Episode Thirty Nine - Revelation (Part 2)

The evolution of predation never ceased to amaze Anaelle. She dedicated her life to the study of predators and yet every new piece of information never failed to thrill her. Feeding the clawtail cub a piece of raw meat, she observed its body pulsing with a disarray of bioluminescent colours.

How interesting.

Inactive, the cub appeared ordinary but once it ate, or rather the chemical compounds inside its body were triggered to glow. So far, it glowed during feeding and healing. She also recorded its consistent growth over the days, noting a steady, healthy development, even when it was apart from Eira.

There was a hint of membrane around its neck, indicating the formation of its neck frill. Its split tail was still soft, the protective keratins have yet to develop. Her favourite part were those adorable little fangs attached to its fore gums. One day, those would turn into razor sharpness that could tear out a man's throat.

The door to the basement swung open, followed by the sound of Koga's brash swearing. "Why is it so dark in here? What the fuck is that glowing shit?"

Anaelle counted to ten in her head. "You have the filthiest mouth in Ataxia."

"I'm sorry, babe. It's a habit I'm trying to change, I swear."

"I'm not your babe," she muttered in annoyance.

Florian and Eira came in from behind, switching on the lights.

"How's the cub, Anaelle?" Eira sauntered over, a soft smile on her face as she petted the clawtail. Recognizing her touch, the cub emitted squeaking sounds.

"Why is it squeaking?" Florian had yet to see the cub up-close. He bent to take a closer look, unable to believe this tiny thing would grow into a two-hundred-pound monster.

"Since it's bonded to Eira, it recognizes her by scent and touch," Anaelle reasoned, "Maybe even by blood. It's greeting her."

"Is everyone here?" Lars's voice broke into their fascination.

"Captain, you're here." Koga straightened to attention.

Florian noted the unsmiling lines on Lars's face, provoking a sense of foreboding in his gut. The Captain had always been a serious man but, there were only a few times in his service that Florian witnessed this unparalleled focus. "Why have you gathered us here, Captain? Our meetings are often held in the dorm."

Lars shut the door with a firm click and turn of the lock. "Everything I'm about to tell you is strictly off the record."

A nervous laugh from Koga. "Captain, you're scaring me. What's so top secret that you had to bring us down here?"

"The truth," Lars replied as Eira came to stand by his side. "The truth about how Eira and I came to Ataxia."

The trio exchanged bewildered glances.

"What are you talking about?" Florian voiced out. "Didn't you enroll into Ataxia like everyone else?"

"That's what the government wants you to believe. Not all kill hunters are here on their own free will. Some of us are enslaved to the government and we cannot leave this place," Lars explained, his words low though it rang crystal clear to everyone.

Koga frowned. "I still don't understand."

"We were abducted as children and forced to train as kill hunters or forfeit our lives." Eira cut to the chase. "That's how I met Lars. We were caught around the same time and travelled in a unit. They separated us. I was sent to Ustrana and then Skocia and Lars was sent to Ataxia."

"That's impossible." Koga shook his head. "The government can't be involved in something this crazy. I mean they already have enough on their hands with the predator problems." The ex-yankee's denial was understandable though his naivete was appalling.

"The Lieutenant General had my parents killed when I was fifteen and the soldiers brought me to Ataxia as a kill hunter candidate. We were forced to kill each other, leaving only the strongest ones to survive. Children like Eira and I had no choice but to serve the government if we wanted to live. We were embedded with explosive chips until our unit induction. Even after, we were still fitted with tracking devices inside our bodies."

"Is that the reason why the Lieutenant General's prejudiced against you?" Florian put two and two together. If so, plenty of situations in the past started making sense. He often wondered on Lar's fixation with the Lieutenant General and the older man's responding antagonism. Florian concluded there was only one reason why Lars stayed in Ataxia. "Are you attempting revenge?"

"Yes." Lars knew Florian would understand. It was the only logical deduction. "The reason I stayed in Ataxia is to destroy Levente. He has been experimenting on children with Cell II. Eira and I are living proof of what they are doing. Before this, we were normal children with normal lives. We believe he is searching for the perfect gene to create an army of super soldiers that are beyond regular kill hunters."

"That's insane." The words slipped out of Anaelle, her gaze shifting to Eira. "Eira's capabilities already exceed a regular kill hunter's. Does that make her a super soldier?"

"That's a good question but, even I don't know, Anaelle," Lars responded calmly. "With my understanding on Levente's personality, I assume his breed of soldiers would be ruthless and merciless – the complete opposite of Eira."

"Why are you telling us this?" Koga demanded, feeling a sense of betrayal. It wasn't as if he trusted the government but, all these years, to be with the Captain and not know…it was too much. "Were you ever going to tell us the truth?"

"Yes, I was abiding my time. I admit, I scouted all three of you for a reason and I have no regrets. You can hate me for it but, I never lied. I may not have given you the whole truth but, everything we've gone through was real." Lars understood this was hard on them – a bomb in their faces – but he needed them to confront the reality of their situation. "I'm going to give everyone a choice. There's a covert mission First Lieutenant Mickael has entrusted to our unit – an extraction mission. It's entirely off the record, and it means we will be declaring war with Levente."

"What does First Lieutenant Mickael have to do with this?" Anaelle asked.

"I'm sure you've already heard rumours about the antigovernmental rebellion. Well, I will clarify that they are not a myth. The rebellion is very real and have been active for years. Mickael is the leader of this rebellion and he's the one who will be responsible for bringing down this corrupted government."

"No fucking way," Koga breathed in surprise. "I've always talked about the rebels with the guys I drink with. To think that it's real…,"

"How can we trust him? Everything you're saying now is all too sudden and unacceptable," Florian contended fiercely. "You could have kept us in the dark until the end. Why is there a need for you to tell us now?"

"Because we are running out of time." Lars's eyes flashed with steely determination. "I trust Mickael with my life. He trained me from boyhood to adolescence, grooming me to be who I am today. He's also trained you before, Florian. You know what kind of man he is. It took us many years to gain each other's trust but, here we are. Right now, there's only one goal in mind, and that is to save Jade."

Florian frowned in muted silence. It was true that he had trained with Mickael as a boy, and the First Lieutenant helped him to find his own two feet. There was no room for doubt.

Anaelle's brows knitted. "Isn't Jade the little girl from the treefolks village?"

Lars inclined his head. "Somehow Levente got his hands on her and according to our sources, she has…mutated." Lars couldn't think of a better way to describe Jade's situation. "Levente's scientists have been experimenting on Cell II and spliced genetics. The only information we have is that she is a success, and they will be transporting her to Ataxia tomorrow after sundown."

"What happens after the extraction?" This question came from Eira.

"They will take her to a safehouse. Only Mickael and a few trusted others will know her whereabouts. Everything will be classified."

"How certain are you that she will be protected there, Captain?" Anaelle found it hard to believe the rebellion could keep a little girl safe when she was important to the Lieutenant General's ambition. He would turn the world upside down to retrieve her.

Eira had to agree with Anaelle. "She's right, Lars. I need to know that Jade's safety will not be compromised like the last time."

"There's no other option," he said with finality. "In order for her to be safe, she will be isolated from government areas."

The thought of Jade being secluded didn't sit well with Eira either.

"The main point is for us to get her out safe and sound. We can worry about the details later," Lars concluded, hinting that it wasn't up for further discussion. "This time, I chose to bring my team into the mission, and I want to know if you are willing to help. If I were inconsiderate of your feelings, I would have lied and forced you but, that is not who I am. If we do this, I want your heart and conscience to be clear. A little girl's life hangs in the balance and I don't need a half-hearted soldier running the mission who might jeopardise everyone's lives."

Lars swept a final gaze at his team members. "I know this is sudden and uncalled for, but I can only do this with you. There's no one else I trust more than unit six to pull off this mission. The plan is to ambush the military convoy headed from Belugia to Ataxia. We will attack before they leave Belugia's borders." Lars checked the time. "Take tonight to think this through. I won't force or blame anyone for their decisions. I, of all people understand the importance of freewill and this mission isn't without its own risks. We will convene here at dawn to discuss our plans and after that, we will depart for Belugia."

"Captain, I only have one question for you." Florian held Lars in a penetrating stare. "You said you chose us for a reason. Back then, were your words a lie or did you really mean them?"

Eira held her breath at the palpable tension from Florian. It was rare to see him challenging Lars.

"I never say things I don't mean, Florian." Eira was astonished to see Lars's gaze softening. She had expected irritation to be questioned so boldly. "Everything I've said and done with each and everyone of you was an honest decision. Unit six will always be home to its members and that will never change."

The stormy haze cleared from Florian's gaze, and his features smoothened. It seemed he had made up his mind. "I understand, Captain."