Conductive

By: AceZT

Chapter 1

"Attention Lab 8, attention Lab 8. We are now entering our active daytime hours. All employees report to their stations. All experiments report to morning therapy."

I groaned at the voice… always bouncing around my head like echoes in an empty room. It didn't help that I too was in an empty room. The dreariness of the Lab was getting to me, and I didn't know how much more of it I could take.

Unfortunately, it was time to push those thoughts aside. Opening my eyes, I focused on my surroundings for the first time this morning. My room looked like it always did; a simple room with one door leading in and out with a bed, dresser, intercom, and of course, bathroom. My bed looked like it always did too; a simple yellow cover with white sheets and a fluffy pillow… and jumping with static electricity. I inspected myself and found it to be satisfactory. My clamp-like arms and battery-like legs seemed to be functioning well. Slowly, I got up from my bed taking the static lined sheets with me. I looked in the mirror and did a full inspection. Yep. My hair was still a bright blonde and my eyes a deep blue, my skin still quite pale.

I stretched out my metal arms and legs to give my chest a stretch and make sure they were moving correctly. After getting all the static out, I swung my bed-sheets up and made my bed. I was always sluggish in the morning, but that was always before I had my shock therapy. Even though it hurt and I hated doing it, I always felt better after it was done. So not wanting to waste any more of the professor's or my time, I made my way to my therapy station.

As per usual, my neighboring experiment was still asleep. I guess that's what she gets for watching cartoons so late into the evening. I quietly tiptoed by making as little noise as possible as to not wake her or her cronies up.

After passing through a few more hallways, I came up to the therapy wing of the Lab where I saw the girl I usually saw at this time.

"Jeez, you look groggy," She teased with a smirk. "You should buzz on over to your session, pronto. I think the Doc is operating your room today."

She was Hive, one of my few friends here at the Lab. What made her unique were her bee-like features on her body and forehead. Like most other experiments, I don't really know her roots or past. However, she was very kind to me on my first day, so I tend to stick around her a lot.

"Is he? That's good. I always feel the best after the Doc does it," I replied slowly. "It still hurts though."

"Jeez Leduc, you're still complaining about that? After as much therapy as you've been in, you would think that you would be used to it by now."

Rolling my eyes, I made my way into my therapy room where the lanky Dr. Avian was waiting along with Dr. Whitefin, the anthropomorphic shark. I approached lethargically, further implicating that I needed my therapy soon. The Doc noticed and said, "Ah, Leduc! So glad to see you! Are you ready for your session?"

"Yes, I…" I started but interrupted with a yawn. "…am. Let's get it over with."

"Good deal. Just do what you normally do and we'll be on our way," The Doc said as he nodded his head towards the hulking machine in the back. It was a large metal monstrosity that had wires and lights sticking out of it flowing with electricity. In the center of the machine, a mold shaped exactly to my body with electrodes at the arms and legs for where my electricity is stored. I subconsciously made my way to the mold and clambered in, making sure to secure myself.

After I gave the OK, Dr. Whitefin pressed a few buttons and the machine whirred to life. I started to feel a tingling sensation in my "arms" and "legs" while the Doc started operating the volts and amps being sent through my body. I gritted my teeth as I started to feel the pain that came with being electrocuted so that I could stay alive. Then in a quick flash, the rest of the required electricity surged through my body causing me to yelp in pain until I heard a humming in my arms and legs signaling that I was ready for the day. The electricity ceased and I was able to climb with much more vigor out of the mold to report to wherever I needed to next.

"Feeling better already, I see," The Doc chuckled. "As usual."

"Yep! I feel ready for the day now! So… where to now?"

"Well, actually, I think your wing has the week off so you can go talk with your friends in the lounge if you'd like," The Doc answered with some thought.

I always liked off weeks. It meant nobody had to do work or chores in our wing so we all gathered in the lounge. It was a relief to know you had no work.

"Oh, that's great! I guess I'll see you later Dr. Avian," I said walking towards the exit.

"… And then! With my back to the corner and that monstrosity about ta' eat me skin n' bones…" Peacock said while waving her arms about.

I never do a lot of talking, but I love listening. So I usually listen to what others have to say. Especially Peacock and Big Band, the only two experiments I know who can go beyond the Lab.

"But wait, I thought you said this 'monster' had its mouth sewn shut," Hive thought quizzically. "How could it have eaten you?"

"Ah… erm… uh… TOMMY! ANDY!" Peacock yelled.

"Yeh boss?" The two cronies answered from across the lounge.

"Les git outta here. The Queen Bee here is spoilin' the mood," Peacock grumbled as she left the table where Hive, Big Band, and I were sitting at.

"Queen Bee?!" Hive remarked after Peacock left. "Hmph! I never bossed anyone around in my life! Especially not like her!"

"Aw come on! It always gets to the good part when you have to tear her story apart!" I whined. "Would you two just drop your precious egos and make amends for once?"

"Wh-Ego?!" She gasped. "I've never been so insulted! An ego he says…"

Hive tends to get a bit dramatic when she's irritated, if you didn't notice.

"Say's the girl who refers to herself as Honey," Resounded the bass voice of Big Band

"I most certainly don't!" Hive snapped. I roared with laughter because Big Band obviously hit a pretty sensitive spot. "Oh… why bother talking to you two? You'll tease me to no end," She said with a huff and stormed away.

Big Band and I are on really good terms and we talk constantly. Like Hive, I don't know much about his past, but he was also kind. He's sort of like a mentor/ father to us and keeps us all on the right track much to the dismay of Peacock. He fits right in here though, considering his horribly, disfigured body. He apparently got into an accident a long time ago and had to get an iron lung. Though, most of it is covered by his detective uniform, so I don't know the extent of his lung injury. All I know is that it looks like a musical instrument.

"So Big Band, what's been going on with you?" I asked trying to strike up conversation.

"Same ol' same ol'," He replied.

"Oh, so not much huh? How's outside the Lab?" I asked.

"Same as it always is. Why do you ask?"

"Oh no reason, I just get curious about what it's like out there. I've never seen it you know."

There was a long pause from Big Band. He then asked, "How come you always ask me and Peacock what happens outside?"

"Well, because I get really curious. I'm envious of the fact that you get to go out whenever and I always stay behind with Hive. "

Another pause from Big Band.

"Not that there's anything wrong with Hive, It's just, I feel so confined all the time in here. If I could go out just once, I would be happy."

Big Band replied that Dr. Avian gave him his permission to leave. Maybe the Doc could get mine too. With that, Big Band just gave a shrug and lumbered away signifying the conversation was over; truly a man of few words. Not knowing what to do next, I left the lounge and made my way to my room to think. I usually do my best thinking while walking, so this was good. If Big Band got permission from Dr. Avian that he could leave, how come he could? Well, he was cop so mayber that's a pretty important reason. Peacock has to find the Skullgirl so that's a good reason. I'm guessing you need a reason to get out of the Labs if you even want to think of doing it. So what was my reason? Well, I don't have one, but that one ragdoll can get out on good behavior so maybe I could too.

I was thinking these things when I passed by my therapy room on my way to my room. In it were Dr. Avian and Dr. Whitefin making upgrades to my machine. I was hesitant to ask Dr. Avian right now about my predicament so I continued on my way. The Doc must have seen me hesitating so he spoke up and said, "Leduc! What are you doing back here? To my knowledge, you hate your therapy… unless you want to do it again."

"NO PLEASE I… ahem… No, I was going to ask you a question. What would it take to go outside the Lab?"

Dr. Avian's light-hearted look instantly disappeared after hearing my question. I regretted asking it almost immediately. Who knows what he's thinking.

"Well… you see Leduc," Dr. Avery started awkwardly, "It's just not feasible with as many things that could go wrong for you, not to mention that you don't have enough experience with combat and the like. There are too many variables. We just can't afford to send you out yet."

"Oh… I see. Well, thanks anyways Doc," I said dejectedly. "I'll be on my way."

"Just a moment Mr. Leduc!" Dr. Whitefin interjected. "Could you actually humor us once more today? I want to make sure your machine is in top order."

With a heavy sigh and nothing better to do, I replied, "Sure, just the normal procedure?"

"Yes, just how you would normally do it," Dr. Whitefin answered.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, but I can't stay. I have to check on the Argus unit," The Doc said looking at his watch. "I hope it goes well for you two."

"Thank you Doctor and farewell!" Dr. Whitefin said with a wave as the Doc left. "Now in layman's terms, Mr. Leduc, we might have upgraded the machine to give you more concentrated electricity in one session so you don't have to come here as often. What do you think?"

"Actually, that sounds quite convenient. But how much will it hurt?" I asked with a twinge of worry.

"Well, a lot more. But you won't have to come in for weeks if it works. Are you still up for it?"

I had to think hard on this one. The machine had taken on a whole new look since this morning. It looked much bigger than before; there were a lot more wires and lights. That and I actually had to be cuffed into the mold in order for it to work. Just how much work did these two do during the day? Even if I was thinking rather hard, my head was just too clouded to after Dr. Avian's lecture, so against my better judgement I answered, "Yeah, I'll still do it."

"Excellent! I'll fire it up! You get in the machine!" He ordered with a renewed enthusiasm.

Following his orders, I climbed into the mold and lay down how I normally did. But this time, cuffs automatically latched into spots on my arms and legs. Why, I wasn't sure, but something seemed weird about this whole thing.

"Are you ready for the testing session?" Dr. Whitefin yelled as the much louder machine whirred to life.

I closed my eyes and nodded my head to say yes and I heard a few buttons being pressed. The noise in the room quieted for a few seconds before I started to hear my arms and legs buzz with electricity. At first it tickled, but a few minutes later the electricity hit its peak… at least, on the old machine. By now, my body was saying 'Tough it out! It's almost done!' but it never stopped causing my clenched teeth to grind fiercely. The pain then escalated to twice what it normally is and I started to breathe short, quick wisps of air. Thinking that I couldn't take much more of this, I yelled, "Stop! It's starting to hurt too much!"

I opened one eye to see a panicked Dr. Whitefin madly pressing buttons and flicking switches as the machine's noise got louder leading me to the inevitable conclusion that it couldn't be stopped. Suddenly, the electricity seemed to surge at ten times what it normally did causing me to scream in pain and contort my body. I could feel every cell in my body surge with electricity as I struggled to keep consciousness while fighting this onslaught of pain. Just when I thought that I was going to black out and maybe even die, the electricity seemed to explode in a flash making me shriek in pain. I thought in my final moments all I was going to see was my vision clouding away, but before it could the control panel Dr. Whitefin was working at exploded in a flash of light and the machine I was in exploded in a ball of fire sending me flying to the floor. The last thing I saw was what was left of the machine fall on an injured Dr. Whitefin when I blacked out.