6.

Stray

I'm being dragged from my cell. Kicking and screaming, they're cramming a rubber ball into my mouth, a boy with a red arm is trying to pull me away from the doctors in white. They kick him and lock the cell we shared.

I kicked out and screamed. I gagged on the rubber ball, tears blurred my vision, and the other inmates looked at me with stoic faces. Whenever someone was taken by the guards in white, they weren't coming back, and when they did, they were never the same.

Thrown against a wall. My white prison jumpsuit torn off of my body. Into a freezing cold room, a doctor is pulling on rubber gloves, a nurse is cleaning the bloody operating table. There's a window on the opposite wall, a woman I can't make out is grinning, her red dress flowing.

I'm thrown onto the table. I struggle against the beefy guards, against the restraints strapped around my legs and arms. The leather bites into my calves and wrists. I'm face down and the operating table is still warm from the girl before. She was in a body bag now, the bag in the corner not fully zipper; her face was flushed, skin as white as the doctor's mask, and eyes looking into things that didn't exist.

I pleaded and shouted for help. But no one listened. The doctor took out a marker and drew a line down my back starting at the base of my neck. It was cold and sharp. But he brought out his scalpel next. I squirmed and moved around, panic and adrenaline bitter in my mouth, the rotting smell of corpses forcing me to vomit the food pills we're given as meals.

The guards hold me down and the blade presses into the back of my neck. Searing pain bursts through me, it rockets down my back as the doctor begins cutting.

A hand wraps around my forearm and jerks it hard.

I woke up with a start. I smacked my head against the top of the bunk bed. I ignored the pain and touched my back. My metal hands came back wet, but it was just sweat, nothing more.

Hunter switched on the lights to my small room. "Hey, you alright?"

I threw my legs over the side of my bed and massaged my head. "Never better."

He crossed his arms. He looked like he'd just come back from somewhere, a sparkle tinged his green eyes, his posture was even straighter than it already was. "You sure? You look like you were having a nightmare."

I shook my head.

He sat down next to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "You can talk to me you know that."

"I'd rather talk about happy things," I muttered.

He thought for a while and finally said, "You know what puts me in a good mood?"

I groaned. "Training?"

He grinned. "Training."

"It's like four in the morning."

"Don't see a problem with that."

"I think you need friends."

He smiled at that. "I have friends, they just aren't around right now."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah right."

He patted my back and stood up. He was about to leave but paused. "Can I ask you a question?"

I grabbed a towel from my lone shelf. "Sure."

He wrung his hands and thought for a while, twisting the black rings on his hands. "Would you...you know, marry me?"

I blinked. "Excuse me?" I must still be in the nightmare. Or maybe I knocked a few screws loose when I hit my head.

He took a step forward. "If it came down to it, would I be the right guy for it."

"We're brothers, Hunter."

He blinked and then shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that." He laughed. "I mean, do you think I'd be ready for all that. Would you look at me and think, yeah, he's the right guy to get married to."

This was by far the weirdest thing he'd asked me. He was intrusive most of the time, asking if I'd eaten or if I slept well or how I'm feeling every five minutes. But it was a caring type of intrusive at least. And he was never off his usual game before, his swagger, his way of making himself look like the biggest person in the room without saying a word. But he was completely off now, he was taller than me, and physically bigger, but he looked smaller now. Like something hadn't gone the way he'd expected it to.

"Hunter, what's going on?"

He shrugged. "Just wondering."

His face looked like it wasn't just wondering. He needed an answer, and I needed a warm shower to wash away the cold sweat. "Personally, I think you'd be the right guy. A bit of a jackass here and there, but people gravitate towards you. People that like you and don't like you. So…yeah, you'd be a good pick."

He nodded and thought for a while. His eyes glazed over as his hands fell into his pockets. He left without another word. Always something going on behind those eyes of his, planning, thinking, or remembering. He never spoke about any of the 'friends' he had, or someone he was interested in, he never made anything about himself really. He was just Hunter.

I showered and washed away the grime of the night. Stepping into black trousers, same colored t-shirt and a pair of boots I was out of my room in ten minutes. Everyone else down the corridor was asleep, the only sound coming was from the sloshing of the river outside.

I continued down the dark hallway and past the reception. The old man waved a good morning at me and smiled. He offered me a cookie but I declined, they looked like his great grandmother had baked them, and the one time someone ate them they'd been sent to the hospital. I don't know what happened to them after that, actually.

I stepped outside the housing unit to find Tohka and Casper waiting for me. Tohka with a rifle on her back and Casper lacing his white boots.

Tohka smiled. "Morning."

Casper looked up and grinned. "Finally. You and your brother take ages to get ready."

"Says the person still getting ready," I said.

Tohka and I left Casper on the steps. It would be another five minutes before he was done, same thing every morning: Casper complains, Tohka and I leave, he shouts after us and the Guard tell him to shut up before they throw him into the river.

We walked down the silent streets, the stars were slowly fading into the twilight. A warm night like every other night, the Gray still pulsed with activity. Always something going on over there. A party, some sort of festival, the occasional pop of gunfire. The Island was a polar opposite: there were restaurants and bars, but only for certain people at certain times. Art was slowly spreading through the city, covering white alleys and plain houses. But it was nothing like the Gray.

Tohka looked at me. "Guessing you didn't sleep well."

I shrugged and pushed the door open for her to the soldier's training building. "Just the usual. But Hunter woke me up and asked me something pretty weird."

"Oh?" She buzzed in both of out solider numbers into a panel in front of one of the training rooms, Hunter was already stretching on the blue mats. "What did he say?"

I leaned in towards her. "He asked to marry me."

She giggled. "No way."

I nodded.

She laughed some more and Hunter looked over at us. "I'd say yes, personally. I mean, that blonde hair and those eyes. To die for. And don't get me started on his body."

I waved her off. "Okay, enough. I don't want to think about that."

"Think about what?" Hunter called.

Casper stumbled into the training room. He pointed at Hunter and said, "Me and you, Limp wrist. Right now, first sparring session."

Hunter began wrapping tape around his fists. "I'm starting with Dan as always."

Casper tore off his boots and hastily wrapped his fists. "Not today. Because you always say you're too tired after you're done with him. So me and you, let's go. Right now."

"You haven't even stretched," Tohka said.

Casper made a rude sound and jumped around a little. "Screw that. I can beat him any time and any day."

I waved Casper onto the mat. I wasn't prepared for an ass beating this early in the morning, and Hunter was looking ramped up. Maybe I should have given him another answer, something softer. But Casper was always looking for a fight with him, so I'll let him get the first round of beatings. Then Tohka and hopefully he'd be too tired to kick my ass as well.

Tohka and I sat on a pile of sparring mats. Her knee touched mine and she leaned in slightly. Not enough to insinuate anything, but enough for me to get hit with the smell of mint and honey. Hunter threw his gym bag in between us and she pulled away.

Maybe I was right in giving him that answer.

Hunter took his stance and began counting down. He reached three and Casper lunged. Hunter took a step back and led Casper on with his palms. Casper double backed and kicked at his legs, swiping them across the mat. Hunter stepped over his kick. He flew towards Hunter again and he dodged a punch, Casper threw a volley of hits to Hunter's body – he barely flinched.

Tohka grimaced. "I've never seen him like this before. Normally he flips us or gets us to tap. Now he's just making Casper look like a joke."

"That's not too hard to do."

"Hey!" Casper shouted. "I heard that!"

"Keep going, man," I called back. "You're doing great."

He wasn't doing great by any standard. His kicks were blocked, his punches were either deflected or absorbed. Casper winced every time he threw a body shot, like the impact was hurting him more. His take down attempts were stuffed, his holds were pushed away, and his random spinning elbows were dodged with ease. Casper was no slouch at hand to hand, but Hunter made him look like he'd just started.

Casper sprung back from his latest failed attempts. "Take this seriously and hit me," he growled.

Something past by Hunter's green eyes. A cold anger. A disgust. He flew towards Casper and slammed his fist into his gut. Casper buckled but didn't bend. Hunter dived for his ankles and pulled, Casper instantly fell onto his back. He was on him in a flash, like a jackal about to get the kill. Casper raised his forearms to cover his face, but Hunter went for the body. Four hits that sounded like gun shots, and then one more to Casper's jaw. His body didn't go limp, but he wasn't fully conscious, in some sort of purgatory more like.

Hunter dragged Casper to the edge of the mat and looked at Tohka. "Next."

She swallowed and feigned a smile. "Wish me luck."

"I would but I think God is the only one that can help you from here." She squeezed my hand and I squeezed back, Hunter barked at her and she was on the mat.

As a rule between us, we don't tell Casper that Tohka is a better hand to hand fighter. He prides himself on it, and he should, he's one of the best in our age group. But Tohka is a step ahead, she lets him win to boost his ego. But when you're up against Hunter, it isn't a matter of winning. Just survival.

He began counting down, and unlike Casper she waited until zero. She stepped forward and kicked, drew back, ducked under a punch and threw one of her own. Hunter caught her arm and used her momentum to flip her. She landed with a smack on the mats, but it didn't faze her. She scrambled out of the arm bar he was about to put her in and got to her feet. She blocked a kick, and narrowly dodged a punch that would have flat lined her. She was already breathing heavy, her black hair was matted with sweat, but her dark eyes were still focused.

Hunter was barely breathing.

She kicked but paused before she hit his up raised forearm. She stepped forward and used that moment of hesitation to hit him square on the jaw. Hunter stumbled. Holy crap, Hunter stumbled.

She pressed the advantage. Hitting him low in the stomach and then going high. She was fast and accurate, but she was slowing down. Hunter grabbed her arm and twisted. She fell to one knee and slammed his own into her nose. Not hard enough to break it, but enough to daze her. Her head swam for a little bit but her eyes eventually snapped open. She kicked out towards his shin and he stepped away, temporarily losing balance.

She sprung up and he kicked her. Right in the jaw. Picture perfect I'll admit.

She went down like a sack of potatoes.

Hunter looked at me, his green eyes were glowing.

I didn't have to hear him say it. When he got like this, its better to take the cue than wait for him to say anything. I helped Tohka off the mat put her against the far wall. I pressed a water bottle into her hands and then approached Hunter.

He rolled back his shoulder and took his stance. I took mine and he began counting down.

"Five."

I clenched my fists.

"Four."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Three."

I readied myself to lunge.

"Two."

His lips twitched into a smile and his eyes pulsed.

"One."

He was a flash. His fists flew and hit my gut, the air instantly disappearing from my lungs. I stumbled back and he went for a take down. I forced him to the mat instead, I yanked his right arm and twisted. He laughed. Not a laugh of enjoyment, a scary laugh, a laugh like he wanted to feel pain. He got his feet underneath him and wormed his way out of my hold. Now I underneath him. He grinned.

I punched up and he caught one fist. I thrust upward and twisted, my leg crossing over his waste. I pulled my arm from his bear like grip and stood up. He swayed onto his feet and was on me again. I blocked and countered, he took the shots like a champ and countered, too. He'd told me to hit him even though my arms were bionic, but his normal arms were doing more damage to me than my metal was doing damage to him.

He kicked and I blocked it. I punched and he blocked it. He went for a take down and I stuffed it. He was strong and durable, never been knocked out by the bigger soldiers, never been in any real trouble even when the person fighting him was using a weapon. If he had a weak spot, he never showed it.

He grabbed both my arms and swept my legs. I smacked onto the mats and he raised his fist. Two options: get knocked the fuck out, or use the Unit. He'd get pissed, but I'm not getting sent back into the nightmares.

It switched on. Twisted underneath him and his punch missed. Squirm to the right, a little more, then jerk to the left and he was off of me. I got to my feet and lunged.

He tapped the mat three times.

"I told you not to use it," he growled.

I switched it off, the room's smell of stale sweat and plastic flowed through me. "Well you were going to switch my lights off."

He grabbed my shoulders. "Listen to me. Never use that thing. It's the last resort after the last resort. Got it?"

I stared back at him.

He squeezed. "Got it?"

I shrugged off his hands. "Yeah, yeah. I understand."

"It's for your own good," he called as I started towards the pile of mats for a bottle of water that Tohka held out towards me.

"Then maybe you shouldn't beat the crap out of me next time," I growled.

"What's up with you?" He closed the distance. "You normally don't mind."

"Oh trust me, I care when I get the crap beaten out of me at four in the freaking morning," I spat. "So just…leave me alone."

He reached out towards me but I slapped his hand away. I wasn't mad at him directly, but it was always the same thing about the Unit this and the Unit that. It was a tool I could use. It wasn't wreaking my memory anymore and I could use it for longer now. The only down side is a nose bleed I get after an hour or so. So it wasn't my fault that I wanted to get to his level with some extra help.

I left the training room. Casper was dragging himself from the nether realm and Tohka was already on the mats for her next session. Hunter looked pressed, but I waved him off. The other training rooms were occupied now, the sounds of grunting and retort of gunfire rang from in side them. Shower and then time to myself, that's what I needed.

A hand fell on my shoulder. Multi colored fingernails pressed into the metal. "Hello, Stray."

I spun round. It was Grace. Her black hair flowed around her shoulders, a fake grin pressed onto her bright red lips.

"Surprised to see me?" She cocked her head. "You look like you don't want to talk."

"I-"

"Don't care." She waved away the rest of my sentence. She didn't like me and Hunter for some reason, but she didn't like a lot of people. Like the man with the shark grin she had hung last year. "I need you to do something for me."

"You normally ask Hunter."

She paused as a few soldiers nodded towards her and disappeared into training rooms. "He's a black."

"Black?" I asked.

She nodded. "You really should start painting. But Fallows aren't good for that. Scratch that, you aren't good for anything."

I should start playing chess, Hunter said. And now I should start painting, the woman who hates my family said.

She rolled her hand through the air. "Anyway, an assignment. You need to retrieve some data for me from the Gray. It'll have to be tomorrow night as soon as the moon starts rising. Oh how I love the stars, you know, my grandfather used to say they represented my family watching over the earth. And he's the brightest in the sky right now, wonderful, isn't it?"

Hunter asking me about marriage had topped the charts, but Grace was getting close to dethroning him.

She laughed, a slow and full laugh. "I digress. There's an information building that they stole from us two years ago. We'll need information about a weapons system called the Walls of Jericho."