27. Matteo
Chapter 27
Matteo
I nside the tank, my mind was as quiet as the inside of a library. My Corsican seemed to be dormant. Dreams were nonexistent and I had no access to my ability to move into other’s dreams. I merely drifted in the water, with a breathing apparatus strapped to my face, my eyes fixated on the world outside of the tank.
Time seemed to stretch endlessly as I waited. I couldn’t tell time and had no idea how long I’d been floating. How long I’d been placed here to be studied?
All I could do was wait.
Occasionally a scientist would walk by and write something down. I could see their key cards emblazoned with my mother’s symbol.
They would stay only for a moment and I realized they were afraid, jittery. It didn’t matter, I just needed to get out of this tank and get my hands on one of those fucking cards.
Every few days they took me out of the tank to run tests- blood work, scans, and other exams. I endured all of this with one thing in mind.
I needed to keep my family safe.
Mason, Carmine, Cody, and Asher would be off limits, no harm would come to them as long as our mother could study us.
And of course, there was Rain.
I wanted to keep Alaska as far away from her as I could.
My thoughts shifted as the muddled sound of machinery began to whir from outside of the tank. I kept my cool not alerting them to the fact that I could tell the tank was about to be drained, that they were coming for me.
Any small spike in my heart rate would have them looking at me funny.
While I had no idea how many days it had been, I’d been mapping this place in my mind.
Every little chance I got I studied the nooks and crannies within my brain.
There wasn’t much else to be done.
I could feel the water draining from the tank, and slowly my body began to sink until my feet were touching the bottom.
Carefully I peeled the mask away from my face, pulling in deep breaths as cool air stung my skin, leaving me feeling wet. A fan turned on kicking on heat and drying me quickly as I stood in the weird boxer briefs. Anticipation settled into my stomach as I watched the door to the tube creak open. The two technicians entered, their footsteps soft as they stepped into the sterile tank. Each of them had a metallic baton that glinted under the humming fluorescent lights. At a moment's notice, enough electricity could go coursing through them, enough to bring down a moose.
I heard her then.
With the water gone, nothing was dampening my mind for the moment. They would get me to take a pill that kept the Corsican at bay once out but…
Rain, my Corsican began to stir. She’s here…
I took a breath, my eyes watching the technicians. We can’t make a move just yet.
Our fucking woman…she’s terrified. Can you not feel it? He was getting antsy but I could feel Rain and she was…
There were so many emotions going through her all at once they were starting to make me feel…
Nauseous.
“This way,” one of the techs nodded and gave me a little shove.
I didn’t say anything because I needed to be out of the tank, free and clear before I started fucking everyone up for touching the woman I loved.
The ID badges were shimmering like a piece of candy and I couldn’t wait to grab them but the batons that could be
Finally, we were through the door, the techs walking behind me.
There was no need to ask where we were going because I knew it was past the lab.
Slowly, I walked trying to comprehend that after days, weeks, maybe even months, I could feel Rain.
On both sides of me, in countless tanks, bodies drifted eerily. A chill ran through me as I questioned whether they were conscious of the silent chaos around us. Desperation clawed at my thoughts—who were these figures? Were they replicas of me, soulless shells like my double, or were they like Kenji, dormant Synthetic Corsicans poised to spring to life with a deadly command? The air thrummed with tension, a ticking time bomb waiting to implode.
I took a left, and then another left, walking down the hall that I’d mapped in my mind for days upon days. My steps faltered as I neared an observation window I’d passed a million times.
I’d never bothered looking down there but the compulsion to look this time couldn’t be ignored.
Stopping, I peered through the glass looking downward and caught a glimpse of Rain, strapped to a table and possibly unconscious. My heart began to race.
“Rain,” I breathed, my palms digging into the glass.
My eyes seemed to zoom in and immediately, I could see her chest rising and falling.
Gritting my teeth, I whirled on the technicians who already had their batons sizzling with electricity.
“What the fuck is she doing here?” My voice was low and full of danger.
“We can take him, he’s weakened by the submersion tank,” the tech on the right nodded, making a grave mistake by taking his eyes off me.
The other never said a word his eyes trained on me the entire time.
Smart, my Corsican whispered ready to move into the driver's seat of my mind. But he should’ve run already.
All it took was a split second, and we sprang into action. My Corsican moved fast, slamming the heel of his hand into one of the tech’s faces. Poor bastard never realized what was happening.
He crumpled to the ground already out like a light. The remaining tech’s eyes were wide with fear, and I could smell it rolling off of him. I didn’t have to be a mind reader, he couldn’t understand what was going on.
This had never happened in the time I’d been here.
Rain, my Corsican seethed as the technician’s baton began to surge with electricity. We must get to her.
The tech swung on us but we wasted no time in whopping his ass. He swung the baton at us inching closer and closer until we snatched it from him and began the other man’s face in. Blood sprayed everywhere and the primal side of us began to sing, demanding more death.
More blood.
With both techs out of the way, I got back to the window and saw Rain was still strapped to the table. There were doctors in white lab coats now, with clipboards and vitals had been thrown up onto a screen.
Get down there, my Corsican growled.
I’m sure more surprises are waiting, let's play this smart, I threw back.
I was on the verge of turning away when a sudden stillness washed over my entire body. My mother, Alaska Zacharra, had marched into the observation room with her head held high and an unmistakable glint of victory dancing in her eyes. Her lips curled into a triumphant smirk as if she had just clinched an unspoken victory.
“Fuck,” another growl tore loose from my mouth.
Spinning around I snatched both key cards from the techs before racing down the hallway.
The key cards were clutched so tightly I thought they might rip through my palms, while my Corsican fueled us with adrenaline. I wanted to shake the image of Rain strapped to a table from my mind but it had my Corsican going crazy.
He wanted blood and death and destruction and he would have it.
No matter what we would get to Rain.
Rounding the corner, I caught sight of the door leading to the observation deck. I should have been prepared for what was coming next but my mind had become muddled with thoughts of saving Rain.
It never occurred to me that my mother’s lap dog would be waiting.
Xander was leaning against the wall in a relaxed manner, one shoulder pressing into the concrete wall. A grin stretched across his stupid fucking face and I knew he’d been the one to bring Rain here.
That’s our fucking face, my Corsican reminded us.
My double was dressed in some sort of black tactical gear, possibly armor. I was not dressed for battle.
“I told her this was a bad idea,” the grin on his face almost faltered. “But you know Mother, always experimenting with different what-ifs and combinations trying to find what makes us tick.”
Rage began to boil inside of me, my Corsican was yearning to snap his neck. “Did you bring our woman here?”
The motherfucker had the nerve to chuckle. “You know it won’t matter soon. You’ll be dead and I’ll be fucking her every chance I get. Breeding her…she’s perfect for it…breeding.”
“It’s never going to happen,” I said calmly clenching my fist.
“Little Rain Drop is gonna suck up all my cum into her womb and bare me …”
My Corsican had had enough and slid back into my mind’s driver seat, raging and desperate for a kill. He began to punch and kick, but Xander was faster than I remembered.
He maneuvered like he’d been fighting since birth, dodging my Corsican’s blows.
Xander was a blur of motion and reaction as he landed a kick to my midsection. I went flying backward while the air left my body.
Quickly he was over me, his fist pounding into my face and body, his sadistic laughter crawling inside of my ears.
He finally grabbed a fistful of my hair that had grown a little longer and pulled my head back. “To think your weak pathetic ass put a baby in her first.”
His fist slammed into my face again and I began to see stars as I tried to comprehend his words.
An alarm began to go off somewhere in the background, loud and fierce as lights began to flash inside of the facility.
He kicked me one more good time in the side of the head, leaving me breathing hard and seeing stars. By then, Alaska had appeared outside of the door looking panicked, her red lips almost seeming to quiver.
“What's going on?” I heard Xander growl, as I struggled to sit up.
An intense, searing heat surged through my veins, spreading from my core like molten lava, and each breath brought a sharp, constricting pain, as though an invisible force was slowly crushing my ribcage from all sides.
“My boys,” I heard my mother say.
Thank fucking God, I thought.
“How?” Xander began to scream, a primal sound that made my ears ache. “It matters not, I will kill them next.”
As I struggled to sit up, my vision wavered like a foggy morning. I caught a glimpse of my mother reaching out, her fingers wrapping firmly around Xander's arm. He cast a glance at her hand, irritation flickering across his features before he jerked his arm free, leaving her hand hanging in the air.
“Xander, no! We will begin the Posideon Protocol…its already been enacted. We must go. We have everything we need now. Leave them…”
“No!” He screamed into her face and for the first time I think Alaska realized, she had lost control of her monster. “It’s time we eradicate them once and for all, Mother!”
Alaska’s back went straight, and her eyes narrowed. “You will obey me…stand down. Now!”
The alarms were still blaring, even louder now, and the flashing lights had me feeling as if we were were in a disco.
“They must be dealt with,” he looked over at me and I could see his chest rising and falling.
“I will not allow you to jeopardize everything I’ve built.”
“Then go! But I will kill them all tonight.”
He was gone then, and I tried to get to my feet to stand. Alaska looked over at me then. We hadn’t been this close in a while.
“This place will be completely flooded in less than twenty minutes,” she said simply. “I do want to thank you for what you have contributed to my research. I know you don’t see it that way now but this will be an honorable death.”
Our mother is a crazier bitch than I thought, I admitted to my Corsican.
She is, he sighed. But we need to save Rain.
I agreed, And kill Xander or we’ll never have our life back after this.
Pain was wracking my body, with every movement I took. I forced myself to stand, using the wall as support.
“Go, Mother,” I almost smiled. “But just know, you are truly dead to all of us. And I hope it was worth it.”
Alask arched a perfectly sculpted brow. “I’ll see you around, Augustus. My perfect boy.”
She slid a key card over the panel and all of her other techs came running out, sheer terror on their faces.
When they were all gone, I dared to go into the room, terrified of what I might see. Rain was still strapped to the table but beginning to come too.
I rushed to her side, my heart pounding as I took in her disheveled appearance. She looked so small and vulnerable.
“Hey Stizzy, I’m here, I’m here,” I started trying to undo the restraints as my fingers trembled.
“Matteo?” Rain stared at me through wide eyes, confused. “He…he kidnapped me.”
“It’s okay, baby,” I whispered finally freeing her. “But we have to go.”
She hopped down from the table and pulled me in close. “It is you.”
“Of course, Stizzy,” I held up her chin, peering into her wide brown eyes. “Are you okay?”
Our woman, my Corsican purred.
“Yes, I’m fine…” her hand went to her stomach. “My baby.”
Her words were just a whisper but I’d heard them and so had my entity. My throat felt tight because she was having my baby. A protectiveness I’d never felt before surged through me.
Our baby, he purred again.
Are you a cat?
Fuck you, came his reply.
I could feel the overwhelming sense of joy at impending fatherhood.
“Nothing will happen to our baby,” my breath caught in my throat. “But we need to go.”
She nodded, before speaking raking her eyes up and down my body. “What are you wearing?”
I looked down, remembering that all I had on were white boxer briefs things. “It’s a long story and we need to hurry. This place is gonna be underwater in maybe another fifteen minutes.”
Rain and I made our way back through the exit, and the winding corridors, I knew all looked the same to her.
We finally reached a stairwell and began to climb fast. Even over the blaring alarms, I could hear Rain breathing heavily.
“Just a little further,” I looked back at her, gripping her hand reassuringly in mine.
We had just reached the very top of the landing when a figure stepped out from the shadows blocking our path. Immediately, I tensed, preparing to fight to keep Rain safe. Relief flooded me when I caught sight of a familiar face.
“Mason?” I breathed in deep and I felt Rain’s hand relax a little in my own but she never let go. “How did you find us?”
Mason’s face was red and sweaty as he came in and hugged me tight. “Fuck it's good to see you, Matty!”
“It’s better to see you, where’s Carmine?” I asked immediately looking over his shoulder.
“Xander,” he replied his expression growing tense. “They’re fighting it out right now, trying to hold him off.”
“He’s too…”
Mason nodded. “He’s too good. Expert training we need to go, right now!”
I followed behind Mason without hesitation, never letting go of Rain’s hand. Her fear was palpable, I could taste it on my tongue.
My Corsican was ready to do whatever was needed the second we burst through the door. Real fresh air slammed into me as we got a glimpse of Carmine and Xander going at it.
My little brother was holding his own but he was getting worked. Mason had sprinted away from us as we watched the assault taking place before us.
“Here,” Mason said coming back over and throwing a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and some boots to me.
“Where did you get clothes?” I asked shoving them on quickly.
Mason shrugged, turning back to Carmine as I pulled the clothing on and shoved my feet into the boots.
“We planned this, with Rain’s help…”
I turned to her, “Did you miss me, Stizzy?”
Rain rolled her eyes. “We are going to have a huge talk about you getting me knocked up and disappearing.”
“Oh, that’s a yes…”
“Fuck,” Mason screamed and I turned my attention away from Rain in time to see Xander produce a blade.
He began to slash at the air and Carmine’s face when suddenly it made contact and blood began to pour.
“Yo, Jedi his ass,” Mason shouted to me before launching himself into the fray between Carmine and Xander.
Taking a deep breath, I let my Corsican come out to play.
He has to die, I whispered as everything fell away and we joined in on the fight as well.
I let my Corsican take full control as I joined the fight against Xander. My entity was raging, consumed by an intense need to destroy this twisted version of myself that dared to threaten my family.
Xander was fast, his movements a blur as he dodged and parried Mason and Carmine's attacks. But my Corsican was just as quick, anticipating his every move. We fought with a feral ferocity, our blows landing with bone-shattering force.
Nothing was holding me back now. Nothing was dampening any power I had. Something coursed through my body and my arm lifted and before I knew it the knife was flying out of Xander’s hand, skidding away into the grass and dirt.
Shock fell over his face, as he turned to take me in, his eyes wide and his chest heaving. “She knew it…”
That was all he managed to get out before Mason and Carmine came in on either side of him trying to subdue him.
He struggled as he realized what was happening that he’d been subdued, and a feral growl eased out of his body.
“You think it ends with me,” he grinned finally as I closed in.
“It does,” my fist slammed into his face and a growl tore loose from between my lips.
Xander’s head rolled around on his shoulder and I thought he might be losing consciousness but he was hanging in there.
“Killing me changes nothing. That spawn growing in her belly is the key to everything. Alaska will come for him eventually.”
Another roar tore loose from between my lips and Mason and Carmine shoved him towards me. My Corsican, still very much in control of my body took advantage and moved with a speed I didn’t know we had. Before I knew it, my arms were wrapped around his neck.
“Enjoy the fucking dirt nap, bitch!”
His neck snapped like a fucking Twix candy bar, and his body finally slumped to the ground.
The nightmare was over.
At least for now.
I gave Xander’s dead body one last look as if expecting him to rise from the dead, before hurrying back to Rain. She reached for my hand and her eyes were full of relief.
“Still a Boy Scout,” she eased up and kissed me.
“Let’s go home,” I murmured against her hair.
The four of us walked down to the docks of the mysterious island that I’d been trapped on. Mason was already calling my director Jacob Lance to come and retrieve Xander’s body.
I was going to get my life back.
I was going to be a father.
Instinctively, I pulled Rain against my body, my hand drifting down to her stomach.
“You’re mine now, Stizzy,” you know that. “You belong to us.”
“We’ll talk about it,” she whispered but I knew she’d given in a long time ago.
The version of her I’d met a year ago never would have risked her neck trying to save me. This version of her, the mother of my unborn child, had willingly walked into the fire for me.
“I think,” I whispered teasingly into her ear, sure that my brothers could hear me with their sensitive hearing. “I think you loveeee meeee.”
She jabbed a finger into my chest. “And what if I do, huh? Are you gonna get kidnapped again by your weirdo mama again?”
I couldn’t help it. “Stizzy and Matty forever sounds good, I think.”
She rolled her eyes and eased up on her tiptoes as the boat sped away from the dock. “We have a lot to talk about, Matteo.”