Earth Warriors (Undergoing Revision)

Chapter 41 - Part Man. Part Machine. All Killer

"Julian...?" Those are words Jason utters as he looks at the young man, none other than his own son.

"There is no way... He can't be...." Julian matters, eyes wide open.

Jason then looks around with wide, uncomprehending eyes, as he observes the surroundings that allow him to revive. The air smelled faintly of iron, and the walls were lit from behind by flickering red and yellow lights.

"What is this place...?" he asks as he slowly breathes in and out

"We're in a top-secret lab, filled with the very best of your technology, far away from any human contact, or at least until now," Yamja says, with a wide grin on her face

"So I'm dead...? Answer me right now, Yamja..."

"Yes. You were dead, but now, you are reborn into a new body. A new you." Jason then looks around his body, no longer with the clothes and bright skin he had, but now nothing more than a metallic texture. The boards are slick and smooth, like the inside of a computer. He touches his skin, which is just as hard and smooth as the metal that surrounds him. The inside of his body is cold and icy to the touch. From this, the only flesh remaining is his own face, devoid of any hair. 

"Where...are they...?" Jason says, his voice echoing against the long halls.

"You mean the ones responsible for this sorry state of yours?" She lets out a chuckle.

"Who else would have done this, Yamja?" Jason replies, looking straight up at her. "Mr Seung...Seiner...Where are they?!"

"Your anger is pointless and hopeless," she insists. "You had the mission to contain him for your own purposes, but you let your own guard down, and they took the strike. That was a mistake on your part."

"I don't believe you!"

"You should be thankful for what we did for you. We saved your life, after all. You're alive again, aren't you? Why wouldn't you thank us?"

"Because...because it wasn't enough. This isn't enough! If I had just...had a gun...or something, anything to stop these bastards...why didn't I do it?! Why am I here?"

"Look around you, you have the guests in front of you. We brought them here to see you nice and new." Jason looks back at the group, both his former teammates from the train and Julian as well. All with wide-eyed looks on their faces for a transformed man like him. 

Then, the straps on the bed Then, the straps on the bed loosen and Jason stands up, still looking at his own body as he has the sensation of moving his left leg. It doesn't feel right at first as if he can't walk or stand properly, but he takes a step forward and another, and another, until he's walking around the room and stretching his body, bending his legs and arms to get used to a new way of moving.

"I feel...alive..."

"That's because you are. You're an evolved man now, and you're going to live a long time,"

"I can't...believe it..."

"It is true. You are alive again, and you are going to be stronger than ever," Raven replies, standing between Yamja and Boris. "If you prove yourself to be worth it,  that is."

Jason then moves toward Julian, who is still paralyzed from the sight of his own father.

"...Julian..." he whispers.

"Dad...?" Julian says, slowly looking up at him.

"I'm so sorry, Julian. For seeing me like this...I tried my best."

"No..." he mumbles, as he slowly tries to walk towards him. "Why did you come back?" 

"To protect you. And I guess that means protecting you too, doesn't it? And that's why you need to trust me. Trust that I can handle myself, no matter what." Then, a bearded man next to Julian laughs as he grabs his should and shakes it for a bit.