Wolves and Bread (COMPLETED)

Prologue

Everything has been perfect thus far. His ideas had come to fruition when the government finally saw potential in his plan to use genetic modification in favour of the country's defence.

To reward him, they had given him an office within the facility, a gorgeous room with dark wooden walls decorated with his certificates framed in a golden framework and classic pieces of art. In the far back of the room stands a brown leather couch, two tall white-capped lamps standing on both sides of it, and a creme-coloured chair. Heavy intricately patterned drapes filter the sunlight coming in through the window. The completely red ceiling with black plinths, which is totally not in line with the overall aesthetic, has always tickled the doctor's fancy. He likes it, having something extraordinary in an otherwise normal working space.

On the heavy wooden desk, before which a comfortable grey fauteuil has been put, stands a picture of his family. It is a recently taken photo from which he together with his wife - whom he met when he was on a rare holiday - and his daughter - with her long chocolate-coloured hair and eyes resembling her mother's - regard the real person outside the captured moment.

He misses them, but knows he cannot return home. Not when success is within arm's reach. These seven boys will be the solution to the problem he has been struggling with for so long. Until now all made efforts had paid off, but never did they get any closer to a real result. That was until they brought them in. Since then progress has been staggering.

The excitement about the prospect of the future and the adrenalin that comes alongside it, become too much and the scientist coughs, his lungs burning in his chest. The past couple of days he has been developing the flu, but he refuses to let it hinder him. When he gets home there is time to lay in bed and rest.

An alarm sounds in the hallway, the lights flickering bloodred as a siren screams.

No. This is not happening. All the hard work he has put in this project, it simply cannot go to waste.

His masterpiece cannot escape.

The fear makes his heart beat so rapidly it has a chance of bursting out of his chest if he does not calm down.

'We have the best guards in our employment,' he reassures himself. 'They will handle it and everything will go back to normal.'

The door to the office gets slammed open, the head of security panting in the doorway. He is a bear of a man and honours his nickname of ''The Giant''. 'Doctor Ban,' the man brings out between heaving breaths. 'They- they've escaped from their cells, sir.'

'Aren't you the head of security, Kang? Do something about it instead of standing here!' Slamming his hands on the bureau, doctor Ban gets up and looks The Giant fearlessly and furiously in the eyes. 'Bring. Them. Back.'

'My men are on it, sir, but-' An unfinished answer, something that greatly irritates the scientist more than anything.

If you say something, at least end your sentence.

'But what?' he growls, balling his hands into fists. He has to retreat to his seat however as he starts coughing hurtfully again.

The guard looks at him sympathetically for a brief second before he finally finishes what he started. 'They've set the building on fire, sir. I have gotten orders from higher up to start evacuating the edifice. At least those who are left.'

Ban cocks an eyebrow in wonder. 'How do you mean that?'

'People have already died in the flames as it is spreading fast. The alarm was sounded too late. We have to go. Now.'

The doctor gets up, stumbling when a dizziness overtakes him. The Giant rushes over to him to lend him support, wrapping his arm around the other man's waist as he places one of Ban's arms over his shoulders.

'Kang?' the sickly researcher utters meekly.

'Yes, sir?'

'The picture.' Weakly Ban nods to the framed captured moment.

The guard looks to the bureau, seeing the image his colleague means. Quickly he takes it and hands it to the rightful owner, who gazes affectionately at it. 'I can't leave them behind.'

Having no more reason to stay, the two men hasten outside. The Giant picks the doctor up and throws him over his shoulder as the man loses consciousness halfway towards the exit, suffocated by the smoke. Knowing how much his family means to him, the guard picks up the photo Ban had dropped and holds on to it so he can return it when they are safe.

Grateful they had not run into their frenzied failures and joining the others on a nearby hill, the survivors look out over their burning workplace as Ban lays underneath a tree with the valuable picture in his hands.

Seeing his great example like this, Kang swears he will see the man return safely to England to restore from his developing illness, because without him all their efforts would have been in vain.

This man is a genius, a saviour, a hero who nevertheless needs to be protected, he thinks as he looks at the researcher.

Yet somehow he knows the doctor will not return, knowing the orders his superiors had given concerning Ban's future under the government's employment.

Now those seven mutants are out and about, people have lost their lives and here The Giant is, knowing there is nothing he can do about it.

He is what he has always feared to be.

Powerless.