Chapter 21

Pascal Latier's story

Another week later...

"Her body is completely restored to its optimum functions." says the A.I. "Let's break her out of the induced coma." I say. As procedures are being carried out to do so, I look at the last zigzag lines of the chart monitoring her brain activity. This is a new gadget that is still fresh from Palisade Industries, which has been supplying weapons and whatnot to the Peacekeepers and advanced medical equipment to Helios especially. Uncle Beetee used to be an adviser for them in the field of bio-mechanics but he has already long retired. This is the D.R.E.A.M, a Dream Resonance Elevated Analytic Module, designed to actually change brainwaves induced by dreams into crystal clear images that can be shown on a screen, just like a movie in the cinema. Uncle Beetee didn't make this. The true prototype was actually created by Capitol researchers in the era of the Dark Days to examine the brainwaves of human test subjects while they ran trials of a mutt called Dark Fairy, a metaphysical-like dragonfly that induced horrid nightmares. The project failed because the dragonflies gave nightmares to the sleeping Peacekeepers next to the lab. Now, it is used for better means, towards the advancement of the fields of science.

A short video was the last thing that was managed to be recorded by D.R.E.A.M. I must say, it is simply a privilege and yet a folly to indirectly trespass and have a glance into a person's dream. After all, a dream is part of a person's inner world, a closely-guarded utopia none can reach expect she or he himsself or herself. I replay the video on the touch screen of the module and I am taken aback at the angry and unforgiving face of Peeta Mellark. I have watched this certain dream a few times, but every time I play it, I am taken aback. I could never imagine how a father could be so cold and stern to his own daughter. So cold and insensitive to the point when he would be willing to throw plates and bowls at his child. So mean and sharp-tongued to shout the meanest things at her, calling her ungrateful and stubborn. And yet Katniss Jr. was willing to save her abusive father from a fiery death! This frustrates me to the point that I almost smash my fist into the screen, but I don't. Instead I ask, "Is she awake yet?"

"She is now." the A.I. responds in a crystal clear voice. A few of my fellow scientists hurry to their stations and a nurse or two head over to get the girl out of the bacta-tank. I take off my glasses and watch them lift Jay out of the chamber, soaking wet, from my new office, which has glass walls and a perfect view of the entire Helios facility. Jay's body is as perfect as a newborn baby's, but as the doctors predicted, she has lost her ability of locomotion. A groggy Jay is laid on a trolley and wheeled to Mach Room, the zone where all her prosthetic limbs and mechanical 'modifications' will be added. I head downstairs at once to oversee the operation. I have already given all the instructions to my team and entered the correct codes for the surgical bots. I put on my white lab coat and enter Mach Room. Five bio-mechanical and medical experts are there, awaiting my orders. Their gloved hands are ready, but I motion them not to do anything. I want to have a talk with Jay.

The young teenager is still lying on the trolley, unable to move a muscle. Her face reminds me so much of her mother, whom I saw many times on television and history films. Her tan skin. Her drenched but dark long hair. Those blue eyes remind me of the great man of peace I thought her father was. "Jay, how are you?" I ask cordially. She stirs and fixes her eyes on me. Her lips attempt to move to form words, but they don't. In fact, they can't. "I'm sorry for what happened." I say truthfully. "You can't talk or move because the fire destroyed your nerves. But don't worry, I can fix you up. You'll be walking and running like a happy young girl again, I promise. At no expense except that you stay calm and don't worry." Her eyes look questionable, but I can read her face and it says, "OK, what now?"

"Let's give you a little movement and we can talk more, shall we?" I suggest brightly. "We'll start with your lips, facial motions for expression and your neck. Don't worry, it'll take only a minute as they are not so difficult yet. Just close your eyes and relax" With that, I press a button and she does so as the surgical bots take over, enclosing facial plates over her face to shield it from exposure as they begin work. Jay won't feel a thing as her nerves are down, and if they aren't, the bots have anesthetic on the spot. My procedure to reconstruct her body is very simple. I drew my inspiration from the undifferentiated parenchyma tissue and mature, organised scelerenchyma tissue in plants. Being young fresh tissues, parenchyma are very undeveloped, but can act as support for an entire plant and store vital cell sap. Sclerenchyma is the utmost stage of maturity and the top of the chart of growth for the parenchyma tissues to grow into. With this concept, I created nanomites, courtesy of Cybertronian technology, to do the same. To differentiate from 'parenchyma stage' to become 'sclerenchyma stage'. Which is to say, I will plant bio-cells, void of genetic information or whatsoever to grow into new living cells to replace useless tissue in her body. The bio-cells will extract genetic information from the surrounding cells that are still functional and replicate it to form new ones. It is like setting the body back to the time when fire had not laid waste to it. The bacta-fluid only restored the outer condition of the body, but the inner energy and functionality has to be restored in this tedious process.

Bio-cells are presently being infused into her head, returning energy to worn-out nerves and refreshing everything. At most, she'll only feel a tickle. Then voila, her face procedure is done, and the plates are removed by the bots to reveal her more lively face. "Better?" I ask. "Yes. Who are you?" Jay asks. "Forgive me, but I am Dr. Pascal Latier. Uncle Beetee used to be your mother's old friend." I say. "Yes, I know that." Jay says. "Is my dad fine? With my brother and the others?" "Everyone is fine." I assure her. "Except for the bar, of course." I grin, attempting to be a little humorous. But Jay's face is unreadable for any such signs. "What is this place?" she asks. "Is this some kind of lab? You are wearing a lab coat and not a surgical smock."

"This is both a lab and a medical facility." I say. "But rest assure. You are in good hands. But I want to tell you something, and it's important because it is not only about you, but about Panem as well." "Tell me about it. I'm all ears." Jay says. Within minutes, I have told her everything, and she opens her mouth to say something either in protest or otherwise. I am surprised and elated when she does neither. "Why was I chosen?" she asks. " "Because you are young, capable and you are like your mother, sacrificing and dauntless. That is what any Mockingjay should be." I say. She fixes her eyes on the ceiling and asks, "What if I say no to this proposal?" I almost get a shock at such a question, but I say gravely, "Then the people of Panem will be in danger. The Autobots will fall and the Decepticons will destroy all of us." The truth is bitter, but necessary to be revealed.

"You know that I am a sixteen year old girl and I can't be expected to do such things!" Jay's voice suddenly becomes a shout. "I don't know how to be a fighter, let alone the Mockingjay. But whatever! Do what you wish." Her eyes are flaming with an anger that not even Katniss Everdeen would have shown on her face. Her mother keeps things to herself usually. But not this one. "Why do you say that?" I ask. "You know why!" she bursts out. "Well, you have been prying into my dreams, right? I saw those giant screens on my way here. Take a good look and you'll know!" Damn, I left D.R.E.A.M on. I was to engrossed to be remember such small matters. But i decide to keep myself from sounding surprised as I say, "Your father was not that nice, right?"

"Whose isn't?" Jay scoffs sarcastically. I shake my head in a little disappointment. "Leave us." I order the rest of the team. The doctors and scientists exit the room, leaving us and the bots. I press a button and bigger robotic arms appear and lift Jay from the trolley onto a metal chair with wires and mechanical instruments. "Are you going to torture me?" Jay asks. "No. I want to talk to you." I say. "I want you to be very clear and honest with me. Were you close to your father?"

The whole scene changes from a prep talk before an operation to a counseling session. Before we know it, we are both sharing our thoughts and memories like old friends. I have to brush away a tear when Jay describes how she was locked in a dark room just for accidentally breaking a dish. Jay also has tears in her eyes as she expresses how much she misses her mother. "She loved me very much, to the end. I still see her in my dreams. I suppose you know that." she concludes. "Yes. I'm sorry that you had to live with a hard father." I say. "Never mind. I didn't chose my father anyway." Jay consoles herself in a cold manner. Something hits me just then. "Jay, let this not only be a project to save Panem, but to save you. If you go back home, your dad will most probably not treat you well although you saved his life. Your brother would miss you, but at least he can have a chance to be with more friends. If you stay here and become the Mockingjay, a heroine, your life will be changed forever."

"I must say, it sounds tempting!" Jay muses. "All right. I give it a go. But I want to ask you to erase my memories, if you can."

"What?" I am dumbstruck. My happiness at helping someone is diminished by fear and terror at such a request. "No, I can't do it. Why do you ask for such a thing?" I back off immediately. "I can't do it. It will violate all my scientific principles and morals. I can't erase your memories. OK, it's possible. I can take a nerve or two out and that's it, but why? If you want to forget your bad father, that is your choice. But what about the memories of your mother? And your brother? They both loved you so much. Please, it would be like killing you."

But Jay is adamant. "If a girl is to be the Mockingjay, she must be one with a clean slate, fresh and new." she reasons. "Her mind must be ready to be vicious yet reasonable at the same time. All these years of harsh treatment has killed all these. For example, I should have worn a fire jacket to protect myself when i ran in to save my father, so that I won't become the piece of trash like I am now." "You are not trash." I state patiently. "I am, to my father, if I have to go back to him." she says. "I don't know why I saved his life. Maybe without him, I won't have a place to go to, except to the community home. My dad has always been ungrateful, from the beginning. And my brother will bear the brunt of having to care for my insurmountable needs." A tear rolls down her cheek. "I can't bear to have Bagel undergo much to care for me. Without me, he can grow and make friends. Please, I beg you, wipe my memories out. Then i can become the best Mockingjay I can be." her voice drops to a whisper as she says this.

I feel so numb in heart and soul and mind that I can't muster the courage to say yes. But I do in the end. "Yes." I almost mumble. "You are right. You can't let anyone suffer because of you. I will do so, but I assure you that we won't exploit you for our means." "Thank you. Don't tell anyone about this." Jay says. "I will only say that it is a side effect of the prosthetic installation, which is also a probability." I mutter as I order the scientists in to start work on the now willing subject.

The Mockingjay has made her decision. A complicated one, but necessary for better and for worse.