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It had been a month since Li had last seen the subject known as 14. Li had not expected to ever see him again in-person so he was shocked when his boss called him and told him to come to Nightfall.
Li had hoped never to set foot in Nightfall again. On the surface, it was a normal small town. Under the surface… well, if the council held a vote to rename the place ‘Nightmare’, Li would wholeheartedly support the change.
Li exited the small airport with the contact his boss had arranged to pick him up and brief him on the situation.
“I’m sorry,” Li said to the man, who had introduced himself as Dennis. “I’m not sure why I’m needed here. I handed over everything I had, and I’ve been questioned several times. I’m sure I didn’t forget anything. I don’t know how I can be of further help.”
Dennis frowned as he gestured for Li to get into the passenger side of a car. Dennis didn’t give him an answer until he’d taken the driver’s seat and they were moving out into Nightfall’s streets.
“You’re not here because of the investigation,” he said. “That’s over and done with. You’re here for… more personal reasons.”
“Personal reasons?” Li queried.
“14,” Dennis said, which went a little way toward explaining this situation.
Li frowned as he recalled the subject known as 14. 14 had once been a soldier, a very well respected soldier. Li wasn’t clear on the details; whether 14 had volunteered for the program or not. It didn’t matter much at this point. Volunteer or not, the end result was the same, and it was horrific.
The pharmaceutical corporation called Global had conducted illegal genetic experiments on former soldiers. Subject 14’s DNA had been merged with that of a wolf, creating… Li wasn’t even sure what had been created by the unholy process. Something not animal, and yet, not human either.
When Li had first met 14, 14 had broken loose from his restraints and attacked Li. Li still bore the scars on his left arm from where 14 had bitten him. After seeing how 14 was treated, Li could not blame the man.
Man. Li refused to call 14 an animal as others did. Though 14 found communication difficult, there was no question that behind those green eyes was an intelligent mind. A mind suffering.
After handing over his bag of evidence to the government agency he worked for, Li had sat down in the nearest chair and cried with relief. Finally, the government had everything they needed to shut down Global and free the prisoners.
Li’s boss had been kind enough to call him three days later to tell him that almost all of the subjects had been retrieved without damage. Li had expected that to be the end of his direct involvement in the case. His identity would be kept confidential as he was still employed as an undercover operative and exposure could put Li at risk during future jobs.
Now, he was here, back in Nightfall, on his way to see 14 again.
“For the most part,” Dennis continued, “all of the subjects have been cooperative. 14 has been… having some difficulty. We don’t think he’s deliberately resisting us. He’s not hostile, he just…”
“Doesn’t play by our rules,” Li guessed. It was the same trouble that the Global scientists had had with 14, and it was why Li had spent so much time with 14 while undercover working for Global. Li had been the only person who’d taken the time to engage with 14 on 14’s level, and 14 had responded positively. Gathering evidence against Global had been hard, but every time Li had been almost caught, every time he wondered if the risk was becoming too great to continue, he’d see 14 again, and he’d find the courage to continue on.
Exactly how much 14 had been told about Li was uncertain. The government might not have told him anything at all. 14 might still think that Li actually worked for Global.
“Yes. He’s very protective of the other former subjects, and it’s leading to the other subjects likewise not engaging with us,” Dennis said. “We’re hoping to set them up in a secure facility where we can teach them the skills they’ll need to return to society, but if 14 can’t deal…”
Then 14’s life would be no better than it had been at Global’s research facility. He’d be a prisoner, kept in a small room, kept away from society, forbidden from connecting with civilians. Worse, he might have to be separated from the other subjects, whom he’d clearly bonded with thanks to their shared trauma.
Li ran a hand through his blond hair, bothered. “I’m not sure if I can do much with him. Seeing me might only make matters worse.” Li had been forced to do things to 14, things that he’d rather not remember. Things that 14 might not forgive him for. 14 ought to not want anything to do with Li at all.
“We’ve tried everything else we can think of,” Dennis replied. “We’re hoping you’ll be able to figure out what he needs.”
Li could only try.
The former subjects were being kept in a building that had once been a hospital owned by Global. After Li had passed the security checks and handed over all of his digital devices to the staff, he was allowed in to see 14.
14 was currently being kept in a room on his own, right at the end of a hall. Li glimpsed some familiar faces as he passed by other rooms on his way to 14. Other former subjects who, much to Li’s pleasure, looked far healthier than he remembered them being.
Once they were within a few metres of the room’s door, Dennis waved Li on alone. “He’s sensitive to scent and he doesn’t like mine,” Dennis explained. “It’s best if you approach him alone.”
If it was anybody other than 14, Li might have been concerned about his safety, but 14 had ‘tells’. If one knew what those were, it was possible to avoid true harm.
Li pushed open the door of the room, noting that it wasn’t locked. 14 wasn’t being kept confined in here. Li did not immediately enter the room. As 14 was known to be territorial, it was best to wait for permission to enter.
14 was sitting in a chair at a small table near the only window in the room. It was large, and had a nice view of a park. Li was glad that 14 hadn’t been put in a more closed-in space; his former room hadn’t had windows.
“Hello, 14,” Li said, pitching his voice gentle to warn 14 of his presence.
14 glanced away from the window. His green eyes widened when he saw Li, and his nose lifted to catch Li’s scent.
“Can I come in?” Li asked.
After a moment of careful observation, 14 nodded.
14’s throat had been damaged during the experiments so he found speaking very difficult. Li suspected that the speech impediment was one of the things that bothered 14 the most about his situation. 14 rarely spoke because when he did, he was aware that he sounded… well, stupid. To some, anyway. Li was of the firm opinion that 14 wasn’t the stupid one in that scenario.
Li entered the room, noting how well the room was furnished. A lot of effort had gone into making it appear normal and homely. Li could even see a coffee mug sitting on the table near 14. He’d not even known that 14 liked coffee.
Li sat down in the chair across from 14, smiling. “It’s good to see you,” he said, keeping his hands where 14 could see them. 14 was suspicious of everyone he met other than his fellow subjects, and he had good reason to be. While Li had always tried to be honest and up-front when he needed to do any tests on 14, other employees had tried to trick 14 into compliance. They’d only been interested in getting their jobs done as quickly as possible for their own convenience, not in 14’s welfare.
14 looked mostly human, but for the strange shape of his black pupils and the soft covering of red-blond fur on his skin. His hair had been allowed to grow long, and his nails were sharp. Trimming them had been one of Li’s jobs.
“How are you?” Li continued. “Are you being treated well?”
14 continued to watch him, and Li resisted the urge to squirm in his chair. 14’s gaze had always been focused and predatory, as if he was considering how best to rip your throat out. No matter how much time Li spent with him, no matter how strong the connection between them, that look never changed.
Finally, 14 spoke, and what he said did not make sense to Li. Li had expected a hello; 14 often managed at least that much with him. Instead, 14 said, “Tera.”
“I’m sorry? I didn’t understand that,” Li said. Honesty was best. Humouring 14 would just piss him off. He was, as Li had come to know, not stupid.
“Tera,” 14 repeated. “My name is Tera.” The words, despite being rough, were comprehendible to Li.
14 pushed something across the table toward Li, and Li glanced down. It was a military ID. The photo on it did resemble the wolf-man in front of Li. The same red-blond hair, much shorter in that photo. The same green eyes, with normal pupils. A tan, clean-shaven and handsome face. Li read the name. Theresa Albion. He’d been a captain.
Li smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Tera,” he said. There was no doubt in his mind that the fears of his bosses were unfounded, that all of 14’s problems were resolvable, that he would one day have something close to a normal life.