Hybrids: A New Species

The sun is beginning to set, and Ben finally reaches Cole’s house. The truck they drove in is still parked on the lawn, and the bodies of the dead Fallen still liter the streets. Ben walks up to the front door. He notices a new dead Fallen by the door. Looks like Cole has used his new strength. Ben places his hand on the door handle, he thinks about what he wants to tell Cole, or how to approach it. He takes a deep breath and opens it.

Ben enters to see Cole with his gun pointed at him. Ben just stares back, hate in his eyes. He doesn’t see a friend in front of him. All he sees is a man who’s lied to him. Cole lowers his gun and chuckles,

“Thank god, it’s just you.” Cole says.

Ben stays silent.

“Ben?” Cole calls out to him, concern in his voice.

“We need to talk.” Ben finally answers, disgust in his eyes.

Cole looks at the wooden box in Ben’s hands.

“You found some supplies, that’s great.” Cole says.

Ben places the box on the table in front of the couch. He still doesn’t say a word. Cole can feel the tension. He’s worried. Ben notices some papers with writing on the table. He grabs them.

“You found your notes?” Ben says.

“Yes, I’m still trying to figure out this cure.”

Ben scans through some of the papers. He doesn’t understand the formulas and diagrams but the title catches his attention, Project Hybrid.

“Project Hybrid?” Ben questions.

Cole clears his throat. “Yes, it’s the name of the cure.”

“Why Hybrid?”

“Because it contains the cells of different animals fused together with human cells. A hybrid of everything.” Cole explains

“Exactly what kind of animal cells do we have?” Ben asks.

Cole grabs a piece of paper off the table and reads it out loud.

“We have the cells of cheetahs, bears, bats, snakes, cats, gorillas, alligators, sharks, elephants..”

Ben listens as he looks through the other notes Cole had laid out on the table. Ben grabs another paper. Cole stops reading and becomes anxious when he realizes Ben grabbed Dr. Mori’s journal entry.

Ben reads through it, his expression changes as he reads. One part from the journal entry disturbs him.

Humans will become a new species. We will no longer be humans! We will be more! We will truly be the dominant species on this Earth. We will be man and animal, a hybrid of everything. We will become a hybrid species.

“Tell me the truth Cole.” Ben says with a harsh tone.

“What truth?” Cole answers. Not understanding what Ben means.

Ben crumbles the paper in his hands and furiously looks at him.

“Dr. Mori wasn’t just some genius. He was insane, wasn’t he?” Ben tells.

Cole grits his teeth. “Leave Dr. Mori out of this!”

“He’s the only reason this even happen! Why the virus even exists!” Ben snaps.

Cole eyes widen, “How… how did you know about the virus?”

Ben wanted Cole to admit the truth himself but he was too furious to keep it in.

“Why did you hide that from me!” Ben raises his voice.

Cole stays silent. Not sure how to answer him.

“You’re the reason my family is dead! The reason the world ended!” Ben continues.

“It was a mistake!” Cole argues. “It wasn’t supposed to be this way!”

“I can’t even look at you right now. All this hate I have in me, for the Fallen, for you!”

Ben’s mind is scrambled. He’s filled with rage.

“How did you find out?” Cole mutters.

Ben is silent now.

Cole only has one person in mind that could of told him.

Did he find me? He thinks.

“Ben… did you meet someone out there?” Cole asks, fear in his voice.

Ben keeps a stern look and doesn’t answer.

“Ben please answer me!” Cole begs.

He nods his head. “Yeah, a man named Jack.”

Cole’s heart sinks to his stomach. Fear strikes him like a lightning bolt. He pictures the wide devilish grin, the gleaming dark red sunglasses, and the sinister laugh.

Jack.

Even the name pierces Cole’s heart. He’s sweating profoundly. He realizes Ben couldn’t have known that the Fallen virus and Dr. Mori were connected. Not unless someone who knew told him, and the only other person that has this information is Jack.

Cole sits down on the couch, distress.

“Ben. Please tell me you killed Jack.” Cole mutters, staring at the floor.

Ben chuckles as he grabs a map in the wooden box he brought with him,

“What do you think?” He says handing the map to Cole.

Cole looks at it. It’s a map of the mountains with markings on it. The markings show a location to a house. A large mountain lodge.

“What the hell is this?” Cole asks.

“A map to Jack’s location.” Ben answers.

“What?! Why?!” Cole raises his voice.

“Jack asked me to join him. He wants the cure.”

Cole’s blood begins to boil. He quickly stands up.

“Ben you can’t!” he shouts.

“Give me a reason why?”

Cole shows anger.

“He can’t be trusted! He’s an evil man!”

Ben chuckles, “Trusted? If there’s anyone I can’t trust, it’s you Cole.”

Cole is shocked. This isn’t what he expected.

“Jack told me everything about you. He told me how you and him met. He told me everything you told him.” Ben answers.

“Did he tell you how he tortured me? He put me through pain to get what he wanted.” Cole retorts.

“Yes, he did.”

“And you still plan on giving him the cure?!” Cole questions, anger in his voice.

“Yes, because Jack told me things you didn’t. You lied to me.”

Cole clenches his fist and gets in Ben’s face.

“I didn’t lie!” he yells, nearly spitting on Ben face.

Ben pushes Cole back, making him tumble back on the couch.

“What are you holding back Cole?!” Ben snaps back. “Do you not want to admit your mentor was just some madman?! He caused this! The end of humanity is his fault!”

Cole’s anger begins to boil.

“Shut up.” Cole mutters.

“Ha!” Ben mocks. “You’re so deep into Dr. Mori’s ideology of creating the next species that you can’t see the massive damage he caused! You’re at fault as much he is!”

Cole grits his teeth and gives Ben a despised look.

“Maybe I should just kill you then.” Ben says, laying his hand on the gun holstered on his side.

Cole’s eyes began transitioning into their Hybrid state. He’s trembling from rage.

Ben see’s the transition and becomes concerned.

Suddenly, Cole shoots up from the couch and swings his right arm with full force at Ben.

The punch knocks Ben back and he hits the wall. The cure gave Cole a lot more strength then he had before. The first time he punched Ben, it barely fazed him.

“Shut up!” Cole shouts. “Dr. Mori just wanted to save the world! He regretted what he did and tried to fix it!”

Ben stands up, a bit dizzy from the hit he took. He wipes some blood from his mouth.

Cole stands his ground, waiting for Ben’s attack.

“The cure definitely made you stronger. However,” Ben grunts.

He smiles as he cracks his neck. His eyes transition to their Hybrid state. Both Ben and Cole stand across from each other, staring intently at each other with their yellow eyes.

“You’re still weak.” Ben continues his sentence.

Cole dashes, his fist swinging forward. Ben swiftly moves to the right and kicks him on the side with his right foot. Cole hits the wall, cracking it.

“You may be stronger than you were before, but you’re still no match for me Cole.” Ben says.

He grabs Cole by the collar and throws him into the kitchen, breaking a wooden chair. Cole groans as he picks himself up. Ben’s right, he still stronger than him. Blood drips from Cole’s head. He wipes it off his forehead.

“You are stronger than me. But I still can’t let you turn Jack.” Cole mumbles.

He dashes forward again and swings at Ben. He dodges the attack. Cole stomps on Ben’s foot, making him lose balance. Cole sees his opportunity and punches Ben in the stomach. He gasps for air. Cole delivers one final hit, swings his arm down, knocking Ben to the ground. Cole smiles, he got the upper hand for once. However, his victory is short when Ben suddenly trips him to the ground. Cole’s head hits the floor hard, making him light-headed. Ben draws his silver gun and presses it against Cole’s head.

Cole doesn’t fight back now. He defeated. He looks at Ben. He has an expression of sorrow.

Ben and Cole say nothing to each other. There’s stillness in the air as they lay there on the floor, almost killing each other. The uneasy tension between them is great.

Cole takes a deep breath and breaks the silence.

“You’re right. I didn’t tell you everything and I’m sorry for that.”

Ben listens, still holding the gun to Cole’s head.

“But you’re wrong about Jack. He’s an evil man. He is the type of person that will twist your trust and stab you in the back. A man like that can’t have this kind of power the cure gives.” Cole explains. “Jack is insane and the only thing he deserves is a bullet to the head.”

Ben withdraws his weapon and stands up. He cleans the blood from his lip and extends his hand to help Cole up.

He sighs. “Tell me everything you haven’t. Tell me the truth.”

Cole reaches for Ben’s hand.

“Okay, I’ll tell you.” Cole says.

Ben sits on the dusty couch behind them and relaxes.

“But if you lie to me. I will find out, and I will kill you.” Ben mutters.

Cole swallows, “I understand.”

The night fills the cold air of the decaying city of Denver. Ben silently sits as Cole tells him everything he’s been keeping from him. Cole’s story has so far matched up with Jack’s. The torture, how he got there, what the cure was intended for and how Dr. Mori created the virus and cure. Ben absorbs the information carefully. The way Cole told it, it was more gruesome than Jack’s story. Cole went into detail on the torture Jack put him through. The emotional and physical pain he explained was enough to make Ben cringe. As for everything else, Cole admitted that it was his idea to test the cure on someone who was infected.

Ben rubs his eyes, he’s feeling restless.

“Tell me, why did you keep this from me?”

Cole yawns, he is also feeling restless.

“I was going to tell you someday. I just needed to know more about the cure. I also wanted us to be more comfortable with each other before I told you.” Cole explains.

“Why?” Ben questions.

“Well Ben.”

“Yes?”

Cole scratches his head and avoids eye contact with him.

“I felt bad. I saw how emotional you were with your family’s death. If I told you I was part of the reason the virus surfaced. I don’t know how you’d react.”

Ben is silent. He’s right. How exactly does someone admit that?

“Not only that. But you’re kind of a scary man.” Cole laughs.

Ben is unamused by his next answer.

“What do you mean by that?” He asks.

“Well look at you. Your built like a truck. You obviously know how to fight, and you’re a bit short tempered.” Cole explains.

Ben gives him a dirty look. It makes Cole uneasy.

“Fair point.” He says.

Cole relaxes, relieved he didn’t attack him.

Ben stands up and stretches. He paces around the room.

His pacing makes Cole anxious.

“So now what?” Cole asks.

Ben stops and looks at him with confusion.

“Are you still going to meet up with Jack?”

Ben thinks on what Cole asked. Now that he heard his side of the story, he has to make a decision. Stay with Cole or go with Jack? If he stays, him and Cole will have Jack to worry about. If he goes to Jack, him and Cole will have issues. Cole has very hateful feelings towards Jack, so the two working together wouldn’t work. Jack may be unpredictable, but he has supplies and more people. If it’s just him and Cole, they’re limited on their supplies.

“Ben?” Cole calls out to him.

Ben snaps out of his own thoughts.

“I don’t know yet.” He replies.

Cole looks away, that wasn’t the answer he wanted.

“But what I do know is that we need to head back to the mountains.” Ben continues.

“What? Why?” Cole asks nervously

“Jack is waiting for me at my cabin. I expect to show up.”

Cole quickly stands up. “Ben you can’t be serious. Jack will kill you!”

“If that man really wanted me dead he would have done it.” Ben argues. “He definitely had the opportunity to do so.”

“What do you plan on doing when you get there than?” Cole asks.

“I’m not sure yet. But if I don’t show, he’ll hunt us down. It’s the smart move to go there.”

“Please don’t give him the cure.” Cole pleads.

Ben paces around the room again. His steps echo through the cold house.

“That’s my decision. Not yours.” He says.

Cole clenches his fist. “What is it about Jack? Even after knowing what he did. The kind of person he is. What is convincing you to go to him?”

Ben looks to the ground. He closes his eyes and thinks for a moment.

“He has a plan.” Ben speaks.

“What do you mean?” Cole asks.

“He convinced me that this cure is our next evolutionary step to living is this new world. Humans are weak, and this cure will make us stronger to survive this world.”

Cole is astonished by Ben’s words.

“You sound just as crazy as he does!” Cole snaps. “This cure is too dangerous for people. We can’t just start giving it without modifying it to be safer first.”

“And how the hell do you expect to do that Cole?!” Ben speaks with an angry tone.

Cole prepared to speak but he chokes on his words.

“You want to save this world? Fine. But what is your plan exactly? Do you know where or how to start?” Ben continues. “We both know the facility you were at was destroyed. I may not be a scientist, but I know damn well you need equipment to work on this cure.”

Cole remains silent at first, then he sits back down on the couch.

“Colorado Springs.” He murmurs.

“What?”

“We need to head to Colorado Springs.”

Ben doesn’t have to say anything for Cole to know he doesn’t understand.

He continues, “There should be another facility there. Dr. Mori kept his work secured. If it hasn’t been destroyed, it will be the perfect place to begin working on the cure.”

Ben becomes annoyed. “Waste of our time. That place is probably destroyed. Without power, that facility can’t be secured still.”

Cole shakes his head in disagreement.

“Dr. Mori designed the door to lock itself with or without power. Plus, it’s hidden.”

“Let’s say it’s still there. How do you expect to open it?” Ben questions.

“I need to retrieve Dr. Mori’s body. The facility needs a code, which I know, and a fingerprint, or eye scan to get through. I hope his body is still there and hasn’t completely rotted.”

Ben absorbs Cole’s plan. He doesn’t like it because it’s not guaranteed.

“What if his body isn’t there anymore?”

“I’ll break my way through then. I don’t know how yet, but I’ll get in there.”

“I don’t know Cole.” Ben says, rubbing his temples.

“Either way, I’m going with you tomorrow. I need Dr. Mori’s blood and I’ll also need his eyes or fingers.”

Ben says nothing. Still unsure of Cole’s plan.

“Trust me Ben. This way is better. At the moment, the cure is too dangerous for humans.”

Ben smirks at his statement. “Humans. We can’t even call ourselves that huh?”

“Hm.” Cole thinks. “Technically not. We’re more than just humans now. Were-”

“Hybrids?” Ben interrupts.

Cole smiles. “Hybrids. It sounds right.”

Ben throws himself on the other couch next to Cole. He relieves a long sigh.

“So now what?” Cole asks, relaxing on the couch as well.

“We sleep.” Ben says.

Cole examines him. He can tell how tired he is. When was the last time they both rested?

Since they first met, Ben hasn’t had a full night sleep. He’s been able to keep up because of the cure, but now his body is wearing out. He needs his energy again.

“Ben?” Cole calls out to him.

“Ya?”

“Have you decided what you’re going to do?”

There’s a long pause.

“We’ll do your plan.” Ben answers. “You seem confident, so why not?”

Cole smiles. “Thank you, Ben.”

He lays down, relaxing himself in the dirty brown couch. He closes his eyes.

Ben closes his eyes as well and tries to sleep. He’s had a long day.

The two men remain silent. Letting their exhaustion take them into a slumber. No sounds now. Just sleep.