BUREAU 13: DOOMSDAY EXAM

When any test subject went into the green door, they never came out again, at least not in one piece. The word 'dissection' came unbidden into #1's mind. It made him sad that their creators thought so little of them.

"No, not escape," #3 snarled, beating his chest with a fist. "We should kill them!"

"Kill?" #1 echoed startled.

Grimly, #2 nodded. "We have seen how the machines work. We can easily dup lick kate them, or take the devices with us. With the serum we can convert more of our people. Females!"

There were positive murmurs.

He went on. "Or we could return to the jungle and slowly build an army. We have always been many times stronger than them. Now we are smarter! They would easily fall to us, and soon the masters will be in the cages for us to experiment upon!"

Terribly shocked by this, #1 saw the rest of his brothers agreeing with the lunatic. How could this be? "They are our creators!" #1 pleaded, hands outstretched. "And more, they are distant cousins. Kin! How can we war with kin!"

"Their blood is not ours!" #4 snarled, his pink lips peeling back to reveal lines of square white teeth. "I say, we kill the scientists, steal the machines, and return to the jungle!"

The others made noises of approval and stamped their feet.

There was a faint chance that as their minds continued to evolve the others would change their opinion, but it was a chance that #1 was not willing to take. Leaping upon a desk, the manling bounded over to the far wall. Uncaring, he smashed his new hands through the glass and grabbed hold of the axe for fire. Turning about, #1 threw it with all of his strength straight for #5, the closest male.

The others hooted in anger and scattered. But #5 was so surprised by the unprompted actions, that he stood motionless for the split second necessary for the axe to arrive. The blade neatly split his neck, and the head rolled away. The hairless body limply dropped to the concrete, gushing red blood. Momentarily, #1 felt the urge to pound on his chest and bellow victory. But that was in the past, he was beyond such actions now.

Instinctively #1 bent to lick his wounds, but his hands had already stopped bleeding, the tiny cuts closing. Amazing! No wonder humans ruled the world.

In unison, the other males charged straight towards #1. Four of them were much to many for him to cope with at once, so he sprang to a workbench and leapt the scant few meters to the ceiling. Often in his earlier form, he had seen the exposed steel beams and longed to play among them. Now he must use them in war against his brothers. Yet rogues of the tribe must always be killed. He was human now. No question.

On the floor, #2 went for the bloody axe, while #3 dashed to the supply cabinet, and #4 headed for the door. Grabbing a water conduit, #1 ripped a chunk of the two-inch steel pipe free and hurled it down towards #4. The jagged end of the makeshift spear went completely through the chest of #4, pinning the humanoid to the wall. Then there was a spray of sparks, and blue lightning began to crackle over the horribly twitching body.

At the gory sight, #1 grunted in satisfaction. Not only was he two minutes ahead of them intellectually, but also physically. That was good.