FALLING

FALLING: Chapter Two

I followed behind Rhett closely as we both walked into the large room. The walls and floor were concrete and the entire room was lit by fluorescent lighting. A long table sat in the middle of the room and different people in formal clothing all sat around the table. I recognized a few of the people, one of them being the head director.

She sat at the head of the table glaring across the room at me. Her icy blue eyes seemed to cut right through me. All of her natural red hair was pulled tightly back into a bun.

"Nice of you to finally join us #80." Dr. Wellborn spoke in a formal tone.

I don't think I've ever heard her speak in any other tone now that I think about it. I racked through my brain to find a witty comment to shoot back at her. Something to show her that I was not afraid. I couldn't though because truth is, I was terrified. As much as I hated HQ sometimes, this was all that I had. My family lived across the country with no knowledge of my existence. What would I do if I were replaced? Where would I go?

"Please take a seat. There is someone we would like you to meet." She said motioning towards an empty seat across the table in front of her.

"I'd rather stand thanks." I said finally finding my voice.

Dr. Wellborn nodded her head slightly then looked to Rhett.

"Go with Agent Gordon and Dr. Long to be given your assignment."

Rhett shot me a worried look, and I forced a smile to reassure him. I wish she hadn't sent him away. I had a feeling I was gonna need someone to lean on in the next few minutes. He left the room with the doctor and agent with one last glance my way.

"You may come in now." Dr. Wellborn said loudly.

A door on the other side of the room by her opened swiftly and a tall man stalked in. He was taller than 6'0 foot Rhett easily and seemed to be built out of muscle. His face was drawn with no emotion and his brown eyes looked almost hollow. The man's dark brown buzz cut only helped in making him intimidating looking.

"This is John. He is the first of many Callie." Dr. Wellborn said in awe.

It was the first time I've ever heard her speak my name and speak highly of something as well. She motioned with a wave of her hand for the man to come towards the table. Without a word or a single sound he stepped toward the table and stood by the seated doctor.

"John was made to replace you Callie." She said without a tone of care in her voice, "His type was made to replace every single hero like you."

I tried not to let her words sting me. Apparently I didn't try hard enough.

"What exactly is his type?" I said between clenched teeth.

I refused to look her in the eyes so instead I decided to glare at every other being in the room. John included.

"He is a new breed of super soldier." She smiled an eerie smile, "All his senses are heightened to the maximum. He was made to succeed, and programmed to never fail."

John's head turned slightly to look at me. His eyes held no emotion. Pity flooded through my body for an instant. No one should look that hopeless.

"What did you do to him?" I whispered.

Dr. Wellborn seemed to think my question was amusing because her thin lips stretched into a wide smile and she began to laugh. I swallowed the lump that had begun to form in my throat. While laughing she lifted her hands and shooed away everyone who was sitting at the table. The only people in the room now were John, her, and me.

"John isn't like you Callie." She said between her laughter, "Before he entered into our program he was like any other human in the world."

I tried to understand what she was saying, but couldn't quite grasp it. The way she made it sound it seemed like she was trying to say that this John guy wasn't born with super abilities like every other hero and me.

She must have seen the confusion on my face because she confirmed my thoughts, "John wasn't born with his unique abilities. We gave them to him."

"Gave them?" I said loudly, "You can't just give people powers Wellborn."

She frowned and shook her head,

"We may not be able to give them abilities like yours such as the manipulation of elements, but we can give them your strength, your speed, your instinct..."

She stood up and straightened her clothes. Dr. Wellborn only came to about right underneath John's shoulder blades.

"Look I don't have to explain anything to you. I don't even have to talk to you now or give you this opportunity. I could just send you and every other hero like you on their way without ever having to see any of you again." She said coldly, "But after the years of service you put in everyone agreed that you needed to be given a chance so here's our deal. The government won't let us make any more like John until we prove that he is able. If you can beat John in a mission then our program will be terminated and you heroes will resume your work, but if John completes the mission you fail to complete then we begin to make more super soldiers within the next month."

My mind was running in every direction possible. How dare they! After everything we've done they are willing to trade us up for a lab experiment!? In my situation I had no choice. It was either go into this hero business or start living on the streets, but for some other heroes they did this because they wanted to help. A lot of other heroes risked everything they have for what they thought was right. They put their lives, friends, and family on the line everyday by just coming to work and Wellborn didn't even care. None of them did. I clenched my teeth together and tried to hold back the anger that was threatening to bubble over. I knew what I had to do next. It was a no brainer.

"What's the mission?" I seethed