The Wyverns: Nate by Nicola Collings (i can read book club .txt) 📕

                He could hear voices coming from within.

                “We can’t have this problem go out of control. We need to nip it in the bud!”    

                “But you can’t just terminate her! I think you sometimes forget that they are human beings, that they are just teenagers. They’re not going to be your mindless soldiers forever!”

                “That is the last time you will speak out of turn to me! You will go back to the medical bay and initiate code white! Now, no more delays, go!”

                Nate stepped back, behind a corner as the doctor strode form the office. Panic spread through Nate as he gave one last look to the open door of the Commander’s office.

                If we ever meet again, it will be too soon, thought Nate as he followed the doctor to the medical bay. He stayed out of sight, stalking the man in the white, lab coat.

                Kayla’s room was within sight, Nate could feel himself getting ready to jump this guy. The doctor paused for a minute to look at a computer screen, to write something down on a pad. Nate watched as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a key card. He was about to use it when Nate sprang.

                Before the doctor could scream, Nate jumped onto his shoulders and clamped a hand around his mouth. Nate put his face close to his ear.

                “You’re gonna go in there, lock the door, then tell me what code white is.” Nate released the doctor and watched as he reached out with the key card in his trembling hand and the door swished open. Nate stepped inside, swiftly moving into the room before the doctor could lock the door, which closed with a swoosh.

                Kayla lay, unconscious on a bed in the middle.

                “Now, we can talk properly, tell me what code white is.” Ordered Nate, staring coldly at the doctor who quivered beneath his stare.

                “Th-the Commander told me to incinerate Kayla, should the damage p-prove irrevocable.” The doctor stammered.

                “Well, code white is going to have to wait, I’m afraid.” Nate stepped up to the doctor. “Tell me anything you can about the research done on us.”

                The doctors eyes widened in fear. Not of Nate, but in his eyes was a sense of comprehension of what could come if he answered the question.

                “I...I...can’t!”

                Nate hardened his gaze.

                The doctor reached into his coat pocket, his fist emerging balled.

                “You can, or I’ll kill you.” Replied Nate.

                The shadow of a smile flickered over the doctor’s lips. His fist went to his mouth and before Nate could leap towards his, grasping his hands, the doctor smiled, foam bubbling from his mouth.

                “Fucking cyanide!” shouted Nate. The doctor’s limp body fell to the floor.

                He turned and gazed at the machines gathered around Kayla as she lay on the table. Nate touched some of the wires, seeing how they buried themselves beneath her pale skin. The inhibitor band was reattached firmly over her wrist, but somehow, Nate knew it wouldn’t matter any longer. He plucked her body from the nest of needles and carried her away, winding through the maze of corridors, towards the rendezvous.

                Part 3: Discovery Road

                The others were waiting on the roof of the building. Nate knew, as soon as they left the compound, they’d be outsiders, unwelcome back into the world. But what choice did they have? They couldn’t be iron soldiers forever.

                “Are you sure this is the right thing to do?” asked Rafe, doubt still in his face.

                “What else can we do? Be mindless slaves for the rest of our lives?” replied Nate.

                Rafe sighed and went quiet.

                Kayla was beginning to stir.

                “Right, the Commander mentioned The Wynde, I think we best begin at Tarragon Industries. Apparently they are in league with The Wynde.” Explained Nate. “But first, we need to get somewhere safe. They’ll come looking for us. They’ll want to terminate us.”

                Rafe handed out combat rifles and pistols, slotting on into a holster for Nate. Corey held the rifle, not too sure about the black machine in his hands, as though it would turn round and bite him at any moment.

                Gale and Seth were the first to jump from the building, Rafe followed them. Corey stood there.

                “Dude, I’m not like you, I can’t survive a jump like that!”

                Nate raised an eyebrow. “Trust me, there’s stuff you can do that you’re not even aware of yet, you’re going to have to grit your teeth and bare it! Now, jump!”

                Corey went to the edge. Nate sighed. Jumping down, he landed softly with Kayla’s body. Passing her onto Gale, he scaled the building, grasping onto windows and cracks, propelling himself to where Corey stood again. Corey was looked down at the quiet courtyard. There was no one around this time of night. The City Centre spread before them, before disappearing into the blackness that was The Wynde.

                “I...I can’t.”

                Nate sighed, and stepped up behind him, pushing him from the building. Corey screamed as he fell, the rifle going clattering to the floor. Corey spun in the air, landing on his side. He was silent, but then looked around, wildly. Nate landed beside him, crouching.

                “Told you.” Nate muttered, a smile passing over his lips.

                Corey stood and took his rifle. His expression was one of shocked surprise, although it was obvious he was having a hard time trying o register was had just happened.

                The 6 of them disappeared into the darkness, receding passed the shadows and into The Wynde.

                Now that Nate was not under the influence of the Wyvern Industries, it was as if he saw the place for the first time. Not just a slum, but a community closely linked together. People thronged the street, even though it was the dead of night, close-knit groups, living, breathing, surviving.

                “Dude, where do we go? We stand out a bit, don’t you think?” Seth asked, looking at Nate. He suddenly became aware of the fact that 5 of them were dressed head to toe in black suits and another had on bare minimum of jeans, t shirt and boots. Not to mention one of the group was passed out and being carried by Gale. The guns however, seemed to fit in perfectly. Plenty of other people had guns strapped to their backs, some of them even had swords!

                Nate spied an alley way that looked abandoned. “Come on!” they followed him through it, towards what looked like a field, following the slope of The Wynde itself. There was a tree in the middle, and trees adorned the edge of one half. “Over there, the trees!”

                The group passed through the field, into the trees. Buildings could be seen in the distance, the black stone of the living, breathing Wynde.

                “We need to stop, Kayla keeps stirring. I think something’s wrong.” Warned Gale.

                Nate looked around in desperation. Through the darkness he could just make out the shape of a building. Moving towards it, Nate could make out the emptiness of what appeared to be an old farm house. It was missing doors and windows, the only thing holding it up was wooden beams and the three rooms were tiny, had no floor and were over grown with weeds. Nonetheless, it was shelter. A place to hide.

                “This way.” Nate motioned.

                Once inside, Gale lay Kayla on the floor. Her skin was pale and there was evidence of blue veins around her eyes and neck.

                “What... is she?” asked Corey, standing in the corner.

                “She’s one of us.” Replied Nate.

                “Guys?” Kayla muttered as her eyes opened slightly. “Where are we?”

                “Away from Wyvern Industries. We’re gonna find out what’s wrong with you, what’s wrong with us.” said Nate. She sat up, gazing past Nate, towards Corey. There was a sense of attraction in her gaze, but Nate thought nothing of it.

                Kayla looked down at her wrists.

                “So, we need to find Tarragon Industries and find out what they know about the research. We rest for a while, then move out.” Nate ordered. It seemed he was going to have to take up authority on this one. Nate looked round at the others, who looked at him, waiting for their next order. It made Nate sick to compare himself to the Commander, but he imagined this is what the Commander felt like.

                A while later, silence fell in the small hours of the morning. The sun was almost rising.

                Soon...soon...

                “So, what are you? Really?” asked Corey, sitting next to Nate.

                “We’re part of a failed experiment. We were designed to be faster, stronger, live longer, to heal from any wound. They said we were going to help mankind, to cure illnesses. So far, all we’ve been are mindless soldiers.”

                “So, what am I?”

                “You’re like us. But, you’re not a soldier. You still have control.”

                “Over myself?”

                Nate turned and held out his wrist. “You see these? These are inhibitor bands. They’re supposed to make the enhancements possible. To ensure that the procedure would work perfectly. We weren’t supposed to take them off. We never questioned. But now, we find out that if we do take them off, something horrible will happen to us. You, you don’t have one, yet they did the same research. That means, they must have done something differently.”

                Corey looked down at his wrists. Nate looked at his own. It felt like he’d worn the inhibitor bands his whole life. Now, he could see a possibility of living without them. It was strange.

                Kayla turned out to be fine, as if nothing had happened. She claimed she remembered the whole thing, but not after she’d been shot in the head. Nate looked at her; the same, small yet powerful girl looked back. He took in her emerald eyes for a moment before tearing his gaze away and motioning for the group to move out.

                The facility of Tarragon Industries was nothing like the modern building of Wyvern Industries. A helpful tip from a passer-by led them to a narrow road that led to a dead end. At the end was a large door that made it look like a garage. Nate tried the handle of the door next to it. The group behind him stood motionless aside from Corey, who looked uneasy. The door was locked, but Nate stood back and kicked it, forcing the door to swing open.

                The interior looked much like a hanger; huge vehicles lined the room and people dressed in the Tarragon colours turned and aimed their guns.

                “Wait!” shouted Nate. “We’re not with Wyvern Industries!”

                “Put your weapons down!” yelled a voice from across the room.

                Nate motioned for the others to drop their weapons. Nate put his rifle on the ground and put his hands in the air- the others followed suit.

                “Cuff ‘em!” came the voice again, and several of Tarragon members approached and cuffed their hands behind their backs.

                The tarragon holding cells were very different from the Wyvern cells. The rooms weren’t as clean and as sterile; the walls were peeling, paint discoloured, a single wooden chair in the middle. The windows too, had been blocked up with wood.

                It was a while before someone who looked like he was in charge came into the cell. Nate straightened up.

                “So, the Wyverns sent right into our territory? Right into our grasp- that’s not usually the kind of sloppy strategy Commander Tarrif usually uses.” He was different from the Commander. His uniform was the same as other members of Tarragon, as if there was no clear ranking. His