Zero by Samantha Styrker (best books to read for teens .TXT) 📕

She looked up at the damage she did in the training room. Target dolls were torn to shreds and deflected bullets lay on the ground. Not a single hair on her head was out of place, let alone any blood shed she may have been in danger of. Ever since she could remember, she has been training as a cold hearted killer. Yet, she hated killing. She usually stayed behind on missions because she was the only one with a heart. Other than Zero, but he could lose it sometimes. He was the first one of them. Three liked Zero the best, but she usually tried to stay away from everyone at any given time. None of them could trust one another. She was terribly frightened by them. One was almost like the cult leader. He was always listening to the scientists, doing whatever they wished him to do. He could will the others to do anything, too. Except Three and Zero.
Three stood straight and put her blade in its sheathe and the gun in its holster. She looked up to the bullet proof glass that the scientists watched her through. “Good enough for you?” she called up to them.
One pressed the speaker button and she could hear the doctor’s voice. It was Dr. Jane Kindlen. She was one of the main scientists that helped make Three and her ‘siblings’. “Very good, Three. Your speed and strength has improved at least tenfold since the last time. You’re almost as strong as Two now.”
Two was the strongest, except for Zero. Three was the fastest, with the exception of Zero. Four was the smartest, but she couldn’t stand a chance against Zero. Zero was the best of all their abilities, but he had too many quirks. He was very clumsy and forgetful. He acted like he was a child, even though he was about seventeen now, trained to be a killing machine. He had much scarring, due to the failed attempts of getting him to be perfect. Zero is basically a failed attempt at making a human weapon. He was really good for nothing, but had all the better qualities than all the others did. The only reason the labs really kept him was for testing. Dr. Kindlen may have gotten attached to him as well.
Zero was the first made of these experiments. He was very strange in many ways. He was very flexible, but as tall as a giant. He had dark hair and electric green eyes. He uncontrollably shakes and shivers all the time. His skin was a deathly pale shade of ash. He was usually locked up in the padded cell with Zero painted on the metal door. He just sat in there all day, staring at the wall, smiling or laughing at himself, having entire conversations about the origins of Confucius’s yin and yang. Three liked to go down and listen to him. He was a load of cool facts and trivia. Ask him any question and he could answer it on the spot.
Today, Three sat on the bench they put outside of the cell which is Zero’s room. He was muttering about World War II, saying things about Hitler. He suddenly stopped when he heard Three drop her jacket. It made a very soft wshh sound. He heard it though. He could hear a lot of things. “Th-Three?” he stuttered in his usual nervous voice.
“Yeah?” she replied. She was a little shocked. He never made conversation with her. With anyone. Three didn’t even know he could.
“P-please may I look at you as we talk?”
Three got up and stood in front of the small opening, blocked off with bars. He was hunched down to look through them. “What do you want?”
He reached over and picked up a small piece of lint off her shirt. He studied it, then he smashed it between his finger and thumb as hard as he could. Three could see the veins pop out of his arm. She looked at him strangely. “What?”
“It was a bug. They are tracking every move you make, every word you speak. You did not notice? I thought it was obvious. Also, they have been talking about having you breed with me then One to see what the results are, since you are the strongest female.”
Three looked at him, disgusted as the words sunk in. She was horrified at the fact she would have to ‘mate’. “Are you serious?” she asked him.
Zero nodded. “I do not lie, you know. I never have. I don’t even lie to the scientists. I tell them only part of the truth. I like playing games with them.” His smile was wide and crooked, his eyes gleamed with mischief. She couldn’t help but smile back.
“So, I proclaim you as my partner for this scheme. Do you think you are up for the challenges?”
She nodded. “Of course. I never knew you could really talk. I have heard your voice, but only when you quickly relpy to the doctors and you’re really confusing.”
He smiled. “I talk too much when I let my guard down. Like now. But I think I can trust you. I see a pure soul in you. Not one that was ruined by the coldness of your surroundings. I wish to escape. With your help, I can successfully get us both out of here. That is, if you are wanting to come as well?”
Three nodded. “Of course I do.”
“This is good to hear. I mentioned the outside world to One and he about hyperventilated, I swear.”
Three let out a small, girlish giggled. Zero grinned at her. “Your laugh is very cute.”
She blushed. The moment didn’t last very long though. Zero got very serious. His brows furrowed as he thought. Three waited quietly as she watched his ashen face. He opened his mouth as if to talk, but closed it and thought again.
Finally he started talking. “You have to wait until night. All the guards are very slow and large. All they do is eat those pasties that have the sweet jell inside.”
“Jelly filled donuts, Zero,” Three interjected.
“Ah, yes. I never cared for the remembering of it. But, going on, They are useless. I do say, the scientists are smarter than this. Hiring powerless, obese guards to stop five super powered teen aged test tube infants, I mean really. . .”
Three nodded. “They are pretty fat and stupid.”
“Yes!” Zero smiled. “And the scientists do not think I can plan an elaborate escape. They are very slow, for highly qualified bio-engineers. If you just knock the guards out and steal the key for this door, and the exit door, we can walk out into the real world like humans with real rights.”
Three nodded again. She was about to walk away, but she stood in front of the locked door. “But the others. I share a room with Four. And I get locked in my room.”
“Your lock is only a common door lock, girl. Use a bobby pin. I swear. Do you not have one? I have some paperclips if needed. I like to act like they fascinate me. They actually give me boxes to keep me entertained.”
Three laughed again. “Sure, give me one of your boxes.”
He disappeared for a moment and came back, giving her a small cardboard box of silver paperclips. “They are very useful. Just like now. And Three?”
“Yes?” She looked up at his bright green eyes.
“You are the only one who thinks I am capable of anything besides being merely an overpowered child who doesn’t know how to do anything. I thank you.”
She was set aback a little by the raw emotion in his voice, but she managed a small smile and nodded. “I-I gotta go before they think of anything to blame me for. Bye Zero. See you tonight.”
“Good day to you Three.”
Three left to her appointed area. She had to spar with One for now. One was very good in overall fighting, but he wasn’t as fast as Three. She easily snatched the weapons from his hands and pointed them at him. One smiled kindly at Three. “You’re getting better.”
“What, you don’t think I could have improved? Well I did.” Three dropped his weapons and turned to the glass wall. “Is this acceptable? I am tired and wish to go to my room.”
Dr. Kindlen’s voice emanated from the speakers. “You may go. Four has retired as well. Good night, Three.”
She left and went back to her plain white room. Two beds lay on opposite sides. They both had to share a closet. Not as if they really wear different clothes. They were all forced to wear black pants with a grey shirt. And their shoes were just white. No color whatsoever. Four sat up in her bed and looked at Three. “You doing anything?”
“Yes, later, I’ll go out and drink. I might even get a guy to pay me for sex. You know, what normal lab babies do on days off.”
“Is that sarcasm? Kindlen said you are the most fluent in sarcasm.”
Three looked at Four blankly. “Yes, I used sarcasm. How could I possibly get out?”
Four shrugged. “I guess. I sort of wish you were gone though. You are stronger than me, and Kindlen shows you more attention even though you are very ungrateful.”
Three laid in her bed and rolled her eyes. “Cry about it, Four. I don’t give a damn.”
That shut her up. She turned her back to Three and went to bed. A bad choice. Three was thinking of killing Four. But she wouldn’t. She would only knock her out, per Zero’s plans. She didn’t want to disrespect Zero by not listening to him step by step. Three had to wait though. It was only about ten right now. She was going to wait until midnight. As the time slowly passed, she thought of what the outside world would be like. She would have to blend in with the general populace of the teen agers. She would have to go to school. She would have to get a real name. She would think of one for herself. One for Zero, too. He would be pleased if it was good. Something that started with a J, she thought.
The hours crept to midnight. She got up and gently put a pillow over Fours face. She stirred and started to struggle. When the struggling stopped, Three stepped back and went to the metal door. She pulled out the box of paperclips Zero had given her and worked on picking the locks. She got it and stepped into the hall. She knew how to successfully navigate the corridors without being caught by the cameras. She ninja maneuvered the halls expertly. When she reached where the fat gaurds stayed watch, she produced a dart gun and shot them all easily in the neck. They shortly fell to the ground. She was about to head to Zero’s room after getting the keys, but she heard clacking shoes. She swiveled around.
Doctor Jane Kindlen stood with a gun pointed right at Three’s head. Three froze in place.
“I knew you’d be the one to rebel. Hand over the keys, Three.”
She glared at Kindlen. “I refuse. Shoot me. Oh, you won’t. I’m a billion dollar weapon project, aren’t I?”
Kindlen pulled the hammer of the gun, making a cold clicking sound. “I have four others, Three. You are replaceable. I do not need a faulty experiment.”
“What about Zero then? He’s ‘faulty’,” she hissed.
Kindlen held her hand out. “Last time. Hand me those keys.”
“No!”
Kindlen pulled