J.O.Y

by Yalu Taylors

  “What exactly are you suggesting Tessie?” Braydon askes.

  “Okay, well, um, I don’t know. We could expose them, I suppose.” All four guys begin protesting. I hold my hand up and get a strange case of Déjà vu.

  “Babe, if we expose the facility, we would be exposing ourselves.” Well I hadn’t really thought of that, I guess Zayne’s right, exposing myself would put an even bigger target on my back.

  “Maybe we should just blow up the labs then.” I say it as a joke but the looks on the guys faces makes me think they may actually like that idea.

  “We’ll need help. Hunter call Ace, Zack, you’ll get Declan. Zayne do you still have Kalum’s number?” Zayne nods and Braydon continues. “I’ll call Phoenix and Quinn. Tell everyone to meet us here tomorrow morning at eight.” The guys all run off in different directions leaving me sitting on the couch with nothing to do.

  After watching another movie, that’s two more since the zombie movie, I wander around the house looking for something to do. I haven’t seen the guys since they all took off a couple of hours ago. Hunter and Braydon went looking for supplies and the twins went to collect someone from the bus station. Out of boredom I clean the kitchen and make all their beds. I’m just finishing collecting the guys washing when I hear a noise down stairs.

  I run to the stairs thinking the guys have returned but I’m wrong. Standing at the bottom of the stairs is the guy from the facility. The one named Shaun. Right behind him is my cousin Peter. Remembering what the guys said about Peter and Shaun being the bad guys, I turn tail and run. Slamming Braydon’s bedroom door behind me, I flick the lock then run to his bathroom. Leaning against the now locked bathroom door, I sit down.

  The guys said they wouldn’t be long but I’m terrified and since we all lost our phones when the facility caught us, I have no way of letting the guys know I need help. “Please, please, please get home soon.”

  “Babe? What’s going on?” Zayne’s voice is music to my ears. I spin around looking everywhere in the bathroom, but I can’t see him.

  “Zayne? Where are you?” I cry out loud.

  “Calm down Babe, tell me what’s going on, we’ll work out how you are doing this later.” He sounds so calm.

  “Peter and Shaun are in the house. I locked myself in Braydon’s bathroom.” I say it softly as I hear a crash outside in the hallway.

  “Babe, can you get to Braydon’s closet?” I want to ask why the hell would I want to hide there? But I assume it’s my panic that’s asking.

  “I don’t know, maybe why?” I ask, trying to keep myself from panicking I focus on his voice harder.

  “There’s a panic room in his closet, if you can get there the code is Tessie.” I get up cautiously, listening at the door for a moment. Hearing nothing, I unlock the door and peek out. The bedroom door is still closed, I duck out, lock the bathroom door, and pull it closed. I run straight to the closet and open the door. Gasping in shock as I spy the keypad against the back wall. I input the code and close the door behind me. I haven’t heard Zayne’s voice since I left Braydon’s bathroom.

  The panic room is filled with interesting stuff. Six monitors line the back wall. Each monitor displaying a different room then switching to another after a few minutes. A computer connected to the monitors sits under a desk scattered with stacks of files. Along the wall where I came in is a small kitchen bench with an old gas burner, a pot, plate and knife and fork. A cupboard next to it has tinned food and other supplies like toilet paper, shampoo, and soap.

  A single bed rests against the left wall, under the bed are two drawers filled with various sized clothing and a curtain blocks off the right wall. Behind the curtain is a small bathroom setup, complete with shower, basin, and toilet.

  I sit down on the chair in front of the desk and snoop through the files. The first few are scientific reports, most of them filled with words and formula’s I don’t understand. After going through a few more I find one that does interest me. Inside the file I find the number the guards called me.

  TEST SUBJECT: SEVEN-TWO-ONE

  SEVEN-TWO-ONE IS THE BIOLOGICAL RESULT OF TEST SUBJECTS ONE AND FOUR PROCREATING WITHOUT J.O.Y GENETICS FACILITIES KNOWLEDGE. TEST SUBJECT WAS SCHEDULED FOR TERMINATION HOWEVER THE SUBJECT BEGAN TO SHOW SIGNS OF RAPID HEALING. SEVEN-TWO-ONE WAS PLACED WITH DOCTOR TORI YOUNG FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. ONCE SEVEN-TWO-ONE BECOMES OF BREEDING AGE, FURTHER TESTING WILL BE REQUIRED TO SEE THE RESULT OF CROSSBREEDING BETWEEN SECOND GENERATION SUBJECTS AND FOURTH GENERATION. SECOND GENERATION SUBJECTS FIVE-THREE-ONE, FIVE-THREE-TWO AND FOUR-NINE-NINE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN AS POTENTIAL BREEDING PARTNERS…

  I continue reading the report most of the graphs and scientific stuff I don’t understand but the parts about me being kept for breeding purposes and being placed in a family to develop normally, strike a chord in my heart. My parents didn’t even want to adopt me, they were literally just doing their job. Tears fall on the page and I realize I’ve been staring blankly at the words for several minutes.

  A noise outside the door has me running over to the monitors to see who it is. Hunter is standing on the outside of the panic room door. I rush over to the panel on the door but stop to look through the peep hole first. Standing right where Hunter was on the monitor is Peter. I glance over to the monitor and Hunter is there. Confused I back away from the door and turn the sound on the monitor up. Peter’s voice comes through the tiny speakers of the computer.

  “Tessa everything’s okay now. They left you can come out now.” Yeah right! Like I'd fall for that. Okay so I nearly did but at least I checked first. “Tessa? Can you hear me? It's safe to come out now.” Peter's yelling on the other side is driving me nuts so I switch off the sound and sit back down at the desk. I should be scared right now but this little room makes me feel safe.

  I snoop around on the computer for a while but there's really nothing of interest. I grab another file from the desk and look through it. This ones about Test Subject Four-Nine-Nine, I’m curious as to who the possible breeding partners are but right now I just want to know who test subjects One and Four were, after all they were my parents. I'm halfway through the file when an alarm goes off making me jump.

  Rushing over to the monitors I see Peter at the panel trying to input a code. Every time he gets it wrong a message pops up on the computer’s main monitor. Worried he’ll guess the right code I grab the keyboard and mouse and scroll through the settings looking for anything that will tell me how to lock it, so it will only unlock from the inside. After about five minutes of searching I find what I’m looking for.

  I sit back down after securing the room and watch through the monitor as Peter loses his shit. He smashes his fist against the door, but it doesn’t even rattle the door, smiling to myself, I pick the file back up and continue reading.

  I see movement out of the corner of my eye and check the monitors, Zack and Zayne are coming through the front door. Hunter and Braydon are in the upstairs hallway, being followed by a tall guy in his early twenties, behind him is another guy in his early twenties, he’s about the same height as Hunter but not as broad in the shoulders. Curiously I follow their movements on the monitor as they head straight for Braydon’s room.

  Switching the camera’s view to Braydon’s room, I watch as they confront Peter. Hunter walks right up to peter and clocks him on the jaw. Peter flies back and lands on the carpet a few feet away, completely out cold. The two new guys have huge smiles on their faces as they grab the sheet off Braydon’s bed and tear it into strips. They tie Peter up then all four of them walk over to the closet. I run over to the door and peer through the peep hole. Hunter and Braydon are both visible on the other side of the door.

  Torn between letting them in and not trusting if it’s really them I hover my hand over the panel but don’t actually input the exit code. The decision is taken from me when Braydon opens the door and walks right in. “How did you do that? I lock the outside panel?” Braydon laughs at me before wrapping me up in a huge hug.
I’m torn from his arms and in Hunter’s before I can get a response from Braydon about the lock.

  Hunter clings to me so I tightly I’m afraid he might break my ribs. I wrap my arms around his hips and his grip on me slowly loosens. After a couple of minutes, he drops his arms but doesn’t let me go completely. Entwining our fingers together he leads me from the panic room.

  “Still get clingy from using your strength huh?” My head snaps up at the new voice booming out into the silence. I look at the guy standing in front of me, he’s wearing a Black leather jacket, tight dark wash jeans and a black muscle shirt. He’s got reddish-brown hair and dark green eyes. I see all this in a quick casual glance, but he blatantly checks me out as his eyes scan me from head to toe.

  “Who’s this sexy little morsel?” My jaw drops open at his words. Hunter pulls me behind him, hiding me from view.

  “She’s taken, Ace, keep your eyes off.” Hunter’s voice is a harsh growl as he speaks. I step out from behind Hunter.

  “Ace Brentson, it’s nice to meet you beautiful.” Blushing I shake his hand, he’s a player if ever I’ve seen one. Not my type though.

  “Tessandra Young.” He holds my hand a few more moments then as he lets go, sparks appear between our hands.

  “We’ve got sparks for sure.” Well that was different. Hunter grabs my hand and turns it over looking for any marks, but my skin is clear.

  “You could’ve burnt her, Douche bag.” Hunter looks over at Braydon but he’s standing there with a scowl on his face, watching the exchange between us. Hunter tucks me into his chest and turns us away from Ace. I honestly think his line was funny, but I don’t dare say that with Hunter acting like a caveman.

  “Hey Four-Nine-Nine, where you at?” The numbers have me spinning around and out of Hunter arms faster than he can move. A guy with golden blonde hair hanging over his eyes and half his face struts into the room. He’s dressed like a goth in all black, even wears a long black trench coat. He walks right up to Ace and claps him on the back.

  “I’ve told you not to call me that Kalum.” Ace laughs as he greets the new guy.

  “Four-Nine-Nine? You’re test subject Four-Nine-Nine?” I ask in an angry voice.

  “Yeah what’s it to you?” He steps towards me menacingly.

  “Does Seven-Two-One mean anything to you?” I ask trying to keep my voice even. Ace and Kalum begin laughing making me frown.

  His eyes light up as he stares at me, “Oh beautiful, please tell me you, are Seven-Two-One, because if you’re her I’ll gladly go back to the facility.” I back away fast, slamming right into Hunter. “Oh shit, you really are her. Holy fuck! No way.” He takes another step closer and Hunter growls behind me.

  Braydon steps in between us cutting of my line of sight. “I don’t give a fuck if she’s the only one, you will keep your hands off her, she’s ours and she’s the reason we are going to take that fucking facility down. Now everyone, tone it down a notch and get your asses downstairs.” We do as Braydon says and everyone gathers in the lounge room.

  I'm sitting on the sofa couch, Hunter and Braydon beside me, Zack and Zayne leaning against the couch behind us. Ace, Kalum and three other guys I assume are Declan, Phoenix, and Quinn. I’m presuming the other set of twins are Phoenix and Quinn. They are identical, both the exact same height of over six foot, with short black hair, ice-blue eyes and bodies that look suited to wrestling. They are both wearing the same outfit of black skinny jeans and navy-blue tank tops. Honestly, they are both very intimidating.

  Declan is only a couple inches taller than me, his hair is a deep brown, but it’s been tipped with blonde dye, it’s so long he has to sweep it over his shoulder, so he doesn’t sit on it. I like the outfit he’s wearing, it reminds me of a cowboy, the red and black flannel shirt is unbuttoned completely showing off his broad chest, it’s completely smooth and his right nipple has a piercing that draws the eye, his low-cut jeans show off his Adonis V, I can’t help staring every time he stands up, he has a very delicate face that is stunningly handsome. Although he’s not as gorgeous as Braydon.

  I’ve been comparing each of the new guys to Braydon, Hunter, and my twins since they arrived. Kalum is strange, he always stands with his right side facing me, his hair is an emo cut that covers almost all of his left side, with his black trench coat he looks like a gothic vampire. I smile to myself as I make that observation.

  “So, who’s the hottie?” Phoenix and Quinn speak together as they ask.

  “Oh, you two are going to love this, she’s Seven-Two-One.” Both sets of twins gasp and everyone’s eyes turn to me.

  “So how did our breeding partner end up here with you boys?” Phoenix begins the question, but Quinn finishes it. I’m finding all this breeding crap creepy to say the least.

  “What the fuck are you lot on about?” Hunter’s been clingy and growling at everyone since Ace’s comments upstairs. He hasn’t let me out of his sight.

  “We were assigned to breed with Seven-Two-One before we escaped the facility.” I still can’t tell them apart but I’m pretty sure Phoenix was the one who started talking this time. “Ace used to joke that the chick must have been one hell of a monster if they had to assign partners to her.” I’m going to refer to them as twin one and twin two from now on, they are driving me nuts with this twin-speak. At least my guys don’t do that all the time.

  “Tessie, these morons are Phoenix and Quinn, and you’ve already met Ace and Kalum, the cowboy is Declan, he’s a bit shy but he’ll talk once he gets to know you. Oh, and don’t pay any attention to the twins or Ace, they grew up in the facility and were never taught manners.” Braydon winks at me and I smile at him before turning my attention back to the new group. I wave at the twins and Declan, only the twins wave back, Kalum ducks his head hiding his face from view and Ace bows at me and winks.

  “We’re not that bad, but we’ve gotta know, where have you boys been hiding this beautiful angel?” Hunter growls low in his throat again as Phoenix and Quinn speak. “Cool it Hunter, we’re just playing, she’s a beauty but you know we’d rather have you.” My mouth drops open in shock, Phoenix and Quinn are gay? “Close your mouth Angel, we swing both ways, and your open mouth is definitely an invitation we’d accept.” My mouth snaps shut with a click of my teeth. I blush from the roots of my hair to the collar of my shirt.

  “Aww she’s so cute when she blushes.” A hand comes out of nowhere to tilt my chin up, I stare shocked as Kalum stares right into my eyes.

  “How? What? Umm.” I gulp as I see his face clearly for the first time, all across the left side is a mass of burn scars, they don’t take away from his beauty though. He’s golden all over, even his eyes are a golden brown. “You’re beautiful.” I blurt hypnotized by his golden eyes. I feel like I’m drowning in his beauty, my breathing speeds up along with my heartbeat.

  “Hey, cut that out Kalum, no using your powers on our girl.” Hunter pulls me towards him breaking Kalum’s hold on me.

  “What the fuck was that?” I squeal as I come back to my senses. I jump up from the couch as Kalum literally vanishes into thin air, before reappearing behind Ace.

  “Calm down Tessie, Kalum, has teleportation and his other power is well, we call it lust and he knows better than to use it on any of us.” Braydon snarls the last part, pulling me back down between him and Hunter, Zack and Zayne put a hand on each of my shoulders.

  “Hey, no harm meant, I just wanted to see if she was immune, I’ll find someone who is one day.” Kalum sounds so sad as he says the last part that I feel tears forming behind my eyes. Blinking rapidly, I focus my eyes back on twin one and two across the room.

  “So, what can you two do?” I ask curiously.

  Phoenix holds his hand up and says “I’m Phoenix, I have Speed and emotional manipulation. That’s Quinn he has Earth manipulation and emotional manipulation.” Declan steps forward and holds both his hands out towards the glasses of water on the table, I watch fascinated as the water lifts up out of the g
lasses and floats in little orbs in the air. He waves his left hand and the water turns to ice.

  Ace steps in front of Declan, “Let me impress her with some real power.” He winks at me and holds arms out in a weird superman style pose, he lifts up off the ground and then shoots sparks from his fingers. I frown at him and shake my head.

  “Well that was disappointing.” I look over to where Declan is now standing and wink at him, he smiles shyly at me and mouths thank you. I stand up motioning for Ace to back up. I point my hand at him and think of fire but to my astonishment a jet of sparks flies out from my palm. I glance over my shoulder looking at Braydon for help, as the sparks continue to zap around the room.

  “I thought you boys said she had fire, visions, healing, and strength.” Ace says as he grabs my hand. I’m shaking with fear from the electricity running through me at his contact. “She has electro-kinesis just like me. We really would make a great pair.” He winks at me as he covers my hands completely within his own.

  Snapping out of my shock I try to tug my hands free, when he doesn’t let go, my anger flares and a burst of flame shoots out into his hands. “Fuck!” Ace backs up quickly, turns and runs into the kitchen, I hear the water running as I breathe in and out slowly, willing the fire to go away.

  “I think she might be a mimic.” Declan says quietly, I look over at him and he walks slowly towards me, with his hands up in a submissive gesture. He hovers his hand over mine and I feel the cold seeping into my skin. It tingles as I feel it flowing through my veins. “Picture, ice in your mind, like you did for that fireball.” I do as he instructs, and a small ball of ice appears in my hands.

  Declan looks over my shoulder at my guys. “You boys realize, she doesn’t actually have any of these powers. You my dear, are borrowing other people’s powers. How long after you touch someone do they usually last?” I shake my head confused by his question.