Project Butterfly

Chapter 20

Although not a sound could be heard Kwan knew the guards were coming for him. The development of his powers had made him confident he could deal with whatever those sick bastards wanted to do to him.

He wasn't afraid anymore.

Although he wanted to employ fear in the guards, he couldn't reveal his mastery over his powers. Who knows what Camp 22 may do to him? If he made too much of a fuss now they might grasp the chip from his mouth was missing, which was still safely tucked into his battered shirt pocket.

He must wait until the time was right, when he was stronger than ever. Kwan took great pleasure in imagining their faces when they finally realised how powerful he really was, followed by the realisation that they were going to die by his hands. He couldn't stop smirking much to the guards' annoyance as they dragged him down the dirty corridors. A cattle prod as usual was held close to his head, his hands and feet in the familiar chunky chains.

Kwan comprehended quickly that they weren't heading towards the Kanzius machine nor the room they'd drugged him in but instead they took him through a large steel door that concealed an emergency stairwell. The stairs were small and filthy. Black stains were smeared over the banisters and walls which Kwan knew to be blood. Despite the situation he was in, he still felt in control.

His mind was resilient. He could tolerate any suffering they put him through. They'd escalated up four stories worth of stairs before they stopped at another steely door. One of the guard's thumped in the security code.

They rammed Kwan into the room which to his surprise was brightly lit though the inside was minimal. He noticed a large white metal object in the corner of his eye. The container was smooth, shiny and oblong.

A Doctor in a crisp white coat approached Kwan and the guards, their tight grasps still around his withered biceps. However, this wasn't the young Doctor he saw daily.

He was an older man whose face was consumed in wrinkles. His long white hair was scraped back into a tight ponytail, a vain attempt to give himself a facelift. His hairline had receded and his mane was brittle and thinning.

"Kwan! Well, you certainly have made a name for yourself at Camp 22! It's a pleasure to experiment on you!"

Kwan spat on the floor.

The Doctor ignored Kwan's retaliation although one of the guards cracked him in the ribs with his elbow, forcing Kwan to keel forward. His natural body motion was stopped by the guards who pulled him back to stand upright, making his spine crack.

"Kwan it seems the more we experiment on you, the more you surprise us! Who would have thought such a useless waste of space could revolutionise our research? You have proven to finally be valuable to your country. Not that it means much to you, but you're Psi-kappa. Now Kwan, tell me, do you know what a "clear eyes" is?"

The guards shoved Kwan towards the white oblong object. He'd never heard of a sensory deprivation tank and although the name sounded ominous he was sure he could withstand whatever the experiment entailed.

"Ah well, it doesn't matter Kwan. You probably won't remember any of this anyway. Put him in the sensory deprivation tank!"

Opening up the top of the tank, the Doctor beckoned the guards to chuck Kwan inside. As they tossed him in water lapped over his entire body in a momentum of waves. Though the liquid wasn't deep due to the trifling size of the tank, Kwan had the feeling claustrophobia would soon take over. Small spaces were one of his few fears.

The strange container darkened as the Doctor slammed the lid closed. The sensory deprivation tank was an apt name; Kwan's auditory and visual stimulation died with the final glimpses of light.