NOVEL WEB Chapter 32: The Second Experiment
As Rick forcefully dragged me along, a suffocating sense of dread consumed me.
What fresh horrors awaited me this time? Would it be torture, gene mutation, or perhaps a twisted combination of both? I couldn't help but question whether my body could endure another round, or if it would finally succumb to the relentless torment.
We arrived at the sick bay, a room that stood as a gateway to the drug production area.
My eyes darted around, searching for Lana, as a realization struck me—this time, it would be a gene mutation experiment.
I spotted her at the far end, her face drained of color, silently mouthing the words "Stay strong."
I mustered a smile, desperate to ease her fear, even as my own fear gnawed at my insides.
Without warning, Rick yanked me towards the door, where he sought permission to enter.
As the door whizzed open, I was violently thrown onto a cold, metallic bed, mercilessly restrained with no hope of escape. Panic surged through me as I scanned the room, only to catch sight of the chief conversing with other scientists.
Yet, something was different this time. Amidst my panic-stricken gaze, I noticed a pair of scientists in the corner, their expressions marked by reluctance and apology. It was as if they didn't want to be there, as if they had stumbled upon the horrifying truth that these experiments were conducted on humans.
One was a short beautiful woman with bob-cut hair, freckles and was wearing glasses, while the other was a tall, thin man with neatly styled grey hair and decent features.
Curiosity gripped me as I observed them. Were they newcomers, unaware of the organization's true nature? Why did they wear those apologetic faces? Could it be that they had been deceived, lured in under false pretenses of drug development and animal testing, only to discover the sinister reality of human experimentation?
My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a voice that sent shivers down my spine—the chief.
With a sickeningly sticky smile, he addressed me, tauntingly, and said:” Ohohoohhh! Look what the cat dragged in. Why if it isn’t Xeno long time no see, brat. How are you these days? How did you find the gift I sent you?”
I looked at him while feigning anger and frustration and said:” How about you take a look at my shoulder and tell me, you shitty old man?”
The chief’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he saw my wound. He then said, “Looks like my pet is doing a very good job in taking care of you.”
I snarled at him, “You’re a lying piece of shit, old man. You sent that monster to my cell to torture me and the twins, even though we had a deal. You swore you wouldn’t lay a finger on us, but you couldn’t help yourself. You had to find a way to break your promise without breaking your word. You thought you were so smart, exploiting loopholes in your own terms. You’re a fucking lunatic.”
The chief flinched, caught off guard by my words.
Then he sighed and shook his head and said: “What a waste of talent. You could have been a great asset to us if you had just agreed to join us like a good boy. I would have made you my right-hand man, and we would have done sooo much together. But no, you had to be stubborn and choose the hard way out. And that means suffering and then death. Too bad, too baddd.”
He paused for a moment, then donned his malicious smile and said in a voice so loud that it reverberated in the whole drug production room: “Ladies and gentlemen of the facility, my fellow scientists and colleagues. Today we will be performing the second gene modification on our unsuspecting and innocent young man there. Now, who of you would like to describe the name and effects of the drug to our poor victim? And don’t forget to mention the side effects that will result from the failure of the experiment, just to spice up the show.”
I saw a man who looked like a rat raise his hand eagerly. The chief nodded at him and let him speak. He had a squeaky voice that matched his appearance.
He said: “This drug, ladies and gentlemen, is our latest and greatest invention. It is a drug that uses genetic manipulation to enhance the five senses to the maximum and maybe even create a sixth sense that we call intuition or danger sensing. We call this drug ‘Altera’. Catchy, isn’t it?”
He paused for a moment, smirked, and then continued: “As for our poor victim here, let me enlighten you about the side effects. In case of failure, the senses will dull and with time they might even disappear, leaving the person in a state of void. Meaning he will only be alive but not aware of anything going on around him. A vegetable, in short.”
I felt a surge of panic. What the hell were they talking about? Why were they making a spectacle out of me? Did they enjoy my suffering so much that they had to broadcast it? What the hell? What the hellllll!
I shouted with rage: “What the hell, you deranged pieces of shit. Are you that happy about your drug and experiment that you had to make a shit show about it. Do you not have any shred of humanity? Instead of stopping this, instead of killing that twisted fucker, you help him?”
I scanned the room, hoping to see some remorse or pity in their eyes. But all I saw was contempt and cruelty. They treated me and all the other people and souls like garbage. They used us as rats for their sick experiments.
I knew that, but seeing their malice up close made me feel disgusted and furious. I was so furious that I strained my wrists, trying to break free from the straps. I was so furious that I wanted to slaughter them all right then and there, but I was helpless.
I stared at their faces, mocking me and laughing at me, and burned them into my memory.
They would be the first to die if I ever escaped from this hellhole.
As I looked around, I noticed two faces that stood out. They were not happy with what was happening. They were horrified and pale as ghosts. They were the two scientists that I saw whispering in the corner.
They were against this, but they didn’t dare to speak up. They knew the organization and its ruthless ways of operating. They knew that if they spoke up now, not only them but also their friends, relatives, and family would pay the price of disobedience. They would all be hunted down and killed.
The only thing they could do was to stay out of the experiments and pray for the test subject’s safety.