already been bonded to one for several weeks, you might be able to help us make sense of the experience."