Growing Up Titan [IC | Superhuman | Sci-Fi]

[The Cyberiad Council]

Cyrus

After he oh so carefully closed the security panel, Cyrus crept down the stairs to the bathroom and slipped inside. He had his black sweatshirt hoodie pulled up, just in case he ran into the guards. It wouldn't keep him from being seen but it might conceal his identity. Nate, one of the Kiser sisters, and another girl he hadn't met yet were already there. "Let me see your right hands; they might be able to spy on us with the implants." He stretched out his hand to Nate first, partly because he was the only other guy there, but mostly because he was the only one he really knew at all.

"And where's Brandon?" He asked Elizabeth. "I want to know why he's suddenly so keen on freedom."

---

Kariegh Kiser

When it came time for the meeting, Kariegh put her hand up to the door scanner, and true to Cyrus' word, it opened without a fuss. She snuck down the hallways making sure to stick close to the walls, and hastily ran down the stairs. Looking around the dark cafeteria, she ducked inside the fairly clean bathroom, but that probably wouldn't last long; its good condition was most likely just do the short time they had been there.

She looked around to see Her sister, another girl, a younger boy, and an older one that must be Cyrus. She gave a bit of a smile, not one out of joy, but out of general greeting before going over to stand by her Elizabeth. "Hey, Sis."

[Chewion]

Brandon Kiser

Brandon had been spending the few hours in between sending the message and the meeting time by sitting and thinking in super speed. To him it had been almost a day instead of two hours. During that time he had thought more of what he would say and what his plan would be. It was wowed, the whole time he felt... something or someone just on the edge of his mind. But it wasn’t hostile nor was it one of the kids. It was something though.

Realizing what time it was he stood up and ran out of his room and into the bathroom with a slight glow of electricity trailing around his body for a few feet. Looking at the group he said “Is this everyone? Anyone know if anymore of the others are coming?”

[Donifrium]

Ray Walker

James Garrett
“This sounds like an easy way to lose the few freedoms we still have in this place,” James said to himself while carefully inserting the note into the vision slit of his suit, where is burned into ash almost instantly. Then he concentrated on Ray’s mind to send him a message. “And what do you think? Should we go to that meeting or just stay here? I’ll be honest I don’t really think we have a chance to escape this place. And I have no idea how we are supposed to open this door without alarming this whole place ”

"The security system is down, we're free to meet, just watch out for the guards..."

"Well there's your answer," He said to James. Getting up from his bed, Ray approached the door and put his hand on the scanner. The door that would normally have remained closed, opened up, making Ray's eyes widen from the surprise. Cyrus was the guy who could control machines, wasn't he? He wouldn't have thought Cyrus or anyone for that matter would have had the guts to try and hack the security system. "I'd say we take a quick look at what they're trying to do since they bothered with taking care of the security, so they may have something up their sleeve. If they just decided to stage a reunion at curfew time because they want to vent and have no plans we leave and act as if nothing happened. If worst comes to worst and they catch us all, we direct the blame on to the person who planned this whole thing" Ray stopped talking and looked at James' suit "But if we were to go we might need someone who can teleport, given that you probably will make too much noise"

Johnny Walker

Johnny came to Cyrus' room to see if he could deactivate the security systems and he got his answer just as he knocked on Cyrus' door. Well with that problem out of the way he decided to go to the meeting place. On the way to the boy’s bathroom Johnny heard steps coming from the guard nearby. Quickly hiding in one of the rooms, Johnny spent some times with his ear placed at the door, waiting for the guards to leave and to continue moving towards the meeting place. After a while he heard no noises from outside and with more care about the noises he made, Johnny made his way into the bathroom. Noticing that almost everyone had already arrived, he leaned against one of the wall and asked Brandon “So what’s the plan?”

[Gryphonian Alliance]

Sean Tierney
Type A Mutation
Subject 0092

Brandon Kiser
Several Hours later....
9:30 PM
Finally coming back to his room he sat down and focused on every one of the kids minds before sending one clear message saying Look under your pillows. Do as it says if you want to live free. Then he examined his paper. On all he had written a simple message.

Tonight at midnight be ready. We all need to talk. Meet in the boys bathroom near the cafeteria.

When it came time he would again send a message to them all.

What was that?

Sean supposed someone had given him a telepathic message. Not uncommon, in a place like this. He got up. His roommate had seemingly already sneaked out, probably through those portals of his.

"This is Cyrus, I'm onboard, I'll take care of security. Let's hear him out, I for one don't want to live out my life as a caged rat."

Well, he would wait.

"The security system is down, we're free to meet, just watch out for the guards..."

Sean sighed. He might as well head out. He made his way towards the boys bathroom when he suddenly paused.

What was he thinking?
Did they really hope to sneak past well-trained security to meet up in a restroom which the guards would inevitably end up checking sooner or later?

Sean weighed his options. They had the advantage of knowing all of the doors were unlocked, and if a guard did show up, they could quickly subdue him/her. It seemed reasonable enough.
Soon, he reached the bathroom and stealthily entered. Many of the other kids were already inside.
Someone asked what the plan was, while Sean wondered if anyone might betray them.
I suppose I want freedom. But where would we go if we all escaped successfully?

[Jaladristan]

James Garrett

"The security system is down, we're free to meet, just watch out for the guards..."

So much for his excuse. “I still think this whole idea is terrible, but I kind of want to tell that to the guy in person. So lets go.” James replied to Ray. Then Ray brought up the issue of James noisy armour, but James just smiled into his helmet and went to the metal cupboard in his half of the room and opened it. “That will hopefully not be necessary.” James said when Ray suggested finding someone how could teleport him, while rummaging through the piece of furniture. “You see, not having to sleep gives you a lot of time at night. And one night a week ago or so, I got so annoyed by the sound of my own steps that I made these.” He stood up and held something up.

Said something looked like two pieces of steel with several springs attached to them. “I did not really test these, mostly because they look incredibly silly, but they should be able to dampen the sounds I tend to make while walking enough to allow us the sneak to this secret meeting.” James explained while awkwardly attaching the makeshift sandals on his feet. When he was done he took a few experimental steps to confirm his new footwear was working well enough. And they actually worked well enough. They also looked just as silly as James had imagined, but sacrifices had to be made. “About the sounds of my fans a can't do anything, but if we are careful enough we should be ably to avoid the guards now”. James said while making his way out of the room. He turned towards the bathroom and carefully walked towards it to avoid falling down and waking the whole facility.

[Mundeo]

Subject #0009
Class C Mutant
Location: Dormitory

From his bed, Leon heard the sounds of the doors to the dormitories unlock once again, then, pair by pair, the sounds of footsteps scurrying past his dorm. They were doing it; people were actually buying into this madness of a plan. When he heard Cyrus’ voice, he groaned and wrapped his pillow around his ears - but that wouldn’t keep him out.

Leon could admit that he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but he could at least understand why this plan on escaping was so absurd. GenCore wasn’t the kind of organization a bunch of teens could escape from. They were outmanned, outgunned, outwitted... who knew what tricks they had up their sleeves that could incapacitated a mutant, or several, or all. And did they seriously expect no one to notice the appliances suddenly and randomly shutting down, while they have the files of someone who can control machinery?

And say that they escape - somehow - what then? GenCore will hunt them down. The government might even hunt them down. Then what? Do they run for the rest of their lives, fleeing with no direction while carrying the burden of a gift they never asked for? No wonder Cyrus and Brandon and so many of the others, they think this is all a good thing. They’ve become the superheroes from the comics, blessed with extraordinary powers and everything but the freedom to do whatever they want. But perhaps there are some who don’t quite share that point of view, like Yama, and that girl who screamed after breakfast. Leon would give up everything just so he can play the guitar one more time...

So he sighed, and stared up at the ceiling. Sleep will take him away sooner or later; then, the next morning, he’ll learn about the turning point that failed to turn, and the names of the dead.

[Segral]

Clifford Brown

Clifford was brimming with anger over his argument with Claudia. And sadness, a mix of both. With a frustrated yell, he kicked his bed, which only injured himself. He didn't want to leave her. But...he had himself to think about. He had to make it out of here. With or without Claudia. It was the only way. Even if he might die, or get tortured, if...anything might happen to him, there was still a slim chance he might make it out if here. But he needed to act quick. They might be soon leaving, and the security systems may only stay open for so long.

He didn't put on his shoes, as he would make less noise in his socks. The door was unlocked. As quietly as possible, he opened the door, and began to scurry down the hallways. Soon enough, he had reached the boys bathroom, and slipped inside. No guards had seen him. It seemed like there were already quite a few kids here. "So, what's the plan, Flash?" he said snarkily to Brandon as he leaned against the sinks.

[The Land of Golden Blobfish]

Alex Foil

The boy was able to make his way to the washroom easy enough, obviously, phasing through every wall in his direct path. They weren't very thick luckily so he had no problem holding his breath for the second or two each time. Upon arriving he found himself inside one of the closed stalls.

It was when the other kids there were talking when the stall door was swung open by a half assed kick, clanging loudly against the wall beside it. Alex stood there, in front of kids he never bothered to meet before , with a bag of chips in one hand and a 2L cola in the other. How he got these was anyone's guess.

"Oh cool, doesn't look like I'm late for the party then."

[Auphelia]

Alex Foil

It was when the other kids there were talking when the stall door was swung open by a half assed kick, clanging loudly against the wall beside it. Alex stood there, in front of kids he never bothered to meet before , with a bag of chips in one hand and a 2L cola in the other. How he got these was anyone's guess.

"Oh cool, doesn't look like I'm late for the party then."

"Oh my goodness!" Penelope was startled by the opening of the stall door, the one that she was standing next to. When the door hit her she was pushed forward onto the floor. "Hey, watch it - - oh, chips!" She tried to stay mad but the prospect of actual junk food (instead of the ever nutritious food they served here) made her stomach to flip flops of joy.

It seemed like every few seconds someone was entering the bathroom, acting like they are the coolest and giving a cool tagline like you would see a character say in a television show before it cut to a commercial. However, now someone had finally brought something valuable.

"Where did you get those and," Penelope pauses to look around, and whispers. "Can I have some?"

[Chewion]

Brandon Kiser

Leaning against a wall Brandon looked up at everyone and said “Thank you for coming. I know I might have thrown a few of you guys off earlier when I snapped but trust me I am normally never like that. And that’s part of why we are here. I think these dreams are manufactured. I think these people are feeding them into our heads. Several of you have said you have had dreams like mine or even worse. These things are not natural. They are too vivid. Too defined. I think they are creating these dreams and putting them in our heads as a test. A way to see how much we can bear psychologically. Maybe hoping stress will enhance our powers or something.”

“Now as for escaping. The plan is simple. I will create a diversion on the fourth floor that will draw most of the security. Then y’all will make a break for it on the ground floor. There might be a few guards but it won’t be hard. But we will need a distraction. A big one. One that goes boom. Cyrus can you build me a bomb? Nothing major just a small but loud explosion.”

[Auphelia]

Brandon Kiser

Leaning against a wall Brandon looked up at everyone and said “Thank you for coming. I know I might have thrown a few of you guys off earlier when I snapped but trust me I am normally never like that. And that’s part of why we are here. I think these dreams are manufactured. I think these people are feeding them into our heads. Several of you have said you have had dreams like mine or even worse. These things are not natural. They are too vivid. Too defined. I think they are creating these dreams and putting them in our heads as a test. A way to see how much we can bear psychologically. Maybe hoping stress will enhance our powers or something.”

“Now as for escaping. The plan is simple. I will create a diversion on the fourth floor that will draw most of the security. Then y’all will make a break for it on the ground floor. There might be a few guards but it won’t be hard. But we will need a distraction. A big one. One that goes boom. Cyrus can you build me a bomb? Nothing major just a small but loud explosion.”

Penelope immediately forgot about the food when she heard the idiotic plan. It sounded like certain suicide, if not just recklessness. She quickly switched songs to "Razzle Dazzle" and began to speak in a very convincing tone, almost supernaturally convincing and pleasing. She also began to try to influence the emotions of the room, gently nudging them to feel doubt and fear. "Seriously? I haven't had any dreams, and I am sure most of the others haven't either. And even if they are sinister in their intentions, do you really think you can bomb them, try to escape, beat their guards, get past the locked doors, and make it away from the miles of wasteland? Unlike you, some of us would have to walk for days with nothing around but radioactive sludge and ruins. Also, some of us are minors and wouldn't be able to explain our existence. Even then, all of us would be hunted down by GenCorp. Do you really think they will just give up? They will hunt us down and bring us back, only next time we will be under 24 hour surveillance, with no freedoms at all. This plan is the worst I may have ever heard. I say we stay here and follow the rules. And if they don't eventually let us out, at least we will be well trained enough to probably not cause some of us to die breaking out."

[Andsed]

Brandon Kiser

Leaning against a wall Brandon looked up at everyone and said “Thank you for coming. I know I might have thrown a few of you guys off earlier when I snapped but trust me I am normally never like that. And that’s part of why we are here. I think these dreams are manufactured. I think these people are feeding them into our heads. Several of you have said you have had dreams like mine or even worse. These things are not natural. They are too vivid. Too defined. I think they are creating these dreams and putting them in our heads as a test. A way to see how much we can bear psychologically. Maybe hoping stress will enhance our powers or something.”

“Now as for escaping. The plan is simple. I will create a diversion on the fourth floor that will draw most of the security. Then y’all will make a break for it on the ground floor. There might be a few guards but it won’t be hard. But we will need a distraction. A big one. One that goes boom. Cyrus can you build me a bomb? Nothing major just a small but loud explosion.”

Penelope immediately forgot about the food when she heard the idiotic plan. It sounded like certain suicide, if not just recklessness. She quickly switched songs to "Razzle Dazzle" and began to speak in a very convincing tone, almost supernaturally convincing and pleasing. She also began to try to influence the emotions of the room, gently nudging them to feel doubt and fear. "Seriously? I haven't had any dreams, and I am sure most of the others haven't either. And even if they are sinister in their intentions, do you really think you can bomb them, try to escape, beat their guards, get past the locked doors, and make it away from the miles of wasteland? Unlike you, some of us would have to walk for days with nothing around but radioactive sludge and ruins. Also, some of us are minors and wouldn't be able to explain our existence. Even then, all of us would be hunted down by GenCorp. Do you really think they will just give up? They will hunt us down and bring us back, only next time we will be under 24 hour surveillance, with no freedoms at all. This plan is the worst I may have ever heard. I say we stay here and follow the rules. And if they don't eventually let us out, at least we will be well trained enough to probably not cause some of us to die breaking out."

Elizabeth decided to speak up saying.

"Well the whole bomb part would draw attention and after that the few guards remaining at the door could not stop multiple super powered people. Also Brandon can use his speed to transport us across the waste land quickly and one of us can teleport so that would be helpful. But GeneCorp would hunt try to hunt us down and I don't know how long we could hide. Also about these dreams well I have had a couple but I don't know about you guys.

[Chewion]

Brandon Kiser

Brandon started to feel fear. Maybe Penelope was right. His plan was kinda basic and dumb. Plus it was dangerous and he or others could die. Maybe they shouldn’t try. Maybe they should just stay here.

No

He heard it... the thing that had been on the edge of his mind, it had said No to those thoughts. Something wasn’t right. They were not his thoughts. That’s when he understood. Using his speed he grabbed Penelope’s mouth and held it shut saying “Your trying to use your powers to convince everyone to just stay here. Stay here so they can experiment on us more. Is that what you want?”

[Auphelia]

Brandon Kiser
Using his speed he grabbed Penelope’s mouth and held it shut saying “Your trying to use your powers to convince everyone to just stay here. Stay here so they can experiment on us more. Is that what you want?”

Penelope backpedalled, falling down. "Ow! You are violent and crazy!" She pulled on her sadness and used it to force tears to fall down her face. She grabbed her mouth as if it hurt her. "What is wrong with you? Are you trying to get us all killed? I just want us all to live, not die in some ill-thought plan!" Penelope continued crying and tried to exude empathy and pity towards the others. For added effect she struggled to get up, acting as if her ankle was injured from the fall. "Ow . . ."

[Strala]

Christopher was getting pissed. Why couldn't they stop fighting, I mean how do they have the energy to keep on doing this. Brandon has been fighting with others for hours, yet he doesn't seem to get tired. "People, why can't you stop arguing. If you keep on fighting you will attract the guard's attention and that's not the best for all of us." When he saw Penelope get hurt, it got him angrier. Something he was taught by his parents was that you should never harm a lady even if you don't like them. "What the hell is wrong with you, you bastard. Didn't your parents ever teach you that it was impolite to harm a lady." When he finished he started to gather some around him in case of Brandon attacks him.

[Segral]

Clifford Brown

Clifford listened. That girl, Penelope, she was making a lot of sense. There were a lot of risks here. They might get caught, it could all be over for them. What little freedom they had would disappear. He was very...skeptical about the whole thing. It looked pretty preposterous. And he was just about to say so when something snapped him out of his funk.

Brandon ran up and clamped his hand over Penelope's mouth, causing her to fall back. Clifford felt like someone had just suddenly poured cold water over him, shocking him back to reality. His thoughts started to flood back, and that's when he realized: Penelope had been manipulating his emotions. She began to cry and pretend to hurt her ankle, trying to get Clifford to pity her. Wasn't working. Nuh-uh, not today sweetheart. He was too angry with her. She had no right to play with his emotions. It was one thing to psychically communicate, but another to force open someone's mind.

He snorted loudly. "Yeah, right. I bet your ankle hurts soooooo much. Just shut the fuck up and get the hell out of my mind." He turned to everyone else. "You realize she's been playing with your emotions, right? She's faking it, trying to get you to bail."

He took a deep breath. "I, for one, have been having a few dreams. They're nightmares, but I don't feel they're different from regular ones. But they appear a lot. Too much. I'm not gonna sit here twiddling my thumbs waiting for this BULLSHIT company to lock me up and drug me like some lab rat. It's time to get out of here, to break out, time's up."

[Andsed]

Elizabeth Kiser
Elizabeth was starting to get angry as Brandon seemly hurt Penelope. She was about to say something when Clifford began talking about how she was manipulating them Suddenly she began to feel something like a cold bucket a water being poured over her. She began to feel angry again not at Brandon but at Penelope for manipulating them. She spoke up saying.

"Clifford is right she has been using her power on us." She then continued saying.

"As for the plan sure it is risky but is this or stay here and be experimented on."

[Donifrium]

Ray Bennett

James Garrett

"The security system is down, we're free to meet, just watch out for the guards..."

So much for his excuse. “I still think this whole idea is terrible, but I kind of want to tell that to the guy in person. So lets go.” James replied to Ray. Then Ray brought up the issue of James noisy armour, but James just smiled into his helmet and went to the metal cupboard in his half of the room and opened it. “That will hopefully not be necessary.” James said when Ray suggested finding someone how could teleport him, while rummaging through the piece of furniture. “You see, not having to sleep gives you a lot of time at night. And one night a week ago or so, I got so annoyed by the sound of my own steps that I made these.” He stood up and held something up.

Said something looked like two pieces of steel with several springs attached to them. “I did not really test these, mostly because they look incredibly silly, but they should be able to dampen the sounds I tend to make while walking enough to allow us the sneak to this secret meeting.” James explained while awkwardly attaching the makeshift sandals on his feet. When he was done he took a few experimental steps to confirm his new footwear was working well enough. And they actually worked well enough. They also looked just as silly as James had imagined, but sacrifices had to be made. “About the sounds of my fans a can't do anything, but if we are careful enough we should be ably to avoid the guards now”. James said while making his way out of the room. He turned towards the bathroom and carefully walked towards it to avoid falling down and waking the whole facility.

"Now I'm definitely feeling like we're in a prison, still props for making it" Ray said as he looked at the makeshift sandals. He remembered a newspaper talking about the many makeshift objects that prisoners made with simple materials and how he would never have thought to be in a position where a makeshift object would end up being helpful for him. "Well, that certainly saves us a lot of trouble, let's go" Fortunately they saw no guards on their way there, but their slow pace made it so they took quite a while before reaching the bathroom. Arriving in front of the door, Ray heard many loud sounds, as if things where getting heated "I'll put my ear on the door to see what they're arguing about" he telepathically said to James. Trying not to make any noise he slowly approached the door and began hearing the conversation "Well it seems we arrived at a bad time, unsurprisingly enough they're arguing amongst themselves. Dunno what's the plan, but if that what is making them argue, I doubt it's a good one" he detailed was he was hearing to James. "Do we enter or do we get out of here before they start trying to murder each other again?

Johnny Walker

"We all have to calm down" Johnny started talking, "Pointlessly arguing among ourselves will do nothing, but separate us and we have to be together if we want to have any chance of escaping this place" There was no time for in-fighting given that escaping Gencorp will be something extremely difficult to do even if we all worked together. "I believe we have to think more about what are we going out to do, I know that being here longer isn't good for our mental and physical health,but rushing on guns blazing without ironing out the details will end up with all of us being brought back here as body bags"

[Auphelia]

"Who is to say that we will be experimented on? At least we will be safe! Going out into the wastes . . . there is no risk for Brandon because he could be out of the zone in an hour! It would take the rest of us a week or more. I am trying to get you to see reason." Penelope winced. Her ankle really did hurt her now, so she gave up and just slid to the floor. The song ended and another one started.

"Please, just - -" Penelope's body suddenly began to change into the body of a plant being, her skin turning into birch bark, her hair a long trail of orchids and roses, and her entire body studded with small white flowers. Nothing else seemed to change, but the pain in her ankle disappeared. She got up and continued talking, though her voice was no longer enhanced by the song. Her new voice sounded somewhere between the creaking of trees bowing and the wind and the rustling of brittle leaves during the dry season.

"Brandon is so desperate to escape that he is willing to risk all of our lives. Some may not trust me, but at least use your heads instead of your hearts. Do not trust him. He says that he is not usually violent, but that is the only side that he has even shown. Did you not see how he attacked me?" Penelope tried to stir up the anger of those listening, but it didn't work quite as strongly as the other emotions. On the bright side, it was less noticeable and harder to break. Penelope looked beseechingly at the group. She couldn't live with herself if anyone got hurt trying to get out, and it would be even worse if this delayed them going free.

[Chewion]

Brandon Kiser

Brandon was leaning against the wall again when he said “Listen, I can run all of out of the waste zone area in seconds. Plus we have a teleported that I assume can take two or three if he’s touching them. This can work. Plus any radiation out there is the same radiation that is in us already. We survived the initial blast and impact. We can survive for a few seconds. Penelope please trust me when I say I don’t want anyone to get hurt in this. I’m assuming the load of the risk by drawing most security to me.”

[Auphelia]

Brandon Kiser

Brandon was leaning against the wall again when he said “Listen, I can run all of out of the waste zone area in seconds. Plus we have a teleported that I assume can take two or three if he’s touching them. This can work. Plus any radiation out there is the same radiation that is in us already. We survived the initial blast and impact. We can survive for a few seconds. Penelope please trust me when I say I don’t want anyone to get hurt in this. I’m assuming the load of the risk by drawing most security to me.”

Penelope narrowed her pure green eyes at the arrogant speedster. "You really think you can carry all of us out of the waste zone? You may have super speed, but you don't have super strength. No matter what you may think, you aren't invincible either. Once you begin to fight they will probably put this whole place on shutdown. You, the teleporter, and the intangible guy may be able to leave, but that leaves the rest of us to deal with the mess you caused. Even if we all manage to get out and you somehow carry all of us out before we are caught by the reinforcements they call in to either kill or kidnap us, if we get out, what then? No money to our names, the government and everyone we know probably thinks we are dead, and we will still be in the middle of nowhere. You need to think of all of the possibilities, not just the best-case scenario. You aren't used to thinking ten steps ahead, are you? You can't muscle your way through everything"

Johnny Walker

"We all have to calm down" Johnny started talking, "Pointlessly arguing among ourselves will do nothing, but separate us and we have to be together if we want to have any chance of escaping this place" There was no time for in-fighting given that escaping Gencorp will be something extremely difficult to do even if we all worked together. "I believe we have to think more about what are we going out to do, I know that being here longer isn't good for our mental and physical health,but rushing on guns blazing without ironing out the details will end up with all of us being brought back here as body bags"

"I agree with him. We probably shouldn't stay here forever if that is what they have planned, but they might let us go of our own volition if we stay a few more weeks. And your forceful plan leaves much to be desired."

[Menschenfleisch]

Elise Lloyd | The Meeting

Elise shoved Clifford aside, and shoved Penelope against a wall; grabbing her wrist tightly. Now that she was partially plant, Elise could do a lot more than before. She punctuated that point by letting rose thorns grow out of her pocket, and curl around her wrist, brushing past skin and cellulose.

"I am not waiting here to be tortured for the sake of some military program! They don't know what we can do, they barely even know how to test us. We waited too long, and now they know precisely what we're capable of. But we still have the advantage. We're goddamn Marvel superhumans, and you better start believing we're not going to get taken down by a couple of amateur shooters. You want to stay here and get burnt alive, be, my, fucking, guest. But if all you're going to do is stand around here, trying to manipulate us, and just standing in our way, then get the hell out of here, before someone has to deal with you. CAPICHE?"

She turned to Christopher. Her voice grew louder and louder with every word. Stress, the pain and fear, squeezed her heart, and sent blood churning through her arteries. She felt like she was on fire. Her skin darkened, and little spines popped up along her arm. It seemed that she was falling into another state.

"And you shut your mouth, little boy. I'm getting out of here, one way or another. Brandon's just offered to die to get us out, and the first thing you do is start spouting patronising garbage? We're not waiting around so that the government can work out what they want with us. I can tell you damn well that they aren't going to treat the biggest scientific leap in decades like humans. If you're with us, then act like it. Otherwise, get out of my damn sight."

She spun on her heel, and stared at the others, letting go of Penelope, and clenching her fists.

"Screw calming down. It's now or never. We get a move on, or we all go down together. Brandon, if you want to blow something up, go do that. Anyone who wants to escape, stop debating, and get moving."

[Auphelia]

Elise Lloyd | The Meeting

"And you shut your mouth, little boy. I'm getting out of here, one way or another. Brandon's just offered to die to get us out, and the first thing you do is start spouting patronising garbage? We're not waiting around so that the government can work out what they want with us. I can tell you damn well that they aren't going to treat the biggest scientific leap in decades like humans. If you're with us, then act like it. Otherwise, get out of my damn sight."

"Screw calming down. It's now or never. We get a move on, or we all go down together. Brandon, if you want to blow something up, go do that. Anyone who wants to escape, stop debating, and get moving."

"And what will you do in the unlikely event that you do manage to get out? I understand that this is stressing and emotional, but what harm has even befallen us here? If anything, staying a little longer and receiving more training will improve our chances of escaping. Do you really want to be hunted the rest of your lives? Always having to be afraid that today could be the day you are taken out? And if the escape does fail or they eventually capture you, they may see you as an enemy or at least dangerous and lock you up in a place you cannot escape. If we do escape, we all must escape together. If we do escape, we have to trust each other. If we do escape, we need to have a plan. Not just 'I'll create a distraction and you guys run'. A real plan."

[The Cyberiad Council]

Cyrus Decker

With a flick of his hand, Cyrus made the metal door to the bathroom swing shut, and the locking mechanism melt together, trapping them all in the room, and even if they could still superpower their way out it still had a mental and emotional impact.

"Are you guys done yet?" Cyrus was leaning up against the wall watching the scene unfold in front of him. "We need to fucking HELP each other, not try and be a hero, not be at each other's throats, and above all, not Just Fucking sit here like sheep!"

"Do you honestly want to take the word of a massive corporation that they're doing this for our own good? Why would a Private company step in if they didn't think they could gain something out of it? On top of that, have any of you had any contact with any family since you've been here? No? To the rest of the world, we're dead. We..." He said gesturing to them all, "Are all we have left; the only shred of our past lives that wasn't swept away."

"Brandon, plant girl, you both need to fucking chill. Seriously." His right hand glowed green with an aura of lighting, and small bits of metal flew out of his pockets and combined with metal bits that he ripped out of the stalls. He rotated his fingers, and they molded together to form a rough outline of the facility.

"Your plan won't work." He told Brandon flat out. "But, it has good bones: a distraction on the upper floors is exactly what we need to draw the guards from their station on the first floor. I can build a bomb, but I'll need materials. We can get all of them from the storage rooms on the seventh floor. Multiple small charges would work best. Then the rest of us will hurry down the stairs where I can force open the doors to the lower level, and to the loading bays. And there isn't any residual radiation from the meteor; I heard some of the scientists talking about it. That doesn't make anything any easier. We'll have better luck if we hijack their vehicles. Brandon, Nate, and some others that can move fast can keep the guards off of us long enough for us to all load up in the transport vehicles they have there."

He then looked at Penelope. "Yes: I would rather spend every day of the rest of my life running and being hunted than spend another one where I am nothing but an animal in a cage. I have had to take care of myself from day fucking one. I have worked my ass off trying to make my way in life, and I am not going to have it ripped away from me without a fight. We are all still young. We have the best days of our lives waiting just ahead. Do you really want to spend it in a fucking prison getting poked and prodded and measured and tested? At least if we are running, we take our destiny is in our hands! Not them! We may not have a place out there in the world, but I refuse to let it be here; at least for me. I promise, they will have to step over my broken body to get to any of you, but I need your help."

He splayed his fingers, and the door lock unclenched itself, and the door opened slightly. "You're all free to go. You don't have to risk your lives, I can't ask you to do that, but I am not responsible for what might happen to you here."

[Chewion]

Brandon Kiser

Brandon nodded and Cyrus in gratitude before saying "I know I for one would rather die free out there than live a captive animal in here. We have rights. We deserve freedom not to be treated like test animals. Is there a risk? Yes. But nothing good comes without risk. I swear to you I will die in order to ensure your freedom. Now who's in?" Brandon put his hand forward waiting for for the others to follow suit. This was the single biggest moment of his life. This was going to mean freedom.