Chapter 11: Haunted pasts

XXXXX

"Did you see his eyes?" Braxton asked following after the three. "Did
you fucking see his eyes?"

"It is ok, it is his powers. He can see in the dark." Adir said looking
back at the man, even though he really couldn't see him. Gunther
hadn't spoke since Archer had damn near tossed the boy at them.

"What's wrong Shen?" Mercer asked feeling worry from the boy as he
bounced in and out of his head.

"I can not feel what Archer is hunting, I can barely feel Archer," Adir
said.

"He said something was in the building when the lights went out,"
Gunther said seeing them look at him. Coming around the corner they
saw Casimir.

"What's going on?" Casimir asked as the group stopped.

"Something is in the building," Mercer said watching the man's

eyebrows come together as shook his head.

"Can't be, I don't sense anything other then us here." Casimir said as
they started away again. Getting down to the infirmary they found
Jacy and Jade.

"What's happening?" Jacy asked as she was bandaging Jade's arm.

"Archer says there's something in the building," Casimir said moving

to look at Jade's arm. "What happened?"

"I looked up and was clobbered by something big." Jade said, looking
up.

"Big, like what was in the warehouse big?" Mercer asked seeing Jade
look at him.
 "No, like Archer big," Jade said. "Big and sleek, with cat eyes."

"Hum," Mercer said scanning them.

"Maybe we should split up," Casimir said hearing Mercer snort.

"Mercer and Adir could go get the lights back on. Braxton and
Gunther could do a search, and I could stay with the girls."

"Oh yeah, like some bad horror movie," Mercer muttered. "Lets split
up so the thing can peg us off one by one."

"No, you think it's better to stay together?" Casimir asked seeing him
nod.

"I say we stay together, get the lights back on, and find this thing and
help Archer." Mercer said. "We're a team, and our leader is out there
hunting this thing alone."

"I agree," Jacy said reaching under her desk to pull out a tranquilizer
gun. "The marks in Jade's arm look almost like a big cats claws."

"We can't track this thing, I'm getting nothing. Archer's essence is
hard enough to track, this thing got nothing." Casimir said shaking his
head as they headed out. They followed after Mercer and Adir, since
the two seemed to know where they were going.

After a few minutes Mercer was standing in front of a computer

terminal glaring. He had gotten the thing to boot up, but still wasn't
having any luck as to why the power was out. Trying again Mercer
grumbled under his breath, hating this system suddenly.

"Maybe if you told her that you will be nice?" Adir asked seeing his
lover look at him sharply.

"Her?" Mercer asked hearing snickers from behind him. "Maybe that's
why it won't work."

"Come on, we need lights. Not all of us can see in the dark." Braxton
said seeing Mercer nod, be glanced at the group before turning back to
the computer in front of him. With a small shake of his head he placed
his hands against the keyboard. He started to type, his eyes starting to
glow as he worked.

With in seconds Mercer was buried deep into the computers central
area. He moved from one broken section to the other repairing them.
He could hear mutters, but ignored them as he worked. They had a
serious breach in their security system. Scanning through files, Mercer
looked for the most accessed in the last twenty-four hours, and the
strange fact that nothing on Archer was listed.

Mercer pulled back as the lights came on, shaking his head slightly he
looked up before looking at the people around him. It was a few
seconds before Casimir spook. "That was kind of freaky."

"Archers not in there," Mercer said looking at them.

"Well I hope not," Casimir said raising an eyebrow at him.

"No, there's no file on him. Nothing. There's one on each of us, but its
like he doesn't exists." Mercer said shaking his head. "But I think I
fixed the security problem."

"Good," Jacy said leading the way towards the main central area. They
keep their eyes open, and ears alert. They could hear noise, but it
seemed to come from everywhere.

"What the hell is that?" Braxton asked glancing at Gunther who had
fallen quiet. He noticed the look in the kid's eyes, and that the shirt he
was wearing was missing a few buttons. The group shrugged at the
question, none of them brave enough to guess.

"Holy shit," Mercer said as something dropped down in front of them.

It was big, standing about six foot five inches tall. It had a cat like
face, large sharp fangs. And pointed cat ears. Dark brown eyes with
yellow cat like slits narrowed at the group.

"Go ahead and try little psychic, but your powers wont work on me,"
It said grinning at Adir, reaching out he snatched the boy up. Adir
cried out, his eyes wide. "Nope your not the one I want."
 "Shen!" Mercer screamed as the thing tossed the small boy behind
him. They watched, as using the height, Adir managed to twist around
and land on his hands and knees. He slid slightly before falling with a
cry.

"Don't move hacker," The thing said standing in front of them. He

glanced at Adir who was sitting up rubbing his knee. Swinging his
attention back to the group he let his eyes scan them again. It eyes
landing on Gunther. "I want him."

"Fuck off," Mercer hissed moving to protect the kid. Casimir and
Braxton also moved to stand in front of Gunther. With a small grin,
the thing moved with an inhuman speed. He moved through them like
nothing until he had Gunther by the hair.

"Let go," Gunther hissed trying to pull free.

"Oh no, see you're covered in his scent." The thing hissed dragging
him slightly away. "Come out Archer, I got your little toy, and you
better come out and save his sorry skinny ass."

"Let him go Simon," Archer hissed his voice floating around them.

"Come on, you honestly don't think I'm gonna let him go because you
said so, did youBrother?" Simon asked letting his gaze fall on the rest
of the team. The little boy had made his way back, helping up the
hacker. He hadn't hurt them to bad they'd heal. It was quiet for several
minutes. "Archer? Come on bro, come fight for your toy."

"I'm not his toy asshole," Gunther hissed swinging his fist towards the
Simons face. He connected, his eyes widening as the thing smiled.

"Feisty little fuck isn't he, now wonder he's got you so bothered."
Simon said picking the kid up by his hair. Gunther cried out, reaching
up to hold on before his hair was ripped out. Simon grinned staring at
the kid in his hand, little to late did he look up to see Archer above
him.

Archer hissed, moving with blinding speed. He tackled Simon making

the thing loose his grip on Gunther as they tumbled over each other.
They slide to a stop, Archer on top holding the other down. "Run, go
now!"

"Come on," Mercer said grabbing onto Gunther to pull the kid back.
They retreated away to where they couldn't see the fight. But they
could still hear it, and it sounded like two angry tigers fighting. "Get
that tranquilizer gun ready."

"Got it," Jacy said hearing what sounded like a cry from a wounded
animal before all was silent. They waited a few minutes before Mercer
peaked around the corner. Seeing Archer standing there with Simon
on the ground. The team walked out surveying the scene.

"Oh god," Adir said turning his face against Mercer, he didn't need to
touch the thing to know what killed it. It had been ripped apart, piece
of flesh hung from wounds on it.

"Archer?" Gunther said moving towards the man, he stopped as

Archer turned to him. Fear dropped like a cold lead ball into his
stomach. Archer's face was now sporting marks that went from the
inside corner of his eyes to just beside his mouth. Long fangs showed
through his heavy breathing, and his eyes now had a yellow catlike
slit. He couldn't help but watch as the man brought his hand up to lick
the blood from his claws. Claws that reminded Gunther of a big cat,
like he had seen in nature movies in school.

He watched fighting the urge to run. Something told him that running
would be a huge mistake, that as long as he didn't move Archer would
just continue to watch him. But the man shifted again, dropping what
he had been holding in his other hand. Gunther's eyes widened as he
watched the organ drop to the ground, a strangled cry escaped him as
he bolted headed for his room. He didn't make it far, before he felt
something solid slam into him knocking him to the ground.

"Going somewhere?" Archer asked shifting slightly, he could hear

noise behind him, his team yelling. But he turned his attention to the
body under him, the fear he could smell.
 "Please Archer, get off me." Gunther said trying to get up, only to
have Archer place a hand in the center of his back holding him down.

"Jacy," Mercer said pulling the gun from her suddenly numb fingers.
Cocking it he lifted the gun to his shoulder at he watched his boss.
Archer had pulled Gunther's shirt down, exposing the kids left
shoulder. Leaning down the man sank his fangs into the kids shoulder
causing Gunther to cry out.

Mercer shot the gun having Archer move at the last second, the dart
missing by inches. Turning Archer looked at them and let lose a sound
that made them cringe. It sounded just like a panther before it strike.
"Don't do that again!"

"Then let him up," Mercer hissed sighting the gun again.

"He's mine, I don't have to." Archer said leaning down to lick at the
small amount of blood that was dripping from the wounds he gave
him.

"I won't let you kill him," Mercer said hearing Archer laugh. A second
later Archer pulled back sitting up and pulling Gunther into his lap,
the kid's back to his chest.

"I don't plan on killing him, that's why Simon met his unfortunate fate,
he threatened what was mine." Archer said shifting to reach up and
cup the kid's chin.

"What the hell are you?" Casimir asked seeing Archer look up. He
could hear the man laugh, yet it sounded hallow.

"Yes, I suppose I should explain," Archer said watching as his team

moved around, keeping a safe distance from him. And Mercer kept the
gun pinned on him. "I will not hurt any of you. Simon was a threat, to
us, to what we do."

"You ripped his heart from his chest, that is enough to give us pause."
Adir said still close to Mercer's side. He wanted to reach out and help
Gun, but knew that he didn't have a chance against Archer. Archer just
nodded, holding the dazed looking kid closer.
 "Mercer you've heard of the Jackson/Thorpe experiment?" Archer
asked.

"Sure, but it flopped and they shut it down." Mercer replied.

"No it didn't, but they got throw backs like Simon, pure hunters. The
cheetah DNA was too strong, made the human part of the brain easily
overran. It moved, it was pray and they killed it." Archer said looking
down at Gunther who was watching him. "I guess I should start at the
beginning."

"That would be nice," Jacy said taking a step towards him. "Let the
kid go first."

Archer pulled his hands away, but Gunther didn't move. Picking him
up Archer stood and turned towards the dining room. The rest
followed, slowly until they came to sit around the table. Casimir made
coffee, before going to sit at the table.

"So start," Mercer said pulling Adir into his lap. He knew the boy was
having a hard time with this, the fact he knew that his guardian could
kill so cruelly.

"I'm not like you guys, I don't have parents. Not in the normal sense. I
have donors." Archer stared having Jade cut him off.

"You were born from a petrie dish?" She asked seeing him smile.

"No, but the woman's who womb grew me wasn't my mother, more
like a surrogate." Archer said shifting his bundle. He was worried,
hoping that Gunther hadn't gone into shock. They kids heartbeat was
slightly erratic. "Anyways, they took DNA from special people, like
you guys. Special powers, the DNA was stronger, and slightly easier
to manipulate. And DNA from panthers, leopards, cheetahs. So after
about twenty tries, they had thirteen of us."

"So as we grew they tested us, speed, strength, sight. It was when we
we're ten when they started to have trouble with some of the more cat
like subjects. They started to hunt; first it was mice and other small
animals that could be found on the grounds. Soon it moved to the
 doctors, and caregivers, and they were forced to put the four worst
down." Archer said dropping his eyes. "The last nine of us went
through training over the next five years, tracking and developing our
natural abilities. At fifteen, when realized there was a world outside of
what we had, I and Ethan,"

They waited, watching as Archer stood and set the kid back down. He
paced the room, his moved almost sad. It was a few minuets later that
he finally turned back to the group. "Ethan, and Filly, the only
surviving girl in the whole thing, and I decided that we wanted to see
the world. So the three of us escaped."

"And?" Mercer asked watching as Jacy poured coffee, stopping to

check the marks on Gunther's shoulder.

"And, they sent Simon and Bo after us. We blended; we looked

human, except for the small patches of fur, which were easily covered
up. We also didn't realize that Simon and Bo we're the best trackers,
and very close. They looked almost like twins, they were
mischievous." Archer leaned against the window staring out at the
night. "They caught us, but since only the three of us we're considered
the only successful of the bunch. But we didn't know that."

"And?" Casimir asked glancing at Mercer before going back to

Archer. The man nodded his head.

"Only they had no intentions of returning us alive, before I knew it

Filly was dead. Her heart ripped from her body by Bo. Ethan
screamed at me to run, but I was overcome with grief for my sister,
because we looked so much alike. And that's how I thought of her, as
my sister." Archer said looking back as the marks faded from his face.
"Ethan tried, but he was really the runt of the group, only standing five
and half feet tall. Simon made short work of him, taunting me."

"What did you do?" Gunther asked looking up suddenly.

"I went crazy, I loved Ethan. I attacked them both, bringing down Bo
easily. And it was Simon and I fought that the doctors caught up with
us and tranquilized us. The next thing I remember is the cage I spent
the next two years in. I found out that Bo didn't survive the wounds I
gave him." Archer said shaking his head again. "When I turned
eighteen I saw Simon again, he told me that I would pay because I
took his lover from him."

"What happened then?" Mercer asked having read that the program
was canceled. And never got past the beginning stages.

"The six of us that were left we shipped around, to train. I was sent to
South America where I spent the next four years training in the jungle.
When I was done, I returned to where I grew up, finding that only I,
Ran, Skye and Pan came back. Leaving Strips and Simon missing."
Archer said.

"Did you find them?" Mercer asked.

"Simon, just now. I haven't seen him since I was eighteen. I keep in
touch with Ran who works at the center where I came from. Skye took
his own life when the woman he fell in love with died. Pan is in the
government somewhere. And No ones seen Strips since he was
shipped to the desert." Archer said letting his eyes gaze at Gunther.
"Gun, your a lot like Ethan, you share the same temperament."

"Oh," Gunther said standing; he glanced at Archer before turning to

leave the room. His steps where slow and slightly unsure. As if he was
worried that Archer was going to attack him again. Archer turned back
to the rest, knowing that it would take them some time to process the
information. Soon the room was empty except for Mercer who still
had the gun on his lap.

"Do you plan on holding that all night?" Archer asked moving to the
coffee pot.

"How dangerous are you?" Mercer asked seeing him look behind him.

"I could kill you, even if you hit me with the tranquilizer." Archer said
turning to sit across from him at the table. "But have no intention of
doing so. I will not harm anyone here."

"You bit Gunther, in the neck." Mercer hissed.

 "Shoulder, and it was a love bite." Archer said grinning.

"Possessive much?" Mercer asked glaring at him. He wasn't convinced

yet if this man was harmless. Although he had been living with him
for several months.

"Only the way you are with Adir," Archer said leaning back in his
chair to run his hand through his hair. Mercer could see them now,
small black spots that ran at the edge of his hairline.

"Adir's a willing participant," Mercer said shifting to set the gun

down. No use holding it if it wasn't going to make the difference.

"Listen, you are my team, and I will not hurt any of you." Archer said
standing. He walked out, leaving the man behind. He needed to clean
up the mess he'd made and shower. Digging the phone from his pocket
he dialed a number waiting for it to be answered.

"Ran Keaton?" Came the voice.

"Ran it's Archer," Archer said softly.

"What wrong?" Ran asked from the other side. Archer smiled, out of
them all Ran had the most sense.

"I found Simon, or he found me." Archer said with a sigh.

"And?" He asked although he sounded like he already knew.

"A heart for a heart." Archer said hearing the man curse slightly. But
he knew Ran would understand, and he knew that Ran also knew this
was for the best.

"That leaves you, me, and Pan." Ran said shaking his head. "And I
haven't seen my twin in years."

"You two were the only ones born from the same womb, they didn't
think you'd survive." Archer said stopping at his mess.

"I'll send someone to get Simon ok?" Ran asked softly.

"Thanks." Archer replied as he hung up his phone and started to clean
up.

"Archer?" Gunther said from the doorway to the man's office. Archer
looked up slightly surprised; Gunther had avoided him for the last
week.

"Yeah?" He asked watching the kid shift his weight from one foot to
the next.

"I need to go to the cemetery, please. And I want you to go with."

Gunther said looking up to meet the man's eyes.

"Of course," Archer said standing and following him out. Getting into
one of the trucks Archer turned towards the cemetery, his mind on the
kid. "Can I ask why were going there?"

"To close this chapter of my life," Gunther said glancing at him. "To
close the chapter on normal."

"Oh," Archer said not sure what he should say. The rest of the ride
was quiet, and pulling to a stop beside the gate he got out to follow.

"I don't remember where it happened," Gunther admitted.

"This way," Archer said leading the kid to where the incident ended.
He watched as Gunther stared at the spot, he couldn't tell what the kid
was feeling, so he stood just behind him waiting. Hearing a noise he
looked up to see Anthony standing across the grave from them.

"Tony," Gunther said softly seeing the other kid shake his head.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be locked up somewhere?"

Anthony asked.

"What?" Gunther asked taking a step back.

"You're a dangerous freak, and you should be locked up," Anthony

hissed. "Do you have any idea of what you did?"
 "Yeah, I have a hundred and two reminders of what I did. I live with
that ever damn day of my life." Gunther hissed. "I nearly died to save
your life."

"You should have died, Gun. You killed something, my god you blew
it up." Anthony said shaking his head. "It was horrible, to see that
thing explode before my eyes."

"It would have killed us, it would have ripped us apart." Gunther said
softly. He tried to remember what Adir told him, tried to remember
that Anthony was just scared. "You know Tony it doesn't matter, no
matter what its not going to change what happened. Life's funny like
that."

Gunther turned away, deciding he was done. At least here, and came
face to face with the last two people he never wanted to see again. He
took another step back, this time running into Archer who was
standing behind him. He watched his parents approached him.

"Gun," his mother said almost looking like she wanted to reach out to
him.

"Mother, father." Gunther said looking at them.

"We hadn't realized they'd let you out." His father said softly seeing
Archer glare at him. "We don't want you out where you can hurt
someone."

"I haven't hurt anyone." Gunther hissed feeling Archer's hand on his
shoulder. "You abandoned me, you sent me away."

"That's because we love you, and we want you to get help." His
mother said taking a step towards him only to have her husband stop
her.

"Help? Help for what mother?" Gunther said.

"You're dangerous Gunther, no child of ours can do what you did."

His father said pulling the woman back. "You can't be ours."
"But I am, and for eighteen years you've told me that." Gunther hissed
feeling tears come to his eyes. "What happened to loving me no matter
what? Huh? That's what you told me all those fucking years. That you
would love me no matter what!"

"That's not fair," The woman cried.

"Fair? You want to talk about fair?" Gunther hissed. "Fair is when my
parents love me, and take me home to heal. Fair is going to school and
graduating with my class, fair is finding love and having a family."

Gunther yelled taking a step towards his parents. He could see the fear
in them, seeing that his mother wasn't sleeping, and cried a lot. "Fair
has fucking ran out, and you know what. Fair is me walking away and
never looking back because I don't have parents."

"Gun," The woman called as her son walked away. Gunther didn't turn
around, just continued to walk.

"Stay away from him," Archer said softly. "You signed him away
because you didn't want him, and you don't get to take him back,
because he's mine now."

"That's not fair." The man hissed.

"As Gun said fair fucking ran out," Archer hissed before turning to
fallow after the kid. He found Gunther leaning again a Mausoleum
wall, walking over he touched the boy's shoulder.

"Why Archer, why don't they want me, but you do?" Gunther asked
his voice soft. He closed his eyes he couldn't break down yet. Not like
this, not with him.

"Because you're special," Archer said.

"Can I trust you? Can I trust you that no matter what you'll never
leave me?" Gunther asked taking a deep breath.
 "No matter what Gun, I'll be there for you. Not matter if you tell me
you hate me, or hit me. I'll be your rock, for as long as you need me."
Archer said. "I claimed you with that bite, made you mine."

"I don't understand why, I've been nothing but an asshole to you."
Gunther said. "My god I killed something,"

"So have I," Archer said taking a step closer and slowly turning the
boy. "No matter what, you and I will always have each other."

"Promise?" Gunther asked as Archer cupped his face. Leaning down

Archer rested his forehead against Gunther's, smelling and seeing the
tears that had waited so long to fall.

"Promise," Archer said dipping lower to kiss him. He felt Gunther

stiffen slightly, but with a small sob the kid relaxed against him.
Slipping his tongue into Gunther's mouth he let his hands tighten on
the kids face. Gunther reached up, grabbing onto Archer's forearms,
before pulling back slightly and then buried his face into the man's
chest.