Red lights flashed in the halls as people tried getting to the closest exits to them to get out so as not to be in the way. Raylee and Cormac came to a split in the halls and look at each other
"I'll take right you take left Ray" Cormac says, Raylee nods at him they begin heading before she turns around and looks at him
"Hey, don't get yourself killed alright we need you alive and well and the girl needs you more than anything."
Cormac looks at her and gives a slight smirk
"Don't worry I'm not kicking the bucket that easily, they won't take her again." He says as he cocks his gun and begins walking away. Raylee smiles and heads in the opposite direction.
As Cormac continued down the hall it was quiet, most of the people had gotten to the escape exits and were outside now. He had to get to a room where he could then put the rest of the lockdown doors up so that nothing else could exit the building. But that was on the 3rd level and there were probably guards and possibly some gang members between him and that room. That was alright he would handle them one at a time.
As he continued, three gang members came around the corner, they were from one of the 4 big gangs that ran parts of the city that were poorer than the ones the guards held on tight watch. They looked to be from necroshire, they were from the north and were some rather unstable individuals who had some twisted ideals on living things, they would pick at their victim's brain trying to figure out what made them tick. Cormac knew he couldn't let them find his weaknesses and keep his mind more focused. The three noticed him and an eerie cackle billowed from the ones throat, looked to be the alpha of the trio
"It looks like some fresh meat has fallen across our path boys let's have some fun because I'm bored in this joint. Hey, buddy, we don't gotta fight if you just give us the girl."
The man says in a twisted tone reaching his hand out as if to gesture towards Cormac. Cormac lets out a chuckle.
"Oh really well I'm sorry but I am not telling you shit, you want her you gotta try and get through me then first."
He says as he pulls out to knives from his side pockets. He swings them around before taking a stance and urging the one to come at him.
The one in the center chuckles
"Well that truly does tarnish my first notion." he looks from side to side. The two behind him looked like they were itching to move. He smiles
"Go get em boys" hyena-like cackles bounced off the walls and as they came into Cormac's line of sight better he noticed these weren't just normal humans but people that had been used in a lab and crossed with a hyena. Sharp nails came from the dirty hands, long jagged teeth came from there mouth, their eyes glazed over. Fur covered most of their bodies and they stood on their hind legs like a human would.
Shock takes over for a moment as the two mutant creatures run fairly quickly towards Cormac. One jumped to get a hold of his shoulder which was already damaged and hasn't fully healed yet. He crosses his arms as it jumps to shield it from attacking his face. They skidded back slightly from the impact and Cormac now had the sharp teeth trying to tear at his skin. He manages to push it off and it hits the ground with a thud.
The second one runs at a wall and uses it for leverage jumping to grab Cormac from behind. Cormac spins around and uses his fist and jabs it in the temple slamming it to the ground. The one from before begins to come out of his daze as there master then speaks
"You see fresh meat they only crave one thing and that's the taste of human blood, like real hyenas they are always hungry for whatever they can get their gnarly teeth on. Their jaws are rather strong as well-meaning they don't like to release once they have a hold on what they see as their prey. Their agility is slightly heightened but their eyesight is poor, but all that does is help heighten their other senses so they can smell their prey's blood from a few miles away. Aren't my babies magnificent?"
The man says with a maniacal laugh.
As Cormac throws the one-off him slamming them into the ground causing a yelp to come out he looks at the man.
"You're sick, all of you are sick humans with a lack of human or animal empathy, I can't stand people like you," he says as he spins around and grabs the one by the throat and throws it into the ground. He holds it but its fragile neck as scratches at his forearm opening it and causing blood to trickle down his arm. He lets out a grunt of pain then takes the other hand and snaps its neck, killing it instantly.
He looks at the man who is now mortified. " you see you missed something, they were once human, you mixed in different things to give it hyena-like abilities but you lacked knowing how easy it is to snap either a human or hyena's neck which ended in your first baby's demise." as he says this the second one lunges for his neck, he grabs it by the snout-like shape upon its face and slams it into the ground then takes his knife and drives it through the heart of the creature.
The man looks at him with a look of anger
"You dare question my work, I did this for a living, my work gone within seconds at the hands of someone like you, maybe I'm not the monster but you are," he says as he looks at the dead bodies. The man balls his fists and grabs out a gun and points it at Cormac.
"You deserve to die just like my babies did," he says cocking the gun then shoots it, Cormac dodges it, the bullet nearly missing him. He then runs at the man. He grabs his arm holding the gun and brings his opposite hand down hard on the man's wrist causing the gun to clatter to the floor. He then pushes up and pops the man's arm out of its socket before swinging him and slamming him on the ground. The man lets out a cry in pain as Cormac steps over him, digging his heel into the injured shoulder.
"See what you failed to learn when you were making your creations was how to protect yourself in a desperate time. You're weak with a lack of training to go against someone. And because of that you to have sealed your fate tonight."
He says and he pulls a knife out and stabs it into the jugular vein, having the man bleed out in seconds. He steps off of him, wiping the blade off before turning and heading to the staircase to head up to the next floor.
During this time Raylee was heading down a hallway on the opposite side of the building, she kept walking then rounded a corner, as she did she saw 6 guardsmen coming from the opposite direction.
"Shit."
She says as she jumps into an alcove, there was a metal door there, it was to one of the rooms where they had been holding a patient to help them with whatever ailment they had. She holds the gun to her chest, her white hair resting in a high ponytail to keep her hair away from her face. She heard the 6 coming and was going to wait for them to pass, as they did she jumped out and shot one in the back. Blood seeped from the wound covering the grey jacket they wore in a deep crimson stain, they dropped to the floor. This alerts the 5 that remain and they turn to face her. She smirks and pulls out a pistol.
"Hey boys lets dance," she says in a joke as she runs at them. They point their guns at her and one shoots at her chest, she narrowly dodges the bullet having it glide against her skin causing her own blood to seep and gently trickle down her arm. She doesn't pay much attention to it as she runs at one then glides underneath there legs, she comes up and smacks the back of her gun into there neck causing them to fall, she grabs them and holds them in front of her as she shoots 3 more shots hitting 3 of the 4 remaining guards, were deadly, they could be if not treated. She drops the one she was holding the points at the last one, he was backing away and tried to run.
"Not on my watch."
She shoots two bullets into his calves causing them to fall to the ground. She then looks at the bodies and walks away from them and begins to head further down, she thought she was good until she came around another corner. There were people from the three other gangs bickering with each other but stop and notice her, she backs away as they begin to move towards her, she didn't have enough on her to take down what looked to be almost 20 people. She knew she would be signing her death certificate. She turns and runs down the hallway, she hears a few pick up speeds.
"Oh fuck"
She looks around the hall and sees a door cracked open. She looks back to see their shadows getting gradually bigger. She runs into the room and finds a vent big enough for her to crawl into. She goes inside and goes far enough in then brings her wrist up. Each of them had a bracelet Joel had made that could bring up a 3d hologram of each of the buildings they had. She brings up the one of the hospital and sees who else has there's activated, Cormac, and Sona had there's up right now so it gave her an idea of where each was placed, she had to get to Cormac as things were not looking good for them,
She figures out a direct route and begins her way over to him.
Cormac was standing on the second floor while looking at his map. He saw Sona was in the underground tunnels at this point which was good, it meant they were making progress to get her to safety. He hoped they would get out safely. As he closes his he sees a few guards coming at him. He then goes to attack them.
Sona's po.v.
It was somewhat dingy in the underground tunnels as they were not well kept, and they were rarely used especially nowadays when they originally thought they would possibly never be needed. Well, it was lucky enough to even have them. Sona brought up the map of the building and saw there was a tunnel that actually led to the hotel; it wasn't too far away from where they were at. She looks at Joel
"Joel there is a hallway just off this main one we can head there and it will bring us to the hotel hopefully will be safe for now they're in the base below they can't get into unless it is programmed to their retina and faces and I think nobody is there right now. Let's get going okay?"
Joel simply nods and begins to push the bed more. They look at the bed and see Cyra begin stirring but in her sleep.
"Something is happening we need to get her into your lab soon so we can monitor her better before she wakes up. Hopefully, she is okay," says Joel as they quicken the pace and turn left down the hall towards metal doors in the distance where they would enter into the brightland hotel.
Cyra's p.o.v
I was walking down the hall several doors still remained shut but the light seemed to glow faintly in the distance, it had a blue haze within it and as I got closer a man in a lab coat appeared before me. He was rather tall with light blonde hair and a simple grin upon his face.
"Hello miss Jonz, it's been a while I've been locked away for quite some time I've missed you. Here I need to bring you to a memory of me," he says as his smile kind of falters.
It was odd, I didn't quite understand the change in expression but it had to mean something. He looked familiar to me like I had seen him at some point in my life. I decide to follow him to the blue light coming from behind the door. He opens the door for me and we walk in, a bright light goes over us and on the other side, we step into a lab of sorts. In front of us laid what looked like a surgical table, there were different pieces of equipment with multiple wires running through them. The man moves behind me.
"It is sad you have to relive this again, come with me for a better view."
I look at him
"Uh, sir what exactly is happening here?"
He doesn't say much except for
"Just watch your questions will be answered soon," he says as he leans against the wall. He looked tired, I hadn't noticed the dark circles before that rested under his eyes and the slight mess of curls atop his head.
I lean against the wall then hear walking from behind the door. As it opened up three figures walked in, the one looked similar to the female figure I had seen earlier, the other was foggy and he stood there clear behind the women. I follow down there bodies and see a young me once again. The woman's figure had my hand while the other was balled in a fist holding the blonde man's pant leg. I looked scared then spoke.
"Please, I don't want to go back on the table, please don't make me."
The young version of me looked at the blonde man with a look of fear as she pleaded to him. He kneels down and looks at her.
"I'm sorry but we have to, just one more for today then you can rest at home okay?" he says.
She looks at him.
"You promise?"
"I promise"
As he says that the woman let go of her hand and grabbed her away from him, sitting her on the table.
"Magnus stops babying her; she is to be a weapon." the man glares at her.
"She is a child don't you realize that?!" he says, a sense of anger welled in his throat.
"I don't care what she is getting to work already, we haven't got all day." the woman says before pushing past him. If looks could kill he would've just shot daggers through the women. He walks over to the end of the bed near the girl's head. The other shadow had already begun preparing a needle to insert into her arm. She squirmed a bit out of fear, small bruises lined her arms showing they usually had problems finding a vein meaning this would take a few tries.
The figure grumbles and grabs her arm with decent force pulling her towards it with the needle in their hand.
"Sit still you brat," it says, it was a woman's voice as well. Magnus looks at the figure.
"Watch it, remember the governess doesn't want much harm done to her if you hurt her in a certain way she will have your head by dusk."
The figure sighs and lets go of her arm. She pulls her arm towards her and rubs it a bit then lets it rest on the bed. They put a rubber band around and slap her wrist a few times to bring the veins to the surface. The one-woman pokes the needle into the vein.
"Alright, she is ready, put the device on her head lets figure out how we can make sure she only remembers what we want her to."
He sighs, "fine let's get this over with"
He says as he begins sticking different electrodes onto her head. They would show the different wavelengths and patterns in the brain, this would help them find what they were looking for.
"The best place to put it is between where memories are usually transmitted and that is closer to the back of the brain. Is the chip ready? We can most likely perform the surgery soon as she is healthy enough for it to go over smoothly."
He begins showing the imagery of where they would put it which was between the hippocampus and amygdala.
"If we put it here this will prevent negative memories from getting through, by doing this it should lessen the chance of any PTSD or anything from developing over the next few years."
The shadow of the women spoke
"Brilliant, that means we can progress our studies and figure out how to use her then finally and not worry about the consequences.
Magnus looks at the figure.
"You do realize this isn't a permanent thing she will eventually have these come back"
The figure looks at him
"Yeah well by the time it begins to corrode will probably be done with her so I'm not too worried about that right now"
Magnus gets angered.
"You lack to remember she is a child, it's like you don't care for her safety or health!"
"Why would I be she'll end up like the rest of mutants being cast aside she's not valuable
Magnus balled his fists and got in the face of the women.
"You lack the moral and human sympathy for others, you act like a damn robot and all because of them, you're his puppet don't you realize that?!"
"The figure turns around and ends up punching Magnus in the face
"You know nothing, remember your place Magnus, don't you dare try and go against my decisions or that will be the end of you."
Magnus had fallen to the ground from the impact and blood seeped from his nose, small drips stained the once white floor as he looked up at the figure. Young Cyra had pulled the needle out of her arm and had run to give Magnus something to help slow the bleeding. As she tries to she gets grabbed by one of the figures and lifted over their shoulder. She hits there shoulders
"Let me down you asshole let me help him."
The women figure looks over
"Shut up little butterfly its time for you to go back home and to sleep, don't worry about Magnus he will be fine and will see you tomorrow." with that she was taken from the room.
My hands were balled into fists as the memory began to end and I looked at Magnus.
"So you were the one made to put that damn chip in my brain, why couldn't you stop them?"
He looks at me with a tired expression.
" I had no choice in the matter if it was up to me that would never have happened but she ordered it, I would have been killed if I refused. I'm so sorry for what they did to you, I never agreed with any of it. There is one other thing I need to show you, then I must leave."
I looked at him and bow my head, I was angered by this change of events but I would let him finish showing me whatever it was he wanted to.
"Lead the way."
He nods and proceeds to a door at the back of the room.
"This was of more recent events, but you most likely forgot about it which is why it is locked away here. Follow me, young one."
We enter through the door and come to see me being the same age I am now. The door began to creep open and I turn and look to see a figure in the door the figure spoke
"Miss we need to go now before they come to check on you."
I nodded and grabbed a bag and the sweater I had worn for warmth before I had found the cloak. The memory changes to me and a figure running down an older looking hallway, a window rested at the end. As we got there we opened the window and I put one leg out and sat on the window ledge and looked at the figure.
"Thank you. Magnus." we can see a soft smile appear on the darkened face before he speaks.
"Remember kid, you must find your freedom, get your memories back and use them for a better tomorrow. Stay true to yourself. As you run head southeast towards the edge of the city you will find people there who will be willing to help you leave this merciless place, find the others, trust them, there is more to this world then what you may realize."
I had nodded at him and got off the window and gave him a hug,
"Thank you Magnus, for never giving up in what you believed in."
He hugged me back, it was a special moment but then the alarms began to ring, his eyes widened
"You need to Go now! Try to find C he will know what to do, run before they get you," he says pushing me out the window. I look at him
"Magnus! Come with me, get away from this place you shouldn't have to stay here."
A look of calm presides over his face.
"I am sorry my dear but I have done all I can at this time, may we meet again soon, don't forget me," he says as he grabs the window. I jump and hold the banister he leans out and yells out
"For the resistance my dear you are part of a new dawn and don't let anyone stand in your way."
"Goodbye until the day we meet again."
The window is then shut on me and a tear rolls down my cheek as I jump to the ground and go into a barrel roll to not have as strong an impact on my legs. I look up at the window and see him with his hands up then pulled down and as he is taken away.
I scream out
"NOOOO" as they take him. More tears fall but then I remember he wanted me to be free. I turn away and run into the forest surrounding the building.
The memory ends leaving me and Magnus standing there, a tear falls from my eyes as I look at him.
" you saved me when nobody else would, you went against your orders from those who were higher up. All because you wanted to help me, but where it had put you, it put you in a position where they took you and now I don't know what has happened to you."
Magnus looks at her
"I did it because I knew you would be needed to build a brighter and better future, you have the potential to change the world and restore what our ancestors had built years ago. Bring back the balance we once had. You are needed and this is just the start of your journey, there is much for you to learn snow.
I begin to notice him growing fainter
"My time with you is drawing to a close right now but remember to stay strong and fight like you've never fought before, keep a clear goal in mind and reach it. I know you can achieve anything."
He begins walking backwards more, his arms outreached. I run to him
"Wait please don't leave, don't leave me again I have so many questions I need your help I need you."
He simply smiles.
"You will be okay I know you will."
I run more as he backs up more parts of him slowly dissipating around us
"I will fight Magnus I will find you and break you out and give you the freedom you so deserve." more tears fall as I wrap my arms around him, I can feel a slight warmth
'Goodbye for now until I see you again snow."
A light swallows us and I then fall on the wooden floor beneath me. I look around and find myself alone in the hallway. I lean against a wall and curl my legs into my chest to relax before carrying on. I close my eyes letting my mind go blank for a bit.
Cormac's p.o.v
Cormac eventually had reached the third floor, he had several new cuts upon him and blood that wasn't only his but rather that of the others who had tried attacking him. There were more than he expected which he knew was never a good thing. His breathing was heavy as he entered the control room as he sat down and the door slammed open. He immediately drew his weapon and pointed it at the figure
"Hey watch where you're pointing that thing dammit."
He lets out a sigh of relief and puts the gun down
" Ah Raylee, it's you okay, and come on, gotta be on our heels. These damn halls are crawling with people who honestly hate us, we can never be too careful."
"Ya ya I get it move over I need to talk to you quickly we don't have much time."
She says as she sits down beside Cormac she speaks pretty blunt
" There are too many of them, we can't take them alone, we need backup."
Cormac looks at Raylee
"Yes I already know that but nobody can get here in time," he says
"I have to lock down the place immediately so what are we going to do?" he says as he begins flipping a few switches. A voice comes over the comms
"Lockdown sequence has been initiated, metal door now coming down and locking into place complete lockdown in 10...9...8.."
The countdown continued as all the windows and doors got covered by bulletproof metal.
"3...2...1.. Lockdown complete."
Cormac turns to look at Raylee
"There is only one thing I can think of, we may not have our reinforcements but we do have some friends down there."
He points towards the windows in the control room below them. There were rooms that held patients they had been helping learn to cope with whatever had been done to them.
"You don't mean?"
"Yes I do"
You want to release them all into our halls, we haven't been able to cure all of them yet though"
"I know but what other choice do we have, if we don't we're gonna get killed out there. We have to do what will save us, and those people down there trust us, you know how we treated them, we've treated them like the humans they once were, they will side with us because we gave them a new life, a better one where they're not seen just as the monstrosities society has pinned them as. It is our best option, Ray, do you trust me?"
He says as he looks at her. She lets out a huff,
"Yes, I trust you to not get us killed. Do it," she says crossing her arms.
He nods and goes over to the panel. He flips a few more buttons then a bigger handle appears. He pulls it down and the sound of locks unlocking rings through the corridors, some that had been walking stopped in confusion and stare at the doors that begin to open. And sounds of voices and laughter begin to bounce off the halls.
Raylee and Cormac look at each other.
"Ready to go help our unique friends Ray?"
"Ready as I'll ever be cor"
They nod at each other and begin walking towards the hallway together, they notice a couple of guards running right past them, they then hear the ravenous sounds from a couple of the crazies who run by them moments later. One had claws on their hands and feet, they stood about 6 feet tall and had long black hair resting in a ponytail along their back. Another was blind but had sharp teeth and had rather heightened senses that helped them see body temperatures of those around them. They paid no attention to Cormac and Raylee.
They look at each other and shrug before cocking their guns and heading the opposite way of where the others had gone. They run back down to the second floor to find a bloodbath already. Several guards were dead or bleeding out at this point and the faint voices could be heard a decent way down the hallway.
Cormac and Raylee go in the opposite direction.
A couple of gang members had begun running through the halls trying to find an escape, they come to a junction in the hallways, from one they can hear gunshots ringing out followed by some screams, another had blood trails running through it, the one they came from they weren't turning back to. They decided to go down the cleanest of the four, some blood was splattered upon the walls but looked to be the safest route. As they begin down it they take a left then find a younger female just standing in the hallway, her head was down and her arms rested limply to her sides. She didn't seem to notice or pay much attention to the newcomers.
One decides to walk up to her and goes to grab her, he grabs her wrist then she shoots her head up and stares at him with near-black eyes and a look of anger across her face.
"Don't you dare TOUCH MEEEE!!" she screams then turns it into a loud scream, the gang members immediately cover their ears but their eardrums explode from the impact of her cry. Causing their ears to bleed, it sends their mind into overdrive and they implode on themselves killing them almost immediately. As she stops she breathes heavily and looks at the bodies now on the floor. She steps over them and goes right heading down into a different wing of the hospital.
Cormac and Raylee hear the scream from where they are and chuckle a bit.
"Well some unfortunate souls met Banshee, probably tried to grab her, that was their first mistake." Raylee laughs and shakes her head. They came to a separate junction in the more left-wing of the hospital but hadn't noticed people coming from three of the four hallways. Once it clicked they drew their guns.
"Oh shit this is bad" they turn and out each other back to one another bringing their weapons from the waist. They hadn't noticed the watchful eyes above them until something dropped to the floor beside them. They both look and notice a familiar face.
"Blade is that you?"
A young woman stood up, her long hair was tied up in two french braids.
"Yes it is, a pleasure to see you two again, wish it was on a less death threatening time but oh well, let's give these bitches a lesson, not to fuck with the brightland hospital for the damaged souls. She says as she shoots her hands down cursing two long blades to come from her wrists.
"Alright Ray takes right-wing, blade take centre and I'll take left, on the count of three. One...two...three."
The three of them use their momentum and attack each of the groups of enemies.
In a decent time, most if not all had been severely injured or killed. Not only of the ones Cormac and them had gotten to but to those unfortunate souls whose fate was sealed the moment they attacked the building. The sounds of the broken ones had begun to quiet down meaning most were satisfied with their work. Cormac, Raylee and blades stood next to each other with blood dried upon their clothes and arms, some had splattered upon their faces as three stood there, their breathing heavy from all they had done. They began walking towards the centre of the building. Cormac looks at Raylee.
"Ray, call Joel and see if they made it safely back to the base, also good work to both of you. I'm really proud of you Blades you have come a long way from when we first brought you back here. Keep up the good work."
As he says this blades looks at him
"Well, I got help from the best. I should be the one thanking you guys, you've helped me learn to control it better. Thank you."
Raylee smiles.
"It's what we do, all can be helped, just keep up the good work and learning how to stay in control of your body will help out lots with it as well."
They come to the lobby and go to the desk, the three sit down and notice the damage they had all taken.
Raylee had a few cuts and bruises, the worse one was near her shoulder from where the bullet grazed her. Cormac had several cuts from blades and near misses with bullets, and blades had only some minor injuries. They sit down at the desk and Cormac picks up the phone
"Time to call in the cleanup crew." As he said this he looked over at Raylee who had at this point gotten in touch with Joel.
"Is everything good Over there Joel?" She asks
He looks through the hologram.
"Everything is fine here Cyra was beginning to become unstable but we got to the lab just in time to stabilize her. Most likely she was reliving another memory it seems due to the increased heart rate and brain activity. She is fine now though no more shaking at least. Are you guys good you look like you had been knocking on death's door."
Raylee chuckles
"Very funny Joel alright will be back soon we need to get the broken ones back and call in the cleanup crew. It is going to be a long night. Signing off now until later" she says turning the comm off before collapsing back on a chair