Houston (ON HOLD)

Blake

When I wake up, the first thing I think is that I'm not dead. It's a relief, and also a worry. If I'm not dead, then who's kept me alive?

My answer comes a second later when my vision and head clears and I see the bright lights above my head. When I try to look around, I find my head restrained by a familiar strap. My limbs are strapped down as well.

I feel like I'm going to be sick. I shut my eyes, trying to hold back tears. I'm in my place of nightmares again. I'm back in the labs.

"You gave us quite a scare," A familiar voice says, making me jump. Her cold voice sends shivers up and down my spine. "You were almost dead, you know."

"Pity," I spit out, hate burning in my chest.

"Nearly eighty percent of your bones were broken in that fall," The woman scientist says. Her hair is still pulled back in that painful looking bun. "You had a very severe concussion and internal bleeding. Luckily we managed to save you before you checked out completely."

"How?" I ask. If I was injured that bad, then how am I alive and feeling no pain right now?

"We have our ways," She says mysteriously, walking around me. "You're lucky we saved you."

I hold back a laugh. "Lucky me."

She gets very close to my face, making me recoil. She holds a syringe in her hand. I hate the feeling of her breath on my face.

"You're the one," She whispers. "I can feel it."

"The one?" I say, still trying to lean back from her and her needle.

She smiles, laughing a laugh that makes a chill run down my spine. "Look at the screen."

The woman backs away and I do as she says out of pure curiosity. The screen shows me and Lacey standing in the hall of the cell block. It loops the same clip over and over again. It must be security footage from the night of the escape. The two small figures on the screen are fighting the guards. I hit a guard in the face and he goes down.

"You may not be the most optimal choice," the woman says, watching the screen with me with greedy eyes. "But you know how to fight. You've got heart."

"What does this have to do with me?" I snap, feeling angry at her.

"You've been chosen for a rigorous program, Blake." She responds. Hearing my name in her mouth makes me uncomfortable. "There have been many contenders, but no one has succeeded like you have."

"What do you-"

"The tests we designed to see what you would do in different situations. We put you in a simulation of our choosing to see how you'd react. So far you've had more than outstanding results."

"Results?" I'm so confused. What in the world is she talking about?

"You killed the innocent man when pushed. You killed your family after some persuading. You escaped when you had the chance, proving you have the guts to actually risk your life."

"When did I escape in a test?"

She smirks at me. "Did you really think we'd let you go that easily?"

My blood runs cold as realization dawns on me. I never really escaped. That was just another one of their sick experiments. For all I know, I've been laying on this table for days while I'd thought I was free.

The thought makes me furious. I want to wrap my hands around this lady's neck. My arms strain against their bonds, aching to choke the life out of her.