The Conquering (Book #2 in The Inception Trilogy)

prologue

PROLOGUE

JUNE 2083

748 GROWLS, SCRAPING HIS heels against the concrete as he fights the impact of 752. He finds an opening, swinging his arm around and twisting his body to elbow 752 in the middle of his spine. It only makes his opponent angrier, his red eyes dark as blood, filled with murder, as he glares up at 748. Both can feel the scrutinizing eyes of Doctor Stevens from the balcony above the pit. Both are desperate for impressed appraisal.

The rest of the experiments crowd them in a large circle, forming the ring the two quarrel in. They cheer and boo and holler enthusiastically, pumping their fists and shoving either of the competitors helpfully or viciously if they stumble too far from the fight. Some of them are quietly awaiting their turn, observing the brawl meticulously to pick up on tactics. None of them worry when either 748 and 752 draw blood from the other because this is routine. These scraps, these skirmishes are merely that.

Scraps, skirmishes.

All with the means to gain the doctor's approval.

752 started this fight, unsurprisingly, and didn't give 748 the option of refusal. If an experiment picks a fight, the other is required to accept or they risk six lashings and another operation to ensure they haven't malfunctioned. Practically every experiment has suffered through lashings, but only a handful have endured another full surgery, and that handful came out with half their brain fried and the other completely insane. Each of them are still locked in their cells, slowly tearing themselves to bits.

Eyes narrow and watchful, 748 waits for 752 to make the first move. 752 is prone to anger, so it seems reasonable that riling him up is the easiest way to get him to defeat himself. It's what 748 always prefers to do instead of finishing the job himself. He's always been apart from the other experiments because of his peaceful nature. The only thing keeping him from another entire operation is his potential.

Doctor Stevens firmly believes he can conform 748 to his darker side without operating again. Operating again risks too many things, and he can't let his first success utterly backfire. There's still hope that 748 will understand what is expected of him, though, the doctor knows 748 is already aware of his expectations. He just refuses to meet them.

When 752 lunges, 748 easily slips out of the way, then grabs the back of 752's bare neck, throws him to the concrete, and presses his knee firmly between 752's shoulders. He grips either of his opponent's arms, pulling them backwards in a way arms aren't meant to bend. He doesn't tug hard enough to dislocate, but he pulls just enough to, hopefully, get 752 to surrender. Fifteen minutes is far too long, and he really does not have the tenacity to prolong the fight any further.

His opponent struggles nonetheless, determined and fierce. There's no chance he can flip the two over, surely he must know that. Maybe it's just the intense will to deny defeat that keeps 752 wriggling beneath 748. Whatever it is, it makes 748 feel immensely guilty to keep him in such an uncomfortable position. He knows how much this experiment hates losing, and he knows how far this experiment will go to prove his worth. The least 748 can do is provide him a fairer chance so as not to absolutely humiliate him.

Sighing to himself a bit dreadfully, 748 takes pressure off the experiment's back and loosens his grip on the experiment's wrists, allowing his opponent to twist out from under him. Some spectators boo, undoubtedly noticing 748's leniency. They may even mistake it as amusement, as if 748 is stretching the fight out just to entertain himself since he knows he can win very easily.

Of course, that's not at all the case, and a few of them realize it.

"Coward! You'll never be a real soldier!"

"You're a disgrace to all of us!"

"Finish him off already!"

He grits his teeth, ignoring all the remarks as more and more experiments catch on, including 752, who is practically flaming now with anger. The smart choice would've been to keep 752 compromised until he finally resorted to surrender, but obviously that's also the cruel choice. 748 has a hard time with cruel choices, especially when those are the ones he's supposed to make.

No matter. Let them speak about him as they will. If they think a single word of their harassment affects him in the slightest, they're dead wrong. 748 knows he has humanity left, and to him that's all that matters.

He won't let it go to satisfy some brainwashed savages.

He glimpses up, catching the doctor's deceiving eyes. There's a look in them he can't decipher, though he wants to bet on either disappointment or regret. He didn't choose this life, and the doctor certainly didn't intentionally choose a boy who would not follow through with his ideals. The doctor knows 748 is reluctant to be violent, hesitant to get too angry. The doctor knows 748's true nature.

And yet he holds 748's gaze, then gives him a subtle nod.

It's permission to kill 752. In organized fights like this, experiments only compete until one succumbs to defeat. There have only been a handful of occasions where a brutal kill has taken place, and each of them have been authorized. No one knows that, of course. 748 hadn't even known until the doctor's head tipped ever so slightly at him. Each of the kills had been made out to be accidents, the result of an experiment's uncontrollable rage.

748 feels sick to his stomach as he snatches his red eyes away, back to his opponent who bounces impatiently, this time planning to be on the defensive side.

748 swallows, clenching his fists. He glances up once more at the expectant doctor, then to 752 who seems ready to pounce at any moment.

Then he abruptly spins on his heel and storms out of the pit, refusing to feed into the darkness the doctor continuously tries to provoke.

He gets a summon from the doctor later that evening, and meets the old man at his desk on the first floor of the laboratory. None of the experiments are allowed downstairs unless the doctor personally requests their presence, and even then, two of the doctor's strongest colleagues retrieve said experiment and escort them down. None of them are allowed outside. Not until they're ready to battle in the war.

Doctor Stevens says nothing for a very long time, simply leaning back in his chair and staring up at 748 patronizingly. Naturally, 748 straightens his spine, body rigid as he undergoes the inspection. Not that approval means much to him considering the cost, but he's been punished with five lashes before merely because of bad posture and disrespect. "Disrespect" as in refusing to take up the common soldier stance.

Since those lashes, he's learned to just adapt to the pose whenever a pair of harsh eyes sets upon him.

Finally, the doctor stands, clasping his hands behind his back almost like he's mimicking the experiment in front of him. He clicks his tongue scornfully. "I hope you realize how disappointed you made me a few hours ago."

748 keeps silent, pressing his lips together.

The doctor sighs as if in great distress. "You have so much potential, my boy. Don't you understand that? You're capable of incredible things."

"Unspeakable things," 748 clarifies, his voice low yet steady. Sometimes it's very hard to bite your tongue.

The doctor cocks an eyebrow. "You may see it as such, but I assure you it's quite the opposite. Our world is suffering, and I know for certain that I can save it. We can save it. You must believe that yourself, but we cannot save the world if you're persistent on being stubborn. Those 'unspeakable' things will make you a hero."

The experiment lightly shakes his head, letting it hang despite that it causes him to lose his stance.

He feels a hand on his shoulder and stiffens. "My boy, we all hold the potential of horrible deeds. That darkness you try so hard to fight will never leave you. It will always linger," the doctor says, pushing an index finger against 748's chest. "The choice you have is when to channel that darkness and how much control to allow it. Darkness isn't necessarily a bad thing when you use it for the greater good. Understand?"

Though he doesn't understand that logic at all, 748 nods curtly.

The doctor smiles, his blue eyes sparkling. "Very good. Whether you like it or not, my boy, that darkness will finally grab hold of you one day. And I will make sure of it."