The Century Project

v

chapter 5 - written by @Ultimate_Swordswoman

Do I really want Ryan to go into that building by himself and risk getting killed, or not?

That is that question I keep asking myself. I slump on a decaying log and examine my plasma pistol which is outlined with a cool blue light, trying to decide what my next move will be.

"Hey, Victoria?" I look up and see Ryder slouched against a rusty light pole. "You okay?"

"Yes, of course," I lie, my tone brisk and cool as normal. In all honesty, though, I already feel guilty. Guilty for who I am, for my past, for what I'm eventually going to have to do to this small party. But I am a traitor. I always was, always have been. As a smuggler, guilt is something you have to deal with, day in, day out. The sad part is, you never get used to it. Guilt is an emotion that haunts you for the rest of time, continually plaguing you with memories of all the damage and hurt you've caused people. But enough on that. I know exactly what type of organisms inhabit this area, precisely what kind of killing machines the government had created these creatures to be. I can't let the man that saved our lives just moments ago die.

I stand up, a little more eagerly than I should have.

I cock my gun, then turn and face Natalia, Ryder, and Phoenix.

"You three stay here," I order them, "if you see anything move - anything at all - shoot it through its temples or between the eyes.. That is, if it has one of those to features. Try not to waste your ammunition, however."

"Who put you in charge?" Phoenix asks pointedly. I'm not sure if she can see it through my black tinted visor, but I cut my eyes in her direction. I am not sure where all this tension between us has come from (maybe my cold demeanor earlier?) but I'm thankful for it. It'll be easier to for me to turn her in, to not become attached to her.

"I'm going to check on Ryan. This area is infested with a species known as Lusus Naturea, or L.N.R.s. If you want to live, I suggest you take my advice," I state. Natalia's expression gave me the sense that she wasn't satisfied with that answer. She, after all, had been a biologist and trained for months to be on this mission, yet she barely knew anything about the creatures here. How then, would I know?

"I only know this information because I stole it," That was partly true.

Images and links to different organisms and experiment rejects began flitting around the panel of my visor. These, of course, were stolen documents, ones the government never intended for people to see. I quickly send them to Natalia before hurrying into the building.

"Catch up on your homework!" I find myself teasing, before stepping inside the ruins.

Jungle-like plants snake up the walls, cling to the roof, and threaten to choke out every other thing in the room. Even with the all the shrubbery, there's something about this place that seems familiar... No. No.. Something that makes me think of hom-

My thoughts get interrupted as I hit the ground. Sharp claws dig under the chinks of my armor, trying to force their way through the thick black material of my suit.

A blue message pops up in front of me:

Would you like to activate diatonic scale mode no. 11?

My armor's electrocution feature!

"Activate!" I command it. My equipment makes clicking and whirring sounds before the cool blue lights giving definition to my otherwise plain gear heat up.

There's a jolt. Other than that I don't feel any form of shock. That's what diatonic scale mode no. 11 was built for- to taze everything but the person in the suit. The L.N.R isn't dead, but it's paralyzed. Good enough for now. I dash out of the room and down through a corridor. There's no telling what's happened to Ryan by now. Then I faintly hear a muffled scream. I know exactly which room he's in, now. I make no cautious entrance; before I had time to realize what I was doing I had sent a bullet through the Lusus Naturae's cranium. It went limp, the fungus covered side of its face caved in. With a grunt, Ryan pushed the creature off. Orange light flooded in through a broken window, elucidating the millions of dust particles that floated in the air. I pop my plasma gun back into its holster on my thigh.

"I thought I told you to stay outside," he mumbled, brushing the exploded bits of white flora off his armor. I was about to reply, but a corroded and broken picture frame caught my eye; I go over and pick it up. Staring back at me from the faded picture were five kids, four of whom were in there teens. All five were striking the stupidest poses possible, but they looked genuinely happy. They had been genuinely happy. I know because I had been there. The girl sitting on top of Micheal's shoulders, dumping Gatorade over his head had been me. Those other kids - they were my family. And this photo only confirmed that my worst suspicion was true.

This was once my home.