by K A Duggsy
“Thanks and all but I already have a job.”
“I don’t think you understand. I wasn’t asking. I don’t do that. You’re in no position to argue. I have your men and the girls locked down and the three behind you are somewhat helpless also. I don’t know what your reasons for coming here were but you failed. How do you propose to leave this room when I’m pulling all the strings?”
How I would love to be alone with this guy. No AIG for back up. Just him and me, no weapons, just fists. How fighting is supposed to be done. I wonder if he’s ever been hit in his life. He seems to be the type to always hide behind others. Where does his inferiority complex come from? Was he bullied as a child? Did mummy and daddy not pay him enough attention? I’m desperate to know what makes this guy tick, what was his motivation for starting this Advance abomination? He may be seriously crazy but he’s smart, and an educated lunatic is the most dangerous of all.
Fraser
I’m acting smug, sneering whenever I can and being downright unlikeable but inside I’m dying. I have never been so humiliated in my life. I’m being treated so appallingly by people so far beneath me it’s laughable. They seem to think that we are in the wrong somehow. They don’t understand the work we do here, how we help. Without us cures wouldn’t be found, questions wouldn’t be answered and lives would wilt far quicker than ever before.
Yes, casualties are regrettable. I’m not completely unfeeling but this is how we improve, how we learn. How we better ourselves! We’re pioneers, how can they not see that? They’re acting like they’re rescuing those girls from some great travesty. It’s insane! They’re fed, sheltered, they have company and they aid us in trying to make the world more efficient. They’re not abused! They’re educated. They can’t seem to fathom the sacrifices we make.
The alarm stops clanging and they look relieved. Faith keeps looking at me and I wonder how I got my wires so crossed. I was certain she would get it, that she’d understand. That she’d be proud to be so important, to know she was special. That she stands out from the others. I’m being spiteful to her even though I really have nothing against her. I would even go as far as to say I like her. She’s intelligent and intelligent people are my kind of people.
I’m annoyed though, that guy harmed me and it hurt like hell. Who goes around kicking men in the balls? He seemed very protective of Faith and I’m curious about their relationship. He called her his girl. I’m curious about her relationship with them all. I’m not a fighter, I’m a thinker and my mind can’t keep up with all the scenarios I’m running through on how to get myself out of this. I don’t relish the idea of being hit again. They seem to act first, think later. But I know to always think first.
Faith returns and sits in front of me without her bodyguards flanking her. What I would give to analyse her brain activity right now. Extraction has only been tested on one other before her and much is still unknown. Truth be told we shouldn’t be administering it at all until we do know more, but orders are orders. If I were her, I’d want the answers about my speech. Will it improve? I want to study her desperately. I want to pick apart her DNA and find out what it is she has that made her dematerialise, that made her regain her movements after being given the relaxant. Is it a case of sheer willpower or is there something in her genetic make-up we could harness? A genetic predisposition?
I wonder if she’s aware that she’s twitching, one minute it’s her eye then a jerk of her leg. Her hand shakes repeatedly and she settles it in her lap when she realises I’m watching. This is what I do. I analyse, I see everything. I collect and collate results. I’ve always been a people watcher. The human race fascinates me. She opens her mouth to talk then closes her eyes and seems to think better of it.
Self-doubt, check.
She stares at me pleadingly and her eye twitches again, it’s interesting and most annoying at the same time. Will her tic now be a permanent feature? She starts wringing her hands in her lap allowing me to see how vulnerable she’s feeling. I feel a buzz of disappointment roll over me. I thought she was different to the other whinging women.
She’s lost her spark, check.
I sit quietly taking everything in. Faith’s reluctance to ask me what she so desperately wants to ask. The men whispering away in the corner like a bunch of women catching up on their daily gossip. The girls looking ready to kill and my colleagues looking to me to get them out of this hostage situation. The air is fraught with nervous energy. There are so many bodies in here it’s sweltering, it’s a heady mix when you add in the tension. No one knows what’s going to happen next.
We’re all just waiting.
Faith
I feel like a fool. I need to question Fraser but don’t want to talk. I don’t want him to say anything about my speech. I was going to write questions down but I’d look just as stupid when he saw me holding the paper with shaking hands. I could back down and allow one of the others to talk to him but my stubborn pride won’t allow me to admit defeat.
Every second that passes causes my heart to grow colder. Every second that Kye is a hostage the ice thickens and grips me so forcefully that I can’t think straight. I’m allowing my panic to overwhelm me, I’m aware of it but I can’t turn it off. I’ve been trained to turn off emotion for missions but that’s easier said than done when it’s someone I love. Someone I would swap places with in a heartbeat.
That’s it! I’ll offer myself in return of Kye. I’ll tell them all about where I went, what I did, what it was like. How I got back. I’ll volunteer to be tested relentlessly until they have all the answers they want. I’d do it all and more for him... for Kye.
I take Frasers arm and undo his cuff. He watches silently, curiously but has no choice but to let me do it. My fingers aren’t as nimble as they were and I fumble with the strap. I bite the inside of my cheek and persevere until it falls from his wrist.
I search his comm-rec for Johnson’s details and when I find them I type out a message as quickly as my shakiness allows. This has to work. As I press send, Trask presses up against me and snatches it away, giving me a warning look. He’s quick I’ll give him that. He reads what I sent and who it was sent to and starts cursing, shaking his head at me, reprimanding me. I feel like a little girl being told off by him.
He starts pacing then talks with Walker who also looks at me disgusted. I’m not used to being on the receiving end of their wrath and I don’t care for it too much. They’re so intimidating and usually I would stand up to them but I don’t feel as strong as I once did. The relaxant has affected me in ways I can’t explain. I feel timid, placid and all I really want is a hug.
All I really want is Kye.
Kye
My arse is numb, my legs are dead and my head is pounding. My nerve endings still feel like they’re coming down from a high, sparking before fizzling out and my brain is struggling to focus on anything but the choir of hammers playing in my head.
Johnson is still sat before me waiting for my answer. I know it’s not as simple as agreeing and my men will be let go but I can’t for the life of me work out what to do.
Johnson’s comm-rec beeps and he reads his message, a grin spreading across his whole face. His eyes twinkle as he looks at me and I realise whatever he just read, it can’t be good.
“I told you Faith is remarkable, did I not?”
I think it’s a rhetorical question so I just stare at him hoping he’ll elaborate. I hope he’s just giving me a statement of fact, or is it a trick question?
“Why would she be so willing to switch places with you? Has she fallen for you, Buz?” His voice is dripping with disdain as he starts walking around me in slow circles. I could reach out and finish him in a second but I hold myself back. What the hell is Faith doing? And more to the point why is Jonah allowing her to offer herself? Then again he hasn’t been as warm and welcoming towards her as I’d hoped so maybe he wants his arse kicked again.
My fingers are twitching, aching to pull my knife out of my ank
le holster. I could plunge it into his Achilles tendon and render him immobile; it’s not the strongest tendon in the human body for nothing. They really are stupid, I was unconscious, they had ample opportunity to search me and remove any weapons but they didn’t. It’s almost as if they’re daring me to use it.
I glance at the AIG, they seem to suspect no threat from me and they’re hardly acting as bodyguards to their precious president. If it weren’t for who they are and what they stand for I probably would take the job. They’re in desperate need of training, guidance and discipline. They remind me of nothing more than civilians, inserted into a jumpsuit and given a phaser to play with; it’s as if they’ve never been taught tactics, combat. Your body is your number one weapon because if left unarmed you have to still be able to defend yourself. If they were stripped of their fancy weapons I’m not sure they’d even know how to throw a punch, let alone block one. I can guarantee that my men who are still restrained are processing every option for escape while I’m sat here, because that’s what they’ve been trained to do.
You have to learn to rely on yourself. To find a way to get out of a seemingly hopeless situation.
I time the circles Johnson is still making and watch in my peripheral as he goes around my back again. I release my knife from the holster in a quick fluid motion, impressing myself with my best time yet. I jump to my feet and grab him from behind just as he appears before me. He’s at least a foot shorter than me and his huge bulk is no match for my strength. I press the knife against his carotid artery and start walking backwards as the AIG become aware of my movements and start towards me. Johnson holds up a hand to stop them and they listen straight away.
“Okay, all of you put your phasers on the floor and kick them towards me, then turn around and walk to the opposite wall. Now!” I tell the startled AIG. “Except you, release my men then join them,” I tell the third.
Well, they have one thing going in their favour; they listen to an order the first time, don’t question it and carry it out quickly. There’s hope for them yet.
Once released my men waste no time in claiming the discarded phasers, they stalk towards the AIG and take them out with a phaser to the groin. As payback they carry the men to the bed trolleys all smiling wickedly and pay great attention to tying them up, whistling as they do. What goes around comes around. My men are big on repaying favours and whatever is dished out to them they insist on giving back.
“Now then, what shall we do with you?” I speak into Johnson’s ear, noting the strawberry colour flush spreading from his cheeks to his ears. Beads of sweat are starting to collect on his forehead and top lip. His tongue flicks out in a snakelike manner as he licks his lip nervously. It repulses me; he’s vile – in more ways than one. And then I have an idea.
Chapter 20
Faith
I’m sat with my friends. I finally admitted defeat and know Fraser took great delight in seeing that. He’s re-joined the other scientists on the floor instead of being questioned by Kye’s men as they seem more concerned with the message I sent. They’re winding me up no end, giving me the silent treatment and brooding. Yes, I fucked up but who doesn’t at some point? None of them are perfect and I want to remind them about the times they’ve messed up and I kept quiet. I don’t though because now I have a fear of talking. Of being judged solely on my affliction.
I’m fed up of sitting here and doing nothing, they’re acting like we’re helpless but we’re not. Why don’t they work on opening the door? Why are they not questioning the other Advance employees? Why are they just standing around gossiping when their men are captured? WHY? Why does it always take a woman to go into meltdown before men move their arses and get shit together?
I stand up and walk towards the door. I start booting it with the flat of my foot. I’m not stupid enough to attempt shouldering it but I’m hoping these heavy boots I’m wearing will aid me. I steady my stance making sure my weight is distributed evenly and kick again. Yet again this is something else Kye taught me - a mixture of karate and kickboxing. I’m realising all these lessons he gave me were to prepare me so that I’d never be vulnerable again. So that I’d know how to fight back and look after myself. To work through the pain in my feet and the pain in my chest to achieve my goal.
“What are you doing Faith?” Saunders asks.
I pin him with a ‘what the fuck does it look like’ look and go back to taking my frustration out on the door. He throws his hands up in the air in an ‘I give up’ exasperated manner. I stop for a second, roll my shoulders and stand up straighter before bending my knees and extending my leg. I block out everyone else in the room, right now it’s just me and the door. I take it slower but more forcefully. Using precision instead of anger. I have no idea if this will work but it sure as hell beats sitting around. I hate feeling so useless; at least this gives me something to channel my anger into for the time being.
I focus just slightly right of the lock and pound the exact spot... Once... Twice... and on the third connection the door splinters open, swinging outwards and I stumble slightly before righting myself and staring in shock. I can’t believe that worked! Then I let myself down by doing some kind of girly jump and high pitched squeal of excitement. Now how much quicker would we have been free if the men double the size of me had done this?
I turn around not bothering to hide the smugness from my face to see them staring at me. Trask begrudgingly smiles my way whilst the others frown, probably pissed that they were outsmarted by a girl, but also knowing I’ll hold this over them and taunt them with it whenever I can.
Whenever I can? Who am I kidding? They have to go back home; I have to stay here. We won’t be working together after this. I won’t see them again and I’ll deal with that, but Kye? I left him once and forgot him so that was easy. I won’t be able to watch him leave though. I’d prefer to lose my memories again if that happens. How would I ever live with the pain of losing my best friend? Losing the one person I can’t live without. I’d revert back to my pre-Kye days, a shell of who I am now. I force myself to push the thoughts aside; it’s no use dwelling on what has yet to happen. We’re not out of danger yet. One barrier might have been destroyed but what others are we now to be faced with?
Hope walks towards the men and I’m so proud of her when she states quite clearly, “Go, we’ll watch them.” She inclines her head to the scientists.
“That’s not going to happen!” Walker says.
“Please, trust us with this. They’re restrained, we can’t leave the building and you need all of you to find the others. It makes sense. We’ll be fine; they’re at our mercy now.” She smiles and the other girls nod their heads, backing her up. Letting us know they’re not afraid, that they want to help.
They amaze me. Their lives are intertwined with mine but I at least had some respite from it. I got to play at having a real life with a job and freedom. I had the chance to fall in love and to see that there is good out there. That life exists beyond these walls, this prison. Only we know the torture of this place, we could shout it from the rooftops but no-one could really grasp what it was like. How demeaning it was. How we were treated like objects. How we suffered it all and still built each other up.
“Let them,” I say and then stop when it hits me that I didn’t stutter. My tongue didn’t trip over those words at all.
I decide to test if it was a fluke by saying a longer sentence, “I would stay with them but I have to find Kye!” Oh, my God, Oh, my God. I’m talking, I feel like a freaking whizz kid.
My cheeks start aching from the ridiculously huge smile I’m displaying. My eyes fall on Fraser and he’s perked up, he looks at me intently as if I’m fascinating and my skin starts to crawl. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so stripped bare from a look before. I mean Kye has given me an ‘I want to devour you’ look plenty of times but this is different.
This is unwelcome, unwanted and undeniably creepy.
Fraser
I’ve been working o
n my bindings for what feels like forever. They’re tied behind my back and tied very well but perseverance is rewarding. My fingers are burning from working them back and forth against the coarse material, the tips especially feel sanded down but finally, finally I can feel a bit of give.
Faith looks so pleased with herself, it’s quite endearing and I find that I can’t look away. She really is something else. While everyone else stood around twiddling their thumbs and looking at others for direction she looked at herself, believed in herself. She used her strength and not physical strength but the strength she has deep inside. This woman is strong in all the ways it counts, it’s mesmerising, captivating. She’s a doer, her delighted squeaking even made me smile. So feminine in one respect but then also not. Watching her so animated was a pleasure.
I’ve always watched her from a distance. Never really paying that much attention to the subjects. I observe my experiments and designs from a partition or via recordings. She never made my radar really until she became the sole breakthrough of the Advance experiment. After that I watched her so closely when she returned. I feel a kinship with her. I’m also a doer. I have done things others wouldn’t all in the quest for answers. With her by my side we could achieve greatness. The fact she is so unaware of how beguiling and entrancing she is just adds to the appeal. She has so many qualities most women are lacking. Her inexperience is also interesting. She has a fire within her and I’d love to see it unleashed some more.
I’d love to be the one to unleash it.
The change in my interest towards her throws me. It’s most unusual to look past the purpose of a test subject and see the person within. She has me questioning my beliefs and I can’t afford for that to happen.
Kye