Morph: Book One

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Ezic's POV

"What!?" I sputtered in surprise.

"I hid it because I knew that if it got out, that the consequences would be unimaginable. The girls would be targets and only more experiments would follow." Ryn replied as I stared down at her widely, unmoving. "I knew that I may be found out, but I had to choose between seeking justice and protecting the people I loved." She declared.

"I'm going to assume that you knew as well?" I asked, finally glancing at Elik, who nodded in an affirmative gesture.

"I came across multitudes of data much like Ryn's. My team chose to destroy the evidence upon those discoveries." Elik confessed as I glared calculatingly at him. I see him tense under my stare.

"Were you two working together?" I asked, glancing between the two of them suspiciously. I felt my skin prick uncomfortably at the thought.

"No." Both Elik and Ryn said at the same time.

"I..." Ryn began hesitantly while stepping forward toward me. "I attempted to alter the drive when I first came across data that suggested that there were other parties at play...I didn't know the extent of the circumstances at the time or how it would impact the investigation."

"There's more." Elik interrupted, his eyes narrowed on me. "I came across something that may be of interest." Elik paused for a moment, studying my reaction intently.

"Get on with it." I stated forcefully. I caught the sad look that Elik cast Ryn before he continued.

"My team came across data suggesting that the experiments that we previously thought had failed, had actually been terminated." I froze at Elik's statement. I wasn't prepared for what he would say next. "The ultimate goal wasn't to create hybrid women, but hybrid children. Hundreds of others before Ryn were used as a means to an end, then terminated."

"What?" I cut in, glancing widely between the two of them. "What are you saying?"

"Ryn?" Elik stated, and she snapped her head up to meet Elik's eyes. "The day you escaped, the day you awoke, was the day you were supposed to be terminated." Ryn's eyes widened, and her body stiffened.

"In short, Ryn's people, the women, were being used to give birth to the new generation of Zorr." Elik finished. The room went utterly silent for a moment.

"This changes everything." I whisper. I feel gooseflesh spread across my body. I looked over at Ryn and saw that she was now turned away from me. If what Elik said is true, and this information gets into the wrong hands, there would be no stopping them. I felt fear surge through me at the possibility of them being taken from me. There was no question. I must protect them.

"Ezic!" Ryn whimpered. She was facing me now, with sad eyes.

"We can't let the information get into the wrong hands." I say. I see Ryn shake her head lightly.

"Its too late, your people already have everything they need to..." Ryn trailed off as if she was in deep thought.

"It will mean nothing if we make everything public." I state suddenly. Ryn and Elik's eyes go wide at my suggestion.

"What do you mean?" Ryn asks, stunned.

"The hybrid population greatly outnumber that of the Zorr." I say slowly. Realization dawns upon Ryn's face before it scrunches up in confusion.

"You would sacrifice your own people, for us?" She questions, almost horrified.

"The Zorr were never my people, I was treated as an outcast." I spat. "I was left to dig my way up from the slums of this damned society." I bared my teeth in rage as the harsh memories of my youth plagued my mind.

"I owe them nothing!"

~*~

I rounded another sharp corner, ensuring I remained shrouded by darkness as I crossed another alley. I navigated the slums of the city like it was the back of my hand, turning down passageway after passageway until I had arrived at the rendezvous. There, I waited.

The events of the past few days raced through my mind. Ryn's condition had improved, although only slightly. At the news of Ryn's illness, the other females flocked around her supportively. It was with their strategic help over the past few days, that we were able to convince Ryn to undergo more testing to see if there was any way to slow or stop the progression of her illness.

"Ezic." I snap my head up at the mention of my name. Just beyond the shadows, I could barely make out a silhouette standing among the darkness.

"Commander Vel'Morrel, thank you for meeting me." I state respectfully. The darkness disperses as Vel'Morrel steps forward into the dim light of the alleyway.

"No need for pleasantries friend, we do not have the time for them."

"Any word?"I ask.

"It is as we've feared, they intend to announce a mistrial." I huff in annoyance. I figured as much. "They also plan to use the data for their gain." I nod grimly. It was as we had all feared. We all knew that once they discovered the information that Elik and Ryn had tried to hide, that it would be over.

"I appreciate what you are risking. You have much to lose." I place my hand over my heart and bow slightly in gratitude. Had it not been for him, we would not know the council's next moves.

"I have a duty to the people, regardless of race." Vel'Morrel states honorably.

"I have something for you." I raise my eyebrow and cock my head at the Commander in question. Vel'Morrel steps forward and retrieves a package from his elegant robes before offering it to me.

I reach forward curiously and take the package from him. Then, turning it in my hands, I carefully removed the cloth that enclosed it. Once the fabric was discarded, I felt my breath hitch in my throat at the item in my hand.

"You were able to retrieve it!?" I exclaim quietly, seeing Vel'Morrel's mouth part in a sly smile.

"Not without some trouble." I nodded gratefully before glancing down at the drive that sat in my hand. I noticed some differences compared to the one Ryn wore. Vel'Morrel must have caught the confusion that flashed across my face.

"This drive is merely a copy of the original. However, it also contains all the other data from the past experiments."

"All of it?"I question as I rub at the surface of the small drive, no larger than a thumb—Vel'Morrel grunts in reply.

"Whatever you plan on doing...I'm afraid you don't have much time left." Vel'Morrel uttered as he backed into the darkness of the alley and disappeared. With his leave, I turned on my feet and sped through the winding streets until I came upon my transport.

Cloaked in translucence, I swiped my hand across its shell, and it solidified. The hatch hissed open, and I seated myself within it. Then, wasting no time, I scanned my hand against the console and instructed it to drive me back to the spire.