Cynetic Wolf
PITSTOP

An amplified voice boomed everywhere at once. “STAY WHERE YOU ARE! HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM. WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED. OUR SHOOTERS HAVE YOU IN THEIR SIGHTS. ”

Disoriented, I opened my eyes. The windows of the truck were shattered, the big rig lying on its side. Fitz was awake, peering out the door, rubbing his head.

Where were we?

The cruiser doors opened and armed officers piled out, blasters leveled at us. Red dots appearing on our chests.

Stay calm, Raek. We put our hands up. My cybernetics wouldn’t help here, not if there were other cynetics in those vehicles. We were screwed.

As long as they didn’t kill Fitz. There was enough blood on my hands.

Officers advanced on the rig, guns drawn, unblinking.

“TOSS YOUR WEAPONS AND COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP. ANY FUNNY BUSINESS AND THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO ID YOUR BODIES, YOU’LL HAVE SO MANY BLASTERS UP YOUR ASS!”

We flung the blasters out.

“We get it. We’re coming. Don’t shoot!” Fitz yelled. “Don’t let them take you alive,” he whispered as he ducked out.

There were six officers, two in front, four behind. Three had blasters, three didn’t. So, at least three cynetics with built-in blasters of their own. Outnumbered and outgunned. At least it couldn’t get much worse.

“We’re law-abiding citizens.” Fitz stumbled to his feet. “What’s the meaning of this?”

One of the black-clad officers stepped forward. He was a small slim fellow, unarmed except a pair of curved knives. I’d bet money he was cynetic. Size was irrelevant—he could be strong as an ox and nimble as a snake—his mechatronic muscles and superhuman reactions made him a formidable opponent. And I had no idea what I was doing...

He sneered, pitch black eyes an abyss of suffering and pain. “Cut the crap. Raek here has been a naughty boy. Don’t move your hands, kid. We know you’re semi-cynetic, freak. The nerds back at HQ are excited about you. Half cynetic, half animote… they’re dying to open you up and see how you tick.” He smirked.

Open me up? Swallowing hard, I fought to control my emotions. Don’t let him get to you. “And, Professor Fitz,” he said icily. “What brings you here? Aiding and abetting a half-breed traitor to the state, sounds like capital crimes.”

He raised his palm, pointing it at Fitz’s head. “How’d the boy get his cybernetics?”

Fitz shook his head but stayed cool. “Beats me.”

“Liar.”

Not Fitz too. I took a step forward. “He doesn’t know and I don’t either.”

“Bullshit. You’re going to tell me or your friend dies!” the cynetic hissed.

“I don’t—”

“Wrong answer.” His palm illuminated. He fired.

No… Fitz’s right ear evaporated before my eyes. “You’ll have to work on your aim,” Fitz coughed as blood gushed from the wound.

The cynetic scowled, his eyes narrowing. “Lucky for you, I’m just the deliverer. Search them, boys. Find everything. You know what’ll happen if you miss anything.” He turned to the officers behind him. “Torch their bags and car. No sense leaving anything to chance.”

Tasers hit me and spasms wracked my body. Once I couldn’t fight it any longer, I collapsed to the ground, peeing myself in the process, until the pain subsided.

“Sorry about that,” the cynetic said with a mocking grin I’d have wiped off if I wasn’t writhing. “Standard procedure and all. Besides, it’s only a ten-hour ride to headquarters. You don’t mind sitting in your own piss, right?” A few officers joined in laughing.

“Name’s Thorn, by the way. In case you want a name with the face. Pleasure to meet you.” His lips curled into a predatory smile. “Hurry up, load them in the cars. Separate them. We don’t need any funny business.”

He turned and swaggered back to his car with a confidence that made me sick.

It took another ten minutes to finish their invasive search and burn our gear. Everything we owned, up in flames, just like that.

So much for our luck improving. At least Fitz’s ear stopped gushing. Was he okay?

Stepping toward the car, I had an epiphany. If I was cynetic, I could access the web. In the five steps before being shoved into the cruiser, I posted in three separate radical forums asking for help.

-

Help, I’m an Animote-Cynetic hybrid, REALLY!

Wolfish w/ cybernetics

Captured by DNS/GDR

Username: @nightstalker1

Password: howlsatthemoon

My internal GPS is on!!!

-

No one would see it. And if they did, they wouldn’t believe me. How could they? They wouldn’t be able to help either. Still, it felt better than doing nothing.

Maybe the fact I existed, a mixed-breed… maybe there were others. Maybe there was hope, maybe.

An officer jabbed my finger with a micro-needle. A small prick.

Everything spun.