Lines Blur Between Beast and Men

[Dust]

Dust’s sights were square on the man who’d interrogated him before, with a bit more defiance in his eyes than last time. It might have been the weakness that did it to him, the feverish nightmares, the internal struggled in the massive man’s heart that shouldn’t exist. Whatever the reason, he was ready more than ever to fight. Yet, still able to keep a leash on his actions enough not to outright attack. For one, there were hundreds if not millions of soldiers to stop him before he could attack the seemingly defenseless doctor. But also because he couldn’t see what benefit it would gain him to attack when this just seemed to be interrogation part two.

The doctor made a show of going through some files he’d had tucked away in some corner of his perfectly organized desk. Dust looked them over but he didn’t have the vision needed to read any of the fine print from this distance. He did make note of several files that stacked to one side and a single one on the edge beside his own which was open where they’d left off. A stack of apparent fan made stories and a few pictures of him as he had taken on Centurion.

Wolf knew that these files must have been The Avengers he’d been helping this whole time. He guessed the thickest ones were those with real promising power or stuffed full of additions to their permanent records. He tried to measure his own up with the stacks, but his angel left him without a good enough view.

Dr. Thomas picked up the coffee mug as he stood upright, moving around the desk and into Hokori’s line of attack. Wolf noticed he was relaxed, though he looked as if he had a lot on his mind to say he didn’t speak. Instead, he stirred the steaming liquid around with a silver spoon.

Dust’s heart still pounded in his chest from the abrupt actions that had him planted here, his whole body rose and fall as he took deep breaths. The chains clattered loosely before tightening again with every exhale and inhale. Still, the good doctor didn’t say anything.

There was a knock on the door, and then Dr. Thomas excused himself by placing the mug down and going outside. On his return a few moments later he had a guest. Crimson eyes went from Thomas to the stranger in a blink and bore into him as if he was a threat. He narrowed his eyes down on the stranger, his instincts pushed fire through his chest and every muscle in the werewolf prime’s body tensed up defensively.

The quick reaction must have made the new guest uneasy, Dust could see the hesitation in Mr. Lynch as the lean figure takes the invitation to take a seat. The mastermind of this plan offered a metal chair just as Volk sat in but with fewer straps, chains, and cuffs. It was a bit too close to the intimidating prime that was The Dying Star for Koal’s apparent comfort but he took it with a couple side glances.

Dust has already proven these percussions were a sham, but other than the observing parties and the doctor the binding methods should look sturdy. Either the younger male thought better just by his sheer mass, or he had didn’t trust his roommate anymore than Wolf did.

“Now.” Thomas started, picking up his cup and sipping his hot drink. “I hope you are comfortable gentlemen.”

“Not really.” The other male said, the Contractor beside him noted the strain in his voice despite the sarcasm coming through his lips.

“Good.” The doctor addressed or rather ignored their complaints. “Onto our business.” He said walking over to sit back down on his desk. It was still in the corner, apparently as far away from Dust as he could get while remaining in the room. It didn’t give Mr. Lynch any comfort about who he was sitting next to. “Hokori Hoshi, meet Koal Lynch. Koal, this is Dust.” He introduced them, waving the pleasantries off. He looked down into the files open on his desk. “Koal is guilty of almost every crime in the book. His favorite flavor of chaos seems to be murder. However, we have a list of things he’s done in his spare time and the Empire is not happy about it.”

“You’re one to talk.” Koal spat out, apparently something the doctor said rubbing him the wrong way.

Thomas’ eyes flick over the edges of his glasses before flipping to another file. “Dust. Your crimes are indeed mild compared to this criminals. However, we have proof that while the initial fight had more to do with your friend Cade, you were the catalyst in the following disturbance. By attacking Cade first you’ve doomed the entire Avengers’ Team to containment here at this facility for an undetermined time.”

It has been a long time since Hoshi-Kun has felt anything quite like the ego-deflating, body-numbing, bone-chilling guilt that he felt at that point. In fact, had he been emotionally conscious at the time of his experience with Shock the night Drake fell, he may be able to compare this mountain of chest pain to that night. It would seem the more people that were involved in his decisions the heavier his heartfelt when he was forced to face the consequences.

On the outside, he remained porcelain stone with his eyes digging deeper into the doctor’s throat, but inside a storm of desperation began to brew and swirl. He had to do something about this… In his mind, he was certain the head doctor in front of them had his own solutions to this problem, especially because he finally looked up with a mockery of a smile on his face. Because he reminded DA-389 of the same type of snake that his formal commanders were, he bet it would be unpleasant and only barely took care of the surface problem.

Thomas took his apparent silence of the matter as a reason to go on. He knitted his fingers together and sat his chin down on the hammock of phalanges. “Luckily I have a way for us all to be happy.” He paused, trying to still gauge the reaction of a stone-faced Lycan. When Dust gave him nothing again, he continued. “Hokori Owari Hoshi, I purpose a deal. If you agree to a special program where you willingly participate in the testing of weapons, drugs, and other equipment experiments I, Doctor Thomas, have the authority to release and discharge every member of the Avengers that had been involved in the disturbance related to your incarceration.”

Ookami’s immediate agreement caught firmly in his throat, it was a physical lump he could barely swallow back down like the pill it was. He would reflect later how eager his body had been to condemn itself for the sake of his friends. This was new to the contractor, mostly because of how little friends he had in general life. When did he become so selfless?

He lowered his head as it spun with the possibilities of what this could all entail. He had to consider the wording, carefully. Though he didn’t need a fine tooth comb to remember there had been exactly two people involved that didn’t quite fall under that net. “I will agree.” He said firmly. The doctor smiled greedily, but before he could say anything else, Dust continued. “But only if you agree to let Angel and Cade go as well. They, after all, are Avengers now, too.”

There stood two powers. Pillars against the storm grey walls of the interrogation rooms.

“I can arrange that, as long as you agree to the terms.” The doctor said, his jaw stiff.

“I’m all yours.” Dust said, as bravely as he could while feeling frightened for the others.

As if to finalize the deal right then and there, the wild card in this hand flung his metal chair back into the wall, leaving the back two legs slightly dent. Koal had his hands on his temples, squeezing his head as he struggled to breathe. This brought the attention straight to him and after a moment of hyperventilating Dust watched him raise his own eyes to the larger prime.

“You are a fool!” He spat. “You can convince the big guy here, but I-!!”

“You, Koal, don’t have a choice in the matter,” Thomas said, dryly. “You either agree to do the same, or you are dragged there..”