Flame, The Emblems Series (Book One)

Chapter One

My boots splashed in water as I jumped down from the deck above, rolling forward I skidded as I tried to get a grip on the muddy flooring before the mutant dogs gained closure to me. I could feel the mud drying on my face as I gained grip and started to run as fast as I could.

"Three miles Flame," I heard my comrade and second in command, Zack say in the ear piece as I ran.

The cold air rushed past me causing my skin to tingle at the feeling as it collided with my soaked black, fitted T-shirt. I seriously couldn't wait to feel the warm shower water running down my back when I get inside. I couldn't wait as I ran across the muddy training grounds slipping several times.

"Three seconds," his voice said making me run faster silently rejoicing as the the tower came into view the Sam's time all the heavens broke lose and a hard downfall of water poured down on me. My grip tightened on the tracker as I pulled back my arm and sent it soaring through the sky as I felt something knock me off my feet from behind.

I flew forward and quickly scrambled to my feet drawing the gun which was strapped on my thigh and pointed it at the big muscular dog in front of me. Its red eyes glowed as a deep growl escaped from deep in it's throat. Using my other hand I drew my knife from the holder on my left thigh the same time the mutt leaped towards me the alarms went off, too late, the dog was already on me.

"Flame!" I heard Zack yell loudly as I tried to block my face from the dog which was attacking me, it's mouth frothing as it tried to grab hold of me only to be held off until the human soldiers fired tranquilizers at him causing him to fall flat on me pinning me in the mud. I bit down hard on my bottom lip as my team pulled him off me and allowed Zack to pull me out from the mud. I groaned when I felt my straight black hair, now tangled with mud burst free from the band and stuck onto my neck.

I looked at Zack whose blond hair was also soaked as well as his black clothing which clung to his body as if it was extra skin. He was taller than me, over six feet whilst I stayed shorter than him with five feet five. I was a muscular midget compared to him. He smiled and pulled me against him and pressed his lips in the mole of my head before I pulled away and looked at the six other members of my team.

Their faces all reflected their happiness because of the success we had in the previous challenge. Ella looked at me and smiled as she clapped her pale hands together. She was small and fragile looking as compared to Zack who like the other four boys on my team towered above everyone, including the human soldiers, they may be compared to giants compared to normal human men, with muscular toned bodies and bulky arm muscles. Ella unlike Zack, her brother was bony and tiny with blond hair cut in a pixie cut showing off her brilliant blue eyes which she and her brother shared.

The other girl, Every was tall and model like, skinny with long limbs, her hair was cut up to her shoulders. She had bright green eyes, eyes, which radiated a sisterly warmth, being the oldest of twenty, she's been the mother of the group, whereas her boyfriend, Avery, nineteen year old Avery was one of the trouble makers of the group along with his brother Uriah. Being twins, both Avery and Uriah share light brown eyes accompanied with jet black hair. We know the difference between them because whereas Avery had a clean body without tattoos, Uriah was the complete opposite with both muscular, pale skinned arms, were covered in black ink. Uriah was also a little bit shorter than his brother.

Pulling my eyes away from Ella I looked over to the other two boys, Jake and Bit who, if we were in high school would be known as the Jocks in the groups. They were sports fans, usually when we are looking for the two they are either sleeping, on the training grounds or playing competitive football with the soldiers. Nothing around here was non-competitive, around here, its either kill or be killed, that's the mentality of everyone else outside my team, I look after my team, after all I am their Captain and I will ensure their safety.

Jake like Uriah was covered in tattoos with piercings running up both ears. He was bald and tanned like me. His sky blue eyes were usually blank except when he's praising me, just like he was here. His lips showed me one of his rare smiles, a smile which I love to see, a smile which fills me in an unknown warmth. I returned his smile before I was pulled into Bit's arms. He held me tightly in his arms in his abnormal strength, a strength which would kill a normal human being. I smiled and pulled his red hair laughing as he yelled out in pain before he pulled away from me with his green eyes glistening with amusement.

I shook my head as my eyes focused on a human walking towards us feeling my muscles stiffen as he continued walking towards us. His eyes focused on me as he ignored his black dress shoes being submerged in the muddy training grounds as he held onto an umbrella. I moved my second in command, Zack's side and folded my muscular arms across my D cups.

"What do you want Hank?" I practically snarled out. If you had any idea how much I hated this man you have no idea. Even though he was our caregiver from the time they made us into what we are, mutants. He was just another scientist, another pencil pusher, a man who stuck up under the superiors, which at this moment happened to be General Spi, a man whose name is unknown to all. Few have seen him and Zack and I are two of the special ones involved in the few whereas in this world of war everyone remains mute and clueless as to who he really is and only follow orders given to them.

Meeting my eyes he shoved a file covered in a plastic towards me. Removing my eyes from his deep brown eyes I snatched the file away from him, rolling it and shoving it into my back pocket. "You and Zack have a meeting with the General at twelve tonight, don't be late," with that he turned and walked off towards the waiting black van.

I sighed loudly as a the rain pelted us as soldiers came around us and started to pull us towards our bunkers which overlooked the training grounds. I wanted to get out of here, the things they made my team and I do, the things we were forced to be emotionless towards. The families we killed off, the families we destroyed, the things they made us do still give me nightmares.

I allowed them to pull me to my bunker even though I knew they were nothing compared to me. I was their superior even though I was only nineteen, but even that was nothing compared to the strength I possess, the strength which was artificially introduced into my being. I was a science experiment, something they created in a lab, a child who has no one. We all are. To them, I was a mutt. I am a mutt.

We stood in front the thick metal doors and waited for it to open. This was a norm, passing through the metal doors to our living quarters. It was usually kept close, we could exit if we please but outside here we are constantly monitored, on this compound this was our safe haven.

I waited for the soldiers to disarm us and leave closing the metal doors behind them before I began to speak. My team gathered around me expecting me to answer their silent questions as I pulled out the file and opened it glancing over the words. Nothing like we never did before. I sighed and threw the file to Zack, he of course would inform me later on, I hate reading.

He glanced over the file and snapped his head up meeting my eyes, "Flame, they want us to attack a national security base..."