Genesis

Chapter Twelve

Genesis cringed as she dabbed the wet rag along her arms. Her hands were scratched and now always seemed to bleed, and to top that she's had a large gash that ran across her chest and several down her arms.
At least though, through her suffering she learned a few tricks. She could control the Reapers tucked away in the containment room. From here she could make them cause a ruckus that would distract the doctors long enough so she could sneak into the lab and grab random objects. She had started a collection of supplies. Hoping that they might aid in her escape. Although, she didn't know how well three rolls of tape could help her, but she could figure out something.
"Good morning Genesis." Mr. Abbott strolled into the room. Genesis didn't bother to look up and instead continued to nurse her wounds. "Dr. Emer has told me that you have excelled in everything."
"Is this what mother wanted? For you to lock your daughter away and use her as a test subject?"
"Your mother would want whatever is best for the world."
"And how am I what's best for the world?" Genesis asked, she took a strand of her hair which was now cut around her ears in thick curls.
"One day, you will understand."
"Why did you just abandon your family once mother died? Why did you exile doctors from the hospital. Ones that were even family such as Carter?"
"There was a mishap and they were to be held responsible." Mr. Abbott crossed his arms. Genesis wringed the rag in her hands.
"How does that relate to mother's death? Did you contain Reapers in here even before you dragged me down here?!" Genesis's eyes met with her father's and she could sense his rising anger.
"Genesis Averly Abbott."
"You put the city in danger?! You killed mother?!" Genesis stood up from the bed and winced, but she straightened her back. "Did you even care about her, about your family?! You seem so willing to let them die!"
The sound resonated across the room. Genesis's cheek, bright red and throbbing, stung from her father's hand.
"Don't think for a second that all I do," Mr. Abbott motioned around him, "isn't what I think is best. It was your mother's plan to buy this hospital. To start this project. And when she had a daughter-"
"Your daughter!"
"You are not my daughter! She lied to me! But I knew. Wastelanders never change. They live and die as wretches just like her. She snuck away to meet with an old friend, and came back with a baby that wasn't mine." Genesis stood quietly. "I should have killed everyone in that little town of yours! Every last terrible being! They corrupted you! I spent my life trying to raise you as my own!"
"I didn't know raising involved this!" Genesis spread her arms out and motioned to the room.
"Every city worked together on this project, and we are the only one with a working test subject."
"Working?"
"We've had volunteers, family members, people from the wasteland. They came from all around to participate. To create a better world. To wash the sins from the dirt outside. We created the Reapers to start over!"
"You-"
"We took volunteers! Morphed them, contorted them! Shaped their bones to our liking! Watched as their skin took a sickly colour and fell off in chunks! As their eyes and heart started to eerily glow! We were there creating them from instructions sent to every city! Then we set out a goal to find someone who could control them! Everyone we laid out failed! But then there was you. You turned the tides. You are the one who will clean the world of pests. You'll create the world around you to our liking."
Something changed in Genesis. Her face filled with sadness. Her words choked her, and tears began to fill her eyes.
"You mean to tell me that. Those... things were human beings. People."
"Yes." Genesis felt a pit in her stomach. She felt like throwing up. She was killing people. She was a monster. Genesis leaned against her beside cart for strength. Her other hand balled into a fist.
"You did this to them! You've killed thousands! All because of what? Cleansing some god forsaken earth?!"
"Genevieve."
"YOU KILLED THEM!" Genesis gathered her strength and swung her fist hard against her father's face. Even though he was taller than her, she struck his jaw and he stepped back. "YOU DID THIS!" She tried to swing at him again, but someone had come from behind and pulled her arms behind her back. "YOURE A MONSTER! IF ANYONE DESERVES TO DIE ITS YOU!" All of Genesis's built up rage spilled out. She struggled against the force containing her. The force that dragged her from the room and down the hall, towards solitary confinement. She passed a room with the door wide open.
Genesis gasped and started to kick and scream against the people holding her.
Strapped to a chair was a boy with black hair. He tilted his head upwards at her noise. His cheek was bruised black and blue.
"RYO!" She screamed. She kicked at the air and the doctors holding her as they lifted her off the ground
"RYO!" High pitched noises joined her screaming. It filled the halls. The doctors loosened their grip on her wrists and she pulled herself free.  More doctors flooded the hall. Blocking Ryo from her. There was pounding on the door down the hall. The containment room. She concentrated and heard the sound of nails and steel ripping through the walls.
A gunshot quieted the hallway. Genesis looked down at her side. A large red stain had begun to form and her white gown turned red.
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Ryo filled the bag with supplies. Odds and ends that would help him get into the city and out quickly. His heart leapt at the thought of seeing Genesis. He would bring her home, to Viowood. He didn't care what Ira would say.
Talyse had made him miscellaneous gadgets and fixed his grappling gun. He planned everything meticulously. He was as ready as he could be.
Night had begun to fall, filling the sky with endless stars. It was almost time for him to set out.
"Are you sure you're ready enough?" Talyse met him by the wall before he left.
"Yes." He lied. In his head he calculated all the ways this could go wrong, and all the ways it could go right.
He could be shot, but he could save Genesis, bring her back, and he was willing to take any risk there was.
He adjusted the bag on his shoulder. He then took a deep breath and looked at the wall that towered above him.
"I'll be back before Ira starts to panic." He smiled.
"You better. If you need a lift-" Talyse motioned to the communicator in her hand, "Peter and I are on standby."
"Thank you." Ryo smiled again before facing the wall.
When his feet touched the dirt on the other side, he knew that this would be a daunting task.