The years were not kind to 636. Growing up, she never found anything wrong with the laboratories; it was just how things were. But after meeting Seth, someone who knew better, someone who grew up on the outside, she finally realized this wasn’t living. This was torture. No matter what the scientists or Dr.Willow told her, she knew their desperation didn’t justify the experiments. Because those experiments were what killed all the other kids that used to live in the labs.
Every last one. Dead.
636 was naive in the beginning. There were times she wished it would stop but thought herself to be too weak to do anything. She knew now that she had the strength everyone around her desired. 636 was almost a perfect weapon. Almost.
They had taken everything from her. Her family, childhood, and the only friend she had ever known.
She twirled the straw bracelet around her wrist. It was the only thing that ever calmed her down anymore. Over the years she had to rebraid it and replace broken strips of hay to keep it in shape, and it almost looked new.
When she had found it sitting in her cell after one of her tests, she hid it. Afraid the scientists would take it away from her too.
“I’m experiment 636. I am twenty-one years old. His name was Seth and he was fifteen when they killed him. They can’t keep me here. I will escape and find my name.” It was the same thing everyday. Waking up to his voice, repeating her montra, and training with Adam and Dr.Willow.
636 was almost ready to leave. She had run over many different ways to escape in her mind. But they all seemed to have the same problem. She had no idea what the outside world was like. Her only knowledge came from Seth’s stories and Dr.Willow. Once she left, she didn't know what to expect. There wasn’t much point to leaving just to be killed due to her own stupidity.
So instead she would wait. Let them train her. Teach her how to control her powers. If they wanted to take advantage of her, she found nothing wrong with using them. Everyday she’d get stronger. Gain more control and power. Even if that meant she’d have to stay longer. Endure the tests longer.
Today was supposed to be a big day. At least that’s what Dr.Willow told her. A few of the higher ups in a chain 636 never saw the end of were coming to observe their weapon. It was going to be a trial run to see if she could really be used the way they wanted her to be used.
The trial run, unfortunately, meant 636 would have to deal with Harver. He had somehow managed to get even more power after he was kicked out of the labs. It had been years since 636 last saw that man but she wished it could be longer.
“Are you ready?” Dr.Willow asked when he walked into her cell. He watched 636 rise off the floor and tuck the straw bracelet into the pocket of her gray cargo pants. She held out her hands, palms up, and motioned for the doctor to remove the chains. Though the chains would not do much to stop her from hurting anyone, if she truly wanted to she could, but the other scientists and residents of the lab insisted on them being on her to help put themselves at ease.
The chains didn’t bother 636. With the wrappings around her forearms it was hard for them to rub her skin. 636 chose to wear the bandage wrappings around the scars on her arms even though the wounds no longer bled. She hated looking at the markings on her skin. They only served as another reminder of what these people did to her and if she wanted to remain calm, it was better if the scars were covered.
Dr.Willow unchained her and led her down the halls to the training room where the test would be done. The familiar white walls always made 636 feel as though she’d throw up. She much preferred the darkness of her cell.
The training room looked the same as it always did, the only difference was the amount of people inside. 636 noticed Harver right away. He had grown quite a few gray hairs but was relatively the same as the last time she’d seen him. He still had that disgusting smile. The same condescending smile that was always plastered on his ugly face.
“This is Experiment 636. Age twenty-one. 636 was our only success here at the labs. The Salice worked better than we could have ever anticipated. 636 has heightened senses and advanced strength and speed. She’s about ten times stronger than the average person and can move three times faster as well. On top of that, 636 developed the ability to manipulate gravity in a way that has never been done before.” Dr.Willow announced loudly for the crowd to hear. He motioned for 636 to showcase her abilities. She had to perform for them like an animal if she wanted to get out.
636 quickly obliged and made it so there was no gravity in the room. The gold and blue mist emitting from the floor matched the shades of her eyes and the glow around her. The crowd let out gasps of amazement and awe as everything in the room, except 636 and Dr.Willow, began to float. She had made it so her ability would not affect them, showcasing the level of control and focus she had mastered over the years. Dr.Willow nodded to her and she set everyone back on the ground, making sure to yank Harver down not too lightly as she put the gravity in the room back to normal.
“As you have just witnessed, 636 can completely turn gravity off and on. But through years of training she has also been able to master a more focused control.” A nearby scientist brought over a strip of metal and set it in front of 636. She picked a fixed point and changed the object's center of gravity and intensified her power making the metal crumble in on itself. People in the audience went silent, as if afraid of what the full extent of her power was.
Truthfully, she had always wondered what it would feel like to go all out. What it would be like to use her power without worrying about the confines of the concrete rooms.
“She can manipulate it so even metal will crumble and bend to her will. Making even the strongest substance implode.” Once again the crowd was in awe. 636 guessed not very many of them had been informed prior about what she could really do. This was barely scratching the surface.
“Not only has 636 mastered her unique ability, she has also been trained in the art of combat.” On cue, 636 reached her hand behind her back to feel for the chakram that was attached to her armored vest. She swiftly removed it and spun it up in the air before catching it with ease. Dr.Willow had told her it would be better if she showed off, so she threw the ringed blade so that it ricocheted around the room, never once hitting anyone before she caught it. “The chakram is one of the most difficult weapons for someone to completely master and as you can see 636 is no novice. I believe that it is finally time for her to be put in action.”
636 froze at Dr.Willows insinuation. He was talking about letting her go outside. She had been waiting her whole life for this. It seemed too good to be true.
A few people in the crowd nodded in agreement and 636 did her best to contain her excitement. This was it. She would finally see the world for herself. Making it even easier for her to leave.
“Skill isn’t what we are worried about Dr.Willow.” Harver spoke from the crowd and all eyes were on him. “No one here doubted the experiment could fight. People are worried about whether she's going to fight with us,” he narrowed his eyes, “or against us.”
Dr.Willow’s eyes drifted from Harver and watched 636 for a reaction. She did her best to have none but when it came to Harver it was increasingly difficult for her to contain herself. Out of everyone in her life, she loathed him the most.
“I assure you, there is nothing to worry about. 636 is-” Dr.Willow tried to reason but Harver cut him off.
“Experiment 636 is a danger to us all. It’s no secret she has fought back in the past. What’s to stop her from doing so now or even stop her from running away.” 636 flinched slightly. It was if Harver already knew what she was planning on doing. “If we want a weapon we have to take away it’s free will. They’re objects, not people.”
“What exactly are you saying? We don’t possess the technology for that. It doesn’t even exist. And if it did, we do not need it. 636 is on our side.” Dr.Willow argued but Harver still had a smug look on his face.
“Correction, my dear doctor, it does exist. It’s just that you do not have the technology.” Harver pulled a thin black triangular device from his pocket and held it up for everyone to see. “I do. I created it myself. It’s called a Mind Syfer. The name’s a work in progress but the tech itself is flawless. If 636 is to remain in our custody, she will have to wear this on the back of her neck.”
636 clenched her fists so hard it made them bleed. She waited for Dr.Willow to argue more but he was silent. 636 looked over at the man and saw him with a dumbfounded expression. Like he was too stunned to speak. If he wasn’t going to fight for her then she would. Screw what anyone else thought.
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“I will not wear that thing. You can not make me.” 636 said firmly. She would not yield to them.
“Do not speak unless spoken to.” A man from the crowd demanded and 636 silenced him with a glare.
“Haven’t I given you enough? You have taken my entire life and now you seek to take my mind as well.”
“You can’t be trusted.” Harver said and then turned to the guards in the room, “Restrain 636 and prepare her for attachment.”
A few guards pointed their guns at 636 while others slowly approached. Weapons out, ready to attack her at the slightest movement.
“I will not let you take the only thing that I have left. Do none of you have a heart?” She pleaded to the people in the crowd but they all looked as though they couldn’t care less about what was done to 636.
She shouldn’t have expected anything else. These were the people that took hundreds of kids and forced them into testing. They didn’t care about one measly experiment. They wanted a weapon. A pawn. Mindless and willing to do anything they asked.
636 had stopped fighting them so long ago, it seemed they had forgotten how dangerous she really was.
As more guards approached her, 636 activated her ability. The blue and gold light surrounded her. She raised her arms and in turn raised all the guards off the floor. People around her started to panic and shots echoed through the room. 636 slammed the guards to the ground and focused her ability on keeping the bullets from hitting her. They stayed suspended in the air once they came within a certain distance from her, but that didn’t stop the guards from continuing to shoot at the girl.
More guards rushed into the room while the crowd flooded out. People were screaming and panicking. Continuous bangs rang through the room and sirens were blaring through the speakers.The volume was too loud for 636’s sensitive hearing. A few smoke bombs were thrown into the room and exploded, only adding to the ringing in her head. The sound caused a strain on her focus and smoke filled the area. 636 closed her left eye, trying to focus on her surroundings with her better one.
The shooting stopped but shouts were still coming from everywhere. With the combined sound of the alarms she could no longer rely on her hearing. She did her best to tune everything out and watched for silhouettes in the smoke.
She saw a shadow to her left and 636 grabbed the chakram from her back. She threw it at the shadow and it split in two. When her blade came back to her it was covered in blood. She didn’t have time to think about the person she had just killed because a bullet pierced her bicep.
She had deactivated her ability in the chaos when the shots had stopped and was caught off guard when someone managed to get a hit in. Another guard jumped in from behind and tried to whack 636 with a batton. She instinctivly ducked and when the man tried to attack her again she bawled her fist and crushed him with her power.
There was too much going on. The screaming and sirens. The smoke and people attacking her. 636’s heart was picking up speed and a bright light came out of nowhere. The light inpared her vision making it impossible for her to see.
Sharp objects broke her skin and the sensation of electricity soon followed. 636 held in cries of pain but collapsed on the floor. None of the guards let up and the pain did not stop. Eventually the light went off and Harver stepped forward.
“It’s great to see that my theory of overwhelming your senses was correct. I guess you didn’t train her as well as you thought you did Dr.Willow.” 636 turned her attention to the man in the corner.
Dr.Willow's eyes were wide as he stared at the scene in front of him. The doctor said nothing, not even acknowledging Harver when he spoke. 636 struggled to keep her eyes on him as her face was roughly shoved to the ground. Harver walked closer and held out the device from earlier.
“Keep her still.” He ordered and 636 increased her struggling despite the amount of pain she was in.
She knew she had to do something quickly. If she didn’t, she would no longer have any chance of escape. She would become a mindless puppet whose only purpose was to do their bidding. Nothing could be done once that device was on her neck.
As Harver’s hand came closer, 636 spit the blood that had gathered in her mouth at him. Harver gave her a look of pure disgust before yanking her head forward. He wore the smirk that had always made 636 want to crumble up into a ball and get as far away from him as possible.
“Don’t worry,” he said, “this is only going to hurt a little.” His left brow twitched slightly. Harver’s tell hadn’t changed since the last time 636 had seen him. He was still a pathological liar. “Will I ever be free of that thing?” 636 asked, referring to the Mind Syfer, as Harver had called it. She had barely managed to get a sentence out without screaming. The electric-emitting hooks from their weapon were still lodged in her back.
“No.” He replied with annoyance but he hadn’t lied. “Now hold still. This will all be over soon.”
Harver was only moments away from taking away her freewill and she started to panic. These people don’t deserve to have you. Seth had told her that all those years ago. She shouldn’t be here. Shouldn’t be their weapon. Their puppet. These people did not deserve the power that she possessed.
636 released all the energy that she had been bottling up for so long and blasted everyone away from her, crushing the bright light in the process.
She carefully pulled out the hooks by the wires dangling from her back and observed the scene in front of her.
636 had finally reached her breaking point.
Now that there was no longer anyone attacking her, she made the building crumble. Made it fold in on itself. The ceiling fell, landing on a few of the guards. 636 focused her attention on widening her range of power. She wanted the whole facility to fall. The whole area was flooded with her gold and blue light. Everything was collapsing and 636 waved her arms to direct the destruction away from her. The walls fell to her will. Guards were crushed by her power.
And the screams were getting quieter.
There were multiple floors above her, leading her to believe they were underground. She created a fixed point on the ground near her and everything came crashing down and gathered in that area. 636 looked up, hoping to see the sky but it was too dark, and too much dust and smoke surrounded her.
Harver’s voice screamed as he clutched his side and held onto a metal rod sticking out of the wall. “You’re a traitor 636. You betrayed humanity with this stunt.” He seethed while blood flooded through his teeth and down his chin.
“I can’t betray you if I was never on your side.” At that moment, Harver standing in front of her, barely alive, 636 wondered why she had been so afraid of him. He was only human. A weak man who craved power but didn’t know how to keep it.
“You-” 636 didn’t give the man enough time to finish as she directed her power at him and he cried out in pain. She walked over to him, stepping over debris and blood, and grabbed the man by the neck. “You took everything from me. Now I’m taking it back.” She whispered into his ear and then snapped his neck.
The loud cracking noise shouldn’t have given her pleasure but she relished the feeling of finally being rid of that psycho.
She let his body drop to the floor and turned to examine the destruction she had caused. The walls no longer stood and bits of the ceiling had fallen. A large pile of concrete and metal stood in the center of the room. Wires were hanging and occasionally zapping when they touched something as they swung. The hallways that used to be completely white were now covered in blood and dust. Hardly anything was left standing.
A cough came from what used to be the corner of the room and for the first time since the destruction started, 636 saw Dr.Willow. He was sitting against a slab on concrete and coughing up his own blood. 636 rushed to his side and searched for his injury. It didn’t take her long to spot the iron rod impaling his stomach.
636 tentatively reached her hand out as if to touch the wound but thought better of it. 636 listened to his weak heartbeat and held the doctor's head in her hands. Dr.Willow opened his heavy eyelids and smiled at her, teeth red from blood. “I’m proud of you.” His voice came out raspy and hoarse.
“Don’t speak. I’m going to get you out of here.” 636 told him but Dr.Willow shook his head. “I’m going to die.” He said calmly.
“You don’t know that. I can help you!” 636 pleaded but deep down she knew that he would not be walking out of here.
“I’m going to die.” He said again and looked at her. His eyes had lost focus and he struggled to keep them open. “I’m sorry.” He let out a heavy breath. “I’m sorry.” He said again and repeated it a few more times, each quieter than the last.
636 rested her forehead against his but refused to let tears fall. “I am too.” Dr.Willow was the closest thing to a father for her. She had always wanted him to walk out of here with her. Despite what he had done, he was always the person to show her kindness. He had been the only one to not look at her and see a monster.
“It hurts.” Dr.Willow grunted while trying to suppress his pain. 636 pulled back and watched as his breathing became more labored. She was immediately reminded of what Dr.Willow had told her the first day they met.
“Pain is just a reminder that you’re still alive.” She watched as blood flowed out of his wound and then looked back into his eyes. “Your pain will be over soon.” 636 placed a hand onto his chest, feeling his heart get weaker with each beat.
His eyes slowly closed and he gave her one last sad smile. “Thank you.” He whispered but she had no idea what he was thanking her for. So she just closed her eyes and listened. Until eventually 636 heard his heart beat for the last time. She felt a tear fall down her left cheek but quickly wiped it away. She would not cry for him.
636 pushed herself away and looked at him. Blood covered the majority of his torso and he had a faint smile on his lips.
His death didn’t feel like Harver’s. She felt no satisfaction from seeing his lifeless form.
She hadn’t wanted to cry for him, but no one ever really does get what they want.