Shifter

Chapter 16

My throat tightens as Parker turns to me and says, "Lets go Shifter." He leads me towards the elevator at the end of the hallway. Portraits of couples hang, their faces staring down at me. 

"Past Generals and their wives." he answers my unasked question. The last portrait stands out to me. Parker's haunting face looms down on me, but he's alone. No wife. 

I wonder why. The sarcastic part of my brain snaps.

A rough hand drags me forward as Parker jabs his finger at the elevator button. "Now listen..." he starts. "We will initially be performing some... tests... to see how you react to certain situations. Nothing to be afraid of really."

"What kind of tests?" I speak up for the first time since they left, thankful that my voice doesn't reflect how I feel inside. 

Before he can answer, the elevator doors swing open revealing two Elxi inside. They come towards me at the same time, one grabbing my arms back and the other forcefully kneeing me to the ground. I groan as a sharp pain explodes in the small of my back as the first guard's boot presses strongly into my back. The second one twists my arms together, sliding metal cuffs around my hands. 

"You done yet?" I say through gritted teeth, earning me a kick to the stomach. My legs instantly press closer to my torso, as pain spreads up it, shielding it from anymore kicks.  

"Enough." Parker snaps. "Get up Shifter." 

I ignore the dull pain as I get up, throwing a glare at the Elxi. Parker grabs my now cuffed hands as I crane my head to get a better look at the Elxi. Both are well built and strong, but I feel as if I recognize one of them. He turns to look at me once we are in the elevator, sending a chill down my spine. Steel grey eyes. A familiar grey. 

Brady's eyes. 

Impossible. Brady said his whole family was dead, yet here is this man baring so much resemblance to him. I glance at his name tag and instantly wish I hadn't. The name Peterson is stitched onto his uniform. So I was right. They are somehow related? Meaning Brady lied?  I push the thought to the back of my mind as the elevator doors spring open once again. A whoosh of cold air greets me as Parker shoves me towards the open doors. This hallway is much darker and damper compared to the other one which had sunlight flooding in from every angle. 

"Room 217B." Parker instructs the Elxi. Peterson stays in the elevator as the other one grabs my arm and leads me to my room. As I step out of the elevator, I notice that there are rooms on both sides. The  Elxi stops in front of one so I can see inside. As soon as I do though, panic swells in me. There's a young man on the bed, his face bloodied and bruised just like the rest of his body. IVs connect from various points in his body. I take a step back as a doctor steps towards the man, jabbing him with another IV and connecting it with a bag filled with a bright red liquid. I watch carefully as the liquid drips into him. As soon as it does, his whole body freezes and starts shaking violently. He screams as he claws at several needles failing to get them out. My hands curl into fists as I whip around to face the Elxi. 

"What the hell are you doing to him?" I growl. 

The Elxi shrugs and says "You'll find out soon enough." The screams abruptly stop as I turn again, watching in horror as the doctor roughly rips the needle out, blood staining his arm and the bed. 

"Lets go." 

I don't try to fight the Elxi as he shoves me past several more rooms, all filed with people. At the end of the hallway, he pulls out a key and opens the door labeled 217B. He uncuffs me and roughly pushes me inside. Pointing to the bed, he spits "Sit."

I don't move, glaring at him from my place in the room. He barks out a laugh as he steps towards me. "Sit." 

I smirk at his slightly shocked face when I don't move. I can tell his patience is out as he throws a punch at me. I easily move out of the way and grab his arm. Yanking it forward, his face collides with my fist. I ignore the pain in my fist as he twists his hand, grabbing my arm and roughly twisting it against my back. My old bullet wound starts throbbing again, tearing a yelp out of me as he pulls me closer to him.