project madness

seven: //t wales

seven: //t wales

My fists were clenched. I knew I should relax, but I couldn't.

"Tatiana?" Dr. Simmons said. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

I glanced at him sideways. He was fiddling with the needle, waiting and watching me expectantly. I sighed. "I wish I could trust you," I said quietly. "But the first rule of Project MADNESS is to not trust anyone but each other."

At first, we thought it meant all of us - the scientists and the lab rats.

But for a while now, we've grown up. We've been planning. We know now, the scientists will only trust scientists, and the lab rats should only trust lab rats. It's the world, it's the hierarchy that we were shoved into.

I got the signal from Fox - a low whistle lasting for about eight seconds. And then I slammed my fist against the side of Dr. Simmons head, knocking him unconscious. I caught him and dragged him onto the chair, apologized to his prone form. And then I went to get Evie.

...

Scippio was right outside my door. He scared the living crap out of me, and I him. Both of us raised our fists on instinct, and both of us stopped at the same time.

"Clear?" He asked.

"Clear," I replied. "I'm getting Evie - "

Then Evie's door opened, but she didn't appear there. Instead it was Dr. Sing, looking incredulous and lost. "What is going on out here - "

Scippio swung with his left arm and hit Dr. Sing hard enough for a spray of blood to fly up in the air. His knuckles split, but I knew he didn't feel anything. He couldn't. That was his little dysfunction, his change - he didn't feel pain. There was this kind of condition for normal people, but his was amplified to include incredible immune system strength - he didn't get sick, either. His was kind of similar to Fox. Her fear center, fear impulse, and glands were tweaked to reduce her fear to almost nothing - she was literally almost fearless.

Those two were a force to be reckoned with.

"What the heck!" Evie exclaimed, aghast, standing in the doorway behind the fallen Dr. Sing. "What did you do?" She stooped to Dr. Sing's level, but I shot forward and grabbed her arm, hauling her back to her feet.

"I'll explain in the car, nut," I said quietly, and then picked her up. I turned to Scippio. "Get Fox. I'll get the car."

Scippio nodded tersely. "Don't screw up, Wales."

"Have a little faith!"

I started out the door and down the hallway slowly. Pilot had commandeered and overrode the security cameras up until the garage, which we had figured out was annoying impenetrable. Once we got to the garage, we would have to move fast.

Evie twisted in my arms. Her fingers dug into my shoulder. "Tatiana, what's - " Her voice deadpanned. "Tatiana, why do you have a gun?"

I pulled the back of my shirt over the waistband of my pants, hiding the gun I had stuck there. "Evie . . . " And I realized that this would be the first time any of us ventured to say it aloud. It had come into plan through anything but words - words were audible and traceable and recordable. Words were danger. But now - "We're getting out. I'm sorry we couldn't tell you."

We passed by a giant floor to ceiling window, one that I'd never seen open before. We were never allowed to see the outside world past the convenience store. It was dreary and empty, that's what I knew. But this, outside this window -

I slowed to a stop, even though I knew I shouldn't. Evie said, "Whoa." I couldn't help but agree.

Stretching out for miles until a distant city scape, a clear blue ocean sparkled under the sun. I moved to the window and looked down and to the sides. This building was white and serene, standing tall over the ocean. We were technically a peninsula, even though the only thing connecting us to the land was a thin strip of road that led from the garage to the highway that led to the convenience store. I never saw the ocean like this in years, though. I never saw how immense and humbling it was. Maybe that was why they didn't like to let us see it. It reminds you that you're not the biggest thing out there, and to humans, that thought it terrifying.

The garage door was right in front of us. I shook my head to scatter my thoughts and ran forward, yanking on the handle.

Nothing.

I pulled again. It was shut tight, locked from the inside. I pulled and pulled and kicked and punched. Nothing gave.

"Is this a problem?" Evie asked worriedly. I put her down on the floor.

"A very big one," I sighed. Then I got an idea. "But it might not be the end of the world."

I darted back to the window and glanced straight down. The effect was dizzying. Maybe we're so afraid of heights because they teach us a little humility. I called Evie over. "Look - there's a dock down there. I remember seeing the boats when we would drive out to the store. If we can't get into the garage . . . "

If the plan was going as supposed, everyone was already outside the garage, waiting for me, counting on me. The alarm was already sounded. The lab rats were scurrying away. But the garage was right next to the dock. If I could just . . .

It was about a thirty foot drop. Evie wouldn't die - she couldn't. In replacement of her heart, she had a special tech device that monitored her blood accordingly, working to protect her from any threats on her life, like bleeding out, or just death. Her mechanic heart would never stop beating, never arrest, never fail or burst. If she was cut, her blood would clot and stop her from blood loss. She wouldn't die if she hit the water from this high up, not if she did what I told her to prevent any brain trauma. But if I . . . no, my brain was altered to lean somewhat towards animal over human. I could sense the brainwave activity of animals, and them me. I could imprint upon them, copy them. I would hit the water with all the instincts of a fish, a seal, a shark, any water animal. I could survive. I would have to.

The biggest, most overcoming instinct of every single animal in these times - survive.

I let that fill me.

I told Evie what to do.

I unlatched the window and slid it up. The alarm in this hallway blared, no doubt alerting even more scientists that their experiments were escaping. I faltered on the edge of the window, pulling Evie close to my chest and wrapping my arms tightly around her waist.

"Trust yourself," I whispered.

"Tatiana?" She asked quietly. "What does Project MADNESS stand for?"

I blinked, taken aback. We teetered on the edge. "Mundane Alteration Department: Neurological Experiment Study System."

Her breath caught and held. "So . . . so we are just experiments?"

I shook my head. "Not anymore. Ready?"

I didn't wait for her answer. I squeezed her tightly, and jumped straight down.