Success of the Broken Banner

Chapter 22: Experiment

 Pain exploded through my skull as I jolted awake, the glare of white lights searing into my closed eyelids. A vicious headache pulsed in time with my racing heart. I lay still, afraid to open my eyes, knowing the light would intensify the agony and fog my mind. The antiseptic tang of a hospital room filled my nostrils, mingling with the metallic scent of surgical tools. Latex gloves snapped, a jarring sound that made me wince.

"Good morning, Amelia." Frankie's voice dripped with false sweetness, making my stomach churn. I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to open my eyes. Blinding light stabbed into my brain, but as my vision cleared, horror set in. I was strapped to a surgical chair, thick bands of leather binding my arms and legs. Frankie's silhouette loomed above me, her features obscured by the glare.

"Anyone else, and you'd be out of options already," Frankie's voice was as cold as steel, the warmth I once knew in it now long gone. She took a step closer, and the flickering light danced across her face, transforming her features. Her eyes, once sparkling with friendship, now burned with a determination that sent a chill through my veins.

But I knew her, knew that she was my best friend before my enemy, and that was why she was offering me an out. "But you get an exception," she finished, her gaze piercing mine.

I fought against the straps binding my wrists, my heart pounding in my chest. "Let me go," I snarled, trying to keep my focus off of her words, off of the betrayal that threatened to consume me. Frankie just shook her head, a smirk twisting her lips upward.

"I can't do that, Amelia." Her voice was low, almost a purr, and her eyes bored into mine, searching for even the smallest crack in my armor. "You're still too much of a wild card. I know why you're fighting, I really do...your friends are running out of time. One is hiding, bleeding, and the other won't be far behind. The three of you, going through all of this...it would be pathetic if you failed now."

My vision went red at her words, at the threat against the two people I loved most in this world. "You're going to rot in hell, Frankie." I spat, my voice venomous. She just stared back at me, a smile spreading across her face. She'd found my weakness, exploited it, and I hated her for it.

"You have two choices, Amelia," she continued, as if I hadn't just wished her to the depths of hell. "You can join me, be my second in command. We can do this together..."

I yanked at the restraints, my wrists burning. "What's option two?" I managed to grind out, my chest heaving.

Frankie's smile grew, her hot breath washing over my ear as she whispered, "Or you can take the place of the girl you let escape, and be my next experiment."

My heart lurched into my throat, but I refused to show fear. I locked eyes with Frankie, my gaze ice. With a Herculean effort, I summoned saliva and spat in her face.

"Why are you doing this?" The words tore from my throat, a snarl more than a question.

Frankie flinched, a hand rising to her cheek to wipe away my spit. But instead of fire blazing in her eyes, a shimmer of tears appeared. With a flick of her wrist, she dismissed the doctors. The soft click of the door seemed to echo through the suddenly empty space. Frankie turned back, her gaze finding mine with an unnerving intensity.

"Once," her voice cracked, then steadied. "Once, there was a man I would move heaven and earth for. A man who saw the rot in the world's core, who dreamed of burning away the decay and forging something new – something strong." A solitary tear traced her cheek, glittering in the harsh light. "Kostas planned this for so long, and I...I promised him it would happen, no matter what. He lives in me, through me. His dreams, my hands."

A bitter laugh ripped from me. "So your dead boyfriend had a disgusting wish and you're granting it?" Sarcasm dripped from my words, my lip curling. "You two killed a few soldiers, decided fuck it, let's end the world? That's love for you."