3.1
A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I hope you are all staying safe and healthy! Prep yourself... from here on out anything could happen!
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05 - 28 - 2089
C A D E
My fist swings out, flying towards its target. The impact jars my hand, sending vibrations all along my arm. The man stumbles back a step, clutching his jaw and swearing. I glare and turn, my fists held close to my body in preparation. Another guy stands a few steps away, leaning back with his hand pressed to his nose.
"Put your hands down," a smooth, distinctly female voice commands from behind.
I spin, ready to knock this lady back if she tries to get in my way. But before I can blink, she launches herself forward and wrestles my arms behind my back in a pinching grip. I groan, disorientated.
Her grip tightens to the point of pain as she hisses in my ear. "Fool. We're on the same side." Her grip is unrelenting, but I twist and flex, trying to get it to loosen. "If you don't cut it out, I'll have Yaun tase your butt."
Yaun glares from his position against the wall, tapping the taser at his belt. I force my body to still, despite the anger still coursing through my blood. "Get your hands off me."
"Not until I know you're done swinging punches." As if to prove a point, the woman tightens her grip again, placing pressure on a nerve along my arm. I hiss from the flash of pain. She loosens her grip a moment later and steps back. "I'll give you exactly two seconds to explain why you were attacking these men."
I rub my wrists and take several breaths, allowing some of my anger to dissipate. Despite my initial reaction, I realize it isn't practical to try and fight everyone in this place. But part of my desire to hit something came from being deceived. We've been lied to. Again. Gis and I thought we were safe with no strings attached. And we were wrong.
When I don't immediately answer her question, Yaun speaks up. "We were giving him a tour and explaining how the facility came to be when he just started attacking us."
The woman calmly glances from Yaun to me before crossing her arms. "And what did you say to him?"
"Tesrine-"
"Cade is the only reason that Gis is alive. He wouldn't attack us unless he felt that her safety was being threatened," Tesrine explains, all while maintaining a calm and controlled tone. I stare, surprised at how accurate her observation is. She meets my gaze, and her own is sharp, observant.
Yaun bristles. "All I said was that we're finally able to move forward with our plan now that we have Gis."
There it is. His tone suggests ownership over Gis, and anger sharpens my vision once again. My fingers curl into fists. "She isn't yours to have."
"Look, you know what I mean," Yaun starts, his expression exasperated.
"Both of you, shut up," Tesrine orders. She glares down at us, and suddenly I'm aware of how tall she is. She's at least a head taller than I am, and her imposing figure is difficult to ignore. Long, dark braids and intense eyes. "No one is claiming ownership over anyone else," she says, speaking as if to children. "Yaun's an idiot."
Yaun makes a sound of disbelief, and I grunt. "That doesn't change the truth of what he said. You want to use Gis, just like GIADA. I didn't take a bullet for her only to end up in the exact same position. Now, if you'd be so kind, tell me how to get out of here." I face Tesrine directly, forcing myself to maintain a dominating posture.
Tesrine rolls her eyes. "Stop acting like a child. We're on the same side. Got it?"
"Fine. I'll find the exit myself." I go to sidestep her, peering down the hallway from where Yaun had been leading me on a tour. Several doors line the cement walls further down. Perhaps one of those will be the way out. I have no idea where Gis and I will go from here, but I know we can't stay. This place has no better intentions for Gis than my mother did.
"The Genetic Intervention And Disease Administration wanted to kill Gis for a solution. We want to do the opposite, Cade," Tesrine calls after me.
I hesitate, then respond without turning, "And you expect me to believe that?"
"Come now, Cade. You're supposed to be the best of us. You were GIADA's first try, after all."
Her words sink into me, like stones in a lake. Slowly, heavily, and rippling outward. I blink, turning back to face her. My mind is blank, and Tesrine can see her words have had the desired effect.
"Your mother gave up loving you when she realized you couldn't give her what she wanted. Is that why you took Gis from her? Because Gis took your mother from you?"
"You don't know what you're talking about." My voice is low, anger coursing through my body. Heat flames my face, and I know I'm not thinking clearly. But how does she know about my past? I've never told anyone those things. Not even Gis.
Tesrine smirks. "I have my sources. You think Gis is the first? No, Cade, you were the first. And you were a failure. So when it comes to deciding Gis' fate, you're hardly qualified."
"I'm not," I shake my head. "That can't be. No." I can hardly form words, because despite the craziness of her statement, some small part of me knows she's right. It explains so much. All the tests and needles. And then the abandonment and finally abuse. The lack of care or affection. Am I merely a failed experiment?
"You know I'm right." Tesrine gestures for Yaun and the other guy to approach, who up until this point were standing behind her and glaring. She approaches me, her steps confident. "We're the best chance Gis has. You can't protect her."
"Take one more step and we'll see about that," I snap, balling my fists.
Tesrine's left eyebrow tilts, her expression amused. "You're going to follow me willingly, or you'll be dragged." She steps sideways and lifts her hand, waiting for me to move.
I consider my options. If I run for it, I might make it down the hall, but then where would I go? I have no idea how to get out of this facility. And I'll likely get a taser to the side for my effort. I silently curse. Why didn't I pay more attention when Mr. Tate was driving? However, if I follow her, there's no way I can warn Gis about them.
"What's it gonna be?"
Everyone pauses, watching me. Waiting for my next move. Yaun has his hand loosely covering the handle of his taser. Tesrine's expression holds a faint smirk as she watches me. She's far too observant, and despite the urge to run again, I know I won't make. Not now. Perhaps the best choice is to bide my time.
Carefully, I raise my hands. "Okay, I'll come."
Tesrine gestures, and the two men approach me. I glare at them but remain passive as they take up a position on either side of me. Tesrine pivots; I go to follow, but not before Yaun gives me a half shove. He raises his eyebrows, in an obvious what are you going to do about it? expression.
I grit my teeth and keep marching, forcing myself to stare at the dark mane of hair tumbling down Tesrine's back. Just. Keep. Walking.
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We pass through a series of hallways all identical to the previous ones, until Tesrine stops before a heavy metal door. She goes to the side and types in a password on the console, then casts me a glance.
The door opens to reveal a long hallway, lined on either side by doors. But not just any doors. No, these are clearly meant to open from only one side.
My gut clenches. "What is this?" I all but growl, my body tensing. My gaze locks on Tesrine, refusing to take another step.
"You're a liability, Mr. Lestat. And until we can confirm the safety of everyone in this compound, you won't be granted the freedom to come and go as you please." She gestures towards the hallway, and I feel the men tense on either side.
"Don't call me that," I grind out.
"Fine, Cade... my point remains. As second-in-command, I have the authority to seclude anyone who is a risk to this facility. And you, are what we call a flight risk."
"I won't run." I glare at Yaun when he reaches out to grab my arm. "I'll break your arm if you touch me again," I snap.
"You are only proving my point," Tesrine calmly adds, completely unbothered by my behavior. I'm not sure what bothers me more: them trying to put me in a freaking prison cell, or her flippant behavior.
Another hand grabs for my arm, and I wrench it away, only to catch site of a taser pointed at my chest. On instinct, I freeze, my body tightening in anticipation.
"Like I said before, you either come willingly, or we drag you."
My heart thuds in my chest. I force myself to take a breath and look at her. "You're no better than GIADA. Do you have any idea what they did to her? I won't let that happen again."
"And neither will we," Tesrine responds.
A loud pop sounds in my ear, just a moment before my entire body seizes. Every muscle in my body locks as electricity spread throughout my body. My mind stretches the time out, dragging every second of agony from the taser sending a current through me. It feels like minutes before I find relief and the pain dissipates.
When I'm able to think clearly, I realize I'm on the floor face-down, my hands behind my back. My body mildly aches, but every muscle is limp with exhaustion. I can't summon the strength to resist as my hands are handcuffed and I'm hauled off the floor.
I blink dazedly, watching as Yaun holsters the taser used only moments ago. He and the other man pull me past Tesrine and down the hall, passing several doors before we stop.
I'm lowered to the floor inside the cell before the handcuffs are removed. Yaun kneels in front of me, and then I feel him pull the barbs out of my stomach. Like little fishhooks, they pull at my skin before releasing.
I'm still in enough shock that I can't think of anything to say. Both men leave the small room, sliding the heavy door shut behind them. A thick glass window is set into the door, and Tesrine stands just outside. Hands on her hips, she looks entirely unperturbed.
"You..." I blink, still trying to grasp what just happened. "You shot me."
"It was only a taser." Then Tesrine adds as an afterthought, "And I did warn you."
I lean back, finding the wall behind me for support. My body is drained of energy, the pain still fresh in my mind. "You're no better than them. You know that, right? And as soon as I get out of here, I'm taking Gis and we're leaving." It's a foolish thing to say, especially considering my current circumstances. But I'm angry, and embarrassed, and I have no way of lashing out at this woman but with words. I'm too proud to admit how much her words from earlier hurt, and I'm too angry to even think clearly.
Tesrine merely smirks, almost begging me to try. Then she flips hair over her shoulder and saunters away. Her footsteps echo until she reaches the end of the hallway, the heavy metal door sliding shut behind her.
I shut my eyes, exhaustion pulling me into a state of disrepair. Stuck inside this prison, I force myself to let it all go and forget, just for a bit, what a giant mess I've gotten myself into.
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