Origin

Chapter 8

Katy

After the disastrous training session, I knew the taste of true fear each time someone neared my door. My heart hammered painfully until the sound of footsteps faded, and when the door finally opened, revealing Archer with my evening meal, I almost vomited.

I had no appetite.

I couldn’t sleep that night.

Every time I closed my eyes, all I could picture was Mo standing before me, more than ready to kick my ass every which way from Sunday. The vast emptiness that had clouded her eyes had quickly blossomed into determination. My beating may not have been as severe if I had fought back, but I hadn’t. Fighting her would have been wrong.

When the door opened the following morning, I was only running on a few hours of sleep. It was Archer, and in his quiet way, he motioned me to follow him.

Sick to my stomach, I had no other choice but to go wherever he was leading me. The nausea grew as we rode the elevator to the floor that housed the training rooms. It took everything in me to step off the elevator and not grab onto one of the bars for dear life.

But he led me behind the room we’d gone to before, through double doors, and then farther down a hall, where we passed through another set of doors.

“Where are we going?”

He didn’t respond until we stopped outside a steel door that glinted from an overabundance of onyx and diamonds. “There is something Sergeant Dasher wants you to see.”

I could only imagine what rested beyond the door.

He placed his forefinger against the security pad, and the light flipped from red to green. Mechanical clicks followed. I held my breath as he opened the door.

The room inside was lit only by one dim bulb in the ceiling. There were no chairs or tables. To the right was a large mirror that ran the length of the wall.

“What is this?” I asked.

“Something you must see,” Sergeant Dasher said from behind us, causing me to jump and spin around. Where in the hell had he come from? “Something I hope will ensure that we won’t have a repeat of our last training session.”

I crossed my arms and lifted my chin. “There’s nothing you can show me that will change that. I am not going to fight other hybrids.”

Dasher’s expression remained the same. “As I explained, we must make sure you are stable. That is the purpose of these training sessions. And the reason why we must make sure you are strong and able to harness the Source lies beyond this mirror.”

Confused, I glanced back at Archer. He stood near the door, face shadowed by the beret. “What’s on the other side?”

“The truth,” responded Dasher.

I coughed out a laugh that caused the scraped skin on my face to sting. “Then you have a room full of delusional military officers on the other side?”

His look was as dry as sand as he reached over, flipping a switch along the wall.

Sudden light exploded, but it came from behind the mirror. It was a one-way mirror, like in police stations, and the room was not empty.

My heart kicked in my chest as I stepped forward. “What…?”

There was a man on the other side sitting in a chair, and not willingly. Onyx bands covered his wrists and ankles, locking him down. A shock of white-blond hair covered his forehead, but he slowly lifted his head.

He was a Luxen.

The angular beauty gave him away, and so did the vibrant green eyes—eyes that reminded me so much of Daemon that an ache pierced my chest and sent a ball of emotion straight into my throat.

“Can…can he see us?” I asked. It seemed that way. The Luxen’s eyes were fixed on where I stood.

“No.” Dasher moved forward, leaning against the mirror. A small intercom box was within arm’s reach.

Pain etched the man’s beautiful face. Veins bulged along his neck as his chest rose on a ragged breath. “I know you’re there.”

I looked at Dasher sharply. “You sure he can’t see us?”

He nodded.

Reluctantly I returned my attention to the other room. The Luxen was sweating and trembling. “He’s…he’s in pain. This is so wrong. It’s a complete—”

“You do not know who sits on the other side of this glass, Miss Swartz.” He flicked a button on the intercom. “Hello, Shawn.”

The Luxen’s lips twisted up on one side. “My name is not Shawn.”

“That has been your given name for many years.” Dasher shook his head. “He prefers to go by his true name. As you know, that is something we cannot speak.”

“Who are you talking to?” Shawn demanded, his gaze unnervingly landing on where I stood. “Another human? Or even better? An abomination—a fucking hybrid?”

I gasped before I could stop myself. It wasn’t what he said but the distaste and hatred that bled into each word.

“Shawn is what you would call a terrorist,” the sergeant said, and the Luxen in the other room sneered. “He belonged to a cell that we’d been monitoring for a couple of years. They planned to take out the Golden Gate Bridge during rush hour. Hundreds of lives—”

“Thousands of lives,” Shawn interrupted, his green eyes glowing luminous. “We would’ve killed thousands. And then we would’ve—”

“But you didn’t.” Dasher smiled then, and my stomach dropped. It was probably the first real smile I’d seen from the man. “We stopped you.” He glanced over his shoulder at me. “He was the only one we could bring in alive.”

Shawn laughed harshly. “You might have stopped me, but you haven’t accomplished anything, you simpleminded ape. We are superior. Mankind is nothing compared to us. You will see. You have dug your own graves, and you cannot stop what is coming. All of you will—”

Dasher flipped off the intercom, bringing the tirade to a halt. “I have heard this many times over.” He turned to me, head tilted to the side. “This is what we are dealing with. The Luxen in that room wants to kill humans. There are many like him. That is why we are doing what we are doing.”

Wordless, I stared at the Luxen as my brain slowly turned over what I had just witnessed. The intercom was off, but the man’s mouth was still moving, raw hatred seeping from his lips. The kind of blind animosity shown by all terrorists, no matter who or what they were, was carved into his face.

“Do you understand?” the sergeant asked, drawing my attention.

Wrapping my arms around my waist, I shook my head slowly. “You can’t judge an entire race based on a few individuals.” The words sounded empty to me.

“True,” Dasher agreed quietly. “But that would only be the case if we were dealing with humans. We cannot hold these beings to the same moral standard. And believe me when I tell you, they do not hold us to theirs.”

Hours turned into days. Days possibly into weeks, but I really couldn’t be sure. I understood now how Dawson couldn’t keep track of time. Everything blended here, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen the sun or the night sky. I wasn’t served breakfast like I had the first day I’d been awake, which threw off the time of day for me, and the only way I knew when a full forty-eight hours had passed was when I was taken to Dr. Roth for blood work. I’d seen him around five times, maybe more.

I’d lost count.

I’d lost a lot of things. Or it felt that way. Weight. The ability to smile or laugh. Tears. The only thing I retained was anger, and each time I squared off with Mo or another hybrid I didn’t know—didn’t even care to get to know because of what we had to do—my anger and frustration went up a notch. It surprised me that I could still feel so much.

But I hadn’t given in yet. I hadn’t fought back during any of the stress tests. It was my only means of control.

I refused to fight them—to beat up on them or potentially kill them if things got out of hand. It was like being in a real, albeit messed-up, version of The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games for alien hybrids.

I started to grin but winced as the motion pulled my torn lip. I might have refused to go all Terminator on them, but the other hybrids were so on board. So much so that some of them talked while they kicked my ass. They told me that I needed to fight, that I needed to prepare for the day the other Luxen came and for those who were already here. It was obvious they sincerely believed that the true villains were the Luxen. They may have been drinking the Kool-Aid, but I was not. Even so, there was a tiny part of me that wondered how Daedalus could control so many if there wasn’t some truth in what they were saying?

And then there was Shawn, the Luxen who wanted to kill thousands of humans. If I were to believe Dasher, there were a hell of lot more like him out there—just waiting to take over Earth. But to even think that Daemon or Dee, or even Ash, was a part of something like that…I couldn’t even consider it.

Forcing my eyes open, I saw the same thing I always saw after being hauled out of the training rooms and deposited—mostly unconscious—in my cell. The white ceiling with little black dots—a mixture of onyx and diamond.

God, I hated those dots.

I took a deep breath and cried out, immediately wishing I hadn’t. Sharp pain radiated across my ribs from a Mo-size kick. My entire body throbbed. There wasn’t one part of me that didn’t ache.

Movement from the farthest corner of my cell, by the door, drew my attention. Slowly and quite painfully, I turned my head.

Archer stood there, bundling a cloth in his hand. “I was beginning to worry.”

I cleared my throat and then opened my jaw, wincing. “Why?”

He came forward, the beret forever hiding his eyes. “You were out for a while this time, the longest yet.”

I turned my head back to the ceiling. I hadn’t realized that he was keeping track of my ass-kickings. He hadn’t been here other times when I awoke. Neither had Blake. I hadn’t seen that ass-hat in a while, and I wasn’t sure he was even here anymore.

I drew in a slower, longer breath. As sad as it was, when I was awake, I missed the moments of oblivion. It wasn’t always just a black, vast nothingness. Sometimes I dreamed of Daemon, and when I was awake I clung to those faint images that seemed to blur and fade the minute I opened my eyes.

Archer sat on the edge of the bed, and my eyes snapped open. The aching muscles tensed. Although he proved to be not so bad, all things considered, I trusted no one.

He held up the bundle. “It’s just ice. Looks like you could use it.”

I watched him warily. “I don’t…I don’t know what it looks like.”

“It being your face?” he asked, palming the bundle. “It doesn’t look pretty.”

It didn’t feel pretty. Ignoring the throbbing in my shoulder, I tried to pull my arm out from under the blanket. “I can do it.”

“You don’t look like you can lift a finger. Just stay still. And don’t talk.”

I wasn’t sure if I should be offended by the whole don’t talk part, but then he pressed the icy bundle against my cheek, causing me to suck in a sharp breath.

“They could have gotten one of the Luxen to heal you, but your refusing to fight back isn’t going to make it easy on you.” He pressed the ice bag down, and I drew back. “Try to keep that in mind when you go to the training room next time.”

I started to scowl, but it hurt. “Oh. Like this is my fault.”

He shook his head. “I didn’t say that.”

“Fighting them is wrong,” I said after a few seconds. “I’m not going to self-destruct.” Or at least I hoped I wasn’t. “Making them do that is…is inhumane. And I won’t—”

“You will,” he said simply. “You’re no different than them.”

“No different.” I started to sit up, but he pinned me with a look that had me settling back down. “Mo doesn’t even seem human anymore. None of them do. They’re like robots.”

“They’re trained.”

“T-Trained?” I sputtered as he moved the ice to my chin. “They’re mindless—”

“It doesn’t matter what they are. You keep doing this? Not fighting back, not giving Sergeant Dasher what he wants, you’re going to keep being a human punching bag. And what does that solve? One of these days, one of the hybrids will kill you.” He lowered his voice, so low that I wondered if the microphones could even pick it up. “And what happens to the one who mutated you? He will die, Katy.”

Pressure clamped down on my chest and a whole different kind of pain surfaced. At once, I saw Daemon in my head—that ever-present, infuriating smirk on his expressive face—and I missed him so badly a burning crawled up my throat. My hands curled under the blanket as a hole opened up in my chest.

Several minutes passed in silence, and while I lay there, staring at his brown-and-white-camouflaged shoulder, I searched for something to say, anything to drive the emptiness out of me, and I finally came up with something.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“You probably shouldn’t talk anymore.” He switched the bag of ice to his other hand.

I ignored that, because I was pretty sure I’d go crazy if I kept silent. “Are there really Luxen out there who want to take over? Others like Shawn?”

He didn’t respond.

Closing my eyes, I let out a weary sigh. “Will it kill you to just answer the question?”

Another moment passed. “The fact that you’re even asking is answer enough.”

Was it?

“Are there good humans and bad humans, Katy?”

I thought it was weird how he said humans. “Yes, but that’s different.”

“Is it?”

When the icy bundle landed on my cheek again, it didn’t feel so bad. “I think so.”

“Because humans are weaker? Keep in mind that humans have access to weapons of mass destruction, just like the Luxen do. And do you really think that the Luxen don’t know what happens here?” he asked quietly, and I stilled. “That there are some who, for their own reasons, support what Daedalus does, while others fear losing what life they have built here? Do you really want an answer to that question?”

“Yes,” I whispered, but I was lying. A part of me didn’t want to know.

Archer moved the bag of ice again. “There are Luxen who want to take over, Katy. There is a threat, and if that day comes when the Luxen have to choose sides, which side will they stand on? Where will you stand?”

…

Daemon

I was about ten seconds from snapping someone’s neck.

Who knew how many days had passed since Nancy did the little meet and greet at Mount Weather? A couple? A week or more? Hell if I knew. I had no idea what time of day it was or how much time had passed. Once they had escorted me inside, Nancy had disappeared, and a whole slew of stupid shit proceeded to take place—an exam, blood work, physical, and the lamest interrogation this side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I went along with everything to just speed up the process, but then absolutely freaking nothing happened.

I was stashed in a room—probably the same kind of room Dawson’s ass had been held in once upon a time—growing more furious by the second. I couldn’t tap into the Source. I could, however, take my true form, but the only good that did was lighting up the room when it was dark. Not exactly helpful.

Pacing the length of the cell, I couldn’t help but wonder for the thousandth time if Kat was doing the same thing some other place. I didn’t feel her, but the weird link between us only seemed to work if we were nearby. There was still a chance, a small sliver of hope, that she was at Mount Weather.

Who knew what time it was when the door to my room opened and three G.I. Joe wannabes motioned me out. I brushed past them, grinning when the one I knocked shoulders with muttered a curse.

“What?” I challenged, facing the guard, ready for a fight. “You got a problem?”

The guy sneered. “Move it along.”

One of them, a very brave soul, prodded me in the shoulder. I turned my glare on him, and he wilted back. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”

And with that, the three commandos guided me down the hallway that was nearly identical to the one that led to the room we’d found Beth in. Once in the elevator, we descended a couple of floors, and then walked out and into another corridor populated with various military personnel, some of them in uniform and others in suits. All of them gave our little happy group a wide berth.

My already nonexistent patience was stretched thin by the time we stopped in front of two dark, shiny double doors. My spidey senses were telling me the thing was rigged with onyx.

The commandos did some secret squirrel shit with the control panel, and the doors slid open, revealing a long rectangular table. The room wasn’t empty. Oh no. Inside was my favorite person.

Nancy Husher sat at the head of the table, hands folded in front of her and hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. “Hello, Daemon.”

I so wasn’t in the mood for bullshit. “Oh. You’re still around after all this time? Here I thought you just dumped me.”

“I’d never dump you, Daemon. You’re too valuable.”

“That I know.” I sat down without being told and leaned back, folding my arms. The soldiers shut the doors and took up guard in front of them. I shot them a dismissive glance before turning to Nancy. “What? No blood tests or exams today? No endless stream of stupid questions?”

Nancy was clearly struggling to maintain her cool facade. I hoped to whatever God was out there that I pushed every button the woman had. “No. There’s no need for any more of that. We’ve gotten what we need.”

“And what is that?”

One of her fingers moved up and then stilled. “You think you know what Daedalus is trying to do. Or at least you have your assumptions.”

“I honestly don’t give two shits what your little freak group is doing.”

“You don’t?” One thin brow rose.

“Nope,” I said.

Her smile spread. “You know what I think, Daemon? You’re a whole lot of bluster. A smart mouth with the muscles to back it up, but in reality you have no control in this situation, and deep down you know that. So keep running your mouth. I find it amusing.”

My jaw clenched. “I live to entertain you.”

“Well, that’s good to know, and since that is now cleared up, may we move on?” When I nodded, her shrewd gaze sharpened. “First I want to make it clear that if at any time you pose a threat to me or to anyone else, we have weapons here that I would loathe to use on you but will.”

“I’m sure you would loathe to do that.”

“I would. There are PEP weapons, Daemon. Do you know what that stands for? Pulse Energy Projectile. It disrupts electronic and light wavelengths on a catastrophic level. One shot and it is fatal to your kind. I would hate to lose you. Or Katy. Get what I’m saying?”

My hand closed into a fist. “I get it.”

“I know you have your assumptions when it comes to Daedalus, but we hope to change that during the course of your stay with us.”

“Hmm, my assumptions? Oh, are you referencing that time when you and your minions led me to believe that my brother was dead?”

Nancy didn’t even blink. “Your brother and his girlfriend were held by Daedalus because of what Dawson did to Bethany—for their safety. I know you don’t believe that, and that isn’t a concern of mine. There is a reason why Luxen are forbidden to heal humans. The consequences of such actions are vast, and in most cases result in unstable DNA changes within the human body, especially outside of controlled environments.”

I cocked my head at that, remembering what happened to Carissa. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Even if humans survive the mutation with our help, there is still a chance that the mutations are unstable.”

“With your help?” I laughed coldly. “Shooting people up with God knows what is helping them?”

She nodded. “It was that or let Katy die. That is what would have happened.”

I stilled, but my heart rate picked up.

“Sometimes the mutations fade. Sometimes they kill them. Sometimes they hold, and then people combust under stress. And sometimes they hold perfectly. We have to determine that, because we cannot allow unstable hybrids into society.”

Anger whirled through me like a freight train. “You make it sound like you’re doing the world a favor.”

“We are.” She leaned back, sliding her hands off the table. “We are studying Luxen and hybrids, trying to cure disease. We are stopping potentially dangerous hybrids from hurting innocent people.”

“Kat’s not dangerous,” I ground out.

Nancy tilted her head to the side. “That’s yet to be seen. The truth is she’s never been tested, and that’s what we’re doing now.”

I leaned forward very slowly, and the room started to carry a white sheen to it. “And what does that mean?”

Nancy held up her hand, warding off the three stooges by the door. “Kat has proven to show signs of extreme anger, a hallmark of instability in a hybrid.”

“Really? Kat’s angry? Could it be because you’re holding her captive?” The words tasted like acid.

“She attacked several members of my team.”

A smile spread across my face. That’s my girl. “So sorry to hear that.”

“So was I. We have so much hope when it comes to you two. The way you’ve worked together? It’s a perfect symbiotic relationship. Very few Luxen and humans have reached that. Mostly the mutation acts as a parasite to the human.” She folded her arms, stretching the drab brown of her suit jacket. “You could mean so much to what we’re trying to accomplish.”

“Which is curing disease and saving innocent people?” I snorted. “And that’s it? Really, do you think I’m stupid?”

“No. I think you’re very much the opposite of stupid.” Nancy exhaled through her nose as she leaned forward, placing her hands on the dark gray table. “Daedalus’s goal is to change the landscape of human evolution. Doing so requires drastic methods at times, but the end results are worth every fleck of blood, trickle of sweat, and teardrop.”

“As long as it’s not your blood, sweat, and tears?”

“Oh, I have given this everything, Daemon.” She beamed. “What if I could tell you that we could not only eradicate some of the most virulent diseases, but we could stop wars before they even started?”

And there it was, I realized. “How would you do that?”

“Do you think any country would want to fight an army of hybrids?” She cocked her head. “Knowing what a successfully mutated one is capable of?”

Part of me was disgusted at the implications. The other half was just plain old pissed off. “Creating hybrids so they can fight stupid wars and die? You tortured my brother for this?”

“You say tortured; I say motivated.”

All right, this was one of the moments in my life when I really wanted to knock someone through a wall. And I think she knew that.

“Let’s get to the point, Daemon. We need your help—your willingness. If things go smoothly for us, they will go smoothly for you. What will it take to come to an agreement?”

Nothing in this world should have made me consider this. It went against nature; that was how wrong this was. But I was a bartering man, and when it came down to it, no matter what Daedalus wanted, what Luc wanted, there was one thing that mattered. “There’s only one thing I want.”

“And that is?”

“I want to see Kat.”

Nancy’s smile didn’t fade. “And what are you willing to do to accomplish that?”

“Anything,” I said without hesitation, and I meant it. “I will do anything, but I want to see Kat first, and I want to see her now.”

Calculating light filled her dark eyes. “Then I am sure we can work something out.”