Secrets Hidden Within Pt. 03

"Well, he thinks it's dangerous if we have our soldiers running around in the country. You, transgenics, are made to kill. But he also wants to find out, what's different in you, than the others."

"Oh. Yeah he does sound like he's a dick." I grinned at that. I was thinking of what kind of other questions to ask. "What about the other transgenics? Like are they different, or something?"

"Yes they are. What you are is an X5. There are different levels of you guys. Like X8's and X9's. They all do different things, kind of like different powers. But you are different because you got every kind of powers they have. But your clones have separate powers. I don't know why, but you're one of a kind. Literary."

"Clones? You guys got clones?"

"Yeah. Just in case. Like a back-up. Like if you died in training, we would make your clone."

"Wow. You guys are really secret. Does the president know about all this?"

"No, we are waiting until the country actually needs are soldiers, kind of like desperate measures."

"Like back-up." I smiled. The more I knew about this, the more it scared me. "But why? Why do you make these, transgenics?"

"I simply don't know. We just do I guess."

"Alright moving on. What did you know about my father?"

"Well I read his report, and carried out my mission. All I found out was that he was a good soldier, very intelligent, what more do you want me to know?"

"Like age and I don't know. Like any secrets that he would hide." Trying to be more descriptive but couldn't. I didn't know what I wanted to know on him.

"He was six hundred, I believe. He could be more, but it's around that area. And any secrets, he liked the outside world. He wanted to be an ordinary guy, but he wasn't, he realized he never will be."

"But then he did have an almost normal life, but you took that away from him!" I felt the tears coming again, but this time they didn't fall. "He finally had a family. But you just had to have your special mutant! Wait minute, you forgot about me!" I was getting angrier at the minute. My voice was getting louder in the process.

"I did what I was told." He said firmly. "But that day, I felt something was wrong so I didn't get you."

"Oh, you and your guys missions. Bullshit! Didn't you guys have a heart or even a life? You could have made your own decisions! If White said to go jump off a cliff, would you do it?"

"I wo . . ."

"Bullshit! If you guys had real courage, you would say fuck you. If you want it done, do it yourself! You guys don't have a heart or a life. Someone else has to make your decisions! That's bull! Thank God that I got out of that place! I would be a mindless zombie. I wanted a little more in life, but I didn't get it. You guys would just be happy, just to live off the streets! But me, I had a life! It may have sucked, but I had my moments! You guys wouldn't have survived my life! No way! I had to make my own decisions, my ways; otherwise I would be dead right now." I smiled. I think I got through to him, but I just wanted him to think about it. I only stared at him, but he didn't answer.

"Think about it. And you know I'm right. I don't think I need to know more. I got it figured out." But I stared at him a moment longer and then I walked away. Hoping that I got through to him.

7

She made sense, but he was a soldier. He had to do what he was told, but she was right. They were all mindless zombies. They were taught to be that way. But why? That's a good question, which he can never answer. He didn't know it himself. Her fate wasn't a concern for him either. But she was right again, they didn't have to listen to them, they could make their own decisions, they could probably over rule them even. There were so many of them. And they had probably stronger powers than the old ones. But the old one knows so much stuff that could probably kill them in an instant.

8

"You think I got through to him?" I asked Zack. He just looked at me blankly.

"May I ask you a question?"

"Depends on what it is." I grinned. We were seated in his nice kitchen, talking about everything. It's nice now, because now I can talk to him back, instead of a cat's meow. "Alright, shoot. There's something on your mind, and I don't want to intrude on it."

"Okay, here it goes. Who are you? And what are you doing here?"

"Oh, these questions. I hate these kinds of questions, but I must answer them. I always had these questions, and had to make a new identity."

"You don't have to."

"But I must. I think I now have myself figured out myself. I myself didn't know who I was. But I think now I know. But if you really want to know me, you got to hear my story." I walked out and got into my bag, and found the tape recorder. "Right now, I have a little of my story on this. But I'm adding to it. And now, you are listening to it." I flicked on the tape and the story started to spill out of the tape and into our ears to hear and be amazed.

It was done, and then I hit the record button and went on with the rest of my past.

"If you have any questions Zack Anderson about this story, just come out with it.

"So we were vampire slayers and we killed vampires. Gruesome life style, isn't it?" I smiled from my sarcasm. "So that happened to me yes, and yes again for the pain. It was intense. I could have died if the poison got in any farther. So my uncle dragged me into the sun to kill the poison. So he killed the vampires and I lay screaming. Then the pain subsided and into a dull aching thud throughout my whole body. I felt powered yet, drained somehow. But I lived." Trying to sort out and understand these memories of the past into words. But all I kept thinking of was the pain. But I kept trying.

"I stood up and watched my uncle with awkwardness. I wanted to kill him and the vampires. But he was my uncle and I realized if I killed something it would mostly be my uncle. So there I stood like a drunk. Then it was all over, me almost wanting to pass out, but I couldn't. But then Uncle Louie came over to me, with terrifying eyes. It looked like he was going to kill me. But then he raised his sword and then a click, and all I remember is blackness.

"I don't know what he put in me, but hell, it was strong. Like whiskey. Man, did I have a hangover. I didn't wake until three days after he knocked me out." I smiled at the memory.

"Did you ever find out what it was?" Zack asked.

I realized I was still with Zack. It felt like going into the past to me. But that's how memories come to me. They're like watching movies or reliving them. "Yeah, but I forgot what he called it. It was for vampires, that didn't have the power to go out in the sun and so they couldn't drink blood. It was a serum. I have no idea what was in it though. Any more questions?"

"Nope. Continue with your . . ." There was a shriek of pain in the other room.

Great, he had to turn into a vampire now. Zack looked at me, and then there was fear in his eyes. Must have been the expression I gave, I thought. Quickly I turned off the tape, and hurried.

We hurried to the other room, and good thing I told him not to untie that rope. But then I froze with fear as I heard the rope snapping against the muscle they we have to fight against. And I knew it would be hard.

9

The pain came through once more and he couldn't hold the screams back no more. This poison has killed Jack Moonkraft and turned him into another one of the blood-suckers. He struggled with the ropes, but couldn't free himself. Every time he pulled, it got tighter. Every time his muscles tensed and breathed they got tighter. But then a surge of power came through his body. And he pulled, and it snapped. He felt no more blood. What had flowed before is not there no more.

He felt powered, relived, drained, and more acute senses. How he could smell, he could smell the people that were waiting to fight him in the next room as if they were in the oven baking like a turkey. He saw perfect, no more going to the eye doctor for checkups. He was fascinated with this new world that the missing link has brought him in. He smiled an evil smile. Bring on the bitches, he thought coldly. He had plans to do, and so much time to do them. He smiled greedily. He needed blood, so he'll suck dry 937 and 454. They'll be tasty with the powers they have.

10

I walked in front of the door, shielding Zack for what was to come.

"Oh boy." I gulped.

"You haven't fought with a vampire for a while have you?" I heard the tension in his voice.

"I hadn't fought in years. It was my Uncle's career. Why couldn't he be alive?" I said through my shaky voice. I stared at the beast in wonder to find out what were his weakest places. I didn't find any except vampire killing shit.

"Have a butcher knife?" I asked. I heard my voice calm and serious.

"Yeah." He disappeared and I felt a handle pushing into my hand. I grabbed it while I was thinking quickly of what I had to do. But I didn't want to risk Zack's life again. But Zack is a good soldier; he can take care of himself.

"Zack." Getting his attention.

"Huh." He looked dazed.

"I'm sorry, but you have to be a diversion. You're going to be bait while I take this sucker out." I gave him more orders in his head, of what I wanted him to do. Now I looked at him, to make sure he understood. He shook his head.

"No matter what happens, don't save me! I can take care of myself. Got it?" I was strict with my orders.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Good soldier. Ready?" I was in my strike pose. Jack was looking at me now. He had murder in his eyes. I smiled my devil grin and changed the knife to my good hand. If I want to do this right, I got to do it fast. Otherwise I'm dead meat running.

"Yeah, go." He ran away from me. Jack still kept his eyes on me. He just wanted me. Only me. But then my heart leaped, when Zack threw something at it. It was his chair that held him down.

It struck him on the back. He turned Zack's way and I made my move. I jumped on his back. He screamed in frustration and struggled. I raised the knife and brought it down with a swift movement. Jack must have known, because he gripped the knife before it went in. He tore me off his back.

I hit the floor hard enough to knock the wind out of me. I was dazed with the blackness that wanted to cloud over my eyes. But I pushed back. I heard Zack's voice as if we were in a canyon, and he was on the other side. But then the monster grabbed me by the shirt and brought me up to meet his eyes. I heard a rip. They were a deadly red, like every other vampire's.

He was ready to bite me. But I would fight him to the end, and not get bit. I hated being bitten by a vampire. It sucks.

"I don't think so bub!" I screamed and bit down on his arm. He screamed from the pain that shot through his arm. Biting another vampire does that to you. It hurts worse than turning into one.

His blood, tasted bitter and cold. It was vampire's blood, and vampire's blood tastes nasty. But I had to do it. He let go of me, but I bit down harder. He dropped the knife. That's what I needed. I bit down one last time and tore my mouth away. There was a piece of his arm in my mouth and it tasted nasty!

"Ewe!" I spit the blood and the piece of the arm out. It decayed immediately when it struck the floor. I looked back at Jack and he had his hand over the place I bit him and he screamed and charged. I dived out of his reach and he struck the wall with a sick thud. He was unconscious, but I didn't know what time he'll get up.

I pushed myself up off the floor and walked over to the butcher's knife that I was supposed to use but didn't. I bended over and picked it up. But then I felt and arm slip onto my throat and instantly I couldn't breathe. He had me in a headlock. I dropped my knife and was beating at the strong hands. My lungs were burning for air.

But then I remembered what my Uncle Louie taught to get out of the choke hold. I seized the thumb and yanked as hard as I could. It loosened but not much. I heard him cry out because of his broken thumb. He stepped back, wanting to lose my balance, but I kept it. I leaned over, and his arm loosened the hold on my neck. I got a suck of air, and it burned more, but then it tightened again. I stood, and then I brought my hands up and poked his eyes. He brought his arms up to shield them and I got out.

I was gasping for breath. My lungs felt like they were on fire. But then I saw the knife glinting about five feet away from me. I scrambled to my feet and dived for it. He was feeling if his eyes were still there so I got him trapped this time.

"Maxe, do it!" Zack said from the doorway where he was watching this terrible scene.

I looked back at Jack, the vampire that is just about to die. He was walking like a drunk, and getting closer. I got up and started toward him. He rubbed his eyes one last time and looked at me. They were blood shot. I could see the little tiny veins in them. But then he came toward me, and knocked the knife out of my hand again. And just one I was just about to strike. I did a full blow toward him but he swung out of the air and caught mine. Then he started to turn it, as if to break it. Through all of this he was smiling his worst smile.

But I had other plans for this guy, than that little punch to the stomach. I smiled my devilish grin and his faded, as if to worry what I am thinking. But then I put my other hand on his shoulder and brought myself in and kicked him in the groin. And he did yowl. He let go and I darted for the knife. But then he pushed me out of nowhere. I stumbled but regained my balance. But then I saw the chair. I grabbed the head of it as if I were a lion tamer.

And so he tried to get me, but I wouldn't let him. Every time he came toward me, I shoved him back with the chair's leg. It looked like he was going to charge. That gave me an idea. He took a couple steps back and ran toward me. I thought he was a real idiot, because I was going to shove the leg up through his chest and into his heart. But unfortunately that didn't happen. He charged then jumped onto the chair.

The weight was enormous. But I carried him while he tried to get me. There were beads of sweat coming onto my face.

"Jack!" Zack's voice. Jack looked at Zack and I saw a twitch in his smile muscle in his mouth. It was like a clock. Then I looked over to what he was seeing. Zack cut his hand and the blood was seeping through. He jumped off and walked toward Zack. It was as if he was hypnotized.

Maxe now!!! It was Zack. He threw a message toward me. I broke the chair's leg so now it was a stake. Jack heard the noise so he spun on his heels to glare at me.

"Your time is up in smoke just like you!" The hatred and coldness flowed all through me, just like in the old days. Hello darkness, my old friend. Then I put all my body weight into and shoved the stake through his chest and into his heart.

He screamed, and then he was in flames and smoke. I stepped back because of the heat. And then he was gone.

"Well, that was fun." I said. I stepped back when he turned into flame.

"Damn." Zack said from the doorway.

"Yeah, you can say that again."

"He got fired." As sarcasm set in, I started to laugh.

"Yeah he did." Finally stopping the laughter.

"So, that's what you had to do in the old days, huh?"

"Yeah. But we had all kinds of weapons. We made the stakes ourselves; we had guns, with pure silver in it. And we also had this cane that turned into a sword. We had shit-loads of things." I remembered what we used. "My favorite was the sword. My uncle said it was a thirteenth century piece. What I said was damn. And he laughed at that. He asked me, if I had any idea where he got the piece. I said I have no clue.

"So he told me. He was in the thirteenth century and he made it himself." I said still amazed. Even I believed him.

"What? How could that be?" Shocked.

"My family lived very long. You know how I look. I'm only 55." I smiled. His lips parted for a jaw drop.

"How can that be?"

"It's a gene or a power that everybody in my family had. Out of curiosity, how old do I look?" I smiled and gave him a pose.

"Late twenties or early thirties." Making a guess.

"Yes, finally I'm not going to change anymore."

"What?" He looked at me questionly.

"Oh, it has a stop. Like what it is, is we still grow, but it slows down the growing process. And when you look like in your late twenties or early thirties, the slow growing process has stopped. But it sucks for the woman, because we can still have babies even if we are hundred years old." I shook my head in disgust.

"You mean that he could have been already hundreds of years old?" He pointed to the smoldering spot in the floor.

"Yeah." I was coming to realize that myself. "But vampires are immortal. So they can last in what stage in life forever. Say a child got bit. She would stay a child all her life. Only physically, but mental she is a woman. Get what I'm saying?"

"But you're a vampire yourself. Aren't you?" He looked at me questionly.

"Well, yes and no. I live in the light and darkness. I'm both good and evil."

"Oh." Relief flashed over his face.

"God damn it!" Realizing another thing that pissed me off.

"What?"

"I needed to ask him about my family!" My voice rising. But then I found control in my depths of my brain.

"Calm yourself."

"I am calm."

"Maybe I can help you."

"Huh?" I was confused.

"You know how he said; there are different levels of us? I'm the brain power level."

"You are? Sure don't look like it!" Looking him over again.

"They had to train us to fight, just in case we got caught in our missions, and we would be the generals, the ones who do all the thinking."

"Oh, okay." Still not believing him. "Let's do it then."

11

We stared at the screen of his dusty old lab top. He pulled it out of one of closets. And I thought he didn't have electricity.

He kept trying but kept on getting zilch. I started pacing, and I only do that when I'm nervous. But I wanted to dig up on him too. I smiled.

"I think I found something." He whispered slowly. I came sprinting toward him.

"What?" More concentrating on the screen than him. It was the file on my dad.

"It's your dad." He said. But I couldn't hear him. I was too zoned out on the screen. But I read my Dad's file in Manticore.

It didn't tell me much. It said that he was an X5, how old he was. Nothing really useful.

"Is that all you can find on him?"

Wondering.

"Yeah. Want me to find yours?" Zack asked.

"Please and thank you. Sorry about the burned spot in your den." Walking away from the computer and into the kitchen to get a drink.

"It's not your fault. He had it coming. I'll just get a big carpet and cover it up or something." He didn't sound very concerned.

Coming back into the room with a glass of Cherokee Red soda in hand I asked the personal question that bothered me. "Zack?"

"Yeah?" He didn't take his eyes off the screen.

"What happened in your life that made you to be . . .?" I couldn't find the words. ". . . Here?"

He swiveled his chair and only stared at me. For a minute I thought he wasn't going to answer. "It was kind of like your father."

"What do you mean?" I had a confused look on my face.

"I mean that, they gave me a break, and I fell in love with a girl out into this world. I went back, I told them I quit. I came walking back to her and married her. But they didn't like me quitting. My wife supposedly got killed in a car crash two years ago, but I didn't believe that. And my daughter four years ago by a drunk driver. One day last year out of the blue a soldier came to my house and told me that Ames White wanted to see me." He paused to think.

"What did you do?"

"I told him no. He left. But the next day, it was Ames White himself. We had a talk and he asked if I wanted back into Manticore. I said no. He looked piss for a single second and he made his leave. I'll bet you any money that he killed or set up to kill my wife. I miss my wife dearly.