Joan Ascends

Chapter 24: Water torture

By the time a gentle chime fills the pod at dawn to wake us, I've been awake for at least an hour. Adrenaline is already pumping through my veins, in spite of the fact that I've been trying to meditate like Jo taught me.

Once I use the restroom, the panels shift to allow me access to the kitchen area. As I make coffee and toast, I brush my fingers under the lip of the food dispenser. The pen is gone.

Through the glass, I can see Mikao and Ciara getting ready. They both give me nods of acknowledgment, but say little, even when we are all in the living area, scrolling through the daily update Strand has sent to each of our tablets.

"Do we all go to Dr. Rodriguez together?" I ask.

Ciara shrinks into herself, but Mikao meets my gaze. "The schedule varies every day. Today is Ciara's day of rest. I'm going to be working with Dr. Rodriguez after lunch."

"And I'm going this morning."

"I look forward to hearing your findings later," Mikao says. "Together we can take our small successes and build them into something more significant. I believe that."

I try to read between the lines of Mikao's words, wishing that we could have even one conversation without Big Brother listening in on every word. Both today and yesterday, he mentioned how minimal his powers were. I decide to follow his lead and play down my abilities as much as I can.

Mikao's warm eyes meet mine. "No matter what comes today, let it flow over you. Let go of control, and know that everything has an end."

His words are clearly meant to comfort me, but they have the opposite effect. I swallow my rising panic and remind myself of my mission. Everything I endure has a purpose, because it will save lives and show the world what Strand truly is.

The panels shift, and I follow the blue lights in the floor to the far wall of the pod, where a white door slides open. When I step through, I'm hit with a blast of air so cold that it makes me gasp.

Inside, there is a wall of monitors that are all currently dark. Three beds are beneath the monitors, and each one has straps to hold down arms, legs and neck.

Other medical equipment is placed throughout the room, much of which I don't recognize, other than an Incubus that looks like a newer model than the one we had at the Bunker. At least if Dr. Rodriguez goes too far with his experiments, patients can be healed. I shiver. This laboratory has none of the serene vibes of the clinic back at the Chrysalis.

One corner of the room is sealed off with glass. Inside it is an oak desk that looks out of place in the sterile space. It's bare other than two more monitors that face away from me, and a tablet. Hopefully Marie's sifting through the information on that tablet right now.

A tall man with a receding hairline wearing a white lab coat enters through a door behind the desk, and my body tenses, ready for battle. Dr. Rodriguez looks thinner than I remember, and I hope that the stress of losing his R&D center and having his crimes published in Ida's newsfeed has taken a toll on him.

"Aren't you going to say thank you?" I ask him, hoping to throw him off his game. "You never did get the chance to show your appreciation after I saved your miserable life."

He cocks his head to the side, examining me like I'm a specimen under his microscope, and then jots a note on his tablet. "Many of the Genetic Replicants with your variant have higher rates of aggression than your less gifted peers. Though there are exceptions."

If I'd hoped to rile him, I've failed. But I'm no quitter. "Do you miss murdering babies, now that all you get to do is torture adults, asshole?"

"It is unfortunate that sometimes a few rats die in the pursuit of science, but I remind myself of the greater good. And you will address me as 'sir' or 'doctor', Joan. Respect is important."