13. Saving Clara

"After she has transformed, make sure you implant a chip at the back of her head so I can control her directly." Inside the room was a man probably rich. He had a strong aura around his skinned-brown curly hair and his body was in no way lacking in development.

But his face was facing the other end making Co-nian stare at his back instead.

"I will sir" The other guy said but it sounded unclear to Co-nian "Sir, I am really sorry I couldn't retrieve that boy "

" Don't worry Agent Fenty, I assure you he will come back snooping around." The man said with confidence.

" Wait what? I broke his legs" Fenty build up.

" I don't think so because his blood samples were unlike anything I have ever seen. It was like a mixture of both technology and magic. My machines couldn't even identify his kind." The man told Fenty.

"Sir My clone died!" Fenty finally told him.

"What happened?" He asked in an authoritative voice that echoed in the enclosed room once again.

"He got killed by a creature I have never seen before. Not even the Mermaids we mutated matched his strength. It was green and had scales…"

" Did you get a sample of the creature's DNA?" Questioned Fenty's master..

" No sir," He replied, ashamed.

"Alright.. Don't worry, Because the Government's Investigation unit is currently looking for a creature similar. And If that beast attacks again, call me and I will confront it personally.."

Co-nian felt small inside Benjamin's body. All his abilities had been limited. He could not even hear what they were discussing. His mission might be tougher if he doesn't find out the current status of both Ricky and Clara before it's too late.

Not being able to hear well, he placed his ears trying to eavesdrop by standing against the door. Then suddenly his body pushed the door forward, a screeching sound was heard, the door opened slightly catching Fenty and the man's attention.

"Who is there?" Criss Fenty asked.

"Catch that snooper! And if it happens to be that same boy, bring him to the laboratory. He must have some kind of blood I need." Right after the brown haired man finished talking, he teleported himself away from the room.

One mistake and the whole mission is burst. Benjamin moved within the corridors with fast paced steps which wasn't enough compared to the rushing footsteps behind him. "I know who you are, kid and it was a mistake to come back" Fenty said, nearing him with his weapon.

Conian was already moving his way towards the exit but that soon changed when the "Intruder alert* sounds echoed at every corner of the building, followed by the red blinking lights. "There is an intruder amongst us. Find him" Criss Fenty voice resounded through the speakers on the walls. Turning around, he galloped his way and hid behind the corner of an opened door. More Agents came rushing the area. There was no way he could take them alone. Only if he had come out with his true form…

Soon after they all passed he rushed trying to open all the closed doors along the hallway but none of them did. Criss Fenty was weaving in between the midst of the Agent's that were searching for Benjamin.

However, footprints glowing as he watched through his helmet every step Conian(Benjamin) had taken glowed a few seconds before it would vanish.

Co-nian hid behind the wall while constantly sticking his head out to see if the agents were gone. He stuck his head out one more and the metallic looking helmet Fenty wore greeted him.

Fenty could see through the walls exactly where the boy was standing. " Trying to hide behind that wall?" A cynical smile drew on his cheeks as Benjamin left the wall and took a sudden turn by running upwards on the staircase.

Co-nian got faster, calculating each step he was able to get out of Fenty's sight but as he continued, he bumped directly into one of the agents.

"Hey!"

"Sorry" Benjamin said with his gaze down. "I am checking if he is upstairs." He lied.

He looked at him and chuckled. "Every agent knows that we check downstairs first after any alarm." Without warning he lunged forward with his fist aiming to punch Benjamin in the face.

However Co-nian had a premonition before the agent muscles bulged inside as the punch came lashing out. "Too slow!" He said while he side-stepped as Co-nian watched the blow move right in front of his face. The agent body pushed forward because of the energy he included in his blow. His face pushed forward then Conian tightened his knuckles and with a swift movement a punch came lashing out.

Bam!

[Mission completion status…17%]

The agent dropped on the staircase after the impact then slowly his body rolled over each step until his back smashed against the walls.

Benjamin climbed downstairs and luckily none of the agents were there.

He saw a sudden path that led to the part of the building where there were no lights.

[I almost forgot I urinated on the light cables]

However, Co-nian knew he had almost used 10 minutes trying to flee from the agents and he had no time left. He had only a few minutes remaining until the real BENJAMIN takes over and he didn't want to appear weak in front of his host so that all his plans would come to nothing.

He glanced once in the darkness that laid before, creepy but he started running blind through the darkness. He felt like something might attack him or he might meet that Fenty guy. But luckily he was able to pass through the darkness.

[Mission completion status 18%]

He reached a certain part of the building where everything was painted white and the power outage had no effect on that side of the building. It should be where they are hiding them. He thought.

He continued his running until he reached three pathways that lead to different destinations.

And all the three paths looked exactly the same, just that the path that led to the right had no lights within the middle so he decided not to go there.

He took a careful look at each of the other two paths. His decision now would determine both Clara

and Ricky's safety. If he takes the wrong route he might end up being captured. He watched again the second time. The middle one looked distant while the left one looked like it would take him to a laboratory.

Before he made his decision, bullets rushed into his direction and almost a few of them nearly struck him.

"I would have killed you if I wanted to. Surrender and we won't have to go through all of this." Fenty's voice came from the speakers at the ceiling. Making him wondering were exactly he was. [And that was your only mistake.] Co-nian replied, almost unaware his voice sounded shaky.

The gun fired again. Co-nian didn't have to decide, he just went straight ahead on the middle path.

Conian tricked him by passing to a room then came back immediately only this time he had spilled water at the end of his boot making his footprints nearly impossible to trace amongst the water.

Fenty scanned the footprints but it only led him to the bathroom. He went in and scanned the entire room using his heightened vision then came out immediately

"He tricked me!"

Benjamin had climbed through the opening in the ceiling. He seized his breath when Fenty' came to stand just below the vent. Conian stayed there unfazed until he no longer saw him.

He realized that the vent could lead him to exactly one of the locked rooms so he moved within the confinement of the vent, silencing his every movement with skill.

However bad luck strikes then all of sudden the air conditioning goes on!

In a blink of an eye the vent became cold as winter. His crawling stopped, his blood was freezing. It was as if they knew he was hiding there.

Conian peeked through the opening beneath his body. Strangely, it was the kitchen of the building. [ I can't believe people cook In building like this.]

He paused looking through the grill. His sense told him there were a total of four agents inside that kitchen.

Without wasting any time, he soundlessly removed the grill from the ceiling then he let go of his body as he came downwards. He lashed the grill against one agent's head before landing on the table in the middle of the room.

The man charged forward but the impact was strong enough for him to fall down. The others saw this and pulled out their weapons immediately. Benjamin swung the grill again, his attack slammed against the face of another agent. The agents stood there unfazed after the led had struck the side of their cheeks.

Everything happened so fast. Co-nian had calculated everything correctly. Alas he forgot Benjamin Reed's body was way too slow for combat. Co-nian gritted his teeth as he took out the Tetsubo he had stolen from Agent 42 and then he directly swung the metal across his face this time the agent's knees dropped then he crashed against the bare floor with half of his cheek bone broken.

The others stood there angry. One of their own had been injured.

[Mission completion status 21%]

The men drew out their weapons.

Uncertain he turned around as he saw a big smile on their face before they fired their guns at Co-nian.

Their actions came as a surprise to him. He had predicted they would attack him but not with guns!

His body rushed as he rolled on the metallic table and as he was falling he grabbed the edge of the table making it standing as a shield against their bullets.

[Four minutes left…. Mission completion status null]

They continued firing, the metallic table couldn't withheld soo much bullets. It started crating dents. [I must finish this mission. Even with this fragile body.]

He stood up with his right hand still holding the tip of the table behind him as he rushed towards the door. Immediately after he had escaped the room he slammed the door shut and placed the table behind it as if it would do some help.

He breathed loudly, turned around.. "You are coming with us young boy." Two strong looking agents grabbed him by the shoulder and lifted him up, his feet nearly flying above the ground while they held him.

"So you knock out a few of our men, it ends here" His voice sounded so deep that Co-nian would have been frightened at him but his true form was way more deadly than what humans fear so he didn't.

They held him captive until they climbed downstairs towards the lab. "We can't take him to the others" One of them said after they had reached the door that would lead to Clara and Ricky.

Behind that door was a laboratory large enough to fit 1,000 men. But only two test subjects were trapped inside that room. Clara felt her blood being drawn out of her veins and could do nothing but scream.

The machines have drawn away almost all her blood, a golden chemical started filling the glass cage right after that. Then the whole glass was occupied by that golden liquid making Clara suffocate. Yet still her heart was beating.

"Sir, sir the girl has passed the evolving stage alive." The Doctor told Fenty.

"But it is rather unfortunate, the boy here is still in coma. Should I get rid of him?" He asked him once again.

Fenty came closer towards the glass cage Ricky was lying inside. And according to the computer the boys heart beat had slowed down. As if his heart was failing. "Negative! Let have patience and observe"

Through her immense pain, Clara saw Ricky lying there helpless, unable to move while he was still trapped inside that glass cage. She tried to scream but her noise was trapped inside just like her. Her hands had been clutched inside the machines. With the little strength she could muster, she tried resisting the golden chemicals from rushing inside her veins until she became still.

Both Fenty and the doctor shared a glance right after that warning sounds. "Don't stop with the procedure. I already have her DNA. I will clone her if she doesn't survive."

Co-nian was standing there with his two hand gripped tightly by the two agents.

[Mission completion status -17]

Co-nian time had been far spent. He only got three minutes left before The real Benjamin Reeds fully takes control of his body. He knew they had reached where Clara had been kept but the men decided to move him to another laboratory instead.

As they held both his arms he immediately stopped walking by holding his two legs upward making the agents sway to his side because of his weight.

After this was done he Screamed. "My leg. It's broken" Hearing this one of the agents let go of his right arm as he tried to check up on the leg.

The moment he reached the ground level to see the leg. Conian quickly stood up and kicked the man right in his groins making him drop off the ground with his hands holding his affected area.

His attack came intense, the other agent tried to react, but he was too slow, Co-nian smashed his knuckles at his groin only this time the man instantly passed out.

After this he barged inside the door that led to where Clara had been kept.

14 seconds left.

He quickly placed two huge tables behind the door.

7 seconds left.

He dashed his way through one of the compartments and instantly saw another group of agents all standing just in front of the second door. Time was passing, he had no options left. He went on to remove his shoes. As he moved forward, he saw by the left side of the room a store for chemicals.

And without wasting much time he went in to pour in two chemicals inside his boots. He clear out all the items inside the cupboard until he found what he wanted. An alcohol. Then he mixed it inside the boot. The only thing left was just something to start the boot in flames.

Therefore he looked upwards and the sight of the ceiling fan was enough for him to smile.

He reached under the table until he found some Electric cables. After that he swung the second time then heaved it as it came hanging on the ceiling fan. Suddenly the wire trapped the fast moving fan making it create sparkles of fire until a little particle fell on the boot.

Conian ran out the room then immediately threw the flaming boots at the men standing behind the compartments.

3.....2....1

Boom!

The boot exploded creating a cloud of smoke that was enough to engulf where the 18 Agents were guarding.

Conian quickly covered his mouth using his clothes while he stepped on some few men who had passed out because of the explosion.

He nearly ran forward when he saw Fenty and some other guy standing in front of a huge glass cage. Probably they didn't hear the explosion.

[I need to distract them]

He went outside again to where the smoke had been engulfed. Looking around he found a gun on one of the agents lying on the ground. Wasting no time at all, he fired it exactly at the ceiling. The bullets tore through the ceiling until it started another fire, Co-nian didn't notice this, he just wanted to create a fire alarm not knowing the bullets had gone too far.

He came back to hide just behind the door until both Fenty And the doctor heard the alarm. They ran out to check it out. Soon after they left the compartments Co-nian quickly pulled as many objects he could carry until the door was blocked.

Meanwhile the wire he hung on the fan was also lighting up.

***

Conian dropped on the ground after his time for staying inside Benjamin Reed's body was finally over.

Two minutes passed, still his body remained unmoved until smoke started leaking from the vent. It went on until the fan started burning, sending fire directly through the electric cables and finally started burning within the vent!

3 minutes passed.

Then The actual Benjamin Reeds woke up from the endless sleep. The last thing he remembered was the "system" telling him he would take over and after that He blackout. He realized it was exactly how he felt after he woke up naked the other time. Could it be that Co-nian was controlling him all this while?

"**

"What the!" Benjamin Reeds saw both Ricky and Clara locked inside glass looking cocoons as if they were some kind of lab rats. Then a burnout woods smell filled the entire room followed by the smokes.

Benjamin's heart quickened after waking up in a complete mess. Clara was trapped inside that thing while the entire room was slowly cathing fire.

Looking around, he found a metallic looking staff hanging somewhere in the room. He didn't even have time to remember the description of how the place looked. He picked it up and thrust through the smoke as he ran towards the glass cage.

Upon reaching there he jagged the metal three times against the glass cage then eventually it broke into smallish pieces then Clara's unconscious body was pushed forward together with the liquid.

He went and did the same for Ricky then got him out as well.

Meanwhile, Fenty realized that he had been locked outside the laboratory. And instantly pulled his Lazer gun and without waiting for approval from the voice inside his head' He pressed on the lasers as it burned its way through the door then directly into the ceiling fan that had caused the smoke.

The lasers burned the fan directly then continued to burn forward until it touched one of the main sockets in the ceiling.

***

After few slapping across the face, Clara fragile eyes flattered open. Not knowing what to do, Benjamin Reeds tried to open the door but objects in front of it were too heavy for him to lift. Everywhere was in smoke, his lungs were burning out as he came back to where Clara was lying. All hopes were lost Until Clara pointed at the glass window four meters from them. "Win, Dow" She managed to speak.

"Okay, I will take you there " Desperate, Benjamin was about to pick Clara up when she stopped him immediately. "Save.. Ricky first" Her fragile voice sounded unlike her beautiful face.

Benjamin took Ricky by the arm and marched close to the window.

Thankfully it wasn't that far just a mere nine feet downwards. And the ground was no other than green grass. Benjamin nearly climbed the window with the kid then suddenly the building exploded making him drop Ricky all the way to the ground, his small back hitting the ground.

But he was Okay or so Benjamin thought. Benjamin Rushed inside the room that was beginning to break away as if it was an earthquake.

Benjamin's eyes became watery instantly after a few smokes went into his eyes.

"Help me!" He heard Clara's dying voice and his heart ached. "Clara where are you?" He scanned the room with his eyes almost blurry.

As Benjamin followed the sound of the girl's soft voice through the dark and debris-filled room, he stumbled over broken glass and sharp metal, making his way toward her until he finally reached Clara. Suddenly, a deafening explosion rocked the entire building, causing the ceiling to crack and the walls to crumble.

With adrenaline pumping, Benjamin quickly threw himself on top of Clara to protect her from the falling debris as the building collapsed around them. The sense of danger and urgency was palpable as they lay still, waiting for the chaos and destruction to subside. Every second felt like an eternity as they clung to each other under the rubble, not knowing if they would survive or not. Then everything became dark.

**z

Benjamin was sleeping on the hospital bed of the central healthcare. He had been in coma for three days. Suddenly his eyes flicked open. And first thing he could say was..

"Where is Clara ?"