"ject…unconscious…hree hours now. Can't imagine…somethin…een through to show that kind of reaction." A calm voice slowly began to pierce David's drug induced haze.
"Muscle tissue has now completely encompassed the bullet I removed; all other signs of injury on the subject have healed flawlessly. I have exposed the subject's tissue to extreme heat and cold, it has healed flawlessly."
David felt his blood run cold, "I have exposed the subject's tissue to an acidic solution, it has healed flawlessly."
As silently as he could, David pushed himself up from the table he had been resting, wincing as pain jolted through his chest. "The subject likely has a vastly increased tolerance for pain, or at the very least pays far less attention to it."
A bloody scalpel lay on the nearby counter; David confiscated it as silently as he could. "The subject showed absolutely no reaction to my scalpel, even when I severed a nerve that had healed around the bullet."
The base of the neck, that was what David was aiming for. If successful the wound should be quick and clean, and Thompson's death painless. Unfortunately, as it had been recently, the world seemed to be conspiring against David, his foot crushed some kind of empty glass vial.
Faster then David would have thought possible the doctor spun around, hands encased in ice he thrust them forward. David found himself immobile, surrounded by a thin layer of frost. "Wait Surfacer, it's not what you think!"
David's eyes narrowed in anger, anger he would have voiced but being immobilized by ice was somewhat detrimental to that effort. "Please surfacer, just listen to me, and allow me to explain." David felt his eyes narrowed further, it wasn't as if he had a choice in the matter.
"I did not harm your friend; I only removed a bullet from its shoulder that its body had healed around. Whatever you heard when you awoke was my experimenting on the flesh that had bonded to the bullet." The doctor stepped aside, gesturing to a small orb of flesh sitting on the counter. "Believe it or not, there is a bullet in there."
Shrewd green eyes analyzed David's face, "I'm going to let you out. I assume you won't continue your unwise attack; I can always immobilize you again." In a flash the immobilizing ice melted and David collapsed to the floor.
"Y-you couldn't h-have st-stopped me in a different w-way? W-was the ice really n-necessary?"
"I could have electrocuted you, or used chemicals. Those are much, much more painful." A soft chuckle split the air as the doctor continued. "I am a doctor after all; I thought the ice was the most humane way to stop your attack."
Still trembling from the cold, David stood slowly, "Yeah…I think that was probably for the best."
A gentle but firm hand guided David back to the bed he had rested upon. "You are still recovering from being shot. Sit down, your body needs time to rest and recover. Now that you seem to have decided not to murder me I think introductions are in order, my name is Aaron Thompson nice to meet you."
"Right social niceties and all that, my name's David Kristoff." David turned his gaze to the woman sleeping fitfully on the bed next to him, concern flickering across his features. "Why is Samantha still asleep?"
As the silence dragged on, David glanced towards the shocked doctor leaning against the counter. "Doc did you hear me?"
"Y-yes, yes I heard you. It inhaled a large quantity of knockout gas, though I believe it is just sleeping now." Having answered David's question the doctor asked one of his own. "Did you give it that name or did it tell you? Can it talk?"
Narrowing his eyes at the doctor calling Samantha it, David responded. "Samantha can't talk, she was trying to tell me her name and I managed to guess it after a bit."
"I didn't think it would be able to, M2-Protectors vocal cords are surgically altered to create sounds reminiscent of a M1-Protector, albeit at a much higher octave."
"Wait…how do you know so much about Samantha?"
The doctor, who had been staring into space, jumped before looking back to the forgotten human. "I was a laboratory assistant working with the original Protectors. I recognized some of the techniques used in their creation on the Mark 2."
"She has a name…Samantha, not Mark 2, not protector, Samantha!"
"I don't mean to insult you, but you are wrong. Its name isn't Samantha its Theta. The marking on its hand, is the Greek letter Theta. It is the eighth subject in the Mark 2 line, not Samantha. It is not human and never will be, no matter how much you try to view it as such."
David felt his anger rise further. "If she's some inhuman monster why did she save my life? Why hasn't she killed me? She's had plenty of opportunities to do just that!"
"It isn't a human and doesn't think like one. It viewed you and your care for its charge as a potential asset. I assure you if you had ever endangered either of them in any way it would have killed or abandoned you."
()
She ran through the dark, heedless of direction, nothing mattered not anymore. The monster's rasping breath chased her fleeing form, thunderous footfalls echoed down the dank hallway, following the slapping of her bare feet.
She had to find Daddy, Daddy would save her. A terrified sob escaped Samantha's throat as she flew around a corner, the monster's mammoth twisted husk savagely crashing into the wall behind her. She could feel Daddy near by; she just had to reach him. He would protect her, Daddy always protected her.
"Daddy!" Her voice sounded weak and raspy, carrying none of the force it normally did when she screamed for help.
Bursting into a clearing Samantha saw the familiar figure of her Father, she was safe. The trees in the clearing swayed softly in a gentle breeze, a light brighter then any she had ever seen filtered down through the foliage tinting everything a dull green.
The sun…that must be the sun. For some reason that didn't seem right, it took Theta's confused brain several seconds to realize the problem; she had never seen the sun before. She glanced down at her armor encased hands, clenching and unclenching them a few times.
Theta's glowing eyes landed on Father and her confusion returned anew. Hadn't Daddy abandoned her? Wasn't he gone? Daddy's hand extended towards her, visor glowing a friendly green.
The cool metal of Daddy's gloved hand was comforting against the skin of her far smaller hand. Samantha smiled at Daddy, she was safe now, nothing could hurt her if Daddy was with her.
The familiar feeling of another Gatherer signaled the monster's arrival, all around it the clearing and its beautiful trees withered and died, the bright light of the sun flickered and dimmed.
Pushing her behind him, Daddy roared a challenge at the foul monster corrupting the clearing, a roar answered by mute silence from the heinous beast. Mighty lance roaring alongside him, Daddy charged the creature.
Daddy's armored bulk crashed into the silent monster as flesh met steel. Lance cleaving though the monster's skin, Daddy attacked it viciously. Samantha felt her hopes soar, Daddy was winning, even the terrible monster couldn't stand before him. The monster staggered backwards unzipped, unable to whether Daddy's assault, before collapsing to the ground in a heap.
Samantha leapt to her Daddy, hugging his armored leg. He was her knight and he had saved her from the beast. Why was she happy? Daddy had abandoned her, he didn't care about her.
Theta stared at her Father's corpse in bemusement. Why had she needed saving? She wasn't scared of a monster, no matter what kind. Launching her armored form towards the pale creature standing before her, Theta barred her teeth, harvester at the ready.
The harvester piercing the beast's flesh was accompanied by a surge of unimaginable pain. Theta couldn't suppress a whimper as she looked up from the hand piercing her belly.
Eyes meeting nothing but the monster's empty sockets she tried desperately to beg for mercy. "Please, it's not my fault." She felt her lips tremble as she continued past the blood pouring forth, "I'm sorry, please don't."
Pain tore through her once again as the monster pulled her higher into the air. "Please, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Mouth opening wider then she had thought possible the monster accepted her apology, ending her life with a sickening crunch.
()
No!
Adam, light, blood, fear, laughter, make it stop! Anger, shouting, crashes, sweat, screaming, it was too much! Sobs, bangs, sewage, whispers, machinery, please, please make it stop. Shattering glass, an inhuman scream, alarmed yells, pain, repetitive banging, what was happening? Frantic mind unable to process all the input from her enhanced senses, Theta felt herself slipping further and further into a panic.
It was too much, it was all too much! As her throat began to burn, Theta realized she was the source of the earsplitting, inhuman screams. She felt tears flow down her cheeks; it was all too much, far, far too much.
Adam permeated everything, its alluring scent overpowering her nose and causing her belly to rumble. The background noise seemed to be rising in volume, defeating her overwhelmed brain's attempts at filtering it at every turn. The terrified screams of a child threw itself into the chaotic chorus overwhelming her ears.
Theta clamped her hands over her ears scream rising in volume. It had to stop! How could they handle the noise? Theta's overwhelmed senses felt a gentle weight place itself on her shoulder. Opening tearstained eyes at the unexpected sensation, Theta saw David crouched before her, concern evident in his steel blue eyes. His mouth was moving, he was saying something.
Frantic brain latching onto the obvious anchor, Theta attempted to concentrate on David and reign in her run away senses. Scream dieing in her throat, she stared intently at him as his mouth repeated the same movements over and over again. The massed meaningless background noise was not phased by her meager efforts and redoubled its attack.
Theta curled up, legs clenched defensively against her chest, clamped her hands back over her ears, and closed her eyes. It was too much, it was just too much. A particularly loud crash echoed from within the settlement, causing Theta to whimper. Why couldn't they just be quiet?
A strange word pierced through Theta's over stimulated brain, Sam…someone had called her Sam. In a final desperate attempt Theta latched onto that sound, tuning all others out. "Can you hear me Sam? Are you alright?" The voice, which Theta had recognized as David's, lowered and became almost hostile, "This seems like a completely inhuman thing to do doesn't it? After all "monsters" don't feel fear, do they?"
Theta's overtaxed brain was unable to decipher the meaning behind the words, she was just glad to be able to focus on one thing. Still trembling Theta opened her eyes. David was still kneeling before her, "Are you okay, Sam?"
It took several seconds for Theta to understand the words, but once she did she smiled. Releasing a shaking laugh she leaned forward, resting her forehead against David's chest and slowly let her senses come back into focus.
After a few moments David patted her gently on the back, "The next time you have a minor mental breakdown try to avoid the horrible screams. I think my ears are bleeding, Sam."
Theta couldn't help but smile at David's obvious attempt at making light of the situation and his new nickname for her. Theta had never been called Sam before, she found she liked it.
()
"I still think that you and your friend should stay with me while you recover."
"That's touching Doc but I think we'll be fine." David couldn't help but glare at Thompson, he still insisted on calling Samantha Theta or it.
"Are you sure you're okay hun? I wouldn't want you getting hurt on my account." David couldn't resist the urge to roll his eyes, Andrea had returned shortly after Samantha's panic attack, Amanda in tow. David's injury seemed to have reinforced her infatuation with him, despite the fact that he had done absolutely nothing to protect her in the brief fight.
David was able to hear a low growl just on the edge of his hearing range; it appeared Samantha shared his view of the infatuated Splicer. Samantha for her part seemed subdued, deep in thought. David hadn't noticed it at first but she always made sure he was between herself and the doctor; it was almost like she feared him.
A childish voice sounded from the owner's perch on Samantha's shoulders "I'm glad you're okay Mr. Ordinary! I was afraid you'd been unzipped."
"Thanks Amanda, I'm glad I wasn't unzipped."
Andrea had led them into a large building, seemingly a makeshift apartment complex, the flats seemed to get more and more luxurious the higher they got in the building. After what seemed an eternity to the still exhausted human Andrea stopped outside of a room. "This is your room," She said, gesturing at Samantha and her charge. "David's is two doors down on the right."
David started to stumble sleepily towards his door only to be interrupted by the female Splicer. "There's a banquet being held in your honor tonight in the Temple. The Bishop expects at least the two of you to attend."
Unable to suppress a groan, David turned to the female Splicer. "Why do we have to come? Doesn't he know I was shot?"
An obnoxious giggle answered his question, "Of course you have to come, it's being held in your honor. And the Bishop knows that you've recovered sufficiently to attend the feast, he would have delayed it otherwise."
"Right…how silly of me." It seemed rest would have to wait. "Do you know where I can get a hold of some," David paused, looking over his torn bloodied cloths, "…not horrible cloths."
An inane giggle followed his question, "I know of some places, sailor. I could help find your size." David's bout of dry heaving was accompanied by a low growl from Samantha.
"I can take you to a store, surfacer." David found it hard not to glare at Thompson, either the doctor actually thought he was helping or he was far more manipulative then he seemed.
David closed his eyes, willing the rapidly forming headache away. On one hand he had Andrea, an obviously disturbed individual who appeared to have a crush in him. On the other he had Thompson, a surprisingly sane Splicer who would no doubt continue to try to convince him of Samantha's inhumanness. Unfortunately the choice was obvious.
"Okay Thompson, lets go…before I rethink this." Tuning out Andrea's upset pout and Samantha's alarmed gasp, David followed the Splicer away from the building, wanting nothing more then a nap…and to finally find some shaving cream.
()
Theta couldn't suppress a surge of nervousness as David walked away; she hoped he would be okay.
"Sissy, is Mr. Ordinary coming back?" Setting Amanda on the ground, Theta nodded comfortingly at the concerned child.
The obnoxious sound of someone clearing their throat reminded Theta of her other companion. "So…do you want to get something to eat while the boys are away?" It was truly incredible, the she-beast had only said one sentence and already Theta's head was pounding.
A heinous squeal echoed through the cramped hallway as the she-beast's voice rose to an even more grating octave. "We could go shopping!" If she ripped out the she-beast's tongue would David be mad? It wouldn't die…probably.
"I could get you a dress or something, or some high heel shoes!" Or maybe she could cut out its voice box, she was good at that.
"You pull of the armor plated intimidating look really well, but a girl has to accessorize! Am I right?" Maybe she could throw it off the building, make it look like an accident…or suicide, David wouldn't be mad at her if he didn't know she did it.
"Sissy, I'm sleepy." Theta smiled at her younger sibling, lifting her off the ground. The little girl had probably saved the she-beast's life.
Theta opened the door to her room, turning her back to the she-monster. "Oh…okay. We can go shopping…" Theta slammed the door shut behind her, leaving the she-beast alone in the hallway. "…later. Well tonight's going to be fun."
Theta set her charge on the ground, allowing her to leap onto the lone bed in their room. She quickly surveyed the room for potential entrances, seeing only one she locked the door.
Leaving her sister to her nap, Theta walked into the bathroom, the shower was calling her name.