Four Days Prior...

Slits of sunlight beamed off of the floor, as well as the bed. The vertical blinds on the windows could no longer keep all of the sunlight out. Movement slowly appeared from the bed, as the bright rays began warming it up as well as the room.

After a few moments of weak struggle with the sheets, a young looking man emerged from his slumber, a little clumsily and not yet fully awake. Pushing himself upward he sat upright, wearing no shirt and rubbing his eyes carefully. A stainless steel chain hung from his neck with two dog tags silently clanking against one another. He had short brown hair with the sides of his head, as well as the back, shaved down shorter than the top. Barely messy? he reached his hands up, fiddling with his eyes briefly once more, and then he smoothed the top of his hair toward the front; obviously a habit from prior wakeups and bad hair days. His face looked young and was clean shaven normally, except for the mornings just like today? where he would have a five o?clock shadow.

He looked over and down to his left, his bright blue eyes focusing on an area next to him, big enough for another person to lie in. Reaching his hand over, he rested it down in the spot with a quiet sigh. Wishing the woman that had laid there for a time last night, were still there today. It? was a vague memory however, slightly blurred. The woman?s face was definitely familiar to him, but something was a bit out of place; the context perhaps, the time frame or even the timeline. He pondered the thoughts for a few more moments before he switched his gaze to the window.

Outside the grass was a deep green, and stems where flowers would soon be arriving from, barely had any dew on them. The season of spring was just beginning, the days would start getting longer? as well as warmer. It was a personal favorite for this brash young soldier and he looked forward to enjoying the fresh air. His eyes slowly dipped down from the window as he spaced out briefly, thinking about the last night?s events and his plans for the day ahead. Taking his time, he then gently shook it off and turned his body, placing his feet on the floor.

Walking across the room in only a mere pair of white boxers, he walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He dropped his boxers to the floor, proceeding onward into the shower. Seeming as though not to care, he placed the hot water on full? with no cold water adjustment. The extremely scolding water hit his body within seconds, but he didn?t even flinch. Any other person with any common sense at all would have hopped out of there in a flash, not wanting to get burned. But this man wasn?t being affected by it at all, and his skin was showing no signs of any hot water burn injury.

Immunity to heat.

His pain receptors in his body could sense the extreme heat, it wasn?t as though he had nerve damage or no feeling at all, and just they didn?t relay pain to his brain, because it was not painful for him. Heat had no effect on this man; it was a born mutant ability. One of many this Soldier possessed. He took showers like this to heighten, and wake up his senses for the day that lay ahead of him. It got him started? and ready to go.

Stepping from the shower now, he grabbed a towel and began to dry himself off. Steam rose from his body like a geyser, the water dripped from his short hair and cascaded down his body. After drying himself he wrapped the blue towel around his torso, and tucked in the end to hold it in place. Wiping his face clean of water he walked over to the sink and vanity mirror. Reaching his right hand toward the reflective surface, he cleared away the fog that had taken it over from the steam in the room. He leaned over the sink, and began to run water as he moved his face up and around, analyzing his face briefly for his next task that lay ahead.

He proceeded to shave and as he did so he found himself leaving some hair behind this time, around his chin, and upper lip, kind of in the shape of a goatee and a mustache. He looked at in the mirror, pivoting his head up, around, and about again; stopping and looking at it once more. Shrugging now, a slight frown appeared on his face.

?Nah, I don?t like it?? He quietly muttered to himself.

His voice was still a bit scratchy, and rough. Perhaps it was because these were the first words he had spoken on this new day, or maybe his voice was normally this way. The young man took the razor up once more and finished his shave? taking it all off. However, with his last stoke underneath his chin he sliced into it, just as the blade released from his face. Squinting briefly, the word ?Damn? escaped his lips...

The young soldier stepped out from his abode, squinting his eyes slightly as the sun beamed on his face for the first time of the day. He pulled down his baseball cap slightly to shield the light from his eyes, so that they could adjust a little less abruptly. Ahdee?khee then reached back to his door, and closed it shut. The house he lived in was a small one floor apartment that he shared with a neighbor upstairs. This was his first place that he could officially call his own, since moving from the Ahdee?khee Manor? the place where his parents lived.

His full name was Glenn Ahdee?khee and he came from a family that was well to do, not ?rich? per say, but his family had labored and established themselves quite well over the years. It started when Glenn?s grandfather, Heron-ojo, had become the president of The United Federation of Planets, after the end of the Great Neosapien-Terran War. During his time in office he put quite a bit of Federation resources into a township located in Long Island New York, that had been severely devastated from the war.

In return for his outstanding generosity, the mayor of this newly formed city set aside an area in the refurbished city so that the UFP President could have a place to retire once his service to the Federation was complete. His grandfather took his time, and built a nice sized estate on the property which would serve as the home of him and his son, Glenn?s father, until a few years later when Glenn himself would be born. He grew up and spent his childhood years there, going to the public school system and making a small group of friends where he could. Yet as lavish as it may sound, his life growing up wasn?t anything close to being perfect. He was caste out of ?normal? circles of friends at an early age for being? weird and unusual, despite there being anything noticeably different with the other children. This caused him to have a very troubled life early on, including fights with other classmates, constant teasing and bickering, and a long for general acceptance.

As he grew from child, to adolescent, and into an adult, the experiences and hardships he encountered help to strengthen his personality. The harsh realities of being truly ?different? were easier to face as they came to light, as he had almost been prepared for them since a young age. He had entered Starfleet Academy after High School, wishing to follow in his families footsteps, and was hand selected for a joint Starfleet-Earth task force which was meant to train elite Marine-type individuals. This small regiment would eventually grow into its own separate entity, becoming a multi-national organization known as S.E.F.F. which would operate under the wings of the United Nations as well as the United Federation of Planets.

Ahdee?khee cascaded over his front lawn, his brown boots flicked droplets of newly formed dew off of the grass. Walking over to the driveway, an older dirtied up Harley Davidson motorcycle awaited its owner. It was a rough looking hog, definitely a lot of power underneath the seat to make up for its lacking appearance. He slung a black backpack with his uniform and clothes over his right shoulder, and then placed his other arm through the opposite strap. Snugging it up close to his frame, he proceeded to zip up his black leather. As he sat on the machine, he reached into his coat pocket to retrieve a pair of black sunglasses. Placing them over his eyes, he stomped down on the kick start three or four times before the bike finally responded to his efforts. Not wasting anymore time, he placed the vehicle into gear and sped from his driveway.

She smiled at him; a soft, genuine, caring smile. But who was she? She had appeared to him again, just as she had before. But he couldn?t quite place the name to the face. He knew her, but? didn?t know her. Something wasn?t right. She was there, but perhaps out of context? A familiar person that he knew better then the back of his own hand, yet at the same time she was foreign, a stranger. Just who was she? He marveled at her stunning beauty. Her hair was quite long and it was a chestnut color. No matter how hard he tried he? just? couldn?t? place it. Trying to focus, he looked or remembered her eyes. They were unforgettable, that was for sure. Her eyes were?

?Sir, identification please.?

The guard sentry spoke, challenging Glenn for the proper authorization to enter the base. He shook his head, snapping out of whatever thought he previously had. Reaching in his left breast pocket, Ahdee?khee pulled a small card out with his middle and index fingers and held it out for the armed officer to see. The hologram seal that laminated the identification card nearly glimmered in the guards eyes. Proof that is was a legitimate piece of identification. He loomed closer towards Glenn now, trying to get a better look while his pupils scanned over the picture that was centered on the green card. Pausing for a moment, he then and then turned to look at the young Soldier directly in the face, obviously to compare the photograph.

Glenn smiled widely, showing off as many teeth as he possibly could. His eyes opened wide, and he cocked his head to the side in a funny motion, obviously trying to be funny and showing his good mood. Still illustrating no emotion the sentry guard looked over the identification card once more, and then back to him. He popped to, standing at attention, totally dedicated to his duty at hand, and snapped his hand in a sharp salute.

?Permission granted Corporal Ahdee?khee.?

His smile slowly faded from his face. The humor he sought out seconds ago was slowly fading, as the brash young Private showed proper military bearing. His mood, however, did not sway. He instead concurred to complete the task at hand. Nodding slowly, not saluting back since he was not in military uniform, and the sentry smartly dropped his salute.

Proper military customs and courtesies.

The Corporal began to slowly step by him, rolling his bike forward as he pushed on the ground with his feet to enter the installation. Popping the clutch, he sped off towards a nearby hangar bay; turning a corner sharply and slamming on the brake, parking in front of the large hangar. Glenn stepped off the bike and stretched himself out with a minor yawn. His bones cracked here and there as he reached up further, extending his height to the balls of his feet. Turning to the back of his vehicle, he began to gather his bag with his uniform items and then abruptly stopped. He could hear a commotion coming from the hangar bay, and one of the voices sounded very familiar. Receding from his previous action, the young Corporal turned around and progressed toward the loud discord.

?Lemme give ?em a little competition?? Corporal Ahdee?khee muttered to himself as he continued to approach his fellow peer. He moved rather swiftly and silently as he set up for his descent, assuming the best angle possible. Slipping his right hand out of his pants pocket, so not to make any noise, he lightened his footsteps, anticipating his next move?

The attack.

The Corporal?s right boot touched down on the hard deck a little further than his usual pace had been. Shifting his weight forward, he leaned into his step and began to joust forward. Softly making a dash right for his fellow Corporal now, moving like the wind, and without any obstacles in his way. His target narrowed now, as he drew closer. The ?prey? still unaware of what was about to happen... but then? something was wrong?

Glenn?s danger sense went off.

Ahdee?khee had an early warning danger sense, almost like a premonition of what was going to happen. It informed him that something was about to happen that would cause his body harm, Mother Nature?s equivalent to a defense alarm. As he ran he slowed his pace, trying to figure out what it could be. Something wasn?t right. Why was he in danger? He surely wasn?t going to?

Then it happened.

Before Corporal Ahdee?khee could react, his forward motion stopped. Something was grabbing and holding onto his right shoulder, he spun around to react and counter whatever was threatening him. But before he could respond he had a tight grip around his neck and his feet were suddenly no longer on the deck. Squinting in pain, he forced his eyes open, barely seeing what was before him. There was a large mass that was holding him with its arm extended and it?s hand around his throat. Squeezing tighter, and tighter, trying to cut off the oxygen to his brain. He reached both hands up, as tears welled up in his eyes, attempting to pry the beasts? grip from his neck. Glenn tried pulling and extracting the clench that was preventing him from breathing, with no avail. Trying desperately to do anything, he dropped his right arm down to his side and then reared it as far back as he could, clenching his fist into the tightest ball possible, then he extended his?

Thud.

His feet fell to the deck, holding his throat as he peered up at the adversary. His eyes focused on the nametag that was on his BDU?s. Wesley Bernard. Surprisingly he felt a pair of hands slips underneath his arms and help him to his feet. He looked back to see Collins, his face holding a warm smile. Then he looked back towards Bernard, the man that? had him in a grasp a moment prior.

?You alright there chump??

Something was off, it wasn?t right. He?d been getting a lot of these feelings throughout the day. Wesley Bernard was in his Squad Division, an inch or two taller then Collins and by the looks of it, another body builder type. He had mulatto skin, and light colored eyes, extending his hand out to the man as a sign of friendship. He was a friend. They were on the same team. But something severely bothered him about it. Glenn?s danger sense didn?t just go off for any reason. He thought? he was in danger.

All three of these men were friends, and Ahdee?khee was just going to try and sneak up on Collins, no real malice intended. Bernard?s rough housing though, had Glenn definitely alarmed.

?Hey, you? you alright? Snap outta it Glenn?? The man said again, as Ahdee?khee found himself once again shaking off the odd feeling.

?Yeah, yeah. I?m alright, ya just caught me off guard is all.?

?Uh huh, right. Just like you were gonna do to Collins right? I saw ya, I couldn?t resist.?

?Right?? Glenn responded. ?Couldn?t resist.?

?Thanks?? Glenn said, while passing through a door that Collins held open for him. The two men were inside of a conference room, used to brief and debrief operatives in the field. It was a pretty standard room for the facility, soundproof on the outside, a large projector that would display logistics, and chairs that ascended towards the back of the room in stadium fashion. The room was empty, except for Bernard whom was sitting in the second row of seats. He looked up as he heard the two men enter.

?Looks like it?s us three.? Wesley said, looking up at his fellow Corporals with a grin.

?Great.? Collins replied, as he traversed down the slightly inclined ramp that lead down to the front of the Conference area, with Ahdee?khee not too far behind. They passed quite a few rows of seats on their way down, even skipping over Bernard?s row, to make their way down to the first aisle. Both Corporals then took seats a few chairs apart from one another, and awaited the briefing. The three men held a short conversation during their wait, keeping their tone down so that they could hear the briefing officer approach. After a few moments of waiting, that officer arrived.

A young officer opened the door, a first Lieutenant, nothing out of the ordinary at all. Usually High-ranking Enlisted Service members or Lower ranking Officers conducted briefings. That was, however, until he yelled?

?Attention on deck!?

A brief moment of hesitation consumed the men. Such a military courtesy was only given if a commanding officer were entering the room or passing by, and apparently that was indeed the case. The three men respectfully rose to their feet and stood at attention, keeping their head and eyes straight forward, while their posture remained completely rigid. A moment of silence ensued before a Brigadier General stepped through the door.

He was what you?d expect a General to look like. He was fairly tall, stocky build, metals and awards, the usual ?chest? candy you?d usually see on a higher-ranking officer. The General removed a black Beret as he entered, looking at the three men that stood before him. This wasn?t the usual briefing, and they instantly knew this. Murphy?s law was definitely kicking in for them now, and it looks as though Collins may have spoke too soon in regards to ?coasting? throughout the rest of the day. General Rickwand, a One Star Brigadier General, was one of the higher brass in charge of this S.E.F.F. installation. His uniform resembled that of a United States Army General, mostly due to his Army training and background.

The Special Elite Fighting Forces, ?The Elite?, or S.E.F.F. as it was abbreviated, was a newer organization. Comprised from a variety of other Military branches ranging from Army, Navy, Marines and the Air Force, it was sanctioned under the United Nations and the United Nations of Planets to be a planetary defensive force. The soldiers would train under a variety of platforms in order to make them efficient in all forms of Military engagement. These included Close-Quarter-Combat to para trooping and even piloting jet fighters. This project however was still in it?s infancy, and one of the issues that had yet to be figured out, was a definitive uniform for the entire organization.

?Gentlemen, at ease.? The General spoke. ?I have? a very special assignment for you.?

Walking down the Tarmac, with sleek black helmet?s in hand, Collins and Ahdee?khee walked side by side. They were both wearing a olive green flight suits, equipped with various hoses and insignias, as they passed by a variety of fighters that were parked alongside the runway. In front of them, quite a few yards in the distance, Bernard was quickly walking towards his fighter as he seemed incredibly anxious to see what this Weapon Twelve missions was all about.

?Yanno? it was really uncalled for.? Glenn spoke in a quieted tone.

?What he said to the General??

?Yeah, I mean honestly? what a load of crap. He?s basically questioning everything Rickwind was tellin? the guy.?

?Yeah, he was outta line.? Collins responded again. ?I?ll definitely say that. But Wes has always been like that. I mean he basically just an all around ass hole.? Glenn nodded to him now, nodding to the man that walked in front of them.

?To be honest, the way he?s actin?, I wouldn?t be surprised if they gave his ass a dishonorable.? His fellow Corporal nodded in agreement as he continued. ?He?s really pushing his buttons. He questions authority a lot, always startin? fights, getting into trouble while he?s on liberty. He?s been thrown in the brig more then once. I don?t even know why they chose him for this assignment.?

Collins green eyes shifted over to Ahdee?khee now, there was a hint of worry on his face.

?To be honest Glenn, I?m not really comfortable with this assignment. Him being on it sorta? raises my anxiety about it.?

?Really?? He queried, a bit surprised by his friends response. ?Why??

?You know I?ve always been wary about this whole? Military thing. I only really did it because Starfleet kinda pushed this on us.?

?Well you know they wouldn?t deliberately put us in harms way.?

?Oh they wouldn?t? So we?re just in a Combative organization for the hell of it??

?Yanno what I mean?? Glenn responded. ?They wouldn?t make us sitting ducks on purpose. You heard the General yourself; if you don?t agree with the procedure then you don?t have to go through with anything. It?s completely voluntary.?

?Yeah, uh huh, voluntary.?

?Give it a chance. That?s why were going. I?m a little excited about it myself, I?m really curious to see what this whole thing?s about.?

Collins quirked his eyebrow to Ahdee?khee as he approached a haze gray Jet fighter. There was a small steel latter that was rolled up beside the cockpit, to assist the pilots with entering and exiting.

?I?m not.? He finally replied, as Glenn just shook his head with a smile.

?I?ll see ya up there, alright??

Turning around now, Glenn made the way to his Fighter, which was parked adjacent to Collins. He settled into his seat, fastening himself in with the safety straps and turning on the preliminary instruments. Ahdee?khee felt comfortable in the cockpit of the fighter and he enjoyed being a pilot. It was one of the things he looked forward to most when he became a part of S.E.F.F. and it certainly showed. He worked hard to hone and perfect his skills in combat and dog fighting situations, and he was hoping that his piloting skills would be noticed enough to one day be invited into the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, or what was affectingly called TOP GUN. He prided himself on his skill, and his ability to use the aircraft as an extension of himself. As far as qualifying for the program, and going up against ?The best of the best?, only time would tell.

The engines glowed behind him as he kicked off the ignition. The rumble of the vehicle forced him to bob slightly before he released the brakes. The propulsion of the engines idle state alone was enough to slowly push the fighter out of its parking spot and begin to taxi on the runway. As anxious as Corporal Bernard was he was already on the runway, and from the looks of it he would be the flight leader for this flight.

?This is Venom 503, requesting permission for takeoff.? Ahdee?khee heard over his communication system. His suspicions about the flight leader were most certainly confirmed at this point. He heard the tower grant permission for Bernard, and he chimed in a moment later, as did Collins. As the flight pattern opened, he pushed the throttle forward and quickly accelerated and lifted off of the ground.

The flight had begun.

Experimental Weapons Facility
Kolyma Region, Siberia, U.S.S.R.

?So this alloy is impermeable to all forms of weaponry??

?Yes sir?, yes it is.?

?Remarkable?? A man stood in front of a desk wearing a white doctor?s overcoat. He looked to be about middle age, with dark blonde hair and thick black glasses, standing with his hands behind his back, his belly bulged out slightly from the rest of his overcoat. It was obviously a product of many long nights, and many? many boxes of donuts.

There were six men all standing around a see through container, speaking Russian to one another. Two of the men were scientists, who were examining the container, while the other four wore suits, KGB Agents.

?We have detailed files on its composition...? The main suited man spoke up while the others stood around, apparently for security purposes. ?as well as on the Omega Project.?

?The Omega project?? The chubby scientist asked, a bit hesitant. ?As in Omega Red??

?We want a stronger, more mentally stable and easily controllable weapon.?

?I?ll? umm? need to look into your files and do some research.?

?I have some of the information on Lord Dark Winds bonding process.? The second scientist added in. ?Although what I have is minimal, perhaps this will help us with the bonding process.? He was a skinnier man, definitely older in age with gray hair yet much more confident then the newer scientist that was just brought into the project.

?See the problem is?? A female Russian voice came from behind the group, as the door to the room opened behind them, the crowd immediately turning around to see who it was. ?While you may have some of the information contained in Lord Dark Wind?s research, we? have in fact? perfected it.?

The female stepped into the room, daintily removing slender leather black gloves from her hands one fingertip at a time. Her hair was light blonde in color, pinned up very nicely so that she looked professional in her skin tight blue uniform. Her attire was dark blue in color, with just slightly darker vertical stripes that were evenly distributed and ran down the entire length of her suit. Short lapels on her jacket were accompanied by a small and slim dark yellow tie, that neatly came from her collar, tucking and disappearing in-between her cleavage. For all intents and purposes she was wearing a female business suit and pants, but it purposely fit her curvature nicely to show off her bust, hips and legs. To be put quite frankly she was incredibly gorgeous, which made her even more dangerous.

?Just who in the hell are you, and how did you get in here?? The main KGB agent scowled as he took to standing in the forefront of the group. Her light blue eyes looked to the man that questioned her with a hint of a smirk playing on her face.

?You may call me? Toxin.?

?Whoever the hell you are, you aren?t authorized to be in here. I?m giving you five seconds to get out of here or-?

?Or what?? She asked, cutting the man off and challenging him further.

Without any further hesitation from him, the KGB Agent approached her while reaching his right hand into the breast of his jacket. The chubby scientist, who was now left out in the open, backed himself into the corner of the room without haste, his own cowardice wanting to stay clear of any physical confrontation. As the Agent reached the woman, he pulled a Makarov pistol from the depths of his suit and moved to aim the barrel directly at her forehead.

Big Mistake.

Venom 500 Fighter Wing
Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean

There was a lot of time on Glenn?s hands in such a long flight. It was virtually a clear shot, except for a storm front that was over the Pacific, which was easily avoided by climbing to the correct altitude. Occasional radio chatter and banter was shared back and forth amongst his fellow pilots. But for the most part it was time for him to enjoy the flight and be alone with his thoughts.

Corporal Collins flew in his fighter with headphones in his ears, the volume low enough to pay attention to radio messages and alarms should they happen to arise in the cockpit. Collins and Ahde?khee had been friends as long as Glenn could possibly remember. They grew up together, the same town, the same schools, the same conflicts with the same hardships. The two of them were? different? growing up. Despite looking the same, and trying to fit in with the other children, it was clear that there was something different about them. Mutants, as they were called, were beginning to show up all over the world during their childhood and it wasn?t long before they were labeled the same.

They were faster then children their age. They were stronger then children their age. They were smarter then children their age. Lastly, and perhaps the most noticeable, they could heal? immensely faster then children their own age.

Mutants.

Some blamed the Neosapien conflict from thirty years prior. Many people believed the Neo?s released a biological weapon that could potentially change the genetic makeup of human beings, mutating them to create a new species of human and perhaps wipe out the entire human race. There were those that blamed extra-terrestrial involvement. All the leaps and bounds that had been made in space exploration, making contact with new alien species, and the combined joint extra-terrestrial organizations such as the United Federation of Planets made them worry. They believed it might be exposure to alien atmospheres, foreign diseases or microbes that could alter DNA. Then there were those that thought? that it was just the next step in human evolution. However as times changed there were those that become more socially tolerable, yet many people still feared what they did not understand.

These were some of the thoughts that plagued Glenn on long flights. He thought a lot about these events, and he wanted to make a difference. He and Collins joined Starfleet Academy in hopes that they would be able to make a difference, and when Glenn was offered a joint Starfleet-S.E.F.F. position he dragged his best friend right along with him. It was the opportunity to join an organization that accepted those that were different, and it was his chance to make a difference. However life always throws in a few surprises and there were always those who didn?t always have the best interests of others in mind.

Wesley Bernard. Ironically another man that both Glenn and Collins knew. However in this case neither of them cared for him. Wes was a loud mouth, a troublemaker, and someone that neither of them could genuinely trust. He was entirely too excited for this operation, and it was due in no small part to his competitive nature. He strived to be the best, no matter what the cost, and did not even think twice about making others expendable to do so. This is exactly what worried the two of them. The way he spoke to the General was one thing, how eager he was to lead the Fighter wing was another, yet the way he was ?all for? this mission could easily turn into a bad thing.

When he came at Glenn earlier that day, he triggered his sixth sense? or his danger sense. This was something that hadn?t left Ahdee?khee?s thoughts at all. This didn?t happen, unless he was in immediate danger. Bernard clearly had other intentions. There was more to him underneath, something brewing, and something almost animal.

Then the visions streaked back into Glenn?s mind. He couldn?t help it, though he didn?t want to either. As quickly as they would come they would leave him again, and he wouldn?t be able to remember them at all. So this time, as the visions came into his mind, he didn?t fight them.

Wesley Bernard. He looked different. He was definitely larger, more feral. Ahdee?khee could see him from the back as he was tearing into flesh. Slashing. Clawing. He could hear the sounds of muscle being torn from limb; growls and snarls ensued almost as if he were enjoying it. Glenn tried to inch closer. In his mind he was walking in on whatever had happened, missing the beginning of the assault. Wesley turned, his mouth dripping with blood. His face had smears of blood and scratch marks from the fight. The woman he held in his grasp was dead, or on her way to dying. He knew it was a woman, but the face he couldn?t place. Straining his thoughts, he winced harder, fighting through these memories, these premonitions. Could that be what they were, premonitions of something to come?

Violet eyes. There were suddenly violet eyes staring at him, but from where?

?Glenn?? A familiar voice called out to him. ?Glenn it?s me, I?m right here. Just? relax.?

?Huh??

?It?s okay baby? I?m right here with you. Just breath.?

?What??

?Roger Yokosuka, this is Venom 503 preparing to land.? Blared at him from over the radio.

?We?re landing.? Corporal Ahdee?khee muttered to himself, once again forgetting about his previous thoughts.

?Eh? Yokosuka station, this is Venom 504 requesting permission to land.?

?Understood Venom 504." A voice answered over the Radio with a Japanese Accent. "Permission granted."

The Fighter Wing had arrived.

The three men followed Ms. Jiganov into the building and down a hallway towards a conference room. She opened the door for the men and turned around to hold it open for each one of them to pass. Seductively, she purposely looked both Bernard and Ahdee?khee in the eyes as they passed her to enter the room, perhaps enjoying the attention they had previously given her. However Collins deliberately avoided eye contact, being the last man to enter the room he had already seen the look she was giving the other Corporals.

?I?ll be back in just one moment gentlemen?? She spoke after they had all entered the conference room. ?I need to retrieve some data from the other room.?

Collins and Ahdee?khee both nodded as she closed the door to the room, however Wesley was still festering. The moment the door closed he slammed his hand against it and aggressively got into Glenn?s face.

?What the hell was that all about??

?What the hell was what all about?? he responded.

?That flirting bullcrap back there, you saw me trying to talk to her and you-?

?Will you shut the hell up already!? Ahdee?khee had cut him off, beginning to get loud himself. ?I?m sick and tired of you friggen? talkin? trash, starting fights and being outright insubordinate.?

?Do you know who the hell do you think you?re talking to rookie??

?The only clown I?m talking to in here is you.?

?And who the hell died and got you promoted?! You better watch yourself before I-?

?Before you what?? He cut him off again, this time Ahdee?khee had balled his fists expecting an ensuing fight. Glenn was most certainly trying to put Wesley in his place and take charge of the situation as it was quickly getting out of hand. Before anything could further escalate, Natashenka Jiganov had re-entered the room directly in-between the men.

?Alright gentlemen, I have everything that is needed.? She said.

Bernard stood there momentarily eyeing Ahdee?khee down, contemplating whether or not he should continue the argument. His lip curled just a bit before turning away and walking deeper into the room.

Glenn returned the stare before turning to look at Collins who was watching the entire verbal battle. He was ready to intervene at a moments notice and most likely for his friends? benefit. Neither of them were particularly fond of his behavior and their patience with their fellow Corporal was obviously wearing thin. The only thing that seemed to be the saving grace for the moment, was the fact that Wes wasn?t losing his temper when the lady was present.

?Please, have a seat.? She asked the men, extending her hands outward to offer them a seat around the conference table. After a momentary pause, they each complied and took a seat around a large wooden circle of a table.

?Let?s begin, shall we??

The men walked out of the room in order, passing by Jiganov as she held the door open for them. Bernard was first, as he was quite ornery about missing out on being selected for the process and stormed out. Collins followed a few moments later, and Ahdee?khee was the last. However, after Corporal Collins passed, Natashenka purposely shifted her posture to block the last man from leaving.

?Please have a safe flight back Corporal, I?d like to have you back in?? Pausing, her eyes looked him up and down with a flirtatious glimmer in her eye. ?One piece, if your Commanders allow.?

?I?ll do my best Miss Jiganov.?

?Please? call me Natashenka, or Natasha. No reason for all of the formalities. It?s just you and me here. Da??

He nodded to her, obviously seeing where this was going, however he didn?t quite no how to respond. The sweet smell of her perfume filled his nostrils as he nodded once more, while he was doing his best to keep his eyes from staring at her.

?It was a? pleasure? to meet you Corporal. I look forward to seeing you again.? Smiling, her hand extended outward towards him to shake. Another nervous nod seemed to come from him as he started to bring his hand out to meet hers.

A rush of adrenaline took over his entire body. Something was wrong, horribly wrong. His senses instantly became heightened and over-aware of his surroundings.

It was his danger sense.

Looking down at her hand for a moment, he wasn?t sure if it was her directly, or something in the vicinity. Flight or fight response was high in his instincts now, and he chose what he thought was the best course of action.

?Sorry Miss Jiganov, I apologize if I seem rude, but I must be going. My? stomach doesn?t feel right.? Ahde?khee slipped passed her, and made his way down the hallway without haste. Pushing through the front door of the building he immediately made his exit.

Collins turned around and looked at Glenn, as Bernard continued down the runway. Seeing his friend come out of the doors in such a manner he queried him.

?You alright??

Looking around he didn?t immediately answer the question. Everything looked serene on the installation, there wasn?t anything in the sky, and the fact that he was now outside made his feeling subside. Turning around, he looked at the door that was now closed before returning to look at Collins.

?Yeah, everything?s? alright now. Lets, lets just get in the air.?

Venom 500 Fighter Wing
Northern California, over the Great Basin

Time was once again on Glenn Ahdee?khee?s hands. There had been an awkward silence since takeoff, ever since the Corporal?s last argument, which Glenn couldn?t help but feel juvenile about. There were a few times over the course of their service together where the two butted heads. Bernard was a rather jealous and possessive individual, especially when it came to Ahdee?khee. The first instance occurred when Wes tried hitting on, what he thought was, a single woman. Only to find out that it was Glenn?s girlfriend who was waiting for him to get off duty.

That one instance kicked off a chain of events where Bernard would constantly argue with Ahdee?khee, each time the confrontation gradually becoming more and more aggressive. The threat of a Court Marshal was the farthest it had gone. Despite them both being the same paygrade, he still had the ability to report him for insubordination, which he only planned on doing if this behavior would continue.

Glenn had other things on his mind as well. What Collins spoke about, that almost ended the argument. Jiganov suggested that there were others that could be chosen for the project. The words started to play over, and over again in his head.

?You don?t think that sounds, I dunno, just a little out there? Not only did she say she wants to turn us into ?the ultimate weapon? like we?re some guinea pigs or something, but she mentioned that?d she?d find someone else. Like? they?re aware that there are others out, with abilities like we have.?

?Like? they?re aware that there are others out, with abilities like we have.?

At a very early age, Glenn was privileged to attend the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, which would later become the Xavier Institute for Higher learning. It was a haven for children and adolescents that had exceptional gifts and abilities. The on site staff and faculty were also individuals with special abilities, this gave them the ability to identify with the student body, and teach them how to use their gifts beneficially and how to benefit humanity. Adolescents going through so-called ?normal? changes was hard enough. Adolescents with powerful abilities that were left unchecked, could be dangerous to themselves and those around them.

However, it was apparent that now this phenomenon wasn?t as sparse as they were initially led to believe. More students were being directed to the school, and if those were the ones that were ?known about? how many others were actually out there weren?t making it to the school? How many others are perhaps left to fend for themselves, or worse, use their abilities to benefit their own personal interests?

The world was a changing place. This mutant phenomenon was a growing problem. Not just the hangar fight that Collins was involved in. If other organizations were aware of the existence of these individuals, outside of S.E.F.F., then things were bound to blow like a frog on a hotplate.

Ironically? in more ways then one.

?Venom five-zero-five to Venom five-zero-four, over.?

It was Collins calling Ahdee?khee, using call signs.

?Venom five-zero-four, roger over.?

?Yeah? Zero-four, I have long range radar picking up an unidentified aircraft bearing one eight niner, and closing at seven-hundred knots.?

?Hrmmm, unidentified? So you?re not able to raise them on IFF??

?Negative.?

?Alright.? Glenn leaned over to the side of his console, and flipped a switch on his radio to change channels.

?SEFFPAC this is Venom five-zero-four, over.? SEFFPAC, was S.E.F.F. Pacific Command.

?Rrrrroger Venom five-zero-four this is SEFFPAC, over.? A very generic, almost airline pilot voice, responded.

?SEFFPAC, we?re currently tracking an unidentified aircraft on long range Radar, bearing one-eight-niner from our current position. Request to know if SEFFPAC can identify the target or is aware of any transports in the area, over.?

Earth?s airspace was quite a busy place. Starfleet, a galactic-wide space exploration organization, did have transports that traveled to and from the Earth?s surface. However, these vessels had an identifier that was known to S.E.F.F. and other terrestrial organizations. Ahdee?khee was following standard procedure.

?Venom Five Zero Four, there?s only one friendly in the area, X-Ray two-zero-two, Department H rotary wing heading zero-zero-three, over.?

Rotary wing, the military designation for helicopter, and X-Ray two-zero-two was it?s call sign, similar to Corporal Ahdee?khee?s aircraft which was designated as Venom five-zero-four. However, since this object wasn?t he Helicopter, the next procedure was standard. Speaking back into his headpiece, Glenn continued on.

?Roger SEFFPAC, request to investigate target, over.?

?Request granted, do not engage unless tango becomes hostile, over.?

?Roger, moving to investigate.?

Almost immediately the hostility between the two Corporals had subsided and Ahdee?khee banked his aircraft while his wingmen maintaining their formation. After a few moments, the turn was complete and they were now on a direct intercept course with their target, which would put them in visual range shortly. However, they were going to be in range much sooner then they had anticipated.

?Target is changing course and increasing speed.? Bernard noted as Glenn looked at his own radar.

The object changed its trajectory, placing it on a collision course with the fighter wing. Glenn?s eyes widened as he saw that and he abruptly began shouting into the radio.

?Wing! Evasive action, break formation! Tango is on collision course!?

Grabbing a firm hold of his flight stick, Ahdee?khee jerked his aircraft to starboard to prevent collision. Collins performed the same maneuver as Bernard headed in the opposite direction, following proper procedure.

The collision alarm sounded.

Snapping his head towards his left side, Glenn saw a fireball flash outside of his cockpit. It looked like this object? just became hostile.

The two aircraft slowly came to a halt, a few dozen meters away from one another. Each of the pilots finished the landing sequence and powered down the engines and electrical systems onboard before opening the hatch to their cockpit. The first plane opened, and from it emerged the operator. Sticking his helmet covered head out of the enclosure, he glanced around for a moment before using both of his hands to remove the helmet and oxygen mask from his face.

Glancing over at the road sign that he conveniently parked next to a smirk came to his face.

?Welcome to route eighty!? Glenn shouted back, as Collins cockpit was now open as well.

They had used this rather large highway as an impromptu landing strip, in order to assist with the recovery effort of Bernard, not to mention it was also the closest point to the green smoke. When Bernard ejected and he parachuted to the service, the chute left a green smoke trail from a flare, which would continue to smoke for quite some time. It made it easier to locate the downed pilot and recovery them as quickly as possible.

?Looks like it?s about half a click, maybe less.?

?Eh, yeah. If he?s not hurt, he?s riding with you.? Collins responded to him jokingly as they started to walk towards their destination.

?Heh? whether he?s hurt or not, he?s taking a ride in the Helo, not with me.?

The Great Basin was a very large desert, located in the California and Nevada regions. It wasn?t as barren as other deserts on the planet, and it was rich with life in quite a few locations. The two pilots walked towards the smoke, on the very flat land. Even if the walk was only a half mile, it looked a lot longer with everything being as level as it was. Their conversation remained upbeat during their walk, trying to keep their minds off the fact that it was very likely that Bernard could be suffering devastating injuries. The day had been quite jam packed for these officers, and this simple intel mission was turning out to be a lot more complex then they initially thought.

As they got closer, they noticed that there was a figure in the distance. His figure was blurred slightly from the heat rising off of the sand. However by the color of the attire, and the size of the individual, they both concurred that it was Bernard. He had, no doubt, saw them land not too long ago, and began heading for their aircraft.

Ahdee?kee waved, Bernard waved back. That was a good sign. If he was standing and walking, his injuries were probably minimal. Despite his increasingly argumentative, Glenn didn?t want anything horrible to happen to the man. After all they were on the same team. They were soldiers. It may have been a forced brotherhood, and either Corporal may not have enjoyed it, but they each had a duty and responsibility to uphold: Make sure every man makes it home.

?You alright?? Collins asked with an elevated pitch to his voice. They all were coming in closer proximity to one another, but they were still almost a hundred meters apart.

?A little banged up, but I?ll be alright. Did you get ?em??

?Yeah I got ?em.? Glenn responded. ?We?ve got a Helo inbound to pick you up, but we wanted to give ya a hand.?

?More like ordered too.?

Ahdee?khee shook his head at that. It looked like even in moments like this, Bernard had to slip in a vile comment in some way. The two pilots walking side-by-side slowed their pace, awaiting their partner to catch up to them. No use walking this far in, if they only were going to turn around and return from whence they came. Once Wes caught up to them, they nodded and began the walk back to their Fighters.

?So, ya let ?em get me huh?? Wesley questioned.

?We didn?t let him get you, that could have been any one of us.? Collins answered.

?Well, Ahdee?khee had to show me up by taking him out.?

?I wasn?t showing you up? Glenn chimed in. ?I downed him and that?s all that matters.?

?What the hell was that thing anyway??

?Well it?? He started to respond.

Then it happened. With their luck it? always happened this way.

The three men looked overhead at what sounded to be an aircraft, or a ballistic missile of some type. It zoomed overhead, and then smacked into the ground a few meters off in front of them.

?Looked? just like that.? Glenn finished his sentence as his eyes took in the new arrival

Standing before them was, what appeared to be, the same thing that he had shot down almost an hour prior. It was large, clearly over seven feet. It had a large silver and metallic frame. It looked almost as if it where wearing shiny steel armor complete with a helmet. It?s wrists, ankles, thighs and shoulders had protruding rough and sharp edges, making it clearly built for some form of combat. Its face wasn?t human. Despite it having a human appearance it was silver as well. It had electronic looking eyes, and a mouth that was fixated slightly ajar. It had torrents of yellowish energy flowing from its hands in a menacing and aggressive fashion. For all intents and purposes, what these men were looking at was a Robot.

The sound of helicopter blades drew closer, and Glenn?s eyes tried to open. His vision was horribly blurred and all he could make out was the differences in light and shadow. His mouth parched, and the only thing he could think to do was close his eyes again. Memories and visions began to fill his thoughts at an uncontrollable rate. He had heard a Phaser blast, he was sure of it. But in his current state he was unable to clarify if that?s actually what the sound was.

He wasn?t sure if he was alive or dead. One moment he was in immense pain, and the next? he couldn?t feel much of anything. Random thoughts raced through his mind. They were memories, that was certain, but from his perspective they were completely out of order.

As he opened his eyes, attempting to see, he was thrusted into a scene that was outside of his current predicament.

Staring down at a child, no more then a few days old and lying on his belly, he leaned in to give it a soft kiss on the cheek.

?Isn?t he beautiful? He has your eyes.? A lovely woman asked.

She had long dark hair, tanned skin, and brown eyes. She was all smiles as she looked at him as he responded to her.

?He does, but he definitely gets his good looks from his mommy.?

His eyes closed as he could feel the pulling of hands and the voices of people shouting around him. Wincing he attempted to open them again, and another scene was in front of him.

Nighttime.

The battlefield.

Shots were fired from behind him, tracer rounds could be seen streaming through the darkened sky and over his head, while he picked up his assault rifle and shot forward. Glenn had no control over his interactions with his new environment, as it felt more like a first-person movie to him then anything else. As he traversed through the combat he could hear soldiers yelling in English as well as Japanese.

?Juranga twelve o?clock!? Ahdee?khee yelled, again without control.

His eyes closed, and he was once again back in the present. Or, at least what he thought was the present. The sound of a Helicopters whirling blades were much louder now and he could feel his body being moved around and secured down, possibly being readied for transport.

Another attempt at opening his eyes and another memory shot through his brain.

Another woman, different from the one with the baby, looked at him from across a table. Her eyes were a stunning violet, her skin was flawless, and her lips were full and colored red. She smacked her tongue against her top lip before speaking to him, lowering the glasses she wore down the bridge of her nose a bit.

?So you?re telling me you don?t believe in god?? She asked him, in a very agitated tone.

?I?m not saying that, I?m saying that the two of them can? co-exist.?

He closed the book he was reading and extended it across the table to give to her. His eyes remained fixated on her as she looked down and reached to take it from his hand. Ahdee?khee smirked as he was infatuated with her beauty, however something else popped into his head. The woman that he kept thinking about throughout the past day was sitting in front of him now.

This was the person that he knew, but couldn?t quite put a finger on who she was. But this time he had her pegged. He knew exactly who she was, and this time he wouldn?t let it escape him, it was?

?Alright go? we got ?em!? A Medic yelled.

His moment of random nostalgia was over as he was now lying on his back and staring up at the roof of a Helicopter as it took off. He had no feeling in his lower back or his legs. The Helo that was en route for Bernard had come to Med Evac him? instead.

Those words shot through him like a pulse. ?A little dilemma?? It was definitely more then that. He had been distressed both mentally and physically from the trauma he had experienced, which would explain his erratic mood swing from a moment prior.

Glenn had plans, which to him were all stripped in one single instant. The thought of letting his father down, a Starfleet Admiral, was one of the first things that swept through his mind. He was lucky enough to be chosen as a S.E.F.F. operative, having the ability to dually serve in both S.E.F.F. and Starfleet at the same time, something that no one else, other than Collins, had the honor of doing. His father hadn?t pulled strings in that case, not in any case in his young career, it was something he earned himself and something he was proud of. There was a certain honor about him, it was a selfless honor. Ahdee?khee wanted to do nothing more then help out people that couldn?t help themselves.

As a child he was ridiculed. He wasn?t the strongest, the biggest, or the baddest, and he was shunned for being ?different?. As he grew older, and learned of his special gifts, this was the guiding force in his life. Since at one point in time he could not physically defend himself, he knew what it was like to feel helpless, and this drove him in his yearning to help others. Thoughts of glory and accomplishment had once filled the young mans mind, and despite his inexperience and sometimes brash behavior there was nothing but good intentions behind his actions. The man he was now could never become the man he wanted to be.

Until the Doctor walked into the room.

?I am a rapid healing specialist.? Cornelius continued to explain. ?I?ve studied quite a few individuals with abilities similar to yours, and I must say? I am honored to be standing in the same room with three of them.?

Glenn?s eyes looked over to Collins to see his friend staring at the Doctor as he spoke. Then he shifted over to look at Wes, who was standing behind the doctor with hints of a grin poking at the corners of his mouth.

?It?s extremely unfortunate that this accident happened to you Corporal, and in situations like these what?s usually best is to assist in your recovery and adaptation to the new challenges you are going to be facing. However, as I said when I walked into the room, I believe I have an answer to your dilemma.?

Doctor Cornelius grabbed an aluminum looking chair from Ahdee?khee?s bedside and brought it around to sit next to him. As he sat down on it, he scooted it closer to try and get a little more personal with his patient.

?Glenn?? He started, with a certain glimmer to his eye. ?How would you like to walk again, and be assured that something so tragic? would never be able to happen to you ever, ever, again.?

The Corporal stared at the man, not answering as quickly as he wanted to. He wanted to make sure he answered this question very carefully as he was sure there was more to come along with his response.

?Anyone in my position would do whatever it?d take to have the use of their legs again.?

?And what of the assurance that this could never happen again??

?How could you possibly guarantee that Doctor?? Glenn asked as he quirked an eyebrow in query.

?If I?m not mistaken, you had a conversation recently with a Miss Jiganov??

?Adamantium.? Collins and Ahdee?khee both responded simultaneously.

?Precisely.?

Glenn shook his head in response, a worried look glazed over his facial features.

?I?m not so sure about it.?

?All we?re looking to do is help you Glenn, that?s it. The Adamantium will lace your spinal cord, and secure the bone and nerves as a whole once more. Your healing factor will once again detect the lower extremities and repair whatever damage that?s been done. You?ll be able to stand up, and walk out of this hospital a whole man again.?

?Whats the catch?? Collins nearly interrupted. His skepticism as bold as it ever was.

?Look, we aren?t asking anyone to become walking weapons here, but as the process was most likely explained to you, the procedure needs to be done in three?s.?

?Nope.? Collins said, standing up. ?Aint gonna happen.?

?Whats wrong?? Bernard asked, walking deeper into the room and outright questioning Collins. ?You?re not gonna help yer best friend walk again? Are you kidding me Collins??

?It?s not that.?

?Oh it?s not? Then what is it? It?s a win-win-win situation! Ahdee?khee walks again, you?ll have unbreakable bones, and I?ll get what I wanted since they laid this thing on the table.?

?So this is all about you?? Glenn asked, his teeth clenching with his words. Bernard turned to him, and leaned over the doctor?s chair.

?Glenn you?ll walk again! This isn?t about me, this is about you. I?m willing to do this for you, despite all the crap we?ve been through. I?m giving you your chance, don?t take my chance away from me.?

A cold silence came over the room as the men were deep in thought. If Glenn agreed, he?d agree to an augmentation that would alter his body forever. But, what was the difference? His body was already changed. He had lost the use of his legs, and from what the Doctor was saying this would fix him? permanently.

?Are you sure this would work?? Glenn asked as he looked over at the doctor.

?I?m absolutely positive. You have my word on that.?

Glenn looked over to Collins after he received his answer and let out a huff of air. He felt horrible in what he was about to ask of his friend, as he knew he was putting him on the spot, but all hope was now going to be placed in his best friends hands.

?Well? what would you say??

Collins didn?t look at him immediately as the thoughts played heavy on his mind as well. It was almost as if there was something more to this situation and he just couldn?t place his finger on it. Trying to clear his mind he looked over at his friend now and gave him his answer.

?If you want to do it Glenn, then I don?t want to be the reason that you may never walk again. But? I, I want to contact S.E.F.F. first and let them know of our plans.?

Corporal Ahdee?khee nodded.

?Alright, contact S.E.F.F. then. If they give us the O.K. then lets go for it.? Collins nodded to that and then looked over to Cornelius, who was already moving to stand himself.

?Excellent then, excellent.? The Doctor said with a smile on his face. ?I?ll take you directly to our communications room Corporal. The quicker we get in touch with your Commanders, the quicker we can make this happen. Please, follow me.?

The Doctor turned and began to walk out of the room as Collins took one last look at Ahdee?khee before leaving to make the communication. Glenn nodded to him and gave him what was perhaps his first smile since the entire situation unfolded.

?Thank you.? He said, as his fellow Corporal replied with a nod.

Adjusting his posture he moved to follow Cornelius out of the room, as Bernard also moved to follow. They made their way through one set of double doors, and then another, until they were in a long hallway. Cornelius walked briskly, with a bit of a pep in his step as he walked through the corridor. The group passed by a few more medical rooms before turning into a doorway on the same side of the hallway as Ahdee?khee?s room. As Collins entered he noticed that this room also appeared to be patient room. It had two beds inside, which were both empty, and no sign of any communications equipment.

He knew something was up.

Just as he moved to turn around, Bernard grabbed him and immediately snatched up his arms and neck into a full nelson hold, temporarily immobilizing him.

?What the f-?

Cornelius immediately rushed forward, pulling a needle and syringe from his lab coat and jabbing it into Collins neck. Pressing his thumb down into the syringe, he drained all of the contents into the man as quick as possible. The Corporal grunted and fought for a moment, nearly prying Wesley?s interlocked fingers apart from behind from the hold, however his strength quickly left him. Despite all attempts at breaking free, he slipped into unconsciousness as the drugs took their effect. Feeling his body go limp, Bernard released him, and his body to hit the ground with a thud.

?Good job Corporal.? The Doctor said in a maniacal tone, a large grin consuming his face now.

"I told you, I'm not letting these runts ruin my chance at becomin' the Ultimate Weapon." Cornelius nodded at Wesley's words, before giving him the next set of instructions.

?We need to move him quickly; the sedative won?t last long with his bloodstream.?

Bernard didn?t waste any time, snatching up Collins and throwing him over his shoulder, as the Doctor scampered out of the room and back down the hallway. Bernard headed in the opposite direction while Cornelius was clearly moving back towards Ahdee?khee?s room. As he hurried down the hallway, a woman appeared from one of the doorways, and waited for the Doctors orders. Her long brown hair was pinned up in a ponytail, and she wore slender feminine glasses that were adorned the middle bridge of her nose. Her lips were a deep red and her African violet eyes looked to the Doctor as he moved passed her.

?We?re getting the other two subjects ready, increase the Ahdee?khee?s tranquilizer dosage, we?re going to have to move him quickly before his body fully recovers and he regains complete mobility.?

The woman nodded, and immediately pursued the Doctor back to his patient?s room.

?Then we?ll need to contact the director, and ensure that S.H.I.V.A. is fully shut down. Those robots did exactly what we needed them to do.?

The entire situation was built on lies. Jiganov?s proposal, the attack by the mysterious S.H.I.V.A. robots, Glenn?s torment and pain, Collins forced compliance, and Bernard?s deliberate treason, was all a clever plot that was carried out with one purpose in mind.

It looked like Weapon X had finally secured its new trio? of mutant weapons.

By the time she heard the S.N.I.K.T. it was too late.

The three blades of Wolvie's claws were pierced through her. Gasping, she looked at him in shock; he had figured it out, he knew all of it. Her skin grew paler and cold, her veins were rigid and dark as though they were going to burst from her skin. A silver stake through the heart would not kill her, but Admantium would. His claw was within inches from her heart, and she felt it slowly burning her insides. Blood tears welled up in her eyes and blood dripped from the corner of her mouth.

"But I love you."

The words were ripped from her as she felt herself dying in the arms of the one she gave her life to protect. She would never get to explain, he would never be able to understand.

?Ya love me, huh?? His question was vile, poison seeping from his lips.

A rage was building inside of him, the likes of which Aly had never seen. She had always heard about his ? berserker rage?, but it was something that he kept suppressed deep down inside of him. But like just like his augmentation, it had come to the surface. If evil truly lived in the hearts of all men, he was about to unleash it in all of its glory.

Wolvinator ripped his hand from her, his claws ripping from her frame and bringing blood splattering outward. While still on the bed he rolled onto his back, and kicked her square in the chest with both of his feet as hard as he could, and launching her into the air. He wasn?t seeing the woman he loved, he saw the assassin. She was trained, hired, to kill him. Alystrianna D?Vaustaival had infiltrated him, both mentally and emotionally. He had trained her, taught her some of his deepest secrets and darkest fears; somehow she had gotten close to him, too close, and now it was kill or be killed.

She was kicked out of the bed as his feet slammed into her chest. Aly felt her rib cage crack as he kicked her and a moment later she felt her head smash into the wall, which created a large hole in it. Leaning her back into the wall, she just laid there, wincing in pain. Thankfully, she had fed from him recently, so her initial wounds had started to heal, although not as quickly as she might have wished. The punctures that the Adamantium claws had caused were healing much slower and she was losing a lot of blood.

"I do.? Aly started with a whimper. ?Read my mind and you'll know it. I'll tell you everything, anything you want to know. But I swear it? I love you. I've loved you since the first day I saw you. I loved from the moment that I knew I would help save you. " She was sobbing now as she clutched her stomach in pain.

"I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you."

?You wanted to tell me?? Wolvinator retorted in a violent and sarcastic tone.

He leaped off the bed and landed on the floor in a crouching position, holding his posture for a moment. He was stalking her in a savage fashion, like a predator and their prey. The brainwashing also began to come to the surface. It wasn?t only convoluting his judgment, but it also made him begin to yell random things at her.

?I?m just a clone huh? That?s all I was created for, just to take out Logan right? That?s why ya modeled me after ?em??

His fists were clutched; the three bladed on his right hand dripped with her blood and onto the floor, all the while he continued to approach her.

?Well guess what sunshine, yer project designers were wrong. I?m no fuck?ing clone, I?m much more dangerous then that cupcake, I?m yer worst fuck?ing nightmare!?

Pushing his legs into the floor, he leapt into the air again. His formal combat training seemed to be gone, and he was almost entirely feral. Kill his target? that was the only thing on his mind. It wouldn?t take much at all for him to go into a complete berserker rage, however he hadn?t passed through that threshold yet.

"No! It wasn't me! It wasn't! I didn't know their plans; I thought we were saving you from being a cripple. I couldn't let that happen to you. Not to you. The moment you first opened your eyes, I knew it was you. You were the one for me. I promise I did it to save you. Don't you remember me? I tried to help you through the pain, I tried to take away those horrible memories. I stayed by your bedside Glenn!"

She cried out his name, she rarely called him it as she always felt guilty when she called him that way. Inside, Alystrianna always felt responsible for those life changing events that had altered him, so many years ago.

"You were never just a number to me, never a clone."

She shielded herself from him, terrified and completely broken hearted. There was a pounce, and then there was a moment of hesitation.

Glenn.

She called him Glenn.

His face relaxed, no longer showing the extreme anger. Had she struck a nerve with him? Had she finally gotten through to him?

?You? yer an assassin.? There it was again. His memories were fighting against his reasoning, it was the only reason why he hadn?t completely snapped yet. If he had, there wouldn?t be a conversation right now, instead there would have been only anger and aggression.

?You were hired, to take care of me, learn about me, and kill me as needed. Yer a part of it, yer Weapon X!?

His hands rose up again before striking down, swiping at her vigorously. There were more punctures, more stabs, and more blood spraying on him, the walls and the floor. Wolvinator was blinded by hatred. She, to him, represented everything that he hated and feared. This wasn?t the first time someone had attempted to assassinate him from the project. To him, she was just the one that was the most successful? to date.

The squeezing stopped. Did she really just accept her punishment? Was she willing to die after all of this? Something? something wasn?t right. Wolvinator was furious with her, but even he realized that things probably weren?t what he thought they were. She was the answer to his questions all right, and he was intent on finding the answers from her. His grip then released from her neck, letting her drop down to the floor.

?So then, speak.? He stated boldly, taking a step backward.

?Yer tryin? to tell me that yer not some femme fatale, that had been changed by the program and made into an assassin? What did Weapon-X do for you, huh? What did they offer you to steal my humanity? Prove to me yer not like Toxin.?

She gasped, sucking in a breath of air, her chest heaving. She was so weak. Blood still trickled from her stomach and her ribs still felt broken. Aly wasn?t in the best shape of her life at the moment, however she answered his queries.

"They offered me the world to find you again, to take care of you. Money, My Family, you name it, it was offered. I rejected it all. All of it. Look into my mind, it's open, every barrier is down, see their graves, see what I did to my family! I don't know how to prove myself. I'm sorry. That's all I have.?

?I don?t want to look into your mind damnit!? He shouted, leaning down to scream in her face. But this time, the anger was absent from his tone. The shouting was more-or-less out of desperation. As they sat there, and the moments passed, his brain was able to process what she had projected earlier. The confusion was leaving him slowly, as his brain did not reject the memories anymore, no longer thinking that they were more memory augmentation.

When he initially woke up, he thought of Alystrianna as if she were Toxin, also known as Natashenka Jiganov, a Weapon X infiltration expert and assassin. Weapon X had a modus operandi of using beautiful women of this nature to take out key targets, and Wolvinator figured this was no different. Year?s prior, Jiganov had managed to seduce him before attempting to take his life, and right now it had appeared that history was repeating itself. The woman who had taken his heart was going to try and take his life. But somehow despite his anger, and their association, he knew deep down that Aly was different.

?I want to hear it from you.? His voice was much calmer now, as he was no longer shouting in her face as if he were a boot camp drill Sergeant.

?I don?t want any other memories; I don?t want any other mental injections. I want to know that what Alystrianna D?Vaustaival is telling me is the god?s honest truth, or so help me god? I?ll give you what you asked for. Adamantium, straight through yer heart.?

?Okay. Okay. I swear. Just please feed me. I need you.? Aly was begging him. ?Think about it. Do you really think I would give myself to you, depend on you for life, if I was going to kill you? I'm dying right now and you're the only one who can save me. What kind of assassin would I be?? She shook her head a bit, trying to clear that thought from her mind.

?It's the truth, I swear it. I don't know how to make you believe, but I need you. I love you and I'll do whatever you ask of me to prove it.?

Aly was desperate. He was listening to her, but she needed to continue listening to her. It was the only way she could explain herself. Again, he leaned down, although this time it was to actually help her to her feet. He didn?t give her an arm, a neck, or anything else to feed on. He was going to bring her downstairs.

?Cold blood, that?s what yer getting? fer right now. I?m not lettin? you sink anything into me.?

Aly and Wolvie had a unique relationship. She was a Vampire, and Vampires used the blood of their prey to feed and to regenerate from wounds or injuries they may have endured; this also gave them supernatural abilities that made them stronger, faster, and more agile then their human counterparts. In this instance however, Wolvinator?s blood cells were quite different. His uncommon mutagenic healing factor made his blood accelerate her healing abilities far beyond any previously comprehendible means. It sustained her, took her scars away, and enhanced her superhuman abilities greater then most, if not all, vampires.

Even though she needed that now, he was only going to give her the minimum.

?Okay. I understand.? She nodded, thankful that he seemed to be willing to listen. She stayed silent as he carried her, she didn't want to press him at the moment.

?I have it packs in the bottom drawer of the fridge, can I have the ones with the newest dates on them, please??

She needed the freshest available to heal faster, and he remained silent until they reached their destination. Once they reached the kitchen he carefully set her down on a chair and complied with her request. Opening up the refrigerator and searching through the bottom drawer her removed a blood pack with a date from two days prior. As he turned around, Wolvie grabbed on the plastic and ripped a small hole open for her to drink from before handing it over.

?There.? Wolvie stated rather sharply.

Aly took it between her bloodied and shaking hands, lifting it to her lips, she drank slowly not wanting to get sick from drinking too fast. She wanted to allow it time to seep in and heal her wounds, rather than pour out of them. Crying out in pain, she felt her body accepting his blood and painfully repairing itself. Leaning back into the chair, she went limp as she drank, being completely exhausted.

?Thank you.?

He pursed his lips and leaned back against the fridge, crossing his arms as he watched her ingest what she needed.

?Uh huh.? He responded. It wasn?t a ?your welcome?, but it?d have to do. At least at this point he wasn?t trying to tear her limb from limb.

?Take yer time. Get yer strength before you start explainin?.?

She nodded to him and finished off the pack, it would do for now, she'd need another in a few hours. Closing her eyes, she tried to sort her thoughts; it was hard to remember the truth when she had been living a lie for so long.

?Can you ask questions and tell me exactly what you want to know? You have to understand, there is so much and it's hard to remember. Please? Bare with me??

?I?m bearin?, yer not dead yet? right?? He smugly remarked.

Despite her telling him the answer prior, he asked her again. He wanted to make sure he was getting straight answers, and it was his own way of fact checking, not to mention getting a complete explanation from her.

?Why did you join the Weapon X program? What did they offer you to join them, and then what did they offer you to assassinate me??

?I didn't join on my own terms.? She answered.

?I am a scientist, that is true. I had started to toy with the idea of Admantium sometime before they discovered me, it wasn't complete and I just had some notes really. I wanted to help people, people like you, who needed to be made whole again, and then they turned it against me. I had no choice but to join them. It was join them or die. In a sick way, I thought I was still helping people, I never knew what was really taking place until it was too late. Leaving after I met you would have meant death, I had to wait it out, play my cards out, but even then they still found me out, and I was given ultimatums. You for my family, you for my life. That was it. I've been running for such a long time Wolvie because you were my choice. You always were.?

She was being completely sincere as she spoke to him, and as she spoke he nodded through her words, picking through them, using his detective skills to try and pick up any lying or misleading tone that she might have. However for all accounts, and without using their psychic link, he knew she was telling the truth.

?What else??

?Is your name actually Alystrianna D?Vaustaival, or is that a cover? Do you have any other aliases??

?My name is Alystrianna, yes.? She nodded to him.

?I know it's stupid to be using my real name, but I didn't want to go by what they called me anymore. I wanted to be me, the real me, somewhere inside. I wanted to honor my family, not let their name die like they did. At Weapon X they called me Violet.?

It was quite obvious why.

?Or Sixty Four. I don't know why, but they, picked Sixty Four for some reason. ? She bit her lip. ?I'm not Sixty Four Wolvie. I'm much, much... older. ? She winced, hating the lie, she had used her code name as her age.

Wolvie nodded, pushing his back off of the refrigerator, and he started to pace through the kitchen. Pacing usually helped him in thinking in the moment, especially in intense situations like this.

?And ... ? her voice changed some, it was still her, but her dialect sounded English, not the slight Slavic tones he was used to. ?I'm from England.?

She looked up to him, afraid for her eyes to meet him. Aly was being a completely open book with him and she was answering questions that he hadn?t even asked her. It was time for the truth, all of it, and he was going to get it.

?England?? Wolvie reiterated. ?Not Leitils Transylvania??

?I spent some time in Leitils...? She offered casually. Wolvie sighed, shaking his head, and continued on with his questioning.

?Alright. It?s been a long time since the project Aly. How in the hell did you follow me to Rhy?Din, a completely different planet, in a completely different plane of existence? It isn?t exactly like walkin? through the park yanno. I would?ve realized if you were followin? me all these years.?

?I didn't follow you, all of the time, just on and off from time to time. I really did arrive here to live last winter. But I could never approach you, I was too scared, until you did it for me that day in the tea shop. I couldn't turn back then, I finally had you and I couldn?t give that up.? She nodded and carried on.

?I know your children, I've met them both, although, they wouldn't recognize me. I can change my look easily, I can be who I need to be.? Pausing for second, she gathered her thoughts and set the empty blood pack aside. There was a grunt as Wolvie shook his head and responded.

?Met my children huh? So this isn?t yer real look? This isn?t the real Aly, my Aly? So yer a fake now, on how many levels??

As he paced he came closer to her, his tone was much lower now and his voice was calm. He moved from being on the brink of berserk, to a much calmer individual. For both of their sakes, it was probably the better choice.

?No no. This is me, my eyes, my hair, everything.? Nodding to him, she gave him a soft smile even despite the harsh question and answer session.

?Not all of it was lies, only the parts necessary to protect you, and now I see that I failed horribly. I'm so sorry. I really am.? She rubbed her stomach again, gently checking for wounds, but they had closed now.

?I'm your Aly, just some of the back details are different. The spunk, the brat, the pain in the ass, the submissive vixen, they are all me. Please try to love me. Forgive me...?

He was easing up, but not entirely, at least not yet. Wolvie pulled a chair up alongside her and gently sat down. There was dried blood all over his right hand, from their previous entanglement, and as he stared down at it the thought crossed his mind to clean it. Then, his blue eyes looked back up, staring her in the face and searching her for more answers.

?So why were ya followin? me, if you stopped workin? for Weapon X years ago? Why bother? Why not just move on??

?Because I told you, I've loved you since I first met you. I've never forgotten your eyes. They've never stopped haunting me. I guess it's the Florence Nightingale affect?? Shaking her head, as she was unsure if that was the symptoms she had for all of these years.

?I don't know, but I fell in love with you when I was caring for you. I had searched years for my mate and the moment I first saw you, laying there in your hospital bed, I knew you were my mate, my true mate. I haven't had another until you. I waited all these years to be with you because I knew no one else could ever make me feel complete.?

?Aly?? There was the voice she knew well. He wasn?t interrogating her anymore, now he was just asking her questions.

?Why didn?t you just tell me? Hiding it like this, I? I coulda killed you Aly. I would have, I? nearly lost all sense of morality upstairs. All? all I saw was the process, the treatment, Toxin, that Doctor, and you. ?

?How could I?! If I told you in the beginning you would have never let me in to get to know you. And now, I was so afraid of losing you. I was scared, I'm a coward.? She hung her head, starting to cry again.

?Weapon X. They are the reason for all my scars. They burned me for hours on end to try and get me to give you up. I wouldn't, even before I really knew you, I knew that I loved you. I'm so sorry I lied to you. But I did tell you some truths. Without you, I will die. I really did bond with you.?

Sighing he shook his head as well. If she were an assassin, this wouldn?t be how things would have turned out. They weren?t only responsible for her scars; they were responsible for his, mentally and physically. The organization had its way of doing that to their test subjects. His hand was placed on the table, nearly reaching out for her, but instead he just let it rest on their kitchen table.

?This changes everything Aly. You need to understand whats going through my head, how can I possibly ever trust you again? What else are you hidin? from me??

?I don't know. But can we try? Can you try to trust me?? She looked up, her eyes searching his. ?I'll do whatever it takes. Get to know the real me, understand why I did it. I've spent years waiting for you and I finally have you, please don't go away now. Please. I'm not hiding anything else. From now own, I am an open book, I swear. Whatever you want to know.? And then she nodded to him.

?No more mind barriers.?

?This is gonna take time Aly, I dunno how much, but I need time. This is possibly the most unexpected news I could have ever thought to hear.? Now his hand reached for hers. His fingers outstretched desperately, needing her just as much as she needed him.

?Just, gimme some time, help me through this Aly. I?m shocked, I?m worried and it?s hard for me to put two and two together right now. I just had the carpet ripped out from under my feet, and I?m thanking god I didn?t over-react and do something that I?d regret.?

?I accept full responsibility.? She responded. ?Whatever you want. I'll sleep in another room. I'll wear an ankle monitor, you name it, I?ll do it. Just please don't give up on us.?

Her hands rubbed over her chest and stomach again, the pain coming back, she was still in need of his blood. Her hand slid back to meet his.

?I'm so sorry.?

?Take it.? He said, motioning to his hand. ?You need it, just take it.?

Obviously meaning for her to feed. She had multiple stab wounds, and even though they healed, they hadn?t healed completely. However she couldn't feed from him, not right now, not like this. Shaking her head, she got up and grabbed two more blood packs from the fridge.

?In time. I need to get myself together too.? Tearing open one, she started to drink from it. "

?I?m not sayin? I?m gonna give up on us, and I?m not sayin? I?m not, but I just need some time to myself. You don?t have to leave, I?m just? gonna need to do a few things.?

?What do you need to do?"

Shaking his head he moved to stand.

?I dunno. I?m just gonna go out for a bit, do some thinkin?, but after I make sure yer alright. I? hurt ya, its my responsibility to make sure yer better.?

?I hurt me. This is my fault. Do what you need to do. I'll be fine.? She sat in the chair, almost zombie like while she drank the blood. ?Really.?

Wolvinator nodded to her and then moved out of the kitchen, starting for the front door.

?I?ll be back?? he said in a low decibel, canvassing the entire length of the house as he made his way toward the exit. She nodded and started to sob again as she quickly ran from the room. She couldn't go to their bedroom; it would kill her to go back in there. She needed to get out anxiety and anger and instead ran for the sub level lift.

After opening the closet he grabbed his thick brown robe. Throwing it around his frame, he quickly laced up his boots and exited the estate, moving out into the early morning light, unsure if he was going to return.