Categories > TV > Dark Angel > We'll Fight Till The End!
First Impressions
To walk down the halls of Manticore is not something that most people enjoy doing. Especially if you happen to already be on the bad side of anyone in charge. This is the case for seven of the twenty-four solders walking down those halls.
X-5 481, [Steve] 510, [Biggs] and 598 [Todd] all for back-talking a sergeant. X-5 462 [Kat] and 650 [Tanya] for being fifteen minutes late for target practice. X-5 494 [Alec] for another one of his anger-management issues. As well as X-5-214 [Loralee] who still hadn’t gotten back on their good side after the 09ers had gotten away.
These groups of twenty-four soldiers were walking through the basement and could hear the sounds of beasts that were neither completely human or animal, things that weren’t meant to be made, by god or man. Some looked like something a child would think up in a nightmare.
They were scary and their faces weren’t right, Ridged and hairy. They’d ram themselves against the door as if they did it enough they might get free. But then again there would be twenty-four super soldiers to stop them.
X5-494 tried to look through the windows of the doors that held the beasts back. It was hard considering they were higher than him. The rows finally stopped and they began to climb the stairs. They were heading back to their barricades. Today they would find out who was leaving, and who was being added. Their SGT had assured them that no one from there unit was leaving. But because X5-267 had died while in psy-ops they would be getting a few more people.
X5-494 had been upset about this for a while. He didn’t need anyone or want anyone else to be added to his unit. Yes, Tav had been added in three years ago, but he was Alec half-brother so it was ok with him.
The green eyed X5 bumped into 214 in front of him, not realizing they had stopped. He quickly backed up a step and shut his thoughts off. They would be back to their rooms soon. He could ponder this while there. But as he tried to, new thoughts entered his mind. Only two weeks ago had they seen 214 for the first time since the end of psy-ops.
Manticore had indeed played with her mind. Changing memories and erasing some as well. He could still remember how her face looked like when he told her that Tav was his half brother. That all the 09ers died. And she had in fact helped them. All of it had been erased by Manticore.
Once they reached their room his thought went right back to the new unit members they were getting. Not one minute after they had been left alone everyone broke out into gossip about, what they knew or rumors they had heard regarding the exchange of unit members. But somehow Steve had already gotten into a fight with Kat about whether or not there were cameras in the bathrooms. She seemed to think there were. He seemed to think she was ‘Stupid for even having this conversation’.
Their hushed voices came to a dead stop as foot steps echoed towards their room along with screams. The door swung open and two young handsome soldiers shoved in a screaming and kicking 10 year old girl to her knees, she had recently given bruises along her arms, she moved the strains of dark brown hair from her face, showing off her chocolate brown eyes. Her hair was only to her jaw-line, in turn framing her face nicely.
“Don’t push me” She franticly screamed at both guards, giving them the middle finger that earned her a slap across the face, as they slammed the door shut again.
She turned around to see all of 494’s unit staring at her. “What?” she snapped at them.
Loralee looked at this new girl now in her units’ territory. 'Who the hell does she think she is' Loralee immediately thought. She'd always hated the 'newbie’s' she'd hated Annabell when she first came and this time would be no different. The new girl gave her a look. And 214 knew to well what it meant.
"Wonna go?!" she asked cocking up an eyebrow.
Before anyone realized what was happening the two girls were on the floor pulling each others hair and yelling. A scream broke out as 214 bit the other girls’ neck. Alec and Biggs quickly pulled them away from each other, as they still have a fist full of each other’s hair.
The new girl straightened her hair before causally saying “This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” Loralee just looked at her as if she were crazy.
“Bite me!” she snapped at her. This was to be expected. The same ting happened with Annabella when she first came, except Kat had started it.
214 glared at her.
“No thanks” the new girl said slyly. As she was clearly looking Alec up and down, acting like she was all grown up. “I think I’d rather bite-” Before she could finish her statement 214 tackled her to the ground again Tav quickly pulled the new girl away, wrapping his arm around her waist as Todd grabbed Loralee.
“Hey guys not cool!” Annabella said waving her hands. She was talking to both of them, but looking at 214, her eyes darted back and forth between the two girls waiting for a response of some kind. Maybe a grunt or a nod. Instead the two just kept glaring at each other. They both pushed the boys off of them at the same time.
“Truce?” Anabella asked them both, implying that they should shake hands. The newbie rolled her eyes before stretching her hand out to shake the blondes. 214 didn’t really wanted to be-friend her but shook her hand after a couple of seconds of stalling.
“So who are you?” Tav asked pointedly, looking at this new X5, who they would be living with possibly for the rest of their lives.
She smiled sheepishly before answering. “I am 231. Used to be SIC of 995s Unit.” She finished with a little nod.
Tav simply looked at her, expecting her to add more, but it never came. “And your name would be…”
231 looked at him horrified for even suggesting something like that. This time Alec rolled his eyes. She was one of them. But that was ok. He could change her. He’d changed Annabella, no reason he couldn’t change her. It had just dawned to him that maybe not everyone at Manticore knew about their secret lives. He knew that seven of the fifteen units didn’t now. How many were there for sure? Hopefully in a couple of years every child solider that this place was housing would know a little more about the outside world. 494 didn’t know a lot. One of the very few things he did know was the people had names. Only the ones that were on death row were given numbers.
“Ok I need you to listen to us very carefully” Tav said taking charge were Alec should have already stepped in. That said: Alec, Biggs, Tav, Todd, Steve, and Tanner all stepped in front of her creating a semi-circle, preparing to explain to her everything she didn’t know but they all did. The six of them were the most knowledgably about this, so they all did it together when ever someone needed explaining to about anything regarding the ‘outside’.
Before they began more footsteps could be heard moving towards them. The six boys slightly moved apart before the doors were opened. The same two men had returned with another two girls.
The first one looked around nine and had dark brown hair, it almost looked black it was also only to her jaw-line. Her hazel eyes stuck out brightly from all the dark bruises forming around her eyes and cheek bones.
The second girl had very light brown hair but to her mid-neck. She didn’t seem to have bruises on her face, but was cradling her arm with her other hand. She had a very dark shade of green eyes
The two men were about to leave when a third man walked in, with him was another child solider behind him. “He’s in here too” he said shoving in the boy with black, slightly curly hair, tanned skin and sea green eyes, with a cut on his lower lip.
The third not so handsome man was about to say something but decided not to as he closed the door behind him and the other two men.
494s face broke into a smile at the sight of 687. The dark eyed boys face also changed into a smile as did the rest of the unit. Alec walked towards him and they both grabbed each other into a great big hug, followed by each giving the other a whack on the back. The blonde X5 let go of him, giving the rest of his unit the chance to hug him. All but the three new girls along with Annabella and Tav, who had no idea who he was.
“Guys” Todd broke in after he’d given him his hung.
He was looking over at Annabella and Tav who knew a bit more about this person than the three new arrivals.
“This is the infamous Kyle, 687 we have told you about” Todd said giving them a look.
Tav could remember hearing about him when he first arrived three years ago. The same time that Kyle had left 18 days earlier. Annabella knew a little more about him. He was there when she first came to this new unit. He had greeted her and shown her the ropes. She could remember talking to him about Loralee one time after she had been shot. He’d been there and she could remember how angry he had been. He was like another Alec. Always protective even when there was no need.
“Hey guys” Kyle said as soon as all the hugs and greetings were over with.
He had a huge cat grin on his face. He’d defiantly gotten that from Alec. They were really tight, and had been best friends up until three years ago, when he’d been taken away to be placed into another unit.
“Who are these new people?” He asked looking at Alec, directing his question towards the four people that had been slightly shunned to the corner as all the greetings had been taken place.
“Oh” Kat said taking over. She was better at words and introducing people then the boys were. They had a tendency to, well not really do it right. But before she could continue she was interrupted by 214.
“Oh my god!” she squealed out, looking wide-eyes at the green eyed, dark haired girl. This girl gave out a squeal that sounded almost the same, except that she added “Loralee” onto the end.
They instantly hugged and jumped around a little, still using their high-pitch voiced that left guys wincing.
“Andreea!” Loralee said in her normal voice again.
“I can’t believe you’re here! Wow, this is so cool!” She finished, before turning around to look at the rest on her unit.
“Guys this is Andy! The girl I told you about from psy-ops.” She continued to explain for those confused expressions she was getting from a few unit mates and the newbie’s.
“We ended up in the same room for the first bit and last bit of psy-ops. We have everything in common. I helped her pick out a name, and I told her about what our units like! Remember, I told you all this!” 214 exclaimed still smiling like the child she was.
“Yeah, I was the first you got to tell about they boy you met in the dessert and we told each other our secrets and-” Andreea started to say.
Loralee’s smile disappeared. “What dessert?” She asked confused.
Andy was about to explain when she caught a death glaring look coming from her new C.O. She knew better then to say more.
“Oh sorry that must have been someone else. Sorry” she apologized. She knew someone would explain to her soon enough what was happening. She already had a good reason to believe it was Manticore, but she could be wrong. Maybe they’d broken-up.
CeCe looked around feeling the tension in the room. She quickly though up what to say “So!...Who are you?” She said over dramatically looking at the only girl in the room that hadn’t said a word in the last twenty minutes.
“Me?” asked the girl now reanalyzing all eyes had been diverted to her.
Normally she would have loved all this attention, but right now her face was still hurting and she didn’t know anyone except a few names she’d heard in the room and of course Alec. Not many people in Manticore didn’t at least know of Alec, if they didn’t know him personally.
She had seen him around with various people from his unit. Her CO and him talked every now and then. That’s how her unit had found out about the ‘names’ that some of the X5 had. That’s how she ended up with hers.
“Well, I’m X5-489” She said introducing herself officially. “AKA Amanda. I come from Unit 12. My CO is X5-576 AKA Tyler.” She said finishing up.
Kat perked up at this. “Are you that Amanda girl that got into a fight with a girl named Joline in your unit?”
When she nodded Tanya, CeCe, Anna, and Loralee all gave her a high-five. You could tell with out a word being said non-of them liked her.
“Nice” Kat said after she had given her high five. With that one nod Amanda had been accepted into a brand new unit.
231, feeling a little left out decided to speak up. “So you guys all have names!” she said in astonishment. How had something so wrong been going on for so long she wondered to herself.
“Yeah we do” Anna piped up from behind Tanya.
“It’s because we’re special” Kat said with an Alec type grin.
“Some of us more then others” Steve said in a low voice from his place beside Tav, and Todd. Before Kat could come back at him with a remark of her own CeCe broke into the conversation before another fight broke out between the two.
“New girl number one” She said looking at the dark haired beauty.
“You are the only one in the room that does not have a name. Before you decide yours we should tell you ours.” She said sweetly in a voice the Biggs hated, and she only used to make him angry.
They had a love/hate relationship. If you could even call it that. “If you ever have a problem with anything about anyone you go to these guys.” She said pointing to Alec and the group of people that he was standing by.
“They travel in groups of usually twos’ and threes’ so they are easy to find” She informed her.
“First you have 494 Alec he’s our C.O. He’s your best bet for fixing most problems. Beside him is his half brother Tav. 481 He’s Alec’s SIC” Tav gave a nod as his greeting.
“Then there’s Biggs 510 beside him. Wave Biggs” CeCe said after realizing he hadn’t been paying attention. He waved back looking bored.
“And those three over there are Steve, Whom you’ve met. Todd 598, and Tanner. Be careful because they like to travel together and confuse people.” CeCe herself wasn’t even sure how they did it. They didn’t even look that alike.
“You can go to them for anything, there like life size teddy bears.” Kat piped in. “Except for Steve, he’s evil and bites!”
“Hey that was ONE time and you bit me first” Steve said back in self defense.
“Don’t listen to her, she’s crazy, she gets like this when she doesn’t take her drugs” He said quickly before dodging a foot aimed to his face. “See, what did I tell you?” He said as if just proving his point.
“Watch them grow up to become crazy sex lovers together” Tanya said to the group of girls as well as Kyle that were standing around her.
“I give them to puberty.” Said 231 with a smile, feeling rather comfortable in the new unit.
The now fighting pare were completely oblivious to the comment as Steve threw his own punch toward the curly haired brunet.
“Anyway.” CeCe said when the new girl turned her way again.
“I’m CeCe, and as you can guess that over there’s Kat, 462 She’s Tanya 650 and that quiet one there is Anna, 560 ” Again the dark haired beauty nodded, to the knowledge of these new names.
After CeCe had finished up introducing the rest of the unit, adding in little comments here and there, along with a couple of witty remarks from Alec, Steve and Tav. She finished up six minutes later with Kyle. “And this, as you know is Kyle 687”
Again the small girl was quiet. She’d taken in all this information, but felt weird about it.
“Oh by the way if you happen to rat us out, we’ll deny the whole thing before we all kill you” Came Steve’s voice from beside Kat. They both had settled down and taken a seat on the floor. His face was dead serious and things suddenly became really awkward.
Alec spoke up with the grace of the leader he truly was. “Sorry for you to have to listen to that dummy put it so bluntly but you have to realize that if you tell anyone, it could get us all killed. So we are trusting you with this secret in hope you will keep it. And now if you like you can give yourself a name. It doesn’t have to be right now. This is a very important thing, so take your time.” It wasn’t often people got to see the more mature side of Alec. The side that kept his unit alive, and the side that was always the voice of reason when everything got to out of control.
The small girl stayed quiet. She seemed to be trying to remember something. She finally broke into a smile before talking. “I think I’d like to be named Nela.” She said still smiling.
“Is there a reason behind this?” asked Amanda. She surprised herself with that question, and how quickly she let her self get into the conversation. Usually she was shy in new groups.
“Yeah one of the nurses that helped me after an operation, name was Nela. She was really nice to me and helped me through it all.” She nodded with a smile as she recalled. A few people nodded. This is how some of them had decided on their names, from the kindness of a stranger. Who didn’t have to, but chose to help them.
“Well Nela. We welcome you to our unit, and hope you enjoy your time here” Loralee said. She was surprised she’d said that to her former enemy. Maybe she was right. Perhaps the two of them would become close friends. Along with her old friends Andreea and her new one Amanda.
Things finally started to look slightly up for Alec’s unit. He’s gained his old friend back after three years of absence. The rest of his unit was still mentally recovering from their time in psy-ops. Everyone seemed happy, plus the whole 09er thing seemed to have blown over.
Alec stretched his arms up before wrapping one around Steve’s neck in a headlock as they immediately began to wrestle. A small crowed of seven gathered to watch who would win this round as the rest left to do something else.
Anna talked with Annabella and Tannya. Nell sat beside Amanda in silence as they both watched Loralee play Rock -Paper -scissor with Andreea and CeCe, Who at the same time was talking with Kat about how boys could be so dumb sometimes.
Kyle looked around realizing that in all this time, his unit hadn’t changed much. A lot of things had changed around them and some people weren’t the same after some of these changes. But this gave Kyle great pride knowing that nothing could change his unit. His original and favorite one.
&&&&
Lydecker sat in his chair once again feeling his head become light as he finished his fifth glass of scotch. He wasn’t sure why he was drinking that night. He finally had something to celebrate. After almost a year of looking his men finally had a lead on one the escaped kids. One of his kids. He felt a slight ping of sadness knowing that one was able to be located after only being out for a little less than a year. Then again he’d led his men towards him, probably so some other could escape and was now having trouble getting rid of them again. Lydecker made a list of his kids mentally trying to pick out who it could be. He knew it was one of the boys, but it was to be decided which one. Maybe Krit, He always had a soft spot for two of the girls. He could have been helping them escape. Or it could be maybe Seth, he always acted tough but deep down he was sweet. But a name kept popping back up in his head. Zack. He was the most likely to do something like this, but it bothered him to think that one of his best soldiers would be caught so easily. Only time would tell. With any luck his men will catch him in a months time. Then he can come back home, take a trip to psy-ops and be all good once again.
To walk down the halls of Manticore is not something that most people enjoy doing. Especially if you happen to already be on the bad side of anyone in charge. This is the case for seven of the twenty-four solders walking down those halls.
X-5 481, [Steve] 510, [Biggs] and 598 [Todd] all for back-talking a sergeant. X-5 462 [Kat] and 650 [Tanya] for being fifteen minutes late for target practice. X-5 494 [Alec] for another one of his anger-management issues. As well as X-5-214 [Loralee] who still hadn’t gotten back on their good side after the 09ers had gotten away.
These groups of twenty-four soldiers were walking through the basement and could hear the sounds of beasts that were neither completely human or animal, things that weren’t meant to be made, by god or man. Some looked like something a child would think up in a nightmare.
They were scary and their faces weren’t right, Ridged and hairy. They’d ram themselves against the door as if they did it enough they might get free. But then again there would be twenty-four super soldiers to stop them.
X5-494 tried to look through the windows of the doors that held the beasts back. It was hard considering they were higher than him. The rows finally stopped and they began to climb the stairs. They were heading back to their barricades. Today they would find out who was leaving, and who was being added. Their SGT had assured them that no one from there unit was leaving. But because X5-267 had died while in psy-ops they would be getting a few more people.
X5-494 had been upset about this for a while. He didn’t need anyone or want anyone else to be added to his unit. Yes, Tav had been added in three years ago, but he was Alec half-brother so it was ok with him.
The green eyed X5 bumped into 214 in front of him, not realizing they had stopped. He quickly backed up a step and shut his thoughts off. They would be back to their rooms soon. He could ponder this while there. But as he tried to, new thoughts entered his mind. Only two weeks ago had they seen 214 for the first time since the end of psy-ops.
Manticore had indeed played with her mind. Changing memories and erasing some as well. He could still remember how her face looked like when he told her that Tav was his half brother. That all the 09ers died. And she had in fact helped them. All of it had been erased by Manticore.
Once they reached their room his thought went right back to the new unit members they were getting. Not one minute after they had been left alone everyone broke out into gossip about, what they knew or rumors they had heard regarding the exchange of unit members. But somehow Steve had already gotten into a fight with Kat about whether or not there were cameras in the bathrooms. She seemed to think there were. He seemed to think she was ‘Stupid for even having this conversation’.
Their hushed voices came to a dead stop as foot steps echoed towards their room along with screams. The door swung open and two young handsome soldiers shoved in a screaming and kicking 10 year old girl to her knees, she had recently given bruises along her arms, she moved the strains of dark brown hair from her face, showing off her chocolate brown eyes. Her hair was only to her jaw-line, in turn framing her face nicely.
“Don’t push me” She franticly screamed at both guards, giving them the middle finger that earned her a slap across the face, as they slammed the door shut again.
She turned around to see all of 494’s unit staring at her. “What?” she snapped at them.
Loralee looked at this new girl now in her units’ territory. 'Who the hell does she think she is' Loralee immediately thought. She'd always hated the 'newbie’s' she'd hated Annabell when she first came and this time would be no different. The new girl gave her a look. And 214 knew to well what it meant.
"Wonna go?!" she asked cocking up an eyebrow.
Before anyone realized what was happening the two girls were on the floor pulling each others hair and yelling. A scream broke out as 214 bit the other girls’ neck. Alec and Biggs quickly pulled them away from each other, as they still have a fist full of each other’s hair.
The new girl straightened her hair before causally saying “This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” Loralee just looked at her as if she were crazy.
“Bite me!” she snapped at her. This was to be expected. The same ting happened with Annabella when she first came, except Kat had started it.
214 glared at her.
“No thanks” the new girl said slyly. As she was clearly looking Alec up and down, acting like she was all grown up. “I think I’d rather bite-” Before she could finish her statement 214 tackled her to the ground again Tav quickly pulled the new girl away, wrapping his arm around her waist as Todd grabbed Loralee.
“Hey guys not cool!” Annabella said waving her hands. She was talking to both of them, but looking at 214, her eyes darted back and forth between the two girls waiting for a response of some kind. Maybe a grunt or a nod. Instead the two just kept glaring at each other. They both pushed the boys off of them at the same time.
“Truce?” Anabella asked them both, implying that they should shake hands. The newbie rolled her eyes before stretching her hand out to shake the blondes. 214 didn’t really wanted to be-friend her but shook her hand after a couple of seconds of stalling.
“So who are you?” Tav asked pointedly, looking at this new X5, who they would be living with possibly for the rest of their lives.
She smiled sheepishly before answering. “I am 231. Used to be SIC of 995s Unit.” She finished with a little nod.
Tav simply looked at her, expecting her to add more, but it never came. “And your name would be…”
231 looked at him horrified for even suggesting something like that. This time Alec rolled his eyes. She was one of them. But that was ok. He could change her. He’d changed Annabella, no reason he couldn’t change her. It had just dawned to him that maybe not everyone at Manticore knew about their secret lives. He knew that seven of the fifteen units didn’t now. How many were there for sure? Hopefully in a couple of years every child solider that this place was housing would know a little more about the outside world. 494 didn’t know a lot. One of the very few things he did know was the people had names. Only the ones that were on death row were given numbers.
“Ok I need you to listen to us very carefully” Tav said taking charge were Alec should have already stepped in. That said: Alec, Biggs, Tav, Todd, Steve, and Tanner all stepped in front of her creating a semi-circle, preparing to explain to her everything she didn’t know but they all did. The six of them were the most knowledgably about this, so they all did it together when ever someone needed explaining to about anything regarding the ‘outside’.
Before they began more footsteps could be heard moving towards them. The six boys slightly moved apart before the doors were opened. The same two men had returned with another two girls.
The first one looked around nine and had dark brown hair, it almost looked black it was also only to her jaw-line. Her hazel eyes stuck out brightly from all the dark bruises forming around her eyes and cheek bones.
The second girl had very light brown hair but to her mid-neck. She didn’t seem to have bruises on her face, but was cradling her arm with her other hand. She had a very dark shade of green eyes
The two men were about to leave when a third man walked in, with him was another child solider behind him. “He’s in here too” he said shoving in the boy with black, slightly curly hair, tanned skin and sea green eyes, with a cut on his lower lip.
The third not so handsome man was about to say something but decided not to as he closed the door behind him and the other two men.
494s face broke into a smile at the sight of 687. The dark eyed boys face also changed into a smile as did the rest of the unit. Alec walked towards him and they both grabbed each other into a great big hug, followed by each giving the other a whack on the back. The blonde X5 let go of him, giving the rest of his unit the chance to hug him. All but the three new girls along with Annabella and Tav, who had no idea who he was.
“Guys” Todd broke in after he’d given him his hung.
He was looking over at Annabella and Tav who knew a bit more about this person than the three new arrivals.
“This is the infamous Kyle, 687 we have told you about” Todd said giving them a look.
Tav could remember hearing about him when he first arrived three years ago. The same time that Kyle had left 18 days earlier. Annabella knew a little more about him. He was there when she first came to this new unit. He had greeted her and shown her the ropes. She could remember talking to him about Loralee one time after she had been shot. He’d been there and she could remember how angry he had been. He was like another Alec. Always protective even when there was no need.
“Hey guys” Kyle said as soon as all the hugs and greetings were over with.
He had a huge cat grin on his face. He’d defiantly gotten that from Alec. They were really tight, and had been best friends up until three years ago, when he’d been taken away to be placed into another unit.
“Who are these new people?” He asked looking at Alec, directing his question towards the four people that had been slightly shunned to the corner as all the greetings had been taken place.
“Oh” Kat said taking over. She was better at words and introducing people then the boys were. They had a tendency to, well not really do it right. But before she could continue she was interrupted by 214.
“Oh my god!” she squealed out, looking wide-eyes at the green eyed, dark haired girl. This girl gave out a squeal that sounded almost the same, except that she added “Loralee” onto the end.
They instantly hugged and jumped around a little, still using their high-pitch voiced that left guys wincing.
“Andreea!” Loralee said in her normal voice again.
“I can’t believe you’re here! Wow, this is so cool!” She finished, before turning around to look at the rest on her unit.
“Guys this is Andy! The girl I told you about from psy-ops.” She continued to explain for those confused expressions she was getting from a few unit mates and the newbie’s.
“We ended up in the same room for the first bit and last bit of psy-ops. We have everything in common. I helped her pick out a name, and I told her about what our units like! Remember, I told you all this!” 214 exclaimed still smiling like the child she was.
“Yeah, I was the first you got to tell about they boy you met in the dessert and we told each other our secrets and-” Andreea started to say.
Loralee’s smile disappeared. “What dessert?” She asked confused.
Andy was about to explain when she caught a death glaring look coming from her new C.O. She knew better then to say more.
“Oh sorry that must have been someone else. Sorry” she apologized. She knew someone would explain to her soon enough what was happening. She already had a good reason to believe it was Manticore, but she could be wrong. Maybe they’d broken-up.
CeCe looked around feeling the tension in the room. She quickly though up what to say “So!...Who are you?” She said over dramatically looking at the only girl in the room that hadn’t said a word in the last twenty minutes.
“Me?” asked the girl now reanalyzing all eyes had been diverted to her.
Normally she would have loved all this attention, but right now her face was still hurting and she didn’t know anyone except a few names she’d heard in the room and of course Alec. Not many people in Manticore didn’t at least know of Alec, if they didn’t know him personally.
She had seen him around with various people from his unit. Her CO and him talked every now and then. That’s how her unit had found out about the ‘names’ that some of the X5 had. That’s how she ended up with hers.
“Well, I’m X5-489” She said introducing herself officially. “AKA Amanda. I come from Unit 12. My CO is X5-576 AKA Tyler.” She said finishing up.
Kat perked up at this. “Are you that Amanda girl that got into a fight with a girl named Joline in your unit?”
When she nodded Tanya, CeCe, Anna, and Loralee all gave her a high-five. You could tell with out a word being said non-of them liked her.
“Nice” Kat said after she had given her high five. With that one nod Amanda had been accepted into a brand new unit.
231, feeling a little left out decided to speak up. “So you guys all have names!” she said in astonishment. How had something so wrong been going on for so long she wondered to herself.
“Yeah we do” Anna piped up from behind Tanya.
“It’s because we’re special” Kat said with an Alec type grin.
“Some of us more then others” Steve said in a low voice from his place beside Tav, and Todd. Before Kat could come back at him with a remark of her own CeCe broke into the conversation before another fight broke out between the two.
“New girl number one” She said looking at the dark haired beauty.
“You are the only one in the room that does not have a name. Before you decide yours we should tell you ours.” She said sweetly in a voice the Biggs hated, and she only used to make him angry.
They had a love/hate relationship. If you could even call it that. “If you ever have a problem with anything about anyone you go to these guys.” She said pointing to Alec and the group of people that he was standing by.
“They travel in groups of usually twos’ and threes’ so they are easy to find” She informed her.
“First you have 494 Alec he’s our C.O. He’s your best bet for fixing most problems. Beside him is his half brother Tav. 481 He’s Alec’s SIC” Tav gave a nod as his greeting.
“Then there’s Biggs 510 beside him. Wave Biggs” CeCe said after realizing he hadn’t been paying attention. He waved back looking bored.
“And those three over there are Steve, Whom you’ve met. Todd 598, and Tanner. Be careful because they like to travel together and confuse people.” CeCe herself wasn’t even sure how they did it. They didn’t even look that alike.
“You can go to them for anything, there like life size teddy bears.” Kat piped in. “Except for Steve, he’s evil and bites!”
“Hey that was ONE time and you bit me first” Steve said back in self defense.
“Don’t listen to her, she’s crazy, she gets like this when she doesn’t take her drugs” He said quickly before dodging a foot aimed to his face. “See, what did I tell you?” He said as if just proving his point.
“Watch them grow up to become crazy sex lovers together” Tanya said to the group of girls as well as Kyle that were standing around her.
“I give them to puberty.” Said 231 with a smile, feeling rather comfortable in the new unit.
The now fighting pare were completely oblivious to the comment as Steve threw his own punch toward the curly haired brunet.
“Anyway.” CeCe said when the new girl turned her way again.
“I’m CeCe, and as you can guess that over there’s Kat, 462 She’s Tanya 650 and that quiet one there is Anna, 560 ” Again the dark haired beauty nodded, to the knowledge of these new names.
After CeCe had finished up introducing the rest of the unit, adding in little comments here and there, along with a couple of witty remarks from Alec, Steve and Tav. She finished up six minutes later with Kyle. “And this, as you know is Kyle 687”
Again the small girl was quiet. She’d taken in all this information, but felt weird about it.
“Oh by the way if you happen to rat us out, we’ll deny the whole thing before we all kill you” Came Steve’s voice from beside Kat. They both had settled down and taken a seat on the floor. His face was dead serious and things suddenly became really awkward.
Alec spoke up with the grace of the leader he truly was. “Sorry for you to have to listen to that dummy put it so bluntly but you have to realize that if you tell anyone, it could get us all killed. So we are trusting you with this secret in hope you will keep it. And now if you like you can give yourself a name. It doesn’t have to be right now. This is a very important thing, so take your time.” It wasn’t often people got to see the more mature side of Alec. The side that kept his unit alive, and the side that was always the voice of reason when everything got to out of control.
The small girl stayed quiet. She seemed to be trying to remember something. She finally broke into a smile before talking. “I think I’d like to be named Nela.” She said still smiling.
“Is there a reason behind this?” asked Amanda. She surprised herself with that question, and how quickly she let her self get into the conversation. Usually she was shy in new groups.
“Yeah one of the nurses that helped me after an operation, name was Nela. She was really nice to me and helped me through it all.” She nodded with a smile as she recalled. A few people nodded. This is how some of them had decided on their names, from the kindness of a stranger. Who didn’t have to, but chose to help them.
“Well Nela. We welcome you to our unit, and hope you enjoy your time here” Loralee said. She was surprised she’d said that to her former enemy. Maybe she was right. Perhaps the two of them would become close friends. Along with her old friends Andreea and her new one Amanda.
Things finally started to look slightly up for Alec’s unit. He’s gained his old friend back after three years of absence. The rest of his unit was still mentally recovering from their time in psy-ops. Everyone seemed happy, plus the whole 09er thing seemed to have blown over.
Alec stretched his arms up before wrapping one around Steve’s neck in a headlock as they immediately began to wrestle. A small crowed of seven gathered to watch who would win this round as the rest left to do something else.
Anna talked with Annabella and Tannya. Nell sat beside Amanda in silence as they both watched Loralee play Rock -Paper -scissor with Andreea and CeCe, Who at the same time was talking with Kat about how boys could be so dumb sometimes.
Kyle looked around realizing that in all this time, his unit hadn’t changed much. A lot of things had changed around them and some people weren’t the same after some of these changes. But this gave Kyle great pride knowing that nothing could change his unit. His original and favorite one.
&&&&
Lydecker sat in his chair once again feeling his head become light as he finished his fifth glass of scotch. He wasn’t sure why he was drinking that night. He finally had something to celebrate. After almost a year of looking his men finally had a lead on one the escaped kids. One of his kids. He felt a slight ping of sadness knowing that one was able to be located after only being out for a little less than a year. Then again he’d led his men towards him, probably so some other could escape and was now having trouble getting rid of them again. Lydecker made a list of his kids mentally trying to pick out who it could be. He knew it was one of the boys, but it was to be decided which one. Maybe Krit, He always had a soft spot for two of the girls. He could have been helping them escape. Or it could be maybe Seth, he always acted tough but deep down he was sweet. But a name kept popping back up in his head. Zack. He was the most likely to do something like this, but it bothered him to think that one of his best soldiers would be caught so easily. Only time would tell. With any luck his men will catch him in a months time. Then he can come back home, take a trip to psy-ops and be all good once again.
Sign up to rate and review this story