7- Flashbacks and The Truth?

"This is my chair, my laptop, my small window with the view of the parking lot and oh! My picture of you and dad and the wolf pup i've adopted." a young lady said as she points to the object and picks up two photo frame.

"I didn't know you could bring keep wolves as pets here?" said a middle age woman as she took one from the girl.

"Oh no no," her daughter replied. "I don't really have a wolf pup. I just donate every month to the world wildlife foundation. Technically i share it with a few thousand other people. Its name is Cariff. Isn't he cute?

"A waste of money if you ask me," a man strode in. He looked around and settle by the window. "you shouldn't waste your time on such trifle beings. Look at what you've got! A good job a good place to stay. I'm so proud of you. You're doing exactly what i never achieved. Success!" he gave her daughter a smile but she felt uneasy. There was an awkward silence as none said anything until a young man barge through the doors.

"Dr Sarah! Let me use your computer..ah...laptop!" he exclaimed as he turned the device to face him and plugged in an external hardisk. He type furiously on the laptop as Sarah's parents looked on. The father was annoyed at such rudeness while the mother smiled slyly at the youth handsome face.

"And who is this Sarah?"

"This is Caesar," she said as the young man stood when the lady pulled at his arm. "He's my boss's son. He's doing his internship at the lab."

"Oh, hello dear. I'm Sarah's mother. You can call me Mom... Ah, i mean Martha."

"Caesar, meet my parents," the young lady said embarassed at what just transpired.

Caesar didn't notice much as his eyes kept going back to the screen.

"A. Pleasure... Oh! That's not right! A pleasure to meet you two," he said pausing in the middle to type something down. He shook Martha's hand and extended to shook with the father too but the old man just grunted and stared.

Caesar didn't budge as he waited for the correct response until Dr Sarah pulled him away making him stumble backwards.

"Anyway, Caesar's single. I MEAN BUSY! He's busy! So, Caesar! Why don't you ah go and...and do your internship thing in...another room!?"

"But," the young man started as he was pushed to the door.

"Take my computer...laptop!" the young lady went back and shoved the device into his arms. Another pushed and Caesar found himself in the hallway and the door slam shut behind him. He didn't question what happen but made a mental note to return the now supposedly borrowed laptop to its owner later.

"He's cute," said the mother.

"He's rude!" said the father

"He's young," said the daughter.

"Now who wants to dine at the best restaurant in town?" she said with a big grin trying to ignore the fact that the young man had ruined his first impression on her parents and her first day too.

Back in the dark room a picture froze on a picture of the battle earlier. Several other picture pops up around that one and it had the same person in it. Caesar Salazar. The old man placed a picture he was holding onto the keypad. In it stood five people; the Salazars and his daughter, a sandish brown haired girl wearing a labcoat. He grunted in disapproval. He felt angry at the fact that the man's face look the same as when he first met all those years ago. In a fit of rage he hit his fist on the table. Tears of hatred ran down his face. 'Why is he alive? Why isn't he the one still standing? Why not Sarah? My Sarah!' he thought as he hoped his wolf-beast will deliver the new virus he had created.

Things had settle at the temporary headquarters. Oso insist that Caesar reveal what he knows and the man agreed in one condition. The information he has is, to him, incomplete and only Oso, Rex and Valentina is allowed access to such data. He had included the woman in the group Because he didn't want to repeat himself. Plus he felt he may need more samples later. They gave him time to prepare but hewas beyond prepared. In one of the meeting rooms he showed his work.

"The nanites" Caesar began, "had been programmed for several functions. The ones we know now are found in the so called mist and animals. To steal energy, disrupt various wavelengths in the atmosphere and reverse certain qualities in living organism."

"So the reason anesthetic kills is because of the nanites?" Valentina asked for a reconfirmation.

"I'm afraid so." Caesar sadly replied.

Valentina avert her eyes with a look of pain etched on her eyebrows.

Caesar continued, "One of the commands was to mutate as we can see from the wolf-beings. However, it is evident that whoever is doing this still don't have total control. The nanites are decreasing in numbers. Only the one given the commands are causing disturbances."

"So if we were to destroy all the nanites creating the mist, it will disappear completely?" Oso mused over the information. He was thinking of a plan to fight back.

"Theoretically, yes, but there is no guarantee that the person behind this will just sit and watch."

"Then we have to take out the mastermind first! I think we've established that already," Rex gave up. "Is anyone even listening to me?"

Obviously not as Caesar continue to captivate the audience. "The mastermind isn't what I'm after. It's the main control computer that I want. If I can get to it, I can re-program the nanites to stop...and end what shouldn't even exist." Caesar walked to a window to hide his grim face.

Yet even if his face was turned and his reflection hidden from the others, they knew that Caesar meant business. He was keeping something else a secret that made Rex remember all the time he confronted Caesar in the re-creation of the nanite project. He went through endless sleepless night, wondering if he'll have to be the one to stop his brother by any means necessary. Searching for reasons to believe Caesar was good or for ways to save him if otherwise. Yet Caesar was actually carrying the weight of the whole world on his shoulder. Only then did Rex understand why his brother had to do what he did. Now it seems as though it is happening again. And in the months after the event, Rex has failed to understand one thing. How Caesar's mind works?

Valentina was the first to break the silence. "How do you know all of this?" she asked and stood making the chair screeched.

Caesar gave a diplomatic answer, "I worked on the nanite project. It is my job to know about them."

"I think you misunderstood me," Valentina went to him, grabbed his collar with both hands and pushed him towards the wall. "HOW. Do you know. All of this!?" she said stressing on certain parts of the speech.

Caesar looked at her eyes, then to Rex who has on his feet, ready to break them apart. But Oso was holding him back. There was look on Rex's face, that told Caesar how his little brother was ready to defend him if needed, but there was also a face that was torn between family and helping those who needed it. A naive look; honest and innocent. 'I have to protect him,' is what Caesar would always think, whenever he see his brother's face like that, 'It's my responsibility. It would've been what mom and dad wanted me to.' That moment he thought the same so he took the blame.

"I know only two people who have the equation that started this nanites anomaly." Rex felt nervous now. "Is it Van Kliess?" he asked hoping it is.

"No," he turned to Valentina and said "One has passed on. The other is..."

Rex worst fears came to life as Caesar finished his sentence with, "Me."

Valentina let go and backed away as though she had just notice she was touching something terrible and disgusting. Oso didn't say anything for he wasn't as judgmental as Valentina but Rex knew his brother and his past record. He usually built things that put his life and the life of the whole human kind in jeopardy. White knight was right to send Rex here.

"But you couldn't have done this!" Rex tried, "right?" but he was unconvinced his brother didn't have a hand in it as well.

"I can't explain it mijo. It's... complicated." Caesar felt tired and defeated. "You all just have to believe me. Even I don't know how the data could have been in another person hands."

"Maybe the other person isn't dead?" Oso asked.

"Maybe that person sold the data to another party? Con el dinero baila el perro!" Valentina accused.

(With money anything is possible)

"That's not possible. I know the other person. 'She wouldn't do that." Caesar said. If the sound of heart break could be heard, then the sound would come from the young Hispanic man.

"Then, what now?" Oso asked trying to get the conversation back on track.

"Here," Caesar placed some odd looking Mechanical earplug on the table. "Next attack; try to place one of these devices on the beast. It's a tracker. We can follow it back to its hiding place and sneak in."

Oso took one in his hand "Is it not tempting fate to let them attack again?"

"It is. But we can't show signs of rebellion just yet."

Caesar felt dizzy and stumbled as he took a step. The sleepless night up to that night had finally affected him.

"Caesar!" Rex came forward.

"It's just a headache. Don't worry. Please, Excuse me." And he left.

Valentina wasn't happy with the result. She followed him out to the hall and stopped him.

"I need to know. Who is the other person? Why are you so sure that he, I mean she couldn't have cause this!?" she impatiently cried.

"The truth is we might have had a hand in this indirectly. But the experiment we were working on was to help cure diseases not hurt people. The experiment was a failure and it was forgotten...until now." Caesar gave a long speech. He didn't want to face Valentina.

"You didn't answer my question! Who is she?"

Caesar turned and looked straight at Valentina. "She is my mother, Violetta Salazar," he said. Valentina was taken aback. Then she felt guilty for having though badly about the person.

"Please, don't tell Rex. He doesn't know that I'm trying to-" He paused.

"You're trying to clear you mother's name..." Valentina finally understood.

Caesar just nodded his head. Valentina felt awkward. She didn't dare look at the man after what she had said earlier. Caesar just stood there. Then they both spoke at the same time, "I'm..." and went quiet again.

"You, were saying?"

"I..." Valentina lifted her head and looked at him. He was looking at her; staring more like it. She didn't like the way he looked but had to apologize. Caesar was lost in his own world. He was wondering what was so different between the Valentina outside and the one in here. He couldn't put his finger on it but ruled out the lighting.

Suddenly something crashed through the window behind Val. The animals in the compound went crazy.

Val turned then shared a look with Caesar.

"Rex! Oso!" they both shouted and dashed for the room.

There were sounds of struggles, furniture being destroyed, Rex's build changing, Rex's battle cry and a beastly growl. They've reached the door, but it was shut tight. Caesar rammed it with his shoulder.

"It's no use! There's something blocking the door." he cried.

"Let me try," Valentina step back to make a running start.

"Don't! You'll dislocate your shoulder!" Caesar cried again but the woman took no heed. With a scream, she ran and jump kicked the door away. She landed gracefully but quickly stood while striking the ground with her whip. The impact not only shook the building as well as Caesar's whole being. "Aye Carumba..." he whispered under his breath.

"Oso!" Valentina cried as he saw the man slumped against the wall. "What happened?" She kneeled next to him.

"Re...Rex. He saved me," He struggle to say.

"Rex!" They heard Caesar cried and pushed away a cupboard that has fallen on his little brother.

"Rex? Stay with me mijo. Come, on you can do it." But Rex just grunted in annoyance and passed out. His face paled and several needles and scratch marks adorn his back and front.

After a while, Cariff the were-wolf returned, to the lab. It was out of breath and was heavily beated but had good news. Two had been taken out and the virus had been administered. The evil man smiled at the new footage he received. Though our heroes were fortunate as the image the man saw wasn't clear. He assumed Caesar and Rex was Cariff's victim.

"Take the pack out and patrol the area." he waved to Cariff and the beast left. "It's almost complete. Now all I need is a...donor."