Winds of Change: Rising Storm

Chapter 10

Curled up at the side of her bed, Tempest rocked slowly back and forth. The bitter taste of anxious expectation soured her mouth. She had been told that today or tonight, she had lost track of time, was the day she would be in the mysterious machine. That was hours ago.

Taking a deep breath, she uncurled herself. Moving to the door, she clutched the confining smooth metal bars, which were cold to the touch. Not a soul was in the hallway, reminding her how alone she was. She leaned her head against the cell door, letting the cool temperature speed across her face in an effort to calm down. How long had it actually been since they came and took an unconscious Nya away? How long since Rogue's menacing face told her that they were now ready for the machine to be tested?

Tempest sagged a little lower on the bars. She felt as if the shadow of death had fallen on her, as if her time had now come. Opening her eyes, when had she closed them? She saw an actual shadow falling across her, and hand lifted her face upward.

The man in the lab coat was back. "Are you ready for some experience?"

He and two other guards led her to a room with a triple lock security door. Basically a super thick door made out of metal. The lab guy began unlatching the door and turning knobs quickly. All the wetness left Tempest as he pulled open the door, leaving her with a dry throat and coarse tongue. They entered the room, and all Tempest could think was, woah.

The room was giant, more of a hall really. Groups of men and women in lab coats bustled about, with another, smaller, glass room towards the middle.

"What do you think?" The man waved forward, and Tempest caught her first look at the machine. It was shaped like two metal cones sitting sideways with an open expanse between. And it was enormous, at least thirty feet high.

Tempest gulped. She would have thought it looked ridiculous, if it was any other machine. But as it was, she was too nervous to laugh even internally.

"Doc," Tempest turned her head, seeing Prodigy walk up to the blonde headed man. He was clutching a clipboard, and the moment she saw him, anger bubbled in her stomach. She didn't know who had done the beating of Nya, but she was sure he'd had a part in it. "There are some minor errors we should look at before the test begins."

Doc nodded, then waved a hand at the men holding her. They started pulling her to the machine, dragging her closer. Fear closed a hand over Tempest's heart, clamping it's cold fingers tightly around her. Blood rose to her ears, vision swimming. Tempest tugged at her arms, but to no avail.

The men were too strong, and she was weak. The guards pulled her to the in between of the machine, where a pedestal stood. It had two shackles on either side, all made of steel. They forced Tempest's arms downward into the cuffs, then backed away as the shackle clicked shut.

The metal was freezing, sending shivers and chills up Tempest's arms. She tried to pull her arms out, but the cuffs were too tight, the metal cutting into her skin. She gritted her teeth and pulled harder, dizzy from all the blood rushing to her brain.

You won't get out of those." Doc said as he walked up with yet another clipboard.

Tempest glared at him. "You're a monster."

He looked at her with an amused smile. "I'm a scientist. It's my job to advance science."

Tempest strained against her bindings. "This isn't science! This is cold-blooded murder!"

Doc considered, glancing up at the machine. "Maybe. If you're not an elementalist, you will definitely die. If you are.. We'll have to see."

He grinned and walked away, heading to the glass room. More people bustled by Tempest, each with matching unconcerned expressions. In horror, she realized that nobody in that room cared. No one cared about her, whether she died or lived. They would start the machine, and watch as it killed her without a second thought.