89 days later… 1 day to go…
The small group of men made their way hastily down the long narrow corridor. Metal lights hung from the ceiling above them casting a dull shine on the walls and floor below. The smell of fresh bleach filled the air as they neared the large doors to their left.
“This will go smoothly if we proceed as discussed.” Neil said in a hushed tone. One gentleman in the group sporting a wide moustache and thick, brown-rimmed glasses hurried to catch up with the doctors fast pace. “Sir, might I add that after last week’s psychometric evaluation, results did show he may not be ready just yet. Do you not think that….” Neil glanced at him sharply. “All I do is think, Roger. You think, I think, we all think and I’m telling you that “I” think he is ready. This can’t go on for much longer. Vic is clearly losing his patience now and I can’t have this ending badly for us all. Understood?” Roger asserted himself. “I understand, sir, you know best.”
The doors now before them, Neil stopped as did everyone else. He looked at each of the five men in quick succession. “Remain calm at all times and evaluate him constantly through medical eyes. He is our patient, after all.” With that, he turned both handles and entered.
The gymnasium was a moderately sized hall. Exercise mats and various training equipment littered the area ahead of them. A small section to the left was a recreational area. A large couch with a television set in front of it, a set of tables and chairs for consuming food and drink as well as a drinks and snacks dispenser. The large section to the right had a full size squash court and free weights area. An athlete’s dream come true and all provided for free of charge. The place was absolutely spotless as was the rest of the research facility. The large glowing spotlights above creating a soothing ambiance all around.
The doctor scanned the room but saw no sign of Vic. He huffed in annoyance. “Vic.” He called out, his voice echoing from one wall to another. Nothing. A few seconds later, a friendly greeting bellowed out from behind them. “Gentlemen.”
The whole group spun around in a blind panic only to see Vic balancing on a beam connected just above the doors behind them. “What kept you all?” Vic said with a sly grin. The doctor held his head with the palm of his hand, recovering from the shock moments ago. “My god, Vic, this isn’t a game! You think it’s so funny but you’re liable to give us all a heart attack!”
Vic nimbly pushed himself into the air, back flipping effortlessly over all five of them below and landing perfectly a few feet away. He held his arms outstretched like a gymnast dismounting from the parallel bars. The doctor clapped slowly. “Perfect 10! What do you think, gentlemen?” The others looked around at each other, nodding with approval.
The previous month and a half Vic had spent rehabilitating within the confines of the training area had paid off tenfold. The doctor and his team were amazed at the level of intensity he could endure and the amount of time it took for Vic to synergize with and adapt to his new limbs. Estimated time from the start of the project through to completion was at least two months but they were now two weeks ahead of schedule and the task at hand was almost done. The team could not have dreamed for a better result however the most difficult hurdle still lay ahead.
Vic stretched out his prosthetic arms proudly, admiring the fine contours of the skin, the wrinkles at the join of the elbow, it was indeed a work of art. Even after these past few weeks, he was as much in awe of this technological marvel as that very first day he was introduced to it.
“Sorry if I startled you guys, but I’m so excited, I just can’t stay still!” Vic was already envisioning his new world beyond these walls. Walking out of the building, the media waiting expectantly for this new breed of superhuman to conduct his very first exclusive interview. The feeling of finally living again. Running, jumping, crawling, diving, crouching. Life had well and truly begun and he couldn’t wait a second longer. “So, when am I due to make my mark on this world, Neil? Gimme an exact time, please! I haven’t seen or heard the outside world for weeks now and I’m in need of some fresh air real bad.” He chuckled with anticipation. This was the moment he had been waiting for for what seemed like his entire life.
The doctor looked serious, too much so for such a happy occasion. “Vic, listen. We got to talk. Something very important that requires your complete and undivided attention and understanding. Are we clear?” The sudden shift in the mood within the room puzzled Vic somewhat. “Sure, doc… I mean Neil, sorry. Is there a problem?”
“Well, Vic, it’s like this.” the doctor continued. “When you were selected for this unique life enhancing project, it was a decision made by not only myself but a number of other individuals. Namely, people from outside this research facility. To reach where we are now took many years of dedication and sheer hard work. But sometimes just putting in the effort isn’t enough. The dirty topic of “money” kept rearing its ugly head. You must remember, Vic, it’s because of that “money” that you have transformed into who you are now standing before us. A fine specimen of a…”
“Neil, where is this going? What are you trying to get at?” Vic looked completely dumbfounded at what he was hearing. The other members of the team started to shift nervously toward the door ever so slightly. The doctor picked up on this in an instant. “Guys, you got somewhere you got to be right now?” he said cheerfully, yet with a completely dead tone. They all froze on the spot and simultaneously shook their heads rapidly. The tension between them all was clear to see.
Vic looked on, bewildered at all the theatrics. “Neil, come on, man. What’s going on?” The doctor proceeded. “Yes, Vic, where was I? Ah, yes. Finance. Well, our project has been heavily funded primarily through governmental sources. We are, you could say, in partnership with them. So they also played a huge role in you taking part in our program. That’s something very important to keep in mind. The thing is that they asked me to put forward a request to you, Vic, that I have been waiting for the right time to ask. I’m just so sorry that I postponed it until such a late stage for us all.”
Vic was standing there, heart pounding, perspiration collecting and running in rivulets down the sides of his face. Fear started to take hold. “Neil, what the hell is going on? I want to get outta here today. Now, in fact. Please, can I leave now?”
The doctor looked back at his team. Their expressions said it all. They were drowning in sheer terror at their expectations of what was to come next. “Vic, can you stay on for a while longer?” the doctor said assertively, all the while analysing his reactions, knowing full well the danger they were all in.
Vic was expressionless, although inside the anger was starting to build. “Stay for a while longer? Are you for real? Of course not. I’m done here, Neil. My training, my life living in this facility, that is all finished as of right now. I appreciate everything everyone has done for me, don’t get me wrong, but I’m leaving at some point today. That’s final.” Vic was staring hard at the doctor, eyes locked with his. He waited as patiently as he could for his response.
“Vic, I’ll be as blunt as I can be. The request coming from the top. It wasn’t a request. It was an order.” The doctor held his ground even though panic began to consume his mind. There was no turning back now and the doctor had relived this moment over and over again in his thoughts. Now there was no escape.
He began creeping backwards toward his team behind him. “I’m leaving right now and no one is stopping me. Get outta my way, Neil. In fact, all the rest of you pricks, back off too!” Vic didn’t have to wait long as the team opened the door and fled out of the hall in a blind frenzy. The doctor turned to glance at them whilst shaking his head. “Cowards.” He muttered under his breath.
Before he had a chance to look back again, Vic leapt into the air and landed just behind him. He clasped one prosthetic arm around the doctor’s throat and began to squeeze. Gurgled gasps emanated from the doctors mouth as his windpipe was being crushed. Vic studied the bulging eyed, blue face staring back at him. Was this the same man he grew so fond of throughout the course of these past few weeks? He loosened his grip as air rushed back into the spluttering, semiconscious doctor.
“You created me, Neil, but I can destroy you. I can tear you limb from limb. Why don’t "you" remember that?” Vic hissed. Leaving the doctor coughing harshly on the floor, Vic then bolted through the hallway doors and sprinted at an inhuman pace down the long corridor. The effortless strength and motion of his legs were now his strongest allies as he tried to quickly map out his escape route in his head. Living in such a small confined building for such a long period of time allowed Vic to know every nook and cranny of the place. He was also aware that there were no security guards in sight as of yet. A little odd, but he had no time to dwell on that thought just now. Instinct had now completely taken over.
As he moved at breakneck speed and approached the final turn, he saw a familiar sight just up ahead. His brother, Joe. He attempted to stop dead in his tracks but the momentum toppled him over and flung his body into the side of the wall. Joe shouted his name out in the distance but for an instant everything became a confusing blur. A few moments later, he snapped back to reality.
Joe was crouching, looking down on him. “Vic, what the hell is going on? Are you alright, man?” He knew he only had mere minutes to gather his thoughts and get them the hell out of there. “What on earth are you doing here?” Vic asked him. Joe responded, “I was coming to see you. The guards in the lobby area let me through and…”
“No time for that now. We gotta get outta here now!” He gathered up Joe in his powerful cybernetic arms and sprinted down toward the entrance. “Put me down, man. I’m gonna puke!” he cried. At the entrance door, he did as Joe asked and tried the door handle. It was locked. He needed the security key which was usually kept in the office to his immediate left. “Wait here, Joe. Gimme literally one second.” he whispered and shot into the office.
As he opened the draws of the desk, a loud bang shook the room. Vic spun around to see that the glass door leading into the office had shut. He leapt swiftly back over the desk and spread his palms over the fibreglass panel. Joe stared back at him with expressionless, brown eyes. “Open the door. Quick! Try the handle!” screamed Vic, but Joe continued to remain frozen to the spot, just watching him. A single tear rolled down his face. The realisation hit him like a ton of bricks. Could it really be?
The doctor staggered into view, blood trickling down the side of his mouth. Vic seethed with rage like a caged animal.
“YOU BASTARD! WHAT ARE YOU DOING, NEIL! WHAT’S HAPPENED TO JOE? WHAT’S HAPPENING?”
He pounded on the glass door with all the strength his mighty bionic arms could conjure but all it did was cause a small ripple. He flew at the desk in a fit of hysteria, lifted it into the air and hurled it at the door. It shattered into dozens of wooden fragments and scattered over the floor nearby.
“Vic, calm down, my son.” The doctor spoke through a small wireless microphone connected the breast pocket of his long coat. “We could have done this the easy way or the hard way. It seems we still require some work on controlling that temper of yours.” Vic slammed himself up against the door again, looking straight at Joe. “Why, Joe? You turned on your own brother, man. Your flesh and blood! What are you doing?” Joe mouthed a meek “sorry” in Vic’s direction, shoulders hunched over as the doctor quickly interjected.
“You listening to me now, Vic? Got your attention finally? I hope so. In your state of stupor after the accident, you didn’t know that your mother was battling cancer. Joe never told you out of pure brotherly love and…”
“I’M SORRY, VIC. PLEASE. I HAD NO CHOICE IN…” screamed Joe.
“SHUT UP!” the doctor shouted as he turned to glare sharply at Joe.
Once Joe quietened, he faced Vic again.
“Your mother is dying, Vic. Joe used all his funds to support you for all that time and attempt to treat your mother too. He simply couldn’t sustain this and his bank account was almost dry. Let’s just say our paths crossed soon afterwards. Joe and I had an agreement made out before you even realized you were up for candidacy. Your financial woes are a thing of the past now, Vic. We will see to it that your mother recovers to full health. How’s that for great news, eh, Vic? But here’s the thing. You are now our new military prototype and will provide the basis for a new breed of super soldier. You know the political environment we live in, right, Vic? The destabilization of certain parts of the world and the political ramifications it is having for us all. I’m sure at least you watched the news while you were housebound. The global arms race is in full swing right now and technological advancement is paramount to our nation rising victorious and gaining our key strategic edge. You are our saviour, Vic. Your operation was such a resounding success, better than we could have ever hoped for. You are the perfect test subject and foundation for us to continue creating others like you. This project had been on the cards for years and now because of you, it has finally made its way to fruition. Thank you, Vic. Thank you so much.”
Vic was reeling with nausea. His world crashed and burned before him. The most he could have wished for was to wake up from this cruel, relentless nightmare. He closed his eyes, praying for just that. “The media are involved, the press. I am due an interview today. I have to show up. People will come looking for me. You won’t get away with this, Neil.” he muttered through clenched teeth.
Vic opened his eyes to witness the doctor replying with a slow, knowing nod. The final piece of the puzzle was now revealed. Eyes bulged from his head, veins pressurized to bursting point pulsated within his temples. He slowly crumpled to his knees.
“They think I’m dead, don’t they. The world thinks I died on that operating table. That’s why you barricaded me in this god forsaken building. Pretending all along you were rehabilitating me, preparing me for the outside world. I was never meant to leave here. You sick motherfucker.”
The doctor made his way slowly to the door and crouched to within eye level of Vic. “Come now, Vic. Swearing at me won’t get you anywhere, you know that. If anything, you should be proud. Helping your country in the ways you are about to. Remember, this is bigger than any single one of us. We are all the components of a better future. Always remember that, Vic. We’ll take good care of you. Just work with us and everything will work out just fine.”
Vic spat at the glass in a last ditch effort at any sort of retaliation, but he knew full well there was nothing he could do. In his new, bionic suit of strength and armour, he was in actuality, completely helpless. The doctor straightened himself whilst dabbing away the last traces of blood from his mouth. He turned to Joe. “You OK, my boy? Hell of a risk we all took back there but everything worked out as planned.” Joe was inconsolable. Tears streamed down his face from swollen red eyes. He kept reliving in his mind the impossible choice he was faced with a few months ago, but now it was done and there was no going back.
As the doctor held the entrance door open for Joe to walk through, he took one last look at his brother. A collapsed heap on the concrete office floor. The baton of control was now passed onto Dr. Neil Yarwood and his team.
One door closes and another opens, Joe thought. A new chapter must begin…
