Immortus

FUTILITY

FUTLITY

On the morning of my release, I was ready. All of my things were paced into the tiny holdall that I had been allowed to bring in with me when I had been arrested, and now I was sat on the plastic mattress of the cell, waiting. All I had left to do now was wait. Wait for them to come and administer the antidote. I had explored the idea of Immortus being a permanent fixture in my veins, and yet I had declined. A life on intense pain from any injury. The paper cut I had been inflicted on the first day had been enough. I had been warned that the antidote could potentially cause cancers in the long run, but it was a risk that I was willing to take.

They came for me just as they had on the first day, the same two military policemen, and the same room in the basement with the same medic in his green plastic apron and starched to perfection light blue shirt. I was reconnected to the IV, the bag of fluid and the vial of antidote all ready to go. I let them strap me onto the bed, again as a precaution, and started to mentally count the seconds until I was free.

The tap on the vial was turned, as the drug was released into my veins. At first the euphoria was absolute. I felt on top of the world, and I wanted to share it with everyone and keep on talking until my voice wore out.

Then it faded away into pure agony.

Every single inch of my body burned. It burned and it burned and it burned. It burned in my hands, my face, my legs; it burned in my eyes, my ears, my brain; it burned in my blood, my heart, my soul. I could not speak, could not move, could not breathe.

It choked me from the inside out.

“Ah, my Adam,” the Controller spoke softly, his thumb brushing my hair back where sweat had matted in to my forehead. It did nothing to ease the pain. “Now you know of the pain you put in her before she died. Only seventeen, she was, but the brightest of all of our young trainees.” His eyes locked onto mine. “And now you shall be in pain for the rest of your life. The dilute solution of potassium cyanide will keep you in pain. The ecstasy and amphetamines and Valium will keep you awake, alert and subdued as well as further intensify the pain. The Immortus drug will keep you alive, will continuing to decrease your tolerance of pain.”

I knew there was no escape from this eternity of pain.

“Why?” I choked out. “Why?”

My voice was a cracked whisper.

As he spoke the words, all I saw was a red-haired teenager, her blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight and twinkling with a happiness that was so full of life.

“I am the Controller of Her Majesties Secret and Security Services of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.” He smiled his winning smile for one final time. “And you should never have killed my sister.”