The Genetic Experiment

by E S Richards

  Zahyra moaned as Cain kissed her, relinquishing all control over her body and letting Cain guide her into a state of euphoria. All her worries faded away as she felt his strong hands on her body, his breath on her face and his presence in her arms. When Cain finally stopped the kiss they were both panting, gasping for the air that had escaped them while their bodies became one.

  Zahyra felt dizzy but excited at the same time. She felt like a child whose birthday and Christmas had come at once and she’d received everything she’d ever asked for. Well, almost everything. Her mind drifted back to her brother and she was brought back to reality, knowing her battle with the safe haven was still far from won.

  Cain was still panting when Zahyra regained her breath and she looked over at him, his head resting on his palms. The memory of what Cain had said to her the night before they’d reached the safe haven returned to her and Zahyra panicked, watching as Cain tried to control his mutant outburst.

  As carefully as she dared Zahyra rested a hand on Cain’s shoulder and whispered to him, telling him everything was going to be okay, that he was safe and that he was strong enough to control himself. Minutes passed and Cain finally removed his head from his hands, looking up at Zahyra.

  “I’ve missed you too,” he exhaled with a smile and reached his hand out across the space between them to hold Zahyra’s.

  “You know,” Zahyra said quietly as she paused before taking Cain’s hand, remembering she had to be extra careful around him now. “What they’re working on in the lab might be able to help you control your mutation, it’s worth a try. I don’t know a lot about it but,” Zahyra hesitated for a moment, “if it could help us be together…”

  Cain watched her closely as she trailed off, a smile creeping onto his lips.

  “Then it’s worth a try,” he replied giving her hand a squeeze. “I want us to be together.”

  Zahyra felt another warmth fill her body as Cain spoke. The emptiness and sadness she had come too accustomed to feeling in the safe haven seemed to have been defeated by Cain’s presence. She didn’t know whether it was because of the time apart that had helped her and Cain feel more confident about their feelings for one another, but whatever it was she was happy for it. Knowing that the two of them were together again as a team, a united front: she felt confident she could achieve anything with him by her side.

  They sat in silence for a while, watching each other breathe and just enjoying being with each other again. It was clear to both of them that the other had been through an equal hardship to reach this point. When the time came they would talk about it in more depth, but for now the silence was bliss. It felt like nothing could ever come between them again and Zahyra knew she would rather die than be apart from Cain ever again.

  “How are we going to get to Asher?” Zahyra whispered to Cain after a while, the fate of her little brother still bothering her greatly.

  She had explained everything she’d found out about him being a Gen 6 to Cain, but as she spoke about it she realised she knew very little on the matter. In reality she knew her brother was alive and somewhere within the safe haven, but she didn’t know what experiments her father was performing on him, where he was being kept or how he was coping.

  “I don’t know,” Cain replied to her honestly. “But I found you didn’t I? Now that we’re together there’s nothing that can stop us finding Asher as well.”

  Zahyra smiled as Cain spoke, his confidence reassuring her. A seed of doubt was still implanted in her mind however. After seeing everything the safe haven could do she knew it would not be easy getting out of there, especially with herself and Asher being two of their most prised possessions.

  “I should go soon,” Cain suddenly spoke, causing the smile to drop off Zahyra’s face. “I know,” Cain continued, seeing her change in demeanour, “but I don’t want to raise any suspicion about me. Let me go about my duties as a soldier, I’ll keep snooping around and I’ll try and gather information on where Asher could be.”

  Zahyra nodded slowly, her eyes firmly locking onto Cain’s. “Just be safe, okay?”

  “Of course I will,” Cain replied, rising to his feet and pulling her with him. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug once more time, making the most of the minutes they had left together. “I’ll be back soon.”

  “You better,” Zahyra joked with a smile. Then looked up at him with a heartfelt stare, showing him she truly meant what she said. Now she had been reunited with him she wasn’t going to let anything keep them apart again.

  Chapter 22

  The rest of the day passed slowly for Zahyra. Even though Cain had been with her for several hours, and the woman arrived with her food shortly after he left she only managed to pick at her food before showering and climbing into bed.

  As she lay there she contemplated crawling through the vents of the safe haven again, in an attempt to locate her brother. The chance of missing Cain if he returned to her room through the night stopped her however, meaning she simply hoped that Cain was finding her brother right now and she would wake to see them both standing next to her.

  Sadly the face she saw the next morning was neither Cain’s nor Asher’s. The unwelcome presence of Heather filled the room, the woman standing next to the breakfast plate that had also been brought in.

  “How’re you feeling?” Heather asked Zahyra plainly, very little real concern notable in her tone.

  “Fine,” Zahyra replied curtly, making no attempt to hide her disappointment at Heather’s arrival.

  “You’re going to continue with T128 today,” Heather continued, “there are some urgent trials which need to be completed.”

  Zahyra grumbled as she climbed out of bed and took her clothes into the bathroom to change. She had hoped she would have the day to herself again, so she could wait in her room for when Cain returned. Something that Cain had told her yesterday then sprung into her mind and she remembered how he had got into the safe haven so easily. He had come in with another Zero. Knowing there could be someone else like her doing T128 that day made Zahyra get ready quicker, grabbing just a single slice of toast from her breakfast plate as Heather held the door open for them to leave.

  It was nice to be out of her room finally, even though Zahyra didn’t like where they were heading. She instantly felt freer as the corridor stretched out ahead of her and she fought the urge to stretch her legs and run. She would be running again soon, she reminded herself, with Cain and Asher by her side. How they would escape from the safe haven was still a mystery to her, but Zahyra knew the people here wouldn’t let them leave without putting up a fight.

  As the door to the experimentation lab slid open Zahyra was disappointed to see only Professor Welbeck inside. There was no sign of the man Cain had brought into the safe haven when he arrived and from Heather not saying anything since they had left her room Zahyra had no idea what urgent trials were awaiting her.

  Relief washed over Zahyra when Professor Welbeck placed her in front of a screen and explained what she would have to do. Wires were attached to her temples and then Zahyra set about answering the questions and riddles that appeared on the screen in front of her.

  They seemed to test her way of thinking, forcing her to come up with extensive solutions to strange scenarios, and make decisions regarding prioritising certain tasks. There were also some more mental questions too: equations she didn’t recognise and hypotheses she didn’t understand. Zahyra worked through them monotonously, glancing around the lab as she worked to see what Professor Welbeck was up to.

  The woman had hardly spoken to her when she’d entered, making no attempt to apologise for the bone marrow procedure she had messed up resulting in Zahyra needing medical attention. In fact, not only needing medical attention but almost losing her life. Zahyra wasn’t surprised by this, the demeanour of the woman not being the same as when she’d first met her from the moment it was revealed Zahyra broke onto her screen.

  Professor Welbeck was definitely absorbed in what
ever she was working on. In the time between the tasks switching on Zahyra’s screen she focused all her attention on the woman. She couldn’t see what was on her screen, but the woman’s face was all scrunched up and she looked confused by whatever she was working on.

  “How’s the cure coming along?”

  The question surprised Zahyra herself. She had been thinking about it but didn’t have any real intention of asking the professor. Clearly her mind was more distracted than she realised if she was speaking her thoughts out loud.

  Professor Welbeck twitched slightly at Zahyra’s words then tried to act like she hadn’t heard the question. Zahyra could tell from her reaction that she had though and so asked it again, this time more forcefully. If the woman hated her already it didn’t make much sense trying to be nice to her.

  “We’ve developed a prototype,” Professor Welbeck replied without looking away from her screen. “Your results have proved very useful actually, although if we’d retrieved a sample of your bone marrow…”

  The professor trailed off and Zahyra rolled her eyes at the response. Clearly Zahyra’s health was the last thing on her list of priorities but by this point Zahyra didn’t care much for the professor either. Besides, now she had engaged her in conversation she may as well try to glean some answers from her, the possibility of helping Cain at the forefront of her mind.

  “What can the prototype do?”

  Professor Welbeck sighed and swivelled her chair around to face Zahyra, finally stopping whatever she was doing on her screen.

  “Well it’s just a prototype, but it can help control mutations. Our first test found it reduces the power of the mutation for a certain length of time. Strong mutants become less strong, flying mutants can only get a few feet above the ground, that sort of thing.”

  Zahyra listened closely as the professor explained. She wasn’t sure why she was even allowed to hear what the prototype could do but wasn’t going to mention that. Perhaps the safe haven thought she was so little a threat to them she wouldn’t have any use for the information. Perhaps they thought they had broken her.

  “So what, you inject the mutants or something?” Zahyra asked, remembering how her father had administered the Gen 6 mutation to her brother.

  “It’s a pill actually,” the professor sighed again. “But like I say it’s just a prototype. The effects only seemed to last for a couple of hours.”

  “Cool,” Zahyra replied after a moment, “just like to know what we’re working towards. I’m glad I can help.” She smiled a sickly sweet smile after her final sentence, hoping Professor Welbeck would continue to assume Zahyra had formed some sort of allegiance to the safe haven. The sentiment she hoped she got across to the professor couldn’t actually be further from the truth.

  As she turned back to her own screen Zahyra thought about what the professor had said and whether it would be able to help Cain. Once they left the safe haven they would be leaving all the technology and advancements it carried behind, so any shred of an advantage they could take with them would be helpful. The only issue was that Zahyra had no idea where this prototype was being kept, or what it even looked like, beyond it coming in the form of a pill.

  “Would you like to come to the mess hall for lunch?”

  Heather’s voice caught Zahyra off guard and she jumped. Since the conversation with Professor Welbeck another couple of hours had passed where Zahyra had managed to become engrossed in the tasks on her screen. Some of the problems it presented her really made her mind tick and while she was unable to exercise her body, she was happy to exercise her mind.

  “I’d love to,” she replied to Heather in her most obedient voice and slid off her chair. The woman spun on her heel silently as Zahyra was now used to her doing and started making her way out of the lab. Zahyra cast a look over at the professor as she left, still hunched over her screen in concentration. Perhaps after lunch she could ask her more about the prototype, she needed to acquire as much knowledge as possible before she left the safe haven for good.

  As Zahyra made her way into the mess hall her eyes scanned the room for any sight of Cain. It was the red band’s lunch sitting so the chances were he was in the room with her, but with everyone in matching uniforms and most with shaved heads she couldn’t tell them apart. She also couldn’t look around the room too much as she collected her food, already having walked into the back of Heather once in the queue. Sitting down she was forced to stare at her plate, Heather’s eyes watching her every move.

  “When am I going to get a uniform?” Zahyra asked randomly half way through the meal. She didn’t particularly want one, but knew her different outfit made her stand out from the crowd and if she was going to escape she would need to blend in.

  Heather raised her eyebrows at Zahyra’s question. “I wasn’t aware you wanted one?”

  “Well you know,” Zahyra started, “it’d be nice to look the same as everyone else. This is my home now after all, I want to be a part of it.” She struggled to get the words out in a sincere voice but as she did she saw a smile creep onto Heather’s lips. Zahyra knew if she started to convince people she was happy here they’d be less inclined to watch her so carefully; getting a uniform was a simple step on that particular mission.

  “I’m glad you’re finally starting to accept the facility as your home,” Heather replied. “You’ll find life here is a lot easier once you accept it.”

  “I know. It just took me a while to get used to it at first… I’m sorry for the way I acted.”

  “Thank you for that Zahyra.” The smile grew on Heather’s lips as Zahyra apologised, the woman looking the most cheerful Zahyra had ever seen her. “I can get you a uniform after lunch if that’s what you really want.”

  “Yes please,” Zahyra nodded. “Thank you.”

  The rest of their meal was carried out in the usual silence, but Zahyra looked at Heather in a slightly different way. With the older woman no longer regarding Zahyra as as much of a threat, the tension between them appeared to dissipate to some extent. Zahyra smiled to herself at how easy it had been to fool Heather. Maybe it was a good thing she’d not seen her for a couple of days, the woman could have forgotten some of the frostier things Zahyra had said and done towards her.

  After they finished eating Heather rose from the table and led Zahyra out of the mess hall. Only then did Zahyra notice Cain sat at one of the other tables eating his own meal. Their eyes locked for a moment and Zahyra instantly relaxed inside. Just knowing he was still inside the facility made her more comfortable, safer than she had ever felt throughout her entire time there. She saw the slightest hint of a smile on Cain’s face before Zahyra had to look away, following Heather back out into the main atrium of the facility.

  They walked down another corridor that Zahyra had yet been able to explore. She was grateful at least that most of her activity in the safe haven occurred downstairs in the experimentation lab, the closest area to the only exit she was aware of.

  The room Heather led her to could only be described as a storeroom. Grey uniforms hung on the walls, organised according to their varying sizes. Heather plucked one down and held it against Zahyra’s body.

  “This should be the right fit,” she mused, before handing it over to Zahyra. “I’ll step outside so you can get changed.”

  Zahyra thanked Heather and started getting undressed as the door closed behind her. First there was a black thermal top that Zahyra pulled over her head. The material was so thin she expected it to be cold but it hugged her figure tightly, insulating her from the small breeze that the circulation vents created. The rest of the uniform was an all-in-one body suit. Zahyra sat on the floor and slid her legs in, rising then to her feet so she could pull the rest of the uniform up over her thermal top and over her arms.

  Once she was dressed Zahyra pulled on her old cargo boots and stroked the material that covered her body. It was much softer than the clothes she had been provided with and much more breathable too. She did a few stretche
s and found the uniform had a lot of give in it, making it easy for her to move around.

  As she ran her fingers over her stomach Zahyra felt a small crease in the fabric and looked down. There was a secret pocket in the uniform, one that Zahyra doubted she would have noticed just by looking at it. That must be where Heather kept her gun hidden and Zahyra smiled, knowing it would definitely come in useful.

  A knock on the door stopped Zahyra from admiring her new appearance. Heather had never knocked before, she thought, asking for a uniform must have really changed her opinion.

  “Come in,” Zahyra called, turning around to face Heather as she entered.

  “Very good,” Heather nodded at Zahyra in her new uniform. “Here.”

  Heather held out a piece of black fabric and Zahyra stared at it.

  “Black band?”

  “It seems appropriate,” Heather replied. “You’re not exactly non-essential personnel, and you spend most of your time down there. Once T128 is completed you can try out for another band if you want to, but for now…”

  Heather took a step forward towards Zahyra, who submissively raised her right arm. The black armband slid on easily, coming to a rest directly above where the fake Gen 1 branding was still etched into Zahyra’s arm. She was thankful the safe haven hadn’t done anything to remove her Gen 1 branding, when she was back in the outside world Zahyra knew it would be useful. Although Asher was still branded as a Zero, she shuddered internally.

  “Thank you,” Zahyra said to Heather once she was completely dressed. “I appreciate you doing this for me.”

  “No matter,” Heather replied, her voice returning to its monotone form. “I hope it will encourage you to respect how the safe haven operates.”

  “Of course. And I just want to apologise again for how I’ve acted in the past, now that I understand this place a bit more… well, let’s just say my opinions have changed.”