Hey all. It's been a loooooooong time since I last updated this
story. Sorry about that. Things have been very crazy in my life. This is
a short chapter, but fairly moving if you care about Jim. Tell me if you
still want me to keep working on it. If not, I'll cool it. Thanks.
Jim was aware of the cold first. It seemed like everything was very cold. The next thing he was aware of was that he didn't feel anything else. He only felt cold. His body did seem a little heavy, as though he had been drugged by some sort of anesthesia. However, there was no pain. None from the bullet wound in his shoulder. None from whatever these people had done to him. Just the intense cold.
Mariah had followed him until she had turned Lonnie down another hall. The guards that were holding him between them didn't take any chances and they had held a hand over Jim's shoulder, threatening to squeeze if he made any sudden movements. Realizing that he was basically stuck, Jim hadn't tried to make a break for it. Refusing to make it easy for them, he made them drag him all the way. They had come into a large lab area with a singular metal table long enough to put a person on directly in the center. The lights had been harsh and Jim had closed his eyes and squinted until his eyes adjusted. By that time he found himself staring at three men, dressed entirely in white scrubs, with surgery masks covering most of their faces.
"This will go easier if you don't struggle, Lieutenant Brody," one of them said. Jim remembered just staring at them, feeling like he should do something.
"What, just stand back and let you turn me into some bad science experiment?" he had retorted, trying to pull away. He was rewarded with a harsh squeeze to his shoulder, causing his vision to blur and his knees to buckle. The two guards held him up as he struggled to regain his balance and to stop his nausea.
"The less you fight it, the better it will be. I am a trained professional."
"This is illegal!"
"Ever the security officer, aren't we?" one of the others piped up. "Oh yes, James Robert Brody. We know all about you. If you are so high and mighty in your morals, why did you play a part in the GELF settlement?"
"I was following orders." Jim replied, feeling inadequate.
"Consider these orders. You'll be changing the future. Someday all men will be clamoring to have the ability to swim freely under the water as you will be able to do."
"But that will be their choice!"
"Come now, Lieutenant. I did a fine job on Mr. Piccolo. You'll be fine. Get him on the table," the order was cool and quick. Jim did his best to struggle, but he was no match for the two strong-armed guards. Soon enough, they had him lying on his stomach, face resting on the cold metal. His arms, legs, and neck were secured to the table with cold metal restraints. Jim could literally feel himself losing the battle.
"Aren't you going to beg?" One of the men asked. Jim gritted his teeth and remained silent. Some sort of oxygen mask was placed over his face and Jim could taste the gas. His mind was screaming, unable to believe that he was about to become part of some twisted science experiment. Slowly the haze of the anesthetic began to overcome his mind and he ceased all bodily struggle. It was then that he felt a soft hand on his head, stroking his hair.
"Don't worry Jim, I promise I'll take care of you.and someday you'll understand I was just following orders, like you." After that, merciful darkness claimed the young security chief.
Hours later, Jim had awoken to the intense cold. Slowly, he opened his tired eyes. He was no longer in the lab, he noted. The room he was in now looked slightly less disinfected and the bed he was lying on was padded. There will still restraints and he was still lying on his stomach. He realized then that he was not fully clothed, but must have retained something on his lower half. Frustration threatened to overwhelm him. What had they done to him? Did he have gills now? Did they work? What would it mean? What would they do with him now? The questions were unending. Jim took a shuddering breath, realizing now more than ever that he was glad he could feel no pain.
The door on the far side of the room swished open with a soft hiss and one of the men, Jim thought he was the main doctor, approached the bed cautiously. Jim would have like to have eyed him suspiciously, but that thought seemed difficult. The doctor tried to smile at him, and Jim noted he was older, but not so old that he looked at all compassionate.
"I see you're awake," he said slowly. "Don't try to talk. You've been under for several hours. I've done a lot of work to speed your recovery so that you will be well enough to travel." This time, Jim mustered a glare.
"I..am not..going anywhere.with.you," his voice sounded like it refused to function. The man nodded absently, checking on the IV that was in Jim's left arm.
"You did remarkably well. I was right. You were the best subject. Your body was more than strong enough, even with the previous poison. You should heal quickly." Jim wanted to retort, but found it wasn't worth the effort. "Try to go back to sleep Jim, it will be better for you." The man turned and walked out, leaving a bitter Jim to glare at him.
Not two minutes after the doctor had left did Mariah appear in the doorway. Jim closed his eyes, hoping she only thought he was awake and would leave if she found that he appeared to be sleeping. He was to have no such luck.
"I know you're awake Jim," she said quietly, striding over to him. He slanted his eyes enough to let her know how little he cared. She smiled sadly down at him. Reaching out, she touched his head and pushed back a strand of hair. "Please, don't be angry with me. I was just following orders. You have to understand that. You followed orders too. I understand that now. I promise I won't let them really hurt you, and when they're done, I promise I'll take care of you." As she spoke, Jim's eyes widened but he could not bring himself to reply. What was she saying? She cared about him?
Mariah didn't seem surprised that he didn't even try to answer. "You'll understand me in some time, I hope," and with those last words, she turned to go. She stopped, turning back suddenly. Bending down, she kissed him gently on the cheek, causing him to try to jerk away, made entirely impossible by the restraint that dug into his neck. She turned and left then, leaving Jim confused and lost. He tried to reassure himself by hoping that the drug coursing through his veins was still taking effect.
This has been the worst day of my life and it might never end.
Jim was aware of the cold first. It seemed like everything was very cold. The next thing he was aware of was that he didn't feel anything else. He only felt cold. His body did seem a little heavy, as though he had been drugged by some sort of anesthesia. However, there was no pain. None from the bullet wound in his shoulder. None from whatever these people had done to him. Just the intense cold.
Mariah had followed him until she had turned Lonnie down another hall. The guards that were holding him between them didn't take any chances and they had held a hand over Jim's shoulder, threatening to squeeze if he made any sudden movements. Realizing that he was basically stuck, Jim hadn't tried to make a break for it. Refusing to make it easy for them, he made them drag him all the way. They had come into a large lab area with a singular metal table long enough to put a person on directly in the center. The lights had been harsh and Jim had closed his eyes and squinted until his eyes adjusted. By that time he found himself staring at three men, dressed entirely in white scrubs, with surgery masks covering most of their faces.
"This will go easier if you don't struggle, Lieutenant Brody," one of them said. Jim remembered just staring at them, feeling like he should do something.
"What, just stand back and let you turn me into some bad science experiment?" he had retorted, trying to pull away. He was rewarded with a harsh squeeze to his shoulder, causing his vision to blur and his knees to buckle. The two guards held him up as he struggled to regain his balance and to stop his nausea.
"The less you fight it, the better it will be. I am a trained professional."
"This is illegal!"
"Ever the security officer, aren't we?" one of the others piped up. "Oh yes, James Robert Brody. We know all about you. If you are so high and mighty in your morals, why did you play a part in the GELF settlement?"
"I was following orders." Jim replied, feeling inadequate.
"Consider these orders. You'll be changing the future. Someday all men will be clamoring to have the ability to swim freely under the water as you will be able to do."
"But that will be their choice!"
"Come now, Lieutenant. I did a fine job on Mr. Piccolo. You'll be fine. Get him on the table," the order was cool and quick. Jim did his best to struggle, but he was no match for the two strong-armed guards. Soon enough, they had him lying on his stomach, face resting on the cold metal. His arms, legs, and neck were secured to the table with cold metal restraints. Jim could literally feel himself losing the battle.
"Aren't you going to beg?" One of the men asked. Jim gritted his teeth and remained silent. Some sort of oxygen mask was placed over his face and Jim could taste the gas. His mind was screaming, unable to believe that he was about to become part of some twisted science experiment. Slowly the haze of the anesthetic began to overcome his mind and he ceased all bodily struggle. It was then that he felt a soft hand on his head, stroking his hair.
"Don't worry Jim, I promise I'll take care of you.and someday you'll understand I was just following orders, like you." After that, merciful darkness claimed the young security chief.
Hours later, Jim had awoken to the intense cold. Slowly, he opened his tired eyes. He was no longer in the lab, he noted. The room he was in now looked slightly less disinfected and the bed he was lying on was padded. There will still restraints and he was still lying on his stomach. He realized then that he was not fully clothed, but must have retained something on his lower half. Frustration threatened to overwhelm him. What had they done to him? Did he have gills now? Did they work? What would it mean? What would they do with him now? The questions were unending. Jim took a shuddering breath, realizing now more than ever that he was glad he could feel no pain.
The door on the far side of the room swished open with a soft hiss and one of the men, Jim thought he was the main doctor, approached the bed cautiously. Jim would have like to have eyed him suspiciously, but that thought seemed difficult. The doctor tried to smile at him, and Jim noted he was older, but not so old that he looked at all compassionate.
"I see you're awake," he said slowly. "Don't try to talk. You've been under for several hours. I've done a lot of work to speed your recovery so that you will be well enough to travel." This time, Jim mustered a glare.
"I..am not..going anywhere.with.you," his voice sounded like it refused to function. The man nodded absently, checking on the IV that was in Jim's left arm.
"You did remarkably well. I was right. You were the best subject. Your body was more than strong enough, even with the previous poison. You should heal quickly." Jim wanted to retort, but found it wasn't worth the effort. "Try to go back to sleep Jim, it will be better for you." The man turned and walked out, leaving a bitter Jim to glare at him.
Not two minutes after the doctor had left did Mariah appear in the doorway. Jim closed his eyes, hoping she only thought he was awake and would leave if she found that he appeared to be sleeping. He was to have no such luck.
"I know you're awake Jim," she said quietly, striding over to him. He slanted his eyes enough to let her know how little he cared. She smiled sadly down at him. Reaching out, she touched his head and pushed back a strand of hair. "Please, don't be angry with me. I was just following orders. You have to understand that. You followed orders too. I understand that now. I promise I won't let them really hurt you, and when they're done, I promise I'll take care of you." As she spoke, Jim's eyes widened but he could not bring himself to reply. What was she saying? She cared about him?
Mariah didn't seem surprised that he didn't even try to answer. "You'll understand me in some time, I hope," and with those last words, she turned to go. She stopped, turning back suddenly. Bending down, she kissed him gently on the cheek, causing him to try to jerk away, made entirely impossible by the restraint that dug into his neck. She turned and left then, leaving Jim confused and lost. He tried to reassure himself by hoping that the drug coursing through his veins was still taking effect.
This has been the worst day of my life and it might never end.