The Copy: Project 863

Helpless

I gave you a chance. 

I could feel the ropes that bound me in my mind. I didn't open my eyes. I was too tired and angry  to care.

Like you expected me to answer.

I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt.

You wanted to see me suffer. Don't try that with me, I know better.

How is your leg?

Fine.

He laughed.

What?

You won't even admit it.

Admit what?

That I hurt you. That I did what I was planning on doing and I succeeded. That you stayed strong like the heroes do in movies and books, and no-one came to your aid. That you weren't rewarded for your secrecy. You can't even look at me.

I have no reason to. 

How does your leg feel now?

I realized that pain had started burning from my leg.

Did you know that if someone is sedated, it is much easier to take control of their body?

 I opened my eyes quickly to see the same reddish black void as before, but there was something like a movie screen as well. Displayed on it was a 1st person view of someone walking down the hallway of Syntec, heading toward the front doors.

What is going on?

You do not need to concern yourself with that. It will be a lot easier if you just go back to sleep.

I started getting drowsy. No. I won't let him win.

Fine. Maybe it will be good for you to see this. It certainly worked in his case.

I saw the person had a baseball bat in their hand. The person had been walking for a while, each of their steps made my leg hurt. Then it hit me.

Oh no. Oh nonononono. 

The person on "screen" was me. I should have realized it sooner. My black hair was partly visible in the top corner of the screen. I guess I was left with the repercussions. 

In a way, yes. I can "pin" all the physical feeling to your consciousness. So I can do what needs to be done without having to feel any of that. 

What needs to be done? What is he gonna do? More importantly, whatever he does, if someone sees me, they'll think I'm doing this willingly.

Go ahead. Stop me.

I didn't say anything. I knew I couldn't do anything. 

Nelson had made his way into a building and started going through drawers and cabinets. I recognized this behavior like the one of Ben when he broke into the studio. The building was a huge one with desks and offices. This was a professional business. Three men ran up to "me" keeping their distance, they were holding guns. 

"Put the bat down, put your hands where I can see them, and step away from the desk." One man said commandingly,"You are trespassing. Do you know that?" A dark chuckle sounded from "me." My voice sounded mechanical from the mask as it had done for the past month, or however long it had been. 

How long has it been? He didn't answer me.

"Yes, I do know that." I admitted to the men. "But I find it irrelevant." I had failed to realize that "I" had a backpack on. I pulled a large device out of it. I pushed a small button and a thick gas filled the air. In a few seconds, the men had dropped to the ground and stopped moving.

What the hell was that?

Just a new gas we developed in the labs.

What does it do?

It can incapacitate or even kill someone in a matter of seconds. Quite fascinating, isn't it?

 The way he talked about it was sickening. He seemed proud and excited. He couldn't wait to use it on someone else, to watch them drop to the floor. I picked up a few files from a desk and ran out of the building into an alleyway. A few people were in said alley, 3 men. They weren't doing anything wrong...

Let's see what you can do, shall we?

Before I had a chance to react, I had grabbed the man closest to me and pressed him into the wall. The two others, his friends I would presume, were surprised, but I could see that they were getting ready to fight.

Do you know how it feels to snap someone's neck? To see someone's life vanish from their eyes under your hands?

The man pressed against the wall looked me in the eye, the last motion he ever made, and Nelson caused my hands to snap the man's neck. The shock in his eyes, the hurt, the confusion. It is a thing that I will never forget.

NO! He didn't do anything! What the hell was that?! He didn't deserve that. Why, why did you do that?

Why didn't you stop me? Well, you have 2 more chances. Maybe something bloodier, don't you think?

No, please, stop. 

I was slowly losing energy, I was also getting desperate. I wanted him to stop. But all I could do was watch as he mangled and murdered the two other men. 

If they're ever found, if anyone saw this, they'll think it's me. 

I closed my eyes once more, I couldn't bear to look anymore. But I could still feel, my leg, the blood. His laugh echoed in my mind. I couldn't feel the ropes anymore, I opened my eyes. I had control again. I started shaking. It's your fault. It's my fault. They're dead because of you. They're dead because of me. I should've kept trying to stop him. I failed. I'm a failure. You always have been. You're a useless piece of shit. You don't deserve anything. You don't deserve life. But dying would be too easy right? Is that why this all happened?

I assume you can find your way back.

And probably for the first time ever, I felt Nelson leave, although I knew he would never be far.

I limped back to the building. As I said before, Syntec wasn't in a good neighborhood. So someone covered in blood, limping, doesn't turn any heads. But I saw what it did inside the building. The people there knew what happened. They are afraid. They have every right to be. 

I eventually found my room once again. I collapsed onto the cot. I cried, I screamed. Both from the pain and from what had happened. I was powerless. They are dead because of me. They are dead because of me. They are dead because of me. They are dead because of me. They are dead because of me. They are dead because of me. My mind was a constant loop of guilt and fear. But even through the tears and agony, I fell asleep.