Project Songbird

Chapter 8

I didn't find any cameras but it still made me nervous. I made my way back to the table that had the blueprints.
"There must be a way out of here."
I tilt my head, trying to get a better understanding.
"Are you still trying to find a way out?"
I jump and turn to see Felix.
"What are you doing here?? I thought you weren't allowed."
He chuckles lightly, "Not allowed, funny." He makes his way further into the room.
"I didn't mean for it to be funny." I watch as he continues until he's looking at the blueprint himself.
"What are you doing here??" I repeat.
His sharp gaze meets mine for only a half a second, "Why are you so motivated to find us an escape?"
"Well, why wouldn't I be?" I question.
"Do you have something waiting for you on the outside?" Felix's hand traces the lines on the paper.
"Uh, other than family-?" I start.
"I mean someone close, do you live with someone?" He clarifies.
"Nope, just me." I answer.
"Then why do you want to leave so badly?" His piercing blue eyes feel like they're staring straight into my soul.
"Why do you want to stay here?" I counter.
"Do you really want to know?" His eyes narrow as if judging me.
This is it. Now or never.
"Yes, I want to know." I nod.
"It'll change the way you look at all of us. If you can't handle it-"
"I can handle it." I reiterate.
He folds his arms over his chest and closes his eyes as he ponders.
"I want to know! I want to help you all make it through whatever is stopping you from escaping." I say.
He sighs a bit, almost like he is regretting his decision.
"Fine, I will tell you." He steps closer and grabs a hold of my arm.

~Flashback Felix's pov~
"Are you sure this is the way?" I glance over to my friends Mark and Jack.
Mark looks confident.
Jack seems worried.
"I've staked this place out for several months, there is never anyone here." Mark whispers, "All we have to do is climb out this way and we will all be free."
"Alright, send them through. Mark and I will watch the rear." Jack nods his head to me and I return it.
"Okay everyone, make your way towards me!" I whisper shout to the group behind us. There were so many of us. It made me feel so uneasy to do this all at once.
At least it was only the volunteers.
I began helping them through the worn out part of the wall that led to the outside. I could smell the fresh air.

"That should be everyone right?" I turn to Jack, who nods, "Yeah. Let's go."
I help Mark and him through before I follow them myself.
"What does it look like?" I ask as I'm still making my way through the hole.
"Is it pre-" I stop as I stand only to see every single one of the volunteers slaughtered before us.
"What happened...?" I utter.
Neither answered me.
"Guys?" I turn my head to see Mark on his knees, muttering over and over that it should have been safe.
Jack was shaking, it sounded like a crying laugh was escaping him.
Mark suddenly stands and turns his head up to the top of the building, "They did this." He bites his lip so hard, it begins to bleed.
"They did this!" He shouts, his beautiful white wings fall to the ground, immediately replaced with huge black leathery wings.
"They need to die!!" Jack shouts with the same anger, his beautiful white wings also fall to the ground only to be replaced with huge black leathery wings.
"Guys...?"
Mark takes off with a huge pump of his wings and Jack swiftly follows him.
"Wait!" I was absolutely concerned and hurried to catch up to them. Their new wings were much more powerful than mine. They were so fast!
I hear glass shatter.
I make it to the top to see Mark and Jack standing in the top room.
Scientists gathered on one side, most had the face of shock; this is new to them.
"You will reap what you have sown." Mark points a finger at the group.
Jack bends his legs like he's going to pounce forwards.
"You have taken innocent lives, all for your stupid tests, now I will take yours." Mark growls. Jack's wings tense and I have to cover my ears as an inhuman screech is released from his mouth.
"Die." Mark hisses.
Jack launches forward, suddenly he is covered in some kind of black tar-like substance. Horns grow out of his head and his fingers turn into sharp claws.
The group splits as Jack lands on one.
The man screams are drowned by Jack's screeching.
He swipes his claws across the man, decapitating him.
"Oh my God! Jack!!" The words slip out.
Mark tilts his head back to look at me, he looks exactly like Jack; now they are sporting tails.
His eyes are a deep crimson.
"What's wrong Felix? Don't you want to join in?"
"You're... you're sick!" I yelp.
"What's happening? Why are you doing this!"
"Whatever do you mean?" Mark raises his arms, "We are merely righting a wrong."
"By killing them!?" I shout.
"Don't tell me you wouldn't do the same. After all they've done to you, to us." Mark turns to face me.
"N-no! Of course not!" I shake my head.
"Really? Not even after you learn what they did to your beautiful love?" Mark smirks.
"What do you mean?" I frowned, "Everyone knows that Maria was just sick." 
"But she wasn't, was she?" Mark turns to the closest scientist, grabbing her by the collar of her lab coat.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" She whimpers as Mark lifts her off the ground.
"No use in lying now Sweetheart." He grins, showing off his pointy teeth.
She's shaking violently.
"Oh, come on now, tell dear Felix what happened to his beautiful wife." Mark moves his face closer to hers.
She squeezes her eyes shut.
"Don't tell!"
I barely make out a whisper from behind me. I glanced at the remaining scientists then looked back at the one Mark was holding, "What did you do?"
"Go on, tell him." Mark sounds like he is losing his patience.
"We can't have pregnant women here with these tests!" The woman gasps out.
"What...?" I don't understand.
"Dear Maria was pregnant Felix, the reason they didn't come back was because they killed her." Mark explains.
"Killed...ah-!" I grip my chest.
There's a sudden pain.
"They killed your unborn child!"
"AAAHHH!!" It felt like something snapped in my chest followed by more pain. My knees hit the floor, I grip my hair. "It's not true!"
"It is true!" The woman yelps; Mark forces the answers from her by breaking her arms.
An inhuman screech leaves my own mouth.
There on the ground lay two beautiful white wings.
I stand as the pain subsides.
"That's better." Mark grins.
I return the smile, "You're right, they do have to die."
~End Flashback & Felix pov~