The Man and the Mirror

Family

6:40 PM Florida International Airport

Maria O'Malley stepped off the plane. Her long blonde hair and black jacket blowing in the Fall wind. Her daughter Ellie O'Malley stepped off behind her. Her darker dirty blonde hair and blue hoodie and jeans keeping her warm.

It was beginning to be evening as they walked down the stairs of the military plane.

Before they even could find out where they needed to go a government agent with shaggy black hair walked over to them.

"Hello, me name is Agent Cole. I guess your wondering why your here." He said with a grin.

"Listen you little prick, you better not give us some BS answer." Ellie told him.

"Nice try at a threat. But the reason why your here has to do with your son."

"What did he do?" Maria asked

"It's not what he did, it's what he could become." Cole said cryptically as he walked toward a van.

"What did you do to my little bro!" Ellie said.

"Again it's not what we did, it's what we plan to do. Now any more questions will be answered once your in the car."

They walked over to a black suburban with blacked out windows.

"This doesn't look sus at all." Ellie said as she got in the back door.

"Good to see you got here safe." Ellie's father said from inside the suburban. Still weari g his work shirt and jeans. The balck and grey hair and green eyes contrasting with their blonde and blue.

"Dad?" She asked.

"They got you as well." Maria said.

"We figured his whole immediate family should be here." Cole said as he got in the driver's seat.

Maria closed the door as she got in. Daniel sat on the right side while Ellie sat in the middle and Maria on the left side.

Cole started the car and pulled out of the airport. He started into the highway before he started talking. "I suppose your wondering while your all here." Cole said.

"What do you want to do with him." Can said through gritted teeth.

"Have you heard of the plane crash off the coast." Cole asked.

"It was in the news." Maria said

"Well that was one of the planes your son's college trip was on. Due to classified non governemnt related circumstances it crashed off the coast of Florida in the Atlantic ocean." Cole said.

"Oh my god." Maria said.

"Is he ok." Daniel asked.

"What I say next will not leave this car under any circumstances. If you tell any of this you will be hunted down and your loved ones will pay." Cole said with every bit of seriousness.

They all nodded and he continued.

"The plane crashes into an alien artifact known as The Hub. Due to your son's quick thinking and response he freedhimslef from the wreckage by amputating two of his limbs and slowing the bleeding with belts. He then climbed into the pad and stayed there until a rescue helicopter got him. When they found him an alien artifact was keeping his blood pumping by manipulating the water in it and the Medics took him to Point-West hospital. Where he is currently being treated."

They were all shocked to say the least. The fact that her little bro went throught all that cording throught her mind.

Daniel looked contemplative and horrified, and Maria just looked like she was about to cry.

"Will be be... okay." Ellie asked through a shaky voice.

"He is currently stabilized. But there was a lot of damage to his internal organs and bones as well. Regular medical technology just isn't advanced enough to save him."

"Is he going to die?" Daniel asked.

"He would normally, the artifact is one of the only thing keeping the blood pumping. So that's why I need to ask something of all you." Cole said.

They all looked confused before Maria broke it. "What do you need to ask?"

"I already have authorization from the head of the FBI to do this but we need your permission since Will is unconscious."

"Permission for what." Can askedspectically.

"To combine him with an ancient alien of the same species that built the Hub. Okay volunteers have died during the project but we now believe we know what to do to make it successful." Cole said.

"Thats insane." Ellie shouted.

"I'm not going to put him through something that would most likely kill him." Maria said.

"I don't think you understand the situation." Cole said.

"And what abojt this would we not understand." Daniel said.

"Your son will die without this. While there is a possibility he could die during this the tradeoffs will be tremendous."

"And what would that be." Ellie asked.

"Well first of would save his life. By giving him increased healing abilities. It would make him stronger and faster by making his muscles faster and improve his reaction time. He would gain the abilities of the Gem that would be implanted and he may quite possibly become immortal and possibly more." Cole said with a smile.

"So your basically gonna make him an immortal Spartan with superpower's." Ellie's said.

Everyone looked at her weirdly.

"What. Like the ones from Halo. He loves that game so much I looked it up." Ellie said.

Cole laughed. "I guess that would be a good analogy. But he would get Gem powered combat prosthetics to replace his missing limbs and in exchange for being the testbed for new military weapons and technology he will be able to get lots of cool toys and a possible job if he wants it." Cole said as he pulled into the hospital parking lot.

"So your basically using him as a fucking guinea pig." Daniel said.

"Basically." Cole said as he got out.

The family members got out of the suburban and walked inside the hospital. Taking notice of the APC and 2 heavily armed soldiers out front.

As they passed the 2 grabbed a heavy metal case and walked after them. Ellie's could hear a conversation between the 2.

"Tucker do you think this mean doggy will do cool tricks." One that had the name tag Caboose said.

"How the fuck would I know. But did you check out the chick in the hoodie BowCkickaBowWow." The one with a name tag that read Tucker one it said.

Ellie looked back at him and told him." Sorry I don't date Playboy's."

"So your single then." He said.

"Not for you." The 21 year old said as she turned and followed her mom and dad.

"Don't you say shit caboose."

"Shit."

"God fucking damn it."