Resistance: The Last Hybrid

Day 11

You and your family crossed the border into Arkansas yesterday. You all predict it will take less than a week to get to Little Rock. You carry your daughter in your arms. You notice Katie becomes tired of walking over the course of a few hours. It makes sense to you, since she is five years old. Either that or she wants to be in her father's embrace. Either way, you don't seem to mind. Given your physical strength, you can carry her for more than an hour if you wanted to.

    The four of you notice the sundown. All of you drift into an open field where you all settle down for the rest of the day. You gently wake your daughter and set her on the grass where she is joined by Rosie. Your wife stays with the rest of the family while you go into the forest to look for sticks.

    As you collect sticks for tonight's fire, you hear faint voices. None of them resemble the voices of your family. Is it possible these people are also going to Little Rock? Or are they just random people in the woods? Whatever the case, you know not to disturb them. They can easily mistake you because of what you are, and maybe try to attack you. But what if they do come across you? What do you do then? You have your Bullseye around your shoulder. You've only used it twice ever since you reloaded it, but you hope to not use it in self defense, especially against humans.

    Figuring you've collected enough sticks, you return to your family and get a fire going. Katie brings her backpack around and pulls out a can of cranberry sauce. She opens it, sticks a plastic fork into it, and eats whatever she pulls out. She passes the can to you. You pull out a hunk of the sauce with the fork and eat it. You pass the can on to your wife who does the same thing, and also gives Rosie some to eat. The can continues to go around until it runs dry. Katie stuffs the empty can back into her pack. She doesn't want to litter, and you like that mindset of hers.

    The four of you hear something rustling in the bushes. You and your wife ready your weapons, and Rosie goes over to Katie to protect her. Out from the bushes comes a man dressed in a black coat and blue jeans, equipped with the same weapon your wife has, and he has a necklace of Chimeran fangs around his neck. He quickly raises his weapon after seeing you. Both Martha and Rosie came to your aid.

    "No, wait!" Martha exclaims. "Don't hurt him! He's my husband! Or he used to be."

    The man keeps his focus on you. Similar to what you did with Martha, you throw your gun down towards the man to show you're not a threat. He begins to slowly point his weapon down.

    "I've seen and heard many things about the Chimera," the man says. "Although it should, this doesn't surprise me.

    "My name is Joseph Capelli."

    "Martha Rogers," your wife replies. "My daughter is Katie, the dog is Rosie, and the Hybrid is Alan Rogers, or he used to be before becoming a Hybrid."

    Joseph slowly walks to you, inspecting you intensely. You can tell by the cuts on his face and the look in his eye that he's faced and killed many of your comrades before. Is he going to kill you? Is he going to believe your wife? You hope for the latter. To show you are truly friendly, you put your hand out for him to shake. He takes his right hand off his weapon and hesitantly shakes your hand.

    "If you don't mind, I'd like to bring my wife and kid over," Joseph says to Martha.

    "Don't mind at all," she replies.

    Joseph returns moments later with his wife and kid. They are quite cautious, specifically of you.

    You tap your wife and point to her bag. She hands it to you. You pull out the paper and pencil so you can write to the Capellis. The first thing you write is for Joseph, telling him you know him.

    "You know me?" he inquires of you. "How do you know me?"

    You tell him you were part of Project: Abraham as an assistant for one of the doctors. You tell him you also knew Nathan Hale and, mostly knew, Jordan Shepherd.

    "That makes sense," Joseph says, referring to your connection to Shepherd. "Shepherd became Daedalus and took over the Chimera's chain of command."

    "Hale was my adopted brother," Susan Capelli says in general, "and, at one point, my enemy. But even then, I still loved him."

    "Weeks ago, I travelled to New York to shut down an active Chimeran tower," Joseph says in general. "I ended up having some help and destroyed it. A week ago, we heard President Voss' radio message, and we're now heading to Little Rock."

    "We're heading there too," Martha replies. "But I'm not sure how people will react to Alan, given his current situation."

    You begin to think about that. You have no idea how many people will be present at Little Rock. You know they will be community leaders, big name people from all around. And the President himself will be there too. The most important people will be able to hear your story. But will they believe you? This man, one you know so little about, the one who freed you, believes you.

You write on the back of the paper, thanking Joseph for destroying the tower and severing your link to the original Chimera. You explain to him that freeing you has allowed you to remember your human past and reprise your identity as Alan Rogers.

    "I'm glad I could help," Joseph replies awkwardly.

    Ten minutes go by, and all of you are settling down to go to sleep. Katie and Jack Capelli lie down close to Rosie. Joseph and Susan sleep close to each other, and you and Martha do too. Every now and then, you take a glance at Joseph. You try not to be suspicious of him, but a part of him makes you cautious.