Hungry

At eight that morning, when Agent Issac arrived, Soren was standing outside. Soren did not say anything when he got in and their drive was done in silence. When they parked Soren stayed in his seat, staring out at the building.

"Whatever happens in there, I need to know that you'll keep them away."

"What do you mean?"

Agent Issac unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to look at Soren.

"When I bring them back, they won't be any different than they were before. I'll treat them like regular mutated. Unfortunately, to the humans there it will seem cruel what I'll be doing because they will look human. If they try to stop me I can't guarantee how things will turn out."

Soren turned around, his eyes locking with Agent Isaacs.

"I'm not going to protect someone who's trying to stop me. If they interfere, I won't be their shield."

"I think I understand. I'll do what I can, the rest is on them."

Soren chuckled and opened the car door, stepping out.

"This is why I like you, Agent Issac. You're not even bothered by all the shit I'm saying."

"I saw what that mutated did when you and Fry were out with me. I also saw what you're capable of, which gives me an idea of what will happen today. I'm not stupid enough to stand in the way of you or them."

After seeing the aftermath of the mercenary's attack, Agent Issac had a bad feeling about what was going to happen.

They headed straight for the underground lab and back to the room where Soren had used Ethan as a live demonstration for the cure. Back then he had hoped they would take his advice and focus on mass producing the vaccine.

Unfortunately, it had gone the way he predicted. They were more worried about the 'brilliant' minds that had been lost to the mutation than the regular people who could be saved. Sure, a world populated by smart people sounds good, in theory. In reality, you need a mix of abilities to survive in the world; people to create, people to build, and people to think.

If everyone was a doctor, who would build the houses or hunt for food?

In the room waiting for them were Dr. Reynalds and an older gentleman who wore a military uniform. The man's grey hair was cut short, slightly longer than the classic military cut. His face appeared to be permanently stuck in a neutral expression and his eyes gave away nothing.

The uniform he was wearing was adorned with medals. There were markings on it that Soren assumed were there to denote his title, but he was not certain.

In the room behind the two-way mirror were two mutated. Each one had been secured to a table that had been moved to an upright position, almost making it look like the two were standing. Agent Issac walked in first and saluted the old man.

"Commander Hayes, this is Soren Valle."

Soren nodded in his direction, only sparing a glance for the doctor.

"We appreciate your willingness to do this, Mr. Valle."

The commander's voice was deep and firm. It was the voice of a man who was used to others following his orders.

"I'm only doing this so that you'll give up on the mutated and focus on the people you can actually save. The doctor can be the one who administers the shots, but I require that I be in the room during the process."

The commander's jaw tightens and he turns to look at the doctor who nods.

"That's fine."

Soren reached into his back pocket and pulled out a container made of tin that was long and relatively thin. When he opened it up it held two syringes with reddish liquid within. He closed it and handed it to Dr. Reynalds.

Dr. Reynalds took the container with the syringes and made his way to the room that housed the two mutated. Soren followed close behind him while the other two remained where they were and watched everything through the two-way mirror.

Soren moved to lean against the wall just inside the door. He planned on watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to step in. It was not a matter of if things would go bad, but when. Dr. Reynalds headed straight for the two strapped to the table. The doctor opened the container and pulled out both syringes, placing the container into the pocket of his lab coat.

The doctor injected the contents of the syringe into the first mutated, then moved and repeated the process with the second one. It did not take long before both began to scream. It was the sound of someone in great pain and caused the doctor to grimace. The two mutated writhed and strained against their bindings.

The changes were subtle at first; fewer wrinkles on the leather-like skin, bright red eyes fading. The screams raised in tempo as their flesh filled out, no longer looking like skin against bone. The skin itself changed to the pale and soft texture of a human.

It could now be seen that the first one was male, with black hair and grey eyes. The second one was a woman with long blond hair and blue eyes. Once the change was complete, the screams stopped and both closed their eyes as if sleeping. The woman's face had the appearance of an angel.

"Maddy!"

Dr. Reynalds cried out and rushed over to the woman, removing the straps as quickly as he could. He was so focused on what he was doing that he did not notice that she had opened her eyes, or that they were once again bright red.

The doctor stood up after removing the straps around her legs and the moment he did she let out a growl. He looked over just in time to watch as she lunged toward him. He automatically raised his arms in defense as she rushed him. He felt a sharp pain in his right arm and found himself falling back as her body connected with his.

Dr. Reynalds hit the floor with a thud and an audible 'oomph.' He was stunned for a moment from the fall, but when his vision was able to focus he wished that he had not. Madelyn Holcomb, a brilliant young scientist, was eating the arm of her fiance of three years.

Soren pushed away from the wall and walked over to the two on the floor. He glanced up at the mirror then over at the man who was still strapped down. The man was growling and struggling to join Madelyn.

Soren let out a low growl and grabbed the back of Madelyn's neck. He let out another growl and, when she released her hold on the doctor to look at Soren, he pulled her off and threw her at the wall. She hit the wall with a whimper and moved to a crouched position, growling at Soren.

Soren let out a laugh, "Fiesty one, aren't you."

He walked towards her and she sprang at him, teeth bared. Soren swung at her; his hand connected with her head and slammed it onto the floor. He straddled her body, holding her down while she tried to attack him again. He grabbed her hands and held them down. He growled at her, it was deeper than the ones before, more forceful.

Madelyn struggled some more before finally stopping. Soren released her and stood. She moved to stand and he growled at her; she stopped moving and just watched him as he walked to Dr. Reynalds.

The man who was still strapped down growled at Soren as he passed by. Soren gave him the same deep growl he had given Madelyn and the man quieted down.

Soren looked at Dr. Reynalds with a smirk. The doctor was sitting up and using his lab coat to wrap his arm and try to stop the bleeding. He had lost a large chunk of his arm, every bit of which was in Madelyn's stomach.

"Did that work out like you had expected?"

Soren turned to the mirror and spoke again, not giving the doctor a chance to reply.

"It's one thing to bring them back right after they've mutated. The longer they live as a mutated the harder it is for them to come back. Right now, all you have is two human-looking mutated. All they're thinking about is how you'll taste. I seriously doubt that you've fed them this whole time so they are very, very hungry.

"The hungrier a mutated is the more feral they are. Each one is stronger than one human. Hell, each one is stronger than three humans. If I hadn't been in here, the doctor here would have been dead before you could even think about saving him. Odds are good that she would have taken out several people before you could put her down, and that's if this one remained bound."

Soren walked over to the table and pulled on the straps. They gave without much resistance, the man was able to get out of the ones holding his lower legs without assistance. Soren let out a growl then turned back to the mirror.

"Something strong enough to take on three humans at once, and win, won't be held back by something so weak for long."