Finally, chapter four. This took way longer than I expected, mostly becuase I had to rewrite it so much.
Well read on!

Chapter 4:

Colonel Kanin Hutsko walked down the hallway deeply engrossed in reading a paper that rested in his hand. Someone came up behind and tapped on his shoulder. He turned around and saluted hurriedly at General Masurao.

“Good morning sir,” he said.

“Good morning Mr.. Hutsko,” he smiled. “I trust your newest mission has been going well?”

Kanin blinked. “Um, well, ‘successful isn’t exactly the why I would put it but my team is making progress. I assure you that...”

Masurao interrupted him. “You better hurry up and get them before someone finds out about them that shouldn’t.”

He nodded quickly. “Yes sir I understand your urgency, but these children are very elusive.”

“They are as you said Colonel, children, hurry it up.” he growled before leaving.

Kanin sighed and walked into his office which was bustling with a bit more activity than normal. He sat down in his old swivel desk chair which squeaked in protest at his weight. He surveyed the area and watched young private Joseph Shaw as he held a phone to one ear and had the ear plug of an MP3 player hanging out the other. Shaw ended his phone call with an exasperated sigh and started motioning to put the other ear plug in its place.

“Oh so you decided you would actually work today Joseph?” the colonel smiled with amusement. The scruffy haired Shaw rolled his eyes at his commanding officer.

“So who were you calling?” Kanin asked as Shaw turned on his music.

“I was requesting permission to get some information that might help you catch those MetaHumans, or whatever they’re called.” he replied. “And what do you mean by I was actually working? I always work.”

He shook his head. “Sure you do what about that star wars game you were playing the other day, hmm?”

“Hey!” the private protested, “What about Lars always playing those chess games of his? You don’t get onto him about it.”

“That’s because I’ve done all my work.” a stock, grey haired man from the corner of the interjected. Shaw made a face at Lars.

“Real mature Mr. Shaw.” Kanin laughed at the two. He flipped his wrist over and looked at his watch and got up. “I’ve got to hunt down a certain scientist who hasn’t been returning my calls, see you.” he waved and left the room.

-

Kanin walked to Arthur Kaskin's office rapped his knuckles on the new colonels door impatiently.

"Yes?" Kasken was working with chemicals and a microscope.

He opened the door and walked in. "I need one of your officers." he said trying not to sound too much in a bad mood. "But you keep him too busy for me to get a word in."

"I'm sorry, who might it be? I'll see if he has a opening,"

"The Weilder kid." he stated. He looked at his microscope. "So what is it you're doing?"

"Checking classified file 3998-39-29876-39's genetic samples."

He flinched slightly. "May I ask what it, they are?" he inquired. "Or is it too classified for me?"

"I dunno soldier." he continued his examination. "What level security pass do you have?"

"Probably the same as yours since we're are the same rank and working on similar cases." he said pulling put and access cad with LV4 on it.

"Level 7," he peered up. "I know some truths that would traumatize you kid."

He chuckled and shoved his card back in his pocket. "It would take a hell of a lot to traumatize me," he replied. "And thank you for the compliment, I'm older than you." he smiled.

"Yes then you would know he military gives me more to deal with because of my being in the medical field. I bet Mr.. Weilder has seen more than you."

He shook his head. "You obviously haven't been fighting in the war before coming here have you? It would be hard to have seen more than me."

"I've amputated limbs as well as taken a few shots colonel."

He blinked and shook his head. "Just drop it, you'll never know what it's really like to see gruesome things." he muttered. "But tell me," he pointed at the microscope. "What are they?"

"I've seen this first hand multiple times. As well as the time our little Wielder almost got his own blown out."

"I asked you a question," Kanin growled.

"You don't have the clearance." Arthur Kasken retorted.

"There are a group of children running out on the streets," he started. "There are five of them. One seems to be spliced with a bird, two other with tigers, a third with a canine and another unknown. Five years ago any and all genetic experimentation was banned after the public found out about Dr Suniya’s experimentation with his daughter and countless others." he glared at Kasken. "I want to know what the hells been going on for the last five years in this damned place. Why you are using people for these sick purposes and some damn piece of plastic won't give me any answers so start talking Mr. Kasken."

"I've sworn myself to helping society with my work. And if you must know. This is not really government funded."

"Helping society?" he spat. "Is that how you justify hurting children?"

"If you keep quiet I will explain to you my project."

He crossed his arms over his chest in skepticism. "I'm listening."

"What I'm doing is making a antidote," he swirled a small yellow elixir. "It's not potent yet but this could clean a good amount of cells. If this were to be successful then I need to develop a method of treatment that will allow me to keep this in a drop that leads into the arm."

"And it does what?" he asked.

"Cleanses cells of MDNA."

"Simple mans terms please, MDNA?"

"Metahumans DNA. When it goes through the system it will leave only human genes for the most part."

"As rumor goes, you spliced one of Weilder's patients with a crocodile or lizard or something." he said. "But why did you do that if you want to cure them?” he paused for a moment. “I suppose that's just rumor."

"The child was that of a dead military family. They were going to kill her, they asked me to give her a chance."

He sighed. "To me it sounded as though she went mad from whatever happened."

"She did. The ex-colonel added ingredients to my fluids so she ended up a killing machine."

He frowned. "What where you really going to do to her then?"

"Just splice her, then maybe they would say she had a point in living. I forgot who ordered fatso around, but hell, it seems that he got his."

"We got off topic," he muttered. "Where's Weilder?"

"Doing paperwork for me. He think's I'm a bad guy so I’ve got to keep him busy."

"Well I'm going to have to tear him away from you. I need him on my team at least until we have these other MetaHumans contained." he stated.

"I wouldn't do that. You might anger subject Zero-B..."

"Zero-B what?" he asked.

"That was the name given to her when we found her."

He scratched his head. "Again I'm lost, explain yourself please."

"Did you notice a certain fair haired maiden amiss from our facilities?"

He though for a moment. “Is this by any chance the former colonels murderer?"

"Yes. Well that's what we declared it."

“I still need him with me." he said. "My team and I know nothing about these people."

"I see take him then he's just filling out taxes to higher offices." he responded

“Thank you." he said and left.

-

Kanin Hutsko sat next to Dued Wielder at a small round cafeteria table. He place in front of them both a cup of coffee.

“So Mister Weilder.” He said. “I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me.”

He nodded and placed is hands around the cup as he inched it toward himself. “Of course sir, and thank you also.”

“Never mind about Colonel Kasken for now.” he grumbled. “Since you will be working with me from now on I want to get to know you a bit more.”

He nodded again. ‘Yes sir.”

“First off, stop call me sir so often.” he sipped his coffee. “It makes me feel old.” Dued nodded in response. “So how long have you been working here?”

“Well the year before last year I took this job as part of my degree in college, it was an internship really,” he explained “I didn’t get into UNI since last year though.”

“And why was that?”

Dued blushed. “Uh well, UNI was only created when subjects zero-A and zero-B where discovered.”

“I’ve heard about this zero-B person, so what’s she like?” he grinned at Dued.

The boy spat out the coffee he was drinking. “Excuse me?” he spluttered wiping the liquid from his lips.

“A little bird told me a bit about you and ‘subject zero-B’ .” he replied finishing off his drink. “So is she your girlfriend?”

He blinked at him. “What?! Why do you need to know this?”

“So you haven’t asked her out yet?” he mused smiling into his cup. Dued blushed and looked at the floor. “Come on now,” Kanin pulled his head up and looked at the boy. “You’ll miss out on a lot if you never even ask her out. You’re how old sixteen, seventeen?”

“Sixteen.” Dued mumbled in return. “So, uh colonel, do you have a partner then?”

Kanin blinked at him and fell silent for a moment. “No, but I’m different to you.” he said. “See, I’m older and I’ve done all this before, I don’t need a partner.” he said trying to convince himself more than the boy.

“Oh I see, so you too ashamed to ask her out as well?” Dued looked at him.

“No,” he growled back, standing up and taking his cup. “That’s not it. Lets go, we’ve done enough procrastinating.” he grumbled and stalked off.

-

Dued followed colonel Hutsko into the now sparsely filled office area.

“And there,” Kanin pointed to a bland, not to mention dusty, corner table, “is where you’ll be staying for the time being.”

Dued looked over to the space which also included a relatively old looking computer. “Er, thanks.”

Shaw stuck his head out from behind his computer and eyed the new comer. “Who is this?” he inquired, directing his question to the colonel.

“Major Dued Weilder, this is private Joseph Shaw.” he pointed to the private. “Joseph, this is Dued Weilder.”

Shaw got up and offered his hand to Dued who shook it gingerly. “Pleasure to meet you.” Joseph smiled.

“You too,” replied Dued.

“You can personalize your desk,” Kanin said to Dued as he watch Joseph leave the room with a grin. “Captain Dakota should be coming in soon from lunch, don’t hesitate to introduce yourself.”

“Yessir.” the boy nodded.

-

“Oh Joey,” Kanin called to Shaw with a smile.

Joseph spun around with an angry look on his face. “Don’t call me that!” he growled at his superior. “You know I don’t like it.”

The colonel chuckled to himself. “I know, I was just making sure I had your attention.” he caught up to him and put his arm on his subordinates shoulder. “Since when do you get to call people ‘kiddo’?”

“Since I am clearly older than the kid.” he retorted.

‘I don’t think that’s a legitimate reason, kiddo. Don’t forget he out ranks you.” Kanin chuckled. “What are you doing for lunch?”

“‘Going to the gym,” he replied irascibly.

“You up for a sparring match then?”

He blinked hesitantly. “Uh sure old man, I’ll take you on.”

The both of them walked into a large basket ball sized room with blue mats covering approximately half the floor. Each of them had and a set of sparring foot protection and also included a sweaty, over-used helmet. They had also changed into a set of flexible clothes and Shaw was without his pair of wire-rimmed glasses. Kanin threw Shaw a blue and red foam stick which was separated in the middle by a black band.

“What’s this?” the boy asked, squinting at the object as he turned it around in his hands.

“It’s a staff.” replied Kanin as he swung it around in the air. “I always wanted to play with these things, and since you volunteered...” he grinned.

“Thanks colonel.” he muttered.

“You’re welcome.”

The two got into a fighting stance and Shaw threw the fist move as he swung the stick at Kanin’s side. The attack was blocked with a sweeping motion and he countered with a hit to the stomach. Shaw grunted and hit his opponent in the chest then lowered the weapon slightly.

“Colonel what’s the poi...” he was cut short by a wack to the head which momentarily stunned him. He blinked and blocked the colonel’s next attack.

The colonel laughed at him. “The point is.” he replied hitting Joseph in the arm. “Is not to get hit in the head.” he thrust the weapon at his chest. “And to not let your guard down.” Shaw grunted in return and swept at the colonel feet. Kanin held the staff diagonally across his body and rushed toward Shaw, he started to teeter back and Kanin sent him to the floor when he hooked his foot behind his opponent’s and send it falling back.

Kanin looked down a Joseph. “See what you miss out on when you get an office job?”

He peeled off the helmet. “What, getting your but kicked by your higher ranking officer?”

He shook his head and helped the boy up. “No, I was talking more along the lines of your maneuverability in a fight.” he returned with a smile.

Shaw rolled his eyes. “Yes sir.”

“Look, on day you’re going to have to go out there and serve your country.” Kanin said sounding a bit more serious.

“Please stop reminding me.” Joseph said looking down.

He sighed. “Alright. I’ll stop, but you’ve got to show me you won’t get yourself killed out there. The scruffy haired boy nodded in return and they went to go and change back into their proper clothes.

“Colonel, have you found anything new about the MetaHumans?” Shaw looked to Kanin and inquired.

“No, why do you ask? And what is this clearance you need?”

“I was getting to that.” he replied. “Well I was hoping on the off chance maybe one of them had a computer and they were using the internet I could get a signal and triangulate the source or something to that extent.”

The colonel cocked a brow at him. “I see, or is this just another excuse to play with a government toy?”

Joseph chuckled. “I really wanted to play with the toy.” Kanin only shook his head at the young officer as the entered the office once again.

Metahumans has a new theme song, it's called Flash back by Asain Kung-Fu Generation.