Chapter 17




The police were en route, and so were we. I swooped down, and angled myself straight. It lets me go faster, streamline y'know? Winx did the same, but butterfly wings can only carry you so fast.
All things aside, we made it to the lab in no time. To my surprise, there wasn't anyone outside in the large field area. But the smell was strong now. Something big was happening.
We descended into the field and landed close to each other. Immediately, I tensed up, and prepared to fight. I assumed a battle ready stance, did a three sixty sweep of the area, and...
...nothing came out to attack us. Weird. Something was wrong here, something had to be up. I looked over at Winx. Uh oh, she had this sort of scared looked.
"Winx...are you alrig..." before I could finish, a sudden static sound went through my head.
It was weird. It was really loud, but it didn't hurt. It was like the buzzing in my head. Suddenly, an image took over my eyes. Freaky as it sounds, it was like I could see someone else. A girl, with short blond hair...
Winx?
She was running, crying, running away from something...a huge, bio-freak...
The image disappeared. I looked over at Winx, she'd regained her composure. I rubbed my head, that was really freaky. But this wasn't the time to get freaked. I started towards the only door in the field.
Winx followed close behind me. I could hear her breathing a little heavier. I reached out, and touched the knob. Slow, dramatic turn, pulled it open.
Again, nothing waiting to try and kill us.
Instead, I was greeted by a long, traditional lab like hallway. I began walking down it, when another image flashed across my eyes.
Winx again, two soldiers forcing her through the hall. The soldiers are dressed in all black, with their faces hidden by masks, and holding rifles. Winx collapses to her hands and knees, and one of the soldiers slams her in the back with the butt of his rifle.
The image faded, and suddenly I began to get enraged. I mean, just something in my blood started to heat up. I was angry. But I couldn't let this get my guard down, had to stay focused.

Just a quick note. I apologize if this part is fast, or non-descriptive. But I was really on edge. Again, sorry, and just bare with me.

Now, I'm used to the standard 'there's a bad guy, kick his ass, praise and glory, go home' sort of thing. But this, this was just giving me the willies.
She reached out and pressed her palm against mine. Instinctively, I cupped my hand around hers. This had to be rough for her. Let me explain it as best I can. Have you ever been afraid of some place? Say, a doctors, or a dentist or something? Well, usually that fear subsides. But this, this was something that would never subside, and would always be a horrible memory to her.
I took a step forward. Slowly, cautiously. Winx followed. Alright, she was still ok to go further. We moved deeper into the complex, until we could see a four way intersection down the hall. I whispered to Winx for her to stay behind for a sec, and slowly, I crept up to the open space.
I held my hand down straight, lengthened my claws, then sprung out into the intersection. Again, nothing was there. Something was seriously wrong here.
Most labs that I've seen are equipped with the most high tech security systems, to the point where a grain of sand touches the floor, and everyone knows. So why weren't there armies of scientists and soldiers coming after me?
I motioned for Winx that it was clear, and she stepped up.
"That way..." she pointed down one hall, "Leads to...the containment wing..."
She looked the other way, "That way...goes to the sub labs...and testing facilities..."
She then turned to the path straight ahead of the one we'd come down, "That way..."
Before she finished, there was another image. This one was moving through the hall she'd just pointed out. This one was from another person's eyes though. Winx', maybe? I tried to look around, but these visions were view only. I couldn't control where it looked. Anyway, the vision staggered through the hall, to a door far back. A bloody hand reached out, and the door slid open.
Inside, was a large, lab-like lobby. And here's the worst part. Completely full of psycho-psi's. Everywhere, you could barely see the floor. And as soon as they noticed me/whoever the vision was from, they immediately stopped what they were doing.
"It's 27880," one of them said, "Code 16, alert Grath immediately."
Then, eleven soldiers stepped out from the group, and they started towards whoever's eyes I was borrowing.
Then it ended. Again I was back in reality, in the cold, chemical wreaking lab hallway. Jeez this was getting weird.
"That way...leads to..." she started again.
I finished her sentence, "A room filled to the brim with psycho-sci's."
I could tell going in would be a bad idea, but frankly I didn't care. I could take a few dozen psycho-psis. Hell, I could probably take the soldiers too. But I wasn't sure about Winx.
"I'm going in..." I said, "I want you to stay out of the fight, and if I go down, I want you to leave immediately."
She looked at me, "B...but...I couldn't leave you..."
"Trust me," I told her, "Get outside, wait for Matt. As soon as he gets here, tell him I'm down, bring them here, they'll handle the rest."
She nodded reluctantly, "Ok..."
I moved down the hallway, and up to the door. This one was pressure sensitive, meaning that if you touched it, it would open. Kind of a neat concept. I kept my claws lengthened, reached forward, and touched the door. Immediately, I assumed a readied stance, prepared to take down the first scientist or soldier I saw.
The door split down the middle, and slid open. I spread out my hands, and prepared to lunge...
...again, nothing was there. just a big, empty, circular room with some furniture, a reception area, lights, and other pressure doors. This was too weird. What, was it national 'crazy bio-genetic scientists get the day off' day?.
"It's clear," I called.
Winx moved up and joined me, quickly placing her hand in mine again. Man, this was really getting to her. I looked around, and one door stood out from the rest. It had a large dent in it, like something had hit it, hard.
I started walking over to it, and Winx suddenly gripped my hand harder. I looked at her, and she looked a little more worried.
"If you wanna stay here, that's fine," I reassured her.
She looked down at the floor, "No...It's ok..."
I kinda felt bad that she was going with me. But, if she said she was alright...well...guess it couldn't be helped. I stepped up to the door and touched it. It split at the middle, and opened as far as it could before the dent didn't fit into the side wall. It was wide enough to step through though. I step in first, but Winx hesitated a little bit.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
Suddenly, I got another vision. This one...really got my blood boiling. It was another first person one. It started out with the floor rushing at Winx...or rather her falling and hitting the floor. She was crying, and she weakly tried to get up. Suddenly, she was jerked up and pressed against the wall. Three soldiers were standing there, one holding her in submission. Two of them her grinning. It's weird, their faces were uncovered, but blurry. I couldn't clearly see it.
They began grabbing at her, laughing and grinning a grin that honestly made me want to rip their mouths right off their faces. It took me a second to realize what was happening...
...and as soon as I did, I knew my fists clenched in real life. One of the soldiers tore away part of her shirt, and was about to go for more, when a voice called from down the hall.
"Enough!" it said, deep, severe, stead fast.
The soldiers immediately turned, but Winx shut her eyes. I could hear her crying, but I couldn't see anything. The voice spoke again.
"Now now, gentlemen," it said, "I'm sure you remember what we said. 27880 is to be a pure specimen. Understand?"
One of the soldiers spoke, "Understood."
The vision ended.
My vision returned to me. I clenched my fist, the one that wasn't holding Winx's hand. Now, I was severely pissed. I...can't even describe how much I was bound set and determine to flat out slaughter the first psycho-sci I saw.
"I...I'm....I'm sorry..." Winx said quietly.
I looked over at her. A tear was sliding down her cheek, and she looked flat out miserable. I turned to stand in front of her, and put my arms around her.
"You don't have to apologize for anything," I hugged her for a moment, then released her, "There's no reason for you to say sorry."
I looked down the hall again, "They're the one's who are going to apologize."
I'll try to explain how ticked off I was. To be honest, there's only one way I can really explain. This was the one thing that truly, absolutely made me want to kill. And that's...really a strong emotion. People sometimes say they're mad enough to kill. Well guess what, they aren't.
I let go of Winx's hand, and turned towards the end of the hallway. I don't know how fast I went, but I wasn't walking. It was like all instinct over took me. I walked up to the door, and slammed my hand against it.
The door split at the middle, and slid apart...
...and suddenly, all the rage in my body shriveled up and disappeared.