Repercussions (CHAPTER TWO)

[Tanasha Arati]

:~:The fire-induced energy was leaving Tanasha quickly as the trio moved further away from the hospital. The remaining heat on her skin was more smothering than relieving now, and, though slight and small, Athalia’s added weight was making it harder to move forward. Terrified she’d burn her, Ta did her best to keep the angel’s tattered robe between them. Yet another wave of dizziness hit her as she scanned the area frantically for any sign of a road, a car, a plane, a unicycle…anything would work. Having become a full time resident of Parasych Park long before she could drive, Ta was going to have to rely on Chayne’s driving skills as much as she hated to admit it. Well, if she intended to pass unnoticed through crowded areas without calling too much attention to them all with her erratic driving. She glanced down as a trembling hand clasped her tangled hair and sighed. At this point she’d have trusted a chipmunk with the keys to whatever vehicle they found if it assured her it could drive in order to escape. To keep Crash safe she was willing to a number of uncharacteristic things.

Hysteria during the ride to the hospital and the many years since her arrival clouded her memories of the surrounding area. She was still absorbing the fact that Chayne also had no clue where the road out might be when a hushed voice from directly in front of her caused her to jump. She managed to avoid dropping the speaker entirely by bracing them both against a tree while she adjusted her hold. She squinted in the indicated direction and frowned slightly as the massive fence came into focus.:~:

“I might have been able to take that thing before all ten rounds with the guards, Crash, but I don’t see me getting all three of us over it now…You doing okay?”

:~:To give her friend the benefit of the doubt- they lacked anything better to do anyways- Ta staggered closer, hoping for any easily spotted structural weaknesses. The loud, electric hum was definitely not a good sign. Not only could she not climb it, she couldn’t even touch it. When Athalia spoke again and struggled to get down, Tanasha was surprised and furious to find the urge to cry almost unbearable. She sank her teeth into her lower lip as the flood of sadness washed over and kept her arms available for support in case she fell. If she failed Crash now, knowing only part of what the consequences of attempted escape were, she had plenty to feel guilty about. Well aware that her voice would be unsteady if she used it just then, she bit her lip harder and took in some air.:~:

“We’ll see.”

:~:Concerned when the injured woman grabbed for both Ta and Chayne, she gripped Athalia tight, assuming she was about to pass out again.:~:

“Of course I wo…oooah…”

:~:What happened next wasn’t anywhere on Ta’s lengthy list of possibilities. The ground fell away from her feet as if gravity had abandoned the three of them and left them to float into space. An incredibly inconvenient wave of dizziness hit her again and for the first time she clung to Athalia for support instead of the situation being reversed as it had in the past. She shut her eyes and did her best to ignore the desire to vomit. This wasn’t the time or the place. She risked a glance as they began descent and was stunned to see they were somewhere she never thought they’d be- the other side of the fence. Five or so feet off the ground, whatever it was Crash was using to keep them up faded. Bodily forcing herself away from the angel midair, Tanasha connected hard with the ground on her stomach. She couldn’t stop the groan that came out and lay there, hurting beyond words for a moment.

An unconscious Crash lay nearby and as soon as movement was possible, Ta was checking for signs of life. It was easy to refind rage with so much as a look at the red pinpoints and bruises now covering Athalia’s legs. She used it to get herself and the angel off the ground, then headed for the cars.:~:

“I’m not picky, kid. Pick one and let’s go.”

[Eevee]

"I am quite comfortable, thank you. And I must say, I just love what you've done with this room. The whole 'hospital' theme is very welcoming, and adds to the genius decor of this loony bin. But if I could make a single request? The food served prior to my current situation was atrocious and I would take a much greater liking to that of some French cuisine or quite possibly some fettucini alfredo, if you dont mind. Oh, and do remember to include a glass of red wine. Would be such a waste to eat on sleeping taste buds, now, wouldn’t it?"

Eevee listened to the impromptu speech with a smile, startlingly light eyes fixed on the monitor. The doctor had gone only minutes before, a phone call interrupting their first trial run with the Ghosts; trusting her assistant to step up and assume leadership position, Dr. Berlin merely turned her sheaf of papers over to Eevee with a smile and slipped out of the control room…leaving Eevee unsure as to where the doctor was going, but confident that she could handle the “experiments” for however long her maestro was away. Sliding the papers into a small, slick incinerator located against the far wall, Eevee did away with what little of the paper trail remained—committing to memory whatever facts and figures the bundle had contained. Her amazing capacity for memory, of course, was just one of the many reasons Berlin had chosen her for an assistant. Eevee’s other talents were yet secret, and only the doctor was privy to the knowledge.

The Ghosts would be introduced to a few of these natural gifts soon, however. With a grin lingering on her pale lips, she pushed the intercom button again and studied the girl shown so glaringly on the screen.

“My dear, had I the means to grant that request, I would. As it stands now, I’d like to play with you—just for a little while, though. I promise.”

Surveying the panel of buttons and jewel-like lights before her, Eevee smiled once more and flicked a combination of switches. Grabbing a clipboard and ball-point pen, she positioned herself in front of the monitor comfortably, long legs crossed after settling into one of the padded chairs Dr. Berlin had so thoughtfully furnished the Center with. Tucking a few stray curls behind her ear, she readjusted her glasses and blinked lazily—her whole demeanor suggestive of some big, sleek feline watching an oblivious animal destined for dinner.

The switches she’d pushed controlled the temperature of the room, and since her Ghost had admitted to some comfort, Eevee was curious as to what temperature, exactly, this mutant would find uncomfortable. Now a brisk forty degrees inside the cell, the lights had been dimmed as well, providing an altogether gloomy atmosphere for the girl. The tests that Eevee really wanted to run would have to wait; they were often messy, and if done wrong…they could ruin the specimen altogether.

Pushing the intercom button again, she spoke in a voice almost genuine in its sweetness.

“My lovely…is it still comfortable in there? I darkened those nasty lights so as not to irritate your pretty eyes…”

[reyes]

Adrian stirred slightly on her bed, shifting her weight from one buttock to the other. This whole escapade with the riot had made her very nervous indeed. She gripped the side of her meager mattress with her good arm, resting her chin on her knees. The sounds of it had not reached her yet, but she knew people were fighting. Thrashing and screaming and yelling and hurting and dying. . . Why people would want to hurt other people was beyond her own personal comprehension. She didn't know what was going on, but she did know one thing. Scott must have caused it. She pushed her knees further into her bosom at this thought, Scott would be the only one who might have caused this. Slashing and jumping and slicing and killing... She didn't want anyone to get hurt. Why did people always want to hurt other people? It made no sense to her. People were people, they shouldn't be hurt.

"Don't touch the white, it's too clean to be lava . . ." she mumbled under her breath, thinking of blood spilling onto the floor, staining the white linoleum with the deep red hue of a person's life force. That was what was happening out there, she knew it. This had never happened before, at least, not since they brought her here so long ago. Ever since she came here, other people had called her the 'Bloody Mary'. She didn't like the nickname, even though she had no idea what it meant. Blood meant pain, pain was bad. Bad for the soul, cuts go deeper than flesh and bone. She let go of the mattress, and stuck out her left arm to steady herself. It hit the soft fabric hard, sending a shot of pain all through the nerves on it. She quickly lifted her arm again, and glanced at it. All she wanted to do was help Douglas. Why did God have it out for her? She was trying to help someone, and she always thought helping was good.

She stood up in her room... No, more accurately her cell. She stood up to her feet, the cold linoleum making her toes tingle as she gingerly set her feet down away from her head. She thought nothing of it, instead favoring to look at the empty metal tray. It was simply sitting there in the flourescent light, doing nothing but simply being. While she wouldn't say it outright, she really admired the tray, and also envied it. The tray was free to exist, and didn't care where it was, as long as it was there. Even if it was cut in half, the tray would be happy to be in two places at once. Why were humans barred from this pure, inexplicable joy? The happiness of pure being was beyond her comprehension, and her envy for the tray was growing. She hated the tray, she knew that if it could, it would be smugly grinning at her. That little bastard! The tray was hurting her feelings, and the tray knew it as well as she did. She sat back onto the mattress, and squirmed into the corner of the bed, her back against the wall and her arms around her shins. A few tears dropped from her eyes, why did everything have to be so cruel? The tray was taunting her, she knew it! Why did it dislike her so? It made no sense!

"ShutupshutupleavemealoneIdon'twantyouherejustgoaway" she mumbled, glaring at the tray. She could feel a slight twinge of electricity go up her spine, as her emotions slowly collapsed. Her hands were shaking, not of cold. It was something altogether worse. She swallowed hard, hard enough to swallow her entire head if she tried, and bit her lip. The whole world seemed to be hell-bent on making her unhappy, and she struggled against such bad thoughts. But she knew they were true. The tray hated her, she knew it. Why did the tray want to hurt her? Why did the tray not enjoy what it was given, instead choosing squander the amazing gift God gave it on hating her? Adrian let out a last little squeak of sadness and horrible realization, and passed out, going completely limp on the stiff mattress underneath her. Just like every time she was under stress, her mind simply broke down when she knew violence was going to happen or happening.[/size][/i]

[† The Jaxness †]

Sliding off of the metal 'bed' with as much grace as she could muster, she took careful, gliding steps around the room, turning in all directions so as to look at every corner, wall, and crevice in hopes of finding where the damn video feed was coming from. Rubbing her hands together, she felt a slight tingle in her head, bringing a quick smile to her face. She was getting excited, and could barely wait to see what was about to be thrown at her.

"Aww, just a poor little assistant, eh? The big doc got all the authority, hogging all the fun to herself? Makes ya feel kinda look down upon, doesnt it? I mean, I'm sure you're far more intelligent then she thinks you are. You could be running your own show here, be your own boss, other then listening to whatever she thinks you should do. She underestimates you. What a shame. Anyways, you wanna play? Ohh, fun, fun. I like games."

The words flew from her mouth. Her biggest threat was physical contact, but while she was unable to prove herself in that area at the moment, she was going to enjoy herself by fucking with this lady's head. Nothing brought more satisfaction then watching other people crumble under her own words. Sadistic smile in place, she held her hands behind her back and cocked her head to one side, poising as an eager child to see what prize she was going to get.

In a matter of seconds, the temperature dropped a good forty degrees. Cold enough to the point where Sadie could each of her own quiet breathes. But despite the freak drop of temperature, controlling what her skin projected or felt was her specialty, and her excitement for this 'game' only grew. Before goosebumps had a chance to make an appearance on her skin, it was as if she had flipped a a switch, and her skin blocked out the cold. Internally, she was still a warm 98.6 degrees. Her skin showed no effects of the temperature decrease at all, and her sadistic smile melted away into the sweet, adoring face of a little girl. She brought her hands up from behind her to touch fingers above her head. Standing on her tip toes, she twirled around in circles like a ballerina. Singing to herself, she tilted her head back to catch the wind from her twirl, her singing getting louder and her spinning faster.

"Fa la la la la, round and round we go. Where we stop, no one knows! Fa la la la la, round and round we go. Where we stop, no one knows! Fa la la la la, round and round we go. Where we stop, no one knows!"

Collapsing in a heap of her own giggles, she crossed her legs as she sat on the metal floor. Placing her hands on her knees, she rocked back and forth with the same childish smile on her face.

"Hehe. Come on, doc. That all you got? Your games are no fun. Maybe the big doc can keep me more entertained. No wonder she's your boss, tee hee."

[Athalia Mischavitch]

Athalia popped her head up and stumbled onto her feet, as if she had just got a shot of adrenaline, she looked at the cars groggily and put a friendly arm around Tanasha

"This one! The white one, I’m partial to white"

She said with a grin playing on her soft plump lips. She moved towards the white car and opened the door, she grinned; the car was unlocked. Before anyone could stop her she called out

“I’m driving, you’re riding shotgun Tanasha!”

Se squirmed her way into the driver’s seat

“Now or never!”

She called out to them; there was no key in the ignition. Athalia had been at Parasych longer than anyone, whenever someone new arrived, The Nurses and doctors told other patients she had been here before their time, yet she never seemed to age, she was still the beautiful 17-18 year old she always was. Until now she thought she would die there, the new thought of escape brought a new stream of adrenaline and excitement into Athalia it was unlike anything she had ever felt… hope.

Athalia began her life when she woke up lying in the face first in the snow, she was sure she was an angel exiled from heaven, or at least sent on some assignment, she simply couldn’t remember why and to do what. She could never understand when she told the story people thought she was crazy… she wasn’t crazy… was she?

Athalia waved her hands in front of the steering wheel, a brilliant golden light erupted from her fingertips bathing Chayne and Tanasha in the golden light and creating a warm feeling in their stomach, but the light was also a concussive force, they may feel a slight pressure over their bodies. The Fuse box sparked slightly and the engine revved into life

“Tanasha, I can’t remember, can I drive?”

She asked suddenly, she wasn’t really waiting for an answer however as she pushed her foot down on the accelerator

“Seatbelts on!”

She said giddily, tears began to stream down her pail face as she laughed manically, the car slammed through the huge iron gates, the car dipped dangerously and swerved but Tanasha kept firm hands on the steering wheel, she didn’t break as the car lifted off the ground to land on a nearby dirt road, the car roared through the dirt causing a huge dirt cloud behind them.

[Moridanu]

((Ive had a blonde moment and cant remember the password for the Tower.. ))


* The black phone made a soft click as he placed it back in its cradle. Although he was loathe to do it, he had succumbed to the necessity of involving the press in his capture plan of the escapees. A very helpful young thing by the name of Loraine had been more than happy to assist him with gathering the most recent photos and ensuring they would be splashed across every news channel in the country. Wanted posters were printed in the thousands and sent out to all the surrounding areas. The “search” he managed to conduct from the comfort of his padded leather chair proved to be sufficient for the local authorities, and they had promptly left him alone less than a few hours ago. This last call to Loraine had been the final port of call and he sighed in satisfaction at the realisation he would never have to hear that annoying peppy voice again.

Leaning back in his chair, The Tower laced his fingers together behind his head as he stared up at the large piece of art that hung above this corner of his desk. A stormy sky held dominance over a field of golden wheat and although a farmhouse of magnificent proportions loomed in the distance, it was the forest on the right that drew his attention. A shaggy path had been cut into the long golden reeds, a path that crisscrossed several times before disappearing into the trees. Although no longer visible in the painting, he could see that pathway in his mind as he had walked down its path many times in his childhood. What he had found at the end of that pathway still terrified and fascinated him, but he knew that without it he wouldn’t be where he was now.

A few moments passed. Perhaps it was an hour, he really couldn’t be sure, nor did he care. Time stood still within in his den, though his eyes did flicker to the monitors now and again. Things had died down, the patients that still remained in the ward had been sedated, and everyone was in lock down in their cells. He watched Adrians screen carefully, wondering when the time would be right to put plan B into action. After a few moments, he flicked the green switch so that his voice would fill her cell.

~Aaaadrian… do try to relax…~his voice was intended to sound soothing and protective, as he needed to gain her trust before he could properly manipulate her conscious thought. He couldn’t release her into the general population unless he could trust that she was as devoted and as dependant on him as he needed her to be. ~ You’re safe here.. noone will harm you….now… tell me,.. what can we do to make your stay more comfortable?~

As he played with his new toy, his eyes flickered over the other monitors, one of which revealed the front façade of a cheap motel not far from the hospital. One of his agents had managed to track Bianca quite quickly, given the internal tracking device she had taken with her unknowingly. As he sat outside the motel, hidden in his nondescript blue sedan, he sent the Tower a constant stream of footage with his live camera placed on the dashboard. Sipping his coffee, the agent watched as Bianca left the coffee shop and returned to the motel. Moving the camera so that it could capture her movement for his boss, the agent chewed his bottom lip anxiously as he dreaded the moment when the order would come to go up against the pair. For now, the order was simply to observe, to follow them when they moved and to keep the Tower informed of their progress. While he was curious as to what the Towers true intent was, he was grateful for the relatively easy gig he had been assigned. That was of course, before he realised who his two charges would be. Sipping his coffee, he watched until Bianca disappeared inside the motel before he reached over to his newspaper on the passenger seat and began to read about what was happening elsewhere in the world.

The Tower watched as well until Bianca disappeared inside the motel, then turned his attention back to Adrians screen to play with her some more. His mind wandered to the Graveyard however, and to how Lord Fattington and Sadie were faring with the likes of Eevee at the realm. The good doctor had suddenly disappeared from the hospital and while the Tower was a tad suspicious about the whole thing he had been pleased to see that Eevee would prove to be a suitable replacement. He toyed with the notion of bringing her on board with his intentions for Adrian, but he knew from experience to keep his more sinister notions to himself. For now.

Rocking back in his chair slightly, the Tower felt his lips crease into a satisfied smirk as he watched the screens and continued to torment and play with Adiran with only his words. The small matter of the other three escapees had proven a tad more tiresome to him however, and the smirk fell from his lips as he wondered where the hell the trio were right now. All he could do was wait until they revealed themselves to him, and he was confident that in a matter of hours, not days, they would. He would need to send The Vermin Lord after them soon, as soon as he had finished with Stone. The thought of the two of them brought with it the realisation that he had not heard from Stone for some time now. Slightly concerned, though not enough to care, he pressed the button and spoke in a clear low voice.

~Have Kirk report me to as soon as humanly possible. I want a full report on Stones capture.~ releasing the button, he sat back
again and searched the screens for any sign of Stone or the Vermin Lord. *

[Eevee]

Eevee smiled in a manner that suggested hunger. Long-lashed, predatory eyes glittering darkly, the smooth-visaged face slipped fluidly from mild disinterest to something a little more curious. Whipping a pen out from behind her ear and settling herself once more on a chair, she crossed lean legs effortlessly and tilted her head back for a better view of the monitors.

“Silly girl. The doctor isn’t here…I am running the show.”

Scribbling a few notes in a surprisingly clean, clear scrawl, Eevee documented her initial impression of the first experiment; although forty degrees was an admittedly weak drop in temperature, she hadn’t known how or to what extent Sadie was able to protect herself against external factors. Without so much as a glance up, Eevee flicked another switch or two—her fingers thin white blurs against the backdrop of sober steel and plastic. Once more, the temperature dipped. Fairly certain that such things didn’t have as much an effect on her current Ghost as it might others (unquestionably, not all of Dr. Berlin’s mutants could regulate their own body temperatures), Eevee wanted to push it just a little further. Now a full sixty degrees cooler than it had been when Sadie first arrived, the room in which her pretty Ghost sat was plunged into darkness.

In Eevee’s opinion, a complete lack of light was a delicious thing. The darkness, of course, was simply another little experiment. Doubtful it would do anything but provide for minor inconveniences, she lounged in her chair like a feline, pen poised above the clipboard in a serpentine stance. Oh, lord…when the time came for the ‘real’ tests to get underway, Eevee was going to die from sheer excitement. These firsts—the temperature, the darkness, and a few others—were merely initial toeholds in Dr. Berlin’s mastery of the mutants. The pain would come later.

The pain would herald new experiments. And the pain would come soon. Eevee knew how much the good doctor detested delays.

“Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself, pretty girl…?”

Oddly pale eyes flickered dully, and Eevee began to hum to herself.

“This is the way the world ends, this is the way the world ends…not with a bang, but a whimper…”

[† The Jaxness †]

Contrary to what the doctor thought, Sadie was very much the one in control here. No matter what elements they threw at her, she was very much capable of overcoming each one. Before those damn pigs in Texas had brought her in, she had spent years perfecting the ways that she could control her body. And although she took the lives of innocent victims to test her theories, they were necessary sacrifices. But while she was very much aware of what she was capable of, the doctors were not, all the more reason to be throwing these tests at her.

But what they didnt know, Sadie was going to take advantage of. She was smarter then she let on, and she was not about to let these bastards in on her secrets. They had no right to poke and prod her like a damn guinea pig. She wasn't put on this earth to play their games, she was meant for something greater, something far more catastrophic. So it was past the time for Sadie to have some fun of her own and throw this bitch for a loop, seeing how far she could stretch her limits.

The even steeper drop in temperature came as a bit of a surprise.

"Haha. Silly doctor. Thought that you were smart enough to see by now how your little experiments don't affect me."

Laying down on the cold floor, she spread her arms and legs out to their fullest extent. Her pure black hair had spanned out around her head. The fine silk threads contrasting to her pale skin actually made her look like an innocent porcelain doll, except for the fact that the childlike features were replaced with cold, dark eyes and an empty expression. She began humming to herself. What was first an unrecognizable, uneven tune turned into the lyrics of the popular Christman carol "Let it Snow". Sadie began flapping her arms and legs slowly, acting like she was making an imaginary snow angel on the smooth, steel floor. The smile of a 4 year old girl came upon her face, and her voice came out immature and high pitched.

"Look, mommy, its snowing! Can we go make snow angels, oh pretty please?! I don't need my mittens, mommy, its not that cold outside."

The relapse into the memory of her younger years had meant to be a joke playing on the temperature of the room. But as the lights went out, a genius idea came to mind. Knowing all too well that darkness would not keep the cameras from seeing her, she was careful to keep her face under controlled expression. She jumped up from the floor in one fluid and graceful movment and scurried on her hands and knees to the nearest corner. Curling herself up in the fetal position, she rocked gently back and forth on the balls of her feet while whimpering softly. Hugging her legs to her chest, she rested her chin on her knees while tears fell from each wide eye. Her pupils had widened to accomodate the immediate darkness. But this was yet again another one of Sadie's countless abilities. Her 5 senses were superior to those of an ordinary person. Her heightened vision allowed for her to see every corner and crevice in the room despite the lack of light.

Yet to anyone looking down upon her, she had the young, scared eyes of a child; wide and unknowing to the terrors of the dark.

“Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself, pretty girl…?”

Her voice shook as it came out in gasps of breath and wailing sobs.

"Daddy, you said you'd let me keep my night-light if I was good. I've been good, daddy, I promise. Please don't make me stay in the dark, daddy, I'm scared."

[Eevee]

Writing further notes on the newest of twists in the initial tests, Eevee displayed nothing of emotion. Her face was a frighteningly blank mask, one acquired in childhood and perfected over the twenty-six year span of her life. She'd known the sadness that came with cold and distant parents, the empty comforts of a luxurious life populated with nurses and governesses and servants, the cynical view of humanity that instilled itself in her as a result of all these things. She'd never been abused, never berated for the string of mishaps she'd gotten herself into over the years -- but she'd never known true affection, either...nor a mother's embrace or a father's beaming face.

Eevee's mother had been a queenly sort of socialite, well-accustomed to the comforts of a rich life earned through good first impressions and marriage to a multi-millionaire husband. She'd been a notorious drunk, as well -- favoring white wine and vodka over time spent with her baby daughter. Eevee's father, too, had been just a dim figure in her life, too preoccupied with mergers and take-overs and corporate dinners to spend more than a few minutes each week with his only child. The black effect this had on Eevee was simple at first -- since no one save the servants paid any real attention to her, she must be unlovable. And this feeling ate at her and ate at her...


...And it's poison had rooted itself so deep in her psyche that Eevee's capacity for empathy had been nearly obliterated. She was unlovable, so she loved no one and nothing; since she loved no one and nothing, she had no qualms when it came to actions that destroyed morals and burned away any sense of value attached to human suffering and pain. It really didn't matter to Eevee; all life was destined to end, anyway -- what difference did it make if the end was natural or not?

Unnaturally pale eyes swiveling to the screen again, Eevee allowed a wan smile to break her terrifyingly stony expression. The emotion sickness that had threatened to creep up at the vulnerable and child-like aura Sadie radiated had faded; for a few seconds, Eevee's mind had jerked itself back twenty years...for a few seconds Eevee had relived her childhood and had almost felt a pang of something. But as always, her eyes assumed their predatory sheen once more and touching a few more buttons as one would piano keys, she watched Sadie with interest.

"I know you're not afraid, girl. I know. You're too strong to be afraid, I think. How very curious..."

The dark and the cold still pressed down on Eevee's Ghost, and as if mirroring the situation, Eevee's voice became as cold and toneless.

"How well does your body staunch blood-flow to major wounds, my dear?"

[† The Jaxness †]

Her attempt had not failed. She sensed the smallest hint of doubt. "You're too strong to be afraid, I think." This was all she needed to feed off of. In the years she had spent on the streets before the cops brought her in, she had done everything she could to do what she shouldn't have done as a missing person. She was always with large groups of people, sure to be seen, but more so to ensure that her needs, desires, and cravings for pain were satisfied. She had understood and overcome each and every emotion she came in contact with. Conquering thoughts and controlling influences, Sadie was well beyond only using 10% of her brain like every other person. Using her knowledge and experiences to her advantage, she persued.

"Please turn the lights back on. Cut me up, beat me, whatever you wish, just please dont keep me in the dark."

Seconds ticked by, and her gasping sobs soon became wailing screams. She opened her vocal chords to their fulled extent with each breath, hightening the pitch of her voice. The noise would be intolerable to human ears, busting eardrums and shattering glass within seconds, yet all she heard in her own head was a small vibrating pattern. A soft hum compared to the chaotic screeches reverberating off of the steel walls. She rocked forward and fell out of the fetal position, kneeling and placing her hands flat upon the cold, icy floor. She bent the knuckles on her fingers and dug her nails into the floor, raking them towards her body as they aimed to match her screams.

Her face had contorted into a grotesque display of misery and torment. She shook her head violently, sending her black locks flying in different directions, falling to cover her tear stained face. Her nails, neither broken or torn, came to a screeching halt before she balled her hands into fists and started beating on the floor. Heavy pounding only became louder and louder as each fist slammed against the steel.

"Let m-me out!! I d-dont deserve this!! Make the light come back!"

She pounded each fist together, as if to emphasize the weight of her words.

"MAKE..."

*SLAM*

"IT..."

*SLAM*

"STOP!!!"

*SLAM*

She levered her weight onto her right foot, leaning against it before she sprang up and slammed her left shoulder into the wall. The screeching continued, loud and undying. She had thrown herself against the wall a dozen times before she let herself slump to the floor, her naked skin tainted and bruised. She had one last assault before her breath was gone and her blood was to rush to her head.

She rolled on the floor like a dying dog, crying and screaming, kicking out her legs at invisible enemies. She lashed her claws out at herself, grabbing onto her own flesh and sinking her nails into her skin. The blood welled up from the abrasions soon as her fingers left to grab the next closest inch, yet as she did, the last wound had healed, and all that remained was the blood that had oozed out before the cut closed itself. She ripped and tore through every inch within seconds, though when she had collapsed motionless on the cold, hard floor, Sadie's beautiful naked body was a bloody mess, accompanied only by the racking sobs of a scared little girl.

[Eevee]

"I didn't ask you if you deserved this..."


Eevee watched the theatrics with an unblinking expression, tuning the audio feed until the ear-shattering (and, dare she say, impressive) wave of sound that seemed to pour out of Sadie had been pared down to a workable level. Had Eevee been of a normal disposition, possessed of a mindset given to sympathy and pangs of guilt, she would have been reduced to tears at the Ghost's unnerving display. Note-taking seemed the perpetual activity of this session -- already she'd covered several pages with a slanted, spidery scrawl that utilized so many code words and abbreviations that no one save the Doctor could be able decipher it.


Sliding her chair across the way to yet another panel of switches and gauges, Eevee scanned the assortment with flat, chill eyes; the color of an burnt-out Arctic sky, Eevee's eyes rarely sputtered to life...giving off something of a cold fire when incensed, irritated, or intrigued. Although heart-rending in nature and obviously full of pain, Sadie's actions came as no surprise to the assistant. She wondered, perhaps, if the Ghost didn't know that she'd been the Doctor's understudy for years -- and in those years had witnessed severe mental instability, self-surgery fetishes, volunteer amputation...and, of course, varying degrees of self-mutilation and potentially dangerous innate abilities.


"As I said, I didn't ask you if you deserved this. I asked how well you repair yourself from grievous injury. Judging by that last display, I'd say quite well, indeed."


Splayed out on the floor and covered in blood, Sadie seemed like a discarded porcelain doll, her black hair an inverted halo and her face crumpled and pale. The whimpers and sobs that continued to leak from the Ghost served only as oil that loosened the gears of the Doctor's grand design -- and Eevee was unsure as to what trials she'd apply first.


"I'll turn the lights back on...if you'll tell me why you're here. The others, the ones that brough you in -- they've briefed me. But what about you, pretty girl? Why do you think you're here?"

[† The Jaxness †]

Sadie stared out absently, eyes cold to any and all emotion. The whimpering became inaudible, yet the tears flowed slowly; dripping from the bridge of her nose, one by one. She kept her body still, eyes never blinking. She merely lay there like a rag doll, pale and motionless until the doctor offer the reward of light to the answer of a very easy question. A question in which the answer brought Sadie much pride. Yet she contained her excitment until she got what she wanted. She would not give up an answer, such a wanted answer, until her wish was granted. A sociopath she was, but she was not so stubborn so as to refuse such a good compromise.

She gave her nose a child-like sniffle, and yet again curled her bloody body into a tight ball on the floor, wrapping her arms around her legs and hugging them to her naked chest.

"P-please turn the lights on. I'll a-answer anything y-you want. But please d-dont make me stay in the d-dark..."

She gave several short, disheartening sobs as emphasis before bringing herself inside the comforts of her own mind. Fools. As if they think they're getting inside the geniuses of my own head, like they could possibly comprehend what makes me tick. Ha, they might even have the faint hope of controlling my momentous abilities. Not only will they be extremely misled, but I'm going to see to it that they learn their lesson. Never fuck with something you cant understand.

[Ava]

Like silkily shining chips of stone, Eevee's eyes regarded Sadie with a growing sense of malice. Children's games proved effective for only so long -- there were only so many chances to hit the assistant's sympathy switch before a self-imposed system override took place. A similar thing happened to overloaded circuits...and Eevee was, after all, something of a human machine.

One sleek leg crossed over the other, she tossed her clipboard onto the sleek, stainless counter and massaged her fingers deep into the soon-to-be freed mess of dark hair. Was the chic, stylish bun really necessary when there was no one there (save her seemingly omnipresent, invisible boss)? Was it necessary to wear the damn lab coat...to follow protocol, to maintain a well-documented distance from her "specimen"? Pale-colored eyes blinking lazily, Eevee sat forward suddenly and switched the lights on in Sadie's room, grabbing her clipboard again as she did so.

"I know you're intelligent," she glanced down, "Number 5150-6. I know you're not reduced to tears because of the dark and the cold. Please. How simple do you think I am?"

She smiled faintly.

"I just wanted to know why you were here. Tell me, if you wish. If not -- so be it. We'll get around to the real questions soon..."

[† The Jaxness †]

The tears vanished and she untwined herself from the ball in one smooth, graceful move. Lifting her head and closing her eyes, she used one hand to smooth back her hair, a wicked smile coming to her lips. Her face left the impression that she knew she had the perfect body, a selfishness all in its own. She slowly rolled onto her back, stretching out her legs to their fullest extent, and bringing her arms above her head to connect at the fingertips like a ballerina. Scrunching her face up slightly, she stretched and made a quiet yawning noise like a cat after a good, long nap. Keeping her eyes closed, she let out a small laugh before replying.

"So good of you to notice, doctor, that I'm not as stupid as some of your other pathetic patients. Yet I'm sure that your boss wouldn't be pleased to hear that you had a kind enough heart to turn on the lights just because of the poor sobs of a frightened little girl."

She let out a deep throated laugh, full of evil joy and accomplishment before she rolled onto her stomach and swirled her hair in her fingers. She was enjoying quite alot. Being able to cry for something and get it? Hot damn, these people were bigger pushovers then she thought. Can't wait to see what solitary confinement is like.

"And as much as I'd love to bring disappointment to your poor, little, kind heart, I'm afraid my own wants and desires must come before yours. You can ask anything you wish.... but you won't get so much as a mouse fart for an answer."

She lazily laid on the floor with a simple, lady-like smile on her face, all the more happier.

[Catrux]

((Lord Fattington still waiting on the Good doctor?))

The Vermin Lord began laughing hysterically as Stone had taken the bait. By releasing the electricity in the form he did, Stone caused the sprinkler system to kick in, pouring down frigid water. The water did two things to help Kirk in this fight; first it lowered the temperature of the room from its momentarily searing heat, and also doused Stone. Even with the help of the water the room was still incredibly hot. Having been expecting Stone’s action, Kirk had summoned a mass of vermin whose sole purpose was to lower the temperature in the room by being a buffer. Kirk had underestimated Stone a bit, the room was much more intensely hot than he had expected. Kirk watched as his wall of vermin was decimated much more rapidly than he had planned. The force of the wall of heat rushing towards him, knocked him back burning him in various parts of his body. When the barrage had subsided, Kirk stood and laughed once again.

“I underestimated you, you ended up being a more formidable opponent than I previously thought.” While speaking, Kirk had begun to make his way toward Stone. “Too bad I have a job to do.” He wasn’t going to summon anymore of his vermin, there was no point Stone was debilitated. All his opponent could do now is face him one on one, the odds were heavily tipped in Kirk’s favor. Kirk was like a cat toying with its prey, his movements slow and deliberate. “You know that with out your electricity, you can’t stand against me so why don’t we just call it a day take you back, and I’ll make sure to mention your cooperation. Or I can have some fun and you won’t see any electricity but your own for quite some time. Take your pick.” If Stone was to do anything to suggest he wanted to try and fight his way out Kirk would throw his right fist at his jaw and a left stomp at his quad. The landing of either strike would be enough to cause some hesitation on Stone’s part allowing Kirk to mount a true assault.

A moments more thought, and Kirk had decided to knock his opponent out and insure that there was no possibility of a struggle. With out warning Kirk sent a punch on a crash course with Stone's left temple. The force Kirk put behind his fist would surely be enough to knock the soaking Stone out. With a crack, the fist and skull met. The latter was soon falling limply toward the floor before Kirk quickly scooped Stone up and hauled him off toward the designated drop off.

The trip was remarkably uneventful, especially for a supposed riot. Kirk merely dropped the unconscious man at the feet of two guards who murmured to themselves, before telling Kirk that he was to report to The Boss, then told him when and where to meet him. A satisfied grin affixed itself to Kirk's features, evidently the higher up was impressed with his talents. The possibility of being in trouble never crossed his mind, Kirk was much to arrogant to even entertain the notion.