Secret SSundee 2: Loyal Deception

Chapter 14

Ambrew's POV

I woke up in a warm bed, my bed. I kept my eyes shut tight, as if to stop the world from existing. It was so comfortable. If my throat weren't sore, and my cheeks weren't stained with tears, I would have swore all of those events had been nothing more than a dream. No, a nightmare. I tried to sit up, but I couldn't even move my arms due to the jingling chains that bound me to the mattress. 

"Well well well, look who's up!" Who other than the Captain Arcavious to be the one laughing. "I sure do hope you slept well, buddy. Wanna go see the rest of your friends?" His words made my eyes shoot open. "Oh, so you were listening! Good to see. Yes, some of the other soldiers did survive, but just a little over a dozen, including you. Also, congrats on being the victor over the Angel! I was prepared to have the entire squadron wiped out, but you stopped that by proving yourself to be stronger." 

"So, I stopped my friends from dying?" I asked quietly, despising the man standing at the foot of my bed. 

"He speaks! Yes, you did." I could hear his joy shinning brighter than the fake smile I saw on his perfect, hideous face. "If you want me to take you to see them, you just need to promise not to do anything stupid, 'kay?" I nodded, not wanting to acknowledge his existence any more than I already had. "What are you waiting for then? Let's go!" The chains loosened around me, finally permitting movement, though limited due to the new handcuffs. I followed him through the normal hallways of the headquarters. The only difference from my usual path was the unnerving amount silence and bloodstains. Where are all the bodies? 

Eventually we reached the Captains office, one of the few places we're told never to go into. Inside was what you'd expect, books, maps, computer, desk, chair, whatever. The only difference was the door hidden behind one of the shelves in the back. It was heavy duty metal with advanced security features that were rather hard to find, let alone hack into. It was probably one of the most difficult places on earth to break into, if you think logically based on location and securi- oh my god. 

Inside of the room was filled with screams. Some of pain, while others of anger, but most of them stopped once they heard the door open, and all of them had stopped when their eyes had landed on me. They were my comrades, locked up in cages, being treated like some sort of... lab rats? 

"You see, Ambrew." Commander Arcaviouse began to speak as we walked together down the hall, staring at all of the unfortunate experiments who were staring back at us, "You know how after some missions, it had been asked of you to bring back samples of the creatures you had been assigned?" 

"No." I responded honestly. "I don't remember anything like that ever being requested of me."

"Of course you don't. I had it erased from your memory." The words left his mouth as if he were simply stating the time of day. "I've done it with every person here, so don't be feeling like you're getting special treatment." He laughed at his own joke, if you could even call it one. 

The people around us seemed to be organized by mutation. To the left were people with dragon fangs or scales, a few with wings, though mostly deformed and useless. In cages farther off were subjects with demonic horns, and the ones to the right looked like children due to the fairy and/or pixie forms, with delicate frames and pointed ears. The ones without wings seemed more like elves. They all had one thing in common; pain. 

"Whenever there's a specimen I need, I just send you guys out to get what I need while you're on your missions. Really, did you think that Ian actually needed to be taken care of?" 

I stopped walking. "What?" The commander stopped in front of me and turned back to face me. 

"Yeah, he was totally stable. I just needed his corrupt angel side thingy to test you all." His smile grew.