Experiment VII

Chapter Fifty-One: Can't Save Everyone

There's no time to appeal to him before Chester lunges forward, grappling the much larger mutant. As the two topple to the floor in a mess of flailing limbs, I frantically scan the room for where Chester might've dropped the sedative. Sifting through the scattered papers and vials across the floor, my eyes finally land on the vial in question before they dart up to the ongoing commotion as the grunts and shouts decrease in volume.

Borg's huge arms wrangle Chester into a headlock, mere seconds away from snapping his neck.

A spark of adrenaline ignites through me and I dash forward in a final effort, grappling onto the brute's back with reckless abandon. My ribs cry in protest, but that goes all but ignored as I jerk my hand back, plunging the injector into Borg's neck. Releasing my limbs from their lock around the mutant's torso, I take a hesitant step back onto solid ground, sending out a quick prayer that whatever narcotic it was doesn't take long to take effect.

As the mutant's hold around Chester grows lax, the smaller man wastes no time in scrambling out from Borg's once tight grip. He fumbles back a few paces towards me, eyes blown wide as the giant starts to sway, knees soon hitting the floor with a resounding thud.

"Th- thanks," Chester pants out, struggling to catch his breath as Borg's massive form finally topples over, eyes glazed over though not yet closed.

I merely nod in response, somewhat short of oxygen myself after all the commotion. I pick up the gun that was knocked from my hand, quickly returning it to its holster on my utility belt before my gaze snaps back to Chester. A light sigh escapes me as the winged mutant kneels down alongside Borg. "Is that really a good idea?"

"I'd guess not." Chester's response has exactly no bearing on the course of his action as he extends a hand toward Borg. Quiet murmurs escape the dazed mutant, but he offers no other resistance as Chester gently knocks his head to turn the other way, revealing the huge opening in Borg's skull. Knowing Chester, his action is likely out of a horrified curiosity than any level of concern for the man. That is, if anything, can actually horrify him, which past evidence has not yet indicated.

That train of thought is soon cut short as my hand jolts back to my holstered weapon. Something squeaks behind us, the screech of something grinding against metal piercing through my brain. I spin around on my heel just in time to catch the display of the darkened pane of the wall roll to the side, disappearing into the corner. My fingers curl around the pistol's grip as a shaft of white light cuts through the darkness, forcing me to squint.

My eyes refuse to immediately adjust to the outline of a figure emerging from the retracted segment of the wall before it slides back into place. But the light in the room persists as spotlights mounted in each corner simultaneously blink on around me. I lift a hand to partially shield my eyes from the harsh brightness streaming to the middle of the room, primarily the reclined operating table firmly attached to the floor by its solid metal stem.

"I was starting to wonder if security was sending anyone up. I pushed the alarm ten minutes ago." A small, wiry man comes into focus in front of me, making no effort to disguise his annoyance. " Took your time coming, didn't you?" The man doctor sighs, his shaky voice starting to stabilize as he pushes his hands into his lab-coat pockets.

Chester is the first to speak up, standing up from his spot on the floor alongside the fallen mutant. "What the hell is going on here?"

"What do you mean?" The man glanced over to him, brows pulled together in genuine confusion. "Just a standard memory wipe. Well- had he not broken free from his restraints, of course," he explained as he cautiously stepped over the debris scattered around the floor, releasing a quiet curse as some glass crunched under the soles of his shined shoes.

"Please-please, no no no not again, not again." The mutant's hoarse murmurings soon break into an ear-piercing shout of desperation as the unfamiliar man leers over him. "I did everything you asked! EVERYTHING!"

"I could've sworn I got the dosage right." The man let out an exasperated sigh as he tilted his head to the side, content to watch Borg make weak attempts to swipe him.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS! YOU- you.." Borg's hysterical ramblings are cut short as the last of his consciousness slips away. The sedative finally takes its full effect, the frenzied swings of his heavy limbs growing weary and coming to an eventual halt as they fall by his sides.

I exchange a glance of uncertainty with Chester before the doctor speaks again.

"Get him up on the table for me, would you?" he asks politely, stepping back from the mutant lying at his feet.

With some degree of hesitance, Chester and I comply with the request. Chester grunts a little with the effort of lifting the heavy man onto the metal table before stepping back.

"Well...thank you for your assistance. Belated as it may have been." He didn't bother to spare us his gaze as he studied the mutant splayed on the table. "That'll be all. Close the door on your way out please."

My mouth goes dry as the doctor lifts a scalpel, drawing it nearer to his unconscious patient. Despite his state of unawareness, Borg's eyes remain wide open, seeming to stare right through me as his limp neck leaves his head angled toward me, sending an icy shiver crawling across my skin.

A strong hand locks around my arm, guiding me back into the hallway.

"Chester.." I start as we step out.

The winged mutant shakes his head, the door snapping closed behind us as he hits the button on the wall. "I know what you're thinking," he says with a sigh, his head slightly twitching as he speaks. "But we can't. We have to focus on the Overseer, remember?"

"He needs help. You saw what they did to him," I retort, struggling to keep my voice quiet enough not to be heard in the next room."Axe look-" He runs a hand over his face. "We can't save him. Okay? Let's just go."