Creating a Team

Reed opened his eyes and a yawn escaped his lips. He had slept off, maybe because he had been up all night after Chloe had left.

He then remembered that Lisa had called him some hours ago before he went to sleep. She had told him about finding Dr. Ryan's penthouse, saying it would be suitable for his plans. He would check it later but first, he had someone he should meet up with, one of the lab rats who escaped with him from the Institute, his name was Nicholas.

He quickly had his bath and left the house, he was on a schedule. It was almost afternoon and he had to make plans to go to Doctor Ryan's penthouse and have a quick survey of the place, tonight.

His blood was boiling in anticipation of using this to bring down the institute but he had to keep the feeling from bursting out of him or else he would just make a mess out of this opportunity he had just got. That is why, first, he has to recruit Nicholas into his little army of people bringing down the institute.

He needs people that have common interests as him, now more than ever because of the possibility that it might accelerate faster than they expect and they would have to fight the Institute sooner, so he has to get anyone who shares the vision of destroying the institute but with some little convincing words from him of course.

He entered his car and drove off to Nicholas's house with one thought, he hoped he had enough words to convince Nicholas.

SEVEN YEARS AGO

David woke up on his bed and an annoyed look was suddenly plastered on his face. Today was the beginning of the week and like always it was hell for anyone in the Institute.

Today was the day we were tested by the Institute's doctors to see our progress or perform experiments on us. Some of us don't come back alive from these tests while some of us eventually end up losing our loved ones and so we hated the day, Monday.

I looked at my roommate, my cousin and he had already woken up but he decided to stay on his bed a little longer and I sighed.

"What? he asked as he realized I was looking at him.

"Nothing" I replied and he scoffed but we were interrupted when the bell suddenly rang, the bell that signaled to everyone to go to the place where the tests were done. I turned my head and smiled remembering what we once were before the institute.

Our cousin Raymond came to stay with us after his parents were killed in a car accident. I, Raymond, and my sister Diana would play in the little garden behind our parents' house and we were genuinely happy. My father's friend and our family Doctor, Doctor Mark came to check up on us monthly for any diseases in our body but they were mostly none and he always said to us.

"you kids have really strong bodies, you hardly get sick, you are just perfect for the Institute" he'd say and we'd smile at his words. Ignorant of what he had meant by institute. We never told our parents about this, it just sounded normal to us small kids and if we had told our parents this, they would have probably laughed at our words and said, we were not hearing the doctor's words well.

We lived happily, my Mum, my Dad, my cousin, my sister, and me.

One day, in the middle of the night, some people clad in black burst into our house. They didn't even let my parents say a word as two shots were heard and a hole appeared on their foreheads as their dead bodies lay on the floor after they were shot in cold blood.

We, the children were then gathered up by the people and we saw Dr. Mark, our beloved Dr. Mark matching our parents' corpse as he came towards us with a wide, sinister, big smile on his face. It looked as if he was mocking us for our powerlessness in defending our parents. We had cried that day but we would have killed ourselves if we knew what was up ahead in our lives. Dr. Mark was the reason my parents were dead and I'll make him pay dearly for that.

PRESENT

AT THE BASEMENT

Charlotte ran into the room as fast as she could and saw the doctor tied to a chair, his face, less recognizable than yesterday with David holding the doctor's collar in a firm grip.

" What the fuck do you think you're doing" Charlotte yelled pushing David away from the doctor.

" Just having a little chat with the doctor" David replied grinning wildly in a creepy way.

"you don't know how creepy you look right now," Lisa said coming from behind Charlotte and he stopped smiling and chuckled.

" I couldn't just sit knowing this bastard was under the roof that I'm under once again besides I have my past with him long before any of you knew him"

" we fucking need him alive for the plan we have in mind to work"

" And what's that"

" bringing the institute down you moron" Charlotte replied.

" Hey sorry about that. I didn't know" David said glaring at the Doctor and Lisa sighed.

" Come on we're leaving this apartment the institute is coming for us" Charlotte added.

" how, did that happen? I thought this place was safe" David said and they heard the Doctor laughing evilly.

"they are coming for me. I assure you, you will regret this " he said and continued laughing but Charlotte punched him in the face and he fainted.

"I wonder why he wasn't turned super, it would be great beating him while he heals fast. He is amongst the craziest doctors in the Institute but why didn't they turn him super" Lisa asked.

" Probably because he's too crazy for them too, now let's start packing up, we need to move," Charlotte said and they started by taking Doctor Mark out of the basement into their car boot and putting some clothes on him hiding him.

" I'll tell you on the way"

***

Reed arrived at Nicholas's house, parked his car in front of the house, alighted from the car, and went and knocked at the door.

"yes, I'm coming," a reply came from the inside and Reed waited for the door to open but it never did he suddenly felt a punch directed at him from his back and he easily caught the hand and turned facing the person. The person had blue eyes and blonde hair which was now dyed blue and was almost the same height as Reed

"Reed, it's been a while," the person said after seeing Reed's face."you're lucky I didn't destroy your pretty face" he added.

" don't start your jokes on me Nicholas, I'm pretty sure you couldn't, even if you tried,"

"whatever. What brings you here anyway"

"I came here to ask you to join the fight against the Institute"

"and why would I do that"

" to exact revenge on the people that destroyed your life"

"Have you got anything in mind or are you here just for talks"

"I have something in mind"

"then tell me what your plan is"

" fine"

***

Jeremy was at his office, he is a journalist and his work tends to take most of his time but today Reed's words were the only thing on his mind. This wasn't the first time Reed had talked to him about fighting the Institute but this time around the reason seems to be clear. He just can't keep running from the Institute forever, and neither does he want to be running around with his child anytime he has one.

He sighed, his mind was restless thinking about what life he would've had if the Institute hadn't destroyed it and maybe if they had plotted about bringing the Institute down when they were inside and not plotting their escape. It seems like Reed's words have already got to him and he needs to fight the Institute, he doesn't want his future to be created with him being afraid of the Institute, fighting the Institute is just like fighting for his future now, but before he makes his final verdict he has to talk to his wife.

He checked the time on his wrist watch and it was already five pm, it was time for him to go home. He closed the book in front of him and stood up, it was time he finally took charge of his future, he thought, and left the office to head home.

***

"so you're telling me this plan of yours could work,"

"Yes, it would if everything goes accordingly"

"then I hope it does because I'm in"

"so easily"

"Yeah, I figured life seems useless when you don't even fight for yourself"

"That's great news I'm glad you joined us. I'll get back to you soon"

"Okay then Reed, see you soon," Nicholas said and Reed left the house and entered his car, heading for Chloe's house, she was the person he would meet for surveying Doctor Ryan and he hoped she would agree to help him on this mission.