PROJECT ELITES

Chapter 5. Burning Fire

"Authorities are still investigating the alleged bio-modified attack on Biointel that shook everyone of their firm no-modification belief yesterday. The scientist working in the lab have no recollection of the attack on their―"

The voice of the news broadcaster ring in the room and through the marble hallway that I descend down. Pushing open the practice room I encounter Betty nervously fidgeting in her chair. I have never seen her worried about anything. Not even when Jace started showing tendencies of neurological imbalance, she was most calm among us.

I walk across the room to her. She looks up to me with concern glistening brown eyes.

"You look horrible."

"I feel worse."

I cock my head to read her expression, "And that is because―" I let the sentence hanging between us for her to finish.

"Because maybe you gave voice to the speculation? You know how confidential all this is yet you attack in their lab. Their lair!" She stands up pushing back chair which topples over and closes the distance between us. "How can you be so stupid, Felicity? How can you just give them all in silver platter?!"

Stepping back I turn around to the machine which prepared dummies for us. It's like candy machines except you choose dummies with levels.

"You need to stop blowing it out of proportion," I point the level to maximum, "maybe it's not for us but them."

Her footsteps over the marble echo throughout the room. Standing close to me she grabs my arm and forcibly make my body veer towards her. "What you mean by that?" She grit her teeth.

Instead of answering I look at her hands on my arm. No one, I repeat, no one manhandles me! I stare at it to give her time to realize her mistake but she probably has other misleading thoughts.

"You're crossing boundaries."

"Oh, I am now, aren't I?" She practically seethe back.

I jerk my hand out of her grip and hold her wrist. One flick. Just one flick, that's all I need. But before I can do anything Ivy barge open the door and stride in, like she owns this place. Ignoring us both she go to the small water tank. Taking one plastic cup out of the many that arranged one above other, she fills it up and turns to us. Acknowledging us in a mocking way.

"Drama?" she jerks the cup a little to us.

I like her feisty attitude. I really like how less she cares for any bullshit.

Dropping Betty's wrist I shift my focus on the machine for my practice. It buzzes and whirs with every button press. "Our little Betty here thinks she can go around judging our actions for good and bad. And clearly, she doesn't approve our method of having our deviant back."

A cocky smile lifts on her face. " Oh, maybe you should let her practice like us. She should know whats and hows of our work if she's going to be our new head, don't you think so?"

Horror clouds Betty's otherwise naked face, giving my double approval for Ivy's suggestion. If she thinks she's liable enough to manhandle me then she's definitely liable enough to handle these dummies.

"What you mean?" her voice squeak in silence.

"I second her." I chip in and witness her face changing from confidence to fear. Of course, she knows better.

She averts her attention from me back to Ivy. She spits and says, "you think you can assess the damage you've done? Barging in and giving them the level of your potential?" Ivy cringes after hearing it but regains her cocky self back. Her demeanour reminds me of Thomas, the only difference is that I don't hate Ivy.

She walks towards us. "That," she cheerily voices, "is not our context."

Before Betty can retort Ivy pull the lever beside me down and promptly push Betty in the field. Before she can process anything the machine whirs in appreciation. My lopsided grin stretch to a full humour induce smile while her face douses in fear for what's to come.

"May our birdie gets away without being crumpled to paper ball." Ivy does a flappy movement with her hands and turns to leave the room. I follow her out but not before hearing Betty's 'don't leave me here, please!'

"You're vice," I remark while we make our way to our separate dorms.

"But you like it." I give her my stern face. I don't like getting predicted. She must've noticed my displeasure because she quickly adds after, "it's not like she's going to die there or something. At most, she'll just be sprawl like a boozehound on pavement tomorrow."

"But she's important to us."

"Not more than us. She should know her place. Lows are always to be at low, dreams should never be beyond class."

Her blatant confession stir anger in me. Veering around I push her to the wall and grab her neck. She starts choking but I refuse my grip to let loose. "You do what I say, Ivy. Just because I appreciate your bluntness there doesn't mean you can defy me by stepping over my orders. We keep pact. We hurt but not hunt our kinds. Is this clear to you?"

When she refuses to speak I tighten my grip. Her hands uselessly stumble on my arms. "Am I clear?!"

"Y-y-yes." She chock out.

"Good," I release her and she sprawl on the ground just like a boozehound on the pavement. Desperately trying to get her breathing back to normal.

At the same time alarm goes off and a shrill sound emanates from the roof of the floor. "It must be for Rick," I whisper. " We should get going."

"Rick?" Ivy weakly asks me from below.

"He has gone to Biointel to steal the classified documents. If it goes as we've planned, this can be a huge kick for Futura. We can direct all the accusations on them and come out pristine clean."

"And he helped us? Why?"

"Orla."

She chuckles hearing my response. "Is he going to live?"

My gaze lingers on her as she supports her body on four and pushes herself up. There's fire in her and I have to keep it in my control before it burns up, taking us all down.

"Only for as long as he can help us."

______________________________________

I'm really thinking of uploading regularly. I have ideas in my mind which just don't get in words as I want. I'm trying my best to get it over with.

Anyways, are y'all voting for your favourite book in fiction awards this year?

Vote. Comment. Share.