The Wolf Inside

Chapter 6

Lunar was awoken by the sound of Lady Deathstrike banging on her door and yelling at her to wake up, pretty annoying for her considering how much she hated that mutant. As she sat up pain lanced through her shoulder and she gritted her teeth, this was the second time that shoulder had been injured and she was surprised Cyclops’ lasers hadn’t just gone completely through it yet. That thought made her sit up straight, what had happened? She had passed out from her injury so how did it get bandaged and get into bed? Stryker wouldn’t have done this, he would’ve let her stay there bleeding out on the floor as punishment for being pathetic.

            “Will you get out here? Stryker would like to go on the mission today.” Deathstrike’s royally ticked off voice came from the other side of her door.

            Lunar quickly changed into an identical outfit as the one she’d worn on her other mission and opened the door. “Well what’s got you in such a vile mood?”

            “Maybe if you’d wake up on time you would know!” Deathstrike scowled and shook her head. “No wonder Stryker’s starting to hate you. You’re so lazy and worthless.”

            “At least I don’t act like a robot half the time! If you’d known Stryker’s original mutant team then you would know he hates that kind of person.”

            “Like you have ever met them.” She snorted and turned to walk away before throwing another comment over her shoulder. “If you ask me Boss should’ve put you down when your sorry corpse was dropped off like the mutt you are.”

            Lunar didn’t understand what she’d said, she remembered being attacked and Stryker saving her but dying? She never died. That didn’t stop the remark from hurting though and she didn’t think as she let out her wolf form. I’ll rip out your throat you worthless piece of-

            Dagger-like pain shot through her, cutting off her thought and Lunar pulled away from her in confusion, blood wasn’t anywhere on her yet the pain continued on the back of her head, then it came to her. She’d been given the serum, Deathstrike had tricked her, Lunar glared ate her rival as she sank to the ground and turned human. She tried to fight off the drug but could already feel her mind going blank as she was forced into obedience, this entire time Deathstrike was smirking superiorly and looking down at her.

            “If Stryker thinks you’re a better choice to take this mission than I am he’s going to be disappointed. I want you to act like everything’s normal… but when you get to the school, kill the mutants, kill your own team, go animal on them. Then come back here.” She grinned down at her. “Let’s see how long you live after that.”

            Lunar tried to attack her again but the thought was cut off and she was forced into doing as Deathstrike ordered. She walked down the halls and into the room where Stryker was waiting, Cyclops stood in the corner of the room, some wounds that weren’t from her were visible but not serious looking, the other people in the room appeared to be the people they would be taking on the team with them.

            “Anything you would like to say about being late?” Stryker asked.

            Lunar tried to tell him about Deathstrike’s plan but all that came out was an ashamed sounding apology. “No sir.”

            He arched an eyebrow at her. “No other sarcastic remark? Well then maybe you are learning something.”

            “What are we doing for the mission General?” Lunar asked, once again doing something against her will.

            “We are going to the school to grab some of Xavier’s students before coming back here, Lady Deathstrike and Cyclops will be staying behind to guard the facility.”

            Lunar nodded but internal was yelling at him, couldn’t he see she was being controlled? Or maybe he just didn’t care. Why do things seem to be getting worse for me? I used to be the perfect soldier for him until Deathstrike came along… Now look at me, a mere puppet. I might not have met the original team but I wonder… is this how they felt before they quit?

            She followed Stryker down the hallways, the government soldiers following closely behind them, the soldiers got into stealth jets while she sat in the helicopter with Stryker. Another boring trip and this time she couldn’t speak on her own free will, well, she couldn’t do anything on her own free will. Time plus being allowed to only think freely equaled a bad combination for Lunar, especially after everything that had happened. She listened silently as Stryker went over the plan, basically repeating it while only added new, better, instructions every so often. Finally the pilot said they’d arrived and Lunar was allowed to glance out the window, she could finally get this over with and get pay back on Deathstrike. Of course though, there was that kill everyone instruction she wasn’t looking forward to carry out in front of Stryker, he would be furious, but maybe the serum would wear off. It seemed to be feeling weaker; maybe she’d be able to fight it off soon.