Chapter Twenty-Nine

My bottom jaw dropped.

I felt the sickening taste of bile creep up my throat. The scene in front of me felt like something out of a weird science fiction movie, where humans are used in science experiments and then turned into aliens. I questioned everything I knew about my so-called parents and their passion for science.

"Well, I guess we now know Luther was not the Hunter, so that can only mean it was Theo all along. You sent Theo to kill me." I spat the words at both of them as my insides crumbled into a million pieces. Theo had tried to hurt and kill me...at the direction of these two villains.

"No, my child. You have it very wrong. I sent him to make you and the rest of the team stronger and more equipped to handle the future. To make you all fighters again. Look at your hand. It's working. We can adjust the mixture. When we get to Merak, you will see my full plans for this team and all of mankind. It will be beautiful. You will love Merak. Trust me."

I didn't want to listen to anything she had to say, but I couldn't help it—I glanced down. My body was still intact, except for my hand. It looked as if my arm stopped at my wrist, like I had no hand! "I don't want to be invisible. There has to be a way to reverse the serum. You can't do this to me. I'm your own flesh and blood." I pleaded with them; although, I knew it would be pointless. I doubted they cared about me or the rest of the team.

"Don't worry. You will adjust. That's your purpose." Her gaze snapped down to me. Her eyes had turned dark and cold. The hardened expression sent chills down my spine. "What we have done is cutting edge. It will be the biggest thing that has ever happened to the entire universe. We can't think small right now. We have to think about everything that is out there and trust me, what is out there is a life form so advanced it puts mere humans to shame."

"What? That doesn't make sense."

"Yes it does and you know it. I'm sure you are starting to see images of Merak in your head. It's your home too Esadore."

"Esadore? Who is that? My name is Esa. Actually, it's Captain Esa James. Not Esadore!"

I turned my head and tried to regain my composure. I wouldn't let her get to me this time. I had to be strong. Unlike what she just said, I was concerned with the past and present.

"All of the normal humans are dying off because YOU allowed Troy and General James to use them as test subjects. This war is your fault!"

"No! That is actually not true. The war was on the eve of erupting when we arrived."

"Arrived? What does that mean?"

"It means exactly what I just said. We arrived just before the war broke out. It worked out very conveniently for us."

"Liar! You all have a lot of blood on your hands."

She held up her hands in front of her face. "Funny. I don't see any blood. In fact, my hands look very clean."

Dr. James gave me a look that dared me to say something else to her. I could tell she wanted me to argue. To get mad. Anything to justify what she was doing at Artek, but then she began to laugh. The sound felt like I was listening to nails being dragged down a chalkboard.

"That's how your world works. Not mine."

Just as she started to lower her hands, a lone crimson droplet appeared on the outside of her right hand. It looked intense next to her ivory skin. Another quickly materialized right next to it, and both began to slide down her skin as Dr. James looked on in horror. Then a third appeared. And a fourth. Fifth. Sixth.

Dr. James suddenly let out a soft laugh. "Hello, Theo. I had a feeling Esa's presence would bring you here."

Silence.

"That's not Theo," I said defiantly. "That's the blood of all of your victims."

"Oh, Theo. You can stop playing games. We are already tracking you. I'm fully aware that you are standing right next to me."

"Good afternoon, Dr. James. My name is LUX," a familiar robotic voice said from somewhere in front of me.

I looked around, trying to see any sign of LUX, but the rest of the area remained empty. LUX? I asked myself. What would she be doing here? And then I knew.

"LUX!" I said a bit louder.

"Yes, Captain James, I have come to save you," she responded dryly.

"Thank you," I mumbled as I tried to think about my next move. Then it dawned on me. "LUX! Take out the power!"

"My pleasure."

An instant later, the room went dark. I inched toward the wall, hoping someone would make a move, and then I saw it: the same bright light I'd seen in the hallway. I watched in silence as both Dr. James and General James disappeared. They were going somewhere, together.

I reached instinctively for my medallion. I needed to get out of this place. If they were leaving then I needed to leave as well. I waited a few more seconds and then threw my medallion into the space ahead of me. Just as I was about to run toward the line, I felt the presence of someone near me.

"LUX? Is that you?"

"No. It's me. Theo."

The sound of his voice caused me to take in a deep breath. "Theo! You're here."

"I've been here the entire time, Esa. Let's go. We need to talk with Samuel."

"What about LUX?"

"What about her?"

"We need her too."

Suddenly, he erupted into laughter. "She's not here, Esa. It was me the entire time. Thank goodness for voice changers."

"Thank goodness," I mumbled in response, still thinking about the droplets of blood on Dr. James' hands.

Before I could blink, I was back in the basement. Samuel was pacing when I appeared. I knew Theo had to be with me, but we still couldn't see him.

"Oh, thank God, Esa! I was worried about you," he said, throwing his arms around me. "Where were you?"

"Artek."

"What? Why would you go there without the rest of the team?"

"Theo was with me."

"Then why wouldn't you tell me?" Samuel's eyes looked deep into mine. "I can't protect you if I don't know where you are at."

"The same reason why you wouldn't tell me the truth a few days ago about searching for Luther and Troy."

"What does that mean?" he asked, puffing out his chest.

"Samuel, I saw Troy. Dr. James has his body in a large cylinder."

"Still alive?" His eyes narrowed as he looked back at me.

"Yes, but I'm not sure for how long."

"Esa, come over here and sit down for a minute. Tell me everything you saw."