The Mechanism of Hope
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Rowley Medical Research Institute
3:14 a.m, 1993
There was only fear. Horrible, gut-wrenching fear.
It lived in the patient, sowing terror into her very soul. From behind a smooth clear wall, the good doctor cleared his throat, pressing the small button that would activate the projecting microphone into the examination room.
"Doctor Hofstadter," began the Honorable Doctor "You may begin the procedure." The bearded doctor smiled the polite fascination in his eyes hidden behind glass shields. Taking the rubber goggles and pulling them over his face, Dr. Hofstadter turned to his Great Machine. The buzzing sounds emitted from it reminded the small patient of wasps. And they would sting her. Sting very hard indeed. The small wires from the Machine coiled around the floor, came and bit into the patients' hands, wrists, and her temples. Their sticky ends made her cringe. Finally, the doctor stepped from the Machine and turned to the glass wall. He nodded slowly, turning back to his Device. After he calmly adjusted knobs and switches to their appropriate stations, he signaled to the Men in Coats it was time to begin. Dr. Hofstadter slid his goggles over his eyes, cocooning his face in protective rubber. The patient, strapped to the metal slab, whimpered. Ignorant of her terror, the Doctor gently pressed the button that held her pain.
A horrific scream was wrenched out of the throat of the small girl behind the glass wall, the Doctor and his associates did not flinch.
"Interesting," One doctor seemed to note, as she scribbled something onto her clipboard. "The patient still responds to the stimulant." The Doctor smiled
"Yes, Doctor Smithfield," he cupped his hand against his bearded chin "The stimulus has not changed, and yet the pattern has not seemed to have been noted by the subject." The Doctor's associates nodded together, as if they were truly awestruck by his observation.
"Doctor Hofstadter, you may stop now." Dr. Hofstadter nodded compliantly and the switch that held the subject against her will was stilled. Her screams were quelled and stillness filled the room. The subject's body went limp, the fetters holding her no longer necessary. Two orderlies came into the Operation Room, and upon dislodging her from the leather straps holding her down, carried her out the room.
"Excellent progress," The Good Doctor murmured. "Excellent indeed…"
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Westchester, NY
10:52 p.m., 2009
"Burn it all! Burn it!" The shout was unanimous as a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the windows of a grand mansion. Three more were thrown succeeding the first, and flames erupted within the house. A scream erupted from the inside. The trapped family was helpless, unable to get away from the mob that surrounded their once proud and glorious home. From her bedroom, a young woman watched in horror as flames began to grow stronger.
'Think Massie, think. There has to be a way out of this.' Searching around her, Massie held the sleeve of her sweatshirt to her nose as smoke began to seep through her door.
'Mom, Dad.' she thought frantically. Freeing her left hand, Massie dragged her desk's chair over to her back window that faced her backyard. She stepped back, hefting the chair onto her shoulder, ready to catapult it through her open window. Throwing it forward, it made a satisfying rip through the metal screen. Eyes burning and slowly suffocating, Massie barely looked back as she jumped from her second-story bedroom window, tumbling to the ground below.
She landed, falling on her side. Wincing from the dull ache in her right arm, Massie stood up and ran to the expansive patio that faced the rest of her backyard. Tears were forming in her eyes as Massie coughed, expelling the smoke from her lungs. She could still hear shouting from the front. And though she knew it was stupid, Massie couldn't bear to run away from her childhood home.
'Go, leave now!' A part of her brain shouted. 'They'll kill you if you don't get up!' Massie's vision cleared, and she stood up. Her backyard faced the woods. If she fled, the underbrush and darkness would provide a good-if only temporary- cover. Somewhat comforted by her new plan, she strode purposefully towards the edge of her property. A sickening squish, however, stopped her dead in her tracks. Looking down, Massie covered her mouth with her hands to keep herself from screaming. There, partially illuminated by the moonlight, lay the mangled body of Massie's pet pug, Bean. It appeared as if he had been stabbed, and his intestines spilled onto the grass. Her hands covering her mouth, Massie ran. When she reached the fence that separated her family's property from the woods surrounded it, Massie fell onto her knees. She retched, heaving the last of her dinner into the bushes.
'Oh Bean,' she mourned, tears slipping and sliding down her cheeks. 'Why? Why couldn't they have left us alone?' Her musings were cut short, however, as the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps sounded.
'Oh God!' Her mind frantically searched for an exit. Massie scrambled towards the fence, and a hand roughly grabbed her by the shoulder, throwing her to the ground, and away from the fence. Massie attempted to scream before her mouth was roughly slapped by a man's palm.
"Well well, what do I have here?" His breath reeked of alcohol, and Massie cringed. He removed his hand from Massie's mouth.
"Shh, now," he whispered into her ear. "Can't let anyone hear." He smiled, and in the shadows, Massie couldn't see his face.
"How 'bout we have some fun?" Massie whimpered softly, and the man above her smiled. He leaned onto her, his mouth encapsulating hers. His tongue slid over hers. Horrified, Massie bit down. Hard. With a yelp, her attacker leaped back. His hand and clutched his mouth. Massie could taste his blood in her mouth.
"You stupid bitch!" he backhanded her about the face. Massie spun, landing in the soft dirt. His hands were balled into fists. He grabbed Massie roughly by her collar, and held her up.
"You're gonna' regret you did that." He threatened. Massie winced, anticipating the blow.
"You sure about that?" A feminine voice came from behind. Massie squinted, unable to make out the appearance of the newcomer. The drunk dropped Massie. He swaggered over to the stranger, leering.
"What the hell," the man looked over, sneering. "Do you think you are you going to-" He was cut off. An unseen force flung him away, his body crumpling as it made impact with a tree. Massie scrambled away from the approaching figure. A hand reached down to her.
"Are you alright?" Massie nodded hesitantly.
"Is he-"
"No," the stranger's voice was firm. "He'll be out of it for a little while though. Are you Madison Block?" Massie nodded again
"Yes, but my friends call me Massie." The older woman took the hooded sweatshirt she was wearing and pushed the hood off her head, revealing flaming red hair pulled back into a low ponytail.
"Allie-Rose. I would go into more detail but…" She trailed off. Massie nodded again understanding what she implied.
"We need to leave." Massie pulled herself up.
"What about my mom and dad?" She asked her rescuer. She looked mildly annoyed.
"They'll be fine," Allie-Rose insisted. "Now, we have to go!" Her anger and concern made Massie recoil slightly.
"Hop on my back." she commanded to Massie.
"What?" Allie rolled her eyes.
"Just do it." Massie, still fearing for her life, did as she was told. Once secured on Allie's back, Allie closed her eyes, seeming to be in deep concentration.
"You may want to hold on." she muttered. Massie leaned forward.
"Wha-" But she was cut off as she and Allie were catapulted into the air. Massie attempted to scream but the speed at which they were flying cut off all her oxygen.
"Here we go!" The pair of them were flying so fast, Massie was sure they were going to hit something.
'Ohmygod! I'mgonnnadiegonnadie,' she thought frantically. 'I'mgonna-' But she wasn't. Instead of shooting up into space, as she had thought they would, the air was now still. She opened her eyes, and saw blue sky, dotted with puffy white clouds.
'Where are we?' Massie asked herself. However, the only person who seemed to know was Allie-Rose.
"Uh, you can get off now." Massie's cheeks colored, embarrassed. She slid off, and stared at the environment around her in wonder. The whole place looked like the Mall in Washington D.C. There was a long stretch of lawn, and to the right and left were brick buildings, some with ivy curling around it. And at the front, where the Washington Monument would have been, was a massive domed building.
"What is this place?" Massie asked Allie. She had taken off her sweatshirt, tying around her waist, leaving her with a white tank top. Massie did feel a bit warmer, like someone had cranked up the heat in her house.
"It's my home. And yours if you want," she snuck a side look at Massie, before continuing. "It actually used to a college, before it went belly up. Then the Board bought it and set all of this up."
"What's the Board? And what exactly is this place?"
Allie took a deep breath. "Well Massie, I think you had better leave all of your questions to someone who can answer them better. Like Miss Lyons. Speaking of which, we need to let her know you're safe and sound. Follow me." Massie, feeling like she had no better options, followed.
They walked to the domed building; and, as they walked up the stairs, Massie saw a plaque with the building's name on it. 'Patterson Building'. Allie saw her looking.
"Yeah, it's called Patterson, but everyone 'round here calls it the Town Hall." Alllie held the glass door open for her.
"Come on." The inside of the 'Town Hall' was huge. Even by Massie's standards. A large contemporary chandelier hung from the ceiling, above a large granite desk. A brunette woman, Spanish from the look or her, sat typing away at her desk, dressed impeccably. Allie approached her.
"Hi Alicia, how are you?" The secretary looked up from her work.
"Tired. She's been up my ass all day today. She's freaking about this new project. And who's this?" Alicia gestured with her head.
"Massie. She's the girl the Board was asking for." Alicia's face was overcome with sympathy. She triple tapped her chest.
"Poor kid," she murmured. "Anyway. Allie, if you want to talk to the Board, you may as well take a seat. They're still in that meeting." Alicia looked annoyed. Massie turned, and saw a pair of plush leather couches and a glass coffee table.
"'Kay. Thanks Leesh." Allie and Massie headed for the couches and sat down. After a few quiet moments, Massie finally found her voice.
"Allie, you still haven't answered my question. Where are we? Is everyone…" she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Like us?" Allie blinked, and then laughed.
"Relax kid. Everyone 'round here is like us. That's this place was built for. It's called Sanctuary. And if you're wondering, we are currently in California. L.A. is two hours thata way." She pointed a finger north. She checked the clock on Alicia's desk. "Sunset is soon. Almost eleven for you." Massie digested this information.
"Where are my parents? Are you going to bring them here too? Am I going to be able to go home? Do they know where I am?" Allie held up her hands defensively.
"Whoa. One thing at a time. I'll explain it all.
"First, your parents are fine. We had a team get them out of the house. They're safe. Second, I can't bring them here unless it's under orders. Nobody's supposed to know about this place. That's why it's safe for us. It's a haven, where can use our powers without anyone judging us, or politicians regulating us." Allie was talking about the Genetically Different Regulation Act, or GDRA. It was introduced by a radical politician, who was convinced anyone with superpowers was a freak of nature, and their DNA was 'different'. It hadn't been proven yet by science, of course, which only led to more speculation. Under the act, no one with superpowers was allowed to exercise their powers in public, or on other humans. 'Let them kill their own kind' was the general idea behind it. Already, if any 'GenDs', as the super powerful were called were seen with a GenN (Genetically Normal), both were the target for scorn. To most, it was an overreaction. But to some, it was just 'guarding against future dangers'. Yeah right.
"As to if you can go home, well-Oh hey, Alicia says you can go on in." Alicia was indeed motioning for Massie to come forward. She did, hesitant to leave her guide. Allie made a 'shoo' gesture.
"Go ahead. I'll see you later." Massie nodded, and put on a brave face. She crossed the marble floor, aware of how cold it was inside. Alicia was teetering in her high heels, looking graceful and tall.
"Right this way please." Massie followed Alicia into a corridor off the main lobby. It was lined with boardrooms, and long. Alicia stopped at the end, and the one doorway with two oak doors. She knocked politely. After a few moments, came a voice.
"Come on in," Alicia turned to Massie.
"I'm gonna let you go now," she said. "Good luck." Alicia then turned on her heel and walked away before Massie could say another word. Massie was stuck staring at the neatly monogrammed plaque on the door, announcing the name of its inhabitant. 'Claire Lyons'. She hesitantly grabbed the doorknob, and turned.
Massie was surprised by the sight that greeted her as the door swung inward. A smooth black desk housed a figure in its chair. She has sunny blonde hair, tucked into a bun, some strands left hanging around her forehead. She had her hands folded in her lap, smiling.
"You're Madison then?" Massie nodded at her. This must be Claire.
"Sit down." Massie sat in one of the leather chairs in front of Claire's desk.
"Miss Lyons, I want to thank you for saving me from that mob. But, when can I go home?" Claire sighed from her seat.
"Call me Claire, please. But Massie, before I answer your question, I should probably tell you more about Sanctuary. I assume Allie-Rose told you a bit about our operation already?" Massie nodded, and Claire continued.
"Sanctuary has been running now for almost five years. I started it, along with the rest of The Board, in hopes other GenDs, such as you, could be safe. Sanctuary is part school, part home to every person here. I myself stay here, and have full time residence with in one of the dormitories.
"We are completely self-sufficient, but connected to the outside world. It's a twenty minute car ride to the nearest mall. You may want to get new clothes when you have the chance. And don't worry about expense. Each person in Sanctuary gets a charge card, which is paid for by outside contributions from those sympathetic to our cause.
"I know this will take some getting used to, Madison, and I hope you will adjust. But if you ever need help, I'm always available." Massie could only nod dumbly at the wide spread of information she was meant to digest.
"Now, 'Massie' is it, tell me about yourself."
"I was born and raised in New York. When I was eight, I found I had powers. It was simple stuff really. If I wanted something on a high shelf, it would just float on down. I thought I was special. My parents did too. But other people didn't." Claire nodded gravely.
"People started talking. Eventually, my parents had to move me out of the city and change schools. But it didn't get better after that either. By freshman year I was the class freak. The girl who could make things move without touching them. I was ostracized. But I never expected them to actually do anything." Massie's hands were balled into fists, grabbing the hem of her flannel pajamas. Claire grabbed Massie's hand sympathetically.
"If we dwell on the past, we can never look to the future. Think about that Massie, instead of home. Your parents are safe, and you'll never see those people again. You don't have to worry anymore." Claire let go of Massie's hand, and slid open a drawer. Claire slid the envelope to Massie.
"Here is your room assignment and key. Allie will show you your new room. Welcome to Sanctuary." Massie took the envelope, stood, and shook Claire's hand. She walked out of the room. But as she closed the door, she realized something too late.
Claire never told her when she could go home.
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A/N: Sorry about the blocks of dialogue, but it was needed. If there are any other spelling/grammar mistakes, it's because I rushed. Updates to come along.