Chapter 16
Behind Enemy Lines
Murray
"Yes. John? Captain John Watson? Is that you?" Murray asked in disbelief. John nodded obviously still in shock. Murray's eyes swept over him critically taking in John's haggard appearance. He was unsurprised at his current state of ill health. His blonde hair was filthy, his complexion pale and his cheekbones and ribs stood out starkly from his emaciated frame. He was unsteady and his speech slurred ever so slightly, clear evidence that he drugs in his system had yet to be fully metabolized.
"How long Bill? How long have you been here?" John asked in a voice hoarse from disuse, squinting and studying him closely no doubt noticing that he too seemed different. It wasn't just the haunted look in Murray's eyes from the captivity, but it was physical as well. He was smaller, weaker and looked even younger. Bill held no illusions of what he had become, a failed experiment, collateral damage.
"It's hard to know for sure, but if I had to guess, three months." Murray confessed in a voice that was barely audible. His eyes darted around looking for captors. They were never far. Murray stifled a moan as his stomach cramped brutally followed by a hot flash. He could feel perspiration begin to coat his body. It was always hot in this godforsaken place, but this was different more intense. A storm was brewing. There wasn't much time. He needed to warn John before it was too late.
"How many?" John asked as he tried to take it all in. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head obviously trying to shake off the lingering effects of the sedatives.
"Over a hundred prisoners in this camp alone, with more than double that number of captures." Murray clarified in a soft murmur. "John…Something's going on here, something sinister. This is more than first meets the eye." Murray continued leaving John looking confused.
"How so?" John asked still trying to clear his head. He carefully sat down and couldn't stifle a moan as his hips and pelvis protested at the change in position. Murray's eyes darkened as he took a deep breath catching a hint of something familiar. Murray looked at John more closely and his nostrils flared.
"Type II" Murray whispered under his breath. "I'm sorry. God, John. I'm so sorry."
"What?" John asked his confusion only worsened as he recalled one of the captures uttering that phrase before leading him to the cell.
"You're type II. So am I." Murray ground out in a choked whisper. "I don't have long, I think it starting. Neither will you…if you're type II, you disappear, but not before. Oh God…" He trailed off unable to calm the panic, that was quickly overtaking him as John interjected.
"Bill, calm down. You're not making sense. What the hell is going on here?" John asked looking more unsettled by the minute despite his weakened state adrenaline was spiking causing a fight or flight response.
Murray took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down before he continued. "Sorry…I'm not…I'll start again, at the beginning. RAMC deployed a number of units, mine included, to the area to help ease the strain caused by the increase in ISIS insurgents. We initially were here to treat both military personnel and civilians wounded in the frequent attacks. Like so many others, our field station was ambushed. It didn't matter that we were treating civilians at the time or that we were all unarmed medical personnel. They slaughtered us like sheep. Those that weren't killed instantly were taken to prisons like the one that we currently find ourselves in." Murray stopped to take a breath and John nodded slightly waiting patiently for him to continue.
"The drugs John, they aren't just for sedation. They are experimenting. Those that don't die immediately after their first round of treatments are isolated for about a month during which time they are given a cocktail of drugs leading to a number of changes. There are two types of changes that may occur. Type I codename Alpha or Type II codename Omega. I don't know all of the details, but according to rumor they are trying to engineer a super solider. Type I or Alpha's have the traits that they find desirable including increased stamina, increased strength and muscle mass, high levels testosterone leading to increased aggression and sex drive, and lastly increased acuity of all five senses. In Type II or Omega's quite the opposite effects seem to take place including decreased stamina, strength, and muscle mass, as well as significant drops in testosterone levels, leading to more docile behavior. The only advantage that Omegas seem to gain is increased logic and problem solving ability as well as increased acuity in all five senses, which isn't much use to them as soldiers, Omega's become utterly disposable."
Murray looked at John's face, which had fallen into an unreadable mask. Murray couldn't blame him for his skepticism. After all, he hadn't wanted to believe it at first either. Murray debated about how much more to say. What was coming for him…it was all speculation…but Murray knew his time was close. It was already starting and he would be taken and never seen again. "I'm not crazy. You have no idea how much I wish that this was all a crazy nightmare that I would wake up from, but it's the truth."
"Bill…it's just…well" John trailed off looking bewildered. Crazy. Yes. Bill knew it sounded crazy, but that didn't mean that it wasn't true. Bill stiffened as the sound of footsteps echoed ominously. The capture approached as if sensing his prior thoughts. The cell door opened and Bill was pulled roughly out the door.
"It's starting, time to go." The man whispered in Pashto.
"Stop! Bill!" John protested standing unsteadily moving towards the man. The man sneered at him and slammed the cell door shut before John could do more. Bill looked at his friend knowing that it would be the last time he would ever see him.
"You're next." The man predicted as with a scornful glance in John's direction before Murray was forced deeper into the bowels of the prison and out of sight leaving John lone feeling helpless and nearly hopeless.