The LAB

Chapter 12

            Buzzers sounded, doors creaked and hissed open, beasts snarled and chains rattled. Fight days were back, but something was different. Workers were fighting the lower level beasts, after becoming test subjects themselves. They all had stronger bodies, faster reflexes, better hearing and sense of smell, the ability to see better in no light environments, and much larger fangs. They were all training for something, to which they were all never told. So far, they only knew to be ready for anything within the LAB, anything could happen with these monsters and they had to stop them. Devan could only smile as he watched both his new army rise and his Hounds be given the ability to fly.

A yelp rose from a testing room, and the Honda was locked onto the screen. The Hound was laying on its side, wings half formed before its own body speared itself with a reverse grown wing. Guess the flight of Hounds would be on hold a bit longer. Notes and files were sent to him instantly, showing the multiple errors that caused such a crash and the names of those workers willing to comb through the codes to fix it all. A low growl emerged as his eyes locked onto one note, something that not only interested the Honda but also pissed him off. "Lack of X04." How dare this worker say that one error within another code was the reason for the flight! There is always a way to replicate it in a stronger being! No orders had to be given, as he saw the files coming in himself. He knew, things would be done. Now the only question was, where was that worker that turned his beast into such a softie?

The Blazer and Humvee both looked on through the bars at the older Mustang, as he wheezed and fought for breath. Both had their fronts against the bars, but only the Blazer let out soft whines. They shared the same worry for their older friend, their one form of family in this place of death. Larry gasped and struggled to keep air flowing, but it was seeming like a losing battle. The injection sites on his sides showed the last test was fresh, and was killing him slowly. His eyes shot open at the sound of metal being hit, hard. His eyes were useless, but he could feel it, see it in his mind. The Blazer. She rose up on her hind tires and repeatedly slammed her front tires, and her front end in general, against the bars. Using all her force, her panicked whine staggering and turning into a very angry neigh with a hint of a growl. Such an odd sound it was. Another set of banging was heard, from the cell over, the Humvee was trying the same, grunting out and snarling as he beat the bars and even bit them. Everyone froze when metal gave way, the echoing sound of metal on metal soon followed by metal on solid ground and the heavy thud of tires hitting the ground. The Humvee rolled to the Blazer's side and they both attacked the bars. Through his staggered breathing, Larry smiled. They had a bond, and whether you saw it as a pride or pack or even a herd, they'd fight for each other. Metal bent and fell and both SUVs were soon at the Mustang's sides, nuzzling him and resting their fronts along his side with heavy purring.

"You...kids... are really... something else," was all he could manage before having to catch himself again. The two younger beasts gave light smiles, they knew he could in a way see them. Right now, their worry was to get him better. After all the time the Mustang had stayed up keep watch over them in their cells, it was their turn. When workers attempted to remove the two back to their own cells, and even fix the cells, they fought back with force and teamwork. Such confined spaces didn't allow the workers to use their normal tactics to corral such beings. They could only attempt to fix one of the cells, the cell of the Humvee, as it was the farthest away. Not even when night fell could they work on separating the trio, as the younger SUVs could very well see them in the darkness. Plus the added danger of such a rank beast with dark color in the dead of night was something nobody wanted to risk.

With morning came the sun, and also the chuckle of Larry. Cougar had fallen into a heavy sleep, and Jaslo herself was barely awake, but glanced over to the blind car between her and the larger SUV. Larry gave a nudge to both of them, patting them on the hood with a tire. Jaslo jolted to her tires, a happy whine escaping her with a playful bound around the cell. Whatever they had done had passed, and he was in the clear once more. The joy of the Blazer still didn't wake the slumbering beast of a Humvee, at which Larry all out laughed at. With some unspoken orders, they got the Humvee into the next cell over, where the workers soon took the moment to place him back in his original cell. Fixing up the Blazer's cell was a bit more of a task, but they managed once the Chevy was harnessed and taken out for another test fight. Larry stood in his cell, respectfully in the corner while they worked on the bars. Nobody ever saw him as much of a threat due to his blindness, and for the workers, he was easy to subdue with brute force. Little did they know that Larry kept notes in his head of who was there, their scent and voice, their strength and weakness, everything was noted. He wasn't ever weak, just testing, and he enjoyed them thinking he was nothing. How much longer could he go on like this before they found out?

Deep on the lowest level of the hell they called a lab, something was growing and not just in rumor. A beast built purely off X04 errors, kept away from everything else as a very last resort. It had grown too large for normal containment, but still was easy to reason with. Well, after a big meal that is. A Pontiac in a deep red color stood in the middle of a large room. The Grand Prix had fangs way too large for its own mouth, its vibrant green eyes always searched the darkness it was kept in with slit pupils, highly contrasted in the blackness of its eyes which should have been white. A forked tongue flickered as a familiar engine came into sound.

"Mago, how are you doing today?" The Pontiac shifted, body stretching out, growing. Rear tires melted into the body as it grew to a more serpentine shape. The rear window turning into a sharp and double edged blade at the tip of the tail, while the front tires morphed into long arms with almost a raptor like claw for a thumb. The increase in size brought the beast's head into direct view from a platform high above, where its green eyes rested upon a darker green Accord. A yawn of sorts was needed to fold the fangs into place within such sickening jaws, ending with a hiss.

"I'm doing well today, Masssster." The Honda patted the monster Pontiac's front, both sharing a sick smile.

"Though, if I may asssssk of one favor," the beast hissed out, "I am feeling a little empty assss of late." With a smile towards one another, Devan motioned for someone to join him. A Hound walked over and stood by the Honda's side. With only a glace, the order was given. Barely a yelp was made as the beast struck with the same speed of any monster snake, using a venom that on contact melted skin and stopped all life with the raw force of its jaws. Devan watched this beast quickly take down an Alpha Hound and swallow it down as a mid-week snack. For a beast made from the very errors that killed off others, it was a very frightening sight to watch.

"Don't be afraid to ask for such things, Mago. After all, you are my perfect creation. Even if you just want something to maul out of boredom, you can tell me." Devan spoke down to the Pontiac. Mago crossed his arms and for the most part, was laying down, relaxing after taking in such a large meal with a flick of his tongue. He turned his head upwards towards his master, tasting the air once more with a tongue flick before managing to speak again.

"No worriessss, for now I am fine. Though, at ssssome point, I would enjoy a real challenge." With those words, both smirked as the Honda left the room once more. Both were just as eager for the day to show off the Pontiac's real power.

Experiment 427 wasn't just a rumored beast of poison, it was an assassin with acid.