Andrews had not let up his hunt for the truth since his 'interrogation'. He knew if he were to find any answers they must be in Sykes' office. HOW AM I GONNA DISTRACT HIM Andrews pondered to himself. The man never left his office in all the years Andrews had known him except when he deemed absolutely necessary. It was at this moment a plan sprung to mind. He needed something big to get the leader to leave his chambers.
The private stormed his way through endless steel corridors, white wall after white wall, passing the mindless drones clad in uniform. The fear of what my lie behind all of this kept racing through Andrews' mind. WHAT SECRETS IS SYKES KEEPING? WHY WAS THAT GUY INPRISONED? AND WHO IS LAURA? He approached the 'Home Of The Oracle' - the name given to the access room of all cameras and key codes - it was here where Andrews' masterplan awaited. The door was guarded by two foot soldiers, decked head to toe in ballistic gear, carrying fully automatic rifles. WELL THIS SURE SEEMS FAMILIAR Andrews smirked to himself. The guards, almost in unison state "security clearance only, declare your reasoning for being here". Andrews, using his military taught professionalism affirms "My name is Mark Andrews, I was sent from the general". As the guards pull up their authorised list Andrews realises his predicament FUCK IT, I'M PROBABLY GONNA LOSE MY JOB FOR THIS AND BE DECLARED A TRAITOR. MIGHT AS WELL HAVE SOME FUN WITH IT . Before the guards catch onto his lies Andrews drops the floor, sweeping them by the legs ensuring loss of balance. One thug cracks his jaw on the solid white floor, leaving a drooping red puddle, whilst Andrews dislocates the shoulder of his companion, simultaneously acquiring his weapon.
The bleak white doors slide open, as Andrews enters a room of a million eyes. Screens broadcasting footage of every point in the tower and school building. In the centre of it all sat one employee surrounded by dozens of the most powerful computers left in the world. The ones that survived The Pause were given extensif upgrades to monitor and power the key points of the new world. Andrews approached the the woman, his firearm directed point blank at the researcher "here's the deal" Andrews began, more confident and threatening than ever. "If you don't tell anyone about this, I won't hurt you. Deal?" The researcher nodded her head, begrudgingly. Andrews nodded back affirmatively "good, now I need you to open the cells". Andrews demanded, still pointing the rifle. "All of them?!" The researcher gasped. "Did I stutter?" Andrews snapped back, refusing to break eye contact. The researcher began shaking as she keyed in the codes to release the prisoners.
They watched as one by one, cell doors swung open the cheers of relief could be heard from all over as they could be seen dashing down those monotonous white halls to freedom, Andrews even recognised the inmate he interrogated, but the small sense of joy was cut short as the alarm rang "ALL SOLDIERS PLEASE REPORT TO THE BRIG, THERE HAS BEEN A MASS BREAKOUT, I REPEAT A MASS BREAKOUT. CALLING ALL SOLDIERS, REQUESTING ALSO THE PRESENCE OF GENERAL SYKES FOR THE CRITICAL EMERGENCY". Andrews smiled, he knew this was his chance, he glanced down to the panicked researcher, "go, get out of here before it turns ugly" he said in a softer tone, lowering his gun. She ran out the access room, as Andrews made his beeline to Sykes' chambers
The white halls flashed with red lights as the tower was in a state of panic, those he initially wrote off were armed to the teeth, dashing to the brig as if their lives depended on it. Maybe it did, this was all most of them had ever known, who they were before wasn't relevant, all that mattered to them was their duty. Andrews arrived the doors to Sykes' chambers, he begun to feel a sinking feeling in his stomach, just imagining what might be waiting for him. Thanks to the rush of panic the doors were unlocked, he entered the dark isolated palace. A decor of high class, expensive rugs, a chandelier light hanging from the ceiling -not that he uses it-, his prized bottle of scotch older than the man himself, and the infamous glass pains looking out over the entire facility, accompanied by weathered leather arm chair. It would make him sick if it wasn't so grand. Yet it was the corner piece Andrews was after, Sykes' own supercomputer. And with it, all his personal files. Of course it was protected, a 5-digit security code that separates Andrews and the truth. MY HOPE RESTS ON THIS, WHAT ARE YOU HIDING OLD MAN. He keyed in the one thing he knew about Sykes, the one thing that would lead him to answers "L-A-U-R-A".
A singular file appeared, MOONLIGHT. UNDERGOING. TORMENT. TREATMENT.
M.U.T.T.
A series of videos began to play a video diary of Dr Timothy Hughes, a slightly overweight scientist with a pulsing purple facial infliction. He was joined by two others, both of which Andrews recognised. Standing next to Hughes was the man he spoke to in the brig, Dr James Neil. The final face however was unmistakable despite having both eyes intact and looking considerably warmer and more alive, there was no doubt the third scientist was Sykes. Dr Jonathan Sykes.
DAY 1 OF EXPERIMENTATION ON THE NEW SUBJECTS FOR M.U.T.T. TREATMENT. OCTOBER 30th 2019:
THE SUBJECTS CHOSEN, HAVE ALL BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS CONSTANT LACK OF TIME PASSAGE, SOME KIND OF MALNOURISHED STATE DUE TO VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY. OUR FORMULA HOPES TO NOT ONLY CURE THIS BUT ACT AS AN ENHANCER, CREATING A STRONGER AND TRULY GREATER HUMAN BEING.
NOVEMBER 3RD 2019:
WE HAVE RAN THROUGH A TOTAL OF SIX SUBJECTS SO FAR, ALL PRODUCING THE SAME RESULTS. EVERYONE IS BEGINNING TO GET HASTY, TALKS OF OUR FUNDING GETTING PULLED HAS REACHED THE LAB, WE MAY BE RECEIVING A FEW RESIGNATIONS. I SERIOUSLY HOPE JON KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING
NOVEMBER 8TH 2019:
THIS IS DOCTOR JAMES NEIL, I'M AFRAID I'M BEGINNING TO LOSE IT. WE'VE HAD NO POSITIVE RESULTS. ME AND HUGHES ARE WORRIED, JON KEEPS SAYING "Laura will die" . WE TRACED BACK AND IDENTIFIED LAURA, ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS FOR TESTING A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, SEEMINGLY LATE 30s LONG FLOWING DARK HAIR, FAIR SKIN AND HAZEL EYES. IT'S CLEAR WHATEVER KIND OF CONNECTION SHE HAD WITH JON WAS SPECIAL, BUT THIS OBSESSION COULD LEAD TO DANGER.
I THINK WE NEED TO PULL THE PLUG
NOVEMBER 15TH 2019:
THIS IS DOCTORS HUGHES AND NEIL, SEND HELP. WE THINK JON'S GONE INSANE, WE FOUND HIM TODAY, TALKING TO ONE OF THE UNCONSCIOUS SUBJECTS STILL TO BE TESTED. LAURA. WE TOLD HIM WE'RE SHUTTING THE PROJECT DOWN, BUT HE WENT OFF THE DEEP END. "Laura will die". WE NEED TO SHUT IT DOWN, IF ANYONE IS GETTING THIS. SEND HELP
The final tape came out, significantly worse than the others, though that was understandable due to the situation.
DECEMBER 1st 2019:
THIS IS DOCTOR HUGHES. I KNOW I HAVEN'T MADE AN UPDATE IN A WHILE, THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT. WE TRIED TO CONFRONT JON OVER HIS PLAN. BUT ITS TOO LATE. WHAT WE FOUND WAS SOMETHING I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER RECOVER FROM.
A PALE, HORRIFICALLY THIN AND DECAYING LAURA LAY STRAPPED TO A GURNEY, HER VEINS PULSING AND GLOWING GREEN, HER NAILS AND TEETH DISGUSTINGLY SHARP, MOST OF HER HAIR HAD FALLEN OUT LEAVING FEW STRANDS LEFT AND HER HOSPITAL GOWN TORN TO SHREDS. JON STOOD OVER HER IN AWE "isn't she beautiful" HE GASPED IN WONDER AT THE MONSTER HE CREATED. WE RUSHED TO TRY AND PUT HER OUT OF HER MISERY. BUT JON ATTACKED US "I won't let Laura die again" HE SCREAMED AT US. BUT THATS WHEN SHE WOKE UP. SHE BROKE OUT OF HER RESTRAINTS AND SNARLED WITH THAT HAUNTING SHRIEK.
SOMEHOW JON'S STILL MADLY IN LOVE WITH HER. IF ONLY HE KNEW. WITHIN A SECOND SHE SCRATCHED WITH HER RAZOR SHARP CLAWS RIGHT AT HIS FACE, STRAIGHT THROUGH HIS EYE. WE TRIED TO STOP HER BUT SHE GOT AWAY. THE OTHER SUBJECTS WOKE UP NOT LONG AFTER, UNDER THE SAME TRANSFORMATION AS LAURA. IT CAUSED AN OUTBREAK. JON'S GONE INSANE, SETTING UP SOME KIND OF REGIME, BECOMING A DICTATOR AND ACTING LIKE A HERO WHEN DROVE US INTO THIS MESS
HE'S BEEN ROUNDING UP EVERYONE THAT SPOKE AGAINST HIM, ANYONE ON THE ORIGINAL RESEARCH TEAM. I MEAN, FUCK HE ALREADY GOT JAMES, I'M SENDING THIS OUT TO ANY NETWORKS STILL ONLINE. BEFORE I GO INTO HIDING
DON'T TRUST JONATHAN SYKES, DON'T TRUST THE NEW GOVERNMENT
SAVE YOURSELF, RUN
The feed cut dead, white noise filled the scream. Andrews stood in horror at what he witnessed, his breathing short and weak. He felt himself shaking all over, however it was cut short when he heard that voice. The softly spoken eeriness of his commanding general.
"Heartbreaking, isn't it? For I would feel terrible if I could still feel anything"
YOU ARE READING
The Pause
Science FictionWhen the passage of time stops, a mutant outbreak destroys most of society and a new government regime controls everything, there is little hope left in the new world. Nathan Hendrix is a boy with a dream of breaking out of the ruined city of the Ru...
