Kkay03:
Pls more update....i had to keep myself busy by reading all your other stories but now im done with them abeg post the next chapter or chapters.plsss

I'll try to post some more tomorrow bro, I'll have enough time as it'll be weekend by then.

Omotola would have screamed if she hadn’t lost her breath as they were sucked into cold darkness, she forced her eyes open into an inky dark as she saw her cubicle fading away like uncolored television, and then the light came back as sudden as it left dumping them unceremoniously on an unfamiliar floor with infrared lighting.

The other children recovered from the aftershock faster than her, she guessed it was thanks to having experienced it trice when they made for her cubicle picking themselves from the floor as they stared nervously around.

Shettima staggered, he face pale.

"Are you alright?" Orchid asked in concern. "Give me just a second to catch my breath." He answered, "I have never taken this much number too many times in one night."

“We have to walk from here, Shettima whispered looking tired but stubborn as he led them down the crescent corridor, “the red light here stops me from gathering enough shadow.’’

In silence they moved toward a great metal door yellowed with rust. A warning sign read: CAUTION’’ Quarantine Area….KEEP OFF!!! inked in great fading letters.

“The sign nearly had me turn back the first time.’’ he whispered as he punched some codes on the lock unit, “I got it from a doctor’s head the first time I tried the umm! Peeking into head thing, they change it every week or so I think, hopefully I have the latest pass code or things are going to get messy.’’ he replied in answer to their bemused looks as the metal barrier swung open.

They gathered outside for a moment, afraid to go in, in fear of whoever awaits them inside then summoning courage, they filed in behind Obiora’s larger form as he led them carefully into the forbidden chamber.

The room they entered was large and circular, filled from wall to wall with wirings and dials like the body of a giant generator, in the middle of the room an hourglass like device hummed. A box shaped steel cage sat at the very top surrounded by a moat filled with some glittering fluids that was definitely not water, the hourglass like machine sends the fluid up the cage steel bars and down, the bars of the cage shimmered whenever the liquid touches.

They stood gaping at the strange device and stepped back in alarm as the cage occupant rose up from its interior.

A creature gazed down at them, he was the tallest man they had ever seen. Taller even than Obiora and broader than Bature, dark cocoa skinned, cruel grey hawk like eyes on a face too hard to be called handsome, his long hair was braided up in corn rolls style and decorated with cowries. He had nothing on except a red hand loomed fabric kilt to cover his unclothedness from waist to his knees and held together by a snake skin belt.

Red coral beads adorned his neck and wrists, a solid gold band on each of his muscled arms the size of tree trunks, he stopped right at the edge of the glimmering cage bars glowing with a red aura as the children took in his features, his fierce gaze had them transfixed.

“Why children,’’ his bass voice rumbled like stormy weather, “is this the way you would greet your father?”

Stone faced lady stopped coming, a small victory at that. She was replaced by a nervous mousy old matron, who observed her rounds with an two armed Askari guards, she'd refused to attend to her without protection as she must have heard that Omotola was the one responsible for landing stone faced lady in guidance and counseling.

A month after the meeting in her cubicle, she was beginning to doubt if she would ever see her siblings again, maybe they have been taken away, maybe they were being overloaded one by one and her turn was just around the corner.

She woke up one night to see Babybaby’s chubby face all up in her face, she shrieked in alarm as they all laughed at her expense.

“This is getting old,” she said, trying to cover her embarrassment.

“Sorry, sorry Omotola, she piped, you slept like you were dead, had to check if you were britteling.”

“It’s breathing Babybaby,” Omotola corrected, sometimes she forgets she was only six, Babybaby was smart for her age, “all’s forgiven, I’m so happy to see you guys, I thought you were all gone.”

After the hugs and kisses, they shared news and stories about their ordeals, Omotola had to take a bow cos her own travails was nothing compared to the others, Obiora spent four days in the laundry room and Babybaby was not given sweets and treats for two days that she wished she was dead.

They would have chattered till daybreak had Shettima not put an end to their reminisce, he told them the heavily medaled general came with the doctor to inspect him but he did not know what traversed between them as he was scared to even attempt looking into the formidable looking general’s head.

He told them he'd finally found the floor where Logan was being incarcerated and if they needed to get something done they have to start now, on saying this, he told them to gather around him as he spread his dark wings to their full length, Obiora crouching to get at least a shadow from his wingspan then Shettima ported.

Chapter Twelve

But things took a turn for the worse as the classes they’ve always had together was canceled, Omotola had a sick feeling that the institute was trying to ease their separation by keeping them apart, like puppies about to be sold off, not siblings with humane feelings.

Drills and tuition became a private activity and their schedules were adjusted to reduce the chance of them being together but instead, the recent turn of event did nothing but agitate them the more as they began to act unruly, Omotola was beaten, prodded and confined to her cubicle without meals several times for asking questions, of course the institute needed someone to blame for that.

Because Katie was never seen again and she was replaced by a stone faced lady who ignored all attempts at conversation.

“Where’s Katie?’’

“Silence…”

“Who are you and when is she coming back?”

“More silence…”

“I bet you’ll scream if I lift you up and toss you from the balcony, I hope you’re a bad conductor of electricity lady, keep that attitude, cos we’ll soon find out.”

“Sniff…silence…”

Omotola wished she could say something positive, like she took a deep breath the way Katie taught her, reined in her emotions and felt a lot better but she lost her temper and zapped the letter “S” out of her new handler’s silence, stone faced lady screamed loudly enough to wake a dead man.

She was severally punished for this. Doctor Mugabe threw her in the laundry room as the institute staff called it, they all dreaded the place, she was hanged like a cloth to dry, her wings clipped to a power line that siphoned all the electrodes in her, using her as a conduit to power the machine, it was a torture slow and agonizing. Her shoulder blades attached to wings bearing her dense weight burned with pain as if they were being ripped off, she hung there screaming and sobbing for a day and an half before she was taken down.

Shettima seem to have lost his ability to talk until Obiora, impatient, strode over purposefully, lifted him up and shook him like a cocoa sack and then dropped him in disgust as they all protested in alarm, he moved back to his corner of the room to glare. The rough treatment seemed to worked, because Shettima coughed and continued, his voice hoarse.

“The mental contact was brief but I glimpsed enough to know Logan is in grave danger and so are the rest of us, they’re trying to make Logan overload on purpose. Like the rest of his generation in order to annex his abilities into machines they have already built that could copy and manifest our powers.’’

There was uproar at this; Omotola was surprised no Askaris came knocking at the racket.

“They plan to ship Obiora and I off to fight in some country in the middle-east, Orchid and Omotola to another facility in the United States and Europe respectively, Binta to overload, So they can annex her electro kinesis abilities, and finally they find Babybaby simply too volatile and dangerous, so they plan to put her down and absorb her powers into nuclear weapons.

“Not before I tear this place apart brick by brick’’ Obiora growled, his eyes already glowed scarlet.

“I don’t think I like this place anymore’’ Babybaby said, she seemed to be taking it quite well.

“We should leave now’’ Orchid chipped in.

“Not without Logan’’ Binta her normally cheerful face competing with Obiora’s rages at the moment. “we have to find where they’re keeping him and then we leave, right after tearing this place down brick by brick like Obi said.’’

It was one thing to make threats and form bravado, and another to carry it out. For a while they all stared dumbly at each other, the fear of the institute slowly suppressing the new found justified anger.

“What now?’’ Babybaby broke the awkward silence.

“We find out where they are keeping Logan then we leave quietly,’’ there will be no need to fight our way out. Shettima said.

“What about the mystery man’’ Omotola cuts in on Orchid as she was about to speak, she frowned but said nothing allowing her to continue. “We can’t just leave without knowing who he is and what he knows, where are we going to run to if we succeed in breaking out? This facility is all we know as long as we can remember.’’

They then argued on for some time until they all finally agreed to let Shettima figure out where Logan is being kept and then bid their time in order to plan out a successful jailbreak.

Chapter Eleven

Something woke Omotola in the dark. She squealed, panicking until a familiar voice hissed at her to hush it, she brushed her hair from her face and glared balefully at Shettima.

“What’s the big idea Dracula you want to give me a heart attack?’’ He smiled apologetic, "sorry if I scared you, but it's really important that we talk.’’

“You saw me at drills just this morning,’’ Omotola growled irritated, ‘’I need my sleep, and haven’t we agreed you quit your midnight strolls for a while? You’ll ruin everything.’’

“Change of plans, I saw something else’’ he cuts in so sharply she shuts up fast, “if we have to leave we should leave soon.’’

“You have a nice cubicle, she heard a deep voice said.’’

She squealed again in alarm, her wings flashed electricity so bright Shettima flinched, then she saw Obiora chuckling, his twin Orchid stood beside him grinning in amusement, carrying a sleepy Babybaby astride her hip, then Binta jumped unto her colt to hug her, her black curls braided into a corn rolls.

“Perfect’’ Omotola rolled her eyes to cover her embarrassment, He brought the entire 5th generation with him.

“I had to bring us together,’’ Shettima said, in answer to the; explain the meaning of this; expression look on her face.

“It’d better be a good reason or else the doctor’s wrath won’t be the only thing you should fear’’ Obiora warned, his wings stirring restlessly at his back, his great size seems to make Omotola’s cubicle smaller.

“This morning’’ Shettima whispered urgently as they all quieted down to pay attention. “I overhead one of the doctors saying our performance at the big domed hall impressed the sponsors but concerns were raised about the destructive powers we displayed, which left quite a number of them arguing about how a threat we could be to the outside world, and questions about how much of a control the institute has over us,’’ his colleague then replied and said, by the time the RPA project is complete, there wouldn’t be any further issue and further need and reliant on the origin.’’

Binta frowned, “what's an RPA and what has that got to do with us?’’

“Don’t you get it?’’ Shettima snapped, irritated at their bemused look. ‘‘RPA means regeneration prototype annexation, the regeneration prototype is Logan and the annexation has to do with the new test they’re carrying out on him that seems to be killing him, and the origin might be the man I told you about, something about no longer needing him when they’re done. I did something I had dared to try once only and entered the doctor’s head, it was so sudden he complained of a headache and left the lab immediately but not until I have found out the institutes plans for us.’’ he finally stopped talking with a shudder.”

For a while, they all stared dumbly at each other.

“What did you see?’’ Orchid whispered nervously.

priestchurch:
Tnx alot for d update

Chapter Ten

As I once again fled to the solitude of dreams, the weaker I had become, the weaker my grasp over my dreams as I was instead swept into memories I had no desire to remember. To my chagrin and shame, I was forced to re-live them all, the pains and regrets and this particular one I was swept unto like the erratic flow of a river pregnant with rains.

I saw myself strolling through the slave markets of Ajashe Ipo; now known as Porto-novo, invisible to the eyes of the the mortal traders and merchants. The gathering of clouds and the distant rumble of thunder heralded my arrival, the traders throwing a few worried glances at the sky wondering whether it might rain.

All this I ignored as I moved closer to the objects of both my curiosity and loathing. The foreign Portuguese merchants.

For a while I stood and watched the foreigners argue with Yorùbá, Fon and Ewẹ traders, haggling and bartering goods, salts and gold in exchange for slaves and gunpowder. Anger bristled in my chest as the rumbling sky responded to my emotions, the nerve of these smelly pale intruders to seduce my people into selling their brethren and religion for material things. My hand grabbed unconsciously for Ọ̀she as the battle axe hummed eagerly in anticipation, thirsting for the blood of white men. Not wanting to taint Ọ̀she with their foul blood, I resolved to strike them down with a bolt of lightening but stopped as I perceived the smell of blood and iron, my nose flared in annoyance, Ogun of Irê has arrived.

“What do you want Oshìn imolè.” I quarried, “do you now follow me around at the behest of Obàtálá like the proverbial housefly with nothing better to do?”

“hold your peace Jakuta.” Ogun answered with a bored voice, “this is a place of trade, and I am the god of commerce, surely it is you who intrudes on my place of influence, I do not come seeking conflict for I am not dressed for it.”

Shango turned to look at the war god and saw that he was appareled in his other form, as an aspect of commerce and trade, he was dressed like a wealthy merchant with a silver weighting scale at the end of a chain. “any aspect you may take I care not Ônire be gone your way and leave me be.”

“Chaos follows you wherever you go Jakuta.” Ogun sniffed in annoyance, “I do not care whatever you do as long as you take your restless spirit away with you from my place of influence for today is for commune and not conflict.” Ogun followed the sight of my glare and continued. “surely I do no need to remind you that all traders are under my protection.”

“You dare to protect these alien vermin?” I raged, “even after everything they have done? Spreading blasphemy against our pantheon, provoking the fire of greed such that men are forced to sell their own flesh and blood, stealing and taking advantage of their welcome, I thought you had honor.”

“Do no talk to me of honour Koso for you have no outa of honour.” Ogun snapped, “you flaunt the laws of Obàtálá, your actions set all these in motion, you are not blameless. “Your demi god son Afonja’s romance with the fulani brought about the imale religion and the loss of Katunga to Ilorin thus further waning our influence and plunging the Yoruba nation into years of conflict. For decades you interfered in the affairs of mortals, provoking young men into risking their lives for glory, your bastard off-springs with mortal women causing chaos and disrupting the course of history, blameless you are not god of thunder.”

Mottled with anger, I was about drawing Ọ̀she when a sense of forbear warned me of the approach of a being of power.

“Greetings great sage.” Ogun ignored me to welcome Orunmilla the Orisha of wisdom. The elder god has taken the form of a very old man appareled in silken cotton thrown over a shoulder toga like, his mane of hair and beards as white as corn meal, he watched us both with deep ancient eyes filled with reproach.

Instead of panicking in the face of this sudden onslaught, their lifelong trainings automatically kicked in. In a flash they spread out, wings flashing electricity, the group watching from above forgotten, Obiora was right, this is what they do best.

Binta worked her body into a blur, blitzed forward to meet the charging machines and dropped the first set of drones in a blast of electricity as Obiora charged the group of giant robots pounding the first in line into matchwood and then hurled the ruined metal unto it's mates.

Babybaby leapt on Shettima’s back as he rendered both of them intangible while a cyborg cat leaping for them crashed through them against another cat Orchid had frozen into popsicle.

Omotola rolled under the swiping fist of a robot, clubbed at it with her wings, the electric charges from the contact sent it sailing through the air away from her towards Obiora who punched it to the ground with so much force the hall trembled, the lab have placed some flower pots along the hall from which Babybaby grew great vines that wrapped around a lone cyborg cat strangling it faster than it struggled, Orchid drew water from a nearby water tank she froze into sharp spikes that brought down nearby drones.

The harsh daily drills they'd always ensured seem to come to fruition as they fought together in tandem, it was as if they knew one another's thoughts, they leapt and weaved rhythmically so mesmerising that to the watching gentry's uptop it was as if they rehearsed it.

Shettima dived into the robots like a spectra, causing them to malfunction and run into each other while Obiora pound them to smatterings at his leisure, Binta danced with the cyborg cats, fists encased in hardened force field like a boxing glove as she and Omotola fought side by side while the latter flicked acrobatically cutting a path through them with her razor sharp wings.

In a moment the impressive robots, drones and cyborgs that came out all deadly and shiny were garbage junks sizzling and smoking as they littered the domed hall floor.

The group watching from above stared stunned at the carnage below for a full minute, the whole place was silent except the occasional sparks from the children's wings, their panting breathes and the final dying coughs from the ruined machines and then broke the silence with hollering and applause.

The medaled man beside the doctor only nodded his head to show how impressed he was as their handlers suddenly appeared to ushered them out of the domed hall, Omotola looked back and caught the medaled man cold eyes at the same time, sending a cold shiver down her spine as the great doors closed behind her.

They were soon left alone in room, flushed with adrenaline and excitement before it dawned on them that for once no one was watching them, With a nugde of encouragement from Omotola, Shettima gathered them around quickly and told them what he told Omotola the night in her cubicle, their flushed faces morphed into confusion then fear.

“What are we going to do? I don’t want to be separated from you guys.’’ Babybaby sobbed.

“No we’re not going to be separated; we’ll figure something out’’ Orchid said pulling her into a hug.

“They’ve seen what we are capable of’’ said Obiora his face still sleek with sweat, “they wouldn't dare.’’

“We could go now when no one's watching.’’ Binta chipped in. "but we still don’t know where Logan is been kept, we can’t leave without him.’’ Orchid said.

“Easier said than done’’ Shettima answered in his quiet voice, the doctors are not stupid they would have made a fail-safe against our powers, and things could go wrong before we barely started, we just have to bid our time and whereas this lab is all we’ve ever known since we could walk, talk and fly, we were born here, the outside is alien to us, we just have to meet the creature I saw and talk to him, maybe he can help us.’’

“I thought you said you met him’’ Omotola accused.

“No I didn’t’’ he fired back, “I was afraid and alone, I ported away as fast as I could, but together we can face him and talk to him.’’

“Are you strong enough to take us all there?’’ Obiora asked.

“Yes, I think I can if there’s enough dark to manipulate.’’ He answered nodding.

“Leave that to me,’’ Binta smiled mischievously. “just tell us when and the quarters lodge electricity would be out of commission for a while.’’

“Shettima’s right, we’ll have to bid our time’’ Omotola said finally putting an end to their arguments, "no more stunts for now, no more mischief Binta, even you Shettima, no more midnight strolls, the institute have to let their guards down for this to work and no telling our handlers." she finished as she glared down meaningfully at Babybaby. “If Amaka finds out, then the doctors will know and we will be separated and you’ll never see us again.’’

“I won’t tell I promise’’. She gasped, her eyes the size of saucers.

Just then, the door opened putting an end to the rebellious meeting as their handlers headed in, a rare happy looking doctor Mugabe at their lead.
..............................................................................................

Chapter nine

They found themselves in a large dome shaped hall, bigger even than the halls they used for drills, the spherical roof inlaid with glass windows from which a group of people stared down at them, dressed in business suits, army uniforms and lab coats, Omotola noticed doctor Mugabe standing with a stern faced broad shouldered man in an army suit decorated with so much medals she wondered why she wasn’t hearing the jingling down from where she stood.

“Can someone tell me what’s going on here?’’ Orchid whispered nervously, they were alone now, their handlers had silently withdrawn.

“These people own us,’’ Shettima said so quiet Obiora had to lean forward to hear him; they’re here to watch us do what we’ve been trained to do since we learned to walk and fly, the 5th children were silent as his words sank in.

“What do they want from us?" Babybaby asked, her lower lip quivering.

“To do what we do best’’ Obiora replied this time, his eyes glowed red, fight!!!

“Distinguish Ladies and gentlemen.’’ Mugabe’s voice croaked over the speaker, ‘’you are here to witness the success of evolution, see there before you are the origin of a new generation of man, do not be alarmed for what you see are not angels out of myths but the evolution of many species combined to form a perfect gene. Strength, speed, resistance to diseases of any kind, possibly longitivity and extra ordinary abilities, I give you the 5th generation children.’’

The group of distinguished ladies and gentlemen clapped listlessly as they looked down. At their wings, at Obiora’s height they stared with interest in their eyes.

"They are not made just for beauty." the doctor continued, sit back and see what they are capable of for they are gods among men, begin!’’ he croaked and the door on the other end of the hall opened, vomiting giant robot sentinels, combat drones with laser guns and large catlike cyborg prototypes with wicked sharp claws and bloodcurdling yowls made a beeline for the children.

“I always have that dream too, of a man being tortured’’ he whispered urgently, ‘’that was the main reason I was here, I wanted to come show you, this man I think could be the answer to all our questions. After days of having the same nightmare I simply had enough to call it coincidence and began to port around the facility at night hoping I would find if he really existed’’, he paused to catch his breath stretching Omotola’s tension to the limit.

“But right after our trouble with the doctors I stumbled upon him.’’

“Who is he? Can you take me to him?" Omotola said dizzy with nervous excitement. Suddenly, a sound in the hall way had them frozen for a second, then Shettima got up, ran across the room to the corner he came from, turned around as Omotola heard his voice in her head.

“They must have found out I’m not in bed, next chance I get I will take you there, goodnight Omotola.’’

On saying this he turned on his heels gathered his wings around him, misty smoke blended him with the dark and he was soon gone, panicked, she switched the night light back on and dived back gracefully unto her colt, faking a snore, her cubicle door slide open as Katie entered with some other people.

‘‘I do not see the reason why you have to wake me up in the middle of the night to check on my handle captain,’’ she heard Katie complained.

“We are following orders to check up on the assets ma’am,’’ said a deep voice that must be the captain’s, ‘‘some dangerous 1st generation creature escaped from its cell, we have been told to check on the children for their safety.’’

‘‘At least try not to wake her up’’ Katie’s voice cuts in, ‘‘she’s had a long day and she’s quite bummed.’’

‘’As you wish,’’ the captain replied stiffly and commanded his men to search the room, they were not quiet about it and Katie grumbled and growled so fiercely they quickly performed their duty and left.

Omotola sighed in relief as the door hummed close and turn over to stare at the ceiling. Shettima was not the reason they were here, hoping he made it to his cubicle on time, thinking about what he told her, she dozed off.

The next day, she was confined to her cubicle as the institute was still on lockdown, she acted surprised while Katie told her about yesterday’s incident, the rouge jail breaker was yet to be apprehended, she couldn’t help but envy the reptile that seemed bent on not giving up on its freedom, it was when Katie said the creature has camouflage skin that made it semi-invisible and it’s poisonous bite dries up its victim’s blood until they become dry husk diverted her sympathies to the Askaris sent around to find it.

The rest of the weekend was spent indoors with Katie the only visitor, reading the books she had brought her. Another few days passed by the time she was allowed to see the rest of the children again. That morning, they were all gathered together except Logan, dressed in matching uncomfortable tights that have been designed to adapt to their powers. Red on Obiora, White on Orchid, Omotola’s tight was reddish brown like her hair and spotted with green like the spattering on her wings, she felt ridiculous as the tights made her looked like a leopard that escaped a paint shop, a large symbol of the G.R.E.G.S labs at the front.

Shettima threw her a knowing glance as they were lead up above the ground level they’ve never been to, the rest of the children had a confused slightly nervous look on their faces. Amaka fussed over Babybaby as she tried to get her to calm down in order to arrange her rainbow colored tights. At last the elevator stopped with a ding as they were again led on by another set of mapper drones, newer and studier than the versions used at the ground levels.

Chapter eight

After waiting for two hours into the night which felt like days, Omotola was beginning to doubt whether she got Shettima’s message right and when she was about calling it a night a sound made her jump.

The electricity in her wings flashed defensively, by their lights she watched in fascination as Shettima stepped out from a shadowed corner of her cubicle, his charcoal colored wings spread around him like a cloak. Omotola grinned in greeting. He smiled back then moved around checking out the room.

“I thought you wouldn’t get my message’’ he whispered, took me a while to find where you sleep, I stumbled into Orchid’s cubicle while she was shaving her legs, her room so pink and bright I could barely find a dark place big enough to escape with.’’ he made a puking face and gave another rare smile as Omotola chuckled.

"What took you so long?"

“My own cubicle has been renovated with bright fluorescents lights to stop me leaving, but they forgot to put one under my colt, imagine the great Dracula porting from under a bed.’’ he said, eyes twinkling as they both laughed.

“Why do you risk punishment to be here Shettima? He paused at this, his face back to its familiar scowl.
“Because I needed to tell you something, something that I was not supposed to know, cos this facility is not as it seems." he whispered, fear on his slant grey eyes.

“I knew you saw something’’ Omotola sat up breathless, “what did you see Shettima?"

“Enough to change my mind about this place’’ he replied pacing nervously round the room, “you are the only one reasonable enough could talk to, Binta jokes with everything, I asked Obiora what he would do if he ever had a chance to leave, he just shrugged and asked why would he leave, have you ever wondered why we were always weak and drained after we’re taken for testing, they are cloning our abilities and when they’re done?"

“We would be of no use to them; Omotola whispered; her voice hoarse with fear.

“When I first manifested my porting ability, I used it only to flinch foods from the kitchens, then I realized I could do more than steal foods to spying on the doctors, see why they’re so obsessed with every new ability we manifested, why we were created and for which purpose, for this week or soon, I know some government people and private companies will be coming to see us, I had a hunch they're the ones the lab works for, we are just weapons made for them, why is it that everyone of us have distructive powers except maybe for Logan’s healing abilities, you don’t see Obiora working in a flower shop. I reckoned if they’re satisfied tomorrow we may be shipped off to locations unknown or worse separated.’’

Her heart skipped a beat at this, separated? she had known the children ever since she could remember, Shettima’s warnings brought back memories of her nightmares, with a sigh she opened her mouth and told him, his face was impassive as always, she was grateful he did not laugh at her, what he said next was just wasn’t what she was expecting.

Shettima had developed another ability with the institute unaware, she sighed; the doctors will not be pleased.

“Are you alright love? Katie asked, she must have sighed loud enough to have caught her attention.

“Yes I’m fine’’ she answered absently, the plump handler hummed to herself as she dutifully checked Omotola’s vitals on her tablet, satisfied at seeing nothing amiss, she chuckled and asked if she was having boy trouble with the way she was chasing Shettima up and down the past week, the confused look on Omotola’s face must have been hilarious as laughter brought tears to her eyes.

It took a while before what she meant became clear to her, blushing furiously she brushed past Katie as the powered door to her cubicle slides open, the latter came in right after chuckling to herself.

“You know love I think it’s normal for girls your age to have crushes, at least some girls like me were quite unfortunate to waste their first crush on some bloody plonker simply because he’s buff, but Shettima’s quite the catch you know, she said as she winked mischievously.”

“I am not crushing after any boy; Shettima’s technically my brother, eww! And I am not normal’’ Omotola growled as she flung herself on her colt wincing as a wing scattered the contents on her side dresser. ‘’What do you think will happen to us when we’re done manifesting our powers Katie, what if Logan overloads and dies like the rest of his age group, will we ever see the outside world or grow old and die here like Bature.’’

Bature was one of the 4th generation misshapen prototypes, horned like a ram built like a boulder, yet he had been so gentle the institute allowed him to walk freely around sometimes running odd jobs till his death, his body taken away for testing and recycling, useful even in death. Katie smile was wiped out of her face as she arranged the scattered contents back on the dresser.

“I will pretend I never heard you love,” she said. ”I’m supposed to report anything strange to the doctors, they are scared enough with you all getting stronger, thinking and acting for yourselves, you aren’t supposed to be, they said you’re weapons that's not supposed to ask questions.’’ Then she shuts up wide eyed like she had said too much.

“Weapons?,’’ Omotola prodded, “what are they preparing us for.’’ but she was unable to get anything else from Katie as she prepared her for the night, kissed her goodnight, smiled and jokingly called that against protocol then left her to her thoughts. For a while she stayed awake staring at the ceiling thinking about what Katie said and Shettima’s words till it hits her, shadows.

Shettima ports through shadows, she jumped out of her colt to click off the power source, throwing the cubicle into darkness, and then sat waiting.

Chapter seven

Obiora returned to drills after a week in the labs, pale and spent but happy to be once more united with his siblings, the 5th generation children were allowed to eat and be together for a few hours thrice a week, asides that they only saw one another at drills and classes where they were taught by grizzled old professors and learnt different languages under the watchful eyes of their handlers.

Omotola’s handler, Katie was kind to her and sometimes told her about her own life outside the institute which was against protocol; Amaka, Babybaby’s handler adored her and spoilt her terribly. The rest of the handlers took their jobs quite seriously and Katie once said they feared the children and their abilities but feared the institute more; she would expertly change the discussion to new topics whenever she tried to get her to talk about the institute.

It was after Obiora’s porcupine stunt that the doctors began wondering if they could force the children to manifest more abilities under duress, unfortunately they were ushered one after another to the labs for harsher experiments, to the painful microbes and syringes. As the weeks ran by, they began to see less of Logan every day, and by the time he was let out of the lab, he had grown so lean a shadow of his jolly self, his golden curls dull and stringy whenever he was asked about his where about and the changes to his body, he would simply smile and said he was just been passed through tests to evaluate the limits of his powers so his regeneration abilities can be cloned into serums.

That sounded like a productive thing but not at the expense of Logan’s health. Concerned, they began to ask questions but the institute did not like these new and curious 5th generation and punished them quite often.

Confused and scared, they began to act unruly and rebelled every chance they had, Shettima’s handler was relieved from his job when he lost his charge quite often, Orchid’s handlers were doubled and were given protective head bands to wear against her suggestion ability, the institutes power supply suffered numerous shutdowns, delaying entire operations with Binta trying to wipe the look of mischief off her face, until the doctors had had enough punished them by cancelling drills and other events except classes in which they were not allowed to talk with one another.

Omotola began to notice changes in Shettima whenever they were gathered for their lectures, he would stare at nothing as if remembering something spooky he was trying hard to forget, Orchid also took notice and asked him, he would open his mouth to say something then glanced nervously at the ever present cams and the ever present Askaris would said nothing.

Nothing scared Shettima; he rarely showed much emotion and these sudden fidgeting meant he must have seen or known something they did not. The others left him to his devices since he never really talked much.

One day he stared long and hard at Omotola that she could have sworn he was trying to get into her head and then received a shock that made her jumped ten foot in the air when she heard his voice in her head, one of the Askaris stared at her for a while before losing interest.

“Allow the shadows in your cubicle tonight.’’ She heard Shettima’s voice said in her head then the alarm shrilled; signifying class was over for the day and their quality time together over for the week as their handlers hustled them out. Allow the Shadows?, she wondered as she was led out.

"Bullocks my boy, where do you think the sudden rise in technology advancements come from, asides from the fact that these companies are meddling in affairs we know nothing about, they own no allegiance to the empire and may choose to offer trade partnership to the french. During my sojourn in Africa, I have seen shamans that healed near fatal wounds to call it shinanigans, mystics that defiles the very logic imbued on us by civilization, which I believe you will see for yourself as soon as you land, there are powers we know nothing about that could implode and swallow us all and it is in the hands of these companies, that is your mission captain if you are up to the task." Lord Rawlings leaned back on his chair as if the long speech was draining as he stared at the bemused captain.

"I know you may not believe everything I've said my boy but I implore you to look into it as soon as you get to these shores, our future depends on it."

Long after captain luggard left lord Rawling's manor, he believed the old man's head cooked from all the African sun during his tenure as governor of the west African colony.

"I had another dream today." Omotola said, her therapist simply grunted, not taking her eyes off the notes she was writing.

"Everybody has dreams dear, it's a normal phenomenon."

"I think they're are real, I think it has to to be events that are happening or has happened, it seems to be quite vivid, do you think it's my power manifesting? Maybe I guess."

"Hmmm." was all the woman said as she scribbled away. "present her to the labs for further testing, miss Katie, the doctor finally said, ignoring Omotola as if she wasn't there. "if there's any new changes with her metabolism, the results will see to it."

Omotola bristled and nearly told her about her other dream of the tortured man to see her reaction but wisely held her tongue, she remembered D-44, a 4th generation cyborg that was taken away to the labs and was never seen again for asking too much questions.

People tends to disappear whenever they break doctor Mugabe's rules, the old head mid-wife for example, she was responsible for naming all the children, before that they were identified by numbers, by the time they began to answer to these names and nothin else, it was too late, she was gone by the end of the week.

A lab attendant who began to take a shine to Orchid was summoned before the doctors and poof he went. Only the full duty staff were allowed to talk to the children, not even all the workers in the institute was previged enough to know they existed, after all they weren't the only things developed in the building, they were kept on the most restricted of floors. Once a wandering staff found their floor by mistake and saw the children eating in their mess hall in all their winged glory, she fled screaming like one pocessed and of cos she went poof as well and was never seen again.

Chapter six

A sleek black carriage pulled up at Westminster alleyway, the door pushed opened as the occupant, a gentleman step down into the cold English morning, he waved a dismissing hand towards the manservant hurrying to his aid.

His red jacket inlaid with polished brass buttons introduced him as an officer in the imperial army. He moved briskly up the stairs to the manor to the already opened door where he was ushered in by a tall smartly dressed butler.

"Lord Rawlings is expecting you captain." He said, The captain's grunted in reply and allowed himself to be led down the hallway towards the manor lord's study where a portly elderly man sat waiting.

"Captain luggard, please have a sit" he coughed over his pipe smoke as the young captain saluted. "My apologies for summoning you in such short notice my boy but i see the need to see you before you sail from our shores, I do hope you are looking forward to your assignment." Lord Rawlings said as he shooed away the butler.

"It is an honour to serve my king and country your grace." The captain replied.

"And I have no doubt that you'll see it done lad." The older man paused to puffed at his pipe before continuing. "I brought you here because of a matter of utmost importance which to me supercedes your primary assignment."

"With all due respect my lord what could be more important than the expansion of the British empire and stopping the French from annexing all of West Africa."

Lord Rawlings chuckled in reply, "captain how much did you know about my report to the house of lords on my return from exploration?"

"Not much your grace, some hocus-pocus and superstitions about some native creature." He smirk was cut short at the serious look on the older man's face.

"Hibbie jabber you say, I assure you captain my idiotic colleagues from the parliament may have turned a blind eye on the discovery from this so called institute but I tell you boy, the real power has been handed over to them, more valuable I say than the resources we derive from these colonies."

"I'm led to believe my mission is to amalgamate the native tribes into a British colony my lord and not to meddle in the affairs of private trading companies."

priestchurch:
Tnx for d update bt like Oliver twist, we want more...

I'll drop some more tomorrow... I appreciate the feedback bruh

Chapter five


I groaned as I dreamt, the mortal pain from which had I fled followed me into the world of dreams, gods do not dream. We simply used it as tools to commune with men, manipulating their present, past and future, but sometimes we retreat to these fascinating realms in mockery of slumber, to garner rest and grow strength.

I flee there often to escape my anguish during my captivity. But now I dreamt of my youth, long before I became a deity; a Yoruba warrior prince of the old Oyo Empire, I was the youngest son, the eldest; Eweka, ruled as the Oba of the kingdom of Benin, the second; my older half-brother Ajaka, was crown prince of Oyo, shackled by duties of state, watched me with jealousy as I gamboled round the empire and beyond, carefree and wild, the parties and dances were where you would find me.

I was not far from skirmishes, conflicts and adventures, the duties of a prince were the least of my problems, that burden was for another. When our father Oranmiyan the conqueror joined his ancestors, my brother Ajaka became the Alaafin of Oyo but he was a shadow of our warlike sire, preferring peace and shunning violence until some subject kingdoms became bold enough to claim their independence and rebelled. Fearing for the future of the empire; the kingmakers had him dethroned and to my misfortune, I was called back home to sit on the throne of Oyo.

I gave the empire what she craved, conquest’’ I crushed the rebellions and my campaigns ate up every tribe that dared to face my rampaging war-boys. They were stamped flat till there was no country powerful enough to halt the might of the Oyo cavalries. The tribesmen were subdued as dried reeds bends before the harmattan wind as I stand astride the savannah, a colossus amidst men, I earned my glory, moving out from under my illustrious father’s enormous shadow until I have dipped Oshe; my double bladed battle axe into the sea, I returned back to the capital.

Power as the elders says intoxicates, for with greater power I became a tyrant. With no one bold enough to give battle I became bored and restless, for I had no patient for the wiles of court, I craved more power, for I already possess the power of men, I also longed for the supernatural might’s of the Orishas (deities). I employed powerful herbalists to make charms for me, I bathed with and drank magic draughts till I almost lost my humanity, I became insane with power, an offending noble was swiftly punished by hurling lightning bolts down on his or her compound, for ‘Ara’ the spirit of thunder was the first element that bowed to my will, for it came in form of a thunder stone which I threw at my enemies at will, earning me the name Jakuta; (hurler of stones), ‘‘Iji; the element of storms came willingly for I used it quite often, with it doing what it does best with enthusiastic glee, I became a god king and all trembled at my name but still, I wanted more, and that began my undoing.

“The rest of the specimens are to be confined to their cubicles for the rest of the day without dinner, that's enough to think about the next time they decide to become bad eggs.’’

Babybaby started but Amaka her handler held her shoulder stopped her with a warning shake of her head as he continued.

“Miss Monroe and the twins are to write a report on why they almost started a coup at their stations and in which they are to convince this facility why it should still retain their services, now the rest of you no lollygagging, go about your businesses.’’

On saying this, the doctor turned on his heels and strolled out of the hall hands folded calmly behind him.

“That went well,’’ Logan smiled as the staff dispersed and the rest of the 5th generation children were being herded out like sheep by their handlers, mapper drones and nervous Askaris guards.

“That wasn’t fair’’ Binta moaned, “These wings are as big as we are and could turn on us if we don’t feed them.’’

Logan chuckled, “believe me the doctor seems to be in a good mood, I remembered the punishments used to be much more severe." They chattered on asking Logan about his health while he smiled and answered, Logan smiled a lot. tall and athletic, curly hair like a cherub, gentle despite his age and powers, the rest of the children on the other hand had tempers like a warthog with a boil on his butt, his single golden brown wing must had been beautiful to look at with its missing half.

Omotola didn’t realize she was brooding alone until Logan asked her joking if she was taking over Shettima’s ability to brood. She opened her mouth and was about telling them about the nightmares of the man with the tortured wail and the men in white coats that unsurprisingly looked like Doctor Mugabe and his fellow scientists, but the cctv cams, the patrolling robot sentinels, the Askaris and the ever present mapper drones kept the words back as she shook her head instead in answer to Logan’s question.

Chapter four

What is the meaning of this?

A very familiar voice changed the mood in the training room with the speed of light, the very voice feared by everything and everyone in the institute. Doctor Mugabe the institute head scientist walked in followed by Logan and a few of his colleagues in tow.
The crowd moved back respectfully as he walked slowly towards the scene, hands folded calmly behind him as Logan rushed forward to heal the twins, hands glowing with electric current.

“What is the meaning of this Miss Monroe?’’ Doctor Mugabe asked again, his voice cutting through the dead silence, filled only with the occasional sparks from Logan’s powers as he healed the second twin. “Can you not carry out your simple duty without bringing the whole institute down on us eh.’’

“But professor,’’ Fortuna started.

“Miss Monroe, there’s a reason you were hired to be a drill instructor, to make sure the combat exercises doesn’t blow out of proportion, so explain to me why you seem to lag at your duty in controlling the specimens."

only doctor Mugabe still called the children specimens or use numbers to identify them, to him they were just objects of research. Fortuna was fidgeting, Babybaby seem to find it amusing because she wasn’t looking so tough now.

“The children were out of control professor, Obiora attacked the twins using his abilities when he was supposed to drill hand to hand, when I ordered him turned over for punishment the other hatchlings disobeyed direct order and turned against us.’’

“That’s not true; Babybaby cried, unfortunately bringing the doctor’s attention to where they stood fidgeting.
The doctor stared at them, cold fear ran down Omotola’s spine as his listless gaze swept past her, he had been known to put a specimen out of commission if he deemed it too below standard for his satisfaction, by commission; meaning disposal, eradication...you get the picture. A tall bony old man, heavily bearded, his bright beady eyes defining the mad genius of a mad scientist.

Babybaby too young to keep her mouth shut yapped on explaining how the twins mocked Obiora to anger resulting in him injuring them.

“He didn’t try to wound them on purpose, his wings caught fire and shot at them because they made him mad professor sir.’’
That got the doctor’s attention. He ordered for a video log of the fight to be brought to him.

“Interesting,” he croaked, oblivious to the gathering standing nervously around him as he watched Obiora showering the twins with the feathered dart from his wings replayed over and over again. “The pyrokinesis enhanced specimen seems to have evolved more around his abilities by directing his flaming wingspan to eject quill-like, in which unserviceable feathers are once again useful, fascinating.’’

The doctor seems to be in a lab of his own as he mumbled to himself. The twins fully healed helped each other up caught his attention.

“You boy, he croaked pointing a bony finger at the stricken Obiora, ‘’since how long have this abilities been procured.’’

“Huh, I don't know sir, I just did it errr it just felt right at that moment, Obiora shrugged.

“Fascinating the doctor croaked, once more, the subject of his attention forgotten, ‘’Mr. Lawal, report your handle to the lab for testing immediately, you should report any new development amidst your handles, it is what you are being paid to do.

“Yes doctor.’’ Obiora’s handler replied as he nervously ushered the glum faced boy out of the drill hall.

Bobosneh:
all I could say is wow. I'm just speechless. wonderful write up op.

Thanks bro...I appreciate that

Still raging, Obiora dived down to finish them off and that was when all hell broke loose as workers fled from his path, Orchid screamed at him to stop, the Askaris marched forward laser guns raised, too late to save the wounded twins, their doom inevitable until Babybaby suddenly darted in front of Obiora’s charge, he skidded to a stop, the red mist faded from his eyes, ashamed as Babybaby glared up reproachfully at him.

By then they were surrounded by Askaris yelling at him to stand down, Fortuna forced her way to the front and ordered them to apprehend him for misconduct, blind with righteous anger, Omotola didn’t realize she was airborne until she had landed right in front of Obiora and then glared right back at the drill instructor.

“The twins asked for it, she said, “they were supposed to spar with him not taunt him so they got what they deserved.’’

“Stand down Omotola or i will be forced to use extreme force, how dare you,’’ Fortuna shrieked, goggled eyed in outrage, move aside now or else you will be punished along with him.

“No! You stand down,’’ Omotola yelled back surprised at her boldness, I’m tired of you treating us like animals, you cannot afford to provoke him without consequences, and if someone is to be punished for misconduct it’s the twins.’’

“That’s enough’’ Fortuna growled ‘’take her down as well.’’

The Askaris moved forward to obey then hesitated when Binta dashed up to join Omotola, literally blurring in and out of focus with adrenaline, then Orchid glided down like a ballerina, innocently staring down at her nails.

The last straw was Shettima, he rose up spectral-like from the solid ground; cold black eyes that makes you think of broken bones and emergency rooms.

“Move back’’ he said in his quiet voice but the stuned training room was so silent it was as if he had yelled.

The Askaris really moved back this time around, Fortuna was speechless with rage and a new feeling she had always hidden within her, never before had the 5th generation disobeyed direct command or look this threatening it was chilling, for the first time a new barrage of emotion swept across her face, Fortuna Monroe was afraid.

Chapter three

An intended cough brought them all back to attention, the drill instructor Fortuna Monroe frowned down her nose at arms akimbo; her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her face would have been pretty if it wasn’t scrunched in a permanent scowl; the children disliked her, she mutually felt the same towards them and made it her priority in life to make their life miserable.

Without further ceremony she barked orders at the children, as they were placed under the supervision of instructors who in turn were watched by her sharp eyes.
Orchid’s trainers were having a difficult time putting her under control until Fortuna had no choice but to take over her drill in person.

Orchid’s lithe fragile looking body and slim snow colored wings gave her an innocent appearance of perpetual harmlessness like her name.

“Looks can be deceiving, look at Orchid” was the constant gossip among the facility’s staff.

She could control water, freeze and boil any matter containing fluid and could make an impressive cyclone when she was having a good day, but what made her powers deadly and unpredictable was that she could manipulate brain fluids, more like suggestion control, making the victim sees what she wanted them to see, like your random illusionists, “look into my eyes, what do you see…of course you’re not here, I see nothing here, move along.”

Only Fortuna Monroe seems to be able to put her in check simply because Orchid was always nervous around her.

Binta seems to be enjoying herself as she turned her veteran combat instructors into punching bags, blurring in and out of focus as she sparred.

A human body is made up of 80% fluid, Binta's body was 50% electricity. Unlike the rest of the 5th generation children who had electricity confined only to their wings, she was electro-kinetic and manipulates hers to perfection, she could move at lightning speed and could also create force fields to make up for her lack of strength. Omotola stood gaping, marveling at her rapidly developed speed; she seemed to be faster than she was at the last drill, as electric current flowed up and down the length of her body.

She starred on distracted until her own training instructor punched her lightly on the cheek, more annoyed than pained; she focused on him and zapped him back in retaliation with electric charge from her wings.

Omotola was yet to develop an ability, which both managed to shame and annoy her at the same time, even Babybaby had cool powers, the doctors said she might be a late bloomer and might or may not develop one eventually. She instead made up for her lack of ability with her strength, superior sparring skills, and her stronger wings which seem to give off more electrical charge than the rest of the children.

“I get to make the party brighter.” She murmured bitterly as she vented her anger unto her poor instructor.

Obiora was having a difficult time with his spar partners, the Brazilian twins had been in the institute for as long as they can remember. The rumors among the staff claimed they could be one of the generations. Versed and skilled in martial arts and acrobatics, they twist and dived all around Obiora punching and kicking then back flipping away from harm’s way with the reflex of house-flies faster than he could react.

Obiora began to lose his temper; his scarlet feathers began to smoke as his eyes glowed red. The twins choose to ignore the warning signs as they began to taunt and whooped at his failure to land a blow.

“It wasn’t as if they could survive a single punch from him, if he so much as succeeded in landing one anyway.” Omotola grimaced with concern as she took a step towards the brawl. Fortuna commanded her sharply not to interfere, by then; everyone had stopped what they were doing to look.

Obiora in spite of his size was slow to anger and when he cracks, he was also slow to calm, she nervously wondered why Fortuna was doing nothing to stop the so called one sided combat training, the twins are out to get him in trouble, the rest of the 5th generation children watched in silence while the trainers and drill workers cheered on the twins as Obiora smashed a gym equipment from which a twin leapt a second ago while the other whooped and called him names.

Obiora finally snapped, with a roar he spread his already flaming wings, sprang into the air then did something they had never seen him done before, he pulled his wings back and flung them towards the twins, fiery feathered darts rained down on the French twins. Even their acrobatic skills didn’t prepare them for this one.

They were struck down in a shower of feather darts screaming.

Logan at twenty two was the last surviving member of his age group, the first litter of 5th generation children.

They’d all died of overload during testing which had also left him crippled with one wing that gave him so much constant pain he had to report quite often at the labs. Despite his physical deformities, he was the most powerful of the children.

His regeneration and degeneration abilities were fearsome, he could put together a broken glass, regrow severed human limbs, heal mortal wounds, and once, he healed some staff that fell off his cubicle balcony and broke his spinal cord. He could also reverse his regeneration powers and can use it to disintegrate solid organic matter.

Obiora’s powers manifested during one of his tests. He had gotten upset when he complained he was too big for the oval shaped testant pods he was being scanned on and that it cramped his enormous wings, in a fit of rage destroyed it by setting it on fire they had to build him a bigger one, his great size which also came with enormous strength and weight so dense that when he’s on top speed the institute was yet to find something that can stop his momentum, the institute pushed him harder than the rest of the children to ascertain the limit of his strength.

Omotola looked over at Shettima as he found a corner to brood which didn’t do him much good as Babybaby went over to harass him, they all chuckled as he mildly tried to ignore her, showing no pinch of emotion, Shettima’s powers were scary, if the children weren’t aware that he adored Babybaby like the rest of them, they would have held her from trying to play tag with him.

He was a telepath, like that wasn’t enough, he could render himself intangible and semi-invisible, he could move through solid objects, his wings black as night could blend him into shadows, technically porting him from one place to another, they had jokingly compared him with the Dracula movies they had watched the rare times they were given old movies to watch but they never said it to his face, but she suspected that with his telepathy he already knew.

Babybaby was the last to manifest her powers. She was electromagnetic and could manipulate the earth’s core, as she was still young she’s had difficulties controlling her powers and it goes haywire whenever she was upset, the last time she went out of control was when her favorite doll was taken from her cubicle for sterilization, her tantrums nearly pulled down the institute building until the doll was quickly returned to her, she was quite spoilt. She also had a slight control over plant life forms, they laughed louder as she tried to hold on to Shettima with a vine she just grown as the latter tried to escape her.

Chapter two

The 5th generation children were created and bred in the institute. A group of abnormally enhanced children drilled daily to harness their abilities.
Winged and agile, strong and deadly, they were weapons trained since they could walk. Rumored to have been a bastardization of numerous genes and human embryos placed into human women to develop.

Penniless and at desperate times, they had been approached by the institute where they were cared for until they were relieved of their bundles of joy and then moved on with their lives, well compensated and acclaimed to have contributed to the glory of science, or so they said.

The surviving children were seven in number, the remains of numerous casualties; after series of trials and experiments.

Logan was the eldest, it was when his wings became strong enough for flight that he began to manifest other powers, and then the D.R.E.G.S began to pay the children more attention than the other prototypes and specimen created in the institute.

How they came to be known as the 5th generation was because they were not the first project. The 1st generation was a sub-group of mutated rodents and arachnids, a minimal success because had it failed the institute might have dropped the project for another.

The 2nd generation were the drones and virtual machines and A.I robots upgraded with advance technologies, the 3rd, a mixture of human and android body parts, it was during the 4th stage that they began experimenting on humans and there they were faced with series of failures, accidents in which they only managed to created misshapen mutated humanoids some of which still lurked around the institute.

Then finally, the 5th generation became the peak of their achievements but they wanted more, putting the children through series of tests to accelerate them further into their full potential. It was these extreme tests that killed off the first set of the 5th generation children.

As they walked towards the rest of the team, Babybaby as she was fondly called was the first to notice their arrival. She spread her rainbow colored wings and glided towards them, a bright smile on her cute chubby Asian face, genuinely glad to see the others after a long weekend apart. She was the youngest of the children, just clocked six, a favorite amidst the staff and some doctors in the institute.

Obiora looked up to acknowledge them from where he was bench pressing, his broad face as black as coal, the biggest of them all, at sixteen was taller and more broad shouldered than every adult male in the institute, his great crimson wings spread out behind him. His twin, Orchid lounged nearby, watched him with admiration welcomed them with a smile, she was the prettiest of the children, her stark white hair and peanut butter skin, a startling contrast to her twin’s darker skin, snow white plumage as slim and graceful like a swan’s.

“Where is Logan?’’, Omotola asked her. Orchid shrugged but Babybaby answered.

“He had to check back at the sick bay again.’’

Having watched videos of birds and their wings, Omotola knew the 5th generation children’s wings weren't as fragile but were hard as steel and sharp as knives, they were not made only for graceful flight; they were deadly weapons of both defense and offence.

An hour later, she left her cubicle and headed down the facility corridors led by her handler, a mapper drone and a handful of masked armed guards called Askaris to protect the institute’s staff from the children and the other generations.

The mapper drone hovered midair, humming with advanced technology acted as a navigation guide through the enormous facilities. She studiously ignored her handler Katie, a plump short bright faced middle aged woman who chatted on in her throaty British accent about her schedule for the day and her weekly checkup with the doctors and took little notice of her brooding as they finally stopped in front of the quarter’s lodge elevator exit.

There they were joined by Binta and Shettima, fourteen and fifteen years old respectively, 5th generation children with handlers, mapper drones and guards of their own.

‘‘Morning Omotola,’’ Binta called over rather loudly, mischief on her pretty brown face as her handler frowned down at her. She also boasted an athletic physic like Omotola but that was where the resemblance ended, she was a lot shorter with curly black hair and spotted brown wings shrugged restlessly at her shoulders.

Shettima mumbled his greetings and went into the elevator to wait for the others, mild boredom on his handsome Middle Eastern face. They gathered in to join him and the elevator purred into motion dinging as they passed each floor. After a long series of dings, it finally stopped and the mapper drones lead its occupants out via twists and turns till they got to the drilling unit where the rest of the children were already waiting.

Chapter one

May.2030

The nightmare woke her again, she groaned as she stirred lazily to check the digital alarm clock beside her colt. It was 4am, she groaned again. Drilling starts by 5 and she knew there was no chance to steal a little bit more sleep, she lay back down to ponder over her constant dreams, dreams which she had begun to get used to that she didn’t wake up screaming in terror anymore, it had always been the same nightmare every night, the blood curdling screams of a tortured man, flashes of lights and the grim goggled faces of people in long white coats.

She had been trying valiantly to bare it all in silence, but the constant bouts of sleepless nights were already telling on her performances at the daily drills, if there was somebody to talk to, she would have done that already but the fear of being taken back to the lab, prodded, injected by the painful probes to find out any malfunctioning in her system had kept her lips sealed.

She once tried to confide in her best friend and sibling Binta, but the 5th generation children were constantly under watch and even if she did succeeded in disclosing her dreams to her, she doubted Binta would know what to do about it.

They were simply known as the 5th generation children or Meta-human prototypes, Omo Abami, and other numerous names given to them by the different staffs of Darwin Regeneration and Evolutionary Genetics alias D.R.E.G.S Labs. With another groan, she forced her body out of bed to wash.
“Since i cannot go back to sleep, i could as well get ready for the day.” She mumbled as she stood before the ceiling to floor length mirror, staring at herself for a full minute, a fifteen year old palomino skinned girl with reddish brown haired and sharp grey eyes stared back; she was larger than her age, and broad at the shoulders. That was as close as she got to looking normal, a normal fifteen year old do not have wings, lift weights three times larger than her size, runs twice as fast, a normal fifteen year old would either faint away or run like crazy, screaming her head off when she sights an anomaly like her, it wasn’t that she was hideous, she just wasn’t normal.

“It’s not as if I see other girls my age anyway,” she talked to her reflection as she forced herself into her facility tights.

She was born in the facility and had never seen the outside world. Spreading her aching wings, occasional simmerings of electricity raced across their beautiful plumage, red brown like her hair and laced with a splattering of green. She smiled as she thought of swooning and fleeing teenagers yelling like banshees.

dragonstar14:
great story
keep it up
please can u tell us when you'll be updating so as to be aware

thanks...update drops tomorrow afternoon,and then I'll try to be consistent,at least every two days..cheers