Christian & Taylor
Christian watched as Taylor rolled his head and groaned, the pain in his stomach obviously having awoken him again.
He'd fainted again earlier for no apparent reason.
When Taylor finally opened his eyes, he saw Christian watching him.
"How do you do that?" he asked finally.
Christian tilted his head to the side a little.
"What, exactly?"
"Just not care," Taylor shook his head, shivering from the cold and still sweating.
"Well if I don't care, how can I answer that?" Christian squinted slightly.
Taylor groaned and closed his eyes again, leaning his head back against the wall. Opening them and looking toward the roof, he licked his lips.
"Why would you care... if he cut me up?" he asked suddenly.
"Don't ask me something I can't answer," Christian shook his head and looked away.
Taylor watched him for a moment, considering.
"I thought you had to cut yourself off from everyone emotionally to be the kind of person you are."
"I did," Christian insisted, "I don't care if they kill everyone around me and I certainly don't care if they kill you."
"Then why did you stop him?" Taylor asked softly.
Christian hesitated and pursed his lips.
"I don't know," he replied finally, "but if you keep asking maybe it won't happen again."
Taylor hesitated, then looked away.
Christian looked up at the cuffs on his wrists and suddenly gave a hard tug on them. Small scraps of metal fell to the floor from when Blakesley had cut through the last ones.
Grinding his teeth for a moment, he glanced back over at Taylor.
"What do you know about Guffery?" he asked suddenly.
Taylor frowned for a moment, quickly reading his body language.
"That he never loses," he said finally, looking him up and down, "why are you so afraid?"
"I'm not afraid," Christian frowned, "I'm not afraid of anyone or anything."
"Look me in the eye and tell me you're not afraid of him," Taylor insisted.
"I'm not afraid of Guffery," Christian said, looking directly into his eyes.
Taylor hesitated, then smirked a little.
"You're lying. But I'll leave it."
"And how would you know if I was lying?" Christian shrugged, "you've got nothing to prove it."
"Nothing but my power," Taylor raised his eyebrows, "you know it's not always the obvious thiings I can read."
Blakesley
Blakesley picked up his phone, eyes still on the lines of DNA coding on his screen.
"Blakesley speaking."
"Sir, one of the subjects has snapped the handcuff chains."
"Which one?"
"Ah...the clone, sir."
"Prep him for surgery. I'll be right down."
Blakesley got up, sighing as he grabbed his coat.
Two soldiers movde into the cell, rifles already out and pointing at Christian.
"Don't move."
Christian & Taylor
Taylor sank down a little, glad it was nothing to do with him.
Christian simply raised his eyebrows.
"You see me going anywhere?" he opened his hands in sarcastic surrender.
Blakesley
One of the soldiers moved closer to check on the restraints.
"False alarm."
He motioned to his comrade to clean up the metal from the floor as he went to the intercom.
"It was a false alarm. Tell Dr Blakesley."
One of the N series jogged up to Blakesley.
"False alarm, sir."
"There better not be any more," Blakesley snarled, then turned to go back to his office.
Christian
"Geez, cut me some slack," Christian scorned.
"You think I can breaak handcuffs? Yeah, sure. If I could I'd be f**king out of here by now, dumbasses."
Blakesley
The soldiers ignored him before a N series clone came in, panting slightly.
"Hostiles loose in corridor 5 dash 7 7 delta. Back up requested immediately."
The soldiers left at a run, safeties clicking off. Job discharged, N 999 decided to indulge her curiosity and reached out to Taylor and Christian empathically.
Blakesley settled back at his computer and returned to his gene analysis.
Christian & Taylor
Taylor felt the slight empathic nudge, and immediately attempted a block. But this time, it hurt.
He hissed slightly and cringed, leaning his head in to his left arm.
Christian, on the other hand, was oblivious due to his block.
N999
N999 frowned.
"You're blocking me. Odd. Usually subjects can't."
She noticed Taylor's expression of pain.
"It hurts? Interesting."
Christian & Taylor
"What are you? Telepathic? Empathic?" Christian asked her.
Taylor took a deep breath, letting the makeshift block down to soften his headache.
N999
N999 sniffed slightly, leaning near him.
"Alien. Dathrian, yes? More one then the other, but you should never let an enemy know more then needed."
She tugged at her earlobe gently, watching them with the mismatched blue and green eyes.
"Sun Tzu is a worthy writer."
Christian
"What makes you think I'm an enemy?" Christian raised an eyebrow.
"Have I attacked you without knowing it?"
N999
"You are restrained in what is my place of strength," N999 said.
"Either you are a deserter, or a 'nomaly, or you are a captive enemy."
Christian
"And what if I'm an anomaly?" Christian smiled slightly.
"What would that mean to you?"
"Chris, don't," Taylor murmured.
N999
"You'd be a failure. A monster."
N999 studied him.
"I am not a 'nomaly. I am N999, the penenultimate of the N series clones of genetic sample QZ dash New Mexico dash Feline dash Hostile dash N871."
Christian
"Then having the quick wit that you seem to have, you should know that what you just said means sh*t to me," Christian tilted his head.
"And we were brought in from the outside. The way we are has nothing to do with old Kaleb."
N999
"Ah. AN Outsider."
N999 looked thoughtful.
"Perhaps he will use your genetic material to make new soldiers."
Christian & Taylor
"I highly doubt it," Christian looked sceptical.
He glanced over at Taylor who was still hiding his face.
"He just likes to piss me off and scare the crap out of him."
N999
"I doubt it matters. You'd probably only make 'namolies anyway."
N999 walked across to Taylor, smelling his fear.
"You are weak."
Christian & Taylor
"Way to state the obvious, sweet cheeks," Christian smirked.
Taylor opened his eyes for a second to glance at her feet before closing them again.
"Leave me alone," he murmured.
N999
N999 glanced him over, keenly trained mind filing him under the status of non-threat, and Christian as probable-threat contained.
"You, however are insolent and ill disciplined."
Christian
"And as I damn well should be," Christian nodded decisively.
"Wouldn't have it any other way. I refuse to turn into some kind of slave like yourself."
N999
N999's lip curled upwards, exposing sharp teeth.
"Kitten, is a slave. The dog man creature...he, is a slave. You are a subject, below even a slave. I am a soldier."
Christian
"No, you're a slave," Christian corrected.
"You take orders from a higher power without even an afterthought. Why you're even still here talking to us is a mystery, considering you barely have a mind of your own."
N999
"I am allowed to indulge my curiosity. Know your enemy."
N999 stared him in the eyes, even though she had to look up to do it.
"I am a soldier."
Christian
"You. Are. A. Slave."
Christian looked her straight back in the eye, then tilted his head.
"Ever heard the term 'curiosity killed the cat'?"
N999
"I am a soldier."
N999 raised her eyebrow.
"No, but I have heard the expression that threats should only be made from a position of strength."
Christian & Taylor
"Are you assuming I made one, slave?" Christian's eyebrows jumped slightly.
"Shut up Christian," Taylor's voice rose a little.
N999
"I am a soldier," N999 said crisply.
"You wouldn't understand what a true one was."
She turned, spine military straight, before she walked across to Christian.
"You think you are independant, but you are not. If you were, you would not have relied so heavily on your powers, on the pendant, and on this...Spider. Or the Eye, as he was also know. You are weak. Continually depending on someone to give you something to prop yourself up with."
Christian
"You are not kept up to date," Christian tilted his chin up a little, even though he was already looking down on her.
"I was to be raised to be a soldier. I just decided not to put up with the sh*t that came along with it. I decided to take control of my own life."
He smiled slightly.
"But I don't know why I'm telling you this, because there is no logical way you could understand. You've never been out intot he real world."
N999
"Which shows how little you understand what I am, what I have done, and what I was designed to do."
N999 smirked slightly.
"But continue to think like a child, if it pleases you."
Christian & Taylor
Christian chuckled.
"Well I'm afraid I have to second that statement. And add that any vestiges of respect I could ever have for you just ran out that door. You obviously do not know how a child thinks."
"Shut up," Taylor repeated, feeling suddenly dizzy again.
His legs collapsed from under him suddenly, but he remained conscious.
N999
"You are a child."
N999 cocked her head, listening for a moment.
Orders - Continue with conversation.
Reply - Affirmative.
"Explain to me, then, how your respect could matter to me."
Christian
Christian raised his eyebrows, completely ignoring Taylor.
"Well whatever Kaleb did to you, he obviously gave you no possible way of estimating age correctly," his eyes narrowed.
N999
N999 made a dissmissive gesture with her hand.
"Your bio age I would calculate as early to late twenties, given what I have been taught of the Dathrian age curve. It was more your emotional age I was referring to."
Christian
"I would suggest not estimating emotional age until you've gotten to know me better," Christian raised an eyebrow.
"But maybe your lack of maturity has something to do with your ability to jump to conclusions and inevitably rubbing anyone you meet up the wrong way."
N999
"I can only go by the indicators you have given me," N999 said.
"For one thing, you called me by an overtly sexual name when I had already told you my designation. Typical emotionally retarded male behaviour. Your file contains several occasions of rape, both to yourself and commited by yourself on others. Emotionally crippled, you seek to overcome your subliminal sense of inferiority by commiting dominant acts on others. You are a faux Alpha male, wishing to be head of the Pack and acting as if you were, but not one in actuality."
Christian
Christian smiled slightly.
"Well when you put it that way... yes," he stopped himself from chuckling.
"I'm not a leader... yet."
N999
"I don't think you will ever be."
N999 blinked her eyes lazily.
"Certainly not if you persist with your attitude."
Christian & Taylor
"I don't have an attitude. I have a personality you can't handle," Christian grinned, tilting his head again.
"Awww... diddums."
"For f**k's sake Chris..." Taylor shook his head.
N999
"What personality? It seems rather banal to me."
N999 shook her head before looking at Taylor.
"You might survive. He, on the other hand, will not."
Christian
"I fully plan to."
Christian regarded her curiously.
"Whatever got included in making sure sure didn't pull off a great insult dictionary."
N999
"I know enough. What I do not know is extemporous to my purpose."
N999 walked across to Christian again. A roar echoed down the corridor, the sound of an enraged beast promising pain to its captors.
"Vampire," N999 identified the noise.
"They get so...frustrated."
Christian & Taylor
Taylor flinched at the sound, standing up properly again.
"Can hardly blame them," Christian shrugged.
N999
"You know what they are, correct? Demons inhabiting a corpse that feed off human blood..."
N999 turned, still listening to the roaring.
"Disturbing creatures."
Christian & Taylor
Taylor eyed the door warily, glad that it was open but hating at the same time.
"Well duh," Christian scorned, "every five year old human knows what a vampire is."
N999
"You know the myth and legend of a vampire. But do you know the science?" N999 sneered back.
"It is...a difficult business."
Christian
"Ever stop to wonder why? No," Christian returned.
"And I know how to deal with them on regular basis. Just like any other demon. Vampires are a truly low form."
N999
"Ah, but there are so many of them. They're like the rats of the supernatural world..."
N999 turned away, ears pricking up.
"Someone's coming."
Christian & Taylor
Taylor cringed, hoping it wasn't Blakesley.
"You got that right," Christian agreed, looking up at the door.
"Both things."
Blakesley
Blakesley stripped off his plastic glove as he walked in, depositing the red stained pair of disposable gloves in a bin. He glanced at Christian, and smiled.
"One might suppose that you might like to know your...child by Christina is well and healthy in his dam's womb."
Christian & Taylor
Taylor sank down a little as his fear was realized.
Christian gave Blakesley a curious look.
"Why should I care? It's only one of your little experiments."
Blakesley
Blakesley smiled slightly.
"Nevertheless...your genetic material contributed. I'm told Taylor was very upset when Natalia miscarried..."
He went and washed his hands in a sink.
Christian & Taylor
"No I wasn't," Taylor said softly, looking confused, "I didn't want another... another..."
He cut himself off and gulped.
"Another me," Christian ended for him, looking a little miffed.
Taylor glanced at him, before closing his eyes again tiredly.
Blakesley
Blakesley paused, turning and raising an eyebrow.
"Cloning...I have now more or less perfected. As can be demonstrated by N999."
N999 preened slightly, lifting her chin higher and cool happiness in her eyes.
"No, the child was yours. Think of it as ah, an IVF treatment. Although going by your brother's record, IVF will never be needed by any Hanson..."
Christian & Taylor
Taylor groaned and hid his face in his arms.
"He's getting mixed up," Christian observed, before frowning.
"Before you let him in on that, he thought it was a clone..."
Christian cut himself off as Taylor fainted again.
"I have no idea why he doesn't remember that. Don't blame me."
Blakesley
"You're not a telepath, so I don't," Blakesley murmured, interested in Taylor's reaction.
He walked over and twisted one of the needles he'd threaded through Taylor's arm the last time he had been in there.
Christian & Taylor
Taylor had barely awoken before he cried out. Once his feet found the ground again, he managed to stand up.
"That's nice," Christian raised his eyebrows, completely ignoring Taylor again, "not getting the blame for something. Unusual."
Blakesley
"He could perhaps have gotten another to do so," N999 suggested.
"But it is more likely to be Tanya, on request of Taylor."
"Why so certain now that I am telling you the truth?" Blakesley asked Taylor, fingers twisting the needle slowly.
Taylor & Christian
Taylor cringed, stopping himself from crying out as the pain shot through him.
"A-about what?" he stuttered.
Christian watched on curiously.
Blakesley
"About whether the fertilized ova I placed in Natalia's womb was a clone or simply her ova with your sperm," Blakesley said.
He removed the needle slightly, then thrust it further into Taylor's arm.
Taylor
Taylor cringed again and actually cried out.
"Why, what was it?!" he almost yelled, trying to catch his breath.
Blakesley
"The second," Blakesley said softly.
He tilted his head to the side slightly.
Taylor & Christian
Taylor looked into his eyes for second, before looking away again and closing his own.
"That's the truth," he breathed, clenching his fists.
Christian rolled his eyes, knowing that wasn't what Blakesley asked.
Blakesley
"How did you know?" Blakesley asked, twirling the needle slightly between his fingers.
"If you fail to tell me again...I'll have N999 go in your mind and find out for me. And I didn't train her to be gentle."
Taylor
Taylor cried out again.
"No, no, don't..." he shook his head.
"I knew... your body language. Your eyes."
He gulped.
Blakesley
"How very interesting," Blakesley breathed, letting go of the needle.
He took a step backward, looking at Taylor with an interested expression.
Christian & Taylor
Taylor closed his eyes again and leant his head back against the wall.
"Not all languages are verbal," Christian raised his eyebrows.
"Damn I should have picked that up..."
Blakesley
"Interesting..." Blakesley mused again, before stepping away and tapping at a keyboard.
N999 blinked slightly as she recieved new orders.
"I'd suggest opening your eyes again, Taylor..."
N999 rolled one shoulder slightly, before her body became a blur of movement, foot spinning around in a kick aimed at Taylor's face.
Taylor & Christian
Taylor's eyes had only opened a crack when he was hit.
He yelled out before Christian straightened his back.
"What was that for?" he demanded, glaring at Blakesley.
Blakesley
"Not paying attention," Blakesley said.
N999 moved off, cracking her knuckles softly and body language indicating her readiness to continue.
Christian & Taylor
Christian rolled his eyes again.
Taylor rested the side of his face against his arm, keeping eyes open this time - but tot he ground.
Blakesley
"How does this...recognition of what body language means occur?" Blakesley asked softly.
"One must suppose it is linked in with the purely oral linguistic side of things..."
Christian & Taylor
"Body language is still a language, isn't it?" Christian pointed out.
"I don't know," Taylor murmured, "all I know... is that it works. It's one of the visual languages I guess."
Blakesley
"Do you understand written language as well?" Blakesley asked.
Christian & Taylor
Taylor nodded.
"What part of 'all languages' do you not understand?" Christian raised an eyebrow, a skeptical look on his face.
Blakesley
"There is some debate about what exactly constitutes a language," Blakesley said.
"But not telepathy, I presume?"
Christian & Taylor
Taylor shook his head.
"Who cares about telepathy?" Christian almost snorted, "the guy can probably understand the most high-tech military codes just by glancing at them once."
Taylor's eyes widened.
"No, no*" he shook his head.
Blakesley
"Oh, really?" Blakesley said softly.
"I can think of more then one military man who would be very interested in that...not to mention the top staff of the FBI and CIA..."
Christian & Taylor
Christian raised an eyebrow.
"No, I can't. I swear I can't do that," Taylor shook his head, eyes slightly to the side of Blakesley.
"Please, I swear*"
Blakesley
"All languages, that is what you said," Blakesley said.
"Code is still a language."
He raised an eyebrow slightly.
Christian & Taylor
Taylor cringed as Christian grinned.
"That it is."
"Shut up Chris."
He hung his head again, his mind racing.
Blakesley
"Which would presuppose you could understand it," Blakesley said.
"Any communication with meaningful intent."
Christian & Taylor
Taylor groaned and leant his head against his arm again, struggling to keep his eyes open.
"That's `Tongue' for you," Christian shrugged, not hiding the fact that he was happy it had gotten out.
Taylor glared at him.
Blakesley
"Yet continually, you lie and misdirect me, Taylor," Blakesley sighed.
"That doesn't make me very happy."
He went over to the cabinet and started to inspect the tools inside.
Taylor
Taylor's eyes widened again.
"No! Please!" he begged, watching Blakesley.
"I, I don't know if I can! I haven't* It's computer code! I haven't been given the chance to find out, so maybe I can't or something!"
Blakesley
"Taylor, if only I could believe you..."
Blakesley picked up what looked like a small electric dentist's drill and turned around.
Taylor
Taylor started shaking again when his eyes fell on the small tool.
"Please..." he shook his head, pulling on his arms as he pushed himself back against the wall.
"I don't know. I really, really don't."
Blakesley
"Oh, don't you?"
Blakesley cocked his head slightly.
"One would think you would discover all about your power you could."
Taylor & Christian
"I've got my whole life to figure that out," Taylor basically whined as he shook his head, pleading eyes still on the tool.
Christian's eyes darted from Blakesley to Taylor.
"Please, I'm telling the truth."
Blakesley
"You've lied to me too often, I fear," Blakesley said.
"For me to trust your word..."
The drill whined unpleasantly as Blakesley stepped closer and then he rested the drill against Taylor's collarbone and it started to enter.
Christian & Taylor
Taylor cursed as it first hit, then yelled out. Christian simply turned his eyes away, bored.
"I wouldn't lie to you! PLEASE!" Taylor cried, his eyes squeezed shut and trying to catch his breath.
His head turned in the opposite direction.
Blakesley
The drill shuddered as it bit into bone.
"So, you truly do not know if you can read code?" Blakesley inquired in a bored voice.
Taylor
"Yes," Taylor cried, his face going red as he hid it in his arm.
Tears were starting to stream down his face.
"I swear..."
Blakesley
"Such beauty in your pain..." Blakesley murmured, letting the drill up for a moment.
"Such art..."
Christian & Taylor
Taylor continued to cry out for a moment as the pain ripped through him.
"What has he lied about?" Christian frowned suddenly, looking interested.
Blakesley
"Mostly about the reaches of his power," Blakesley said diffidently as he cleaned off the drill bit.
"Some...discipline and he usually comes back in line."
Christian & Taylor
Christian nodded, watching Taylor.
"I'm sorry," Taylor cried softly, before whining like a dog.
Blakesley
"As you should be," Blakesley said softly as he replaced the drill in the cupboard.
"Now..."
He was lost in thought for a few moments, fingers idly stroking over the blade of a knife.
Christian & Taylor
Christian kept his eye on Blakesley, blowing some hair out of his face.
Taylor lifted his head again, face still red and wet with tears as he tried to get his breathing back to normal. He cringed every now and then as the pain seemed to suddenly attack again.
Blakesley
Blakesley turned and studied both Christian and Taylor again.
"How interesting it is to see these completely disparite reactions between the two of you..."
Christian & Taylor
"You know pictures last longer," Christian raised his eyebrows.
Taylor whined again and looked away.
Christian turned to him for a second with an almost scornful look on his face.
Blakesley
"Oh, this is all being recorded," Blakesley said calmly.
"Oh, I have an idea...what if a small clip of this found its way into your little sister's email box, Taylor?"
Christian & Taylor
"No!" Taylor cried out, dropping his head again as his eyes welled up... again.
"Sometimes I really love not having a big family," Christian almost sighed, "no wait. That's all of the time."
Blakesley
"Ah, the things one will do to prevent even minimal harm to the ones one feels emotional attachment to..." Blakesley said.
"Although, Christian, my father may come in to see you again."
Christian & Taylor
Christian froze with his eyes on Blakesley as Taylor just started weeping again.
"That bastard can keep his $#!*ing knives away from me," he almost snarled.
Blakesley
"Apparently you're quite...unique," Blakesley said to Christian before turning his attention back to Taylor.
"One wonders how easily your smallest brother would follow a lost kitten out away from the house."
Taylor & Christian
Christian's top lip lifted a little showing his teeth in a silent snarl before he pulled himself together.
"Please don't," Taylor shook his head, looking up at Blakesley with desperation in his eyes.
Blakesley
"The N series are quite accomplished espionage agents."
Blakesley smiled, proud of his own accomplishment.
"More then one key household has been infiltriated."
He just smirked at Christian.
Taylor
Taylor's legs finally collapsed from under him again, and he barely managed to hold his head up.
"Please don't do this to us," he managed to gasp out, struggling to keep his eyes open.
Blakesley
"Give me one good reason why I should not," Blakesley said.
"But one without sentiment."
Taylor
Taylor cringed, his mind racing again.
"If my mind breaks down..." he began softly, not looking up, "that means my power goes with it. There will be no reason to keep me alive."
He gulped.
Blakesley
Blakesley turned to N999 who nodded slightly.
"He's telling the truth. Or thinks he's telling the truth."
"And truth is subjective..."
Christian & Taylor
"Well it is the truth as far as I know," Christian shrugged, "not to sure about Tongue specifically, but that's how it goes for other powers."
Taylor didn't move, worried about what Blakesley would say next.
Blakesley
"Art, is subjective," Blakesley said, tilting his head to look at Taylor through a falling lock of hair.
He grabbed N999's hair at the back of her head, forcing her head down as he swept the hair off her neck with his other hand. The barcode was plainly visible.
"You pair, of course, would not appreciate the beauty of the genetic sequencing that went into her creation. Nor truly, the beauty of what she is."
Christian & Taylor
"So... if you know we don't give a $hi+, then why are you telling us?" Christian raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips sarcastically.
Taylor closed his eyes, shivering.
Blakesley
"I am proud of my work."
Blakesley let go and N999 straightened again.
"I like to...show it off occasionally."
Christian & Taylor
Christian rolled his eyes and looked away.
Taylor opened his and leant his head back against the wall, still shivering.
Blakesley
"Perhaps, later, I will show you one of the training sessions," Blakesley said.
"But as it is...I have other work to complete."
Christian
"You've already mentioned the training center," Christian felt to inform him.
"Perhaps Alzheimer's really is kicking in after all."
Blakesley
"Too many things on my mind lately," Blakesley said softly.
"Good day."
He turned and left. N999 packed up the room and put a bandage over the wound in Taylor's chest before she left as well.
Christian & Taylor
"Yeah, guess what? Asshole," Christian muttered, before sliding down the wall so his weight was on his arms.
Taylor glanced toward him, but soon closed his eyes with a yawn.