by Sarah Noffke
Kris struggled with the keys to the cell across from the others for the entire time the men tortured Zephyr. Her only consolation was she knew they wouldn’t kill him. She released her invisibility as they fled the room.
“What are you doing? Can you release me?” Zephyr said, his voice sounding weak. He’d been stabbed in multiple places. His wounds were severe.
“I’m releasing Cole,” she said, finding the right key and sliding it into the manual lock.
“Are you insane? Did you see what they’ve done to me? They aren’t with the pack. They work for Mika,” Zephyr.
“No, he didn’t let Cole out, which means…” Kris pulled back the door to the werewolf’s cell to find a man with big brown eyes staring at her. “Who do you work for? Are you loyal to Olento Research?” she said to him.
He took a step forward, pressing her back. “No, not at all. And that’s why he didn’t release me. The brainwashing hasn’t taken effect yet,” Cole said and rushed over to Zephyr. “You’re hurt. I’m so sorry.”
Cole sincerely appeared sorry. He pressed his hand to the wound where the knife was in Zephyr’s shoulder, gripping the handle. “I’m a nurse and I have a few ways I can help you,” he said. “Take a breath.”
Zephyr did and then let out a scream as Cole pulled the knife straight into the air, releasing it from Zephyr’s body. A moment later his muffled groans disappeared. And Kris was amazed when Cole pulled his hands away from the laceration to show only unblemished skin.
“What kind of nurse are you?” she said, darting for the command station, which was how she’d release Zephyr from the restraints.
“The kind that heals. It’s a skill I received after escaping the labs,” Cole said, pulling another instrument from Zephyr’s body. This time the alpha didn’t make a noise but just bit down, his eyes pressed shut. And a moment later the wound was gone again. They didn’t have long though. Soon Mika would return.
Kaleb set the red wolf down after entering the room. It was incredibly difficult to open doors with a sack of potatoes in one’s arms, or wolf, as it were. However, this was the spot and as soon as he released time, he’d have the answer he was hoping for. Kaleb made the intention and a moment later, Connor shot up into his man form, a look of repulsion on his face.
“You totally touched my wolf crotch… a lot,” he said.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help it,” Kaleb said with a laugh, darting for the first set of cages in the long room.
“I bet he couldn’t help it,” a voice said at Kaleb’s shoulder. He spun around to find Adelaide with her arms casually crossed, a smirk on her freckled face.
“Dang it,” he said, breathless. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“Oops,” she said, not seeming to mean it.
“You were supposed to return to the Institute,” Connor said, his tone reprimanding.
“Sue me. I decided I wanted to stick around. And since teleporting is easy-peasy for me, well, shove it,” she said, striding forward and wrapping her hands around a set of bars. “She’s here.” Adelaide’s flippant voice was suddenly full of worry as she jerked at the door.
“I’m on it,” Kaleb said, pulling the universal key from his pocket. “Something must be preventing her from dream traveling, as you suggested.”
“It could mean there’s a block or that she’s too incapacitated. Which means it’s possible that all of you, except me, have to get out of here manually,” Adelaide said, her voice impatient as Kaleb fumbled with the keys.
“Sounds like you should go now,” Connor said at her shoulder.
“Have I mentioned you should shove it?” she said to him.
When Kaleb opened the door, Adelaide pushed him out of the way, stumbling through the door. Rox appeared to be passed out, which was going to make escaping a whole lot more difficult.
“They have her drugged,” Adelaide observed.
“And we have company,” Connor said, turning for the entrance they’d come through. Kaleb heard it too. Guards were approaching and would be through the door soon.
“Get Rox out of there,” Connor said. “Let her provide cover.”
Adelaide nodded, seeming to understand at once. Kaleb was just about to object when four guards flew through the door. It probably would have been more but most of Olento Research’s resources had been distracted elsewhere.
Before the guards could shoot off a round, Connor raised his hand, blasting the two in the front position with fire. They held up black shields they’d been carrying, but that didn’t take the total force of the fire and so the men fell back to the wall, positioning themselves next to equipment. The other two men had their guns at the ready, firing off tranquilizers in the group’s direction. Connor slid behind the far wall, but Kaleb and Adelaide, who were in the middle of the room, seemed stuck. That’s when Adelaide pulled Kaleb inward. “March,” she said to him, behind Rox’s body. He understood at once and repositioned himself like Adelaide was, using Rox as a shield. The tranquilizers shot at Rox and then bounced off. The passed out girl had no idea she was making the perfect human shield, but she’d no doubt be proud.
“Halt your fire,” one of the guards said. Confused, Kaleb gave Adelaide a tentative expression.
“That would be my doing. Mind control, remember?” she whispered. “Now watch and learn, runt.”
She then stepped out from behind Rox, making Kaleb support her full weight. His muscles were fatigued from carrying Connor and he nearly dropped Rox, until the werewolf himself swooped in to help. “Thanks,” Kaleb breathed in Connor’s direction.
“Hey, you bloody wankers. Drop your weapons, line up, and file into this cell,” Adelaide said, her attention on the four guards. They hesitated for a moment. A whole few seconds where Kaleb couldn’t breathe. Then the men dropped their guns and strode into the cage where Rox had been held. When they were all in there, Adelaide closed the door, locking the men in the prison cell using their own will.
“Dang, that was freaking rad,” Kaleb said to Adelaide.
“Yeah, she’s a marvel,” Connor said, something glinting in his eyes as he stared at the small unassuming girl.
Mika slammed his hand over the red button that had been sitting under the protective plastic case. “I think we both know you’re fired,” he said to the guard who sat in front of the row of monitors, his head held low with shame.
“I know. I’m sorry,” the guard said, lifting his chin to gauge the monitors, which now showed Zephyr being healed in the Project Canis Lupus lab.
The sirens echoed loudly through the room and throughout Olento Research. The main labs would be locked down, but that wouldn’t help completely since Rox had already been freed, according to the monitors. The two werewolves and Adelaide were currently battling their way out of Olento Research. They’d infiltrated his facility and created a battle while his main resources were gone. Again he’d been shown up by the Lucidites. However, Zephyr was trapped and that’s all that mattered. Mika was the real alpha wolf and the way to prove that was to take down the current one. It was time for his reign. But he needed something. One more advantage.
He spun and marched for the exit to the surveillance room. In the hallway he found Malcolm and Derek. Such loyal dogs. They marched behind Mika as he strode through the hallway. Scientists ran for the safe rooms, worry drenching their faces. They didn’t know exactly what was happening, but it was procedure for them to flee in the event of a lockdown. There they’d be quarantined.
Mika, using his access badge, scanned it across the sensor beside Drake’s lab. He was unsurprised to find his chief scientist there, standing squarely in the space, like he’d been waiting for Mika to enter. He left the werewolves in the hallway and strode forward, stopping only a few feet away.
“What are you doing here?” Mika asked. Drake knew he was required to go to the safe room in the event of a lockdown.
“I’m leaving,” Drake said plainly.
&nb
sp; “You can’t,” Mika argued.
“I can and I don’t plan to stay here for the werewolves to seek revenge on me,” he said.
“How do you plan to get out of here?” Mika asked. “You have to clear the hallways where they could be waiting to ravage the man who created them.”
“You created them. You’re the maker, and who they are really after is you,” Drake said, a different quality in his voice. He’d never spoken to Mika quite like this.
“Watch yourself,” Mika hissed.
“No. Not anymore,” Drake said, daring to turn and put his back to Mika. He ambled for the back of his lab, unlocking a door beside where the subject for Project Vampyyri was held. It was another cell, but this one was empty.
Drake turned at the door, a smile absent of any joy on his face. “I do have one more suggestion for you. If you’re looking for an extra advantage, may I suggest the resistance serum? The spider monkey showed impressive results,” Drake said, pointing at the red bottle sitting on a lab table, a syringe beside it.
“Where are you going?” Mika asked.
“I told you. I’m getting out of here,” Drake said, pulling back the door to show an empty cell.
“How?” Mika asked, his anger boiling inside of him, filling his chest with fire.
“I think we both know I’m a Dream Traveler now and I plan to risk my life trying to escape using Lucidite technology. I don’t know how to use a GAD-C but I’d rather chance my luck with that than out there,” Drake said, his chin held high and his eyes unflinching on Mika.
“Drake, you have—”
“Betrayed you? Yes, I think we always knew that was a possibility,” Drake said, cutting Mika off for the first time ever. “You can spend your power punishing me or you can conserve it and go after the werewolf that is responsible for the greatest betrayal. I may have hidden my powers from you, but even still, I’ve left you an option. One that will ensure you’re successful.” Drake nodded at the bottle of red liquid.
“Go, you coward,” Mika said, turning for the lab table, reaching out and plucking the bottle from the surface.
“As you wish, sir,” Drake said, closing the door behind him.
A cold sting that Mika was certain would burst his veins tore down his arm. It made its way straight for his chest. He reached in the direction of the organ in his chest that was beating too fast. About to burst. An intensity he’d never felt before raced through his head. Shallow breaths fell across his lips as a strange itching sensation started at his fingertips and ran over his arms and down the rest of his body. His skin tightened all over, until he thought it would split. And then all at once the multiple sensations were gone. If the serum had worked then Mika was invincible. Regardless, he was going to murder Zephyr.
“Thanks,” Zephyr said, rubbing at his wrists.
“You’re welcome,” Cole said, standing back and helping Zephyr off the exam table and to a standing position.
“Mika will be back soon. When he does the door will be unlocked,” Zephyr said, pointing to the lab exit that he’d heard lock when the sirens started blaring. They’d now grown to a low hum in his mind. He had to keep his senses honed to be most alert. “When he does, you two need to be invisible. I want you to slip through the exit and flee.” Zephyr pointed to Kris and Cole and then to the exit, pacing as he did.
“We can’t leave you to battle him alone,” Kris said.
“That’s exactly what you’re going to do,” Zephyr said.
“But Cole could help you if get hurt,” she argued.
“And he can also be used against me or harmed. I’m not taking that chance,” Zephyr said. “This fight has to be between him and me. You remember the plan.”
She nodded, extending a hand to the man beside her whom she didn’t know. “Give me your hand. We should station ourselves by the exit,” Kris said to Cole, who nodded.
“Yes, you should hurry. I hear Mika approaching,” Zephyr said, noting that Mika had two others with him. The footsteps of the werewolves were different than Mika’s, not as loud. He marched, Zephyr had observed since the beginning.
Kris and Cole disappeared, but he heard them tread to the door where they waited. “Be careful, Zephyr. We are all relying on you,” Kris said in a whisper.
“I know,” Zephyr said, realizing that this fight was always meant to happen. He was destined for it.
The door opened wide, Mika squarely framed in the center, Malcolm and Derek at his back. He lifted his chin, which had been pinned down low, and his red eyes honed in on Zephyr. Marching forward, the man in the silver suit entered the room, the men behind him taking position at his sides. Mika appeared different than before, like fueled by a new evil. His eyes weren’t natural, but rather had taken on the appearance of those of a demon that strode the earth, leaving chaos in its wake.
Zephyr tore his attention away from the demonic man before him, focusing his gaze on Malcolm and Derek. He only had one chance.
“This isn’t your fight. As your alpha I command you to turn and walk away,” Zephyr said, injecting that same power he’d used when he spoke to Hunter during their battle. It made his voice sharp, aching with influence.
Malcolm’s face twitched. Derek blinked, like he’d just remembered something. “Go! Now!” Zephyr said, and before the three men, Zephyr morphed, changing into his werewolf form. His black and silver claws curved from his fingertips. The sharp fibers of the hair on his hands and arms pierced through his skin, sliding into place.
The two men hadn’t moved, but their faces had shifted completely. An awakening seemed to be morphing their features, making them appear human once more, not robotic. Zephyr released a loud, high-pitched howl and it triggered an action in Malcolm and Derek. In unison, they both stepped back before spinning around and fleeing from the lab.
Looking unflustered, Mika stepped forward, telekinetically shutting the door to the lab behind him. “That’s fine. You needed to show your influence. That’s what I came to take,” he said, an evil smile making his mustache curve upward.
“You did this to me. To those men,” Zephyr said, throwing his clawed fist in the direction of his chest. “You made us into monsters, all against our will.”
“Look at you,” Mika said, striding forward, making a circle around Zephyr. “You’re a majestic monster, the legendary werewolf. You’re acting ungrateful.” He completed the circle and stood before Zephyr, his red eyes sharp.
“You’re insane,” Zephyr said. “And you will be stopped.”
A cold laugh, one so loud and piercing, burst from Mika’s mouth. “Haven’t you learned by now that I’m unstoppable? That’s why you’re here and you fail to see that I’m going to always have the advantage on you, even when you’re in werewolf form.”
Zephyr didn’t think; the wolf took action, reaching forward, slamming his claws against Mika’s shoulder and dragging them across his torso. The man didn’t budge or flinch. And Zephyr’s claws had no effect on his skin. They raked across him, ripping his suit, but not puncturing the skin, exactly like with Rox.
Mika gazed down, a pleased look on his face. When he brought his eyes up to meet Zephyr’s they were glowing bright red. “As I said before, I’m unstoppable,” Mika said. His words made a cold chill race down Zephyr’s back. He’d sent everyone away and he was in fact screwed. He’d never considered the notion that Mika would steal Rox’s gift for himself. She was the one person he could never defeat and now Mika was exactly like her. Well, not exactly; he had more powers.
I need to use my resources, Zephyr thought, backing up for the cell where Cole had been held. The wolf growled its approval when the cold metal bars met Zephyr’s back. “Why did you do it?” he asked, waiting for his advantage.
“For the practical purposes of having assassins. And for the pure desire to create mythical creatures. That’s what we do here at Olento Research. And you could have been a part of that,” Mika said. “But you’ve stormed in here and
taken my prisoners. What you’ve done is a great betrayal and that can’t go without punishment.”
“You don’t get to rule other people. Choose for us what we become. And assassins, really, that’s sick. You’re one fucked up individual,” Zephyr said.
Mika rose into the air, seeming to be flying, but Zephyr assumed he was powerful enough to raise himself up using his telekinesis. The man pulled his knees up, his hand going wide. And then he shot across the space, flying through the air. The werewolf rolled to the right, but Mika didn’t dart through the opening of the cell as was the plan. Instead, he made a correction and slammed into Zephyr. His power was greater than Zephyr had ever felt. A ton of force pressed into his chest, before Mika glided back. He had the strength of Rio. I am fucking screwed. That man couldn’t be held in a cell. Now was the time to retreat. To rethink and reconvene. However, Zephyr knew he’d never get away. It was over. This was where he’d die. But if that was going to be the case then he’d die trying.
Crouching down low, Zephyr let out a howl that could be heard all over Olento Research. The scientists in the safe room would hear his distress pierce their walls. Adelaide and Connor would hear it from the rendezvous point. And it wouldn’t seek to call them to Zephyr, but rather to let them know he’d been unsuccessful. That was always a possibility.
Zephyr launched himself forward in a last-ditch effort at survival. He spun, his claws out, his fangs bared with his mouth open wide and a large scream spilling out of him. Ramming into Mika, he continued to spin, ripping his claws at the other man’s body. Mika stood like a statue, unharmed by Zephyr’s tornado of attacks. That’s why Zephyr stopped, but taking in the demented expression of the unstoppable man, he forced all of his anger into a series of punches. They connected with Mika’s chest like rain into pavement. The water droplets dissipated, but the concrete remained firm, not even softened by strongest of elements.
