Chapter 21: SCIENCE!!!!
Mitchell
My heavy breathing echoed through the dank chamber. I had no idea how long I've been knocked out, but I knew exactly where I was. My jacket, bat, and bag where gone; either with The Jester or on the ground in Arkansas, but that didn't matter. I could find a way out of here without Grease's tech. The room was pitch black, the only light emanating from a slit in the bottom of the door. I could barely move, my legs and arms atrophied from however long I've been lying on this wet, moldy floor. I was absolutely drenched in sweat, or maybe water? This must be an old well or something because no place underground could be this damp. How do I know I'm underground? Super secret spy and army training. Also, the large wall of dirt I'm tethered to is a big give away.
I have to find a way out of here. My head was killing me, throbbing from whatever The Jester did to me in that plane. All I remember is feeling someone's grip slide through my fingers. The fog surrounded me, making it impossible to see in front of me. All of the sudden, I couldn't breathe. Someone knocked me to the ground, tied my hands together, and dragged me away. I must've passed out from suffocation because when I woke up, I was high in the sky, flying over the Squadjet. I could see Richie, Astrid, and Zach on the ground, trying to flag me down. I still couldn't move, no doubt Time Queen keeping me from escaping. Regardless, I was in some sort of cage, hanging from the bottom of a jet. Then, the engines kicked up and blasted off into the night, the wind whipping at my exposed face. I felt the cage slowly being raised into the body of the jet, coming to a haunting stop, nearly throwing me to the ground. After the floor was sealed, I shouted for The Jester to let me go. There was nothing but silence for a long time. I couldn't do anything, not even sit down. The cage I was in was so claustrophobic, the metal bars barely allowing space for me to slip my fingers through. After what seemed like forever, a low hissing sound filled the chamber. At first, I thought it was a door opening, maybe The Jeter coming to make a joke about how I'd been caught. Of course, no such luck. Barely visible at first, I could see a light green gas filling my cage. Now I may not be the smartest of the squad, but I've seen enough movies to know that green gas means toxic. I pinched my nose and held my breath. My chest began to constrict as my oxygen reserve began to deplete. I can recall my eyes tearing up, my head feeling like it was going to explode, and eventually leaning against the cold metal bars as I slipped into unconsciousness. There's the story of how I ended up in this hell hole! The question is, why am I here?
Like clockwork, a steel door across the room creaked as it slowly opened, flooding the cavern with bright light. Even with my eyes shut, the light was blinding. I felt the chains move, becoming slack as someone loosened it off the wall. I felt myself struggling to breathe like my lungs were exhausted. I knew the only person in the world who could do that, and she just so happened to want me dead.
Time Queen whispered into my ear, "Try anything and I will freeze your heart."
I meant to reply but with my lungs barely operable, my response was mostly an exhale. The light was still too bright to see; I must've have been in that room longer than I thought! She jerked me to my feet, which also refused to work, most likely from being sprawled on the floor for who knows how long. I wobbled down a long corridor, Time Queen pushing my back. I tried to think of a way out, some way to incapacitate her and escape, but there was a few problems. First, I'm adjusting to the light, but it is still fairly difficult to attack a prepared person while you're half blind. Second, Time Queen could stop all of my major organs if I missed. Lastly, I have no idea where I am and I have no doubt that The Jester and Harlequin are somewhere watching. Just as I decided screw it!, Time Queen practically picked me up and threw me in front of her. I landed on the floor with a hard thud, smacking my face on the cold tile flooring. I could feel like difference in the floor, the corridor squeaked as I walked, like wood. Now, I had no doubt in my mind I was some place else. Not necessarily better, but still better than being chained to a dirt wall. My eyes were finally adjusting to the light, perfect timing for a loud clang to echo through the room, the sound of a heavy metal door shut behind me.
I pushed myself up off the floor, my head still hammering from the impact. I leaned on the desk next to me, nearly falling over as I tried to walk. I felt my forehead, feeling something warm and wet. Shit, I told myself. I must've hit the floor harder than I thought. Once I finally came to my senses, I gathered my surroundings. I was in some kind of laboratory, beakers and glass bottles filled with neon colored liquid sat on every desk. A strange elevated table was nailed to the wall in front of me with a metal tray attached to one side, like an evil doctor's office. I carefully walked from desk to desk, checking my back to make sure an evil clown didn't suddenly appeared, ready to strike me with a giant needle.
Every desk was the same, several beakers full of probably explosive chemicals, some strange science equipment that Richie would've had a field day with, and a very large array of needles which all contained slightly different shades of green liquid. Let's just avoid those, I said as I went to inspect the odd testing table. It was reflective, its steel design shimmering from the ceiling lights. Oddly enough, it went strangely well with the white walls and shiny metal flooring. It's tray was full of syringes, clamps, and other odd surgical tools. I snooped around the rest off the windowless room, trying to find any clues of where I was. The crackle of a PA system echoed through the room, filling the once quiet hall with the familiar and obnoxious evil laugh of the women who want me dead.
"Hello Mitchell! I'm so glad you could join us!" she said cackling.
"Not like I had much choice." I muttered. " What do you want?" I asked.
"Only to finish what I started!" She quickly retorted, laughing again.
I backed up slowly, reach the large metal door. It had no handle, only a keypad with a combination code. A loud creak resonated from above me. I looked up just in time to see a huge glass box drop on top of me, surrounding me in a see through cell. I banged on the walls, hoping to break the fragile glass. No such luck. Several clicks echoed from above. Great! Now I'm trapped in a glass, air tight cell!
"I'm not going down without a fight!" I screamed.
The Jester returned with her insane laugh once more. "You think I'm going to kill you?! You aren't so lucky Mitchell. A scientist's work is never finished."
Just my luck to be trapped in a glass, air tight cell by three hyena-like women, and the cell isn't soundproof. I pounded the glass, striking in the same spot over and over, just hoping to even crack the glass. No such luck. I collapsed to the tiny floor of my transparent enclosure, heavily breathing from exhaustion. Then, 3 long silver rods lower from the ceiling and began to dispense a familiar yet unwelcome green gas. I was too tired to restrain myself and collapsed in a heap from The Jester incapacitating gas.
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I awoke once again in an all too familiar scene. My eyesight blurry, although this time not blinded by darkness or light. In fact, I could see perfectly. However, I was restrained again, this time, trapped by several Velcro straps from my neck down to my ankles on the operating table I was just inspecting. I pulled and jerked my body to try to break my bonds, to no avail. Just my luck, all I managed to do was alert the three doctors sitting across the room who were previous engrossed in their computer. The three familiar women, now dressed in lab coats, joyfully strolled over, laughing and studying me like a caged animal (although I kind of am). I still struggled with my bonds, pulling every muscle in my body to try to escape.
"Don't bother!" Harlequin said happily, "I tied those so tight, I'm surprised you haven't lost circulation yet!" All three let out a huge guffaw and her joke. Was that even a joke? Honestly, I don't think they know what a joke is.
"Where am I!" I retorted angrily, hurling myself forward but barely moving an inch. With every struggle, I felt the Velcro tighten around my neck, choking me.
"Somewhere safe, child!" The Jester exclaimed. She walked over and sat down on the small stool next to my table, pulling the extension tray close to her. She rummaged through the various needles on the desk. The other two lunatics pulled forward rolling chairs and sat intently, as if I was some show for them to watch.
"You're really going to interrogate me? Go ahead. There's no way you can break me." I said confidently. I've been trained for years against interrogation tactics! This woman really is mad.
"Interrogate you?! Why on Earth would I interrogate you?!" The Jester said shocked.
Now I was confused. If she didn't want to interrogate me, why was I here?
"I told you, boy, a scientist's work is never done." She said as she raised a long slender needle, tapping the glass ever so slightly. The other two sat in the back, nearly falling off their seats in anticipation. I looked the Jester in the eye as she leaned over me, positioning the needle in the center of my neck.
"Now sit back, relax, and don't struggle. This will hurt.... a lot."
She plunged the needle deep into my skin, pushing the lever to release the green goop into my bloodstream. I felt myself shaking, my vision beginning to blur, and the lab starting to spin. I heard the henchwomen clapping and laughing in the background. Then, before I could scream, my blood ran cold and I feel asleep, unaware to the horrifying world that I was in.
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I don't think I've ever expressed my hate for needles, especially when they're being repeatedly stabbed into me by three insane scientists. Being knocked out is weird enough, but the dream that came with it just took it up a notch. I stood in a dark purple room while accents of green, pink, and black along the walls. It was covered entirely in different geometric shapes, all different colors. I felt paralyzed, only able to turn in a circle. But the strangest part, I felt someone watching me. That isn't possible though. No one was in the room with me.
The shapes been the quiver on the walls, at first subtle but soon made it look like I was having a seizure. The Jester must've injected me with every drug NIDA warns you not to take. The walls began to morph, slowly forming a familiar face. The Jester let out an explosive laugh, giving me a huge headache.
"Mine. All mine!" She said with her overly joyous laughter.
My headache grew increasingly painful, so much so I had to slowly lower myself to the ground.
"Leave me alone!" I screamed, shaking from the pain.
"Do not resist, child. Resistance is so much harder. Just accept your fate."
Now I was flat on the ground, barely able to move. It took every ounce of energy to speak. "Go to hell!"
She let out another round of laughter, only hurting me even more. "There's no question why I chose you! Stubbornness is my favorite heroic quality after all!"
I began to shake, the pain was too much to bear. My throats began to constrict, my brain squeezing from the pressure, my lungs collapsing. I sat in the darkness, looking up at the colorful, yet dark mosaic of The Jester face.
"When you wake up, head my advice. Struggling will not help you."
She let loose a final booming laugh, the mosaic shattering from the force. I watched as the ceiling collapsed on top of me, the falling shapes positioned perfectly to pierce me as the fell. I closed my eyes, prepared to die from fear. Then I woke up.
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The last place I expected to wake up was frozen in a tube of ice. Maybe on a raft in the middle of the Atlantic or six feet under South Beach, but the world's largest popsicle is one for the books. Just like my dream I was frozen in place, although literally this time. I must have been frozen while I was still struggling because my eyes were wide open, my teeth clenched, and my back arced like I was still struggling against those Velcro straps. I could only move my eyes, and let me tell you I surprised me when I didn't have to blink for 5 minutes straight. It was hard to see through the refractive glass but I was able to make out several other tubes. Mine was located perfectly in the center of the room, one of many which lined the walls. However, I could only see 2 which contained other people. The first was across the room from me making it extremely hard to see through. I saw a huge mop of long brown hair swirling through liquid. I'm going to guess it is a she, but at this point of 2016, for all I know it could identify as a bicycle. She was standing like me but was occasionally bobbing in the liquid, making me think she was alive. Speaking of which, how in the world am I alive?! I'm frozen in a block of ice, therefore, unable to breathe. According to the laws of nature, breathing is a fairly important rule of living! Regardless, I was alive. It must be another weird scientific experiment by The Jester. To my relief, I saw the other pod was frozen like mine. I could only see it out of my peripheral vision and the condensation and warp of the glass made it even more challenging to see, but I managed to identify a boy: fairly short, with short cut hair(longer than mine), and a normal pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Odd enough, he kind of reminded me of that pop star that became famous before I moved to the Academy. What was his name? Dustin Fever? Yeah I think so! Funny, you think of the strangest things while being held prisoner in a tube of ice by three insane female scientists.
Speak of the devil, Harlequin jumped in front of my field of vision just as I was looking away from the trapped boy. If I wasn't frozen in place, I probably would have jumped back. Still, she must have seen the fear in my eyes because her mouth opened in no doubt hysterical laughter. Though there is a bright side to this! I can't hear those weirdos inside this ice! Dreams do come true!
As always, The Jester and Time Queen weren't far behind. The Jester pushed Harlequin out of the way, apparently yelling at her. She recoiled, slumping behind her. The Jester tapped a few buttons on a console in a front of me. In no time, I was floating in the same liquid as the girl across from me. I stifled a breath, forgetting I could breathe even though I should be drowning: force of habit I suppose.
The liquid didn't make it any easier to see through and, naturally, my luck had run out: I could now hear their squealing voices again. Yippee!
"I bet you're glad to see us!" Time Queen said happily, her voice distorted.
I tried to speak, but I managed to suck in a huge gulp of liquid. The tube quickly drained, leaving me soaked on the floor and coughing up strangely breathable, yet not drinkable, tube juice. After a few seconds, I managed to push myself onto my hands. Before I could get to my feet, the tube filled with the dreaded liquid again. In a few seconds, I was floating once again. What the hell? I wondered.
I heard The Jester's obnoxious laugh (even distorted by liquid it sounds awful) ring through the room.
This type of communication is much better, right? She asked, but this time in my head.
Now you can listen to our lovely voices all day, everyday! Harlequin said gleefully.
And of course, their dialogue is followed by an eruption of squeaky and painful laughter.
Let me go! I internally screamed, pounding on the glass as hard as I could. The water slowed me down too much which made my hard punch into a little tap. My failure of an attempt made the three laugh even harder. The poor girl across the way must have been able to hear too because she was staring at me, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.
I only wish I had a mirror so you could see how wonderfully stupid you are! The Jester said joyously. Now, I have something I want to show you. The liquid receded once again, leaving me gasping for air once again. The glass around me lowered with a long and loud squealing. I crawled out of the cage, dragging myself across the smooth marble flooring until I had reached the center of the room. While I coughed and reched on the ground, the three psycho scientist happily skipped around me, laughing. Just as I had begun to collect myself and regain some strength, The Jester happily strode to my side, standing over me. Before I could do anything, she kicked me in my side, knocking me off my hands and knees, back onto the cold floor. This incited even more laughter, which died down just as I regained myself once again. Harlequin leaned down next to me, whispering in my ear, "You're going to hate this." Nothing like a maniacally clown whispering in my ear how much I'm going to hate a forebodingly ominous event! As soon as I felt my heart beat slow and my breathing become a whisper, I knew Time Queen and The Jester were taking me somewhere. The Jester and Harlequin looped their arms under mine, forcibly dragging me out of the room. I turned back just in time to see the girl watching me pass, her terrified look not lost on me, as the door shut and someone blinded me.