Machine Messiah Chronicles : Project Apex

Chapter 10 Captured

   It was a peaceful spring afternoon and Kyle was strolling through the park, holding hands with his loving parents. The sun was shining, birds were chirping and all was well in the world. Kyle was so content being in the middle of his mother and father, feeling their warmth and love. His mother's infectious smile made his heart sing and his father lifted him up into the air, spinning him around with glee.

Suddenly, something changed. Kyle's parents disappeared into thin air, leaving him standing alone in the park. He fell to the ground, bewildered and scared. "Mom? Dad?" he cried out, but there was no response. Looking up, Kyle saw his mother floating away in the sky, wearing a white dress. "Don't leave me, Mom!" he begged, but she disappeared into the white clouds.

Kyle's dream turned into a nightmare and he woke up with a jolt, realizing that he was alone in a strange looking room. He had hit a tray and it had fallen on the floor, causing a loud noise. A nurse dressed in white was cleaning up the spilled food, and Kyle couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that it was all just a bad dream.

  Above him was a light shining down in his confined space. Kyle pulled the bed sheet off of him and it was then that he noticed that someone had changed his clothes. He was now wearing a white t-shirt and pants to match it. "Where's my mom and dad?"

    The nurse looked up at Kyle with an almost surprised expression on her face. "I'm sorry but I must go." She stood up after completing her task of cleaning the floor of the food mess then slowly moved away from the blinding light that was shining down on the subject. 

  "Hey wait!" Kyle jumped off the bed, his barefoot touched the cold floor. He barely felt it at all. Kyle tried to follow the nurse when he suddenly felt a shocking sensation that knocked him on his back. His vision blurred for a few minutes but eventually cleared up.

  Kyle struggled to sit up and looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The room was massive, and he was at the center of it all. It was like a lab, with white walls and shiny metallic surfaces. He couldn't see any doors or windows, just the blinding light above him.

"Where am I? What's going on?" he yelled out, hoping someone would answer.

But there was no response, only the sound of his own voice echoing back at him. Kyle got up and tried to approach the invisible forcefield barrier that was trapping him in the center of the room. He reached out his hand, and once again, felt the jolt of electricity that knocked him down.

"What the hell is this? Why am I here?" Kyle muttered to himself, frustrated and confused.

Suddenly, a voice came from the loudspeaker, making Kyle jump.

"Subject 231, please remain calm. You are safe, and we are here to help you."

"Who are you? Where's my family? Why am I here?" Kyle demanded, his voice trembling with fear and confusion.

"We apologize for the inconvenience, Subject 231. As for your current situation, please understand that we have your best interests at heart."

Kyle didn't know what to make of the response. It only added to his confusion. He collapsed back onto the bed, feeling hopeless and trapped.

As he lay there, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of place he was in, who was watching him, and why he was chosen to be here. The questions swirled in his mind, but there were no answers in sight.

     Kyle felt a shiver run down his spine as Don Lexington III entered the room. The way he wagged his finger and spoke with a menacing tone sent chills down Kyle's spine. He felt like he was in the presence of a dangerous predator, and his instincts were telling him to be cautious.

"I wouldn't attempt that again if I were you," Don said, his voice low and threatening. "What you just experienced was about 200,000 volts of electricity. Enough to kill a man but not you."

Kyle's heart was pounding in his chest as he struggled to catch his breath. He had never felt so vulnerable in his life.

"You shook it off as if it were nothing but a word of warning," Don continued, "try to get passed this force field barrier again and it will be amped up 500,000 volts."

Kyle swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on Don as he tried to process what was happening.

"Where are my manners?" Don said, as he stepped closer to the bed. "I haven't yet introduced myself. My name is Don Lexington III, and you must be Kyle Maximus Valentino. I was a friend of your parents."