The Collapse

Chapter 21: Post-Op

Alder stood in front of a full-body mirror, scouting the mods put into his body. His final implant surgery had been finished three days ago, and already his body was almost complete with the healing process. He was also noticing other physical changes to his body that had taken place at an unnatural pace.

Before the surgeries, Alder had been a gangly, toned 5'10". Now, he was brushing the seven foot mark, and gaining muscle mass like no one's business.  And his mind felt more clear than it ever had.

When he had first come to after the last session, the stubby doctor had been entering the room with what looked like enough food to keep a tiger fed. While Alder had eaten, the doc explained in greater detail the implants. The team had added everything from a secondary heart to metal neural inlets to enable the link between Alder and a suit of powered armor. He also explained to the young man in no uncertain terms that, unless Death called for him on the battlefield, he was now biologically immortal, untouched by old age or pestilence due to his massively increased cellular reproduction.

A knock on the door drew his attention from the mirror. "S'open," he said, not sure why anybody was bothering to use manners now. The first couple of days he had spent in bed, and scientists had been in and out every other minute, probing and sticking Alder with a bunch of obscure tools, treating him like a specimen to be monitored under a microscope. That is, until Alder had taken a scissor-looking thing from a doctor's hand and bent it into a circle with his bare hands.

He was moderately surprised when Vanessa walked through the door with a stack of clothes balanced on her arms. "Lieutenant," he said cordially with a polite nod of his head.

She gave him a warm smile and handed him the clothes. "Hey, Alder. I'm glad to see you're recovering so well." She looked him up and down, and her smile widened. "Goddamn, you're tall now," she added with a laugh.

Alder grinned and shrugged his shoulders casually after taking the clothes gratefully. "What can I say? I've been working out," he said jokingly as he began to dress. Vanessa chuckled at that, before her face grew serious.

"Listen, High Command send me over here to get you and be your 'escort' to a meeting. Though, I'm sure you can handle yourself." She snorted in humor, then continued. "You're probably gonna be privy to the highest level of knowledge this unit has to offer. After all that, we'll get ya fitted for the powered armor of your choice."

Vanessa paused, lost in thought, before continuing. "We'll do all that tomorrow. First, I wondered if you'd like to go get a drink tonight. You know, recuperate a little. Then, if you want, we can crash at my place. Officers get their own quarters."

Alder was ecstatic at hearing that, but kept it well under wraps. "Sure, why not?"

She smiled. "Alright. Let's move out!"