It had been twelve years ago now. The nightmare on Rockfort Island felt never ending, but the whole ordeal ended after just a day.
She had met him then: a 17-year-old Steve Burnside. He was foolish, immediately rubbing her the wrong way. That tended to happen when someone shoots at you with a turret gun. He was quick-to-anger, had an attitude, and was cocky beyond belief.
What he also was, she realized, was a young boy trying to cope with an impossible situation. He blamed his father for the entire mess, and had he not did what he did, Steve would never have been there at all. He was lashing out, faking bravado to fool himself more than anyone else.
He was afraid… Afraid and alone.
Claire had only been 19 herself, at the time. Steve would do things to impress her, which kept the mood lighter than it could have been. She was thankful for that.
By the end of the day, he confessed his love. High stress situations can cause intense emotions and bonding, she knew. She shrugged it off as that. She had to. There was no closure to be found, no way to understand her own feelings.
What did Steve mean to me…? She never got to know.
What he left behind were memories skewed by tragedy. She watched his neck break as he helplessly cried, his voice shifting into something else.
But he was still in there. He still saved her. It spoke leagues about the determination of his character. If the same had happened to her, she wondered if she could hold onto herself in the same way.
He was amazing in his own way. He wasn't some perfect action hero: he was still a kid, but he handled the situation as best as he knew how, and became an indispensable partner.
An indispensable hole in her heart, and an eternal regret.
She joined TerraSave for that very reason: to save. The very thing she failed to do for Steve.
If I could do it all again.
—
Moving quickly through the facility, paramedics approached the subjects deemed safe to touch. The scientist gave them extensive notes on each individual, but hazmat suits were still to be utilized for physical contact, and no one could leave the premises until everything was confirmed as safe.
There was no way to trust him, after all, no matter how well it may seem to be going.
Members of her unit would branch off to watch each subject, should anything go awry. She was waiting for a certain person, but each glimpse would prove another disappointment.
Not him… Not him… Not him…
Each time it happened, she was sapped of her most precious resource: hope. But she didn't let the sentiment crack her facade. She had been through these procedures so many times, her body conducted itself on autopilot.
It was then that she saw the large, white room blocked by clear walls. This was the largest containment cell she had seen thus far.
Its size was much too large for the emaciated body against the far wall.
Claire forced herself to breathe, realizing she hadn't been since seeing its single occupant.
His head of red hair hung limp, adorned by a body with skin so pale it looked translucent.
She approached the wall, opting for a closer look, but was stopped by a soldier.
"We haven't opened the doors yet. This is the subject on file for 'transformations,' so caution has to be taken." Their words were like a reprimandation for her perceived carelessness. The group of them surrounding the room's stares weighed on her like a final judgement.
She glared daggers at this obstacle. "What's his status?" She practically spat.
"The researcher said this one is so pumped full of drugs, he should be manageable, but," he breathed. "It's been a few days since he had a dosage. We don't know his trigger for transformation."
"I'll go in." She took a step forward.
The two looked at one another, then seemed to radio their leader. After a hushed exchange, one turned to her. "So you might know this one," It wasn't a musing or understanding. His words sounded more like disgust. He continued. "This is the last subject to be approached." The other went to the door to present the access card they created. The lights above it turned a welcoming green, signaling its compliance to the visit.
"You're not suited, so please remember you aren't to touch anyone," the first soldier continued.
She knew the procedure, but If he's really hurt… While she remained silent, the soldier finished: "If you're really sure that you can keep this from going south, continue forward." A third added, "We'll follow for back-up."
Feeling words unnecessary, Claire only nodded slowly, cueing her resolution to the group. They filed behind her in formation.
She slowly walked towards the door, raising her gun. It opened. No explosion. No discernible chemical released into the air. For the moment, things were fine. She hazarded a step inside.
Nothing. No movement from the room's occupant.
Is he even breathing? I have to know…
She knew she shouldn't touch him. She wasn't protected from viruses or bacteria transferred through physical contact. But if this was Steve and if he was the same as before, physical contact shouldn't be enough to transfer anything.
It's only a look anyway. I have to know… The tests were much too slow, and the potential danger of his case kept the paramedics from helping him as quickly as she would like.
He could be hurt. Her alarm and fear acted like a siren, forcing more sound thoughts from her mind. She could only act.
Only a few steps away from him, she crouched down to his level. From there, she could see his body in more detail. They had him in a simple, light grey hospital gown.
His chest expanded and fell ever so slightly. He was alive, but he looked to be asleep. She wanted to check his face in more detail, but his disheveled hair obscured his features.
She turned around to signal the soldiers of her impending action. They nodded, and raised their guns.
The researcher had told them to inject him with a certain chemical, and it should undo the transformation. Several of the soldiers had that and a sedative as ammunition, while others had more lethal options. Claire didn't want them to have to use any.
Opting for the safest option, she called out to him. "Hey… Can you hear me?"