Selene
The first thing I could feel was the pain. A searing pain circled my chest, the pain felt like fire. And as my eyes opened fully the pain circled my body. Not just my chest. But my back, my shoulders, all the way to the tips of my fingers. Today was the day I would die. But before I get to that maybe I should begin with how I lived.
June 20, 2046
I hadn't given much thought to the resistance when I had been in university. I believed them to be a fascist organization that had nothing to do with me. I wasn't anyone of any importance. My father on the other hand was the headmaster of the University. He was in charge of grooming the next generation of the militia. The sect that would one day put a stop to the resistance. Which was more or less a group of mercenaries and scientists. Freethinkers. It wasn't until they attacked the University, that we realized how truly dangerous they really were. But by that time we were too late.
Too late to change the events that would forever change the landscape of our world.
June 22, 2046
Getting shot was a bitch. Much like the asshole that shot me. I'm possibly being unkind. But he doesn't have to look at the five-inch hole in the middle of my abdomen every time I changed. I had to resist the urge to touch it every time I saw it. And every time I did touch it I was reminded over and over again how much getting shot freaking hurt. It's been over a week since I was shot. The Scientist who saved my life for his own nefarious purposes gave me this notebook and told me to write. Not for anyone but myself. Whatever that means. I don't remember the accident very clearly. I'd been shot at close range then pulled and thrown in the back of the helicopter. I remembered Elliot's leering face. And then blackness. Until I got to the lab. My first memory of the scientist was him cutting into me, with the precision of a doctor. I know that he bled me out, almost to the brink of death. And then the needles. So many needles pushing into me injecting me with some bio serum. I remember watching as my veins turned into a dull burnt orange I felt like I was dying. I preferred the darkness to be awake. Not if it meant seeing myself cut open on a table, veins turning different shades of copper. And then the screaming started. It took me a while to realize where the screaming was coming from.
June 21, 2046
The Scientist
My first test subject ended up being the headmaster's daughter. She was younger than I had originally planned on experimenting with. But my prideful son had shot her in the abdomen. It was either I experimented on her. Or let her die from her wound. I had to slice into her when she was knocked out from the pain. So the first time she met me, I was covered in her blood. My knife was still wet with her blood. I made many more incisions in her body letting her bleed out on the table before I started to attach the eighteen needles throughout her body. I hoped the bleeding out would help the transfusion go easier. I watched and took note as her veins turned first white and then into a dark burnt orange that stood out stark against her pale skin. It reminded me almost of the hardi that Indian women adorned themselves with during wedding ceremonies. The darker her veins got the more she screamed and bucked. I'd already tied her down to the table which was the only thing that prevented her from completely falling off the table.
Her whole body lifted off the table and blood poured out of her eyes and mouth. But the blood was red and clean. And eventually, the poor girl fainted from the trauma. I don't know if the experiment is a success, only time will be able to tell. But for now, she had retained her original color. And minus a slight hike in her heartbeats, she has survived the experiment.
June 23, 2046
The Scientist
The girl Selene Drake has asked me to call her Lena. I take that as a good sign. Her temperament has vastly improved. Although she is quite snippy at times that might be because she is clearly in her early twenties. I wish Elliot hadn't shot her. I would've liked to form a relationship based on trust. But I know every time she looks at me it's with hate. She's an innocent being punished for the sins of her father, an unfortunate consequence of this brutal war. Maybe one day she will see what good the resistance is doing and what bad news the government is.
June 24, 2046
Selene
As the serum in my body settles, so has my anger. Not that I will ever forgive this rough treatment. But I guess it could be a lot worse. I'm not dead. And I've been allowed to roam the halls of my prison. Which of course I have. And I've been outside even though I have no idea where the hell we are. Outside is brisk. Which I guess explains the heat of the inside. There's no snow. So that narrows it down a bit. But the trees that surround the buildings are all pine. Which could mean anywhere. But it doesn't feel like the States. Possibly Canada? But does Canada have mountains? Dark looming mountains covered in white. More mysteries I might never have answers for. Unfortunately, my days aren't exactly empty.
Every morning the Scientist conducts a health evaluation measuring how the serum is affecting me. These tests last most of the morning then there's lunch. And afterward, the real fun begins. I've been training, gathering my strength, and turning my college sophomore body into a weapon. I've been learning fighting techniques. Archery, endurance training, and weights. Four to five hours of intense training and the rest of the day is mine. The building, which is more of a castle than anything else has an extensive library. I've been spending most of my days there. Reading anything, I can get my hands on. Learning all I can about the Resistance. I know that this is all the life I'm going to get. Everyone must think I'm dead. And there is no record of anyone escaping the resistance's clutches. So I already know I'm doomed.
June 30, 2046
The Scientist
The test subject has been showing fewer signs of aggression. On the whole, she is healthy and thriving with the serum in her system. A good thing since the original source of the serum seems to be showing signs of deterioration. I've been assured from General Kane that more original sources are on route. From what we have seen via the test subject's training is that she is largely becoming a person of inhuman strength. In several instances, we have changed the weights to higher amounts and she has not noticed. Her speed increases every day and her endurance has been growing stronger. Her Archery trainer Jackson believes that she may have the ability to shoot any target no matter the distance. Will test this out at a later date. Also showing signs of higher intelligence.
August 28, 2046
Selene
I went out on my first mission today. It didn't go as I expected. I was injured but I didn't actually feel a thing. I'm worried about what they might be injecting me with…
September 25, 2046
Selene
I had a dream about him last night. James. James Neill. I wish I could remember more about him. In the dream, we were in a meadow. I wore a short white dress. My hair was like it was before. Long curly red hair. Blowing in the wind. I reached out for his hand. He was wearing all black and as he came toward me reaching felt myself being pulled back by an unseen force. I felt wetness in my chest, and when I looked down, there was a red stain in the middle of my body that got bigger the longer I looked. I looked back at James. "You were supposed to save me. Why didn't you?" I heard myself say. He didn't say anything. He never did. He never spoke in my dreams. I think once, a long time ago, I loved him.
July 5, 2047
Selene
I did something today I never thought I would ever do. I killed a man. I'd killed before but this was different. I wanted him to die. I wanted him to suffer. The way he had made her suffer. This man hadn't been a target in my mission. I'd been headed back when I heard a dark grunt from below, followed by whimpers. I looked down and saw a man his back turned to me, his pants down his ankles as he shoved himself over and over against a girl who couldn't have been younger than sixteen. Her clothes were a government issue school uniform that was ripped and torn. Bite marks angry and red littered her chest. He held both of her hands in one meaty hand and tears flew freely on her cheeks as the barest whimpers left her lips. I wanted to rip him apart. I could've easily shot him with my arrow or even with my sidearm. But I wanted, no I needed him to feel her pain. Her humiliation. Her terror. My world had turned red with fury and all I remembered was pulling him off the girl, and then Elliot was pulling me off what was left of that poor excuse of a man. I was covered in blood. His blood. I refused to look back at that disgusting wretch. I must've looked terrifying. But the girl latched herself on me and refused to let go much to Elliot's derision.
July 10, 2047
Selene
The girl's name was Emily. She'd lost so much blood in the attack. The man had tried to take her, but Emily had fought him tooth and nail. The Scientist had found a bump on the back of her head that suggested a blunt force trauma. Emily said he'd tried to knock her out to subdue her against one of the alley's walls. The rips in her clothes had been done by a sharp razor. The strokes had been deep. Similar to the incisions The Scientist had made on me. The scientist let me observe as he turned Emily into an experiment like I was. Emily was special before the Serum. She was a hacker and a clever one at that. I noticed that the serum made her extremely agile. She was adept in martial arts, muay Tai, and many moves that were more dance-like in nature. She also had a high aptitude for healing. Despite what had happened to her she was extremely gentle and kind.
July 21, 2047
The Scientist
I had some reservations about this girl, Emily, also being given the serum. But Lena was quick to take her under her wing. And while Emily was extremely young, she was clearly a prodigy when it came to hacking. She was instrumental, and we gave her the use of her own hall to do as she wished. She created a system of servers and computers that could find us anything we wanted. It was through her system we realized that people were becoming more aware of the Resistance fighters, or the Crimson Faction. As they had coined Elliot's group.
September 5, 2047
Selene
They created what was basically a costume, for me. It was a dark violet hue that blended in well with the dark. I wasn't too fond of the helmet. But I did see why it had become necessary. None of the militia needed to know that headmaster Drake's daughter was alive and one of the feared Resistance fighters of the Crimson Faction. The one they had coined the Masked bandit.
July 2052
"How on Earth, were they able to find us? I don't even know where we are!" Lena said furiously as she cocked her gun. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that we are able to get out of here as quickly as possible." Aimee said in response. I hated when Aimee was right. "Who are they? Government militia?" I asked frowning. "Worse Lena. Much worse." Emily said taking a shot at one of the guys who fell immediately in front of us. We got up kicking his body over. The shiny dreaded letters standing out in the black Kevlar. "FBI" Aimee read and then immediately scowled. "Are we even in the States?" Aimee asked. "Doesn't matter. We have to go." I said pulling Aimee away as I ran. I knew Emily was right behind us guarding our backs.
July 15, 2052
Selene
I'm not known for making good decisions. This is known about me. But if there's one thing, I do, is try to make up when I've caused a bad decision. Possibly none of the words I just wrote makes plausible sense. I never quite realized when I become embroiled in the Resistance's cause. Or when the man who had shot me had become not just an ally. But someone close enough to be thought of as family. At least that's the reasoning I gave for why I did commit the worst mistake I could've possibly made.
Since the first initial subject, (me!) the scientist had been careful to select the candidates that would receive the serum. He had to be careful because of the volatile nature of the serum. I knew this. I'd always known this. I had seen the negative influences of the serum. But that still didn't stop me from doing the unthinkable. Our home base had been attacked. I could hear the sound of gunshots as I ran through the hall. I ended up sliding on my knees to the foyer where I knew many of the shooters stood fighting. I cocked my gun as I slid, taking shots on lower areas of their bodies to make it easier for my people to escape. I'd never thought the militia was smart enough to locate us, but I'd never considered the FBI joining the fight. They usually stayed away from these kinds of battles preferring to stick with more domestic disputes. I quickly ran out of ammo and started whacking people over the head with my rifles. I didn't exert too much pressure, as they were only doing their jobs. Unfortunately for us, they did their jobs exceedingly well. Which is how I found Elliot in a pool of his own blood. I remembered later feeling a visceral shock at seeing him on the floor. I'd seen the blood of course and back when I was angry at him and still blaming him for shooting me and making me be here alone without family and friends I had imagined many different scenarios of him dying. Elliot had blinked blearily as I got closer whispering my name as I bent close beside him. His head turned away from me, his fingertips trying to reach something that was underneath him. I gently lifted him up and realized what he was trying to get. The scientist's newest batch of serums. He must've been trying to get it out prior to being shot. "Selene. Take them. Find him." He said his voice breaking as he choked on his own blood. "Not without you," I said furiously. "I'm not going to make it," Elliot said weakly. "Yes you are," I said pulling out one of the needles and puncturing his chest. I pressed the needle and watching the serum enter his blood the lines of the serum showing up on his skin like electric yellow poison on his skin.
"Lena." I looked up surprised to hear a voice from my past. My uncle, Detective Drake stood in front of me his eyes wide a gun held loosely in his grip. He wore one of those hated blue and yellow FBI jackets as I watched him in horror I heard the sounds of people coming towards us. My people. I put my hand out and a burst of wind blew out of my fingertips throwing him out of the room. The last thing I needed on my conscience was my Uncle's death.
Back to what I was saying about fixing my mistakes. We waited for a bit before we went back home. We had some resistance personnel undercover in the FBI. And they were able to convince the head of the investigation that we had moved on to somewhere in Tupelo. A far cry from where we were actually. In the mountains deep in Canada. I was currently with Emily scouring the internet for a possible cure for the Scientist's serum. To heal Elliot who was slightly more homicidal than usual. Aimee was with him, both of them in training. All missions had currently been put on hold, seeing as how recently we'd all been attacked. Emily was really good with formulas and had been able to narrow down the specific formula of the actual serum. We were now going through different military databases searching for a formula with similar characteristics to the original serum or possibly a formula to counteract the main symptoms of the original serum.
"You both realize that this is like looking for a needle in a haystack." The scientist said. He stood near us his arms crossed watching our progress the only proof of his stress the slight southern drawl that leaked out in his words. As photo after photo passed on the big screen in front of us. After each photo, a big red X appeared. I knew the Scientist grew more and more disheartened every time he saw it.
"I basically live my life on the impossible," I said. "If there's a way to save your son, we will," Emily said. The Scientist sighed at our words. I knew he didn't believe us. But I had faith. So I wasn't at all surprised to find that our solution came in the form of a bioweapon. A Bioweapon that was three liquid-filled torpedoes. The liquid was a bio-organic compound that was both similar to the Scientist's experiment and would counteract the effects. Most specifically, the aggression that this serum seemed to have caused Elliot, who had always been a little bit angry. "This Scientist is extremely clever to use these compounds." The Scientist said, "He's always been clever." I whispered. Emily had pulled up a picture of the Scientist. He was older than I'd ever seen him. But there was no mistaking the face that haunted my dreams. Another ghost from my past. My love. James Neill.