Whew school is finaly over, sorry this one took such a long time. But it's here now, just a note a few id the Dued parts have been written by one of my co-authors. This one is short for one not even te pages! GO READ!

Chapter 3:

Spread. Jump, feet to chest. Down. Out. That was the sequence Joseph Shaw watched on his computer screen. Dued Weilder said that it was Landon Shagrui, the one with the wings. Colonel Hutsko stood behind him and also watched silently. His little skirmish from last night played forth in his head even though the video camera had only caught a few flashes of action.

Dued walked in quietly with a mug of coffee in his hand his attention flipped between the two officers and the computer screen they we’re entranced by.

“I told you to leave your firearm behind.” the Colonel muttered just before he heard the shot from computer.

Shaw sighed heavily as he put his hand to his forehead. “I know sir.” He spoke only because he had become tired of apologizing the first hundred times the colonel had pointed it out also scolding him about having to pay for the broken floorboards. Well at least it wasn’t some ones head, he thought to himself.

Dued gave a light chuckle. “Aren’t you tired of watching that?” he asked. They just gave an irritated grunt.

“So you said that we weren’t going to win.” Hutsko started not looking towards Dued. “So why did we go?”

Dued took a sip from his coffee. “Well first I wanted to assess if your report was true.” he said. “Also I had to see if they were going to resist and, if they did their fighting style would have been helpful to know. “But the last part wasn’t very successful.”

Shaw spun around in his chair. “What? You said this video would help.” He protested.

Dued took another sip of coffee. “No, I said it might help us.” he corrected quietly.

“Well then what was the point?” second lieutenant Shaw grumbled crossing his arms over his chest.

Dued gulped down the rest of his coffee. “We now know that these people don’t want to fight us and, we have a couple more than we expected.”

Kanin turned around and gave a small sigh as he went back to his desk. “So then, what’s the plan now?” he asked. Captain Dakota walked through the door and he gave a small wave to her.

“Have you searched through their living quarters yet?” Dued asked seemingly getting off track.

“Yes. Nothing to indicates where they came from or where they’re going, but everything has been confiscated.” he replied simply, sitting down in his chair. “Interpol contacted us a few hours ago; they said that the Shagrui kid had withdrawn some money just outside of town.”

“Is there anything else?”

“We got some video surveillance from the bank they we’re in a car and I’ve sent some of my people to see what they can track down.”

Dued stared pensively at the floor. “If you can find where they are and I’ll see if I can find anything to help you capture them.” he sighed before quietly making his exit.

-

Victor stood with his back leaning against the door of a shiny black car as he watched Taya, Shang and Landon buying some fast food from a distance. Kalo knocked on the window from inside the car and Victor moved swiftly put of the way and opened the door for her. She emerged wearing her grey cardigan, blue jeans, and a pair of sneakers. Landon and the rest of the group joined Kalo and Victor.

“What’s the plan now?” Landon asked handing a hamburger to Kalo.

Victor opened the front car door and locked it from the outside and threw the keys on the seat before closing the door. “We get a train out of here and lie low for a while. We have to keep our heads about us." he muttered.

“Where are we going?” Landon asked still chewing some of the last bits of his hamburger.

Victor answered him in a slightly annoyed tone. “Where ever we land ourselves.” he pulled his hat further down looking at the occasional passer-byer with general suspicion.

“There’s no plan?” Landon asked.

A growl came from Victor. “No, that makes it easier for them to track us.” he snarled.

Kalo grabbed Victor’s arm. “Stop it already. There’s no reason for you to be so testy.” she glared at him and then flicked a glance toward Landon.

“Why should I? If it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t be in this situation.” he growled at Landon.

Landon took a step forward and opened his mouth to say something. Kalo stepped between them and pushed Landon back slightly.

"You guys go on to the station, we'll join you soon." Kalo said smiling back at the group. Everyone left sensing that her comment was a bit more than a suggestion.

She turned back to Victor and sighed. "What's wrong Victor?"

"Nothing," he replied grumpily crossing his arms over his chest.

"Don't give me that. Why are you so edgy around Landon? It's not fair to keep me in the dark."

He looked away. Kalo sighed again and pulled his face so that he was looking at her again. "I'm not going to guess your motives, though I probably know what they are already, but Victor we're all in the same boat here. Please could you get along with my friends for a short while? We don't really have a choice right now."

“We should split up Kalo. It’ll be harder for them to find us that way.” Victor shot, motioning to the direction of the rest of the group.

She sighed at him. “We should split up.” she repeated her eyes falling to the floor. “‘This will be the last time we move. I promise Kalo.’ that’s what they always said just when I had made friends and gotten comfortable.” she didn’t look up at him. “‘It’s a promise, my girl.’ They always said it in a weird tone, I knew they wouldn’t keep their promise but I was lonely and they kept on encouraging me to make friends. I did and we left, again. I suppose,” she paused. “I suppose we can split up if we really need to. No friends again, not even family.” she turned her head toward his and placed her hands on the place where his furry ears would of been if he hadn’t of had his cap on.

He opened his mouth and hesitated. He put his hand under her chin. “I... I suppose we could stick together for a while...” He said slowly breaking eye contact from her every couple of words.

“Thank you Victor!” she embraced him in a hug tightly. “Thank you so much!”

He smiled at her and gave her a small hug back. “Okay then Kalo. Clam down.” he grinned. “We better get going.”

“Thank you Victor!”

-

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Dued said as he waved to Colonel Hutsko and Lieutenant Shaw. He walked down the bland, quiet hallway, only his footsteps could be heard. He pushed open a heavy metallic door and stepped outside where he met Zilla.

“Good evening Zilla.” he smiled.

“Hello Dued. How is your new project progressing?” she asked as a warm breeze blew by ruffling the trees behind them as they walked down the breeze way.

His eyes lowered for a moment. “I wish I could of been more help.” he sighed. “To them, I mean.”

“Well theses new experiments will probably hate you, but that is a bridge that you can cross later. Maybe later on your help would be appreciated by them.” she reassured.

He smiled. “R-really? Thank you Zilla.”

“No Dued,” she sopped. He turned and looked at her. “You are the one who . . .” she bent down in a bow.

“I know Zilla but, you still. . .”

She interrupted him. “Dued you are the one that saved me,” she said her head pointed towards he floor. “And for that I am thankful.”

He took a step towards her and put a hand on her arm. “Zilla. Please.’ He stepped closer and embraced her in a friendly hug. “Don’t bow.” They pulled apart standing next to each other not a word passing between them for a few moments.

“I- I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have . . .” he now bowed to her. “Forgive me, please.”

Zilla smiled and stepped forward giving him a kiss on the forehead. “Don’t worry about it.” she turned and walked away, her white trench coat blowing in the wind.

Dued stood up a look of shock on his face. “Z-Zilla?” he watched her for a moment before mechanically heading the direction her had started off towards originally. My dear. No time for such things. He laughed to himself as he made his way down the hallway. I should check on Jaime, he though pressing his finger to the scanner beside the door.

He leaned against the door frame with one arm. “Hey Jamie, how are you . . .?” he stopped. Jamie?! His mind shouted but his mouth couldn’t move. The child sat on the floor and looked back at him. Her eyes were wide, blood was seeping out the corner of her mouth, and scales had started to develop on the side of her face and down her neck.

“Mi- Mister Dued?” she stuttered ragging herself to her feet. He was frozen in place. “I can’t . . . control myself . . .” she smiled sinisterly at him, her teeth where pointed like daggers. She lunged at him clamping her jaws down on his arm and snapping his forearm into two. He pulled her off holding his arm.

“My- my arm.” he whispered falling to his knees.

Tears came down Jamie’s cheeks. “Please Mister Dued . . . please run. Please?”

Dued blinked. She’s still human! Slaty tears trickled down his cheeks. And so am I. I’m . . . I’m crying for her. She needs my help. Jamie came to her feet and stumbled to him. Dued was unable to move himself.

A silenced gun shot came to his ears and Jamie stood for a moment not moving. Blood trickled from her forehead and she fell to the floor in a crumpled pile. Dued crawled lamely to her body.

“Jamie?” he put his fingers to her throat but the blood pooling around her told him the answer he wanted. “She’s dead.” He sighed bowing his head and looking at Zilla out of the corner of his eye.

Zilla too a step toward him. “I’m sorry, but she was suffering and she was about to . . .” she bowed to him. “I beg your forgiveness.

“Zilla, you’re bowing again.” he stated pushing his glasses up with his unwounded arm. “Who did this?” he chocked out after a few moments.

“Dued, your arm . . . it’s bleeding”

“Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt.”

“But . . .”

“Who did it?” he demanded.

Zilla sighed ans went to a table on the side of the room and pulled a pair of latex gloves from the box. “Well before you get to revenge . . .” she grabbed his arm and stretched it out. “I’ll fix your arm.” she pulled it back into place, the bones making a clicking noise as it was bent back to their original position. “Now the lab coat.” she said pulling it off on him.

She’s stripping me! He thought.

“Z- Zilla. Who did this?” he asked again surveying his arm. The bleeding had lessened significantly. Zilla wrapped his arm in bandage and she handed him a pair of latex gloves.

“Why are you doing this? Is this some sort of perverted . . .”

She cut the bandage and tucked it back in. “You want revenge don’t you?” she asked. “Listen, Colonel Brisk did it.” she handed him the gun. “Here take this. It has my fingerprints on it. Don’t leave any DNA. He commissioned a new geneticist to do what you wouldn’t. Go to his office and get your revenge. I’ll take the blame.” her orange eyes met with his. “You must stay here. I need you to stay here and so does the military. The doctor who did this, his name is Kasken.”

-Two Days Later-

‘How old is he?’ ‘I heard he was 16.’ ’16? And he outranks me?’ Dued heard the voices whispering behind him. He sighed pulling his cast-bound arm closer to his body and stood staring into Colonel Brisk’s grave as the casket was being lowered down into the cold earth. I wonder if Jamie got a funeral, he wondered bitterly. A cold wind cut through his black uniform and matching jacket that was draped over his shoulders. He walked toward his current commanding officer.

“Sir, may I leave now?” he asked timidly.

The officer laughed in a drunken stupor, he smelled of alcohol as well. “Sure, sure why not?”

“Don’t be so rude.” another officer with a beer in hand interjected.

“I guess I shouldn’t of asked.” he murmured tuning back to the crowd around the grave.

- One Hour Later-

Dued was standing behind a cluster of girls that where talking excitedly about the new colonel. He stood in a grassy field where there were chairs set up in a multitude of rows before him.

“I hear the new colonel is absolutely stunning.” one female squealed.

“I know. I wish they would hurry up already so we could at least see him.”

A voice crackled over the ladies and gentlemen,” there was a brief pause as the crow got quiet. “Ladies and gentlemen, may we present to you Colonel Arthur Kasken.” Dued’s eyes shot to the front and stared at the black haired male before them all.

Kasken walked up to the podium. “Thank you everyone for this wonderful opportunity of leading UNI’s health division . . .” he smiled at the crowd. The females near Dued swooned.

Z- Zilla, where are you when I need you!

-

Landon walked down the aisle of the train holding two bottles of water in his hand. It was early afternoon and all was quiet except of the sound of the train moving swiftly along the track. He opened the door to the compartment where they were staying and walked in quietly closing the door behind him. He looked at Victor who was staring at a sleeping Kalo that had fallen asleep on his lap. He held a bottle out to him.

Victor looked up and took the bottle. He pulled one glove off with his mouth and dropped it next to him as he opened the bottle. “Thanks,” he said quietly taking a sip. Kalo sat up and rubbed her eyes drowsily.

“Are we going to stop soon?” she asked hoarsely taking a sip of water.

Victor smiled grimly. “In a few minutes.”

“Where are we staying?” Landon questioned diverting his eyes away from the two.

“A place called Valzon City.” he replied crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s a small city, enough crowds to loose ourselves in if we need to.”

“So that’s how you pick our hiding places by city size, the smallest first? The place where we can be most conspicuous?”

Victor growled to Landon. “Yes, you have a problem with that? They’ll expect us to go somewhere densely populated, it’s the logical thing right now.”

Landon sighed an leaned forward with his eyes closed. “Whatever.” he spoke evenly trying to contain a small amount of anger.

Kalo stood up. “Both of you stop it. There is nothing to argue about, we’re here and that’s it, stop bickering.”

Taya walked in at that moment with Shang following not far behind. She plopped down on the seat and crossed her arms of her chest Shang sat down next to her and whispered something in her ear. She picked up her foot and shoved it against his thigh effectively pushing him to the other side of the seat.

“So what’s the plan of action?” she grunted putting her foot back on the floorboards.

Kalo stumbled backwards as the train screeched to a halt. “I assume we’re going to find a place to stay.” she replied glaring at Victor whom was staring out the window blankly. The room fell into silence as they waited for everyone to depart the train before they left themselves.

When they got outside the sun was starting to set already washing it’s soft light over the city. They wondered around the city for a while making their way past the rush hour crowds, They were quiet for most of the time that they walked. As the last rays of the sun danced around the horizon the group stopped in front of a rather broken down warehouse which read on the worn and falling sign ‘White Pine Apartments’.

“This is it?” Taya grumbled. “Some old, broken down apartment building? No one has lived here in years.”

“It’s out of the way of prying eyes.” Victor sneered. “If you don’t like it then leave.” He trudged forward with the rest following. He opened the side door to the building which was unlocked.

Landon poked his head in. “Well, it looks livable...” he said a bit uncertainly. Everyone filed in to start inspecting their new home.

Taya shivered. “It’s a bit cool in here.” she muttered wrapping her arms around her.

Shang grinned. “I can keep you warm Taya.” he replied hugging her.

“If you don’t quit...” she growled and kicked him off.

Victor wondered around sniffing the air every so often. “Wait...” he turned around and looked up. There was a silver haired female standing on one of the higher levels looking down at them.

“Well look what I stumbled into.” she smiled.

“Who are you?” Victor yelled his ears flattened against his head.

“Calm down wolf boy, I’m like you guys,” she said then suddenly appeared in front of them. “I’m a fugitive of the government.” Everyone gawked at her as they wondered how she had gotten down.

Victor blinked confusedly. “How did you...”

She offered her hand. “The name’s Zilla.”

He shook. “Victor, and Kalo, Landon, Shang and Taya. Exactly what are you doing here?”

“I told you I’m a fugitive of the government, I killed a General.” she smiled. “But not to worry I won’t get you guys in any more trouble.”

“How did you know that we were fugitives?” Kalo inquired taking a step forward.

Zilla grinned. “Oh I’ve been looking at a friends case files, but enough of this. There are some nice rooms to stay in upstairs. There’s even some left over linen, so you guys can sleep and we’ll talk more about this later.”

-

"Mister Weilder?" Kasken approached Dued from behind. "That is you correct?"

Dued double-took seeing the tall male he loathed so look at him with such administrative eyes. "Yes, that is I." He turned to him to him with a forced smile. "What is it colonel?"

"I heard you defeated that classified individual. Quite the feat."

"Oh," Dued looked down at his toes. "Yes . . . yes I did. . . " He lied through his teeth as Zilla would have instructed.

Kasken put a friendly arm around him. "Well then sir may get you a beer?"

Dued looked up. "I am not 18."

"Oh come now. A boy needs a good nip of whiskey now and then." He playfully punched his shoulder, as if Dued was a old college buddy. The smaller male rubbed his frail arm with the arm that was in a cast.

"Sir I just got my other one fixed. Please do not break another one." He looked weak as if holding back a fit of rage.

"No will not be taken for an answer. We can't have our best doctor being too modest." He pushed Dued into a nearby bar.

Kasken took a seat at the counter pulling Dued to the stool beside him. "Two La Chupacabras!"

Dued didn't even question him figuring it would only make his resolve even harder to defeat. "What is a La Chupa-" A flaming shot glass was set before him. He nearly screamed and fell back onto the floor.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh my goshhh! That drink is on fire!"

Kasken just shook his head. "I is meant to be that way," he scolded and blew the flame quickly after making the shot go down his throat. "See?"

Dued shuddered. "You're a fire-eater but I am not!" He tried to walk away only being pulled back by his collar.

Kasken grimaced, "You're drinking it," he forced the shot glass to Dued's lips and it go when it was swallowed.

"Yo-you made me drink illegally!"

"So . . . you were being pathetic." Kasken sighed. "So what were you doing at the lab at that time of night. Was it that you knew that MetaHuman was going to be there?" He seemed more serious. "Well Mr. Weilder? Is there more to you than meets the eye?" His bronze eyes cast over to him. "Or are you as pathetic as you seem?"

Picking himself up Dued growled and looked severely disoriented. "Maybe I did!" He was angry. "And I know you're the one who did that to Jamie!"

Kasken smiled tenderly. "I see . . . what if I were to say that I don't deny it." He placed a hand on

Dued's head as if to say: 'Good job kid brother. You figured it all out on your own. I am so proud!'

"And now Zilla," his eyes were glossy. "All because of you!" He picked up a whiskey bottle swinging it around until it finally hit Kasken square in the face.

The taller male picked a shard from his cheek. "Damn kid you got a good hit in. Try mine," he grinned punching Dued in the shoulder detaching the arm once more from the earlier wound Jamie had inflicted. Dued squirmed.

"I hate you... I hate you with every fiber of my being." Kasken's cheek was bleeding heavily.

"And if you don't start listening soon I will tell the higher-ups." Kasken smiled taking his chin. "You hear?"

Dued growled. "Fine . . ."