ADAPTION chapter eight
Amy opened her eyes when she heard the door slam open, then instantly lapsed back into her programmed brain.
Up the hall she heard Bowen order Melissa out of her tank, and then he stalked down to Tails tank, ordered him out, and lastly, looked up at Amy and ordered her out.
When they were all at the door, he ordered them to follow him.
Flanked by two other doctors, a man and a woman, they were led to one of the laboratories. When she stepped into the room, it was all she could do to keep up the masquerade; she was overwhelmed by the power of the residue of fear. It took a moment to register, but she recognized the mind behind it.
Porker. They'd had Porker in here, and he'd been terrified.
Bowen ordered the three of them onto three chairs set in a row next to the far wall. If she could have, Amy would have reeled from the touch of the chair she sat in, it was the one Porker had been strapped to, and she could still feel him in it.
As the doctors strapped their wrists and ankles to the chairs Amy realized Bowen knew about them, knew that they were never under his complete control. She knew that Porker had been the one to tell him, she realized this and she was filled with dread.
Bowen looked at the three of them, undisguised fury in his eyes. He stepped up to Amy, stood a moment in silence, then slapped her.
For a second or two, Amy didn't move, his slap had thrown her head to the side, her quills and hair were tumbled all over, no one could see her face, her eyes.
She slowly turned back to face him and looked up at him, directly into his blue gray manic eyes with her own bright green ones and nearly growled as she said, "What do you want Bowen?"
"Here, is only way up. Good luck to you."
They watched, slightly surprised, as their guide simply vanished with that unimpressive flash that marked the teleportation available to all the NeoBorgs'.
Sonic looked up. "It's another ladder. Why do they always have ladders in these places? Why not a staircase? Or a lift?"
Rouge shook her head, "Just get climbing big boy."
Sonic glowered at her again and did so.
A few minutes later they had reached the top. There was nothing, not even light, up here. Rouge clicked her tongue as Tekno switched on her torch.
"There's a door, over there" Rouge directed Teknos' light at it, "And that's it, everything else is just blank stone walls."
Sonic opened it and went through, Knuckles close behind. There was a candle burning further down the hall, it was all they could see, everything else was as black as the hall they had just come out of.
When they reached it they discovered it was only the stub of the candle, practically gone, definitely on its last few minutes. Rouge clicked her tongue again, "The hall goes on for a bit more, there're doors on either side, but this is the only one that's been opened."
At that Sonic stepped inside, closely followed by Tekno with the torch.
There was something on the floor, on the only patch of floor that was dryer than the rest.
Porkers' communicator.
Sonic picked it up in confusion, not understanding how it had gotten there. He looked at Tekno; she looked mildly panicked for a moment, then pressed a button on her own. It set Porkers' one beeping.
"It's real then. Porker was here. That means Bowen's got him."
Knuckles laid a hand on Sonics' shoulder, "Don't worry, we'll get him when we get the others. That's why we're here, remember? Rescue mission?"
He tried out a smile, but it was forced, and looked it.
Sonic nodded, thinking this was just one more reason to kill Bowen and have done with it.
They set out again, Sonic clutching the communicator tightly in one fist.
Rouge, clicking her tongue now and again, and Tekno with the torch, led the way. They found and followed some footprints, the ones on top leading out.
Soon they had found the doorway that led straight into the hallway of the main laboratories.
Bowen had left the door open, and it gave Amy the advantage she needed. She could feel Sonic and the others getting closer, and the instant they opened the door, she'd call to them.
"I'd wondered why you three had different energy outputs than the others. I suppose now I know." He folded his arms and looked at the three of them. They had all stopped letting the programming control them, they were all now glaring at him, Tails' tails twitching like a cats'.
"It actually isn't what you think Bowen." Amy raised her eyebrows at him, "There is a completely different reason for our energy outputs to be higher. Would you like to know?"
Bowen gave her a furious look, obviously he did, but didn't want to admit that his assumption had been wrong.
"It's because we're stronger, we have more control over the emeralds you merged us with."
'Now' Amy thought as she felt Sonic open the door and step into the hall only a corridor away. 'SONIC!' She sent him the directions to the lab they were in.
Bowen looked mildly interested, "How so?"
Tails looked up at him, "Easy, we've still got our minds, we know what we're doing, we have the ability to learn and adapt to situations brought to us. In short, your mindless drones do as they're told and no more. We surpass them in every eventuality."
Bowen looked mutinous for a moment. "Doctors, please do as I instructed in the briefing."
Amy looked at the two doctors and they stopped in their movements. Melissa spoke to Bowen, "You know those increased abilities Amy told you about?"
Bowen looked at her, she grinned, "You didn't completely understand. Amy was only a simple Empath before your procedure merged her mind and body with the energy of the Master Emerald. She's now a telepath and telekinetic as well, surprised?"
The two doctors behind Bowen fell to their knees, clutching their heads, silent screams twisting their features.
"Gods, where did you find these two Bowen? Their worse than you.their minds are black and twisted." Amy paused, "In fact. they're not even real. Damn you Bowen, these are early drones!"
Sonic opened the door and stepped into the hall, looking around he noted it was completely deserted. He turned to tell the others and suddenly dropped to his knees, clutching his head.
The others rushed through the door, Knuckles helping him back to his feet.
"Owww."
"What happened?"
"Amy. she just told me where she is. I didn't realize she'd become so powerful." "Where are they?"
Sonic waved a hand towards the right end on the hall, "But we have to get Porker first. She said she and the others can keep Bowen busy for a little longer."
He shook his head and stood up straight.
"This way."
They followed him to the left end of the hall, round a corner and through a pair of swing doors to another almost identical hall. He carried on until they reached the end of that hall, next to a huge stainless steel door.
"He's in here, but it's kinda unbreakable, and I really don't want to dig through and scare Porker any more than he already is."
Tekno nodded and stepped up to the door, pulling out a complicated set of wires and something that looked like a credit card attached to a modified handheld computer.
"Catch up yeah?"
Sonic disappeared, leaving them to get Porker out.
Melissa slammed her hands upwards, breaking the bonds holding her down, as she did the same with her ankles Tails and Amy followed suit. A moment later they were all free. Dr Bowen reeled backward a step or two.
"Why did you not use this power before now?"
Amy concentrated on him, "We talked about it, but decided I shouldn't, I'm still learning to control it you see, and I didn't want a death on my conscience, not even yours. Anyway, we thought if we stayed in your ranks a little longer, we may be able help people from the inside."
"Amy, Tails!"
Everyone turned and looked to where the shout had come from. Sonic was standing in the doorway, alone, unharmed and grinning from ear to ear. He came into the room at top speed and was suddenly standing between Tails and Amy, he grabbed Tails in a huge hug, almost picking him up off the floor.
"Missed ya buddy"
Tails grinned.
Sonic turned to Amy about to hug her as well, but he never managed it. Bowen jumped at them, grabbing Sonic round the neck, twisting one of his arms up his back.
"No!" Amy concentrated with all her might on killing Bowen, but nothing happened. Bowen continued to pull sonic backwards to a door across the room.
"I really wouldn't Amy, anything you do to me is just bouncing off." Sonic had slumped in his arms the instant Amy tried to kill Bowen. He wasn't dead, but he was unconscious.
"No, why? What have you done!?"
Melissa and Tails held her back as Bowen, with anatomical precision, broke Sonics' arm in two places. "Easy girl, it'll heal soon enough." Melissa whispered as Amy struggled.
"Done? Why, I have done no more what I always craved."
He pulled his lab coat apart and lowered the neck of his top until a glint of green revealed his secret. He'd performed the procedure on himself. minus the programming. He was as powerful as they, and crazier than ever.
For a second the world span, a flash of bright light lit the room. When they opened their eyes once more, Bowen and Sonic were gone.
Amy opened her eyes when she heard the door slam open, then instantly lapsed back into her programmed brain.
Up the hall she heard Bowen order Melissa out of her tank, and then he stalked down to Tails tank, ordered him out, and lastly, looked up at Amy and ordered her out.
When they were all at the door, he ordered them to follow him.
Flanked by two other doctors, a man and a woman, they were led to one of the laboratories. When she stepped into the room, it was all she could do to keep up the masquerade; she was overwhelmed by the power of the residue of fear. It took a moment to register, but she recognized the mind behind it.
Porker. They'd had Porker in here, and he'd been terrified.
Bowen ordered the three of them onto three chairs set in a row next to the far wall. If she could have, Amy would have reeled from the touch of the chair she sat in, it was the one Porker had been strapped to, and she could still feel him in it.
As the doctors strapped their wrists and ankles to the chairs Amy realized Bowen knew about them, knew that they were never under his complete control. She knew that Porker had been the one to tell him, she realized this and she was filled with dread.
Bowen looked at the three of them, undisguised fury in his eyes. He stepped up to Amy, stood a moment in silence, then slapped her.
For a second or two, Amy didn't move, his slap had thrown her head to the side, her quills and hair were tumbled all over, no one could see her face, her eyes.
She slowly turned back to face him and looked up at him, directly into his blue gray manic eyes with her own bright green ones and nearly growled as she said, "What do you want Bowen?"
"Here, is only way up. Good luck to you."
They watched, slightly surprised, as their guide simply vanished with that unimpressive flash that marked the teleportation available to all the NeoBorgs'.
Sonic looked up. "It's another ladder. Why do they always have ladders in these places? Why not a staircase? Or a lift?"
Rouge shook her head, "Just get climbing big boy."
Sonic glowered at her again and did so.
A few minutes later they had reached the top. There was nothing, not even light, up here. Rouge clicked her tongue as Tekno switched on her torch.
"There's a door, over there" Rouge directed Teknos' light at it, "And that's it, everything else is just blank stone walls."
Sonic opened it and went through, Knuckles close behind. There was a candle burning further down the hall, it was all they could see, everything else was as black as the hall they had just come out of.
When they reached it they discovered it was only the stub of the candle, practically gone, definitely on its last few minutes. Rouge clicked her tongue again, "The hall goes on for a bit more, there're doors on either side, but this is the only one that's been opened."
At that Sonic stepped inside, closely followed by Tekno with the torch.
There was something on the floor, on the only patch of floor that was dryer than the rest.
Porkers' communicator.
Sonic picked it up in confusion, not understanding how it had gotten there. He looked at Tekno; she looked mildly panicked for a moment, then pressed a button on her own. It set Porkers' one beeping.
"It's real then. Porker was here. That means Bowen's got him."
Knuckles laid a hand on Sonics' shoulder, "Don't worry, we'll get him when we get the others. That's why we're here, remember? Rescue mission?"
He tried out a smile, but it was forced, and looked it.
Sonic nodded, thinking this was just one more reason to kill Bowen and have done with it.
They set out again, Sonic clutching the communicator tightly in one fist.
Rouge, clicking her tongue now and again, and Tekno with the torch, led the way. They found and followed some footprints, the ones on top leading out.
Soon they had found the doorway that led straight into the hallway of the main laboratories.
Bowen had left the door open, and it gave Amy the advantage she needed. She could feel Sonic and the others getting closer, and the instant they opened the door, she'd call to them.
"I'd wondered why you three had different energy outputs than the others. I suppose now I know." He folded his arms and looked at the three of them. They had all stopped letting the programming control them, they were all now glaring at him, Tails' tails twitching like a cats'.
"It actually isn't what you think Bowen." Amy raised her eyebrows at him, "There is a completely different reason for our energy outputs to be higher. Would you like to know?"
Bowen gave her a furious look, obviously he did, but didn't want to admit that his assumption had been wrong.
"It's because we're stronger, we have more control over the emeralds you merged us with."
'Now' Amy thought as she felt Sonic open the door and step into the hall only a corridor away. 'SONIC!' She sent him the directions to the lab they were in.
Bowen looked mildly interested, "How so?"
Tails looked up at him, "Easy, we've still got our minds, we know what we're doing, we have the ability to learn and adapt to situations brought to us. In short, your mindless drones do as they're told and no more. We surpass them in every eventuality."
Bowen looked mutinous for a moment. "Doctors, please do as I instructed in the briefing."
Amy looked at the two doctors and they stopped in their movements. Melissa spoke to Bowen, "You know those increased abilities Amy told you about?"
Bowen looked at her, she grinned, "You didn't completely understand. Amy was only a simple Empath before your procedure merged her mind and body with the energy of the Master Emerald. She's now a telepath and telekinetic as well, surprised?"
The two doctors behind Bowen fell to their knees, clutching their heads, silent screams twisting their features.
"Gods, where did you find these two Bowen? Their worse than you.their minds are black and twisted." Amy paused, "In fact. they're not even real. Damn you Bowen, these are early drones!"
Sonic opened the door and stepped into the hall, looking around he noted it was completely deserted. He turned to tell the others and suddenly dropped to his knees, clutching his head.
The others rushed through the door, Knuckles helping him back to his feet.
"Owww."
"What happened?"
"Amy. she just told me where she is. I didn't realize she'd become so powerful." "Where are they?"
Sonic waved a hand towards the right end on the hall, "But we have to get Porker first. She said she and the others can keep Bowen busy for a little longer."
He shook his head and stood up straight.
"This way."
They followed him to the left end of the hall, round a corner and through a pair of swing doors to another almost identical hall. He carried on until they reached the end of that hall, next to a huge stainless steel door.
"He's in here, but it's kinda unbreakable, and I really don't want to dig through and scare Porker any more than he already is."
Tekno nodded and stepped up to the door, pulling out a complicated set of wires and something that looked like a credit card attached to a modified handheld computer.
"Catch up yeah?"
Sonic disappeared, leaving them to get Porker out.
Melissa slammed her hands upwards, breaking the bonds holding her down, as she did the same with her ankles Tails and Amy followed suit. A moment later they were all free. Dr Bowen reeled backward a step or two.
"Why did you not use this power before now?"
Amy concentrated on him, "We talked about it, but decided I shouldn't, I'm still learning to control it you see, and I didn't want a death on my conscience, not even yours. Anyway, we thought if we stayed in your ranks a little longer, we may be able help people from the inside."
"Amy, Tails!"
Everyone turned and looked to where the shout had come from. Sonic was standing in the doorway, alone, unharmed and grinning from ear to ear. He came into the room at top speed and was suddenly standing between Tails and Amy, he grabbed Tails in a huge hug, almost picking him up off the floor.
"Missed ya buddy"
Tails grinned.
Sonic turned to Amy about to hug her as well, but he never managed it. Bowen jumped at them, grabbing Sonic round the neck, twisting one of his arms up his back.
"No!" Amy concentrated with all her might on killing Bowen, but nothing happened. Bowen continued to pull sonic backwards to a door across the room.
"I really wouldn't Amy, anything you do to me is just bouncing off." Sonic had slumped in his arms the instant Amy tried to kill Bowen. He wasn't dead, but he was unconscious.
"No, why? What have you done!?"
Melissa and Tails held her back as Bowen, with anatomical precision, broke Sonics' arm in two places. "Easy girl, it'll heal soon enough." Melissa whispered as Amy struggled.
"Done? Why, I have done no more what I always craved."
He pulled his lab coat apart and lowered the neck of his top until a glint of green revealed his secret. He'd performed the procedure on himself. minus the programming. He was as powerful as they, and crazier than ever.
For a second the world span, a flash of bright light lit the room. When they opened their eyes once more, Bowen and Sonic were gone.
