The door opened to an office that looked so out of place, Chance wondered if he had walked into a different dimension. The walls were plastered with photos that were altered, each human taking on a characteristic of an animal. He saw a man with a lion’s muzzle and mane, a second photo showed a woman that was underwater, her upper half was clad in a pink bikini, and the lower half looked like a dolphin’s tail. A third photo made Chance laugh out loud; it was a young boy no older than twelve, with a toucan’s beak where his nose should be! As he looked around more, he started to notice a trend. Each of the photos were followed by a small note that was stuck next to them. Each one reading about the same; “Dolphin tail, used for underwater exploration.” or “Big Cat’s muzzle and nose, used for tracking.”
Each one seemed to be useful. Though the results were a little disturbing. Who would want to under go all these changes? Chance didn’t know who would willingly go through these, he knew his grandmother didn’t.
Chance heard a gasp behind him, and before he could turn around, he heard the person say, “I didn’t know ven you’d find me, but I knew you vould eventually.” The accent wasn’t too thick, but the German was definitely there. Chance’s eyes narrowed as he faced Dr. Hienzen, one of the scientists that created him and his race of beings.
“I thought it vould be sooner actually.” unafraid the doctor moved past Chance and sat down behind his desk. He seemed completely calm, not even the slightest bit agitated that there was a stranger in his office waiting for him.
“You were expecting me?” Chance asked, feeling stupid asking the obvious.
“Yes, of course I vas expecting you. You are Chance De’Graveoux, and the grandson of Granidine Vander Hoek. You are the success of my project.”
Chance knew his mouth was open, but the blatant admission from Dr. Hienzen threw him off. He slowly closed the door and turned to face the doctor again. He had a million questions racing through his mind, but not one was able to push its way through his lips. So he stood there dumbly, staring at the old Nazi scientist as if he was staring at a piece of priceless art.
“Questions are probably racing threw your mind yes?”
Chance nodded.
“You think I vill be able to answer them yes?”
Chance nodded again and sat in the chair that was in front of the desk. He looked at all the small knick-knacks that were spread around the flat surface, half expecting to see papers that stated plainly “I used to be a Nazi scientist!” but knew better than that.
“So ask them then.” it wasn’t a request, it almost sounded like a demand. Like he was inconveniencing the doctor for even showing up.
“What?! Who are you to demand anything from me?” Chance narrowed his eyes; he could feel his anger start to rise.
“I am your creator. You’re god, to put it crudely.” the doctor smiled. He seemed to like the thought of being a god.
“I don’t believe in a god that would let someone like you keep practicing your false science.” Chance said darkly.
Dr. Hienzen seemed to realize that Chance was a little too close for his liking and pushed his chair back, putting as much space between him and the intruder as possible. He didn’t know how he knew it, but something deep down told him that this man had killed before and would likely do it again. “I vould just like to get this over vith. I am a busy man.”
The lights suddenly flickered on, the office drenched in bright revealing light. The doctor gasped as he looked at Chance, the darkness had hidden the assassin’s features for most of their conversation, just the flood light in the office had been working. The doctor couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He didn’t hide his shock well either, his hand shooting up to cover his mouth quickly, his brown eyes telling Chance all he needed to know. The doctor didn’t expect the changes, hadn’t even believed the experiments would even work, but here was living breathing proof that they did.
“Your face! Your eyes! Vat has happened to you?”
Chance blinked once and then twice, the sudden questions seemed almost asinine to the current situation. Here he was, sitting in front of one of the founders of the “Chimera Project” and he had the nerve to be unhinged by his appearance. Something in his mind flared to life, he felt it clearly, and something, no someone he hadn’t felt in months. He felt Suicide stir.
“You happened to me doctor. You and your colleagues.” Chance stood up as he could feel the edges of his control start to peel away. If he wanted any answers, he would have to hurry.
Dr. Hienzen recoiled as Chance stood, he kept his eyes locked onto the assassin, continuing to try and keep distance between them in the cramped office.
“You are adrift in the harbor of my patience doctor, and the tide is pushing you farther from it. You have very little time to answer a whole lot of questions.” the gaze that Chance locked onto the doctor made his freeze. It was as if death itself had just walked into his office. Dr. Hienzen didn’t know how close to a truth that actually was.
“Vat… vat is your first question?” he asked nervously.
“Simple really.” Chance forced his mind to focus, not letting that predatory instinct out of its cage, he had to keep Suicide locked away till he had his answers. “One word, one burning question has been burrowing into my mind ever since I found out what I am. One word Dr. Hienzen. One simple word.” he paused for a second, and the effect was almost immediate, the good doctor nearly fell out of his chair in eagerness to get away from Chance.
“Why?” was all he said.
The doctor seemed to register that the question had been asked and placed his finger to his chin, “So simple yet so complicated. I vish I could tell you that it vas for the greater good, but that vould be a lie. My colleagues an I vere looking for answers to certain questions. One of them being; how do ve make a super soldier? Germany vas starting to lose the var, and that vas something the furor did not vant to happen. He vas determined to eliminate all the vorthless Jews but he figured that he could use them in other vays.”
Chance had turned and leaned back against the doctor’s door, there was only one way in or out, and he now had it covered. He nodded for the doctor to go on.
“Vell, ve took four vomen. All vith child, and hid them avay from everyone. A facility that vas unknown to everyone but a few high ranking officials. Ve had already succeeded vith making shock troops, code named ‘Grendels’ and made them strong and durable. There had to be a vay we could use other things. Animals for example. Vouldn’t it be nice to have a soldier that could be dropped off miles from shore, be able to infiltrate and svim without tiring? Like a shark, made to be the perfect killing machine. Never tiring, never sleeping, and then not only swim from the deep ocean, but be able to fight as vell?”
“Grendels?” Chance asked cocking his head to the side.
“I vill explain that after I finish your first question.” the doctor seemed a little flustered that he was asked a second question before he finished answering the first.
“So ve studied the animals ve thought vould be the best candidates for the ‘Chimera Project’ and learned how to extract their best qualities and leave out the flaws. Lizards for their regenerative abilities, vampire bats for their ability to carry disease, cheetahs for their speed. All these animals vere then used to extract DNA. Ve veeded out the bad traits and kept the good ones. It took months to learn how to actually do it. Ven ve felt ve vere competent enough, ve vent ahead vith the treatments. Unfortunately, ve did not plan on it skipping a generation.” he motioned to Chance as if it would explain the rest.
Chance stood there, the doctor had just revealed his origin, and he felt nothing like he thought he would. There was no great epiphany; no weight felt as if it had been lifted from his chest, on the contrary he felt worse. He had been an accident! He wasn’t supposed to have these abilities; it was supposed to be his mother. He could have lived a normal life. Been a normal child, but then a second thought dawned on him; he looked at the doctor and frowned.
“You didn’t think that the children would be able to breed, did you?’
The doctor smiled, the conversation going down a predictable line of questioning, “No, ve didn’t think the females that vere born vould be able to reproduce. The chemicals ve had to use had a side effect that caused infertility. Or so ve thought, in all the tests we did on other animals first showed that the first generation of Chimeras vould be the last. Apparently ve vere vrong. Because you stand before me.”
“Can the second generation reproduce?”
“As far as ve know, yes.”
That realization hit Chance like a ton of bricks! All of the things that could come from his species. Kain could have an offspring. That thought made him shake his head. Another Kenneth Kain was two too many. Chance’s brow furrowed as the wording of the doctor’s last response dawned on him. He had said “we.’ That meant that there were other scientists.
“How many are there of you left?” Chance stepped forward and leaned over the desk, his eyes never leaving Dr. Hienzen’s.
“There are two others, ve are the last of the group.”
“How did you know to expect me?”
“I can’t tell you that.” The doctor recoiled again and swallowed hard.
“You can’t, or you won’t?”
“Both. I vish I could, but I vont do you any good. They don’t reside here in the states.” the doctors hands moved down his desk, his hands searching for the alarm button that the hospital had installed, just in case there was an emergency with one of his tests.
The movement wasn’t lost on Chance.
“They live over seas. They live in the place I call-”
“Home.” Chance finished for him. He had been warned not too long ago to stay away from home. Things seemed to connect in odd ways, but they were still connected none the less.
“Tell me about the Grendels.” it was not a request, the tone behind his voice promised death if the doctor didn’t answer.
“Ah, yes.” he wiped a bit of sweat from his brow. “The Grendels. They are your vranglers. Ven ve got the idea to make the Chimeras; ve knew ve vould have to have a group that could handle your unique abilities. They vere the first, the shock troops that should have been used to vin the var. Ve vere foolish, ve vanted more. The Grendels are strong, as strong as ten men, and can sustain tremendous injury without a scratch. They go by the Greek alphabet as names. No one knows vho they really are.”
“How would I go about finding a Grendel?” Chance had a plan already forming in his mind, and he believed he knew a Grendel that had already made contact.
“Oh I don’t know; make yourself known as a threat.”
Chance chuckled a bit. He had done more than made himself a threat, in most large cities of the United States he was on the most wanted list. Kain was on those lists as well. They had both been exposed as threats and thus the Grendels apparently had felt the need to intercede to keep the secret. Unfortunately, the secret was out. Chance had caught a glimpse of the news before he had left for Montana. He was an internet sensation and a news worthy story, his lightning show was being played weekly from what he had seen and no one knew where he was. Which in this case was a good thing. He kept all those thoughts to himself though and just lowered his gaze at the doctor.
“You vant a more direct line I am assuming?” Dr. Hienzen swallowed hard.
Chance nodded.
“Then that is something I cannot do. I do not have those contacts anymore. I chose to leave the Nazi’s.”
A choice? He had a choice? Chance never got that choice! He was born this way, and this scientist, this butcher was sitting there telling him about his choice. Chance didn’t know why, but that was the wrong thing to say. He didn’t know how fast he had gotten angry, but he felt his instincts take over, his anger flared up and Suicide had made his presence known. The beast had been freed from its cage, and it was hungry!
“Choice!” Suicide screamed, his hand sliding over the desk sending the plaque and papers, files and coffee cup all over the floor. “You at least had a choice!”
He was in motion before he even knew what had happened. Suicide saw a wall of red behind his eyes. His fury was being played out on the doctor. He had grabbed the old Nazi and hoisted him up off the chair he was sitting in and against the wall behind him. Suicide’s fist streaked in once and then twice hard across Dr. Hienzen’s jaw.
“What about me? What choice did I have?!” his fist connected again, “or my mother, my grandmother! Where were their choices?!” a fourth time his fist connected! The sound of bone cracking under force filled the room. Suicide had broken the doctor’s jaw and possibly his nose. He didn’t know and he didn’t care.
All he could think of was how the doctor had been able to choose, and how that was never an issue with his grandmother. If she had a choice, he wouldn’t be what he was today. That equated everything in Suicide’s mind. There was no changing the facts; all of it was because of this doctor! He wasn’t sure how many times he had actually hit the man, but he was sure that the mangled image of the doctor’s face was enough to make sure he would never look the same again. He didn’t even care if the man was still breathing, he hoped that he was so he could live with what he had done and live in fear that Suicide would be back. He wiped his bloodied hands on the doctor’s coat and headed for the door. He turned back once more and gazed upon his handy work. The doctor’s jaw hung limp and awkwardly to the side, one of his eyes was actually hanging from its socket, the man’s nose was completely unrecognizable and many of his teeth had been broken and shattered. His other eye was closed and there was a soft movement from his chest, he was alive but barely.
The beast wanted more blood, wanted to finish the monster that paraded as a doctor, but Chance knew better. It was better to leave him living in fear than letting him die in fear. The power would be back on soon, and by then the assassin would be long gone. Far away from this hospital and moving toward Michigan. It was the next stop on his trip, and he knew that what he found there would only help him in his trek to find out what had started it all. To find out that he was more than just a mistake.
As Chance walked out of the hospital, he looked up at the night sky, the starts seeming all that much brighter, and smiled. He had left a calling card for someone. A particular man named Alpha. This was one way he knew that would get the Grendels attention. Chance whistled softly to himself as he slowly started down the pitch black road away from the hospital.
* * *
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