I found three of the squad members sitting together at McDonald’s. Three White males that oozed testosterone. Two were blonds with short crew cuts and the third looked like he stepped out of an audition for G.I Joe. They were all solidly built. As soon as I entered all three of them began to look around as if they were dogs that could feel an oncoming earthquake. I had the advantage and used it immediately. Moving like a blur I broke one of the blonds necks. It snapped loud enough for everyone eating to look in their direction. Since I was moving so quickly all they saw was his eyes cross and his body slump out of his chair.
The other two sprang to their feet and began firing wildly hitting men, women, and children who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I stepped around a pillar and pulled a knife. I threw it at the other blond hitting him in the eye. He opened his mouth and a high pitched scream came out. Not a scream of pain exactly. A weapon of a scream. He aimed it at the pillar and it exploded as I rolled away. I wanted to take these guys out with no damage but I could already feel blood building in my ears muffling the sounds of the shouts from the civilians.
I grabbed a pot of coffee and pitched it at the screamer. Like I'd hoped he aimed at it and it blew up in his face. Now he was using screams of pain. The G.I Joe reject pulled another gun out and began shooting at the direction the coffee pot came from. I appeared behind him and punched him in the small of his back. He grunted and swung just barely missing my jaw. I jumped up and kicked him in the neck. It snapped but he didn't fall. He grabbed me before I hit the ground and threw me through the window. I landed in the playground and he charged at me like a bull on meth.
I grabbed a handful of sand and pitched it in his eyes. While he stumbled around blindly swinging but hitting nothing but air or playground equipment I cracked him on the brow with my gun. He fell to one knee and grabbed me by the throat. He squeezed with all his might. As fast as the program was healing me he was causing damage. I hit him again but that only made him squeeze harder. Suddenly it got really hot. Nothing but an arm was left. A pile of ash lay where the giant had stood. I looked around and there he was in all his glory.
Zero. “Miss me?” he asked Zero stood on top of the swings. He leaped down and landed in front of me. He eyed me and
laughed that creepy snake laugh of his before grabbing the stumped arm and sniffing it. He threw it to the side and took a step back. I punched at him and he grabbed my hand and broke all of my fingers. Just as the program was healing them he broke them again and twisted my arm. I fell to one knee and he kicked me in the face. Blood poured from my mouth and nose. He kicked me again and threw me into the street. I landed hard on top of a passing truck. The truck screeched to a halt and I rolled from the hood and crumpled to the ground. I felt the program click on then off.
The other four members of the squad arrived moments later. They began stomping me and there was nothing I could do but cover my head. I tried to stand and a foot cracked my shin in half. I threw a wild right hook and my arm was snapped in two. Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold. Something was messing with the program. I could catch a glimpse of Zero watching with his arms folded. I was beginning to float in and out of consciousness. The beating stopped.
“Another one of the enhancements I was blessed with,” Zero said as he approached. He bent down over me. I spat in his face. He chuckled. “This little...team is completely unnecessary. I just needed something to draw you out. It was far easier than I thought. You are so blind with vengeance that you don’t think. You let the program control you. It should be the other way around. I could kill you right now,” he said as he grabbed me by the hair and pulled a handful out. “But that would be no fun. I want to beat you at your best.” He slammed me face first to the ground three times and swung me back onto the playground. I tried to spit the sand out but succeeded in only breathing it in. Zero walked over and whispered in my ear. “I want you to train, Kendra. I want you to focus on yourmission. Revenge for the death of L.T. Oh, yes, I learned the truth about that. The Corps shot him point blank right between the eyes. The explosion was his implanted bomb going off faster than it should have. Cost the Corps his right arm. I want you to focus on your father. Your mother. And your brothers.”
“What about my brothers?” I asked already knowing the answer.
“Oh, I killed them and their children a while ago,” Zero said. “Use that hate I see in your eyes. Use it and find me.” Zero raised his foot and everything went black.