Survivor of a Twisted Fate 2

Serum

Joseph looked up at the dark sky through the window of their apartment. It had started to rain, and he could see the lightning dancing across the sky. He laced up his boots and stood from the couch.

"You ready, graduate?" asked Mandy, as she walked up to him.

She was already in her ceremony uniform, and Joseph smiled at her and nodded. Evidently, it was graduation day for all the recruits that had come in at the beginning of summer. Joseph was ready to go home and find Jasmine. The three of them talked a lot about seeing their friends again toward the end of their training season.

All summer, they had trained and molded themselves into strong soldiers. Joseph and Mandy had ranked higher than Damian and the others. Leonard had kept a close eye on the three original purebreds, as he called Joseph, Damian, and Mandy. He thought they had molded into amazing and tough soldiers, but there was one small problem. Their feelings for their friends never wavered.

Leonard didn't like the fact that the purebreds wanted to mingle with Anna and Tom's kids. When Leonard got word about the three purebreds' plans, he spent a couple of days creating a mind-altering serum. He wanted to make sure that those kids never saw each other again and if they did, his purebreds would destroy them. The thought of serenity, love, and friendship sickened Leonard. He watched his son fall under Anna's spell when he and she were friends. He would be damned if he let that happen again.

The serum he made, once injected, would suppress happy feelings and turn them into hate and anger. He decided to use the serum on all the graduates.

Why take any chances of history repeating itself?

He was going to be a hundred percent ahead of everything this time.

Joseph, Damian, and Mandy made their way to the training field. The newer trainees and recruits had set up large canopies to shield the ceremony from the rain, and there were tables and chairs set up and a banquet table with all sorts of food available for everyone. The parents of all the graduates filled the tables and chairs, chatting amongst themselves about how proud they were of their children.

After graduation, the recruits were going to be sent home the following week. All the graduates made their way to their chairs so the ceremony could start. Andrew and Cara waved to Joseph, Damian and Mandy. They saw them and waved back. Mandy stiffened as she saw her father sitting next to Andrew. She didn't want him there.

"Congratulations!" shouted Leonard.

Leonard had also made a serum that gave him the ability to shape back into his old human form. He was standing at the podium in front of all the parents. Leonard felt that it was best to be able to phase into human form. Furthermore, he felt as though it made him look less intimidating. Leonard gave a speech about how much the graduates had grown in strength and agility. He also separately congratulated Joseph and Mandy for being the top of their class.

"You two have graduated with honors,” said Leonard, as he looked at them.

Joseph and Mandy looked at each other and grumbled. Embarrassed, they both slid down in their chairs and put their hands to their faces. They didn't like being the center of attention.

"Now, one last step for you graduates while we hand you your diplomas. Would all my graduates line up in four single file lines?" said Leonard.

Joseph, Damian, and Mandy followed the others and got in line. They watched as the graduates at the front of the line were given a shot in the neck and then handed their diploma.

"Hey, what's going on?" Mandy asked one of the graduates walking by, as he rubbed his neck.

He looked at her with a blank stare. Mandy swallowed hard and looked at Joseph.

"I'm going to find out!" stated Joseph as he got out of line.

He walked to the front of the line where Leonard was standing.

"Hey, where do you think you are going?"

At that moment, Joseph turned around and was face to face with one of his instructors.

"What is going on?" asked Joseph, as he crossed his arms over his chest.

He felt a sudden sharp pain in his neck and turned around quickly.

"It's just a little tracker,” said another instructor.

He was standing behind Joseph with a gun-looking contraption. It was an injection gun. Joseph rubbed the back of his neck.

"Jesus!" Joseph exclaimed, as he felt a warm sensation run through his body.

Suddenly, he stumbled a couple of steps as the world around him began to spin. Joseph shook his head, and the spinning stopped. He blinked a few times and gulped the air.

"Are you alright, Joe?" asked one of the instructors, as he placed a hand on Joseph's shoulder.

"Yeah, what was that stuff?" Joseph asked.

"We were told it's a tracker for everyone. Here's your diploma, congrats brother,” said the other instructor.

Joseph took the diploma and nodded. He walked back to his brother and cousin, lost in his thoughts.

What was that stuff? There is no way that was just a tracker! he thought, as he shook his head. He felt okay, just a little more angry than he usually felt. Damian looked at his brother.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, and Joseph nodded.

"Yeah. They said it was just a tracker, but it made me feel funny,” he explained.

Mandy and Damian looked at each other. Mandy sighed.

What was Leonard up to? she wondered as she moved with the line.

It was her turn to get the injection. She had the same reaction as Joseph did. Dizziness, and a warm sensation throughout her body. She didn't feel any different unless she thought about Leonard or her mother and father. Her anger began to grow into an obsessive rage.

Damian had the total opposite effect. He grew angry and full of hatred. He grew mean and distant, even to his cousin and brother.

*****************

A few nights before Joseph, Damian and Mandy were heading back to Haven, they decided to go for a night's run.

"So, are you coming with us, Dame?" asked Joseph, as he slipped on his sneakers.

It felt so good to wear sneakers again because the training boots really were not comfortable. Damian was sprawled across the love seat, and he was looking at the ceiling. He looked over at his brother and sat up.

"Nah, I'm going with Leonard to welcome the new recruits. I am not going to waste my time with silly little runs and games,” he said, gruffly, as he looked at his nails and sighed.

Mandy felt a sting, and she looked at him angrily.

"What?" Damian asked, and Mandy scoffed.

"Come on Joe, let's get out of here!" said Mandy, as she headed for the door. Joseph looked at Damian.

"Why are you wasting your time bro?" he asked.

Joseph shook his head and jogged after Mandy. He had enough of his brother's attitude, and he was done with it. Ever since they had graduated, his brother acted like a different person. He didn't spend any time with him and Mandy, and he was always running off with Leonard somewhere. Joseph and Mandy spent a lot of time together. They made it to the forest and phased into their wolf forms. As they ran, they spoke to each other through their minds. Werewolves could only do that if they were in wolf form.

"What's up with your brother?" Mandy asked, annoyed.

"I don't know. Ever since graduation he has changed,” said Joseph, sadly.

"We need to figure out what is going on!" said Mandy.

"Agreed,” he said.

They ran for a little while longer and Joseph stopped abruptly. He felt a powerful surge of energy run through his body. Mandy stopped and looked at him oddly.

"What?" she asked, and he looked at her.

"You don't feel that?" he asked, as he looked around.

Mandy looked around and then back at him.

"Feel what?" she asked, and Joseph ignored her question as he sniffed the air.

"Energy. Bright energy. I feel like I have felt this before, but I can't remember where,” he finally said, as he swished his tail back and forth.

The energy felt amazing and happy. He also felt that a small part of him missed feeling this wonderful energy, and he wondered why. Joseph and Mandy didn't realize that the serum they were injected with made them forget about Jasmine and Kevin. It was like they had never existed.

Mandy looked at Joseph and scoffed. However, she then felt a small surge of amazing energy herself. It was there and then gone with a quickness. She looked at Joseph. She didn't know what it was either, and she decided that it was nothing. Mandy thought it was best that they should ignore it.

"I think you are losing your mind, cous,” she said, as she swished her tail at him, and he looked at her seriously.

"It's calling to me. I feel like I should know what this is,” he said, as he thought hard.

Joseph turned his head, and the energy grew stronger. Mandy watched as her cousin looked like he was fighting a battle inside his mind.

"Shake it off, Joe!" she said, worried.

A few moments later, the energy began to fade away. Joseph looked at her and blinked a few times.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concerned, and Joseph shook his fur.

"Yeah. Come on!" he said and started running.

Mandy took off running after him. He thought about the energy.

What was that? Why was it calling to him?

He felt like he was now missing something. It was like the energy filled a gaping hole inside him that he didn't even know he had. Now he felt as though he was missing part of him.

Why was he the only one that felt it? He didn't know Mandy felt it, too. She didn't say anything about it. He let his thoughts roll around in his head as he and Mandy ran after the moon.