Tainted

Chapter 6- The New Arrival

   We had made our way up to Father’s work station. It was at the top floor of the research building, and covered the entire floor, since it was also his living quarters. Fox, as I learned her name, followed us. She stayed back, as both I and Father had walked in the same position, with his arm around my shoulders, the whole way there, chatting as if we had known each other forever.

      “You know, for an old geezer, your arms sure are heavy,” I said at the door

      “Ah, that’s because I’m not out of shape. You see, since I work here, I have to be able to stand toe to toe with some of the experiments, like you,” He replied.

      “I don’t see you throwing fire old man.”

      “That’s because it’s Phoenix’s job,” Fox spoke up.

      “Ah,” I turned and faced her, “so you can speak without trying to seduce people.”

      She looked me in the eyes, “As if I’d want to seduce you.”

      She brushed past us as the elevator opened to Father’s apartment. Me and him looked at each other and shrugged.

      “Young love,” he said, as he stepped off.

      I followed him to his living room. Fox had disappeared to the opposite side of the floor.

      “Her room is in that direction,” Father spoke from the kitchen. “We both live here since she can’t stand your other brothers and sisters. You will meet some, but not all.” He went into what seemed to be the kitchen.

      “Brothers and sisters,” I inquired.

      “Oh, don’t worry. None of you are related. Well, except for Hades, Lucifer, and Thanatos being triplets, Chimera, their cousin, and the two brothers, Mantis and Arachnid. But you don’t have to worry about any of the others,” He said around the corner.

“Why not,” I asked.

      He appeared in a doorway holding two glasses filled with a bubbly liquid. “Well, you see. We here at “The Pen” as the locals call it, have over three hundred successful subjects. You have seen some, but don’t know it. Two, to be precise. They are in the guard as our shock troops. But keep it quiet, as the others don’t know it.”

      “So why are you telling me?”

      “Because I like you, my boy. Why, you remind me of when I was your age. And so destructive, why, it’s hard to imagine that you are the same subject I found little Fox talking to so many years ago.”

      A pain struck my mind. The memories of the tank filled my mind. Of a little girl who would visit me and talk about the world outside. A tear of blood ran down the side of my cheek.

      “Oh my. Fox, bring a towel, my dear.”

      Fox walked in, and then saw what was going on. She started to panic.

      “What’s wrong, is he OK? Wolf?” she sat down beside me and began to wipe away the trail of blood the tears left.

      “I’m fine” I said, as I wiped her hands away. I felt a strong pain in my chest when I did this. She seemed to pause for a moment, with another hurt look on her face, then got up and left the room again. I looked at Father, “What just happened?”

      “Seems like you hurt her feelings.”

      I felt the pain again, but returned to him.