Subject 3033...(BWAM, Sci-fi Romance, 18+)

Chapter Nine

My back is pressed flat atop operation table, my arms and feet spread out and strapped to minimize movement, Tokyo said to me earlier. Noe is stood to the furthest corner of the white chamber. He stares upon the 3D imagery of X-ray; X-ray of my body. Tokyo -on the other hand- repetitively waves transducer slowly above my lain figure. She works to scan the entirety of my system from head to toe all the while gazing upon the large holographic screen that hovers a few feet away.

Apparently, the tracking chip that they'd implanted into my system was such a minute thing, that this should be the third scanning process I am coerced to partake in a single day. With a lot of mastered concentration, a lot of mastered professionalism, Tokyo continues to hover electronic device above my body till her facial features light up and her mouth -the colour of Cat's Eye Scapolite- curves in a satisfied smirk. Yes, she truly is a beautiful woman this one.

"Found it," she speaks, moves to tap on the screen and zooms in to take a better look at the well-hidden piece of metal.
"It was hooked to a vein located on the right side of your left calf so it shouldn't take me more than a few minutes to retrieve. Good news, it's not an exploding chip. Bad news, it does looks to me like an electrocution chip of sorts so you will feel the zap of currents every once in a while."

Via wheeled seat, she drags herself back beside me, adjusts the spotlight so that the yellowy beams glower upon my calf. Syringe in hand, she draws anaesthetic liquid from a phial and pierces silvery needle into flesh. I fall mumm throughout the entirety of it all much as I dread needles and the sight of them. Though -in a manner- my heart pounds loudly inside my throat, though the perspiration rolls down the length of my spine, I have no reason to fear.

Unlike my creators, neither Tokyo nor Noe seek to cause me any sort of hurt. And I work, heavens, I work to repeat those words to myself like a mantra, to repeat those words till my mind believes.
"Can you feel that, Harlow?" Tokyo's voice infiltrates, it snaps me from my train of thoughts and memories.
She repeatedly pokes at my skin with the tip of her index, gazes upon me as she does.
"No, not really."
"Alright."

She looks back upon screen then down upon skin. Taking hold of scalpel and surgical tweezers, she works with dextrous fingers, slices through flesh and even more flesh until the first jolt of electricity sears through my thigh, up my pelvis and abdomen, further courses through my chest cavity all the way up to my neck. My back involuntarily arches, it does.

Were it not for the straps that bind my limbs to table, I should have easily curled myself in a tight ball. Old habits I guess.
"Just a little longer, Harlow."
Another jolt strikes, one so terribly painful that an involuntary gasp sounds from the deepest pits of my throat. My eyes bulge in their sockets. My back arches deeper, harder. My limbs tug on the restraints.

A single tear dances by the corner of my eye, it slips, it drips down my temple. Noe from the shadows and into the light emerges. He proceeds towards the bed, intertwines our fingers and gives a firm squeeze though his facial expressions remain unreadable. Like a hawk he watches, eyes Tokyo's hand movements keenly.

"It's going to be alright, Harlow, I promise," speaks Tokyo in a desperate yet rushed tone.
This time, the currents are much powerful, far more tormenting. I bite into my lower lip till I draw the blood.
I clench my jaw to stop from screaming. The bounds around my wrists and ankles gnaw on my skin again and again until I feel for the bruise that begins to form.

Current jolts from the soles of my feet to the hairs of my head and a strangled sob resonates. Yet another tear glides down my temple though my eyes are tightly shut. Then, metal clinks against metal and my back formerly-arched now slams onto leathery surface.

My eyes remain shut even as Tokyo cleanses wound, stitches and wraps it up. Noe -in the silentness- works to unbind each of my limbs.
"Here's how the chip looks like," Tokyo's voice pops the bubble of quiet and my eyes slowly flutter open.
There it is. That taloned piece of steel that gleams with blood and emits little lavender sparks.