NOVEL NEXT Eh, scaly tail! part 1
I woke up as I should have: abruptly and ready for action, not even an awakening, but a flash. A second ago my consciousness was dormant, floating on the currents of slumber, and now it was so full of excitement, as if it had just come out of a battle, as if there had been no sleep at all.
I felt a kind of discomfort in my body, as if I were wearing a cumbersome out-of-season garment. I would like to throw them off like a snake's old skin, straighten my shoulders, and draw in the fresh air with every inch of my skin, every cell of my renewed body... but something prevents me from doing so.
It is clear that. The collar is a goddamn suppressor. I'd be surprised if I woke up without it.
But it's not just the hoop around my neck that restricts my power... no, not like that. The suppressor restrains me from within, prevents my transformation, keeping me in a borderline state, no longer human but still not a Lizard, and from outside it is complemented by fetters - the standard metal fasteners cool the bare skin on my arms and legs. A special bed to which I am chained is equipped with them - a distant relative of a dentist's chair, though the bed itself with a bedding, did not scrimp to create at least a minimum comfort for a prisoner, otherwise lying naked on the iron base would be doubly unpleasant. More unpleasant than being completely naked and at the same time chained to the bed by metal handrails.
A lamp shines in my face, a cold and cruel subject's light.
The bed begins to change its position in space, because of the blinding light I cannot see the environment around me, so I have to judge based on my hearing and the vestibular apparatus readings. When I find myself in a nearly vertical position, someone comes behind me, again I cannot see him, and performs some manipulations with the torture apparatus that replaces my bed.
And then the pain comes - a sharp flash of pain at the base of my neck, making me howl in surprise.
"Oh, I think he's awake," came a familiar voice from afar, "Listen, do we have to do it this way? You could use anesthesia, at least a local anesthesia."
The commander of the invaders is here, watching the process, and with her someone else, probably a local scientist, through the veil of pain I understand.
"Are you suddenly human?" I was in the middle of an unfamiliar female voice, much softer and gentler, which sounded contrary to the actions of the sadistic woman who spoke, "In any case, there is no need to protect this body."
"That's true, of course, but what if he becomes insane from the pain..."
"It is unlikely and not critical, and besides, we do not know how the drugs will interact with the cocktail that is mixed in his blood, and already the effect of the icers is noticeable - the brain has not been supplied with oxygen for a long time. You were warned that this technology isn't ready yet! That it should be used only as a last resort!"
There was a note of irritation in the sadistic woman's voice. So she doesn't care about my body, but she's worried about my brain... what the hell?
"That was it!" the female operative objected.
"Didn't you say you could have this guy in two seconds? What happened to fearless Daisy, Shield. Academy's finest?"
"You know, they didn't tell me he could crush Kevlar vests with his bare hands, and under a suppressor! I had to use my Iceman, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to take him alive."
At last my torture was over - I could feel the foreign object leaving my spine. Whoever the bitch who just took my spinal fluid sample is, I swear she's not getting off that easy!
As I slowly try to move away from the temporary cessation of torture, I hear sounds typical of a hospital or, perhaps, a scientific laboratory. Soon there is confirmation of my hunch - the women continue their conversation.
"When will you have the results?" says the one who was in charge of my capture... Daisy, I think.
"If you're referring to whether his brain is okay, I've already checked everything: there's no cause for concern. I'm starting extraction prep, so you can get to your part."
Wait, what fucking extraction? I'm not giving my brain to anyone! Shit, how do I get out - these handrails are absolutely indestructible with my current strength, but I feel like I'm on the verge of turning into a Lizard... this might be my only option - get rid of the collar to finish the transformation and hope for the best.
"Oh, already? I thought you'd need more time. For preparation and all that."
"What do you mean? Everything was ready years ago. We started the final stage of networking as soon as you brought him into the base, and now it's my turn, so hurry - he should be up to speed in fifteen minutes."
"So..." the woman stopped talking, "that's it, then, goodbye."
Her companion did not answer, something strange was going on there. And if it had nothing to do with me, but from what I've heard... they're all crazy, I don't want to let people like that control my life in the slightest.
Then something unexpected happens to me - the shackles open, and I, not expecting such happiness, almost fall to the floor. It took me some time to let my eyes adjust to the light - under the lamp, even through my drooping eyelids, the light was so powerful that for another thirty seconds there was only a bright spot in front of my eyes.
So I'm in some laboratory, and in the last seconds I manage to notice a girl, a fairly young mestiza with Chinese roots, leaving the room. Right in front of me stands the former terrorist kidnapper, with the same slight, slightly apologetic smile on her face, saying, "Don't hold it against me, I didn't do it on purpose, it's necessary."
"Are you awake? I'm sorry for this inconvenience, Li Yun can be quite tactless, however, they are all like that here... a higher purpose, all that," she paused, as if to allow me to agree with her words, but without waiting for an answer, she continued, "there is a robe on the counter on the right, I had to undress you, you know, all these capsules on your shoulder and hoops with cobwebs, I had to take them out."
Without letting her out of my sight, I put on the offered clothes - a hospital gown, the kind worn by inpatients in the hospital.
"By the way, cool stuff, you made these for your spider girlfriend, didn't you? You don't mind if I keep them... with my job, such surprises are never a waste. You know how it is, you almost had me fooled, and, to tell you the truth, I shouldn't have taken them on this mission, they're still unfinished and all, but as you can see, it's all worked out for the best."
I don't really listen to what she's saying, but I try to assess the situation.
So I'm wearing a suppressor, but I don't see any other deterrents yet. The question is, why is she acting so confident when she's alone with me? No, not like that, why did she let me out of my shackles in the first place?
She hopes I won't go on the rampage, surrounded by my enemies, in the heart of their lair? Well, she doesn't know me very well.
"Oh, yes, before you get the idea of doing something stupid..." The woman clicked the remote control in her right hand, which I hadn't noticed before because of its tiny size.
The collar around my neck makes a lingering sound, like a battery rapidly building up a charge... oh, I think I know what's coming. And sure enough, the next moment I found myself on the floor, convulsing from the residual electric shocks shaking my body. You fucking bastards are dead wrong if you think this is going to help you!
"Do as I say, and you won't have to experience it again. I wouldn't want to take on the role of someone who would fill your last moments with suffering... physical, I mean, because you can't get away from mental suffering. But there's nothing you can do about it. Now come on, I have something to show you."