Loyd walked down the steps of the access platform with Sara almost hiding behind him. The technicians present beat a hasty retreat out of the hangar. The two walked out of the hangar bay and into the primary courtyard where Loyd had first met Absinthe and Argo. The tree was still there but it was obviously not in the best of health. The kids in the area all stared at them. His face had been plastered on the score boards for all to see, but his recent disappearance caused them to exhibit a wide range of emotions. Many hated him for deserting the compound, because that wasn't an option for any of them.
Ignoring them for now, he turned to Sara.
"Sara, the swarm in you didn't die off. It just went to sleep… and I just woke it back up."
"Ooh! What a rush!" she said as her eyes shifted from brown to red.
"Now, where is everyone?" Loyd looked around and sniffed for them.
He picked up Griffon's and Jim's scents first. They were in the cafeteria. Mark and his sister were in the sim building and everyone else was scattered.
"Mind telling me if everyone is still using the old comms?" Loyd asked pulling his master comm out of his pocket.
"Yeah, we don't take them out unless we're going to sleep. It makes it easier to get together in case something happens and we need help." She paused pulling at Loyd's sleeve. "After you left, the other kids started targeting our corps. We lost control and went berserk whenever we got in the simulators so they stopped putting us in. Then the link died and the other kids started attacking us more often. The barracks were the only safe place we had."
"They did? Well, we can't have that," Loyd said. "Let's get everyone together. There's not much time."
"Right, I'll fetch the General," Sara said, running towards the headquarters.
Loyd put his comm in and turned it on. "Hey, guys! I'm in the courtyard. If you want to come with me, get your asses over here ASAP!"
"What do you think you're doing here? Do you think you can disappear after a mission and go unpunished, you white-haired freak!" one of the kids, standing in the courtyard with him, demanded.
"Maybe there'll be a snack waiting for you," Loyd added to comm, turning toward the brat.
The lanky kid snarled when Loyd seemed to be ignoring him and charged, screaming, "I asked you a question, punk!"
Loyd blocked the first punch, but then let the second one land, hitting him in the chest. He looked down at the kid's fist, then back up at him, raising an eyebrow.
"You would be tasty, if you actually had any meat on those bones."
"Aagh!" the boy screamed in rage. "You're nothing but a deserting monster!"
"Have it your way then," he said softly, his arm swinging upwards and catching the boy in his armpit. The arm separated from the boy's shoulder and Loyd's hand swung down to catch it.
The boy fell backwards onto his butt, screaming in panic since the pain couldn't have hit yet. As blood poured out, Loyd calmly walked over to the center of the courtyard, carrying the severed limb. Tying the upper half of his environment suit around his waist, he glanced around at the other kids in the yard.
"Anyone else want to fight? I don't mind getting more biomass."
They shrank away from him, some even turning to run in fear. A few grabbed up the bleeding kid and hauled him away.
"Good. I don't have time to waste."
"So, when do we leave?" Griffon asked, pulling the straps of his bag tighter against his shoulders.
"As soon as everyone gets here, right?" Madeline, Jim's sister, was right behind Griffon.
"Probably," Sara said with the General not far behind her, dressed in a bathrobe.
"Yeah, once everyone gets here," Loyd answered. "Jim not want to come?"
"He didn't have a pack already put together. So, we should have five," Griffon said.
Loyd wanted to be disappointed at the few who showed, but it was five more than he had.
"Loyd, you wanted to talk with me?" the General asked, slightly out of breath.
"Yes, I want to know who Reinhold Machins is. You have access to the military personnel list from ninety years ago."
"What do you want to know about him?" the General asked, pulling out a tablet and typing in the name.
"As much as possible," Loyd answered.
"It says here that Reinhold Machins was on the research team at the far point lab shortly before it exploded." The General scrolled down. "He's still alive in Greeley colony."
"Thank you, General. We'll be going in three minutes, whether everyone is here or not," Loyd said sitting down against the tree and resting an arm on top of his knee. "Now what building is he in?"
"Says he's near the edge of the field where your other two worms are. Why are they tearing the field apart?"
"Biomass, General. Do you suppose he wants to talk to his son now that he's turned into a monster? Why not?" Loyd tilted his head towards the General. "Mind if I take my mom with me?"
"You're going to take her whether I say yes or not. So, go ahead and take her, just let us disconnect her from the simulator."
"Wait, Loyd's mom is connected to the simulator?" Sara asked.
"Where did you think I got my swarm from? It obviously wasn't my dad," Loyd joked.
"Mind if I ask who's arm that is?" Sara asked pointing at the snack Loyd had mentioned.
"Think the kid's name was Gerard," Loyd answered, patting it next to him.
"Good riddance. That guy was a demon," Griffon said.
"I did make a bunch of monsters, didn't I?" Loyd laughed.
"Nah, I was born this way," Sara said sitting down next to Loyd. "He can get a bionic one for cheap so it's not as bad as you might think."
Picking up the arm, she took a big bite and chewed it with relish.
"I wasn't born a monster," Madeline grimaced, watching Sara eat.
"You sure? This stuff has just the right flavor of revenge and it's still warm!" Sara tore another chunk off.
"Well alright, toss it here," Madeline said as her eyes turned red.
Sara tossed her another chunk. Madeline was a little apprehensive before taking a bite.
"Wow, you're right! This thing tastes awesome!" Madeline took another bite.
"You want some, Loyd?" Sara asked, offering him a chunk.
"Nah, that's probably not enough for everyone. I'll eat something when we get to space," he replied.
"Alright then." Sara looked a little disappointed. "Griffon do you want some?"
"I just ate," he replied.
"Hey gang, I'm ready now and I got the letters," Jim said showing up.
"Alright, that's everyone. I'll talk some other time General. The crystal things can intercept radio communications," Loyd said, standing up.
"Alright, I can eat and walk," Sara said, standing up as well.
"So, you're just going to leave?" came a cry from behind him.
A group of kids had gotten together and their leader was swinging a metal bar.
"Yeah, I'm on a tight schedule," Loyd answered unimpressed.
"You guys would attack with the General still here?" Jim asked, pointing a thumb at the old man in the bathrobe.
"Just don't kill them," the General said noting the look on Loyd's face.
"You heard him, guys. We get to beat them to within an inch of their lives."
Several of the mob members pulled out spare tools and makeshift weapons. They didn't seem impressed with the mention of the General, with him only wearing his bathrobe.
"Come at me then. I'm the reason you're all mad, aren't I? Do your worst."
The mob began to approach slowly until someone charged Loyd with a wrench. He blocked the kids swing, spun around him, and slammed his elbow into the kid's back. There was a loud snap and the kid fell to the ground without a sound.
"Who's next?"
"That was my brother you piece of sh-" The person stopped short when Loyd's fist punched through their throat.
"Oops," he said, shaking his hand off and turning to look at the rest.
The mob backed up before someone shouted. "We outnumber them! Just fucking charge!"
The group jumped forward to charge when Loyd's wings ripped through the back of his shirt. His wings struck forward before anyone could stop, and had stabbed through several. Screams of terror rang out as they scattered to cries of 'RETREAT!'
Loyd retracted his wings, and stepped past them, as they writhed in pain.
"That's for fucking with my corps," he hissed at them. "The only reason you're alive is because the General requested it. He's the smartest politician humanity has and I respect him for that."
"Well, they're mostly still alive so, I guess you better get going," the General paused. "Do you have any environmental suits for the rest of your group?"
"Nope. They get to ride in style," Loyd answered cheerfully.
"The fuck is with the wings? Those look badass!" Sara blurted out, awestruck, as the General nodded and hurried away.
"Actually, it's a critter I made for self-defense," he answered, nudging the kids as they tried to crawl away from him.
"Why? That seems like overkill when you could just grow wings like that," Sara said.
"I would prefer to stay looking human. Even if I did remove those, quote on quote, lung implants, I still like how I look," he admitted.
"Well, your white hair is pretty unique, but don't you want to have some big muscles, or maybe a six pack?" asked Jim, eyeing his lean frame.
"I like my looks!" insisted Loyd, looking down at himself, shocked that Jim didn't agree.
"So, are we going to stand here all day, admiring your good looks?" asked Madeline, dryly.
"Maybe. No, not really. I'm just waiting for my worm to pop up," Loyd laughed.
The worm popped out of the ground ten feet from Loyd right about then, leaning over, opening its toothy maw and waiting.
"There you are. Now, everyone gets to hop into its mouth so we can get to Greeley on time."
"You first buddy," Jim said, eyeing the sharp teeth with barely concealed apprehension.
Loyd shrugged and let the worm eat him. He slid down into a special storage compartment on the way to the stomach of the worm. Sara was the next to make it to the cargo section of the worm.
"So, worm travel. Think it's the next big thing in locomotion?" Loyd asked, jokingly.
"I don't know. I only just found a seat after all," Sara replied, looking around at the muscled interior.
"Right. Well, we'll be heading out as soon as everyone gets here."