10.5

Darius had long known that there would be trouble if he tried to take out the secret laboratory. Against his expectations the mad professor Y actually had a finished product. He called him number ten, it should be more like ten thousand, did he really think that Darius didn’t know how many people he had bought on the black market. Darius scoffed inwardly. He wouldn’t even be here if not for the experiment that had escaped six month ago. When he read the report he couldn’t believe that something like this really existed within the empire.

As soon as the door opened and the experiment came in Darius had a bad feeling, it was really strong. It may be as strong as him, no, maybe even stronger. When the door had opened he didn’t hear any gun shots, so the experiment had probably taken care of his soldiers that were infiltrating the laboratory. Since there was a lot of blood on his clothes, they were most likely all dead.

Darius sighed inwardly while starring at this new enemy. The experiment seemed extremely young, at most twenty. He didn’t know how long he was already here to be a finished experiment. To his surprise, the experiment seemed to actually disdain professor Y. It was unbelievable since the experiments didn’t have a personality, but it wouldn’t matter if he followed his orders.

“Now, number ten kill all the soldiers and begin with the marshal.”

Darius’ Body tensed when he heard the order, he couldn’t let the soldiers risk their lives just because his error in judgement. He would take on the experiment while he would let his soldiers evacuate. He should be able stall for enough time.

His thoughts were broken by a sudden muffled groan.

Number ten had stabbed professor Y in the stomach, he toppled over from pain. Although Darius was surprised, he didn’t let his guard down just yet.

“You...how could you betray me, you were perfect...Wait, are you...conscious?”

The professor seemed horrified by his own thoughts. If this experiment really was conscious he would be a monster, just how much pain had he gone through to come to this point where he could finally return everything he owned.

The professor tried to touch his light brain but experiment number ten simply stepped on it, to hinder him. With a loud cracking sound not only the light brain but also the professor’s wrist was merciless broken.

“You, how do you know about the bomb?”

The professor’s weak voice surprised Darius. There was a bomb, where? It seemed like he had been too full of himself and hadn’t really thought that professor Y would be ready to bomb this place. There was a lot of important research material in here so Darius would never have thought that he actually planned to activate a bomb as soon as it looked like he would lose, it was like he tried to protect something that wasn’t here, like a accomplice or something.

Thought Darius was completely wrong about the professor trying to protect something, since the professor was actually talking about the bomb he had installed inside Ten, this train of thought would save his life in the future.

What followed after the professor’s broken wrist was a bit too much to watch, even for the battle hardened marshal. It seemed like the experiment number ten really planned to pay professor Y back for everything he had done, he only stopped as his body didn’t have any more intact skin.

The experiment stepped back, let the laser scalpel fall onto the floor. With a ‘please’-gesture he showed Darius that he could take the barely alive professor away, if he wanted.

Without waiting for Darius’ response, the experiment disappeared in the deeps of the laboratory.

“Marshal, what are we doing now?” asked one of the confused soldiers beside the marshal.

“What can we do? Take professor Y into custody, take care of the wounded and take over the place.”

“Yes, marshal.”

Darius walked behind Ten into the laboratory. He wasn’t sure if the experiment was really harmless or if it planned to kill them all later. But if there was just the slightest chance that someone had remained sane under the treatment in the laboratory, he had to bring that person back with him and take them to a save place. Nobody should have to suffer through all that what the experiments had to experience.

Darius thought back to the time when he had seen Ten for the first time, although his face had been expressionless, his blue eyes were still clear like those of a young child that hadn’t seen the malice of the world. Stirring up the feelings in his heart that stayed dormant for a long time. He wanted to protect those clear eyes, this time he would protect them.

As Darius walked along the hallway, he became slightly speechless. It existed nearly no place without traces of blood, the bodys of his men were all leaned on the wall while the scientists, the guards and the experiments were lying on the ground like trash.

“M-marshal, they are still alive!”

One of his soldiers who went to check out the body of his colleague stuttered. Darius raised his brow, it seemed like the experiment wasn’t only conscious but also fairly smart.

After walking for a short while longer Darius saw Ten wait in front of a door.

“You can understand what I’m saying?”

Darius was really curious about this experiment. Seeing it nod he decided to ask a few questions.

“How long are you here?”

Ten opened his mouth to answer the question but shortly after he just patted his throat.

“You can’t speak?”

Ten nodded again and showed the marshal three fingers. Before the marshal could ask he took his fingers back and showed him another ten.

“Years or month?”

Ten showed him one finger. The marshal wrinkled his brows, as Ten opened the door to the room.

If he really was here for such a long time then it wouldn’t be easy to get him his freedom, the emperor would most likely place him in an other laboratory to find out what they did to him, if he resisted they would use force.

Seeing Ten going into the room Darius followed him, since he waited for him it seemed like there was something important in there.

Darius was surprised when he saw what Ten showed him, it was the database of the laboratory, on it he would find all the research data. If he secured this it would be a lot easier for Darius to get the little experiment his freedom.

“Thank you. Do you want to go outside?”

Seeing the eyes of the person in front of him sparkle and him smiling brightly, the marshal felt slightly guilty that he only asked to get Ten away from his men. Even if had a good feeling about this person he wouldn’t risk his men by letting him roam around freely.

His sense of guilt only intensified when he saw how Ten reacted as he stepped outside. It seemed like it had really been a long time since he last saw the outside world. Ten lifted his head, his long hair swaying in the wind and starred at the sky. Fine streaks of water sliding down his checks making him look fragile, sad but somehow also happy.