"I gathered from the grumbling I hear every now and then from soldiers visiting their friends that you're to be detained if you try to leave the base."
Gregor's eyes flashed red when he heard this, though Oriole was the only one to see it. Gregor clenched his hands in frustration, all he wanted to do was leave this fucking place. The idea of breaking out crossed his mind, but he quickly eliminated that option without being pressed first.
"Like I said, I don't want to be here, so I'm going to see the general and then I'm leaving. Anyone that wants to stop me is welcome to try."
Gregor spoke as he walked back towards the exit. He turned to face Oriole on last time as he finished, and Oriole noticed his eyes had turned red again, but this time they stayed that way.
'This is going to be one hell of a night,' Oriole thought, 'I miss my lab.'
------
Gregor walked down a hallway escorted by 4 guards, two in front and two in back. The guards were clearly nervous, sweat dripping down their necks and breathing accelerated and shallow. Gregor had regained his calm during the walk, and discovered his enhanced senses had more uses than just warning him of danger.
The group approached a set of double doors, 'General Willard Hunt' next to the door. The guards opened the doors to the office, revealing a large room with a couch and a chair separated by low coffee table, with a desk backed into a far corner of the room. Other than the essentials the room was essentially left bare.
The general stood from his desk and approached the group standing in the doorway. He passed a dismissive glance over Gregor before turning to one of the soldiers, "Dismissed." The soldier nodded and they all filed out, closing the door behind them.
Hunt sat in the chair, offering the couch to Gregor. He plopped himself down in the couch, leaning back and spreading his arms. It had been a long time since Gregor had sat on anything other than the hard ground or a rock, he let his head hang back and enjoy the cool and soft fabric as he waited for the general to start speaking.
Hunt watched Gregor, curious about him. He had gotten the same information as Dr. Oriole, but could not understand how he had become so strong. There were rumors about being able to evolve one's power, though Hunt had no idea how. Perhaps this man had figured it out, information Hunt desperately wanted to advance his power and career.
The silence between them persisted for several minutes, the only sound in the room was the two men breathing. Neither wanted to speak first and lose their edge. Eventually, it was Gregor that lost his patience first. He looked up and glared at the general whose name he had long since forgotten, red creeping into the edges of his iris'. "Why am I here?"
Hunt's face showed a small smirk before returning to even and replying, "You need to be debriefed, and something tells me a regular soldier won't cut it. Tell me what happened 3 years ago and where you've been."
Gregor was truly annoyed. This was not important, at least not to him. He did not care to answer the general's questions, resolving to answer and be done as soon as he could.
"I got stuck in the Hell Rift, I've been living there for the last 3 years until the chimera flooded the portal. Now if there's nothing else..."
Gregor stood to leave, but before he could Hunt was standing in front of him with his palm out.
"You aren't going anywhere until you answer my questions to my satisfaction. Now sit!"
At this point the general dropped all pretense. His gaze was cold and his voice colder, speaking to Gregor as he would a subordinate.
Gregor's head was low, looking at the floor. He clenched his fists, desperately trying to control the anger building inside him. He had not suffered 3 years of hell for this. Before he even knew what he had done, General Hunt was on the floor with Gregor's hand on his throat, eye's popping out as he struggled to breathe.
"You people left me there to rot, after those fuckers destroyed my legs to use me as bait. It's sheer dumb luck that the chimera did not kill me that first day, and I WILL NOT be treated like the same powerless loser from back then!"
Gregor began speaking through gritted teeth, but was practically shouting by the end. Hunt flailed against him all the while, but could not budge Gregor even an inch, eventually laying there like a dead fish.
The four soldiers from before burst into the room after hearing the commotion. The immediately drew their firearms and pointed them at Gregor, though with noticeably shaking hands.
Gregor looked up at the soldiers, his eyes glowing a dark red, the color of blood. This sight scared the soldiers even more, causing them to step back. The general signaled them with his hand to leave, his oxygen supply dwindling while Gregor kept his hand on Hunts throat. He tapped Gregor's arm, asking to be released. Gregor watched the soldiers leave and close the door before he did, standing a few feet back from the general, ready to move again.
Hunt lay on his back and caught his breath. He knew that Gregor was strong, but that was something else. The moment Hunt saw Gregor's eyes turn red he froze, paralyzed in fear. His senses had screamed at him that even the slightest twitch would lead to his death. He slowly stood and faced Gregor, visibly frightened but trying to appear in control still.
"You just attacked a United States General during what is considered wartime. I can make it go away but you have to tell me how you evolved your power and agree to work for me, off record." Hunt's voice shook as he spoke, but quickly calmed down, believing that the threat of an entire country would be enough to put Gregor in his place.
Instead, Gregor laughed. "I just thrashed you, and you're threatening me again?" He looked at the general with his red eyes and scowled, "I have a counter offer, I'm leaving, and anyone that tries to stop me dies. Sound good?"
Gregor walked to the door and stood in front of it. He could tell general wanted to say something else, but held back. Rather than open the door, Gregor lifted his leg and kicked the door off its hinges, sending it flying to the other side of the hallway. The 4 soldiers were still standing outside Hunts office and looked at the door in shock, relieved they had not attacked the man walking past them.
As he continued out of the building, Gregor saw Dr. Oriole waiting outside. Oriole approached Gregor as he left, asking him "Do you need a ride?"
Gregor looked at the man quizzically. He had just been forced to attacked a military member and was now being treated well by another, he was confused by their differing attitudes towards him. Oriole noticed this and spoke address his concern.
"I am from a completely different department, I'm not even supposed to be hear right now, I'm a researcher. The only reason I'm here is so the regular medical officer can assist in the Antarctica exploration."
Gregor only understood about different departments and research, he had no idea about what might be happening in Antarctica and frankly he didn't care.
"Yeah, I could use a ride, how far to the nearest airport?"
------
Willard Hunt had never felt lower in his life. Man handled and treated by a child, and by a fucking civilian no less. He had suppressed is anger in front of Gregor, as nothing he could say or do would affect him. But as he calmed down, he realized he didn't have to do anything. There were people that likely had a much more vested interest in Gregor.
"SIMMONS"
A soldier immediately stepped through the door way, no door to slow him down. "Yes sir!"
"Get Evan's manager on the phone. I have some information that he might find interesting," Hunt said, a cruel smile across his face.