Bloodless: Origins

Chapter 4 - The Last Day

Adrian Thorpe - August 3rd, 37 AN

BoxXxingBall3r [1:17]: It was Sarah Woodman. That's when everything changed. Without her there's no PEDs, no universal screening laws, maybe the Hematodrone trials would have kept going for a few more years.

BloodedNation [1:19]: Haha, you crack me up. You really think that shit makes a difference? The way I see it they were going to use whatever they could to come after us. Sarah just happened to be the most convenient excuse.

BloodedNation [1:22]: even if there's no peds, we still have the hurks. No way that's a mess anyone was gonna clean up. Proj hercules was already started before Sarah died.

BloodedNation [1:24]: btw I hear she wasn't even killed by one of us. It was that rep from Chicago, did her dirty then planted all that bullshit to come after us.

BoxXxingBall3r [1:24]: Maybe you're right. Maybe our only chance was making it into office. Feel like someone at least should have tried.

BoxXxingBall3r [1:25]: I don't want to hear about that conspiracy shit. You're too smart for it.

BoxXxingBall3r [1:27]: I just don't think it's productive.

BloodedNation [1:29]: not trying to force anything on you. Just let me know when you want to hear it.

BloodedNation [1:31]: just saying, the lead detective died a couple years ago. Open your eyes

BoxXxingBall3r [1:35]: Oh wow, it got late. I should get to bed.

BloodedNation [1:36]: Sure man, wtv

BloodedNation [1:40]: We're still meeting next month, right? Going outside is kind of a big deal for me. I need some time to plan.

BoxXxingBall3r [1:42]: Definitely. Looking forward to it. Internet will be spotty for the next couple of weeks, but will try to find time to talk again.

BloodedNation [1:43]: See you then.

BloodedNation has logged off -

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4:38. Adrian stared at the bright red numbers glowing on the wall, winding up his blue wrist watch to match. Intellectually he knew it was early, but no matter the time of day - the beige glow of yellow light on gray concrete was the same. Digital crickets chirped, and there was a low rumble as a generator or condenser switched on in some far off corner of the bunker.

He sat on a black foam bench in a sprawling modern gym, swirling a glass of recycled water. He rattled three clear gelatin capsules in his hand - two filled with white powder, the third filled with a tan powder. Each one was measured to the milligram.

Adrian tossed the two capsules of cocaine into his mouth, then washed them away with the stale water. He laid down on the narrow bench, closing his eyes as the blood around his stomach quivered in anticipation. He stowed the last pill in his red jersey shorts for later.

The gelatin started to dissolve and a familiar heat spread through his stomach. Adrian pumped blood through his stomach lining as quickly as he could. The warmth intensified as the pills dissolved, gradually becoming a burning inferno. His blood swirled desperately in his veins, guarding every major organ from the crude drug.

Embers flecked away to stoke the burning coals that were his Stimulant Path. He tamed that power, piece by piece, refining it into something far more potent than paltry cocaine. Every cycle took painstaking effort, and any mistake could cause permanent damage. The Stimulant Path was more forgiving than most, but that was no excuse to be careless.