The Weight Of A Name

“It’s been about a year now, you know, SF.” Carol’s voice was steady, but there was a sharpness beneath it. “How’s the team?”

SF barely glanced up. “It’s fine. Everyone gets along well enough.”

Carol leaned forward slightly over her desk. “Is that so?” Her gaze sharpened. “would you like to explain why we’ve had so many deaths in the Fallo units attached to your squad?”

SF shrugged, his tone careless. “No clue. Maybe they were just too weak to keep up.”

Silence.

The air in the room seemed to turn colder. Carol let the words hang, watching him, waiting. Finally, she exhaled, a small smile appeared as she did.

“Well, I suppose I should tell you—your serum is getting a new formula. It might affect you in new ways.”

SF’s eyebrow twitched slightly. He wasn’t surprised, but he hadn’t expected it either. A brief pause followed.

Carol’s expression remained unreadable.

“With that, you’re dismissed. Head back to your squad rooms.”

The walk through the lab’s white corridors was always unnervingly quiet. The long, sterile hallways stretched endlessly, each identical to the last. It was almost hard to tell if he was even moving.

At the end of the corridor stood a large door, and beside it, a smaller one with a nameplate that read SF.

SF pushed through the big door—only to immediately dodge a flying helmet.

“Hey! Who threw that?!” SF shouted, scanning the room.

His teammates stood in the middle of the space, looking at him with varying degrees of amusement.

“Sorry, my bad, Sear. Pulse dared me to do it,” B2 admitted, scratching the back of his head.

SF sighed, tossing the helmet back. “For being our sniper, you sure have bad aim. And stop with the nicknames, B2.”

“First off, I threw a goddamn helmet, not a bullet,” B2 shot back, as he threw the helmet across the room. “And second, we have names, you know. Well, code names, but still.”

“Blackout has a point. There’s no need to use our specimen tags, right?” H2 added.

SF glanced around the room, searching for support. His eyes landed on R2.

“Don’t look at me. I’m with Blackout and Havoc on this one,” R2 said, smirking.

“See? Even Raven agrees with me! That never happens!” Blackout grinned.

“I don’t really like the idea of using our code names as actual names, honestly,” P2 chimed in.

“Come on, Pulse. For once, stop siding with Sear,” B2 groaned, clutching his chest dramatically.

“Honestly, I agree with her,” Raven added.

“No! Why?! You were on my side!” B2 whined, collapsing to his knees in exaggerated defeat.

SF rolled his eyes and walked over to sit on the couch at the middle of the room.

“Oh! I know! We should come up with normal names!” B2 suggested suddenly.

H2 walked over and clapped a hand on B2’s shoulder. “You know, every once in a while, you say something smart.”

“Uh… thanks?” B2 replied, looking confused.

Billy grabbed a sheet of paper and started jotting down names. And only a few seconds later.

“Okay, everyone, listen up! I’ve got the names ready. H2, you’ll be Harold. R2, you’ll be Rey. P2, you’ll be Penny. And me? I’ll be Billy.”

SF, who had been half-listening, suddenly looked up, his expression hardening.

“ Hey B2, id request that you pick another name for H2.”

Billy turned his back toward SF, closing his eyes dramatically. “Excuse me, but B2 isn’t my name. It’s actually—”

A strong hand clamped onto his shoulder.

Billy turned, locking eyes with SF’s cold, piercing stare.

“Choose another name. Got it, B2?” SF’s tone left no room for argument.

Billy swallowed. “Uh… sure, of course. H2, you okay with being called Henry instead?”

“Yeah, no problem,” Henry replied without hesitation.

“You sure you don’t want a name as well, SF?” Penny asked.

SF turned away, heading toward his bed. “I’ve already got one.”

Carol had chosen it for him long ago. She liked naming her favorite’s after all.

The team decided to leave SF alone for now. He wasn’t usually this tense—except when the Invicta Serum was injected. As the others gave him space, SF thought back to Harold, his non-blood older brother.

He never really knew what had happened to him.

All he knew was that Harold had become an EU, like the members of his current squad. Which meant Harold could still be here. Somewhere inside this lab, unless he died along the way.

SF clenched his fist as memories surfaced. He remembered feeling safe around Harold. That feeling had become a distant memory.

He shut his eyes, willing himself to sleep.

Then came the sound of shuffling cards.

The rest of the team was sitting on the floor, playing poker.

It wasn’t looking good for the girls so far. Henry had decent luck, mostly because he had a solid poker face and kept his emotions in check. Billy, as usual, was shuffling the cards in his own way.

“You must be cheating, right, Billy?” Penny narrowed her eyes.

“Whoa, what’s with the accusations? I would never cheat! I swear on my right eye and my left hand,” Billy responded, a smug smile creeping onto his face.

“Oh, okay, I believe you… wait a second. That’s the eye and hand you have robotic parts for,” Penny realized, scowling.

“Whatttt? Are you sure about that, Penny?” Billy asked, feigning innocence.

Penny turned to Rey. “Hey, could you check if he’s cheating? You know, use your eyes.”

Rey sighed but nodded. Her pupils flickered slightly.

To everyone else, it looked like a normal shuffle. But she caught it—a subtle flick of the wrist, a card sliding where it shouldn’t.

“Hey, Billy, that card trick is cheap, you know,” Rey said, tilting her head.

Billy shot to his feet. “Hey! Using abilities is cheating!”

Rey flinched at the sudden outburst, instinctively moving closer to Henry, gripping his arm.

“And so is fixing the deck,” Penny added, frowning.

“Guys, calm down. It’s not that serious. Just a friendly game, right?” Henry said, steady as ever.

Rey let go of Henry’s arm, forcing herself to relax. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t pull away either.

Then—the alarm blared.

SF immediately rose to his feet. The door opened, revealing a lab coat.

“Strike Squad 2, get ready for combat.”

Without another word, the scientist turned on his heel and left.

“Oh hey, nice day to you too, Mr. Lab Coat,” Billy muttered sarcastically. A few chuckled.

Then his eyes lit up. “Oh! I just got another great idea, guys!”

SF barely looked up. “This better not be another one of your—”

“What if we got a team name?” Billy cut in eagerly.

“Sure. Whatever. Now get ready.” SF interrupted, already done with the conversation.

And just like that, they moved to gear up for whatever came next.

The sound of metal scraping against itself sounded as SF adjusted the metal plates on his left arm, feeling the weight of the Invicta serum injectors that is connected to his arm beneath his armor. Three doses, locked and ready. SF placed a hand over his Heart feeling whats called the kill dose, a last-resort injection strapped to his chest. If triggered the serum would flood directly into his heart instead, pushing his body past its limits and turning him into a mindless weapon, yet another reminder of the labs control just one switch of a button and SF would be gone. The rest of the squad finished their preparations around him.

Henry knelt beside a terminal, his heavy armor clanking as he plugged a cable into the outlet embedded in his spine. His hacking backpack whirred to life, linking him directly to its systems. A sharp twitch ran through his fingers as the connection stabilized.

“Everything good, H2?” SF asked.

Henry exhaled through clenched teeth.

“Yeah. Just the usual brain zap. Nothing lethal… yet.”

He rolled his shoulders, testing the weight of his armor.

Billy sat on a crate, lazily spinning a knife between his fingers. His sniper rifle was slung across his back, the scope linked to his cybernetic eye. Unlike the others, he barely had any armor—just a camo outfit, his rifle, and a couple of blades for emergencies. Not that they’d help much.

“Knives again?” Penny asked, stretching. “We all know you can’t fight up close.”

Billy shot her a mock-offended look.

“Hey, I could if I wanted to.”

“Yeah? And what, poke someone real hard?” Penny smirked.

Billy groaned.

“I swear, one day I’ll—”

“No, you won’t billy, remember she is at least third or even second best in close combat in out squad” Rey cut in without looking up, adjusting the settings on her visor. once she was done she looked up at Billy “and you are most likely last place”

Rey wore camo armor like Billy, but hers had built-in light-dampening tech to help with her enhanced vision. The glasses helped block out bright flashes, and her specialized earplugs let her control how much sound she took in—both necessary to keep her from being overwhelmed. “there is no way you are beating me, sorry short sight but id absolutely would smash you into-” Billy stooped his words as he spotted Henry Clench his metal fist while looking at him, the sound of the metal fist sounded in the room.

Meanwhile, Penny secured the straps on her boots. Her robotic legs gave her speed and agility no normal human could match, but they burned through stamina fast. She preferred knocking people out rather than killing them, which explained why she carried metal bars instead of a blade.

SF finished adjusting his gloves and equipped his daggers that hang from both sides of his belt additional he has 3 push daggers attached to a hilt on the left part of his chest and glanced at the others. The rest of the team had equipped their masks or helmets that would cover their faces but not SF once he activated one of the doses his eyes would turn ice White, his hair Red this while half his face would look like a healed burn mark a giant scar that covers his right side this scar is partly why they call him Sear this would hide his identity well enough.

They were ready.

A voice crackled through the intercom.

“Strike Squad 2, report to the staging area. Mission briefing in two minutes.”

“sir yes sir”. Billy said while doing a sarcastic honor towards the megaphone

As they walked toward the staging area, the team remained silent—as always. Even Billy didn’t joke around at times like this. It wasn’t the mission that unsettled him, but the path they had to take. Every time, they passed the lab where they had been experimented on.

Rey turned her shadow glasses to the max, dimming out the world as much as she could. She gripped Henry’s arm tightly, letting him guide her forward. As they neared the door, she kept her gaze fixed on the floor, moving even closer to him.

“It’s fine, Rey. I promise, it’s fine.” Henry murmured, his voice low and steady.

She didn’t answer—just gave a slow, hesitant nod.

SF walked a few steps behind, his eyes flickering toward the lab door. Beneath it, shadows shifted against the blinding white light inside. He knew those lights too well. They cast sharp, unforgiving silhouettes, just as they had when he was the one strapped to that table.

For a split second, his vision blurred. The hallway around him faded. Cold metal pressed against his back. Restraints dug into his wrists. That same searing light burned into his eyes.

SF exhaled sharply, lifting a hand to his face. His fingers brushed over the spot where his scar—still invisible for now—lay beneath the skin. His fists clenched. soon he resumed moving. Then, he stopped. His left hand flexed, fingers tightening as his right hand turned the dial on one of the doses. Then—crack.

With a deliberate motion, he pressed his thumb against his index finger and snapped it downward. A sharp, mechanical hiss followed. The hidden Invicta Serum injector in his arm fired. The serum shot into his bloodstream in an instant.

A rush of heat followed, seeping into every muscle fiber like liquid fire.

His body reacted instantly. A violent twitch ran through his muscles as the serum took hold. SF tilted his head back, exhaling a slow, controlled breath. For a moment, his vision pulsed, and he could feel the shift beginning. His irises lighted up, the first sign of the transformation. The rest would take longer.

But it had already begun. When SF arrived at the staging area, the others were already waiting. His hair had turned dark red, and the scar across his face had became slightly more visible, standing out more against his skin. He walked in, his gaze lowered to the floor, his footsteps slow but controlled.

As Sear passed beneath the towering doorway, he finally looked up. His expression was hollow—empty.

Billy leaned against the wall, smirking. “Nice of you to show up, Sear only took you awhile.” His tone was light, almost teasing.

Sear lifted his arm, lazily pointing at him. “I know you’re one of the weakest here, but do you really need a wall just to stay on your feet, Blackout?” His voice was smooth, but something about it felt off—too sharp, too precise.

He grinned, but only on one side of his face, the expression baring his teeth in a way that felt more like a predator sizing up its prey.

Billy’s smirk didn’t falter, but for a brief second, something flickered in his eyes—uncertainty, maybe. Then he chuckled, pushing off the wall. “You’re in a good mood today.” His voice was casual, but he was watching Sear more closely now.

Henry’s gaze locked onto Sear, concern tightening his features.

“What’s with you now, Havoc?” Sear’s voice was calm—too calm—as he turned his cold gaze from Blackout to him.

Havoc hesitated. “Just wondering… you good?” His eyes flicked to Sear’s dark red hair, the scar on his face seeming darker than before. “You usually wait until after the briefing to take the serum.”

For a moment, Sear just stared at him, unblinking. Then, slowly, his grin stretched wider—not amused, not playful. Just… wrong. 

“Does it matter?” His voice dropped to a quiet murmur, razor-sharp. The smirk lingered like a shadow. “Felt like a head start would do me good. You worried about me, Havoc?” Sear tilted his head as he let out a smirk

Havoc didn’t look away immediately. Instead, he let out a short breath and turned his back to Sear. “No, I’m sure you can handle yourself.” His voice was steady, but his shoulders were tense.

Sear’s smirk didn’t fade as he watched Havoc walk away, head tilting slightly, as if considering something.

“Oh, I know you can handle yourself, Sear,” Pulse chimed in, stepping forward with an easy grin. She ran her fingers through his hair, her touch lingering for a second longer than necessary. “And I must say, the red hair really does suits you.”

The room tensed—just for a moment.

“Thanks, Pulse.” Sear’s voice was unreadable, smooth but distant. His gaze flicked toward her—just long enough to make her wonder what was going on behind his eyes. “Your red hair suits you too. Makes you easy to spot.”

Then, without another word, he walked passed her and away towards Havoc.

Pulse tilted her head as she turned to watch him walk away, watching him go. As he left, she leaned forward slightly, hands clasped behind her back, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips.

“You must have some hidden problems, Pulse,” Rey muttered, arms crossed. “How can you even joke around with him when he’s like that?”

Pulse smirked, raising her hands in mock innocence. “What? Harmless flirting isn’t allowed anymore?”

Rey didn’t laugh.

Pulse’s smirk softened just a little. “Relax. He can handle it.” Her voice was smooth, but the confidence didn’t quite match the flicker of doubt in her eyes. Then, quieter, almost to herself—“Maybe I just want to see how far he can go.”

Rey studied her for a long moment before exhaling sharply. “Just don’t get too close to that… edge, Pulse.”

Pulse’s playful mask returned in an instant. “I know what I’m doing.” But for a fraction of a second, something uncertain flashed across her face—gone just as quickly as it appeared.

Sear approached Havoc. “So, what’s the mission?”

Havoc glanced at him, still wary. “Seems simple. We’re tasked with eliminating a small rebel group holed up in an abandoned warehouse. But there’s some United Armed Forces activity in the area, so we need to tread carefully.”

SF looked at the map The United Armed Forces—remnants of the old military joined forces under one Union. Only they weren’t scientists and scattered soldiers like the Lab. No, they were trained killers, foot soldiers trained for war. And if they were in the area. Sear cracked a smile to his own though, This might be fun then