Hiya! Chapter 18 here! Bit of a filler chapter, but it's gotta be here; it sets up for the next few chapters. Anywho, onto chapter 18!

Bree crouched on the ground outside the gates of the secret facility where her brothers were being held. Next to her was an unconscious guard, from whom she stole a uniform.

She tucked a lock of her hair under her grey military hat and tapped her earpiece. "Ugh," she said, looking at her new outfit, "They could have had any color in the world to make this uniform and they went with navy blue? It doesn't match my eyes!"

A sigh came from over the com set. "Bree," a voice said, "you have to focus. Do you have the flash drive I gave you?"

Bree nodded, then remembered he couldn't see her and said, "Yeah."

"Good," he said, "Now, I have rigged it so that if you hook the flash drive up to any security measure, such as a key pad or a security camera, it will instantly shut it down. It is a pretty genius invention, if I do say so myself."

Bree rolled her eyes. "So how many power shorts does this baby have?" she said, nicknaming the power shortages that this invention induced.

The voice seemed to think for a second before responding. "Probably around five. I mean, it is just a prototype."

Bree tapped the headset. "Okay," she said, "I'm ready."

"Then let's go get your brothers back."

*LR*

Bright light flooded Chase's vision as he cracked his eyes open. His whole body ached, muscles sore, head pounding. He tried to sit up, but found he was still strapped to the table.

Chase gave the bands a tug, but knew it was useless and fell back to the bed. Swiveling his head from side to side, Chase saw that he was in a white room, almost like a hospital room. He groaned, memories flooding back into his brain making his head throb even more than before.

The door to his room clicked opened, and Chase, rolling his head to see who it was, realized it was the same lady from earlier.

"Hello," she said, smiling, "It's good to see those pretty green eyes open again."

Chase blinked once, then moaned.

She set her clipboard down on the table next to Chase and said, "Yeah, you might be a little sore. It'll pass; I promise."

Chase nodded.

"Here," she said, "I'll bet you want to sit up."

Chase gave a laugh that sounded more like a cough. "Yeah," he mumbled, "That would be nice."

She unlatched his arms and legs and helped him into a sitting position. Chase looked longingly at the door, and she caught the glance. "Now, Chase," she said, sounding like a scolding parent, "You know just as well as I do that you are in no shape to break out of here."

Sighing, Chase knew she was right. "What's your name?" he asked.

"I am Doctor Anne Jacobs, but you can call me Annie. I'm checking your injuries to make sure they are healing correctly." she clarified, as she picked up her clipboard.

Chase gave her a look. "Why do they care if I'm okay?" he spat, "They just want to hurt me again."

Annie shook her head. "They have their reasons." she said, "I may not be a hundred percent on board with them, but I do what they say. Arms up." she ordered.

Lifting his arms up, Chase winced as pain shot through his shoulder. "I can't lift my right arm." he said, lowering them.

"That's okay," she said, "Just lift your left." Chase obeyed, "Mmm hmm, okay. Couple of broken ribs still healing. Good, now you can lower your arm." she said, making a note on her clipboard.

Chase looked at Annie with curiosity. "You're different than the others. You're nice. And you call me Chase, not Subject C. Why?"

Annie shrugged, placing a stethoscope on his chest. "I guess because there's nothing wrong with being different." she said, "Breathe in."

"And you aren't scared of us?" Chase asked, taking a deep breath like she asked.

"Three teenagers?" Annie scoffed, "I highly doubt your top priority is taking over the world. Breathe out."

Chase obeyed. "Why are you here then?" he asked.

She unwrapped the bandage around Chase's arm, making him wince. "Because you three intrigue me." she said, examining his hand. "Remarkable," she breathed, "It's not even broken anymore. Every bone in that hand was crushed wen you came in, and now it's fine. How is it that almost all of your injuries are already healed? It should have been weeks before that hand was back to normal."

Chase crossed his arms. "I heal fast." he said flatly.

"Why?" she asked, sounding interested.

"I have the right to remain silent." Chase said, turning his head away.

Annie sighed. "How about this?" she said, "I'll tell you something about myself if you tell me something about yourself. Deal?" Chase shook his head. "Wow, you're almost as bad as my daughter." she mumbled.

"Daughter?" Chase asked, a little interested.

Annie looked surprised. "Yes," she said, "I have three kids. Well, they're not really kids anymore, but you know what I mean. My twins, Damien and Isabel, are twenty-one. They both share an appartment in New York City as they finish up college. My younger daughter, Mary, is living with them while I work here. She's your age. Well, she's seventeen, so I guess a little older than you."

Chase nodded. "You probably know all about my family already." he mumbled, looking at the ground.

"Yes, I do," Annie said, lowering her clipboard, "But I would love to hear it from you."

Chase looked up at her. "Well," he started, thinking hard so that he wouldn't mess up and give something away, "I've got two siblings." he decided to leave Leo out, for his own good, "Bree's sixteen, and Adam's seventeen." Chase laughed, "But he has the mind of a two year old."

Annie laughed too, and grabbed her clipboard. "Well, Chase," she said, standing up to leave, "it was nice talking to you, but I'm afraid I have to leave now. And," she glanced at the straps, "I'm sorry, but I have to tie you down again."

Chase shook his head. "I will fight." he said, standing up, "I will never go down without a fight."

She took a step towards him. "Please, Chase," she said, "If you don't comply, they will use your electrochips." Chase's hands flew to his neck as he tealized the chips were back in place, "I talked them out using them for now," she continued, "but don't give them a reason to prove me wrong." Chase nodded, realizing that there was no use in fighting, and she proceeded to strap him back to the table.

Annie headed for the door, "Bye, Chase."

Chase blinked, his throbbing head realizing what was happening. She was leaving? No! She was the only nice person here! Other than Adam, of course. Speaking of Adam, "Where's my brother?" Chase asked.

Annie paused in the doorway. "I'm really sorry, Chase," she said, biting her lip, "I can't tell you."

"Please," Chase said, almost begging, "Just tell me he's okay."

She stepped out of the room. "I can't." she said, closing the door. It swung shut with a click, and again Chase was trapped.

*LR*

Adam sat cross legged in his cell, looking at the floor. He had hurt Chase. He may have killed Chase.

The images of his brother bruised, bloody, and broken kept flashing through his mind. He knew it was the triton app, but Adam couldn't help but blame himself.

He was supposed to be the older brother! He was supposed to protect his siblings! And what happened? He couldn't even protect them from himself.

The click of a lock grabbed Adam's attention. The door swung open, revealing a single guard in the doorway.

A guard that was tiny, like a teenage girl.

With long brown hair.

And brown eyes that Adam knew so well.

And that annoyed look on her face as she tried to unhook a funny looking device from the keypad on Adam's cell door.

"Let's go!" the guard shouted, and Adam nodded his head to his wrists, as if to say, I'm a little tied up here. "Oh." she said, "Well can't you just break free?"

Adam gave the chains a useless tug. "Don't you think I've tried that? My bionics are gone, and I don't know why."

"Surprise, surprise," the guard murmured, kneeling next to Adam and attaching the device to his chains. After a few seconds, the cuffs clicked open.

Adam jumped up, rubbing his wrists. "You look a lot like my sister." he said, looking the guard over.

She rolled her eyes. "Really? Not a single ounce of intelligence was gained while you were here?"

"Woah," Adam said, finally getting it, "And you talk like her too!"

"Adam!" she shouted, taking off her hat, "I am your sister."

"Wow," he said, "I may be stupid, but I know for a fact that Bree would never wear navy; it doesn't match her eyes."

Bree put her hand up to the com-set, listening in to instructions that Adam couldn't hear. "Who is that?" he asked, curious at whom his sister would go to for help.

"Oh," said Bree, shifting her weight uncomfortably, "It's... um..."

A voice rang out down the hallway, interrupting Bree.

"Stop them!"

*LR*

Chase tugged at the straps that dug into his wrists. They didn't budge. Sighing, Chase fell back on his bed, turning on his super senses to figure out what was going on in the building.

His enhanced hearing instantly picked up a hushed argument going on just outside his room.

"I'm telling you, Agent Robb," said a voice, and Chase recognized it instantly. Annie. "I'm telling you; he's just a kid. He's just a scared little kid." Chase resented that, but kept listening.

"No it isn't," said this 'Agent Robb' person, "It is a machine. Machines are meant to be picked apart and tested on." As much as Chase hated being called a scared little kid, he hated this even more. He is a human being; not just some jacked up toaster! He has feelings too!

"Please, Agent Robb," Annie sounded desperate, "He is just a kid! A fifteen year old kid. He has family; people he loves. You wouldn't hurt a kid, would you? Nobody is that heartless." Chase smirked a little. I can think of one person, he thought, imagining Krane.

"Would I hurt a kid? No." Chase sighed in relief, but it was short lived, "But it is not a kid. It is just a machine. An experiment. That's it. No feeling, no emotion, nothing. It will pry it's way into your heart and break it before you even know what hit you."

Chase felt offended. Of course he has emotion! Why would he be faking it?

"Say what you are saying were true, Dr Jacobs," Robb continued, "It has attacked and nearly killed many people. It is known for going on crazy rage attacks when it is angered or scared. It is the most powerful machine on the planet, and it is not afraid to take down anything in his way. If you are correct, and it feels just like you and I, then it is a monster."

Chase's heart nearly stopped. That word again. Why does that word keep appearing? It screams in his ears. It rings throughout his skull. It echoes through his mind.

Monster. Monster. Monster.

No no no! Chase wanted to scream. I am not a monster!

He wanted to curl up into a ball and cover his ears, screaming for that word to leave his life.

But that's not what leaders do.

Leaders are strong.

Leaders are fearless.

Leaders don't show pain, or anger, or sadness.

Leaders protect the people they love.

And that's when Chase realized where he had been wrong this whole time

"I'm not a monster." Chase whispered, feeling energy race through his veins. He felt his hurricane slowly expanding around him, snapping his restraints as if they were nothing. He felt power, and he loved it.

"I am a leader."

Like it? Hate it? Review it! Like I said, a bit of a filler chapter, but next chapter (or next few chapters) is their big escape.

Before I forget, be sure to check out all these stories sometime soon:

Clandestine Covers; by AllAmericanSlurp

I'm a Weapon; by Daphrose

Hybrid; by RazaraTheFirst

The Way Life Is; by MoonlitShadowsoftheHumanSoul

The Facility; by Kihonne

Memory; by AspenLee

Misconception; by Snooptastic

There's No Better Remedy Than the Love of Your Family; by AnnabethChase23

Great stories, those are. They are some of my favorites! So, yeah, check them out.

Question: Favorite lab rat? (I probably already asked this but whatever)

Mine's Chase, but Adam is a close second. What about you?

-L