YOUR WORLD - Book 02 of The Neo Trilogy

[GLKnight]

The beginning of the second installment in the Nowell Family's struggle has begun.

For those that haven't read part one - Your House - but want to, the story begins here: https://saradas.org/index.php?topic=790185.0


And for those that need a brief synopsis, the story so far goes like this


- - - - - -


SYNOPIS: Finding his loathsome mother and kid sister moving into his house under "government orders", Desmond Nowell's life is quickly turned upside down as what seems like a secret experiment begins. But what seems like a simple medical experiment quickly devolves into a nightmare of human guinea pigs and bizarre alternate dimensions as women are being turned into what's dubbed "Neos" - considered the next stage of human evolution. Faster, stronger, more resilient and adaptable. Young or old, born female or transgender, any woman put through the process are slowly turned into beautiful powerhouses underneath the NAE's command.

But things goes more frightening when it was revealed that Neos were not to be the next stage of human evolution, but to take over Humanity itself.

After waking up from near death, Desmond found himself transformed. Turned into a mere plaything for Neos by his mother's design, who had quickly ascended the ranks of the NAE to become the consort of the organization's leader and one of the War Sisters in charge of the upcoming conflict between Humans and Neos. His life is full of torture, starvation and conflicting desires as the changes wrought on his body and mind force him to try and survive while maintaining a sliver of his own humanity.

Then, on the eve of the proposed next step in the NAE's plans, things went awry when the unforeseen consequences of tampering with Desmond's DNA causes a monstrous transformation. Turning him into a being of pure energy under direct purview of the alien goddesses overseeing all of the Neos, causing massive panic and damage in his wake until he and his self-appointed guardian, his sister Desiree, are retrieved by Human forces under a dual arrangement with both Desmond and a hidden ally - their former neighbor and Blue Neo scientist, Joanie Devereaux.

Now under the watchful eye of the hidden government branch - The Department Of Containment - the Nowell siblings are coming to terms with everything that has happened to them. Giving aid to the agencies of the world as the only living specimens of the machinations of the Neo-Alsarnian Empire for the world.

But there are still plenty of secrets and disturbing revelations to be had as the Neo War begins. Including the real truth behind the Neos themselves and what their true aims are...


- - - - - -

And now, the start of Part 02 of the Neo Trilogy - YOUR WORLD...

- - - - - -


It was the sounds of voices in the midst of heavy activity that woke Desmond from his sleep. Opening his eyes, the diminished man groaned as the automated lights inside his cell flickered and turned themselves on. He didn't even need to look at the clock to know it was 7 AM. His pushed himself up with a grunt, shifting on the bed until he could throw his feet over the side and sit up. The voices of the soldiers outside cheerfully chatting away as he rubbed his head. It had been two months since he had been recovered from Doctor Bernard's compound. Two months of almost no contact with any Neos except for his sister. Two months of the eternal buzzing in his head at a dull roar. Two months of being fed regularly, no pain and extremely few tremors.

In all honesty, to Desmond Nowell, being trapped in a massive underground government facility and residing in a cell twice the size of his refurbished bedroom was like living on the grounds of a luxury resort compared to the Hell of what his existence had become before being saved. But one look at the massive outline between his legs always brought him back to Earth. Way too large to be used with a normal human, even if the programming they put him through had allowed him to desire coupling with one. And ever since the incident at the NAE party, he hadn't gotten hard even once. It was like everything that made him who he was had been vaporized when he exploded and turned into... whatever it was he became. The scientists on hand couldn't explain it. And from the looks of the Neos in attendance that night, what happened to him was something none of them could explain, either.

As he stood with a grunt, he heard the metal song of his cell door opening. Glancing over, he saw two male soldiers walking in. Both of them flinching as soon as they looked his way.

"Mr. Nowell," one of them, the taller of the pair named Devlin, greeted as he glanced away. "Good morning. Are you ready to be taken to Mess?"

Desmond knew why he looked away. The other sign that he was, ironically, no longer considered fully human in the eyes of the Department Of Containment. With a sigh, he reached over to his nightstand, grabbing the sunglasses he was prescribed to wear at all times among the staff of Containment Bunker Zero as he shuffled his feet into his slippers.

"Sorry," the boy offered with a whisper, knowing how much his appearance disturbed everyone else. "I was just getting up when you came in."

Private Devlin stood at ease as he watched their guest slip on the pointless sunglasses, given as more of a cosmetic touch for the sake of everyone else due to Desmond's sight never changing.

"Today's breakfast is pancakes, eggs and sausage. Again."

"I don't mind them," Desmond offered with a chuckle. "Even for the fifth day in a row. Will my sister be joining us?"

"No can do," the other soldier, a slighter Hispanic man, butt in. "Boys in Medical want to run more tests."

Desmond sighed, his voice grumbling in annoyance.

"Desi's not gonna like that. She hasn't seen me in two days. Her terms were to have access to me as she wishes."

"Not her choice this time," Devlin interjected. "Order came from Apollo."

Desmond's head hung down in realization. Of course it was Agent Apollo. The man was thorough, but he often opted to go overboard. He really had a bit of a Savior streak, in the Nowell boy's view. But both he and Merlin were why both of them were allowed to live at CB Zero. So they had to subject themselves to the whims of the ones in charge from time to time. Especially as the threat of the NAE loomed larger and larger over the heads of Humanity.

"I'll see her after, I guess. Let's go eat, then."

[Saxony Red Devil]

Oh yes, my favorite bed time reading is back!

[GLKnight]

As the two soldiers led him towards the elevator to Sub-level Five, Desmond watched the faces of all the other staff as he passed through the extremely busy hallway. It was impossible to hide their looks, honestly. Some openly pitied him, slightly pained at the thought of the details of his experience. Others looked at him with anger, some being outraged at what he went through while a scant few almost seemed jealous. A few were actively saddened as the three man parade walked by, a stark realization of what await those who were not of the ideal identity. And a couple looked at him in amazement, minds boggling at the changes he had undergone. Or their eyes bulging when they saw the pillar that somewhat strained the hem of his pajama pants.

Though the sunglasses hid his eyes, he still saw everything in a clarity that humanity was far from achieving with any form of technology. He could see every detail of each soldier and scientist and bureaucratic official's face. The micromovements of each muscle. The micro motes of skin dusting off of their bodies. His eyes and mind registering each impossibly precise detail as the three man parade marched on. Even when he closed his eyes, the hallway was outlined in astounding detail. Each brick and linoleum square and person formed of brilliant light that wove into and through every particle. Though of every aspect, it was the soft eggshell white of what he came to realize was the inner light of everyday humans that he appreciated the most.

As he passed by a large window that looked into the interrogation room of this level, he could not help but look at his own reflection and wince. For while he still thought of himself as human, his was not the soft white of everyone else. Instead, it was the cascading swirl of several other colors. Orange. Blue. Green. Red. Purple. White. All in electric vibrancies. All the colors of the NAE in blinding and pervasive tone. His entire essence awash in the colors of the Neos that had tortured him, abused him. Changed him.

"Mr. Nowell?"

Pulled out of his misery, Desmond realized two things.

The first was that he had come to a complete stop while looking at the empty room through the window.

The second was him recognizing the compassionate voice of the person speaking to him.

"I'm sorry," he told her, scratching his head in embarrassment. "Lost in thought, Daya."

He looked at her, taking in every contour and detail. She was definitely more on the gawkier side, tall and thin. Her shorter light brown hair pulled back in a stubby ponytail. She was cute, to be sure. Her large glasses slightly too big for her narrow face. But she had the biggest doe eyes he had ever seen. Hazel green that held both great intelligence and astoundingly deep compassion for those around her. Dressed simply and professionally as she awkwardly reached out to touch his shoulder.

"You don't usually stop like this," she continued, looking down at him with a worried look. "Are you doing okay?"

Once more, kindness was being shown to Desmond. His mind was still coming to terms that someone could actually care for him beyond what he could provide.

"Y-Yeah," he stammered, slowly blinking to bring himself back to center. "I'm still getting used to what my life has become. It's a lot."

He flinched when Daya slowly reached up towards his face, instinctively understanding what she was going for. But when he saw the determined look in her eye, he felt himself relenting. Allowing her to slip the sunglasses off his face to look straight into the bizarre semi-translucent stone his eyes had become.

"If you need to talk to someone, just let me know. I know all you have is Desiree right now. But this place is very lonely if you let it be. You're still human, after all."

Taking a deep breath, Desmond sighed and closed his eyes to nod his head. When the world filled with the light of everything around him, he could see Daya's light clearly. Brighter than a normal soul, almost bordering on the vibrancy of a Neo light. It was comforting. She was comforting. She was nothing like a Neo would be, but she gave him the same feeling. He felt good around Daya, just like he felt safe around Desi despite her refusing to open up to him.

"You're right," he sincerely muttered as he opened his eyes, seeing her look at him with the same unafraid kindness as before. "Thank you."

"Miss Martinez?"

Both looked to see Private Devlin approaching, each grimacing as he looked annoyed at their interaction.

"Right," Desmond grumbled, slipping his sunglasses from Daya's hand and putting them back on. "Sorry, sir. My bad."

"No need," Devlin told him, looking at the secretary with a stern look. "But we're on a schedule today. We're to get him fed then down to level seven for testing."

"I shouldn't keep you, then." Daya awkwardly said, giving Desmond a toothy smile. "Say hi to your sister for me when you see her."

Before he could say anything, the taller office worker quickly wrapped her arms around and held him tightly. He felt the need to extend the hug, to take a few extra seconds of his time to just enjoy the contact. But he knew how the team down on seven would complain about punctuality.

"Will do. Don't be a stranger, Daya."

Feeling the soldier's hands on his shoulders, he let go of one of the few people he could call a friend in the entire facility and let himself be led away. Only taking a brief glance back to see Daya cutely wave his way before walking into the awaiting elevator, hearing Private Devlin call out for Sub-level Five as the doors shut behind him.

[erocha75]

Finally!! The beginning of Book 02 of this fabulous tale!! Very exciting indeed, awesome start!!

 

[jcboyd]

Better than ever!  The author at the height of his powers!!!

 

[GLKnight]

Breakfast in the Mess wasn't easy. The entire time he was eating his food, Desmond couldn't help but notice the way everyone looked his way and talked about him. Some were quiet. Some were loud. Others were frankly open about their concerns and worries. Not just about him and what the Neos were planning, but the Neo that tagged along.

But when one of the enemy resides in the same facility alongside the people women like her declared war on, tensions run high. So Desmond ate his food in silence, taking their comments and concerns and letting them flow right past him. He knew they were all scared. They heard rumors of the tech the NAE had at their disposal. They saw the stats that Desi, who they potentially considered one of the weakest among the Neos, put up in comparison to a normal human.

Minimum half ton of weight per repetition. Able to best the world record sprint at 43 miles per hour for a solid ten minutes straight before needing to stop. A flexibility factor that more than triples the maximum range of motions of a normal human. Sensory adaptation more akin to high frequency bioelectric responses than tactile variability. Incredible resilience to most man-made chemicals. A metabolism theorized to be designed to keep a Neo alive in most harsh conditions for two weeks before requiring nourishment.

Whatever lengths the scientists in the NAE went to in order to create what amounted to the perfect soldier took decades of effort and design. All hidden under the nose of the United Nations and varying bodies of government. Hidden in plain sight through multiples arms of social good, systems of finances and political reach. Now turning its sights on Humanity.

And from the rumors spread by the testimonies of one Desmond Nowell, that was just the warmup for the nightmares Humanity was on the brink of facing.

So if you asked Desmond, though he knows he shouldn't consider himself as such, he would call himself a traitor for some part of him, whether programmed or seeking some sort of comfort and safety, wanting to run back into the waiting muscular arms of the Neo-Alsarnian Empire. As well as feeling like a traitor to the NAE for divulging everything he experienced under their six-fingered iron fist to the enemy they wished to conquer. Damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

So, once he was finished with his food, he readied himself to walk through CB Zero's halls. Down to Sub-Level Seven. Or as the people on site called it, "The Devil's Laboratory".

Upon entrance to the cavernous lab, Desmond was, like always, taken aback. The entire place was a chaotic mass of flesh and mechanics, littered with an almost impossible amount of progress in the two months since his arrival. Scientists working overtime to experiments of machinery that might come in handy to repel the Neo forces, wires and metal strewn everywhere as they worked feverishly on possible weapons and enhancements. People working on calculations and theories, voices echoing through the room as arguments broke out, sometimes followed by the occasional coming to blows of those who could find no middle ground in their heated debates. Anger and frustration and fear riding high as those pulled into what some considered Humanity's most dire and immediate threat to existence dedicated their entire existence towards a force from within no one was ready for.

All this and more practically overwhelmed Desmond as he was led through Sub-Level Seven's initial workspace. He had to try and keep himself calm, though. His mind would always race as he came down here. Flashes of sparks and noise inadvertently triggering memories and responses. Gripping his wrist to try and keep it from tremoring on reflex. Even when he closed his eyes, it was maddening. The amount of energy he could feel flowing through the lab was far more than in every other part of the facility, bordering on what he felt whenever he was near any Neo Tech. Everything awash in blinding walls of unhealthy bluish white.

He had to force himself to not blink in order to stave off the potential headache. Keeping his eyes trained on the far set of doors that led to what he heard some folks in the lab call "The Hell Room". Mostly because of where those doors lead to - a corridor that led to one of two possible places.

In one direction lay the Testing Room, where he would find Desiree and the scientists using her to test the limits of Neo endurance and capability.

And in the other lay The Butchery, the room where they were holding the remains of the scant few Neos they were able to take out and retrieve in recent skirmishes for study.

[erocha75]

The excitement and mistery are ramping up nicely!! Desi's physical capabilities are so extreme now, it will be super exciting to find out where she goes from here. More chapters please!!

PS The names within the facility are so ominously cool hehe:  "The Devil's Lab" "Hell's Room"

[GLKnight]

Taking a left, Desmond shuffled his way towards the sound of hydraulics and beeping machinery. Completely trying to ignore the disquieting hum in the back of his head telling him to head towards the frozen remains of the Neos in storage, and instead paying attention to the active buzzing in his forehead pulling him towards the Testing Room. Walking up to the massive automated doors, he took off his sunglasses and approached the console. Quickly entering the security code and awaiting instruction.

"Please present yourself for scanning."

Leaning forward slightly, he waited as the lens briefly fired some light into one of his prismatic eyes. Promptly shutting off when presented with his unique orbital structure.

"Confirmed - Nowell, Desmond."

Desmond muttered a brief "Who else would I be?" as the security mechanisms loudly announced his arrival before opening the way into The Testing Room. Most of the technicians and figures on hand blatantly ignoring his arrival as they continued to watch his sister, dressed in some extra large black sweats and a white muscle shirt, ready herself for more statistical analysis. Her hands gripping tightly on a hydraulic-enhanced resistant bar to challenge her deadlift capabilities.

"Grip strength has increased by zero-five percent since yesterday," one assistant, a rather plain looking scientist named Dr. Lai called out at a nearby computer. "Increase maximum resistance in kind, sir?"

Agent Apollo, watching over Desiree's display of strength, lifted his hand and pointed the scientist's way.

"Proceed, Dr. Lai."

With an audible grunt, the only living Neo in CB Zero felt her arms beginning to burn as the machine whirred to life. The amount of pressure it put on both ends of the bar in her six fingered hands growing while she spread her legs out a bit farther to compensate.

"Heart rates elevating by 3 beats per minute," another doctor named Alvarez called out. "Staying steady at 87 beats per minute each!"

"Utterly fascinating," Apollo croaked, turning towards Desmond. "You didn't tell me Neos had two hearts, Mr. Nowell."

"I didn't know," Desmond shot back, covering his eyes once more. "I'd have told you otherwise when you used the programming that was put on me back during the interviews last month."

Apollo rankled at his reply, knowing he deserved to get called out for harming Desmond like that. If anything, he was most annoyed at the memory of being chewed out by his superiors when the poor boy practically exploded in front of Agent Merlin. The amount of energy that surged out of him causing a blackout on three separate floors and scorching that room so badly that it took an entire month for it to be repaired. But it was worth it to learn that the amount of power Desmond's body contained rivaled that of three separate Nuclear reactors combined. Probably the sole reason why both Agents' proposal wasn't stricken off record entirely.

But as the war slowly ramped up, the officials overseeing the Department Of Containment seemed to warm up to their other ideas and propositions, as well. Leading to the experiments within this very room.

"So what's she currently sitting at?" Desmond asked, figuring he should at least keep things focused on Desi for the moment.

"1322.7 pounds for what amounts to 35 reps," Apollo replied, clearly impressed by what he was seeing. "If she were a regular human, she'd be a world champion. But we have to take what you two have said about your sister into consideration. If she's really considered the weakest among the other Neos, then this means we got a lot to worry about."

"Well, not accounting for any Blues, sir. They're smaller, definitely. But also-"

"More flexible," Apollo said, cutting off Desmond while rubbing his close cropped greying hair. "Yes, I remember you both saying that. Your sister currently has nine times the range of motion of a normal human. And Blues apparently have far more than that. Like God damned snakes in human sized packaging."

Apollo quickly pointed at Dr. Lai again, signaling her to increase the resistance on the bar some more. Causing Desiree to growl in annoyance as she began to bend over against her will.

"Weight increased to one thousand and four hundred pounds, sir!"

"Seems she hit a wall," Apollo sighed. "Alright! That's enough! Shut down and-"

"Don't you fucking dare!" Desiree screamed out, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"If we don't stop, you're just gonna get hurt, Ms. Nowell. It's for your own-"

"Turn it up!" she fired back, shooting Apollo an evil look as her black and white eyes flared.

"I can't in good conscience-"

"Fuck your conscience," she shouted, fixing her footing as her body seemed to swell slightly. "I'm finally getting a good workout after you built this machine like I instructed!"

As the crew murmured and argued amongst themselves, both Apollo and Desmond knew she meant what she said. Particularly as both men watched her looking directly her brother's way with a confident look.

"I can take it!"

The silence coming from the lead agent was deafening for the rest of those in the room, wondering what he was thinking. Going silent as Apollo made up his mind on the matter.

"How much, Ms. Nowell?"

"Two."

"Two pounds?"

Desmond knew exactly what she meant.

"Two hundred pounds."

The crew in attendance immediately became incensed. Cries of concern filled the air.

"What if she gets hurt?

"We can't let her get injured!"

"What if she dies?"

But it was Apollo's decisiveness that overcame them all.

"Doctor Lai," he shouted, pausing as he couldn't believe what he was let happen. "Increase the weight by two hundred pounds."

[GLKnight]

The whining of the hydraulics was deafening as they came to life once more. The bar in Desiree's six fingered hands visibly bending with frightening force. But her black taloned grip did not give. Sweat began to pour down her body, her short white hair slick and sticking to the right side of her forehead as she silently focused her entire being into maintaining her hold.

Then, with a low burgeoning growl, the crew on hand watched in rapt attention as they witnessed her body responding to the tension. Visibly swelling in response to the strain. Every muscle twitching as they began to fill with something none could guess came from within herself. Meat doubling and redoubling in its processes as she forced herself to heal over and over again. It was as if she was truly the master of her flesh, her body slowly bulking as the machine itself started to groan. There was an audible creaking, as if the metal itself was reaching a point of no return. The struggle of might versus physics causing all but one person on hand to panic at the display of power happening before their very eyes.

Desmond kept his view trained on his sister, who he could see was beginning to falter. Desi's veins bulged beneath her skin, practically squirming as her mass climbed into territories that should not be possible in such an immediate amount of time. He could see the look on her face, so dedicated to besting the limits others thought she had as her gaze started to wane. The white light of her irises flickering like a dying lightbulb as she fought to stay upright and win against the machine.

And with a bloodcurdling scream of rage, she lifted the bar. The sound of pins and fasteners giving way with the audible snap of metal as smoke began to pour from the hydraulics. Alarms ringing out as critical failure warnings overtook every screen inside the room.

"Turn it off! Turn it off!"

A small crowd rushed forward. Some carrying extinguishers to minimize potential fires, others carrying tools to begin immediate repairs. But only Desmond ran forward as Desi dropped the bar she had been holding, letting it clatter against the concrete floor while she took one step, two steps, three. Her eyes rolling up into her head as she collapsed onto her brother, passing out mid-motion and smothering him.

"Help!" Desmond cried out, his free arm flailing as Agent Apollo and a few others pulled the bigger Nowell sibling off of him. Each amazed at the noticeable change Desiree had undergone.

"How the Hell did she add more mass?" Apollo shouted, struggling to handle Desi's unconscious body.

"We don't know," one of the scientists on hand replied as all five people picked her up. "Maybe she somehow converted stored calories into matter? Our records show she's actually been LOSING weight for the past two months!"

"Has she been eating?"

"More than anyone else in the facility!" one nurse fired back as she began to check the Neo's vitals.

"And she works out every day!" Doctor Lai added, rushing over to aid in the examination. "But in the past two months, she's lost approximately twenty three pounds, putting her at around one hundred and seventy pounds."

"193 on arrival," Apollo angrily spat out, looking at everyone with vindictiveness. "And she's lost so much weight in such a short time. Why?"

Desmond knew. He could feel it as soon as he was near her.

"The NAE treatments," he calmly stated, taking off his sunglasses to look him in the eye. "Do you remember what I said, regarding the gathering? About Doctor Bernard's announcement."

"What are you-"

Desmond's eyes narrowed, scowling at Apollo to get him to focus on what he was saying.

"There was a "next stage" of their evolution. That night, Doctor Bernard unveiled it when she came on stage."

As soon as Desmond said it, Agent Apollo remembered what he had told them.

"So you're saying that this isn't Desi's completed form?"

"None of them are, sir. The treatments alter women to reach some final function. And without them, I think their bodies just can't handle this in-between stage."

Desmond put his hand on his sister's arm and closed his eyes. He could see it, the vibrant electric white light within her. But now, it was dim. It was like looking at a person's phantom while they were still alive. Her breath was so shallow, her movements so sluggish. It was almost like she was no longer there.

"What's he getting at?" Doctor Lai asked, confused by what Desmond was implying.

"They're like butterflies," the agent said, stoically. "If we don't figure out a way to provide her with our own treatments to continue her evolution, Desiree Nowell is most likely going to die."

[matiz]

I find this a bit odd that the size of Desi muscles and her height put her at 170 lbs? I really like the story and the way you write it and the characters, but you have some trouble with estimating the weight of characters. Don't be afraid to use larger weights because a character with such dimensions and height should weigh over 200 kg at least.

[GLKnight]

I find this a bit odd that the size of Desi muscles and her height put her at 170 lbs? I really like the story and the way you write it and the characters, but you have some trouble with estimating the weight of characters. Don't be afraid to use larger weights because a character with such dimensions and height should weigh over 200 kg at least.

Desi's about 5'9, which falls in line with the 170 to 190 mark for a more realistic height compared to most Neos except for Blues. As for the dimensions, all Neos can temporarily increase their mass size under great strain (though the ones who predominantly do it are Greens as part of their role in Neo society, and Blues prefer a more fit svelte/traditionally attractive appearance instead of the muscular one of say an Orange).

So sorry to say this, but her quick bulk-up is not gonna last. Out of all Neos, Desi is the most Human/Normal looking out of them all at this point of her story (which is the point of her seeming so small - "the Weakest Neo").

[GLKnight]

The sounds of various monitors modified for her existence slowly coaxed Desiree out of her slumber. Her body aching as the dull beeps and doots lulled the embers of her mind to life. The one thing that never seemed to slow was her mind, working on learning and conceiving as much as possible for Desmond, as well as herself. She remembered her dreams, the conversation she had. Her eyes scanned the room for him, shortly catching the door to her cell opening and the diminutive man walked in.

"You have to protect him."

Desmond sighed as he pulled a chair closer to her bedside, causing the Neo to curl up in bed beneath her blankets. She knew what he was going to say. It was obvious from the look on his face, mostly because he chose to look at her with the translucent stones his eyes had become.

"How long was I out of commission?" she asked, tired and trying to delay the inevitable discussion.

"The whole day," he told her, worryingly. "The stunt in the lab forced you to miss lunch and dinner."

Desi chuckled, shuffling her pillow beneath her head.

"Oh no, I missed two meals of spam and fruit cups. Whatever will I do?"

"Desi, I'm being serious here. You know what I can do after... you know. I can see shit I shouldn't be able to. In the lab, when you forced yourself? Your light, it... it dimmed."

Watching her sigh, Desmond couldn't help but feel sad and Desiree's reactions to what he was saying. It was like she was trying to ignore it all, hoping it would all go away.

"You heard what they learned last month," she weakly responded. "Neos can temporarily force growth by channeling our inner reserves. It's why we eat so much-"

Desmond quickly cut her off, not accepting her excuse.

"You don't have to push so hard, Desi."

There was a slight pause as she fully cocooned herself inside her bed.

"I don't wanna talk about it, Des."

"If not now, when?" He asked, exasperated. Every time he asked her to not burn herself out, she refused. Every time he begged her to let them use his body as a battery, she fought back. Every time he tried to do what came naturally to him, she shot him down.

"Desi, you're literally killing yourself!"

And most importantly, every time he tried to be her big brother, she took control of the argument and prevented him from doing what he promised her so many years ago.

"I don't want to talk about it, Desmond!"

"I'm trying to make sure you're not going to die!"

Desmond was startled as she tossed her blankets aside and threw herself out of bed. Her muscles tensed as she stood before him, threatening with her sheer presence. He flinched, but soon realized he couldn't help but notice how much smaller she looked. She was still strong, but in the span of a few short hours, her body had withered more. A heroic physique now looking less so. The whites of her eyes flaring as Desmond saw how she was fighting back tears.

"And I'm trying to protect you from something worse!" she screamed, her voice wavering with a hidden pain only now being revealed to him. Desi paused, embarrassed by what she had just admitted to her brother. Desmond was embarrrassed in kind, not knowing how to respond.

"What are you hiding from me?" he asked, his anxiety skyrocketing. Desiree began to pace, feeling like a trapped fish in a tank. Her breath came in quick, short breaths as she began to panic. Bouncing on her feet as she came to a stop.

"Desmond, what do you remember about that night? Two months ago?"

[Saxony Red Devil]

Oh man, important exposition coming up!

[GLKnight]

Marching down the hall of sublevel one like an angry hornet, Agent Merlin was all business as various staff members scrambled around her. Having her sign papers and authorize differing things while she stomped towards Agent Apollo as he stood by the doors of one of the many meeting rooms to be found on this floor. Neither Agent was happy, openly scowling as they hurried to finish facility matters.

"Why the Hell are they here?" Merlin hissed, trying to keep her voice down as she authorized some new supplies for CB Zero.

"Either things are going better than expected," Apollo growled, quickly signing an authorization for tech upgrades for the labs on Seven. "Or we're about to be chewed out. Only two things that makes sense."

Waving away her staff with a sigh, Merlin rubbed the bridge of her nose in contemplation. Watching as the various secretaries and office workers slowly shuffled out of sight. But a thought quickly came to her. Snapping her fingers, Merlin fixed her sunglasses and looked at one worker in particular.

"Daya," she called out. "You're a notary, correct?"

The gawky office worker stopped mid-step, awkwardly looking at her team before eagerly nodding her head.

"It's part of my core duties, yes."

"Good, because we'll need someone inside to officiate and take notes. Are you up to it?"

Daya said nothing, nodding eagerly at the notion.

"And someone send some guards down to Eight to get Mr. Nowell," Apollo added. "If they're here, that means they want proof of what's going on. We're gonna need him."

As their staff ran off to fulfil their duties, Agent Merlin took a deep breath. Counting to three as she straightened her long dark hair, then slowly breathing out for another three count. The one thing she absolutely did not need was to be flustered in front of the representatives of different world governments and militaries.

"We should be heading to our quarters. You should be with Georgia. And Haillee should be making dinner."

"Same could be said about you," he countered, placing his hands on the handles. "But we know what you've sacrificed for us all, M."

She could say nothing, knowing he was right. But so was she. His family was here, where he could keep an eye on them. Meanwhile, Merlin had given up her name, her family and all connections to ensure she could investigate the Department Of Expansion for nearly twenty years. Finding connections that turned into frightening pins of a greater conspiracy that was now breathing down their necks.

Either way, sacrifices had to be mad. And Merlin was ready to make the call on which ones mattered most.

"Lead the way." she told Apollo, letting him open the doors. And as soon as they were split, the sounds of arguments filled the hallway. Accents from all over the world roiled in heated debate as each vied for supremacy over the other. Uniforms of political and military prominence on full display. It was a cacophony of ego posturing. A veritable cock fight of philosophical superiority potentially backed by militaristic and economic might.

In short, a political dick measuring contest at a time when the world is on edge due to the war looming over every corner of the Earth.

[jcboyd]

"A veritable cock fight of philosophical superiority potentially backed by militaristic and economic might.

In short, a political dick measuring contest at a time when the world is on edge due to the war looming over every corner of the Earth."


That is WRITING!!!!