Reacher continued

Being reborn into the Reacher family was the last thing I expected. My older brothers Reacher and Joe convinced me not to join the army, like them and our father, so instead I went to med school…at least until the towers fell.

I enlisted in the army in late 2001, When I arrived in Afghanistan, I got tapped into joining a special project called Operation Muirfield.

Yeah…that Muirfield that made Beasts in that TV show starring Kristen Kurek and Jay Ryan, I was told that we were being injected with antibiotics, vitamins, and steroids that would both make me stronger…better, and that they would help me become the soldier that I was always meant to be, though given my knowledge of the series of Beauty and The Beast I knew that I and my brothers and sisters were being injected with a cross species genetic cocktail/serum using ancient DNA, designed to trigger a rapid genetic mutation.

The serum had the benefit of making me "Stronger, faster, better…moreover, they heightened my reflexes, senses, gave me a healing factor on the level just below movie Wolverine…though there were a few drawbacks such as when my adrenaline started to run high, I would Beast out and turn into a terrifying beast driven by instincts, unable to control my aggression…I and those like me in the experiment were deemed too destructive, uncontrollable, unstoppable, unstable and defective so the army brass decided to shut down Operation Muirfield, scorched earth policy, we and the evidence of this operation were to be completely eradicated, all of the test subjects of the experiment, along with any trace that Muirfield ever existed.

I, like the one other member of my unit, that was skilled at managing his more bestial side named Vincent managed to survive the attack and fled into the wild unforgiving hostile environment of Afghanistan, while the military reported us as killed in action, by Afghani separatist.

...…

"Reacher…took you long enough…" I joke tiredly as my big brother enters the brothel that I've been laying low in for the past week.

"Walker…they said you were dead…killed by insurgents…"

"Take it you didn't believe the reports…big brother."

"No, I didn't find anyone matching your proportions in the morgue, or strung up as a trophy…and I knew you wouldn't go AWOL…my Commanding Officer said there was something fishy about the unit you were in, tell me what happened so I can protect you."

I couldn't help the bark of dark laughter that escapes me, "You can't protect me Reacher, they want me dead and buried."

"Why?"

"Because I was a part of an experiment in cross species genetics…they made me into a weapon like the rest of my unit and when they saw that they couldn't maintain the level of control over us that they wanted…they terminated the experiment with extreme prejudice." I say and Reacher glares at me so I offer him a chair and a glass of water, yes the water has been distilled…not that I have much concern for such things anymore.

I sit down across from my big brother and explain in-in depth details about the now defunct operation, the training everything Reacher looks like he's gonna go out there and kill everyone connected to this thing.

"Big brother, I know what you're thinking…but don't all it'll do is get you killed…I'll lay low until I can figure out a way back to the states." I say to Reacher he glares at me I glare back at him he looks away first and that is how I know that my words have sunk into his stubborn skull when he sighs in resignation.

"I have an idea…" Reacher says to me his lips quirking into a smirk as he does so, making me roll my eyes at him.

"You think you're being witty and cool…you're not big bro." I groan in annoyance but can't help the smile that makes it's way onto my face.

Reacher's smirk grows into a full smile, "I'll be back tomorrow…I need to get back to base and get some supplies." Reacher mutters as he stands up he looks around and raises an eyebrow, "Why the brothel anyways?" I shrug and Jasmine…I don't know her actual name but she looks a hell of a lot like Princess Jasmine and loves getting fucked by me so I call her Jasmine.

Reacher shakes his head and scoffs before coming over to me and pulling me into a tight hug, I pat his back and then he's gone, having a bad feeling…I follow him, he stops at a burnt out hanger I can hear the sounds of children boys whimpering sounds of flesh smacking against flesh, smell blood in the air.

I see what these disgusting creatures that call themselves men, have been doing to young boys, Reacher gives them a chance to live, and escorts the boys home. I track these pieces of shit to their base.

For the first time since gaining these abilities I let myself give into this primal drive for the first time willingly accepting it instead of resisting it and fighting it with every fiber of my being, this place was no place for a man.

My vision turns red, my heartbeat rapid pounding, causing a pulsing of the veins in my eyes, my vision perfect in the dark, I tilt my head back and roar it's a twisted unnatural sound.

My teeth fangs my nails claws, I become a blur of blood and death bullets, feel hot as they tear through my flesh, explosions burn my skin but nothing stops me, my instincts crave the blood and meat, but with the knowledge my brain holds they revolt at the idea of consuming this filth, even these bestial instincts assure children are to be protected even if they could become competition for food and mates.

I exit the rubble of the partially underground base of religious extremists covered in blood what little of my fatigues remain are rags, Reacher is here I can smell him, taste his scent on a soft frigid breeze he steps out of some shrubbery rifle in a lowered position but not loosely held by his three points harness.

"Walker…?" Reacher's voice is cautious but firm, my brother's pounding heartbeat sounds like a dinner bell but I do my best to reign in the beastly side of me.

"Yeah it's me." My voice comes out as a rumbling growl.

"We're going to have to speed up my plan…I called Joe from the village, he's going to help on his end." Reacher says to me and starts to move closer but I hold my hand up, "Don't come closer right now, you smell almost as appetizing as the chocolate pudding cake Maman makes." I say in a groaning growl.

Reacher laughs and comes closer to me despite my warning, slides his lack off, and opens it, "Jerky and pants…take them." Reacher says to me and I don't hesitate.

Things kinda blur from there Reacher enlisted a friend's help Neagly I think her name is, and she brought in a friend who extracted blood and marrow samples, which were then transferred to a cadaver, then a very hot intense fire later my dog tags and I was officially announced dead while I make my way back to the states in a shipping container.

The trip was rough…and I mean rough. My supplies run out a day or so before Joe comes to let me out, and damn had I become nose blind to my own stink whoo, fresh air was a godsend.

My time with Joe is short he sets me up with a new identity that is a close to legal a forgery can be, and I help myself to some cash from some unsavory sorts, buy myself an RV and hit the open road, changing plates every couple of weeks, never staying in one place too long always on the move.

Weekly check-in with both of my over protective brothers, and then Maman's condition takes a turn for the worst. I find myself illegally exiting the USA getting into France to see Maman.

Joe and Reacher are rather upset with me but I couldn't help it, this was my Maman, I had to be there for her in the end, after both Reacher and Joe leave I stay behind.

"Now tell me my sweet Walker, why is it you hide?" Maman asks me in French there's always something about hearing my Maman speak in French that soothes me deep in my soul and everything that I've gone through since enlisting just tumbles out of me my secret Murifield operation staff hunts, my vagabond lifestyle how much it hurt learning my former fiance moved in with someone new before I'd even been pronounced MIA.

Before I knew I was crying like a child and being held by the dying woman, I was always Maman's baby…miracle baby if things are to be believed, and then it all came too fast Maman was gone.

I found myself drifting through life family bonds frayed almost to severance, no more weekly check-ins only now a rare holding check in but I constantly kept them updated on burner cell numbers, and I kept making America better by one more dead pimp, drug dealer or undesirable keeping myself flush with cash.

Neagly actually became a phone and pen pale which was surprising given I thought the woman hated me or men in general, but I guess she just has a phobia with touching people and being touched yet she's thirsty for my big brother.

Sometimes when she was working a tough case and needed a bloodhound I'd help her out and she'd give me a decent cut of the bounty and whatever the mark had.

But seeing her in person is pretty rare.

~~ — — — — — — — — — — — — ~~

The phone Neagly provided me with that's hardened and has the shit encrypted out of it starts ringing seeing her picture on the screen a smile cracks across my face.

"Hey gorgeous, finally decide to leave your crush on my brother in the dust and try the younger better model?" I joke playfully and get a laugh out of Neagly, "Hey…Walker did you hear from Reacher recently?" Neagly asks me without our usual back and forth banter.

My stomach drops…when I realize what year it is and that the last time I talked to Joe he said he was working on a big counterfeiting case and that he'd call me if he needed backup.

"It's Joe isn't it? He's dead?" I ask though I'm already certain of it. "Yeah, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but you know your emotionally stunted brother-" A growl tears it's way out of me and I crush the phone in my hand by accident cutting off whatever Neagly was about to say.

Chucking the ruined chunk of glass, and metal at the wall I get out of my bed, slide my feet into my boots, exit the RV, unhook the connections for the water, waste water and electricity, before removing the tire chucks.

Back inside the rv I turn the key and roast the tires tearing out of my parking, 'I'm going to kill them I'm going to kill them all.' I vow in my head on my way to Margrave.

~~ — — — — — — — — — — — — ~~

Neagly feeling worried calls Reacher back, "Neagly that was fast." Reacher's voice comes over the speaker.

"Reacher…I told him…he's on his way to you and he's pissed the fuck off, lost control bad enough, he broke his phone mid call."

"Shit, I was hoping to avoid Walker getting involved, thanks Neagly…probably going to need you to save my ass from Walker."

Neagly wants to laugh but can't Walker and Reacher both have tempers, but Walker…he scares even her sometimes.

"Yeah…sure thing boss." Neagly mutters and hangs up, Roscoe looks at Reacher and so does Sandy Wexler…also known as Oscar Finley.

"Who is this Walker character and why do you sound scared of him?" Roscoe asks in disbelief.

"He's family…" Is all Reacher says without further explanation, as the three stand in an abandoned farm house.

~~ — — — — — — — — — — — — ~~

Driving into the town of Margrave I pick up Reacher's scent and follow it all over town to an abandoned farmhouse, the farmhouse has a few cars parked outside.

Putting my RV into park and getting out of it, concentrating on my hearing I can tell the three of them are still in the house.

'Lucky enough I was in Alabama.'

"REACHER, get your ass out here before I come in there and beat your ass in front of your friends!" I raise my voice and my mind for some reason takes me to a scene of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine yelling for Victor.

The wood of the house creaks, metal hinges squeak, as Reacher steps out onto the porch.

"Walker…" Reacher says and it almost stops me…almost because I can see, hear and smell how much pain my big brother is in but I'm still too pissed off, I grab Reacher fisting my hands in his shirt and plow him through a couple of walls into a wall of yellow painted cabinets.

"Were you going to tell me? Were you going to tell me our brother was killed or were you going to let me find out months from now when he misses his check-in? Answer me Reacher!" I'm shouting, I'm pissed, I'm hurt, I'm angry with myself. I should have remembered I should have been here watching Joe's back, Reacher and I both look away from each other. We both feel guilty.

"As much as I'd love to watch you big foot looking mother truckers beat the snot out of each other, we've got more important things to worry about."