Guardian Angel (Guardians Of The Galaxy Fanfiction)

New Friend

"Hey. Hey! Are you dead?"

Somber groaned as he opened his eyes. He thought it was Ashen's voice but he realized that if Ashen had gone what he had just gone through her voice would not be that strong. "No I'm not dead," he rasped, hoping the voice would speak again.

"Oh good. I'd hate to watch another freak be dragged out of here," snorted the voice and Somber could picture the creature smirking.

"Well I'm glad I'm not dead too," he grunted as he hauled himself to his paws, nearly falling back down as a wave of dizziness came over him.

"Easy," chided the voice in concern. "You should probably continue laying down or at least sitting until the third day after surgery."

"Surgery," echoed Somber as he moved his shoulder and felt agony pulse through his muscles all the way to his claw tips. "Is that what happened to me?"

"Yeah you could say that. You'll get used to the pain though. They usually preform a surgery on you one or two times a week," explained the voice and Somber thought he heard a tail lash against the ground.

"What are they doing it for," wondered Somber as he raised his tail and gingerly stroked it against his haunch. He gasped and suddenly sunk his teeth into his paw until he tasted blood. He drew back gingerly and licked the blood away. He knew not to touch it for a while.

"They are trying to enhance us," replied the voice. "Genetics, cybernetic implants, extra muscle tissue and joints, foreign extremities, anything like that."

Somber wanted to bristle his fur but he was afraid that would just aggravate his body even more so he didn't. "We are not meant to be experiments!"

"I know," murmured the voice gently. "But the Terrans use of for this. Once they accomplish what they want on us they'll move to themselves but they want to make sure it's safe."

"So kill us so that they don't have to die," Somber growled as he wrinkled his nose in disgust. His father was right, Terrans were disgusting creatures.

"You got it!" The voice suddenly cleared his throat. "Excuse me I don't believe I introduced myself. I'm Grenade."

Somber smiled although he knew that Grenade couldn't see him. "I'm Somber and I have a sister here. Her name is Ashen."

"Yes I've seen her. She fared very well from the surgery and I believe they are going to take her tomorrow for another step. You on the other paw they are waiting a bit," Grenade recalled.

Somber flicked his ears. "If this was just the first step then what did they do," he wondered as he imagined all of the needle marks in his back. "It feels like someone jabbed snake fangs into my body!"

"That's basically what they did," mumbled Grenade as his eyes narrowed to unforgiving slits. "They use those needles to inject us with chemical compounds. This is the first step. I've already been through it."

"How long have you been here," cut in Somber.

Grenade thought for a heartbeat. "About a year, maybe," he replied with a shrug. "You lose track of the days easily in here."

"Great Starbound," gasped Somber, using the name of the wolf's heaven. "I can't imagine being here for a year."

"Yeah I can't either," confessed Grenade as he pawed at his soft ears. "Anyway the first time you go into surgery they give you chemicals to first enhance your agility. They make you also numb later so that you won't feel as much pain when they place cybernetic implants."

"Cybernetic implants," echoed Somber in fear. His eyes widened a bit in terror and he fought to keep his breath steady.

"Yeah," grumbled Grenade as he ran his tail over his shoulder gingerly. "They're not that bad once you get used to them. The cybernetic implants along with more injections can allow us to walk like Terrans and even speak like them. They fused extra joints in my paws so now I can use them like a Terran hand. I can hold a gun and even know how to use it. They feel like they can boost our intelligence."

"I like to think I'm already intelligent," pipped up Somber although he wasn't sure that was the best thing to say.

"Of course you are," assured Grenade as he rolled his eyes. "We are ten times more intelligent than those Terrans they just think we're dumb since we don't speak the same language. However they want to make us even more intelligent that's fine with me." He raised a paw as he curled his claw like fingers against his pads. "If they want to enhance us and make our life heck that's fine. It's not like we can do anything about it."

"Do you talk with anyone else in this place, Grenade?" Somber had never really been very social but he was curious to meet those who were going through the same things he was. "Can you ever er get out?"

A purr rolled in Grenade's throat and the realization washed over Somber. Grenade was a cat! "I got the keys to this place." He drummed his claws against the ground. "At night when the Terrans leave that's when we go out."

"What do you do," inquired Somber curiously.

Grenade rose to his paws and lapped at the water. It ran down his throat and burned but he didn't care. The water might not be pure but he really didn't have any other options. When he had his fill he drew upward and let the water drip from his chin. "Not too much. We talk, plan revenge on the Terrans, try to find a way to get out of here." He smirked. "You make a lot of good friends here."

"Do you think you could let me out tonight," Somber asked hopefully as he flicked his ears upward.

Grenade twitched his ears. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Why wouldn't it be," asked Somber as he forced himself upward and gasped in pain, his chest heaving in effort. Tears squeezed themselves from his eyes and he struggled to keep his breath even. He had no idea that he could feel this much pain.

"Look at you," muttered Grenade. "You can barely walk. How do you expect to jump down from your crate?"

Somber hated to admit it but he knew that he would need help. "Please Grenade," he nearly begged. "I want to talk with others and I need to see my sister."

Grenade saw how much this mean to Somber. Also he knew that the sooner you meshed with the others the easier your time in the lab would be. "Fine," he spat as he recoiled his tail which had been infused with mechanical enhancements that allowed him to curl it in awkward angles that normal cats would never be able to do.

"Thanks Grenade," barked Somber. He wanted to wag his tail but he thought better of it. His stomach suddenly growled and he frowned at it. Was he really that hungry?

"The food tastes awful but if I were you I'd eat it," meowed Grenade as he pawed at his own food dish. "It'll help with the pain."

Somber forced a nod and lowered his head in his shoulders. He took a small bite and wrinkled his nose in disgust. He kept eating though until everything was gone. He stuck out his tongue and forced himself to swallow.

"Good now you may need some rest. If you want to get out tonight you have to show me that you can talk around your cage without falling on your face," snorted Grenade.

Somber nodded slowly. "A-Alright," he stammered, worried that he wouldn't be able to do it. He decided to heed Grenade's advice and get some much needed rest. He sprawled out. trying not to let his back touch anything. As soon as his eyes closed he fell into a fitful sleep.