Subject Zero (COMPLETED)

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The seven subjects sat, their knees pressed on cement, as they waited for Benedict Lee to say his goodbyes.

The old man took a knee in front of each person, giving them his undivided attention. He started on the left end and slowly made his way down the line. Kai overheard him chuckling from old memories and crying from others. He kept his head down as Benedict came closer, and his nose pinched at the scientist's familiar metallic scent.

Benedict grunted as he took another knee, and Kai looked up and saw him in front of Seb, Kai's cell buddy.

"Ah, Sebastian," Benedict cooed. He rested a hand on the side of his face. Seb merely glared, unmoving as Benedict patted his cheek. Seb's skin pulled tight as his lips pierced together, and his narrowed and unnatural glowing eyes rested on Benedict.

"I'm proud of this one," Benedict said. "I mean, a boy who can see through walls? Brilliant."

Seb kept still as Benedict chuckled, but soon his attention turned towards Kai.

"But you, my Subject Zero. Malakai. Magnificent." Benedict slid over to the boy, a beam spread across his wrinkled face. Cold hands caressed Kai's face, fingers pressed against his temples as he tugged at his skin.

Kai could feel Seb's stare. He couldn't tell if he was smiling or not, but none of them knew how to feel. Benedict had told his subjects he was leaving, but none of them knew what that meant. Leaving where? And what would he do with him?

"You're a wild card, my boy," Benedict said. "You have so much more to give. And to be pried out."

Kai avoided eye contact as Benedict gripped his chin, raising it to his eye level. Kai felt his eyes burned in him, and Benedict's grip only tightened until he looked at him. Benedict smiled, his glasses fogging as his eyes began to water. He let Kai go and leaned back, glancing at all his subjects.

"I'm going to miss you all. Terribly."

He stood up and wiped down his black lab coat before clearing his throat. He took his glasses off, wiping the lenses as a tear platted onto the cement. He placed his glasses back on and reassembled himself, throwing his chin up high.

"I'm going to kill myself today," Benedict said. "My assistant will bury me and that will be the end of it."

A buzzed feeling crept up Kai's fingertips all the way to the back of his neck. The buzz was prominent across the room; Seb shifted weight on one knee, others were unable to move. They should have seen this coming. At some point Benedict would get caught for this inhumane act, but he was never one to follow the rules. He would end himself before letting someone else do it.

"What does this mean for us?" Seb asked.

Benedict grinned down at him, almost giddy to answer the question. Benedict Lee, the man who kidnapped, abused, changed these seven innocent people, was going to die. But all Kai could feel was wonder. There was no victory yet.

Benedict clapped his hands together before letting out a sigh.

"America's at war. And it's time to share my creations to give as their weapons."

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Chapter 1 coming atcha right now!