Birds chirping eased me awake. Well, for about five minutes. Jamie and a few others stood around impatiently. We call them the "Early Birds," a phrase especially funny considering who it's addressing. They were always up early and getting onto us late sleepers.
"Alright!" Jamie yelled, clapping his hands. "Everybody up! We've got a mission here!" I grumbled and stretched, hearing other complaints behind mine, most either strained by stretches or stifled by yawns.
"Shut it, Asset 14," snapped Agent Davids, doing way more than Jamie could to wake up my team. "You're right by the enemy base!"
"Ah, chill out old man," he said, but he does lower my voice a bit. "It's 5:43 in the morning, everyone's asleep."
"Okay, then perfect time to go in and destroy the base. Asset 1, you have healed fully I assume?"
"Yes, sir," I replied, rotating my neck to make sure. "Everyone is prepared."
"Good. Then-"
"Wait!" whispered Jamie. "There are people outside." We all dropped into the cover of the leaves and peered toward the base. The tall, muscular woman was saluting to a group of people, probably scouts, heading out into the woods.
"It's a scouting party," reported Lily. "We cannot attack now. The rebels inside could warn the expedition, and the rebel force would still remain."
"I noticed there were expeditions last night, too," added Jamie. "No one else was paying attention, so I kept watch." Agent Davids grunted and everyone glared at Jamie. He went red. "Um, I mean they were paying attention, but-"
"Never mind," interrupted Agent Davids. "There is no time for this. You must attack from the inside. Get them to trust you, and you can do something about those patrols. Then it's just another win for the Republic." As much as I hated him, he was right. The Republic was a perfect government, no one was taxed and no one fought. We had all overheard the staff talking about it. If these rebels knew about what was happening in the other countries, they would realize how good they had it. Oh, well. Their mistake.
"But ambushes are more fun," I groaned, leaning back on the trunk behind me. "Inside jobs sound boring."
"It's a chance to get some spying experience," he snapped. "Now get down there. I expect you to think of an acceptable excuse." The mic cut out and we all turned to face each other. We discussed for a few minutes, then silently dropped to the forest floor. We backtracked for a little bit, then raced toward the base making as much sound as possible. A few of the others yelped and shouted fake words of encouragement. There was no way all 25 of us wouldn't be heard snapping every twig in the forest. Suddenly we broke out into the clearing, and I doubled over with false gasps. Better look as out of shape as possible if we could pull this off. I peeped open one eye and saw everyone else putting on similar acts, some of them even picking themselves up off the ground and leaning on each other. I got up and wiped my forehead to see the muscular woman from before towering above me. Her black hair was pulled into a tight ponytail and her brown skin shone with sweat. Her chest was rising and falling a little faster then usual, but with her fitness it couldn't have been from racing out here. She had been training.
"Please," I gasped, adding a few feeble coughs for emphasis. "We've... we've just escaped. We were kept in cages and we... we just kept running. You gotta help us, please!" I spoke in a raspy voice and swallowed many times, giving the illusion of a dry throat. If we had run all the way here we would be parched. I looked up at the woman with the saddest, most terrified look I could manage. Her eyes scanned over us, lingering on our wings with a tinge of shock. She shook her head as if clearing sleep from her mind, then turned toward the base.
"Rose!" she called, and the chubby woman poked her head out the door. Her mouth opened in an "o" when she saw us. "Get some folks out here, get these kids inside." After a moment of staring in disbelief, she ducked back in, and several men and women soon streamed out. They all paused and stared at our wings, but quickly rushed over and propped up our stick-thin bodies like they were nothing. The woman who met us outside strode toward me and threaded her arm under mine, pressing my wings against my back. I staggered against her, still breathing hard and coughing every so often. We went inside without a word, and I was laid down with the rest of my squad on an open floor by the door. I instinctively took note of my surroundings. Many wooden tables were arranged near the wall to my right. I didn't even know tables could be made of anything but plastic and metal. To my left were cabinets, each with tiny name-tags stuck to them. The messier ones hung open a bit, revealing clothes, books, and papers. I assumed those were the rebels' personal belongings. Along the back wall were countless screens, drawers, and desks. It was an alright setup, but it was filthy. Nowhere near as sophisticated as the Institute. Suddenly, a pair of boots crossed my vision. I looked up and saw the woman who met us first, a few free strands of dark hair framing her large-nosed, long-lashed face. Her athletic arms crossed over her black tank top.
"Okay, who-or what- exactly are you?" she snarled, staring at me coldly.
"I told you, we escaped from a science lab," I grunted as I sat up. I couldn't drag the act out too long. The others took my lead and pretend to regain their strength. "Why don't you believe me?" She opened her mouth to continue, but a short, slim man with slick dark hair dashed up to her.
"Commander Hehewuti," he reported, straightening his back. "There is a trespasser on the path."
Her head snapped toward him. "What?" she hissed. "Who? How many are there?"
"Just one," he replied, at which Commender Hehewhatever's shoulders relaxed a bit. "Looks like a teenage girl." Even more.
"Alright..." she muttered, then turned to me hesitantly. "How about you handle this one. We'll see if we can trust you. If not..." She motioned with her hand and armed rebels surrounded us in an instant. "We have all your friends here." A few eyes remained calm, but too many widened in fear. Even worse, some glanced towards me with unwavering trust. The Commander uncrossed her arms and reached a hand out to me. I gripped her wrist and she hauled me to my feet. I staggered a bit for good measure. The grip remained around my wrist like a shackle.
"You will make sure she is not being followed, then drive her away. Do not deviate, and above all, do not fail. Take these, and hide your..." She awkwardly glanced at my wings and gills. "Abnormalities." She snapped her fingers and a young woman with a sheet of gold hair rushed over with a baggy shirt and some strip of woven string. I tucked my wings seamlessly against my back and around my waist, then pulled the shirt over my head. The first time I had ever worn real clothing. I handled the strip with uncertainty, then made my best guess and wrapped it around my neck. No one spoke up, so I turned and headed through the door to the outside. I was already warming up in my new clothing, but it was a cool enough day for it to be bearable. I began to spread my wings, but the shirt tightened with a snap. I meekly pulled my wings back in and rearranged my shirt, then set off down the gravel path.
YOU ARE READING
The Indestructibles
Ficção Científica*NOTE: This story contains a homosexual relationship* ~~~ "We were made to be untouchable. Now we're dying. And I'm going to find out why." Melody and 24 others were made in a lab to be supersoldiers. Fighting or fleeing, they were built to be perfe...
