5,259,492

"5,259,492. 5,259,493. 5,259,494. 5,259,495. 5,259,496. 5,259,497. 5,259,498. 5,259,499. 5,259,450. 5,259,451"

The door to the room slid open. Julius couldn't care less. He had a streak to keep going.

"5,259,452. 5,259,453. 5,259,454"

 "Stand up 0-87.

87 complied to the Handlers request. He didn't recognize this one. It wasn't Anderson, or Marie, Mioto, or Flechi. None of the ones he had been around for the entire twelve years of his life.

"What were you counting?" The man asking him was late middle aged. Maybe late 30's or early 40's He looked to be old American or English.

"5,259,623. The amount of seconds I haven been alone."

 The man looked more intrigued with the answer. 

 "Why do you count 0-87." 

"What else would I do." The question seemed to hide something. Julius was quick to find the most likely answer. The handler was digging for any signs of mental instability. He wouldn't find any. Julius was as stable as they come. Depending of course on what you would consider stability amongst vat born experiments like him. 

"Makes sense I suppose. Your punishment is over follow me." The man beckoned him to follow.

As they walked down the halls it became clear that they were close to the same height. Julius was close to 5'10" at just twelve years of age. According to handler Anderson he wouldn't stop growing until around 18. 

He wasn't a normal human. Many in the core worlds would disagree that he was human at all. In his mind it was true. He wasn't human he was a weapon, a tool, a means to an unknowable end. 

They rounded a corner and entered a stairwell. The anonymous handler avoided the elevators that most of the other crew preferred to take. Julius couldn't tell if it was because of preference or need. 

He had walked the entirety of the ship and memorized every part within the first week of his time aboard. So he knew that they were towards the stern and as they were going up the stairs instead of down they were either going to the bridge or the operations room.

"You are a quiet one aren't you? 87." 

He would have preferred if the remainder of the walk was conducted in silence.

"I prefer to talk when needed."

 The man took the hint and remained quiet. There was no attempt to hide the smirk on his face. Whatever the man was fishing for he evidently received. 

They entered through a small single metal door that slide to the left as they came near. It was the operations room/briefing room.

It was noticeable empty beside a single chair in the center. Clearly a cheep metal folding chair. It was out of place compared to the millions of dollars worth of communications and information equipment that dotted the walls and other sections of the room.

"Take a seat." 

The chair creaked as he sat down.

"Your fight in the showers has led to some questions begin raised about your current usefulness to us."

He tapped on some remote he held in his hand. A 3d projector appeared in between the two. He knew what it was in the millisecond it took to appear.

"This is subject 1-98. Bernard. The cartilage In his nose shot back into his brain and unfortunately killed him. We had specifically designed your nose's to be able to withstand the average force of a blow that could fatally maim or kill in such a way this is something you are all taught. This means you intentionally put enough force in the blow to cause this."

He stopped for a second but not as to invite a reply. A clicked through a few more photos. Knee X-rays, before and after photos, and such. The last one was of Lucius's destroyed face.

"The instigator of the attack was Lucius. It would make sense to kill him instead of any others. Instead Bernard lays dead and Lucius badly injured. Why?"

He saw right through the whole thing. Probably sees the real reason that most others wouldn't even consider. This Handler was smart. He was someone to be respected.

"Bernard was a poor solider his rating was the worst of the class. Lucius is a good combat leader even if I dislike him. Bernard was the obvious sacrifice. Kill Bernard and damage the others. Now the team won't follow him into actions against comrades or even slightly haze others. Not that he would even consider it."

There was silence for a few deafening moments.

"Stand up solider." 

The man offered his hand out in a handshake. Julius couldn't help but stare at it for a moment. It wasn't a gesture he had ever done. After a moment he took the hand

"My name is General J. Walden I am the commanding officer of Program: Archangel. From now on you will be directly under my command. When I say jump you ask how high. If I say kill that man then you kill that man. I will only tolerate operational success. Is this understood Soldier?" It wasn't a question really.

"Yes sir." He saluted the General. 

"Good. Within the hour the rest of your fellows will be transported back to Black base. You will not be joining them. You will remain on the ship. You will be conducting a solo operation in two weeks time. Briefing will be tomorrow at 0800 ship time. You will have the rest of the journey to prepare and make plans. You are dismissed."

Walden saluted and left the room leaving Julius by himself.

 Batch 0 subject 87. Julius aka "Wrath" couldn't help but smile at his future prospects.

"Deinceps ad Mortem"