Duo

The dust kicked up a little and I, with my partner, used the device they were given to count the number of persons in the concrete box we presume is an office. There were very few buildings left. The parts that stood were shifted and molded into other items of use. This block box? This must have been a part of a small dry cleaners. The racks were still present. Nothing is as it was but you could make out a thing or two. It had been nearly seven years since the time of drought and ruin. Nearly seventeen years since the world warred over biological weapons and people whose DNA fit enough to create super soldiers or marvelous monsters. There were actually men and women who depended on the exchange of gases only experienced under water. Yes, we have mer-folk around now.

Science. Genetics. Mutations.

Back to the matter at hand, once we had our eyes on the prize. We prepared to move in. What are we doing staring at about four very large, seemingly enhanced individuals? Well, come along and see.

“I say we go in Western-like.” My gun-happy cohort offered. “There’s only four of ‘em.”

“What does our up-and-coming leader ask of us?” I wanted him to remember.

He gave a face. “He isn’t going into that building, is he?” The eye roll I gave must have reset his thinking. He then added. “Well, we can be more diplomatic and knock. Pose as the agents we are.”

“There is one other way.” A voice that neither of us recognized entered the conversation. We turned to it. One of the Four stood before us, clad in a black jumpsuit. “We can drag you in.”

Of course, that suggestion was more of the selection of the day and the two of us, the idiots of the hour. On a good note, we didn’t even notice them drag us into the building. Unfortunately, we must’ve been knocked out real hard in the head in order for any of them to do that. The swoon I got when I came to did prove it.

I searched the cold damp room “Where are you keeping him?” I asked, just as another strengthy somebody came toward me. “Where?” My voiced rattled a bit more than I’d like. I didn’t bother to wrestle free from the bully holding me up.

One of them uttered. “Getting the sarcasm emptied out of him.”

I heard a familiar groan and turned my head to find my partner laid on the floor with bruises and blood that told of how indeed slick his tongue was. He caught my gaze and smiled. “I’m alright. Trying to ask them to stop the pounding on my face so I can answer a question in a way that would benefit us all.”

The pain on his face should prove his weakening. The two men that attacked him dragged him to his feet. I, myself, had a difficult time speaking after a while. I tried to wiggle my nose as they dragged us to another room. The nose was broken. I was chained to a chair, arms bound behind me. I must have broken my wrist as well. “You got me good.” I sighed.

There was a man sitting nearby. He had a few syringes set up. Wonder what for.

“You think you’re humorous?” he uttered. He also wore black but in a suit. Where’d he find a suit? “You are not the first to come looking, searching. You are the closest though.” He stood. “Unfortunately, you will never find the serum. The only one of its kind, the H-SL, will have only one carrier and that person will dominate this desolation of a planet. All will know me. I will be the only one, Leader.”

I glanced at my partner. He was not as verbal a few seconds ago. “I must interrupt to admit something to you. “ I looked at the cocky bastard and scrunched up that broken nose of mine. It seemed to feel better. “Something I think you should know. There isn’t only one and, “I paused. “ I know where the one you stole is hidden. “

The new stranger gave a guttural laugh. “Tell me. Where is it hidden?”

“Yes,” My partner called out to me. “Tell him.”

I had to smile. My partner seemed more awake right then. “How ‘bout I show you?”

Suit man’s face was stern but the twitch of the eyebrow proved that I was getting an audience. What happened next required one. I exposed my freed hands and watched as each one of them step back. I shrugged. At that moment, my partner thought it best to relieve himself of the two muscles henchmen that earlier had subdued him. He broke them in the places they had believed to have broken him. It was only fair.

“You see, the maker of the H-SL asked us to personally retrieve that serum. We are not in habit of failing or falling short of our goal.” I looked over my shoulder at the thugs who decided to attack me with my back turned. I used my chair to let them know how much I did not appreciate the sneak attack. They were down soon enough.

“What’s left?” My partner came to my side.

I looked at the last man standing. “What is left?”

“You’ve taken the serum?” Our adversary wondered.

“No.” My eyes noted the swell in his left jacket pocket. I ran my hand through the man’s chest and yanked as much flesh as I could onto the ground. The small, silvery, cylinder fell to ground seconds before that jerk hit the cold cement floor. “I am the serum.”

“I still think my entrance would have saved us at least fifteen minutes.” My partner came in close to view the vial. “Why H-SL?”

“During the time of the biologics and the dessert wars,” I began to explain. “the mutations of the air and sea, there was a little girl whose father had a plan for her protection that included a mutative gene and a partner of great strength and regeneration. He hid the plans for the serum in a heart-shaped locket her mother had given her. “

He smiled at his understanding. “H.S.L.” He then nodded. I copied his action. “I’m that partner of great strength, right? Would be kind of embarrassing if I wasn’t”

What will happen now is anyone’s guess. There were deserted cities and abandoned countries to get through before we reached my father with the last of the serum.

“And the metal maniacs, the grunge people that have no name, Pirates of all shapes and sizes…” He had to remind me.

Yes, marvelous and great trials are ahead, but we can manage it.