Twisted Web of Truths

Chapter Fifteen

It's been over five days since they lived here. Ethan had trained relentlessly; he ran, he jumped, he punched, he blocked and he observed. One and Four still the same cold, expressionless Elites he knew in the first place. Barnes has started to warm up, once or twice, Ethan caught him talking with Cole. Kent, however, was a mystery. Not the kind of mystery that can never be solved, like the Elites, but the kind that once it's solved, everything will make sense.

At least, that's what he thinks.

"—unfortunately, as the Elites strongly object, we cannot perform a medical examination on you." Kent subtly glares at the Elites and yet he looks resigned.

"What?" Ethan blinks. "Medical examination?"

"Or experiment," One interrupts. "As we like to call it."

"It's not an experiment." Kent seethed. "What if he gets sick? Do you think they have a cure?"

"I've never been sick," Ethan adds.

"Again, he's human. Just like you and me." One calmly says. "Just better."

"Exactly." Kent finishes. His eyes once again held a regality of calmness. "I've seen the difference between an experiment and a medical check-up."

"You do?" Four tilts his head, a mocking smirk on his face.

"Look, you have no authorities over me. I respect the decision of not allowing any kind of experiment on that boy." Kent gestures to Ethan. "But you have to consider the fact that whether he can fight his way out of trouble and all, they are going to keep coming. There will be a time when he has to come out of hiding to face them himself."

"How do you they're going to keep coming?" One leans forward, eyes narrowing.

Ethan glimpses a sudden burst of red coming from the girl with the menacing smile. He sees her for what she truly is.

"I've seen the worst twelve years ago," Kent explains, eyes dimming. "You heard of Project Future, Ethan. I was there before everything blew up."

It piqued Ethan's curiosity. His father didn't bother explaining great lengths about it. It's time he gets answers. And it seems Kent is the first person he'd go to.

"What happened?" he asks. The Elites didn't seem bothered about this. It's as if they wanted to hear his story.

"I was an agent stationed outside the main lab in Maryland. President Powers was, he was one of the groups that came from Nebraska. All of us were there. Every single scientist, researchers were there, and Russell, he was the president back then." Kent nods as if remembering. "Do you know what happened after that, Ethan?"

Shaking his head, Ethan frowns. "They didn't explain the details. How come you didn't tell them you were there? Is that how you find me? From President Powers?"

"He was the one who let me know where you are. He needs assistance. He was good friends with your parents. Your birth parents."

Somehow, like an instinct, he turns towards the Elites, silently asking if he should trust his words. One has her eyes onto Kent. She gave no indication that tells him otherwise.

Four leans forward, a tip of lips curls down. "Then?"

"Then one day," Kent says, hands became fists. "One day, it blew up. Everything. The blueprint was gone and every research we've made on genome studies."