Social Experiment

Revived (Shawn)

I wake up, breathing heavily. A voice is speaking to someone to my right that I can't see.

"We brought him back." The voice informs.

"Successfully?" A colder voice questions.

"He's alive, Sir, that's all we know. There may be side effects, but at this point we can't tell."

"Subject S?" The cold voice addresses me, "Do you remember what happened?"

"I died" I realize that I'm in a plastic tube. It's more of a half-cylinder, pinning me to a flat, metal surface, "What's going on? What is this place?"

"What's going on is that you're alive, thanks to us. I must say, giving your life up was heroic. Many of us here were rooting for you and Subject M to end up together."

"Subject... You mean Mikayla?"

"You know Subject M as this, yes."

Furious, I punch the plastic around me. "Let me out of here!"

"Under one condition, you will not harm anyone. That includes me."

"Fine. Whatever."

He nods to someone, who pulls a lever. The plastic opens, and I get up.

"Captain Farahugh, nice to finally meet one of you in person."

I glare at his hand. "You're one of Them."

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

"All of you. You're ISOSE, aren't you?"

He smirks. "Yes, that is what we call ourselves. These are my soldiers," he motions around the room, "they watch the 26 subjects, take notes on their every move."

"There's only 25 now. What are you going to do, leave them down there until they die?"

"There is 26. You've been replaced."

"By who?"

"Subject S2. I don't know how long your friends are to stay down there. I'm not the one in charge. I have superiors, scientists who make all the important decisions."

"How am I alive?" I question.

"We have an elite team of the most brilliant scientists in the world, and even they can barely grasp this new idea. They're the ones who brought you back."

"How did I get out of there? My... my body, I mean."

"When all the subjects moved into Chamber 8, we were able to recover it from Chamber 30."

"Why didn't you bring the others back? Ted, Zach, Davin?"

For the first time, Captain Farahugh frowns. "They are of no significance."

"They knew too much, that's what you mean!"

"No one knows enough to threaten our cause. Now, I have orders to give. Thompson will explain your options to you."

"Options? I know what I'm doing, leaving to find my family and tell everyone what you've done!"

"Unfortunately, you've just proven why letting any of you ever leave is a poor choice. Thompson!"

A soldier walks up, looking bitter. "Subject S, come with me."

"I'm not going anywhere! I want to meet my family!"

"Just come with me." He glances at Captain Farahugh, whose back is turned, then winks at me.

Intrigued I follow him to the basement. "Barry Thompson, nice to meet your Shawn," before i can say ia thing he plows on, "Look, you gotta trust me. I can help you get out of here, but it'll be tough."