Biomorph

Ayla jumped when her phone rang during class. When she saw it was her father, she quickly explained that this call was important, and was allowed to stand in the hallway.

“Yes dad?”

“Ayla, remember I told you that I worked for a secret project in the government? Well, I what I worked on has escaped. Please come to the shelter. We're going to live here to keep you safe.” Mr. Albrecht explained

“But dad, what about my life here? I still need to do school!”

“Why don’t you bring them with you?” He explained, slightly exasperated at his daughters’ antics. “I’m sure your classmates would love an all-expense paid trip, as would their parents.”

5 minutes later...

Ayla flounced back into the room and whispered something to the teacher. Most of the rest of the class was annoyed, as they enjoyed when the teacher was explaining how powers worked.

However, Josh was just bored. Honestly, you’d think they had never heard of some of these things. For example, everyone should have known that laser-eyed people had to have crystals in their masks eye slits. How else do you focus a laser? Actually, that merited private research...

“Everyone, what would you say to a trip to see the largest bunker in the world?” Ayla had just interrupted his chain of thought.

“This trip will be paid for by my dad, but it will last a week, so you had better get permission! We leave today!” She exclaimed.

"We'll meet up in front of the Bus station as soon as possible."

Josh sighed and started packing his school supplies up. This would make concealing the full extent of his power very difficult...

Beta 43 was honestly shocked. Her brother was right there. Picking up a few books and putting them in a bag. Could he have forgotten his previous life so easily?

This sad thought caused her to lean too hard on a weak branch, which snapped. At the sound, her brother’s head whipped around, and then caught sight of her.

The shock of seeing each other froze them for about 5 seconds, before Beta 43 gave a shy wave.

What else do you do to silently greet the Brother you thought was dead for 10 years?

Having noticed their friends’ reaction, Arthur and Joel were just about to ask what was going on, when Josh stood up violently (Overturning his desk, and the neat pile of books on it) and dashed for the door leading to the courtyard.

Arthur and Joel both followed him, as did the rest of the class. What could merit such a reaction?

Barreling through the open door, he sprinted to the central tree, and then jumped up into it. The class gaped. 6 feet straight up? What kind of power was that? Or what animal?

Then, they heard the sobbing of 2 individuals. Peering up, they could see Josh was hugging a girl who looked rather similar. Understandably, Ayla and Silvia were annoyed at this new girl. Who could be so important that they took priority over them? The Queens of the school?

This sobbing went on for quite a while, so much so that the class sat down near the tree to wait it out.

When the finally stopped, Josh and the mysterious girl both jumped down. Josh was beaming. he had an arm around the mystery girl, like he would never let her go

“Everyone, this is my sister, Beta 43. She helped me survive that crazy place, and I … can’t believe she’s alive. How are you alive?” he turned to his sister. “I saw you shot! You were a bloody corpse!”

She grinned sheepishly “Training exercise. You weren’t woken up, as you didn’t need to do it. You probably saw the first game, paintball. We were beaten. Completely.”

Josh dropped to his knees on hearing this. All that he had done on that day - the blind rage, the destruction, the killing - it was for nothing. He had been lied to. That Major.

Wait, the site he had been held at was the Beta site. Where were they?

“Wait, why were you not transferred to Beta site then?” he queried.

“We had to protect the bunker, or so he said.”

A humorless laugh escaped Josh’s lips “So me being tested on for 10 years was just a side project to him then.” The mood had quickly dropped after the first burst of emotion, apparently.

“Bunker? What bunker?” demanded Ayla.

Beta 43 turned to her “The bunker designed to keep humanity's governments, along with its best and brightest.”

“Who assigned you there?”

“The major in charge. I Can’t quite remember his name his name. However, he has thinning blond hair, is in his early fifties, and seems to have a family in this town.”

“Major Albrecht?” Ayla fearfully prompted.

“That’s him!” exclaimed Beta 43. “Do you know him?”

Josh had put two and two together.

“He’s Ayla’s father...”

Major Albrecht was preparing for his daughter’s arrival. He had rooms cleaned for 30 people, including a classroom. Suddenly, his phone rang. It was an unknown caller, but he picked it up anyway, as it was coming from the nearby city, and his daughter may have been calling him from a friend's phone.

“Hello? Mr. Albrecht speaking.”

“Hello, Major.”

Major Albrecht's heart froze, and he could feel a chill creeping up his spine.

"It can't be..."

"Oh, it is." laughed the voice.

"Beta 42, reporting for duty. Just wanted to let you know, your daughter has met me. and she has seen some of the files I have stored away. Want me to show her the more recent files? I have a rather lovely one from that pain resistance test about half a year ago. Or what about the first vivisection you did without anesthetic? That one was fun."

"What do you want?" came the anxious reply. the poor major had never been able to curb his imagination, and so was now imagining horrible things happening to his daughter.

"First of, free all Sigma Potens subjects. Second, don't make a fuss over this. And third, I'll want access to the DNA bank of the bunker. I'll grab a few new species on this trip."

"Fine." sighed the Major, even as he started silently issuing orders to demilitarize all Sigma Potens subjects who entered the building.

However, he decided to keep this a secret. It could work, and then Beta 42 could 'die' and join his family here.

A Win-Win situation.

After ending the call, Josh turned to his classmates, and his sister.

"What do you say we all go on patrol together, before we leave?" he suggested. "It'll be a great way to blow off steam, and I could use some exercise."

"Yeah!" exclaimed the class and ran off to get changed. Seeing his sister's confusion, Josh smiled, and explained

"They have to change into costumes to do hero work." winking, he suited up himself, his skin rippling more than usual to show off. "So, shall we go?"

"How? I wasn't informed I'd need a change of clothes, and these fatigues can't keep up with the friction I produce from my speeds"

"Well, you always wanted to try my powers, right?" grinned Josh.