Chapter 1-12

Training was hard and intense, day after day Rinzlo drilled them. Their sparring matches continued with victors varying. The higher ups must have decided to ease the subjects into it slower though as Rinzlo started cutting fights shorter than before. But the pain didn't end. 36 was as distant as ever, no attempt 28 and 78 had made at talking to him had resulted in any response. He was like a machine. Thoughts of the boy filled 28's mind during every waking hour. His mind clouded, he had hardly noticed stepping up onto the sparring mat before he felt a set of hard knuckles slam into his mouth.

Blood, 28 could taste it. 99's fist withdrew, he had struck like a viper. 28 wheeled away clutching at his face where he had been struck, red seeping through his fingers. 99 paced like the predator he was, a smirk on his face. He was better than 28 and he knew it. 28 had to be smart to win, he had to be cunning. The wounded boy pulled his hands away from his face, he could feel Rinzlo's eyes on him, and raised them into position. 99 stood still, confidence oozing from him. 28 scowled, he had begun to form a dislike for 99. Despite their shared experiences, despite all of the pain and what they did to 36; 99 was content. Infact, 99 enjoyed the drills and the mission set before them. He idolized Rinzlo, and it sickened 28 to his stomach. 28 lashed out, stepping forward and throwing his weight behind a heavy right hook. 99 swayed out of the way with ease.

"Come on Twenty-eight, is that the best that you can do?" 99 laughed.

28 shot forward, leading with two left jabs followed by a heavy right. 99 shifted out of the way of the jabs and caught the right, twisting 28's arm behind his back. 28 growled in pain as 99 toyed with his arm, adding and relieving pressure to intensify and alleviate the pain. He pressed his lips to 28's ear.

"You're not good enough, we're meant to be perfect and yet you drag us down. Seventy-eight kicked your ass. Eighty-two has brawn and hell, even Thirty-six can put up a struggle now that the egg-heads fixed him. You continue to disappoint."

28 clenched his teeth and swung his head back into 99's nose. But the other boy was fast, quickly releasing 28 and putting space between the two, avoiding any real damage. 28 turned around to face him once more, readying his fists.

"Hey Nines, I've gotta start somewhere right? Guess kicking your scrawny ass is as good a place as any."

99 smirked and moved to pounce, shooting forward faster than 28 could have defended against. But 28 didn't plan on defending instead he reared back his head and spat, blood spraying from his mouth in a curtain of red that covered 99's eyes, blinding him. 99 reeled away from his opponent in surprise and in that moment 28 found his opening. He buried his fist into the other boy's throat and felt it collapse under the weight of his strike. 99 wheezed in pain and doubled over, clutching at his neck. 28 knew now not to hold back and swung his leg in a furious kick that slammed into the side of 99's bowed head. The blow sent him sprawling and as 28 moved in to finish the fight Rinzlo called out.

"That's enough, we're done here!"

The man climbed onto the mat to ensure the two separated and motioned for the watching guards to collect the wheezing subject.

"How's your face boy?"

28 felt his lip where it had been split open, it stung but he knew it would heal quickly.

"It's fine."

"Good. The rest of you, head back to your dorm. We're done for today."

Guards escorted them back. Other than 99, no one had been injured badly enough to warrant special treatment. 82 ate quickly and fell asleep, he had picked up a habit of napping while they waited to be sent to cognitive analysis. Leaving 28 and 78 alone with 36. The smaller boy sat on his bed and stared blankly as they waited. The other two exchanged a glance and 78 moved to join 36 on his bed. He did not react to her presence, nor to 28's approach.

"Hey, Thirty-six. How's it been going? You haven't said a whole lot of anything lately so we thought we'd check in on you." 78 cooed, lightly laying her hand on his knee.

"We just want to make sure you're ok, buddy." 28 said as he knelt down in front of him.

"Thirty-six? Can you answer me? Are you ok?"

36 stared ahead blankly, not acknowledging either of them. His expression did not change, his eyes did not waver, and he did not react to 78's touch.

"Damn it Thirty-six, would you just answer us? What did they do to you?"

Tears fell silently from 78's eyes and 28's fists clenched in rage. Just then they heard footsteps approaching their chamber and the two quickly darted away from the boy, 78 wiping her eyes dry just as Rinzlo opened the door with 99 in tow.

"It's time, these guards will take you all down to the ol' C.A.C."

Rinzlo stepped aside to reveal their escort and turned to leave. The subjects gently woke 82 and the group proceeded with their escort. 28's mind was in turmoil and as he seethed at what had become of 36 he felt gentle fingertips brush his hand. 78's fingers interlocked with his own for a moment and their eyes met. She gave his hand a supportive squeeze before releasing him and entering the chamber before them. They passed the old desk woman and made their way towards their respective doors. Amy was waiting for him at her desk, her lips pursed as she stared at the monitor before her. 28 reluctantly took a seat.

"It has come to my attention that we haven't been getting along very well lately, isn't that right?"

28 didn't answer.

"Your silence is confirmation enough," she muttered with a sigh, "you're supposed to be able to talk to me and I have been callous in my approach. Please, Twenty-eight, give me another chance. I want to help you, I really do. But you need to let me in."

28 stared at her for several long moments. He felt heat rising into his chest and head as he thought about 36, about what this woman had said about it when he had opened up to her. He felt as though he was burning from the inside out. 'She wants me to open up again? Fine, I'll open the damn floodgates.' 28 spoke very calmly, unnervingly so.

"Thirty-six doesn't talk, doesn't react. He only eats, trains and sleeps. He may as well not be living."

"Well I hardly believe that to be the case. The higher ups would not allow the use of such a machine on so valuable an asset if they were not sure of its safety. I'm sure Thirty-six is just fine and simply finding a different way to cope with your current situation."

She beamed at him with that warm smile she had, and his heart skipped a beat as his hands shot forward and slammed down on her desk. The desk gave way with a loud crack and her smile followed. It was replaced by a look of utter terror. He knew that look well. It was the look that had been on 36's face when they had strapped him into that machine. He paid no mind to the handgun she had stuck into his face as she scrambled back towards the wall. He advanced towards her, feeling the cold barrel of the weapon settle between his eyes.

"He is not living. You people did this to him! You made us only to suffer. What are we but playthings to you people? Expendable. Worthless. You may as well strap us all into that damn machine if this is what you really want."

"I-I never...I had nothing to do with Thirty-six. I swear I didn't."

"You may as well have, you sit here spoon-feeding me lies. Trying to pacify me. Trying to numb me to your sins. You're all sick."

"Is that really what you think of me?"

28 turned away, stepping over the wreckage of the desk and righting his toppled chair.

"I think we're done here, see you tomorrow doc."

"Twenty-eight wait!"

He grabbed the door knob and she seized his arm. His eyes met hers, filled with cold fury. But she didn't flinch.

"Please, we're not done yet."

Slowly, 28 released the knob and allowed her to guide him back to his seat. Carefully she made her way back over her ruined desk and to the small bookshelf that occupied the corner of her desk.

"What I want and what my superiors order are two very different things. You have to understand this."

She took a volume from the shelf and presented it to him.

"It's a collection of stories from the old world, my father pieced them together as best he could a long time ago but I'm hoping you'll accept it. Think of it as a sort of peace-offering. From now on let's try to be honest with each other."

28 took the book, feeling the tough leather cover rub against his hands. His fingers grazed over its worn spine.

"I...thank you, Amy. But let me make one thing clear. My trust is earned, not given, and it can't be bought with books and trinkets."

"I thought as much, but it's yours regardless."

28 rose from his chair and left without another word.