Before the Fall

Chapter Twelve - Rage

Narrative

General Kim had called all of his top ranking officers of the BCU into his office. Seated behind his mahogany desk, he tapped his claws impatiently on the wood.

"Where is Park and Kim?"

"Hallway cameras show them on their way, sir," a quiet voice said. A younger hybrid was standing in the corner, a tablet cradled in his hands, his eyes focused on the dimly lit screen. His spotted tail swayed lazily behind him, low and curled slightly at the bottom.

"Thank you, Major," sighed the General.

A light tap at the door and the two men in question walked in, clearing their throats and wiping all signs of laughter from their faces.

"Nice of you to finally decide to join us," muttered the Lieutenant General.

"I was taking care of our new experimental ward, sir," smiled Doctor Park. "And the Lieutenant Colonel was already on his way when I met him in the hall."

A low snarl was heard coming from the Lieutenant General.

"Enough," said the General. "As of now, I am officially dropping formalities for this meeting. Jimin, what's the status on our guest?"

Jimin slumped down into a leather chair and folded his arms across his chest. "Alive. She's still quite drugged. Might have to tap into an IV to get her system flushed."

"Orders are to start the augmentation process as soon as possible. When do you think you can start?"

Jimin looked thoughtfully at his friend and General, Kim Namjoon. "Depends on how quickly she recovers from this initial drugging. I'll be able to do a better assessment relatively soon."

"Why is she to be augmented so quickly?" The quiet hybrid in the corner stepped forward out of the shadows.

"Jungkook," said Jin, sighing, "don't ask questions like that. The walls have ears."

"I'm just asking. Even when we've augmented humans in the past it's always taken a year or two to fully get the attributes serum to be accepted into their system. Do we even know if she will survive such a quick augmentation?"

"I was wondering that myself. Doesn't anyone else think that HQ is acting rather too quickly with this? What has this woman done to be treated like this?" Taehyung paced the room slowly, frowning at the floor. His white, striped tail was wrapped lightly around his thigh as he walked, his ears laying low as he pondered.

"I say don't question and just do the job. Isn't that what we've always done?" Major General Min Yoongi lounged on the couch, next to his colleague, Brigadier General Jung Hoseok.

"It's true," piped Jung, his tufted ears twitching with concern. "But I think we are a bit far removed from blind loyalty anymore."

"This is the last time I warn you," said Jin, grinding out his words with irritation. "We have a pact. We have no need to discuss the details of it again, especially outloud."

Namjoon leaned back in his chair, his thin fingers tracing his chin. "So nervous, Jin." A wry smile played on Namjoon's lips, before disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.

"We need to do this right. Begin the augmentation, Jimin. Follow procedural protocol. Serum first, then whatever. You know the drill. But let's dig around and see what we can find out about Mrs. Presley. Jungkook, you do that digging. Yoongi, Hoseok, it's time for your rounds. Report to me when you're finished. Taehyung, complete your rounds as well. Also, as soon as we're all finished with our duties, meet at Doctor Park's clinic. I want us all to have a full checkup. Who knows what we're in store for with this woman, and I want us all in tip top shape."

Shouts of compliance were echoed throughout the room and every man scattered to his duty.

"Sir," mumbled Jin.

"No formalities, Jin, remember? But yes, what is it?" Namjoon stood from his seat, stretching his black tail out, the cramped feeling of it being sat on making him wince.

"I'm just curious. We've never really had a female hybrid in the camp."

Namjoon's face darkened and he looked at his second-in-command. "Never doubt your brothers, Jin. They're strong. Physically and mentally. Our loyalty is decided for us. No female hybrid will be able to sway that. Especially one labeled as a traitor to begin with."

Jin nodded solemnly. "I trust you, Joon. I really do. But it's been so long."

"I know," sighed Namjoon. "Let's not think about that now. We have other things to discuss."

* * *

Aster

I woke again, this time feeling a bit more at myself.

The straps were still around my wrists, but I at least could move my head without the entire room spinning.

I was still alone and after studying everything within my line of sight, I looked back to the ceiling.

Alone...

That was something I hadn't been since before I met Xander.

We had always been together.

My chest clenched as memories of the moment we were separated for the first and last time replayed in my head.

The more I thought about it, the more I refused to believe it. There was absolutely no way my husband would have anything to do with H-Corp.

No way.

I would have known.

We spent every waking moment together, working and researching.

I would have known.

Li must have convinced him to go along with some plan of his.

Was it to spare my life?

I would have rather died together than to be separated by painful lies and schemes.

It wasn't just Xander's mock betrayal that hurt me, it was the entire scene leading up to our capture that haunted me also.

Everywhere I had looked there were dead bodies.

Elderly, men, women, children.

No demographic or race had been spared.

For all the talk of racial superiority in times past, everyone was equal when it came to the mass murder H-Corp committed.

I felt sick.

My heard jerked to the side and I found myself dry heaving into the floor.

It was painful as there was nothing really in my stomach left.

Just bile, acidic and stinging.

I cringed as it splattered onto the floor, some laying beside my head at the corner of my mouth.

Those people did not deserve to die.

H-Corp was vile, evil, and had taken everything from me.

My husband, my family, my life, and my freedom.

Anger began to replace the oppressive sadness I had been feeling.

I felt my body start to shake, either from shock or anger, I'm not sure.

I felt the rage building, like a volcano ready to erupt and spew its flaming lava all over.

My anger was growing to be white-hot and ready to destroy whatever was in my path.

Anyone associated with H-Corp was already determined to be guilty, vile, and worthy of death.

I would spare no one.

Just as they had spared no one.

If I had to play nice to infiltrate this wicked group, I would.

After all, I had nothing left to lose.