I am sorry for taking so long, I will try to upload at least every two weeks, and I am changing well not everything but at least the content and characters personalities, please comment if you find any irregularities in the story and characters and your honest opinion about the changes, I’ll still do them, but bad or good critique is necessary. yeah well some small changes 13/04/2014. More Changes!! Yay {[999aag}]
Prologue 1 Clash of Gods.
It all started 11 years ago. On a fire of unknown origins, only I and my twin sister survived thanks to the sacrifice of both our parents, we lived through 4 months or so I say, alone while still 4 years old each, only with the last whispered warning from our mother spurring us on “Run, and survive”. And ran we did, we hid from adults and children alike, the only time we had a reprieve or were able to relax was at night in closed places or abandoned houses, the first few nights my sister would ask in a shock filled voice for our papa and mama, by the third night I could not take it anymore and broke down crying dragging my sister down with me, after that night my sister would not ask for our parents and while we would huddle close for warmth, I’d be able to feel her shaking as if trying to stifle her grief for my sake. I was horrified with myself, for I was supposed to be her rock, the only steady thing in her life, and by showing vulnerability I made her suffering worse, I took upon myself to protect my sister even if it cost me my life, of course that was what led me to my first kill, my not being able of showing emotions on my face, and our getting taken to a really special orphanage.
The orphanage was not a normal one as I already said, my sister never knew and I wanted to keep it that way.
The first few days in the orphanage me and my sister would not trust anyone, we kept quiet and watched everyone with a wide eyed alertness, through meals, playtime, and night time, only me) every day all adults looked at us with what I though was pity and encouraged other children to play with us.
My sister at first did not succumb to the ‘playing temptation’ as I called it, it was not her fault that after a month of extreme weariness and sadness she simply opened up, there simply was a limit to what my sister could take of grief without a moment of relief.
But I was another story, I refused to play when she asked me, and took to the shadows when she did, alone to watch over her. My fierce protectiveness and unusual ways made the adults around me nervous, and more so because they sometimes could not find me but, when called, always appeared.
I was abnormally smart and mature for my age of 4, which they figured out fast, but it was not only the orphanage teachers who saw my unusual talents, I wasn’t only fast, but was able to analyze my surroundings and blend with them in a way that was uncanny of any human being, unfortunately I was observed as much as I observed them.
2 months passed in the same matter, my sister grew outgoing, and I finally understood what was happening by eavesdropped conversations of the adults around me.
There was the front, which consists of the orphanage. The normal kids and the kids whose body rejected the experiment, both are up for adoption. Go to school normally and leave at 18 if not adopted, and the second section, the hidden secret one, where they change the children’s DNA to make better fighters, soldiers, spies, politicians, whatever the country needs is produced by special training in there.
It was not much later that people, whom I think were from the lab, came to talk to me.
It was a man and woman much taller than me, they looked around 16 years of age, they both looked stern, and seemed used to being on top their smile looked fake, instantly I felt weary of the strangers. It was the man who spoke first, while holding his hand out, “Hello boy we have been wanting to meet you” Still weary I looked at his hand then his eyes without moving, he kept smiling even while lowering his hand but it was strained.
With barely a pause he kept talking, “We have a proposition for you if you will hear it” at my nod he continued “First we will have you know that we are an old program kept online by the president himself, we are what the nation needs by letting the genetic alterations be done on us and use our full potential”
Such a fanatic thoughts I grimaced “I don’t want to”
As I turned around the man’s voice reached me, “Do you not want the best for your sister”
“What do you mean” I asked starting to get angry, without turning to look at him.
“It is not a threat so don’t worry, but we could probably make her into one of the more desirable and adoptable kids here, not only that but she will have loving parents with money, she will not want for anything in her life, but only if you agree to enter our program, otherwise I cannot be certain of her fate” he sounded gloating behind his smile.
I felt hate for a moment, and had to suppress the urge to attack him in the nuts with a well-placed kick, because I believed it would not help me in the long run. I started to think of the possible consequences, and possibilities, like, what if they did not keep their end? and , am I going to let pass this opportunity?.
I turned around looked him in the eyes without losing the woman from sight and said, “I will agree if you accept my demands” at the man’s serious nod I kept talking “First I will want to know the family that adopts her, their reason, any infractions, what college they went, Ill want to know everything there is to know. Second, I want a report of her every 2 months at least and some videos of her interactions with her for at least a year. Third and last I want her to think me dead so that any attachments she has from here, I want her to lose them. Because I want her happy, and you’ll give her that, even if I can’t.”
The man looked at me and said, “I’ll see what I can do” turned around signaled to the woman and left me to my wandering mind.
Time passed by without hearing from the man, and my day became predictable, sleep with my sister, wake up watch her go to play, go to the classroom where an adult prepares us for school later on, and watch over my sister as she plays again, my day went something like this sleep, eat, school, play, sleep, rinse and repeat.
But I never took my eyes from my sister, because I was still wary of the people around me, I mean they had a lab where kids like me were experimented on, that’s really suspicious.
I wasn’t until a month passed that my sister was adopted by a nice looking couple that the man came up to me, “Come” I almost shouted in outrage, but the man simply turned around and started walking leaving me no choice but to follow if I wanted to know about my sisters fate, as we walked I kicked his feet making him stumble, he glared at me, and I looked innocently back, yeah I did not like the situation.
The man guided me through some hallways past classrooms with older kids, through a locked door with a staff only sign, down stairwells that I did not know about.
Downstairs was weird, it was not gloomy dark but different colors, and a lot of things that I did not expect, behind some doors were what looked like teenagers and adult men and women, in lab coats doing experiments with smiles on their faces, another room had a big T.V a pool table hockey table, poker table, and a lot o other games and stuff, but what astonished me the most was that they looked happy, those kids of all ages in there, none looked abused in any way.
We passed more doors but I wanted to see no more, they looked happy and that happiness gave me hope, but it was better to not hope, I knew this from experience.
At last we arrived to a different door this one did not have a small window on it and looked sturdier than the others, my rude guide knocked on the door twice, and waited until a grave voice told us to come in.
The inside was not something out of the ordinary, it looked like my dad’s office in our house, simplistic, with minimal furniture and everything clean and organized to make work more efficient but nothing else.
There was a simple if big desk and seated behind it an old man that could have been from 50 to 100 years old, (remember this is 2203, humanity has a greater life span than before by about 100 years, at least for rich people, everyone else had about 30 more years.) the old man had a kind face, wrinkled, but physically fit, and somehow imposing. His eyes, a deep green were kind but calculating when they looked at me.
“George could you excuse us for a moment” the old man said without looking away from me.
I turned to look at the guy that escorted me here, apparently named George, who simply bowed respectfully and left quietly.
I have to admit I was kind of scared, a man that is so respected, must be something special, and those eyes, I shuddered suddenly insecure, but forced myself to look at him through some fake bravado.
The moment our eyes connected I could see his were twinkling from amusement and I could not help but ask offended, “What are you looking at old man”. Stupid, stupid!
I wanted to hit myself, but the old man started laughing with his deep, deep voice, it somehow calmed me.
After a few minutes of his laughing he finally calmed down, and what he told me shocked me.
“Boy you are so very like your father”
“What!?” I could not help but exclaim surprised.
“Yes, not only physically, but that bluntness too, your father was certainly a no nonsense kind of man”
“Where do you know my father from?” I asked suspiciously.
Thee old man looked surprised, “from here of course, he was like a son to me, your mother too, but she was softer, both were the best in the organization, of course it was a shame to see them leave the orphanage but everyone has the freedom to leave when they complete enough missions and are 18.”
I was surprised, I did not expect them to know my parents, “sir do you know why the accident happened?”
When I finished I wished I did not ask or was prepared, the old man’s face darkened and the temperature seemed to drop, and the room darkened and when he answered it was in a voice so low and grave that it sent chills down my back, “that was no accident boy, not with this days technology, and when I found out who did it, they are going to pay.”
When I took an involuntary step back with a frightened expression, the old man’s face seemed to clear, not quite returning to the amused expression but one that looked contrite “I’m sorry it’s just that you father and mother were like my children, and I cared for them, I know you are still very young so don’t be frightened and please take a seat.”
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Because he said it with a pleading note in his baritone voice I gave in and sat on one of the chairs in front of his desk.
The old man took a deep breath and started talking, “Well first thing first, my name is Julio Cervantes, and I am the second director of these program, which has been ongoing for the last 60 years, and am known to be fair but insistent, I have been informed that you already accepted becoming one of us so I wanted to give you a warm welcome” the old man said it with a warm smile.
“Um, Sir, the deal was for me to know about my sister’s adoption and she just left, without even a goodbye from me, and I don’t know anything about the people that adopted her.”
“Oh right my boy, you wanted all that information, and well I have it here.” He said it while patting a stack of papers,” and you will see them as you have today off, but there’s one rule you will not be able to see her or make yourself known to her, as she believes you were adopted, then when she searches for you in the future she will find out you died, if you did you’ll probably hurt her.”
This came as a shock to me, “b, but, why”
He simply looked at me, “For secrecy’s sake and her mental health, we can’t have your sister wanting to come back searching for you with her new family power and money and having been adopted will dissuade her new family from trying to get you, after all you are, until you complete a certain number of assignments, or before for any special circumstances, a member of this organization, and that means being completely out of the grid.”
“But, my sister”
“You are lucky boy” he interrupted me ”you get to keep your own name and, you will have all the information you want as per our agreement, you will be starting training tomorrow first thing in the morning so be ready” the sound of knocking came at that moment, and with an air of finality he looked at me, “I expect great things from you Athanasius, like your parents before you, be sure to not let me down, now take these papers and go to your new room, George will take you there.” Having said that he looked at the door dismissing me and said to the person behind it to come in.
It was a beautiful woman but I was too distracted to see anything more than that. As I stepped outside I noticed George waiting, he just looked at me, said follow me, and took me to my new room, it was simple really, bed, bathroom, shower, and a closet, nothing more, nothing less.
I learned more than I though was possible about my sister’s new family. The family consisted of a married couple working in the gaming industry and a four years older new brother, he had great grades but still too young to be anything defined in particular.
It looked like a really great family and if the picture was to be trusted, my sister looked sad about me but happy with everyone else.
At this moment was when I decided to not only be in this organization but become the best of all, so that when I leave this place I can create a warm family of my own.
I learned a lot of the place, and about its goals. It was something like a school for the next super-spy-PI-assassin-musician-weapon master-actor-linguistic, a skill that you can think up, was something that I most likely knew. From a weapon master and assassin to a graceful dancer and musician, we were a government branch that did everything to make our country safe, from terrorism and corruption, to friends, bodyguards and babysitters to the children of the richest people of the country, the better you are the harder, and dangerous the missions, and I was the best.
Of course, so that 100% of the kids out of here are the best of the best, we go through some genetic modification, they are never lethal, and any new experiment was safely backed up by many safety precautions. The only time they lost a kid in these modifications, was, as they said, “when the program was led by a crazy scientist in secret”, all this I asked or found out by sneaking and eavesdropping, it seemed like a good place to be, if I wanted to one day be strong enough to defend my family, if ever I got one.
Years passed and I went to many missions, and training, the only time I wanted to quit was after a month learning things about the wilderness, I was dropped in the middle of nowhere and told to reach civilization at 10 years of age, it took me a year and 3 months to get there and I learned that the patch of woods was only 27 square kilometers of forest owned by the government, and that the slowest after me took only 2 months to get out of it. Of course my pride was hurt too when I made the newspaper of the town I finally found. The problem was the title, it said, “wild girl child found in forest, what other mysteries could there be”, it was funny in a way but from then on I had to take classes as a girl and boy each.
It was more than enough that the genetic modifications made us not be able to grow hair anywhere other than on the head, it was, they told me, because of some of the components it’s made of. I did not ask as I did not want to know about it.
After the incident, I had the same classes but had to concentrate to modulate my voice not only in different ranges of a male but of females as well, my social classes now included female etiquette, I could more or less guess that was for a broader range of, in-the-job disguises, but I did not expect that most jobs I would start as a female.
When I asked the reason why, they told me it was to make my targets, or objective easier to achieve, that as a female I was less of a target and possible threat.
Most missions were successful and it did not take much time to make me the best of all the program, even the other kids, my teachers, and partners were amazed at my progress.
My skills progressed somewhat like this.
At six I could take kids twice my age down, and outshoot most of my teachers at practice, seven came and I mastered different kinds of hand to hand martial arts, and learned Spanish, at eight I outran my teachers and other agency kids of 15 and under, I was a lot more advanced in the music and acting department, and even though the only time I really showed emotions was through acting, I still was better than most. My favorite instrument was the violin which I became proficient at 9 I liked music because it calmed me. I became a master at sneaking and moving undetected. At ten they were already teaching me with the sixteen years olds, which was when I went to the forest, and learned I was a spaz with directions, with some tests I became, in the eyes of the organization, someone that could not work alone, after that I had on every mission a listening devise on my ear with people telling me where to go, and before any mission I went through a torture program, to be able to save and control information in extreme duress it was hard but worth it. I was not perfect, since I was directionless, and my ability with the computer, which is essential today, was simply nonexistent, I could not draw, paint, make a sculpture, or write books or songs, I could do most anything but creating something outside a battle, and puns or jokes passed through my head leaving me clueless about them.
In my years on duty, I infiltrated a terrorist organization through their kids, found about a lot of corrupt officials on all levels, and assassinated and dismantled an organization that sold children.
By 16 I was battle hardened and ready for any situation, which was when Mr. Cervantes called me to his office.
I had no reason to believe this call was any different from any other, it could only be another mission, which I had started to look forward to, but the way George my sometimes partner shot me looks when he thought I could not see put me in high alert.
I did not know what I was expecting when I entered the simple office, of Cervantes, but to see him misty eyed was something I could not have expected in a million years.
I looked at him deeply, and saw things that seemed new, he had more wrinkles in his face but the way they were placed, I knew were more from happiness and laughter than, stress, and anguish, I looked at him trying to find the reason he was almost in tears, but could not, his deep voice jerked me from my silent contemplation.
“Boy, you seem to have completed more than your share from the contract, and were you eighteen you’d be free to do whatever you wanted with your life, but as you are not, and you seem to have acquired everything we have to teach, I have a surprise offer you.”
Having said that he moved his arms with a big smile, over a document as if saying, “Tada!” .
I moved to take it while looking at Cervantes happy face, and asked cautiously, “Mr. Cervantes what is this about?”
“Boy how many time do I have to tell you, it is Cervantes to you and Senior Cervantes if you insist on formalities, you aced Spanish after all I know you can speak it fluently, and it is a surprise so open it up already!” Cervantes was practically bouncing on his chair, for someone his age he had too much energy.
I took the document and at Cervantes happy go on gesture, I opened and read it. And read it. And read it again. I could not believe what it said, I looked up to George who had a tight smile as he nodded and to Cervantes who was again misty eyed. “Is this true?” I asked in a mere whisper.
Cervantes looked me in the eyes and in a serious voice said, “Yes boy, they will come for you the day after tomorrow so go get ready, now I want you to know one thing, none of them know you are the brother of their daughter,” he smirked quickly at that, “so you will have to hide it from them, as it would bring trouble to our organization if they knew. What they want is in the folder already, this counts as a mission, if a lifelong one.”
I stood there stunned I could not believe I was going to not only see my sister but live with her, after a minute, I straightened my back let my feelings slide out of my face, gave a nod of understanding to Cervantes and George and started for the door.
When I was about to leave I heard Cervantes mutter which I picked up thanks to my enhanced hearing, “Good luck boy and be happy”.
I went to my room and laid on my bed for some time, hugging the folder, that contained documents signed by the couple that adopted my sister adopting me, to my chest. I laid on my bed wide awake all night thinking of different scenarios of my new life, it was until the first bell of the day at 4 am in the morning that I stood up and for the last time went to my routine.