Recreated

Chapter Twenty Four

"Dad?"

"In the flesh." He tried to smile at me, but it was weary and half-hearted.  "I thought you were dead."

"No. Grayson thought I would know enough to bring RAINS down, but I never gave in, still haven't."

"Gave in to what?"  A fearful quaver made it's way into my voice as I spoke, knowing first-hand the utter brutality Grayson was capable of.

"This." He reached for the hem of his shirt, grunting in pain as he lifted it up over his head. He threw his shirt on the ground, and slowly turned around. Burns marked his skin, and in some places the skin was totally gone, singed off.

"Fire?"

"Electricity. Way worse and definitely more painful."

A door slammed open, and a guard came charging in. "Enjoying your father/son bonding time? I hate to cut it short." He said with a sneer. He leaned closer to my cell. "I'll bet you thought he was dead. Gone forever. Soon enough....." He looked back at Dad for a moment, before returning his snarl to me. "Just remember, he's useless, now that we have you. Fresh meat."

With that, he reached over to Dad's cell, unlocking it and dragging him out. I sat in the corner of my cell, shivering in fear, as the door slammed shut.

I don't know how long I sat there. Minutes, hours? It didn't  matter. every second that passed raised the chances of Dad dying, of Adria being ripped apart by Grayson's DNA altering devices, of Grayson starting his revolution.

A faint buzzing started in my ears, like static. It faded in and out until I heard John's voice. ".......there Jace? Can you hear me?"

"John!" I exclaimed. "How are you contacting me?"

"Remember the day you joined RAINS?"

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I lay dying among the ruins of the venue. That evil man hated my dad, and after setting off a bomb at  this supposed family reunion, he left. I couldn't find my parents, or my way out from under the picnic awning for that matter. "DAD!" I screamed.

Fire seared my legs, arms, torso, everywhere. I screamed until my voice was raw. I heard sirens, but they were too late. Dad was gone, Mom was gone, and I was going to die, screaming for my life.

Water sizzled as hoses sprayed it all over the flames. I renewed my efforts, screeching as loud as possible. Debris was lifted off me. "Get a gurney! Now!"

I tried to scream as hands touched my burned flesh, lifting me off the ground, but all that came out was a dull whisper.

I was whisked away to the ICU. Everyone in the ER stared as I was wheeled past, skin peeling off, flesh burned, hair nearly burnt entirely off. An oxygen mask had been strapped to my face, and I was breathing very shallowly into it. Finally, darkness welcomed me into it's pain-free embrace, void of any emotion, or feeling, completely numb.

~

A month later I was still a site to see. My skin was still all shades of burnt, singed, and blackened. My lungs had inhaled too much smoke, and I would forever have a slight breathing defect. My remaining hair had been shaved off, and it was uncertain I would ever be normal again.

~

Another year had me healed, though on countless prescriptions. Several skin grafts had ben performed, so I was somewhat normal looking. Some surgery had me looking normal-ish, and my hair had grown back, but I had dyed it blonde, a heavy contrast to my old black hair.

I was living on my own, only sixteen, living off my minimum wage job at  local grocery store and the remains of my parents savings, retirement, and checking account after medical bills. A knock at the door interrupted my blank stares at an old family scrapbook, and I heaved myself off the couch.

"Hello?" I said as I opened the door.

"Hello Jace. My name is John, and I'm the head of RAINS. Does this man look familiar?" He held up a picture of the man responsible for my year of pain, my medical bills, my family dying, and the object of my undying hate.

"Yes."

"I am against all he stands for, and RAINS is looking to stop him. As soon as possible, or at least stop his work. I have been studying you for a long time. You are absolutely brilliant. Pulling through such a tragedy, then making up nearly a years worth of schoolwork in a matter of months, with perfect scores? I don't know how you did it.

"At RAINS, we need you. You will help us fight back against Grayson as well as global human experimentation."

"Will I get paid?"

"No, but we will give you housing, food, and a full paid scholarship to college. All you need to do is join our  tech division, and we can work against Grayson. Are you in?"

"Yes. If it means taking  him down....."

"Good. Please pack up your items, and a moving van will be by tomorrow at noon to pick you up."

"No, I only need a few hours."

"Okay. I'll be back at 5pm."

~

"A barn?" I stated, confused. "Seriously?"

"We have to keep it on the down low. Please follow me for a routine health check."

We walking in, and stepped into a stall. It was outfitted with two chairs, and a table to lay on, like you would find at a doctor's office.

I changed into a papery hospital gown, and a nurse came in checking my ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and everything else in a normal doctors check up. She approached with two needles. "These are going to be going into your temples."

"What for?"

"One is a numbing shot. The other is a microchip, like a tracking device......"

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"Well," John continued. "I made some upgrades to that microchip, so it can send and receive radio signals. I have a plan to get you guys out."