Stepping Above the Limits

by Ultimatedaywriter

Hey guys this is Helman8548 here uploading my first story. A man awakens in a windowless cell with no memory of who he is or why he's there. All he remembered was the previous time he was forced into one of the many labs within the facility. Guided by an unknown voice can he escape the lab and uncover the secrets. Video game elements later based of of the many rpg games I played.

1. Chapter 1

Ch. 1

Drip, a sound that had become all-consuming in the darkness of my home. If that is what one could call this place. Splash the sound that a single drop of water makes when it lands on a dry surface, I can't stand it anymore. My body goes into seizures from a mere exercise in self-restraint I know I have to remain calm it's all I can remember. My bones ache from the struggle. The low sound of a ripple followed rising in volume like the beginning of a storm. It is unbearable the loneliness and the sound. There was one thing that freed me from my cell my mind.

And now I feel noting but hunger. But I can't eat. They stopped me. But now my waiting has come to an end. But I don't know why.

Now and again I ask, why? Why am I here? An answer for such an question, should not be so fleeting. I know there is an answer but I can't find it. It's been barred from me.

I am lost at every turn, even after a week of thought upon it. A week alone in the dark in a damp cell while stitches that cover my body slowly fell out. My body was broken when I awoke here but now I feel far more whole. But not there is still a little more. These can't fall out, for they are made of metal wires. They encircle the bones of my jaw. I touch them the metallic feel doesn't surprise me, nor the tightness, but the thickness is confusing. Each wire that I touched was as wide as my smallest finger.

In the beginning I was frightened I mean who wouldn't be after waking up in a dark cell surrounded by crawling shadows that the eye never really gets used to. The first thing I tried to remember was my name such a thing should be simple right. A name but for the life of me I couldn't remember mine.

"It is time number 49 let us hope that you are more successful than the others." The voice asked, I knew that voice as the center of my world and everything I hated about it. The voice is pain. It is loss the end of all that I once remembered. Who I was has been taken and who I am now is in question. I will not disappear. "We won't."

It shook for a moment as another wrack of seizures hit me. There was no danger of pissing myself I had nothing left to piss out. Then again that could be what is constantly dripped down my cell from one above.

I stared at the door in a prone position ready for anything. There was no hope for escape while I was so weak. I knew it and they did as well. This was a formality I had no choice but to answer him. "We shall break free from our prison." My eyes widened that voice wasn't mine where did it come from.

A heavy knock on the door startled me out of me reverie. "Come now subject 49 it is time to go in for another injection. Don't keep us waiting." I lay there unwilling to move it has been a week since the last injection. When I lost my name and they gave me another. The voice didn't matter not really I was just another crazy patient to them. "Do you truly believe that?" Get out of my head. I clutched my head in pain as it spiked through what was left of my mind.

"But I'm not in your head. I am far away why don't you try and find me. You may be able to escape if you find me." I am not a fool you will betray me and leave me here. "No I won't and to prove it I will give you a hint on how to find your name." I'm listening. "Within the coroner's lab there is a room full of records on all the patients. All you have to do is find file 49 and you will get your name back and more." And I am assuming you want something in return. "Precisely, I want you to travel to the lowest floor of the facility and free me from my prison. If you do this then we are even."

And what if I escape with my file instead. A ringing filled my ears I grabbed my head unable to even yell as it felt like my mind was being turned into mush. In less than a second the ringing stopped. I struggled to open my mouth to take deep breaths, but it was useless the wires were held by my very bones. "Any more bright ideas." The female voice asked in an innocent tone. I shakily got on my knees. Shut up woman, I will free you but after that we are going our separate ways. "Oh not into girls are you, well I understand all that torture by women probably made you switch teams. Welcome to the makeup side." I am not gay woman. "Sure you're not well why don't you prove it to me, by coming and seeing me for yourself. Then you can decide if you want to go your separate way." Whatever I will leave with the doctor and see what I can do. But for all I know they plan to euthanize me. "They won't I am in their heads too though they can't sense me like you can. Or talk back for that matter." Whatever later. "Bye"

My stomach growled at me I don't feel hungry any more like a normal human should which is good because they no longer bring me food or water. Hunger means something else to me now. My skin feels hard and unyielding. As I get up. There was no chance that I would have him wait long enough for the threats to ensue. I learned long ago to take them seriously.

"Are you asleep still 49 should I come back later." There was no chance for such peace, I knew that, so I slowly rose to my feet. My bones creaked from the movement. But my muscles didn't quiver or show weakness even after so long just staying here in the dark. I remembered being much fatter when I arrived. A grin would have formed on my face if it could. But with a lack of food my body quickly burned through it. I think that is why I survived so long here. Well before they started to increase my injections.

Getting up to my feet I walk towards the door. Each step making a small slap on the stone floor. I knew from experience that I had to knock on the door to be let out. My mouth won't open. They stitched it shut to stop me from screaming and biting. I knocked on the door my hand invisible to my sight but I knew from memory where the door was.

"Ah good to hear from you subject 49 I had feared that you had passed away like the others. Take a step back from the door. Prepare to be restrained." The doctor said, I took a few steps back. I heard the sound of a wheel turn and metal grinding against metal. It always pissed me off that I couldn't break out of here no matter how strong I was.

Light rushed into the room devouring the darkness and burning my eyes. They had my neck and arms in a ropes. Held back by long poles. Like a dog I was carried out of my cell. I kept my eyes shut the light burned too much to risk damaging them. I didn't know if they would recover or not.

"My god look at him. He's skin and bones." I heard one of the guards say, slowly I opened my eyes and looked at my captors. They were the usual guard all muscle possibly former military. Its thoughts like those that make me question if I really forgot my name or if it was stripped from me. I had no time to ponder it though. They jerked me from my feet. "Do they turn you on gay one." Not gay. I yelled in my mind with a will that only someone scared of such an accolade would say.

"Who cares what he looks like we have to take him to lab nine for testing." The other guard said, I paid them no more mind instead I focused on the doctor. He had a bored expression on his face and held a clip board. He was busily writing notes. I couldn't care less about it though I was free from hell at least for the moment and I would enjoy every second of it. Then it hit me. I am not afraid of the dark.

"Doctor Jefferson, what has this one been through. I thought even the dangerous patients were given food and water?" The guard that held my neck in a noose said, I was quite interested in what the good doctor had to say about that as well.

"Mr. Vladimir most of it is classified but I can tell you that Mr.49 is one of our most successful subjects. There has not been an experiment that he hasn't survived with flying colors. And, now you didn't hear this from me. But he is the template for the current tyrant soldier program. It is 49's unique biology that has allowed for the enhancements to be issued in such a broad manner. Does that answer your question." I thought about it for a moment. While they bickered. I am an experiment. No better than a rat. Suddenly my strength left me.

They didn't let me fall far before the yanked on the ropes to keep me aloft. "We got you 49 give us a signal if you're going to fall again." Vladimir said, I krept to my feet and continued walking no use stalling. Then I gave a slow nod to acknowledge his words. Maybe I would learn more about myself if I behaved.

The doctor just glared at my attempt at falling and wrote something down on his clipboard. And began to shake his head. "Shouldn't we feed him or something before we take him to the lab." A guard asked, I watched the doctor shake his head. The hope of having solid food in me had been dashed.

"No unfortunately subject 49 has been deemed too dangerous to have use of his mouth and we have stitched it shut. And he no longer eats as we do." As I listened to the doctor I felt the stitches in my mouth. They were of course uncomfortable. I would need bolt cutters to get them out.

"Wait he doesn't eat, too dangerous to have use of his mouth." I looked over to the guards Vladimir held his hand over his fellow guards mouth. I looked the guard in the eyes and shrugged.

"Yes too dangerous to have use of his mouth. His saliva contains a virus that changes tissue. It's quite fascinating. Everywhere the virus touches the body evaporates. The cells generate so much power that they overload and burn out. So subject 49 won't be getting the use of his mouth anytime soon. And that is enough discussion we are almost there." I looked in the doctors eyes the man was in his mid-forties with thinning hair. Of Asian descent but by his name he was most likely only half, he stood six feet two inches in height and wore a heavy lab coat. Squared glasses adorned his face giving him a scholarly look. "Quite the eye for detail. You have. You should be wary of the doctor he is more than he seems. And very interested in us." Should I prepare to kill him now.

Flexing my muscles yielded a few results I was strong and hard. But I had little weight. If I was to kill the doctor I would only get one chance. "Don't he would kill you as you are currently. You are all untapped potential right now and power reserves. I will do what I can to get you to the coroner's lab." Alright then I will obey them for now. "Try not to be too obvious we are talking in case Jefferson is watching." Sure

I grew tired of the doctor's appearance rather quickly and began to look over the guards. They were different Vladimir was six five a mountain of muscle made human. He had a gun on his belt ,as well as, a stun baton and wore heavy combat armor. The visor of his helmet was easy to see through he had brown eyes and black hair. His most distinguishing feature was a scare that ran along his right eye. When I looked at the other guards who wore the same armor, I noticed no scares and they were far less muscled. One had blond hair the other black like Vladimir's. I turned away from them and looked ahead.

The cells were never seemed to end, the only markers they held were numbers plastered above the doors. We were in the five hundreds now. Each door was made of a heavy metal bolted shut and air locked to contain the pressure within each room. How can we breathe there? I tried to feel my chest go up in down from my breath but, it never did. I tried to breath in white hot pain lased my senses nearly driving me to unconscious but I held firm to the realm of awareness. My lungs filled but only a little. It gave me no satisfaction as if it wasn't a need I had. Then it occurred to me. Why haven't I been taking in breath while we walked? My eyes widen in silent horror. I had to pull it together if I let myself be pulled into it then there is no way I would escape. It would be easier if I remembered my name though. If I had that then maybe I could hold on. "No you will hold on no matter what just like you forced me too. So be brave and hold on to your will. And hurry up and get here already."

"So you have finally realized it have you 49 you normally figure out before this point what has changed this time. Perhaps you need a neural scan. Hmm, does that sound like something fun." The man smiled down at me, but it was fake. His teeth were too white. And his eyes held nothing.

I felt for strength in my scrawny body. I was only five eleven and with no body fat I looked like no more than a flesh sack covering a skeleton. Especially by my hands. My fingernails looked trimmed no different than any other nail. Unless you studied it closely there was a small line of serrated bone thin just large enough to see if you know what to look for. And even after a week they had not grown.

Now was different I was out of there and growing stronger I could feel it. I was light as a feather and my body was becoming harder with each step. I could feel that at least. The feeling was there but they didn't need to know that. My bones had stopped creaking nearly ten minutes ago.

I took another breath this time it didn't come from my nose. It was weird like my skin sucked in the air. Sucking in air to at least keep up appearances, I allowed myself to calm. Ok what do I have to work with. I don't need to breath or eat so if I was in the ocean I could just jump in and live there for the rest of my life if I had to. But what if I am somewhere like the desert or in a mountain? What would I do then? What are my limits?

"Now here we are Mr.49 lab 9. Unfortunately this is where we part ways it will be doctor Hammer who will be running your experiments today. I will be over at the end of the day to take you back to your cell if you survive." Without another word the doctor walked off further down the hall.

The lab looked quite different to the dark and drab prison like atmosphere that the cells had to them. Lab nine was all white and glass not a speck of dirt to be seen besides what fell off me of course. Many technicians rushed about in the lab ignoring us while we were on the outside. A single card key slide separated us from our entrance.

Vladimir slid the card and gained our entrance. The technicians gave us a glance as a woman in a white lab coat walked up. I looked at her face then her figure and felt quite impressed. Though it mattered little in the long run. I was but a lab rat to them. But I couldn't help but save the image of the doctor for later. She had blond hair held in a ponytail covered by a blue hair net. I couldn't see her nose because it too was covered as well as the rest of her face. She had a dark shade of blue eyes she was six feet even just a little taller than I. And I couldn't help peaking at her bust as we stood there. "No cheating your only supposed to look at mine you promised." I promised? My head shook from the psychic yell.

Three technicians came to take my holding ropes. I knew it was my chance but for some reason I couldn't act. I kept flexing my muscles preparing to escape but before I knew it my bonds had changed hands and once again there was pressure on my body.

"The prisoner has been transported successfully do you consider that correct doctor hammer." Vladimir said in an all business tone, I looked between them looking for chemistry that may or may not be there. It kept me entertained and not thinking about the future deadly experiments on my body that was to come.

"I believe it was satisfactory captain but in the future I require dangerous subjects like 49 to be in ankle cuffs as well to decrease his mobility. Keep in mind that forethought and your experiences is the reason you are paid." A sharp tongue as well I think I will like this woman. So long as she doesn't put anything up my. "Oh go ahead and bend over then and let Vladimir know you're ready." Not gay already. I was knocked out of my thoughts by a sudden jerk from my restraints. I stared at the man who did it maintaining eye contact. He had a smirk on his face and quirked his eye brows to me. I met him with a death glare and gnashed my teeth. It hurt horribly because of my restrained jaw movements.

They continued to jerk me until we arrived at an operating table a loose description of it if there ever was one. It was a white table with multiple metal cable straps aligning it. The use was obvious. They had me strapped in within seconds, I made no fuss. I didn't know the place well enough to escape yet.

They weren't gentle they grabbed my arms harshly and shoved me into the chair. I didn't fight back. Even after my body slammed against the hard metal with a thud. I felt disillusioned what would be the point when I didn't even know where I was. So I looked around as they strapped me in.

There were a number of tools staples and bone saws neatly aligned I didn't know all the tools they had at their disposal nor which could be useful for cutting metal. There were two exits in the lab one leading to the endless catacomb of cell blocks and another that led deeper into the lab.

"Curious are we dear 49 don't worry I'm sure today will be the day your finally free." She gave a patronizing smile, I glared at her and we stared into each other's eyes. She looked away. "It is a shame about the stitching of your jaw I'm sure your would have many interesting things to say. But no matter it's time to begin." My body was belted to the table by dozens of steel cables I couldn't move an inch. "Now relax and let the anesthesia do its job." She clamped the cup over my nose and turned some nobs on a tank and gas began to poor in. I didn't breath there was no reason to my body just didn't need to any longer. By allowing my body to go still and relaxing I feigned sleep.

I heard her voice in the background. "Get chemical 5429 so we can begin administration." A clamor of footsteps followed. I felt something jab into my arm it was small most likely a needle. Then something clamped on my thumb. I relaxed a bit realizing they were just checking my heart rate. It was then that I felt something else. A razor against the back of my head they were cutting my hair off. This had me worried.

"The subject doesn't appear to be asleep doctor Hammer, perhaps he has become resistant to the gas. What should we do?" They seemed nervous about it I kept up the façade even when she stabbed a needle into my heart and injected 5429 into my heart. I could feel more than see the yellow liquid flow through my veins as my heart pumped it steadily. My energy surged, unlike the others the chemical always empowered me. Maybe it was because I accepted that it was already a part of me.

Soon enough they were done removing what hair I had grown within a week and were writing on my head. Making markings on it. Then I felt it a saw blade resting on the top of my head. If I could sweat I would be doing so now. "Beginning lobotomy now." These bastards are going to remove a part of my brain no I can't allow it I have to do something anything forget these restraints. I opened my eyes my strength had been increasing with every step I took it was time to put it to the test. My muscles felt like the steel cables that strapped me down and those that kept my mouth closed. I fought against them. My strength for all it was good for only dug my skin into the cables. Think, damn you think, what can I do to get out of this. Didn't they say I was the template for super soldiers didn't that mean that I was powerful in my own right. My skin shouldn't break so easily, I should be stronger than this.

I felt a ripple go throughout my body like my very blood was boiling and my skin seemed to pull more oxygen from the air or whatever I ran on now. I felt small holes opening in my skin they felt tiny. They released something into the air perhaps it was the virus I heard so much about. But what good would it do against these people they seemed prepared for such an eventuality.

They saw quickly powered up and began cutting. My body reacted it kind. For a few seconds my skin held and the pain was negligible. Like someone was trying to cut me with a butter knife a hundred times a second. I was certain there was a doctor around with a clipboard monitoring this. They would probably use my newest mutation for their super soldier program. But what they didn't know was that I released some sort of gas into the air. Unfortunately it was then, I remembered that most labs had a decontaminating area.

Their saw broke through my skin and quickly entered my skull. I blacked out when it dug into the bone but I quickly came to. My vision was blurred by the pain. Each scrape of the saw a new color of pain across my vison. If there was anything in my bladder it would have been released. But even that came to an end when they removed it.

Wait if my thoughts could alter my skin who says it can't alter my brain what if I decentralize it. Instead of having a brain in my head what if every cell acted like a brain. I focused on the task I had no clue if my body would respond in time or if it was even possible but I did know that it was my only hope. My body clearly didn't need most of its organs so why not turn my cells into a collective consciousness. My body responded in kind. The holes in my body that released the gas released far more then opened up and sucked in more air than ever before. I could feel my body heating up. The heart rate monitor began beating much faster. The doctors didn't seem to pay it any mind other than a short glance.

"Hey take a look at this doctor hammer." I heard the doctor at my brain say. Of course they are monitoring my every action so of course they could see what my body is doing. The blond doctor walked up staring me in the eyes and giving a smile to me. Every five seconds my body released another cloud of viral vapor now. Or whatever it was releasing.

"What is it?" I heard her foot step stop behind my head. "His brain is dissolving possibly in the air. It seems that it was a mistake to perform a lobotomy prepare him for transportation to lab one for an autopsy." You bitch. Then I had another thought maybe this is my chance. The action of removing my brain might have been a good idea after all. I could feel where my consciousness was going. My body worked quickly though I felt thinner now than ever. Once I get my skull on I am going to kill all of you.

"Save what you can of the brain and staple the skull back on." I heard the doctor behind me give an affirmative and begin the work of reattaching my skull. This is going to be a long day I just know it. The doctor that was putting my brain back on wasn't too gentle about it but compared to the saw that cut the top of my head off in the first place it was a negligible pain.

Once my body was sealed back up I focused back on the task of decentralizing my brain. I couldn't have something like a gunshot to the head killing me after all. It was a strange feeling my sense of self felt like it was shifting. My thoughts began to resonate through every fiber of my being. How is this happening? I don't feel the same. I flexed a hand. I could feel the chemical now it was thick pumping through my body my cells leeching off it and adapting mutating a little at a time. The change was altering my body rapidly my control increased.

But how can I even control such functions is it the chemical that they were about to pump into me in that case don't I need more of it. I shook my head no there would be no need for that right now. I had a plan to gain more power upon my escape. "Now don't say I never did anything for you." So you did it. "Yep, congrats I don't normally help out my little pawns but I need to put you on the board and this goes a long way in that." Whatever.

"Doctor subject 49 still has a healthy heart beat why not continue the experiment?" I listened to the conversation as they removed the cables holding me down and loaded me into a body bag on a dolly. It was already half filled. I felt an occasional squirm under me.

"Subject 49 is brain dead and our lab prioritizes the effects of chemical 5429 on the brain. You are new here and so your forgiven this one time for your ignorance, but don't let it happen again. And the reason we don't send him to the other labs besides 1 is for the same reason without a brain he will die soon enough. What made him subject 49 no longer exists it's now dead killed by the disinfectants that circulate through the room. Sad really he held the record for the most doses of 5429 without heavy mutation. Now it is up to subject 99 to continue where we left off with him." I let myself be zipped up by the lab assistants if I could I would kill them. I waited in the bag with my hands over my head to protect the stitches and staples keeping my skull intact.

Character

Name - unknown A.K.A. subject 49

Personality – detached

Mutations – I am a brain, minor recover, sturdy