Collide

Chapter One

Two heavy soldiers' boots and the point of a sub-machine gun reached my eyesight. I took a deep breath, waiting for my next instructions.

"Subject Red. You are needed in lab two."

My mind became alert. Lab two was never good news. They made sure that I visited that place at least once a week. Only two days had passed from my last visit, and I knew something was off. Maybe my time has come, at last.

In that place, I have faced all my greatest fears: Death and pain.

My arms still had bruises from de contains and needles, from my last visit there, my body still ached because of the drugs they injected in my veins. Drugs that always made me beg for them to kill me and that flood into my veins burning me inside like melted metal.

The world started to spin around me, and the air was taken away from my lungs, but my body didn't even flinch, they've me to remain focused on whatever my emotions were.

My eyes watered, and I heard a quiet laugh. He was enjoying it. They all watched while I screamed.

"Subject Red. I'm here to escort you. I'm authorized to use force if you don't obey."

I held my breath and took a step forward.

It's been like that since I can remember. I'm not allowed to leave the compound, not allowed to talk to any of the workers unless they talk to me first. Not allowed to look no one in the eyes, not allowed to make any contact with the outside world unless by the books they always brought, and practical.

The lavender walls from my dormitory turned white when he led me to the corridor on our way to lab two. Two hundred and eleven steps are what it takes to arrive at the lab two. I've counted it down millions of times.

The cold of the air conditioner hit me like knives, and I knew I was there. Like a trained machine I walked in silence to the middle of the lab and waited. This time I didn't hear the lone voice of Doctor G., and I had to fight with my impulse of looking up to the gallery, as soon as I heard the strange other voices.

"So, she is the only one left..." A voice that I didn't recognize said. They never brought strangers in the compound before.

"Precisely. She is the only one that made thought the entire process, but thanks to you, we will have more subjects soon." Doctor G. said.

"I haven't promised anything yet." The other one replied. I've never seen any other subject besides me here. They always kept us apart, but I knew they existed, doctors used to compare our lab results every time.

"You said she was trained in martial arts."

"Krav maga and judo."

"I see. You can start."

I felt the harsh hands of nurse J. while he was preparing me for the procedure. First he tied my long and dark hair with a red hairband, and then the clothes were off, showing every mark of the surgeries and training, and at last, he handed me an almost transparent hospital gown.

"Lie down. The doctor is coming down." The nurse ordered, and I obeyed.

"She is obedient." The strange guy in the gallery said before a laugh. "Not every girl can take the clothes off like that, in front of anyone."

"She's not a girl, sir." Doctor G. said, this time, standing very close to the cot I was laid on. My eyes were closed. Not because they order me to, but because it made it easier. "She is a subject."

I was. That is the first lesson I remember being taught here.

Another laugh coming from the gallery deepened my worries, but all I could do was wait, and obey, there was not another way, I learned that the hard way, over and over again. The thing about martial arts is that they give you power and courage, as soon as I began well at it, my attempts of getting away began, but they were too many, and I didn't know the way out.

Nurse J. started to tie me in the cot, while Doctor G. began to arrange his medical things. I felt like the walls were moving around me as he tested the strength of the tethers. My breathing quickened and before I knew I was crying.

"It's hard to believe this scared young lady is the mortal weapon you promised, Gregory."

Gregory. That was what he called Doctor G. I promised myself to always remember that name, and I felt the needle making its way into my veins.

My world exploded in pain. My skin burned, and my muscles arched. Something was different this time in that drug, stronger. The pain spread through my body faster, I screamed and screamed, but no one came in my aid.

The only nice thing about unbearable pain, it's the way your body shuts down to protect you, so you don't feel it anymore, it was always like that in the beatings, training, and punishments, but here in lab two it isn't, the drug does not let my body shut down, on the contrary, it makes me more sensitive and alert.

When it was over, I was nothing more than a soulless shell, when I opened my eyes, all nurses and doctors applauded.

"Congratulations, Subject Red. You made through the new drug."

I could not think or say anything, but he wasn't expecting me to do so.

"You say this new drug last an entire month." The strange voice said.

"Yes." Doctor G. answered, but I could hear the hesitation in his tone.

"Well, if you say so, let's begin with the testing. I have important things to do."

"Get up, Subject Red." Nurse J. ordered.

My body protested, and my head was sore, but I stood up, after the drugs I was tested If I passed they would leave me alone for the rest of the day, If not Doctor G. had to repeat the procedure.

I heard footsteps and forced myself to remain calm as I knew what it has happened next. My hands were in position, and my eyes went up, searching for my training partner. A large guard smiled at me, I've never faced some so big, but I knew that would not be a problem. These drugs changed me, made me faster, stronger, smarter.

When he attacked, I was prepared, I dodged a blow and tried a jab that he blocked easily. He was strong but slow. He came in for a tackle. Dumb ass. I fell and used the force of his movement to throw him away from my body, with him under me, and unable to move his arms, I gave a cross punch right in his jaw. He fainted. I passed.

"We have a deal, Gregory. Prepare her for the mission and make sure she's obeying."

"You going on a little travel, Subject Red, your first time out of here and an easy job to do. How lucky you are, aren't you?"Guard blondie said, back in my dorm."I've talked to you Subject Red."

My eyes didn't leave the floor. He was the worst among the guard. The others strictly did what they were told to do, he, otherwise, liked to seem me suffer.

A hard slap caught me off guard, and I made a ragged noise of pain.

"You answer when I ask, Subject Red."

My face burned, and anger threatened to take away my judgment, but I nodded.

"Good, I'll take you to San Francisco, and there we'll take a bunch of kids and we'll bring them here. They will be in the dock. You'll do the job, and I will cover. Look for a ship called Redemption."He said and got closer to me."It will be just the two of us, on this trip. You'll have to be a really good girl out there."

"No, please." I knew what that meant. "Please, that's no need for that. I will never disobey."

He laughed. "It's an order from Doctor G. It's a test, not only for you but for him too, you know. He can't risk anything on this."

He opened his hands, and there it was. The pink pill, the one that made me do anything they tell me to do.

"Kill her." Doctor G.'s voice said inside my head. Remembering me of that I've done.

"Take it, or I will force you to." The guard pushed me back to reality, and I sighed. Swallowing that pill was more difficult than swallowing a knife. Two minutes later my mind was numb.

"Great. Now come here and give a nice and warm hug, and say, thank you, John, you are the best."

My body moved, even if something deep inside was screaming to resist. I enlaced my arms around him and almost didn't to move my lips to say:
"Thank you, John, you are the best."

John, another name I'll never forget.

Hello everyone! This was the first chapter of this book, and I really hope you enjoyed, please click on the star below and leave a comment!