Caged Alpha: Project Chimera

Chapter 2

Just before Casey could set her foot through the threshold, the General reminded her, "Keep in mind this is a top secret facility Specialist Peterson. I trust that you will remain... discreet." "Yes, sir," Casey responded, her military discipline kicking in. She met the General's gaze with a firm nod, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. Discretion was ingrained in her training, but this request emphasized the extraordinary nature of the circumstances.

She entered the room, the door clicking closed behind her, echoing a finality that resonated through the room. The room she had entered was brightly lit, its atmosphere one of stark and bleak sterility. All the uninviting metal furniture in the room was bolted to the ground and there were CCTV cameras in every corner of the room. There were four soldiers in the room, each of them holding a bigger, more intimidating gun than the last. They looked uncomfortable. She might even go so far as to venture, scared. In the center of the room she saw what the fuss was all about, but it made little sense to her.

Under the bright halogen lights stood what Casey could only describe as a cage. It was big enough for a tall man to stand in comfortably, and maybe probably the same width. It looked a little longer in length and for some reason, it immediately reminded her of the old cages they used to use to transport circus animals in the old cartoons she used to watch on Saturday mornings when she was a kid. The cage had thick metal bars, and from what she could tell, there was no door or any kind of opening she was aware of. In the center of the cage was a man. The source of all this fuss. He looked normal enough, though he was naked and kneeling with his head bowed, looking at the floor of his cell. He looked absolutely ordinary, aside from his general demeanor which conveyed a sense of utter defeat, but there was something else. Some underlying aura that this man exuded. A darkness. Something vengeful and primal and brimming with fury.

She still couldn't see his face, his gaze remained locked on the floor in front of him, but she could see that his dark, wavy hair reached just below his jawline. It was disheveled and messy. He had a number of scars from past injuries, peppered all over his body, not to mention an assortment of cuts and bruises over his skin, though none of which appeared to be serious or life threatening. The man was an enigma and Casey wanted to get closer. She was immediately intrigued and felt the need to know more about him.

Casey took two steps forward before the General grabbed her by the elbow, pulling her back. "Stay behind the line," he said, pointing to a line indicated on the concrete floor by some type of red tape. Casey nodded, "Yes, sir," she murmured, acknowledging the order, but confused as to the reason.

"Now, Specialist Peterson, this might be difficult for you to comprehend, but here before you, sits a werewolf," the General explained matter-of-factly. Casey was stunned. Was this a joke? Was this some kind of military hazing she wasn't familiar with? She couldn't help the weak giggle of disbelief that escaped her lips, feeling like she must be the butt of some prank. She studied the General, looking for any hint of deception, but she noted none. From what she could tell, he was serious.

A look of shock swept over her face and her eyes were once again drawn to the man in the cage. He looked so normal. So ordinary. Moreover, werewolves don't exist! Casey's mind was racing as she grappled with the thoughts that assaulted her mind. There was no way this could be true. It had to be a joke, and to be honest, she wasn't in the mood for it. She had heaps of paperwork to get through, a generous gift left by her predecessor, and this was a total waste of her time.

Casey was about to express her apprehension to the General, respectfully, of course, when he spoke. "I'm sure you're struggling to come to terms with this new reality. One where werewolves and vampires and mermaids exist, but I assure you, this is real. Things you thought were just stories to scare kids are actually real. The world you thought you knew is a lie. This is the real world," the General explained with an air of arrogance.

Casey was about to object. To deny this obvious nonsense, when he gave her a sharp look, almost challenging her. "Do you know why you're here, Specialist Peterson? Do you know what this facility is for?" he asked, derailing her trail of thought. "It's a geothermal energy research facility, sir," she explained, her tone resonating with certainty and confidence, but her eyes were now fixed on the man in the cage as she began to reconsider this. General Armstrong smirked slightly before he continued, "And what do you think your purpose is here, in this 'geothermal energy research facility' as a Cryptologic Linguistic Specialist?" he asked, glaring at her with searching eyes as he awaited her answer. "That's above my pay grade sir. I have a job to do, I do it. I don't ask questions," she asserted in a firm tone. The words almost sounded rehearsed, she thought after they had left her lips. "Well, your pay grade has just been increased, Specialist Peterson. You are now part of the inner circle," the General stated with a friendly smile that never reached his eyes. "Welcome to the research facility of Project Chimera. Allow me to introduce you to Subject 5, our werewolf," he continued, gesturing towards the man in the cage. "There are many similar rooms to this around the facility, mostly on this level, but it's likely that you will never have access to them. They house.... different subjects," the General explained, choosing his words carefully. He paused now, allowing Casey to take in this revelation.