“Within the next hour we should see the subjects breathing rate increase substantially. Basically, the injection will be eating away at its cells, and its genes. As I said, the only way I can determine how to modify the injection properly is to study the real time effects it has on the subject, especially the brain.
There will also be one more showing up soon, just for me. He’ll be a permanent healthy study for comparison and hopefully the first real subject.” As I listened to him, I realized he kept calling him “the subject” or “it” as if he didn’t see him as living being. He really was completely lacking in compassion.
He handed me a notebook and told me to sit down. I was to simply sit there, observe him, and write down everything he said. He began wheeling over all these machines and laying wires all over the man. Altes turned to me – “Well actually, I’m going to have to drill a few dozen holes through his skull, so you can leave if you want. I’ll let you know when I’m done…It should only be a few minutes.”
I didn’t know how I was I going to be able to do this. How could I just stand there and let this happen? I was already in shock and it had only been a few minutes. I truly believed I was going to lose control at any moment and get myself killed.
As I stood outside the door I could hear the drill. I tried 100 different things to block out the sound but I couldn’t; no matter how hard I tried. Eventually I just had to walk away. I went and sat down at one of the desks, and then a symphony of evil broke loose. I could hear the sounds of drills starting to come from all the rooms. I thought I was going to lose my mind. I clenched my fists so tightly that it hurt my fingers. It was literally taking every ounce of my strength not to try and rescue all of them. I just had to keep telling myself there was nothing I could do… Yet.
I tried to think about Aeris and how much things could have changed during the six years I was in stasis. How different would it be after 20 years once I made it back? If I did at all… The surrounding cities could have gathered their strength and defeated The Capital by now. The home and the people I knew may no longer exist... We may return to nothing but chaos and destruction… What was even harder to think about was the fact that Sara was in one of those rooms…
Eventually, one by one, the drills started to stop and the lab became completely silent. I knew the door to Cyrus’ office would open any moment and I’d have to go back in and see what he had done to the man on the table. I had to prepare myself for what I was about to see and keep reminding myself that I’ll never be able to help them if I act too quickly. I just sat there and stared at the door…
After a few minutes the touchpad lit up and it opened. Cyrus appeared and motioned for me to come back in. I hesitantly got up and slowly approached, the whole time wishing I was just having one of those stasis nightmares Cyrus had warned me about. When I made it through the door I knew that my mind couldn’t possibly make up what I saw… The nightmare was indeed real.
I counted 10 tubes connected to the man’s head; blood running from each one. To the left was a blood soaked rag Cyrus had been using to clean it away while he worked. Just as he said, I could see the man’s chest going up and down as if he’d been running for his life; it was starting to take effect.
I knew I shouldn’t have asked but I had to know… - “Can he feel anything?” Cyrus shot me a cold glance and said “Unfortunately, the subject is only partially sedated and artificially paralyzed. I can’t get the necessary data without normal brain functions and an induced coma could compromise the testing… Plus the stimulation of fear may actually speed up the process and help our cause.” He sat down and started looking at the data being acquired on his computer and said “Ok, go ahead and sit down and just write
There will also be one more showing up soon, just for me. He’ll be a permanent healthy study for comparison and hopefully the first real subject.” As I listened to him, I realized he kept calling him “the subject” or “it” as if he didn’t see him as living being. He really was completely lacking in compassion.
He handed me a notebook and told me to sit down. I was to simply sit there, observe him, and write down everything he said. He began wheeling over all these machines and laying wires all over the man. Altes turned to me – “Well actually, I’m going to have to drill a few dozen holes through his skull, so you can leave if you want. I’ll let you know when I’m done…It should only be a few minutes.”
I didn’t know how I was I going to be able to do this. How could I just stand there and let this happen? I was already in shock and it had only been a few minutes. I truly believed I was going to lose control at any moment and get myself killed.
As I stood outside the door I could hear the drill. I tried 100 different things to block out the sound but I couldn’t; no matter how hard I tried. Eventually I just had to walk away. I went and sat down at one of the desks, and then a symphony of evil broke loose. I could hear the sounds of drills starting to come from all the rooms. I thought I was going to lose my mind. I clenched my fists so tightly that it hurt my fingers. It was literally taking every ounce of my strength not to try and rescue all of them. I just had to keep telling myself there was nothing I could do… Yet.
I tried to think about Aeris and how much things could have changed during the six years I was in stasis. How different would it be after 20 years once I made it back? If I did at all… The surrounding cities could have gathered their strength and defeated The Capital by now. The home and the people I knew may no longer exist... We may return to nothing but chaos and destruction… What was even harder to think about was the fact that Sara was in one of those rooms…
Eventually, one by one, the drills started to stop and the lab became completely silent. I knew the door to Cyrus’ office would open any moment and I’d have to go back in and see what he had done to the man on the table. I had to prepare myself for what I was about to see and keep reminding myself that I’ll never be able to help them if I act too quickly. I just sat there and stared at the door…
After a few minutes the touchpad lit up and it opened. Cyrus appeared and motioned for me to come back in. I hesitantly got up and slowly approached, the whole time wishing I was just having one of those stasis nightmares Cyrus had warned me about. When I made it through the door I knew that my mind couldn’t possibly make up what I saw… The nightmare was indeed real.
I counted 10 tubes connected to the man’s head; blood running from each one. To the left was a blood soaked rag Cyrus had been using to clean it away while he worked. Just as he said, I could see the man’s chest going up and down as if he’d been running for his life; it was starting to take effect.
I knew I shouldn’t have asked but I had to know… - “Can he feel anything?” Cyrus shot me a cold glance and said “Unfortunately, the subject is only partially sedated and artificially paralyzed. I can’t get the necessary data without normal brain functions and an induced coma could compromise the testing… Plus the stimulation of fear may actually speed up the process and help our cause.” He sat down and started looking at the data being acquired on his computer and said “Ok, go ahead and sit down and just write
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