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Learning Curve - Chapter 1



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Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:30 am
mcarabell says...



“You see, son, we need our secrets kept,” he gave a cold smile and paced back across the oblong, plain room, while his audience, a young man, struggled in the arms of a burly guard, “and furthermore, Axel, we can't have outsiders knowing about our operation. Does this make sense?” he stopped in the middle of the floor and turned to face the young fugitive who swallowed hard and met his gaze fixedly. “I certainly think so.” he began to pace again. Suddenly Axel twisted in the arms of the guard and smashed a fist directly into the guard's nose. A pop sounded as his nose broke and he doubled. Axel delivered a kick to the guard's lowered head that sent him, unconscious to the ground with a moan, nose dripping blood. The Director eyed this coolly and, with his smile still present, snapped his fingers. The young man had reached the door; it was a thick, shiny metal like the walls. He now realized it was locked with a complicated keypad, and he attempted to break it down in fervor. The sheer silver wall in the rear of the room slid aside with a hiss of hydraulics, and out from a back room came two figures: a man and a teenage girl. Axel spun around, and after looking at the visibly muscled man, his eyes fell upon the girl. Her eyes were blind-folded, expression flat and calm. Her straight brown hair fell over her shoulders, covering one eye and nearly reached the middle of her back. Her arms were folded behind her back and being held firmly by the guard so that her back was slightly arched. Confused, his escape efforts were forgotten and he turned around full to face them. The Director spoke, brushing a speck of dust off of his expensive dark suit,
“I'd like you to meet Kiera.” Axel's eyes darted to the girl again; her breathing was slow and deep as if she was sleeping.
“Axel, if you must know, this is what we've been working on.” gestured to Kiera. “Genetic mutations. Well, not her specifically, but Solt Industries is creating an enhanced version of the human race. Really it's a wonderful plan, but naturally a little controversial. Once we create the next generation at Solt Industries’ facilities, we need to get rid of the existing—and there's the problem. People don't understand the importance and nobility of sacrifice.”
As he listened to The Director, Axel studied the girl further. Her angular features sported a scar here and there and she was dressed in a camisole and cargo pants. The blind fold, a black piece of cotton cloth, was what puzzled him the most. He didn't understand its purpose.
“Kiera was an early experiment of ours; more testing to see what we could do with the human genome than heading towards the cause.” He walked over and circled her, appraising. “She's a dangerous one, but we've figured out how to control her. And, if you don't mind, I'd like to demonstrate what she can do.” As he passed her, he whipped off the blindfold. “We found out that when she can't see that she becomes very docile,” he said stepping back, “Otherwise, well...you'll understand.”
And, as Axel watched, her eyes snapped open, a growl rumbling in her throat. Pupils dilated to point of obscuring her irises; her eyes were dark. Axel flinched as she thrashed against the hold of the guard.
“Balthazar,” The Director instructed the guard, “Release her.” He backed up as he let her arms go. Kiera dropped to a crouch, growling still. Her eyes, just now adjusting to the light and dilating to show a rim of vibrant green, swept the room and narrowed. She trained her attention on him, body taut and ready to spring.
“Kill.” The Director commanded. A shudder rippled through Kiera's body. Her spine buckled and forced her to her knees. Axel watched in horror as her body exploded into fur, claws, and fangs. She threw back her head and a howl ripped from her throat.
“A...a wolf? Shoot. Shoot. Shoot.” Axel muttered and snatched the wooden baton from the unconscious guard's belt and held it ready.
“Yes, a wolf. Such a clever idea, don't you think? Unfortunately, the gene affected all sorts of behavioral aspects and we had to discontinue the experiment. Wasn’t practical. Yet, she's proved useful enough to keep her around.” Watching the man and wolf circle, the Director added, “For security and assassinations, mind you.”
“You're a sick man, you know that? That girl...”
“Axel,” The Director cut him off, sighed consolingly and shook his head, “this is the end. You got a little too close to uncovering us before I planned my grand opening. It's for the greater good.” The Director walked into the back room and the door slid closed behind him. “I don't personally care to clean up after her either...Goodbye.” Kiera lunged.
He just nearly dodged her momentous charge and she slid to a stop, claws trying to find grip on the smooth floor. She then turned and leaped, pushing off of the door with her hind legs to gain speed. Before Axel could react, she pinned him to the ground; her wolf form was massive. The dark brown hue of her coat accented her fiery green eyes; her open mouth a contrast against the sable fur. A roar escaping from her throat, she opened her jaws and brought her head down to end Axel's life, as ordered. Her teeth crunched down on wood, splintering it. Kiera opened her eyes to see Axel had blocked her with the wooden bat and he strained to hold her head back. Her face contorted in rage and she swung her head to the side, ripping the baton out of his hands and sending it skittering across the floor. Cursing under his breath, Axel pulled his legs in and dealt a kick with both of his feet to her stomach. With a yelp, she was thrown off. Scrambling to his feet, he grabbed the baton and turned to face her. His shadowed face slick with sweat, Axel readied himself for her next move. Kiera also struggled to her feet, snarling. Muscles coiling under her obsidian pelt, she sprang again. At the last second he sidestepped her and brought the baton down with all his might, coming in contact with her spine with a tremendous crack. She slumped to the ground, a snarl slid between her teeth. Straddling her to keep her down, Axel felt his grip fail as she began to buck underneath him. Almost losing control of his hold, Axel forced her head to the floor with the baton. She writhed underneath him growling angrily. The blindfold! Axel thought and threw his hands over her eyes. All the sudden her thrashing ceased and her wolf form flickered away to reveal the girl again. Her breathing deepened. Leaning in close to her ear, he whispered, “You're going to get me out of here.” Her nose wrinkled in a defiant snarl. He pressed her face to the cold metal floor and insisted, “You help me escape.” She let out a whimper and nodded. He relaxed his grip a little and concealed a sigh of relief. “Now,” he leaned in close to her ear again, “I'm going to let you see...” he whispered, trailing off. He lifted his hands off her eyes cautiously. Kiera rose a little too quickly, trying to gain her footing and a low growl thundered in Axel's broad chest as he pressed her to the ground once more. She shrunk against him and whimpered. Where did that come from? He thought and let her rise again. Her head lowered in submission, Kiera made no move to escape. Axel gestured to the door with the splintered baton and she walked over to the door and placed her palm on the keypad. It scanned her hand print and the door slid open. She motioned to for him to follow and they dashed down the hallway. “Woah, you're fast!” he whispered and sprinted off to catch up. She glanced back to check if he was following and took a sudden turn to the right.
“Crap!” he muttered as a guard who was turning the corner on his patrol caught sight of them. Kiera, not breaking her stride, leaped and shifted into her wolf form taking the guard down. He turned his eyes momentarily away when Kiera broke the man's neck in her teeth. Collecting herself into human again, she wiped her mouth and eyed Axel with an unreadable expression. He felt fear break a cold sweat on his brow. Then, she motioned with her head to continue down the hallway and sprinted off.
Axel struggled to keep up until Kiera stopped in front of a concealed door. “This…is why…they don't let...you wander...by yourself.” He said, panting. She motioned for him to step through behind her. I shouldn't trust her, she just tried to kill me and dispatched that guard before he could react...he thought and then followed. Through a foyer she ran and then out into the surrounding woods.
The sunlight hit their eyes hard and they squinted against its brilliance as the fresh spring air filled their lungs. Rolling her shoulders, she prepared to shift again. But Kiera stopped when Axel put a hand on her shoulder. Her head whirled to regard his touch and she growled. He removed it, but met her stare as firmly as he could. Her bright green eyes were fierce and he wanted to look away but he held his head high. As did she, lip curling into a slight snarl. He was challenging her.
“Stay?” he asked not dropping her gaze. And, after what seemed like an eternity, she looked down and nodded. Then she trotted behind him and waited. She's waiting for me to lead. He realized and then pondered something.
“I have a question...” Axel mused and turned around to face her. “Do you talk at all?” She looked at him blankly and then shook her head. “Oh.” he said, disappointed. “Well...” he began but saw her attention was trained on something in the trees. He stared down the line of her gaze, but before he could actually hear the guards coming she had begun to run into the woods. “Hey! Is this gonna be a regular thing?!” Axel shouted after her and sprinted off again.
  





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Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:34 am
justhoppy12 says...



I am slightly turned on by Axel. ;) Lol
  








Once here on Young Writers Society, in chat, chickens wanted variety. They complained to Nate and after debate became funky orangutans silently.
— Mea