[REND] 6.6 - Hero Wannabes, At Your Service

Amber Deen Leska

Amber Deen clenched her teeth. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as the stress piled.

What was that nonsense about being heroes? As if it couldn’t be more obvious that Dario said it just to convince them to join.

This sinister organization wouldn’t spring this offer of superpowers to anyone unless they were truly desperate for more recruits—if so, incompatibility might not be such a good thing either. Amber and Erind knew about Dario’s group. Whether the Core worked on them or not, they were tied to this organization.  

Erind wasn’t saying anything, her eyes focused on the crater Myra had made. Amber sensed they were both pondering the same concerns.

But what could they do in this situation? Amber knew that refusing wouldn’t work. They knew information they shouldn’t; they saw powers they shouldn’t. Dario trapped them in this situation with no way out. But she’d still try to resist.

“Isn’t thi-this too sudden?” Amber’s voice cracked. She cleared her throat and continued. “Don’t you test candidates, like psychological evaluations, physical metrics? What about our trustworthiness?” She hastily added, “We’re not going to spill your secrets, not after you’ve saved us. But… what if we might crack under pressure and, and, uh…”

“You’ve shown resilience,” Dario said. “You didn’t see just the monsters. You’ve seen what they’ve done—the pools of blood, the dismembered bodies. Many would be too traumatized to speak. Some would be paralyzed by fear or be in a state of shock. You and Erind have recovered quite well. We don’t know why, but artificial Cores attach more easily to people of strong will. Compatibility is priority.”

Amber glanced at Erind upon hearing that. Erind didn’t have a strong will; she was the quiet girl in class, not bothering anyone. If there was someone who shouldn’t be here, it was Erind.

“It’s not only about having a strong mind and emotional fortitude,” Dario continued. “You two have encountered Adumbrae and faced death. For Erind, this is already the second time. Both of you have personal stakes in this, correct? More than the usual fear and hatred of Adumbrae taught to us by society, you have formed your own feelings about it because the 2Ms had kidnapped you. It’s not something experiments in a laboratory can replicate. All of us here have met Adumbrae face-to-face before gaining powers.”

He wants to make it appear that it’s our free choice to accept the Core. Amber nodded as if taking in the explanation, looking at each of the group members. She didn’t want to become a test subject, even if it were the US government conducting it.

“It’s another factor for compatibility, isn’t it?” Reo said. “The desire to kill Adumbrae.”

“Not all Adumbrae,” Myra said.

Reo sighed. “Come on, Myra. You know what I mean. I’m friends with Kelsey. I’m helping look for her.”

“You’ll be helping our country,” Dario said. “If found compatible, training and everything else will follow. For what use is training if they couldn’t meld with an artificial Core?”

“That’s how you get people like me on the team,” Reo said, chuckling.

Everett laughed with him. “Wow, a self-deprecating joke coming out of you?”

“Self-deprecating? Wow, you’re using big boy words now,” Reo countered.

Myra snapped at them, “Shut it, you two. Adults are talking.”

Erind raised her hand, as if they were in class. “Uh, it’s a noble cause and all, fighting the 2Ms, but I don’t think we’re cut out for this.”

Amber quickly backed up her best friend. “We don’t have this strong will that you think we have.”  

“Try it first before deciding,” Dario said. “Johann’s incompatible. Nothing happened to him.”

 The fact that Johann’s still here with you doesn’t bode well for us, Amber thought.

“So, like, can we remove the artificial Core if it doesn’t work?” Erind asked. “Or it won’t stick in the first place?”

“We’ll see how it’ll go,” said Dario.

His evasiveness worried Amber. She recalled what Reo had said before demonstrating their powers, ‘I go last this time.’ They had done this several times before. 

“You’ve had other candidates before, am I right?” Erind asked, as if reading Amber’s mind. “What happened after they failed to, uh, meld with the Core? Johann’s still with you. What about the others?”

“A good question with a simple answer,” Dario said. “I wiped their memories.”

“Wiped their—?” Amber brought her hand to her mouth. “Your codename…”

“Correct. But it won’t work in your case. I can’t target specific memories. What I can do is blank out a day or so.”

“Think of it like getting passed out drunk,” Reo said. “That’s several hours gone. Dario can’t surgically excise a specific hour.”

“Surgically excise?” Everett scoffed. “Did you swallow a dictionary along with your fairies?”

“Ugh, you guys just don’t know when to keep quiet,” Myra said.

“Do you see our current quandary?” Dario asked Amber and Erind.

“Ye-yes,” Amber said as several threads of thought spun in her mind. “You can’t wipe our memories of the entire day because we need to remember about the 2Ms. That we were kidnapped by Adumbrae. We need to know we’re in danger and should flee.”

“The 2Ms will be busy cleaning up the mess we made,” Dario said. “But there’s no assurance they wouldn’t check if any of the people they had kidnapped survived—they’d eventually know about you and Erind. A few days, perhaps, before they take action. By taking the Cores, you’ll be able to protect yourself when the 2Ms try to kidnap you again. They wouldn’t expect it; you can fend them off. I hope you can see that this is for your benefit.”

Yours, too, Amber thought. She guessed this was the reason Dario took her and Erind to this base instead of leaving them. Wiping their memories wasn’t that helpful, if it truly worked that way. But Dario’s group could’ve thought of another way to ensure that she and Erind were safe.

Since Dario brought them here, he must be set on recruiting them. Or at least, trying to see if they were Core-compatible. Their safety wasn’t his concern, but rather a card to play to persuade them.

Amber realized that once she and Erind merged with Cores, they couldn’t betray Dario’s group. Going to the police or BID was useless; the authorities would assume they were Adumbrae. The secret organization behind Dario’s group, whether that was the government or not, most likely would kill them, too. They were essentially trapped the moment Dario took them here.  

“Don’t you want to keep your lives here in La Esperanza?” Dario asked. “Don’t you want to take revenge on the 2Ms for kidnapping you? Don’t you want to punish them for what they did to those innocent people? Aren’t you going to fight for what’s right?”

“We do,” Amber said. “But it’s better if we don’t do the actual fighting.”

“And we won’t be normal humans then,” Erind said. 

“You won’t be Adumbrae,” Dario said. “You’ll be super-powered humans. Artificial Corebrings.”

“It’s not so bad,” Everett said, trying to meet Amber’s eye. “Your body will change over a week or so. Some of the chemicals you have to drink taste bad, but they’re really important. Just gulp them down. We’ll support each other. You can always call on me if—”

“Woah, woah, hold your horses and your dick,” said Reo. “You’re skipping several steps here. We don’t even know if the Cores will stick.”

“What about afterwards?” Erind asked. “After, uh, let’s say we do get powers and defeat the 2Ms. What then?”

“We’ll continue to monitor how your powers evolve,” Dario said. “But you’ll mostly return to your lives, with no more 2Ms to fight.”

Somehow, I don’t believe that, Amber thought. She could tell that Erind didn’t either. Erind should’ve also picked up that they didn’t have a choice in this situation.

“You shouldn’t worry about the artificial Core on your chest either,” Dario continued. “Once you’ve completely melded with it, it’ll be absorbed into your body. You’ll practically be a Corebring. Isn’t that great?” he added in a forced cheery tone.

“What powers will we get?” Amber asked, trying to come to terms that she might become a non-human soon. It all felt surreal, like a dream. A nightmare. But it was all real, and she didn’t have a way to stop it.

“Is it like a lottery?” Erind wondered. “We don’t get to choose, do we?”

“Nah, the powers depend on the person,” Myra said. “Some of us have great powers. And some have ass powers.” She looked at Reo. But before Reo could retort, she loudly went on, “Our powers are based on our personalities and experiences. It’s what we’re told. Kinda is true, I think.”

“Oh yeah?” Reo said. “Explain your powers then.”

“I’m not paid to,” Myra haughtily replied.

“Can we have some time to think about this?” Amber asked, knowing that it would be in vain. “This decision will change our lives. It will literally change our bodies.”

“I’m afraid not.” Dario didn’t elaborate further, but the threat was resounding in the silence. He wouldn’t allow them to leave without getting what he wanted.

“Well… if we’re not compatible, then there’s no need to worry.” Amber slowly exhaled, defeated. If she and Erind refused to meld with the Core, Dario could knock them out and go ahead with the test.

Amber hated herself for being so helpless. People might think she had it all, brains, looks, wealth, but she was trapped in her life. She couldn’t do anything other than be a Leska. It was the same situation now. She was trapped with only one choice thrust to her.

“Becoming a Core Slot isn’t too bad,” Reo said. “Actually, it’s awesome. I can drink all the alcohol I want and never get drunk. Oh, wait. That’s a bad thing.”

“What did you say?” Myra asked. “Core Slut?”

“Slot, slot, okay? Slot, as in, the Core is slotted on our chest. I thought of it myself. We still don’t have a team name.”  

“You really should just stick to searching the internet for names,” Myra said, “instead of coming up with them on your own.”

I’m sorry, Erind, Amber thought. She couldn’t think of a way out. The most she’d be able to do was offer herself. “I’ll accept the artificial Core,” she said. “Only me. I don’t think Erind is fit to fight. She gets easily scared and—”

“No, no,” Erind interjected. “I’ll join you.”

“Erind wouldn’t say anything,” Amber said, answering Dario’s unspoken threat. “I’ll make sure of that. If I have the Core, I have to keep your secret.”

“I can’t let you do this alone, Deen. It’s my fault you’re in this mess.”

“What? I’m not blaming you for anything. It’s not your fault that the 2Ms targeted you. I’m your best friend, and I’ll be with—”

“I’m not going to let this turn emotional.” Turning to Dario, Erind extended an open hand. “Let’s get this over with,” she said in a trembling voice. “I just hope it doesn’t work. Although it’s a whole other bunch of problems if it doesn’t.”

Amber didn’t say anything more. In her deepest heart, she didn’t want to be alone in taking the Core.

“I admire your resolve.” Dario took out a small box from his pocket and placed it on Erind’s hand.

Erind jolted, eyes wide at how Dario easily gave it to her. He tapped the box with his index finger. It glowed and gradually became transparent, revealing a curious object suspended inside.

It was something organic, reminding Amber of an embryo in its early stage of development. About the size of her fingernail, it pulsated, as if alive, in sync with the light flowing out of it.

“The artificial Core?” Amber asked.

“Yes,” Dario replied. Another tap, and the box began to dissolve around the Core. A few seconds later, the odd object sat on Erind’s palm.

“What should I do?” Erind held the tiny Core between her index finger and thumb, examining it intently. Amber could sense her best friend’s nervousness. Erind pulled down the neckline of her shirt. “Just put it on or something?”

“Wait, I should go first,” said Amber. 

“Let’s do it together.”

Dario gave Amber her own Core. It felt cold to the touch, even though it radiated life. She unzipped her jacket, turning away from the group to hide her cleavage.

“Place it on your chest, on top of the sternum,” Dario said. “It will take root.”

“Take root, as in pierce the skin?” Erind asked, clearly worried by the pain. 

“Endure it for a moment, and it will soon fade,” Dario said.

Amber said, “On the count of three. One. Two. Three.” She placed the artificial Core in the middle of her chest. It suddenly became burning cold, as if she had touched dry ice.

Numbness followed, and then sudden pain. Amber yelped, pressing on her chest with both hands. It was wriggling. It was digging into her skin. It was revolting. Yet, her mind was occupied by the pain of the Core’s tendrils penetrating her flesh. Warm blood seeped through her fingers.

“You should’ve told them to sit, Great Leader,” Reo said. “The black-haired girl—Erind, was it?—isn’t taking it too well.”

Hearing that, Amber ignored the pain and turned around. Erind was kneeling on the floor, bending down. “Erind!” Amber managed to cry out despite the pain. She knelt beside Erind and touched her shoulder with a blood-stained hand.

“Endure the pain,” Dario commanded. “You’ll experience more over the coming days as your body changes to something more than human.”

“Man, can they really handle it?” Everett asked.

“They can,” Myra said in a bored voice. “We’ve all experienced it and came out fine.”

Amber thought she’d faint from the pain, but she fought back. She probably had a strong will, as Dario said. Setting aside her own suffering, she hugged Erind, showing that she supported her. Amber reached for Erind’s chest and felt her blood streaming. Pangs of guilt tortured her; she couldn’t do anything for her weak best friend. “It’s going to be alright,” Amber said. 

Erind twisted away from Amber’s touch. Her body shivered from the pain. She was suffering too much to be able to speak.

A few seconds later, the pain was gone. “Is it… over?” Amber asked, looking down at her chest painted red. Her white bra had streaks of blood. And there it was, the artificial Core shining brightly.