Tigers With Determination

Chapter 2

I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing. Today was supposed to be my day off, but it's safe to presume it's not going to be. I slowly turn over in my bed and pick up the flashing screen. 3.03AM. I answer the call and put it to my ear.

"Hello?" I mumble.

"Yes! Kaspian. Now I know today was meant to be your day off but another one of the mutants took quite a whipping last night and I need you to cover for me..."

"What do you mean 'cover' for you?"

Well, you see... I'm kind of caught up in my own matters right now. By that I mean I haven't slept at all yet as I have had to help a lot of people. Also, I'm working overtime and I'm in the middle of coming up with a plan."

Plan, I have heard that one before. There is silence on the phone for a moment before I respond to my friend.

"Yo, you still there?" Milo questions.

"Ahem!" I notion back. "This PLAN of yours better work this time. As the network was not happy with you last one..."

I flashback to when Milo set a cell on fire and tried to distract the facility so he could help some mutants escape. Mutants... I hate that word. Just because they are different to us doesn't mean they need to be called something so mean.

"Yeah, I know." He responds back. "Look, just check the message I'm about to send you. It will have all the information you need. This so called female 'mutant'-

"girl," I interrupt.

"This GIRL took quite a whipping an hour ago and is in dire need of assistance. From the photos... it's not pretty....

"Is that why you're coming up with another plan?" I addressed.

"Well, this plan has been a work in process with the Network for a while now. We have just needed to wait for some more intel. But by the sounds, the mutant you have to-

"GIRL!" I interrupt

"Okay, the GIRL you have to help might just be what we need to bring this place down. Well this section anyway..."

"Well, if the Network is involved in this plan of yours, it might actually work this time. And you might not nearly blow our covers again."

"Will you EVER let me live that one down?" Milo whined

"Not till the day I die old dearest friend of mine."

"Argh whatever, look I have to go. But thank you. Plus, this one is going to work. And you don't have to know a thing!"

"Wait-!"

The phone beeps. He hung up. I will never understand that guy. Of course, I NEED to know the plan. But he will never tell me unless he absolutely needs to. Despite being as close as brothers from all the training and missions we did as kids, he still is a mystery to me. But anyway. Now is not the time to question that. I turn of my phone and get out of bed

My phone beeps.

Hey!

Kaspian

Milo here. Just... you know, in case you were confused...

Anyway! You will need to go to section B on floor F, Cell 32. I know, The spooky floor. You will find a girl called Valkarine who will need to be treated for her whip marks. Last I heard from my supervisor, she was unconscious. Apparently, she took 102 whips from one of the guards. That's a new record. So, you will need a lot of anesthetics to numb the pain while you work on her.

Ta!

-Milo

I look up from my phone. I'm a nurse. Not a miracle worker.

After enough pestering with myself I decide to go for a shower and gather my gear. At least this girl is the only one I must worry about today. But 102 whip marks! Come on. That must be some form of breach in the rules.

I place my equipment on the toilet seat next to my shower and hop into the shower. As I turn the nozzle, warm water sprays onto me and streams down my body. This is one of the hardest parts of the day. Preparing myself mentally to deal with the obstacles of the day. Not knowing how hard it's going to be.

....

After having a warm shower, gathering my equipment and going out for the morning, I get another text from Milo...

Here are the photos I was talking about...

Shown is a girl being held up by chains with blood and puss running down her back. Her back is almost unrecognizable. There are deep cuts from where the whip obviously kept hitting the same spot on her back. How can they keep doing this? How do people outside the Network not see how wrong it is. My whole life has been nothing but the Network. They took me in when I had no one else and trained me to be one of the very best there is. I trained alongside Milo for basically my entire life. It's only been me and him. We have been through countless fights and battles for the Network. As our goal is to overthrow the government and help make things fair again. To bring peace and equality to our washed up and broken society. We are rebels with a cause, and I will go through hell before I give up on helping the so called 'mutants'.

Milo and I were only 16 when we got the mission to join the government as undercover Network cooperatives. We were to join one of the sectors of 'mutants' as highly trained nurses and help get intel through council meetings, and just doing our job back to the Network. Milo is more of the leader of this mission while I'm more of the follower. Hence why he is always the one coming up with plans. It's just the fact that without the Network's help, his plans often backfire costing us our positions within the government. I just hope that this plan he's working on will work. As three years in this place is really starting to play a toll on me physically. I've gathered everything we could possibly need to know. We just need a successful foolproof plan.

I continue down the corridor and take the elevator to the main floor. I then make my way from section A to section B and take another elevator to floor F. I have never liked this floor. This is where the worst punishments happen. And despite being the best nurse here, it always comes down to be a surgeon's job rather than mine to help all the people in these cells. I hear a DING as the elevator doors slide open. I suddenly feel very uneasy in this place. There is something very wrong here, and I don't want to stay long enough to find out.

I swing my duffle bag of equipment over my shoulder and step out of the elevator to continue down the dimly lit corridor. On both sides of the corridor are empty cells. Every now and again I pass I cell with an individual tied up. They could be tied to the wall, ready for interrogation, or tied to a bed, ready for....

I quickly shake my head. I would prefer not to think about that one. I count the cells as I go along. The Valkarine girl is supposed to be in cell 32. I check my phone to see the time

4.17AM

Good, I'm doing okay for timing. As I turn the corner, I find the cell I'm looking for. And it is Everything I feared.