Government Secrets
Aria's POV
The helicopter came out of nowhere.
Black metal and spinning blades dropped from the sky like a giant insect. Soldiers in combat gear rappelled down ropes before the aircraft even landed.
"Run!" I shouted to Elena and Kael.
But it was too late. Red laser dots appeared on our chests. Twenty rifles pointed at us from all directions.
"Aria Castellano," a woman's voice called out. "Stand down."
A figure stepped forward. Asian features, short black hair, wearing a suit that cost more than most people's cars. She moved like a predator in expensive clothes.
"I'm Agent Sarah Chen," she announced. "Department of Supernatural Affairs. You're coming with us."
"Never heard of it," I replied, silver light gathering in my palms.
"Most people haven't," Chen said calmly. "We prefer it that way."
"What do you want?" Elena demanded.
"Your cooperation," Chen replied. "The world is ending. Thirty-seven ancient entities are loose. The Devourer is heading toward Seattle. We need your help."
"Then why the guns?" Kael growled, his Guardian form glowing brighter.
Chen smiled coldly. "Because you supernatural types never listen unless we make you."
More soldiers emerged from behind trees. How long had they been watching us? How much did they know?
"We have something that belongs to you," Chen continued. "Someone, actually."
My heart stopped. "Adrian."
"Subject X," Chen corrected. "Your twin brother. Our most valuable asset."
"Where is he?" I demanded.
"Safe," Chen said. "And very well trained."
A new helicopter landed behind the first one. The cargo door opened, and my world tilted sideways.
Adrian stepped out.
He looked exactly like me, but wrong somehow. Same dark hair, same brown eyes, same face structure. But his movements were mechanical. Cold. Like a robot wearing human skin.
"Adrian!" I called out, taking a step toward him.
He didn't react to his name. Didn't even look at me.
"Subject X doesn't respond to civilian names," Chen explained. "We removed those memories for efficiency."
"You what?" Elena gasped.
"Wiped his past," Chen said matter-of-factly. "Family connections create hesitation. Hesitation gets people killed in his line of work."
I stared at my brother. No recognition in his eyes. No warmth. Nothing that said he'd ever been a person who loved or was loved.
"What did you do to him?" I whispered.
"Made him perfect," Chen replied. "No fear, no doubt, no mercy. The ultimate supernatural hunter."
"He's not a weapon," I snarled. "He's my brother."
"He's whatever we need him to be," Chen shot back. "Just like you're about to become."
Adrian moved closer. Up close, I could see scars on his hands. Burn marks on his arms. Evidence of hard training and harder missions.
"Do you know who I am?" I asked him directly.
Adrian studied my face like he was memorizing a target. "Aria Castellano. Class-A supernatural threat. Sister of Subject X's original identity."
"Original identity," I repeated, feeling sick. "You mean yourself."
"Subject X has no previous identity," Adrian said in a flat, emotionless voice. "Subject X exists to serve."
Tears burned my eyes. They'd stolen my brother's soul and left an empty shell behind.
"We've been using supernatural prisoners for years," Chen explained, clearly enjoying my pain. "Vampires, werewolves, witches. Turn them into soldiers and point them at our enemies."
"That's slavery," Luna said in horror.
"That's efficiency," Chen corrected. "Why fight supernatural threats when you can control them instead?"
"The other entities that escaped their prisons," I realized. "You're not trying to contain them. You're trying to capture them."
Chen smiled. "Very good. Thirty-seven new weapons for our collection. With your brother leading the hunt, we'll have them all within a month."
"Over my dead body," I said, power crackling around me.
"If necessary," Chen agreed. "But we'd prefer your cooperation. Join us willingly, and we'll let your sister live. Refuse, and we'll turn her into Subject Y."
Adrian stepped forward, and I noticed the weapons strapped to his body. Guns loaded with silver bullets. Blades coated in wolfsbane. Tools designed to kill supernatural beings.
Tools designed to kill people like me.
"Subject X," Chen ordered. "Demonstrate your capabilities."
Without warning, Adrian attacked.
He moved faster than humanly possible, power radiating from him like heat waves. My twin brother, the person who should have been my closest ally, came at me with lethal intent.
I barely dodged his first strike. A blade whistled past my ear, close enough to cut a few strands of hair.
"Adrian, stop!" I pleaded, backing away. "It's me! It's Aria!"
"Subject X does not recognize that name," he replied, pressing his attack.
We fought across the field where Papa had died. My brother's moves were perfect, trained, deadly. But they were also cold. No passion, no creativity, just mechanical efficiency.
"He's been conditioned," Luna shouted over the sound of our battle. "Complete personality reconstruction."
"Can we reverse it?" Elena called back.
"Not without killing him," Luna replied grimly.
Adrian landed a hit, his fist connecting with my ribs. Pain exploded through my chest, but I forced myself to keep moving.
"I don't want to hurt you," I told him, dodging another attack.
"Subject X feels no pain," he responded. "Subject X fears nothing."
"What about love?" I asked desperately. "Do you remember love?"
For just a moment, Adrian hesitated. Something flickered behind his empty eyes.
Then Chen's voice cut through the air. "Subject X, complete your mission."
The hesitation vanished. Adrian's attacks became more vicious, more desperate. Whatever brief spark of humanity had appeared was gone again.
I realized with growing horror that I had two choices. Let my brother kill me, or fight back hard enough to hurt him.
Neither option was acceptable.
"The Devourer is three hours from Seattle," Chen announced, checking her watch. "We need Subject X in position to capture it. Finish this."
Adrian pulled out a gun. Not aimed to wound or disable. Aimed directly at my heart.
"Subject X recognizes target," he said in that horrible flat voice. "Preparing to eliminate."
Elena screamed. Kael lunged forward but was tackled by soldiers. Luna started chanting a spell that was cut off by rifle fire.
I stared into my twin brother's eyes, looking for any trace of the person he used to be.
I found nothing.
"Adrian," I whispered one last time. "I'm your sister. I love you."
His finger tightened on the trigger.
"Subject X has no sister," he said coldly. "Subject X has no family."
The gun fired.
But instead of shooting me, Adrian suddenly spun around and put three bullets into Agent Chen's chest.
"Actually," my brother said, his voice suddenly warm and alive, "Subject X remembers everything."