Phoenix

[Niro]

The air was warm and windless, a powerful green sun blazing high in the dull yellow sky. The man’s footsteps were steady and sure, which came as a slight surprise to him in light of everything. He hadn’t a clue who he was, where he was, and had apparently just risen from the grave, yet he felt as strong as an ox. It made no sense, the same as just about everything else, so he decided to focus on one thing at a time.

Tony outstretched his arms casually, gesturing to the area around him. “It’s not much consolation, I suppose, but this is all yours.” He spoke suddenly. “There’s comfortable sleeping arrangements, recreation areas, a full kitchen, exercise rooms and equipment, as well as all the medical and scientific means necessary.”

“Necessary for what, damn it?” He cut in abruptly, the irritation finding its way back to his face. “What is this?”

The doctor nodded at the outburst, looking Nine in the eyes after a moment. “I’m not lying to you about any of this, and I’m not going to. You’re a genetic experiment. That’s what all of this is.” He sighed, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. “You were dead when we found you. We didn’t kill you; you were dead. Telling you all about this project is going to take time…”

He stood there returning the man’s gaze for a few seconds, turning away in thought after Aguila’s pause. “If I have anything right now, it’s time… I don’t like this, but it is what it is.” He murmured, turning back to the doctor. “If you saved my life, you have my gratitude, but you know as well as I do that doing so doesn’t give you free reign to do whatever the hell you like. It seems obvious enough that you did do something, but right now I’m going to need everything you’ve got before I decide where I’m going to go from here.” The man chuckled a moment after he finished. “Unless of course I am a prisoner, in which case I don’t have much a choice at all.”

“No, you’re no prisoner. Not under my watch.” Tony shrugged. “This project is directly authorized and endorsed by the Council, but it’s under my control. If you want to leave, it’s going to be a problem, but I won’t do anything to stop you.” He turned around, taking a few steps towards the base of a massive tree in the middle of the courtyard looking locale.

The area around was lush and lively with foliage and greenery, but was manicured exquisitely. The tree above had plump, juicy orbs of blue and purple visible all across the large canopy, ornamented by thin and long viridian leaves dripping off its myriad branches of varying thicknesses. The ground was spilled over with thick, vibrant grass, soft and comfortable against his bare feet. Bushes spattered with brilliant flowers encircled the outsides of the buildings and dwellings around them, broken up by low and verdant plots thick with petals every color of the rainbow. The smell no longer seemed odd, needless to say.

“Then change my mind.” Nine replied quietly, surveying the area with seeming nonchalance. “Let’s be honest, if I don’t know the first thing about myself, running off might not be the greatest idea. Tell me more.”

“Alright.” Aguila nodded in response, trying to think of a simple and effective way to explain. “What do you know about Malta? Outcasts? Cardamine?”

“Enough.”

“Then you understand cardamine’s effect on the body, I’m sure. The enhanced-”

“Yes, I know about that. Get to the point.”

Tony pursed his lips in what would have been irritation towards anyone else. The man standing before him was the Phoenix, fulfilled and accomplished to what looked like the highest degree. It was difficult to get frustrated at such a living success, to say the least.

“This project, it all started when I theorized a way to introduce cardamine to the body in a far more drastic way; one that could be monitored and perfected, creating the perfect specimen. Cardamine already lingers in the air around us, and anyone living here has involuntarily had their DNA mutated in very serious ways, but I decided to find if cardamine could do more. Simply put, yes it could. It could be focused, further integrated on a genetic level, and concentrated far past current forms.”

“So that’s what it is, then? I’m a cardamine juiced lab rat?” He exhaled, fighting back a touch of anger.

“You could look at it that way, yes.” Aguila nodded, his mind still turning and weaving his next remark. “I like to look at it as working on the next stage of human evolution. Nine, there are facets to yourself that you and I can’t even begin to imagine. I honestly have no idea the limits of how far this might take you, but I need you here if any of this is going to mean anything. Not only that, but I still can’t be completely sure of your health and mental stability. You seem to be fine now, but this process is simply too unknown to know anything for sure.” He closed his eyes, opening them again after a momentary pause. “You leave now, and you run the risk of running into serious, and possibly life threatening developments. That doesn’t even take into account your memory loss.”

“Nine…” He muttered listlessly. “Will you stop calling me that?”

“Very well, what should I call you?”

He grimaced at the reply. Tony was right, he didn’t have any idea what his name really was, and it was a little difficult to get by without any sort of designation. For now, it looked like “Nine” would have to do.

“Fine, Nine it is.” He shrugged, shaking his head. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice right now. I suppose it won’t hurt anyone if I hang here and try to put things together, anyways.” He scratched the back of his head, feeling his fingers through smooth hair that felt like it was getting just a bit too long for his liking, hitting the small of his neck. “Where the hell did you get ‘Nine’ anyways, aye?”

“You’re the ninth.” Aguila couldn’t help but let out a small sigh, answering the question with hidden reluctance. “All of the others haven’t made it through the process.”

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