Evolution

Evolution: Chapter 34

I'd seen vulnerable human's before, but none like this.

Anders had a tube inserted down his throat, with IV lines poking out all over him. A machine was pumping oxygen through him, because he couldn't breathe himself. A cold sweat made his tawny skin clammy.

But that wasn't what captured my attention.

Faint greenish chemical highlighted his veins paths, slowly travelling through his blood. Stood next to him, I could almost taste the poison on my tongue. It made my face scrunch in disgust, and I failed to see how people could think they could save him.

"There is an antidote." Sloane informed the room, and I winged my brows up at her, "But there's only a small space of time to find it."

Hayden was reclined all the way on her bed, her hair sprayed across the white pillow beneath her. I don't think I had ever seen her so relaxed before, maybe it was because of the morphine drip.

"You can't send the Splices," Her voice was almost a slurred murmur, but her tone was still hard, "They're morons, what the hell do they know about being out in the open!?"

Freddie gave her his most endearing scowl, and he gritted his teeth, "We've all been through city life simulations!" He argued turning to Sloane, whose frown deepened, "Humans aren't as fast or enhanced as we are; we can find it in half the time."

"We have the military training," Tyrion reminded the room, his arms crossed over his chest, "It's not like we don't know how to take care of ourselves."

Which was true. I couldn't count the amount of times a week I'd be thrown into combat practice. Somethings it was once every day, other times it was a dozen different classes a day. Everything about our youth circulated about being made into the perfect weapon.

Yet, at the same time, being out in the world was...daunting.

"They're a mess." Hayden drawled, rubbing her hands over the thin bed sheets, "And only the most sought out individuals in all the nations. You remember that part, right? They're faces are all over the dark web."

Eric had been standing silently over Anders, thick arms crossed over his chest. Silence surrounded him like a thick cloak, like it done whenever he was in deep thought. Trying out different scenarios that none of us would see, or hear, until he thought of something solid.

Sloane had a tablet held in her hands, a portable monitor to keep track of Anders condition, "Right now, he's in an induced coma. It'll slow down the process, but it will happen." She left out exactly what would happen, "His organs are shutting down, if the poison reaches his heart, then..."

"What's stopping it?" Freddie suddenly asked, and I swear it was staged.

The door slapped against the wall as Ripper invited himself in with a heavy sigh, "There you are." He commented, instantly taking note of my presence, "You didn't happen to eat the meatballs Gwen prepared the other night, did you?"

"Did you bring it?" Sloane stepped towards him, her hand outstretched.

Ripper moved his gaze from my guilt-ridden expression, "This is my finest attempt." He announced, clearly impressed by his own work, "I have to say, the sample of the poison you sent me was just...gorgeous. I'd love to meet the chef!"

He presented a black case to Sloane, whose relief almost made her trip over her own feet, "Oh, yeah?" She questioned, taking out a vial of a brownish liquid, "You think if you got the recipe for an antidote, you could make it?"

"I could do it with a sample," Ripper bragged, leaning against the wall, "But I'd like the recipe. Maybe that could help me produce the poison."

Hayden's suspicion was written all over her face, "Why'd you need the poison?" She challenged, making Ripper's gaze roll towards her.