Chapter 11 in which Kann is a great hoast... is that gasoline?

                                    

                                          
A few hours of driving and the question was finally asked. "Well, we have been driving for a good while, I believe its time for some form of directions" Zach monotoned from the front, his hooves still looking cramped as ever in the seating department.
"I believe I know of a place we can hunker down as this ordeal settles." Kann commented all eyes on her now she continued, "a little ways further down this way, take a turn at shaver peak, my hose is right around the base of the smallest mountain" Kann said shooing Ness out of the passenger side for a moment aiming to help Zach find their way to their hopeful refuge.
"Well, I never expected to be hunted like a fucking dog on my way out the door," muttered Vina, as she pulled a silent Terina in close for a loving hug. Carson nodded, clearly still quite shaken over the events of the past twenty-four hours. "Well I guess that just means we need to be vigilant, and lay low, I'm sure we can find our way out of this, right?" Terina mumbled a weak smile coming to her face, Rose marveled at her strength. She had been tested on, chased, shot a labelled an outcast, but still she did her best to keep a positive outlook.
Rose smiled at her giving her a brief pat on the shoulder, before glancing out the window. They had been driving for hours now, and Roses legs felt like jelly. Come to think of it, her mind felt equally as squishy, and clouded.
Dread overcame her, her dark patrons would return soon enough, how would they feel about Rose using her "Horrid" powers of light once more? Rose shook her head as though shaking the doubt off, and stared as the sun slowly began to dip below the horizon, she gripped one of the many handle bars and braced for the wave of voices about to bombard her mind.
At first, Rose felt nothing, a strange thing since normally the same second the sun disappeared the dark whispers would take their place. For a moment she unclenched, opining her eyes, but was rewarded with a small buzz, that slowly began to build. Rose knew exactly what was coming the loudest roar she had ever heard echoed through her mind and she did everything in her power not to scream out in pain as her mind was set aflame by the thousands of voices screaming in her mind.
Gritting her teeth, she scooted to the floor mumbling through clenched jaw something about a nap, before letting her mind spiral into an all to familiar hole of unconscious
She woke in her living nightmare, falling.
Dark clouds whipped past her as she fell swan diving into an uncertain future, the dark vapors surrounding her sent her already pounding head into a cartwheel with the noxious smell of bad wine. Almost as fast as she realized what was going on, she spread eagle to try and slow her decent, the distant thought of; huh this is what it feels like to fly without a parachute?
Rose squinted her eyes against the wind and could barely make out a huge black sea before her, even as it rushed up to meet her like an old friend.
"Oh fuck!" was all she screeched out, the noise not traveling very far as the winds stole it away, Rose shut her eyes and her swim training kicked in, as she made her body more streamlined, her arms above her head in a divers decent.
She heard the water splash, and felt the horrid slimy ichor slurp around her, the transition from the entrance, to her touching down face first in the dark hall seemed much shorter this time around, if that was thanks to her reaching terminal velocity or because of her dark patrons impatience, Rose was unsure.
Rose struggled to her feet and glanced towards the still looming eye, "Good evening sir" Rose quipped. Drawing in a deep breath, her burning lungs clenching slightly and her nose a bit sore thanks to her fall, yet it seemed her patron was ever giving as it was not broken.
"Once again the horrid burning has made itself known in you..."
großer Verräter hissed, his deep booming voice taking on a strange and intimidating echo, the shadows whipped about furiously as he spoke, his normally sickly yellow eye ringed with red. Rose felt her hair stand on edge and for a moment feared that she might not be leaving this place. "Yes, I do apologize, I had to act in self-defence,"
"Yes, we know, but please child, this burning, this horrid burning is a cancer. You must be careful, the more it is used the brighter it burns."
Rose nodded, she could still feel the odd warmth simmering beneath her chest, and thanks to her patron's new way of describing it. The feeling set her on edge.
"I understand, it was a kneejerk reaction, ill do my best not to do it again."
She amended, looking into the worried eye of her teacher, its red rim momentarily making her wonder if he had been crying.
"Good, your tutelage is underway, it is time for more rewards, child, step forward."
Rose tried to swallow around the lump forming in her throat, as she began to take step after shaky step towards the looming eye, she stopped her approach as the shadows began to form a long arm, that reached and stretched towards her, another gift? Oh boy, well Rose was practically vibrating with nervous anticipation.
The limb of pure shadow stopped inches away from Rose, and she felt the burning warmth in her chest flare to life, the closeness of shadow seemingly setting it off, a dark rumble spread through the huge hall, and gave Rose a feeling on what might be about to transpire.
"With our pooled power, we have found a way to put a stopper on your dregs of burning power. Do not fight us and your rewards shall very much make up for it."
Rose only nodded as the shadowy hand extended a finger, its tip made contact with her chest, right above her heart where the burning power seemed to ebb and flow, while the warmth had been a comforting, the image of her attackers charred face popped into her head. And a horrid worry of what could happen if she lost control plagued her.
Soon the warmth felt different, less like a fire and more like the outside of a warm cup of tea, until It was nothing more than a pinprick of heat in the Centre of her chest, refined and tied back by a strange numbing cold spreading through her limbs. A shiver ran through her whole being as she felt like something deep within her was tugged and bound.
"It is done. Now, For your rewards" the ever-booming voice promised, the hand retracted, opining fully into a flat palm, two shining rods rested on its surface, with trembling hands Rose reached for the two knitting needle sized objects.
The second she touched them the whispers redoubled, into a singing chirus and a low thrumming vibrated in her palms that promised power of unbribed heights.
She felt a whole new layer of cold run up her arms, as though she had dipped her hands in the water at the south pole.
"The rewards have been claimed... now awake before your allies become, worried." The voice boomed, and like a shot, Rose felt herself be jolted awake, the same horrid feeling of nausea overtook her as it always did when she awoke from a meeting with her patron.
Rose only felt glad that the buggy had stopped moving when she slammed open the door to vomit on the ground outside, the dark ichor burned in her throat the taste of wine and saltwater filled her nose and taste buds, another heave but alongside the liquid she spewed forth something hard, something that made a metallic clang on the ground.
Without even thinking she scooped up the very same rods as in her nightmare, tucking them in her pocket as one last bought of salty brine and a small bit of crimson made its way from her gullet.
"well fuck, you aren't pregnant or some shit, are you?" asked Carson as he came forth to hold Roses hair back, if he saw the rods, he did not comment on them. Rose shook her head and spit any remnants of vomit from her mouth like poison.
"No, I'm not pregnant" Rose said with a slight chuckle, for numerous reasons. She thought afterwards, but she decided not to comment further, and instead look at her surroundings.
Her friends were all clambering out of the buggy, its legs dug into the ground in what appeared to be a "Parked" position, but Rose could find no road, with a ill-advised shake of her head she supposed that meant the buggy could go off road, with another glance at its gear; its spindly legs and magnificent hooked looking devices... it didn't surprise her all that much.
"are you all right?" Kann asked, a little colder than Rose came to expect, Rose did not even get to answer verbally before she moved on. Marching towards her home.
And what a home it was, nestled into the side of an ever-looming mountain, it seemed to be carved right out of the mountains own stone. It had one sloping roof that would let rain roll right off, and two stories. A few windows dotted the home here and there.
The true beauty of the home however had to be the magnificent garden. Ivy and hedges grew wild and abundant all around the home, almost adding a wonderful camouflage.
Doing her best to ignore the sharp sting of hurt at Kann's actions, and the horrid taste in her mouth, Rose followed. Was this Kann's house? Rose knew Kann stayed at the institution overnight, but even so. This seemed like quite a drive for her. Was her family inside? Rose had the foresight to think, dose she even have a family? Rose questioned herself, looking through the windows, she saw no lights on.
Judging by the lack of car, and buildup of dust, none had been here for a while.
Kann came to a door hewn of a type of wood Rose felt unfamiliar with, its grain and color erratic and oily looking.
A large lock was set into the door that Kann quickly took care of with her house key, she let the door swing inwards as she waltzed in, dropping her keys in a bowl that rested on a small table by the entrance, turning around to face everyone pouring in Kann was wearing a tense if kind, smile.
"Alright everyone, welcome to my home, since we have all been labelled as... criminals, it seems like were stuck with one another, so, my home is yours, at least for now." she said sweeping her arms around in a grand arch.
"Though there are a few simple rules." She started, taking a long inhale clearly to help in getting ready to spout info. much to the agonized sounding sigh of Vina.
"Clean up after yourself, don't go in my room, and don't take anything from the wine cellar without asking first." After she had gotten her replies and dutiful head nods, the group dispersed. Some like Rose stuck with kann to be shown around, as others sprawled out on any vertical surface. Stretching the cramps out of their legs
It only took a few hours, a bunch of showers and a ready to bake pizza scavenged from deep in the ice box, to get the whole group gathered around in a large living room. everyone was waiting impatiently for one thing; the files Rose had snatched from the horrid lime green hellscape that Doctor Scott dared to call an office.
Joined the group, she had all the files clutched in her trembling grasp, gently she laid them on the coffee table all except one; her own. She sat down to watch as the others quickly snatched up their own files. They all sat in silence as those that had files read, Rose could practically feel the tension, anger, and horror flood the room like a toxin.
She watched the others faces as she clutched her own file, though it remained closed for the time being. For she didn't really have the stomach to look yet.
"Well fucking hell, this is a total shit show isn't it." Muttered Carson before pausing, "wait, hold on let's share this." He started, garnering one or to confused glances.
"I mean since were all stuck with one another, Who votes we should read our files out loud? I mean, when the doctors did it at the institute it sucked, but we got to know each other, if you want to leave some shit out id be fine with it." He reasoned, "I want to get to know you guys if I'm going to be stuck with you" he finished snapping his own file open.
Ness glanced in his direction, her own file held in clawed hands, Zach reading over her shoulder. "I mean, I Guess, since were all together anyways it would be good to know some stuff."
"Well if we, are going to spill Kann and Zach should to, its only fair." Quipped Vina, holding both her and Tirana's files, as she assisted Terina in reading. The whole room still felt tense but nods and general agreeance went around the room.
"If were doing this, its just between us, Deal?" asked Terina as she gazed at each person with her unseeing eyes, though not all to keen on sharing, each individual felt to curious about one another to hide their own information; so all participants agreed.
Ness went first, nestled in-between Zach's forelegs she slowly read the group her tale of being found as an orphan in the woods, quite wild and untamed before being brought to that horrid institute to help her recover her senses.
Here She shivered, continuing to tell the grisly experiments that seemed to gift her with a much faster transformation from girl to beast, as well as an extreme boost in strength. Reading further told her that her fur would glow under uv lights.
Next was Terina, she smiled as she told her own story of how she was raised by the monks on Allro, Allrons moon, and how they instilled in her the need for justice and order. She also hesitantly told the others how she was sent to the institute after an accident that left her totally blind. With a light chuckle she glossed over the extermination, and explained that thanks to the tests all her other senses are maxed out, with a shake of her head she explained that thanks to the tests, she was better off but is lucky she got out when she did since the other tests they had planned for her weren't pretty.
Then came Carson, though he suggested the idea he seemed quite reluctant to share any part of himself. With a deep breath and quite a few encouraging words, he told the group of his file. He had been sent to the institute due to his constant outbursts of anger, his temper getting him shipped off thanks to a minor INCEDENT he had with a police officers car.
He explained his ability to feel other emotions thanks to the discussing experiments, but decided to spare the group the details of the brain surgery he had to undergo, the only clue to his discomfort the scratching of his red colored hair, no doubt searching for any indication, any scar or line to show him where the incisions might have been made.
Next went Vina, though she did her best to hide her discomfort, Rose noticed how hard her two of her eight fists were clenched. And Rose couldn't help but feel a pang of pity deep in her stomach as Vina told the group of her file, she had been born and raised in the spice mines, and sent to the institute to recover after a mine gas explosion hurt her motor control.
While they helped her regain her control, they also messed with her genes allowing her to emit pheromones that could influence other emotions.
Finally, the grope focused on Rose, the last of the group with a file in hand. With a heavy sigh she cracked open the horrid green file and took a good long look. She told them about her mother's supposed experimentations, and how she knew the effects had begun to work once Roses eyes changed color. She told them about the zap tests done by Doctor Scott and about her newfound powers of scorching heat. But whispered small and quite curled in her mind warning her from telling her allies about their presence.
So she told them that her mother sent her away for no apparent reason. Reasoning that if her deer sweet mother would experiment on her for all those years without her knowledge... why not send her away to finish the job?
After each story, the room always went quiet for a while, after Roses edited version of her harrowing tale, the silence felt crushing. Rose almost laughed, she hadn't even told them of her mother's extensive drinking habits, nor her tendency to lash out when enraged. But all the same, Rose shut the file and closed herself off, crossing her arms and pulling her legs in close.
"well shit..." quipped Terina.
"yeah, that is putting it lightly, it's clear we have all been through some rough shit. You guys can tell us your story's later," Carson commented, looking right at Kann and Zach. "but right now, I think it's clear, we need to figure out what the hell the Empress is up to." Carson grumbled.
"I agree, why give a bunch of random people such ability's? That last time experimentation like this was going on Werebeasts where made, as well as blood suckers!" Terina reasoned her comments seemingly suppressing the group, especially Kann. "then why hunt us? Its not as though were a threat. are we?"
"Oh, un no offence ness." She added as an afterthought glancing at the quiet Werepanther. Rose nodded taking it all in, the new species of Allron solders were bread back in the last war, specifically to infiltrate humankind, to destroy, kill and exterminate...  the vampires looked human enough until they were at your throat; and the werebeasts? Well they snuck up and attacked like monsters in the night, then left looking like any other Humans as long as their ears were covered. A horrid thought struck Rose as the pieces of the puzzle began to click into place, the testing, the disappearances, the secrecy, and the hunting of any escapees...
"She wants to restart the war." Rose gasped out, heart beating fast as the realization dawned on her, the others took a second to process, and some were shaking their heads in disbelief and horror. Millions had died in the war, both Allron and human, if it were to restart? It could spell the end of both!
"No way, and we would need proof before we can do anything about it," reasoned Terina, resting her chin in her hands, a thoughtful look coming over her face, "the experimentation alone breaks serval agreements on the treaty!" Carson fumed, standing up and running his hands through his hair, suffice to say.
Everyone in the room felt a afraid, and everyone felt as though tomorrow would bring up some very hard topics and even more challenges.
"All right, be that as it may, we should all get some rest, some of us haven't gotten proper sleep in a while, and we can all figure this out in the morning, sound good?" asked Kann, her calm words once again acting as the voice of reason, the grope looked around, nodding.
Though a huge bombshell was just dropped, the hole group was tuckered out.
Slowly one by one they all found their way to bed, Rose was ever so thankfully to have a good bed to sleep in, one that wouldn't gass her or feel like sleeping on a brick, she shared a room with Ness, but truly? She did not mind. The light purring snores helped Rose into a very dreamless sleep.

While all lay tucked in their beds, safe and sound, as the sun set, no one was awake to hear five black buggy's scuttle quietly to Kann's yard, and the foot falls of the armored figures fell so softly that not even Ness heard them, not a single soul twitched in their sleep as the hose became surrounded and the smell of gasoline filled the air.
The head of the group walked forwards as the last of the red containers were emptied around the houses, their contents turning even their stomachs, she motioned for one of the grunts to bring her a box of matches, and there she sat, crouched down on the balls of her feet with two teams by each door, one  at the front and one at the back, waiting for her command.
She held her hand up high, readying her troops. Then brought it own sharply, and the teams started extraction. The assets would be in their possession before the sun dared peek its fiery head over the horizon.


To be continued in book two...