DEVIANT [H.S.]

7 - Explanation

Malachi sits down on the couch, motioning for me to do the same. I hesitantly do so; I'm not necessarily happy in his presence. His demeanor intimidates me.

"Do you know how the Deviant Coalition began, Serena?" He asks me.

I shrug. "No idea. I've heard the term 'outcasts'."

His eyes widen in amusement. "Outcasts? Is that what Harry told you?"

I nod slightly, not knowing the humor behind the term.

Malachi sighs in thought. "The Deviant Coalition could be considered a haven for outcasts. We differ from society's expectations. We hide, which isn't best for what we deal with, but it has to be done. It's funny, because Harry is a Deviant. We all are."

My eyebrows furrow. This place is so confusing. I feel more calm than yesterday, but a whole new wave of nervousness has wrapped itself over my shoulders.

"What is a Deviant exactly?" I speak up, the question finally leaving my lips.

Malachi's eyes harden to a deeper brown than before, causing me to be more intimidated. "A Deviant is a laboratory experiment gone wrong. Evidence that the Protector formula is not stable. Proof that the Protector Core is on the verge of toppling over."

"But what does that have to do with all of these people?" I ask, thinking back to the girl clutching her ears in pain or the boy cussing to himself.

Malachi leans forward towards me. "All of the people you've seen have been injected with a test run of the Protector formula. Human trials to test its strength and stability. When subjects end up with abnormal symptoms not accustomed to how the Core wants Protectors to respond, they are cut off from their lives and thrown out on the street."

"The trials... how did they begin?" I question.

"2016," Malachi answers quietly. "Jeriah rose to fame with his one-of-a-kind formula, became rich, and needed test subjects before the Protector Core could actually be initiated. He partnered with the government, offered subjects substantial amounts of money in exchange for their participation. It started with 100 people, then 1,000... and has continued to grow."

"But the trials were unsuccessful," I conclude.

He nods. "For few, it meant the start of a new life. But for the rest, they lived in agony... in sickness... slave to their new symptom. Everyone was diagnosed differently and couldn't be cured. It's still like this to this day. No one was standing up and doing something about this behavior, so I decided to do something about it."

"The Deviant Coalition," I say, the pieces of the story melding together.

"The Deviant Coalition. The definition of deviant is someone who breaks from the norms of society. That's who we were. And who we still are."

I lean back in my seat. "So everyone here has a different reaction... a different symptom... as a result of being a guinea pig to the government?"

Malachi hums in agreement. "Yes. What worsened things was eventually, they decided to inject applicants and see progress after six months of Core training. Defensive skills and martial arts. Many failed because of symptoms. Some made it through to the end healthy, and continued on to be a Protector. It's 2031 and the Core is still shelling out people to the streets if they don't meet criteria. Those people end up here, a place where criteria doesn't matter. As long as they're accepted, that's all that matters."

I stare at the floor as I take in all that Malachi just explained to me. I'm happy that there are others who hate the Protector Core like me, however I'm sad as well.