Fragment: Book Two

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I watched quietly as Zerro and his crew studied the laboratory. I was nervous, fidgety, and wanted to be anywhere but here, but Ezic insisted.

Ezic has seen everything on the drive, but it was from a limited perspective. He claimed that he wanted to understand, to know everything. He should have understood enough that bringing me back here was not a good idea.

My mind was like a healing wound and stepping foot back in this place had caused it to fester. Even now, I could feel the grip this place had on me. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but shadows followed me while I was here. I could easily discern them as a trick of the light or just nerves, but a part of me entertained the 'what ifs.'

I couldn't think straight here; my mind was always on guard.

"This is where it all began?" Zerro asked. I hummed in reply while glancing around the lab. It looked practically spotless, untouched. My father's desk sat where it always had, with multiple monitors in front of it. I approached the desk and traced my fingers over its surface.

"This was my father's laboratory." I mumbled while lifting the badge to place it against the scanner near the monitors. It flashed green, and the monitors turned on, showing the lock screen. I stared at the screen briefly before typing in the passcode.

When I was granted entry into the computer, I reached for the drive around my neck, unclasped it, and inserted it into the monitor. Files popped onto the screen, and I shifted through them until I came across what I was looking for.

I spent weeks studying the material. I knew it all, understood it all. But I figure Zorro would like to go back to the source. So that's what I did. I started it from the beginning. I selected the first file, and a recorded monologue began playing.

I took a step back to allow Zerro to examine the information on the monitors. His crew listened intently as the drive continued to play, and I found myself drifting off into another world, one where I wasn't here.

"You all are the product of...this?" Zerro asked, bringing me back to reality. I tried not to let his question get to me.

"Actually." I corrected him, "They are a product of me." I indicate to the twins, Emily and Georgia. I sigh before continuing.

"A Zorr gene editing tool was perfected using my DNA. Everyone else was spliced with the finished product, called the H-Z virus." I tried not to fidget. This was technically the first time I had explained the technicalities of the splicing process out loud.

"My father was hired to perfect the Zorr gene editing tool. He accomplished this by combining it with a human-developed gene-splicing sequence. I am the product of the combination, and they are the product of me." I motioned toward the girls, and the room became quiet. I glanced at Ezic and caught him looking at me strangely.

"SO, they are like your offspring?" Zerro asked hesitantly while glancing at the girls. I shrugged.

"Essentially." I say as I turn to the monitor. The screen had been paused on a video. A video of my transformation. I couldn't help the chill that ran through me.

"You're unnatural." Viper stated, and I couldn't help the smirk that made it onto my face. I cocked my head in her direction.

"If you are going to have the nerve to insult us, you'll have to do a much better job, snake." I sneered, baring my teeth. I wouldn't have minded the comment had she not said it while staring down the girls.

"What did you call me?" Viper hissed, and I laughed. Apparently, my statement had translated as I hoped it would. "You unnatural filth!" Before anyone could stop her, Viper lunged at me.

We crashed to the floor, and I used the momentum to roll us over until I straddled her. Once I was confident she couldn't buck me off, I attempted to retrain her further. However, Viper lashed out with her claws in her rage and swiped them across my face and chest. She anchored them into my flesh and managed to flip us again. The pain caused my brain to buzz, nearly paralyzing.

Viper swiped for my face again, dragging her claws over the left side of my face and tearing the patch from my eye. Something snapped inside me, and I felt nearly all my control slip. Everything Ezic had taught me flew out the window. I saw red.

Before Viper could land another blow, I raked my sharp teeth across her scaly forearm, leaving streaks of severed flesh in my wake. She wailed in agony as she gripped her arm. Blood leaked from behind her fingers and fell onto my face and chest. I used the distraction to buck her off me. I stood and spat out the scales I had torn off.

Viper jumped up and charged at me once more, but I dodged and landed a blow to her abdomen. She toppled over, and I raised my leg to knee her in the face. She clasped her face in her hands and fell to the floor.

I knelt down to her level and wrapped my hand around her throat. I dug my nails between her scales and into the soft tissue below. Blood seeped from the wounds and trailed down my arm, "There are some perks of being so unnatural." I growled through clenched teeth. "We are stronger than you ever could be!"

I threw her to the side, and she landed in front of Zorro, who knew not to interfere. I followed after her. This time though, Viper made no move to stand back up. This caused me to pause in my rage, and I was able to get a grip back on reality. I took a few deep breaths to calm my shaking. I drew my hand to my mouth and licked the blood from one of my fingers before flicking the rest off. I stopped before Viper but paid her no mind. Instead, I glared up at Zerro.

"Control your crew." I growled.

I spun, and the rest of Zerro's crew parted for me as I walked past. "I believe we are done here." I stop at the laboratory entrance and peer behind me. "If you wish to find your way out of these haunted halls, I suggest you follow me." I state.

"Go." Zerro demanded. "I will remain here to deal with this one."

I turned back without waiting to see if they followed and exited the laboratory. The only confirmation I got was the quiet and hesitant footsteps of Zerro's crew behind me as they followed me out of the ship.