Arrogance: Volume One of Ebb & Flow

Chapter 6 - Recovery

I drift in and out of consciousness, never staying awake for more than a moment. When I finally wake up, I'm floating inside a glass pod in a white room with an oxygen mask covering my entire face. It doesn't match my memory of the local hospital, St. Augustine. Where am I? A light flashes green above me, and the fluid drains out of the bottom of my pod. To my right, the wall slides open, revealing three people.

I see two women in all-black tactical gear with the letters BNA emblazoned in gold on the chest piece. The woman on the left looks like she was ripped from a Viking tale. Deep red hair braided down her back and shaved on the sides with a draconic-looking serpent tattooed on her face. She dwarfs the other two by a wide margin, and she's built like a Norse God. Her partner is a petite black woman with short curls. Unlike her partner, she's wearing a helmet and holding an automatic rifle. Since they entered, she hasn't taken her finger off the trigger. She has deep frown lines and a scowl. The final member of the trio is a man in his late fifties. Bald but for a few wisps of hair lazily combed over. Thick-rimmed glasses and a white button shirt leading to brown pants held up by a belt. He wears a white lab coat over the rest of his outfit. Who are they?

"Good, you're awake. It was a bit touch and go there for a while. Oh, forgive my manners. I am Doctor Maximillian Sol. Just have to run a couple of tests, and then we'll get you out of here," he said.

My throat is so dry and sore. How long have I been here that it hurts to speak? I do a quick check, and I can still feel Davis' ability nestled inside me. After a coughing fit, I finally ask him where I am.

"You're in one of the BNA centers—Codename Saturn, to be exact. Afraid I can't tell you where, though; it's top secret hush-hush," he answered.

"Doctor. He's a civilian. You can't just share international secrets. The director was explicit about reminding you of that," the shorter woman said.

"Relax, Agent Hale. I'm just attempting to ease the tension in our patient. Have you never heard of bedside manners? Now, do you remember anything about what happened to you?" He asked me.

The fog in my brain hasn't fully lifted yet, but I remember the party. I remember the smell of burning blood, cooked flesh, and acrid smoke. I remember my classmates' lifeless eyes, and I remember taking the lives of two of them. Davis' outburst caused my trigger event. I can feel his ability within me, locked away safely. Good, I'll need it going forward.

"Are you still with us, son? I'm worried the patient may have brain damage." Doctor Sol said.

"I'm fine, sorry—just a little groggy. I, I remember an attack at the party—the fire burning everywhere. I remember trying to find a way out to escape. I think I jumped out of a window and then nothing before waking up here," I lied.

Wait, what if they can tell when I lie? Damnit, I am not awake enough for this.

"Heart rate and brainwaves are stable. The Neuroscan shows no irregularities. All mental faculties look to be unharmed." Agent Hale said.

It's good to know there's nothing wrong with my brain. I've heard that too much smoke inhalation can lead to disastrous consequences. While I'm here, I should fish for some information.

"Excuse me, but I have a couple of questions. The fire damaged my arms so badly, but they're back to normal now. How? And I went to the party with my friends and girlfriend, do you know what happened to them? Are they? Are they alive?"

"The answer to your first question is simple; I'm a once-in-a-millennium genius. I created Liquid Lazarus, as you've experienced firsthand. Any injury of the flesh may be healed, bringing even the most helpless back from the depths of hell. I have touched upon the realm of divinity, my boy." He replied with a religious zeal to it.