Project Icarus

Prolouge

Okay
Hello I guess
The Instructor told me that this journal was mine, and anything I wrote in it would not be read. I'm gonna expect that she's telling the truth on this. It IS good old fashioned paper and pencil, no spy technology there.
Let me get you up to speed.
Hi. My name is Nicole.
Mom died in birth, dad died soon after, and I was put into foster home after foster home. That all happened years ago. At 14, I was sick and tired of being pitied day after day by the children at school so I ran away, which sounded sensible at the time. I made the wrong decision.
If I hadn't ran away, all this could have been avoided.
Unless the Sponsor has a time machine...
I'm off topic.
Anyway, I was homeless for a year and a half. On my sixteenth birthday, a man in tight fitting leather clothes and a tinted motorcycle helmet stopped in front of me as I was walking to my humble abode, the Michigan Avenue bridge.
"You will come with me," he said.
Now, I'm usually a very polite person. Usually.
"Who the hell are you?" I asked, trying to configure my wiry frame into a menacing stance.
"I do not want to use force," he said. "You will come with me." This was getting creepy.
"Thanks for your offer, but I'm afraid I cannot accept it." I replied, already beginning to back away. He continued to stare at me and pulled out some sort of  weapon from the inside of his jacket.
And I watched as the gun began to glow before shooting one billion volts in the form of controlled lightning right into my chest.
When I woke up, I was immediately aware of the pain. Not the fact that I was in an unrealistically advanced research facility. My brain was still processing being hit by lightning. Naturally, I tried to sit up.
"Nononononono don't sit up," a soothing female voice said from somewhere close. My shoulders were gently pushed back down to the bed. "Or open your eyes. Or really do anything but listen. Nod your head if you understand." I nodded slightly, trying to guess whether I should trust her or not. I decided to trust her for now. Until I'm not electrically charged, anyway.
"I'm the instructor. You were just hit with the lightning gun. I told the knights no violence, and how does it end? Violence. Always. I'll have the IT ward reprogram them soon."
I tried to give her a questioning glance without actually opening my eyes to glance at her.
"Right. I'm so used to it here I forget most of the world doesn't have the knights. Anyway, the knights are top secret humanoid drones. That's that. You can call this place 'The Labyrinth.'
You will be here either for the rest of your life or until The Sponsor decides our research has been completed."
I opened my eyes. Stinging from the harsh light, they adjusted enough to see cement walls, an array of hospital equipment, and a keypad set into the wall nearby. A girl, only a little bit older than me, sat near the end of my bed looking at some monitors that probably showed my vital signs.
"You seem to be recovering from the lightning gun faster than most; that'll be useful during testing."
"You're the instructor," I realized.
"Of course I am."
"It's just that I thought you'd be... I dunno, much older."
"People always think that I'd have to be at least 20 to have a doctorate, but look at me."
"So you want me to call you Doctor Instructor now," I replied, sacrastically.
She smiled. "No, I shouldn't have mentioned it. Just Instructor should be fine."
"So why am I here? You mentioned testing, but why me? What will I be testing?"
"Project Icarus. Our goal is to create a pair of wings that can actually fly for the Sponsor. Whatever he does with them is none of our concern."
"Haven't people tried that through the centuries? I think I heard that a human's muscle to weight ratio is much too large to flap wings."
"Yes people have tried, and all of them have failed. And you're correct about the weight issue too. Which brings me to you. Do you eat a lot? Try to stop your ribs from showing?"
"How did you know that?"
"Your anatomy is rare. You have a high metabolism, which might've explained to your foster parents why you look like you haven't eaten in days. I'm not some naïve soccer mom. You're special. Even with the malnourished exterior, you are fully healthy inside. In addition to this, your muscles are stronger than usual. This combination makes you perfect for being the first bird-girl ever."
Woah. She's telling me I'm exactly who they need for this. Could I use that against them?
"I'll be helpful," I began. The Instructor smiled. "IF," that brilliant smile wavered. "I get a copy of the finished product."
There was no hint of the smile that was there a few seconds ago. Instead, it looked as if she was worried.
"But she-" She said. I gave her a look and she pointed to her ear.
So everything I do or say is being scrutinized. Wonderful.
"The sponsor agrees with your terms. Any other questions?" the Instructor asks.
"When do I start?"
The Instructor smiles again. "Tomorrow morning."
"How do we know when it's day and when it's night?"
"The light will begin to dim as the sun goes down. Any more?"
I shook my head.
"And there's one thing for you," the Instructor said, looking around. "Ah. On your night stand, there's a leather journal and a pen. Anything you write will be kept private, and the pen and paper are nearly indestructible. I'll leave you now, it's nearly dark." She got up and headed for a keypad in the wall.
"Instructor?" I said, quietly.
"Yes?"
"Is there a chance I'll ever be allowed to leave?"
She looked at me sadly. "I'm sorry."
She typed in a rediculously long code, and a door that I hadn't seen before slid open. Pausing, she glanced back at me. "I have a feeling you'll like the journal."
Before I could say anything else, she disappeared through the doorway. I immediately leaned over and grabbed it.
Inside the front cover were four words. I'm sorry for this.
What do you mean?
Are you sympathising with me?
I'm not supposed to like you, you kidnapped me!
So I began to write. And so my adventure begins.

Hi! I really hope anyone who reads this likes it... If you have recommendations or feedback or really anything for me I'd love to hear it. Thank you!