I didn’t wake up to a pleasant sight. In fact, what I saw was fucking freaky. I dangled naked from wires like a marionette in a tank of what felt like seawater, only thicker, more like I imagined the Dead Sea to be like. Not that I’ve been there, but I have a pretty decent imagination, and I’ve seen photos on Facebook. At least it wasn’t cold, more tepid than anything else, so that was something to be grateful for. The breathing tube shoved down my throat, and the mask clamped over the bottom half of my face was another matter altogether.

Tubes stuck in my arms and legs. The whole thing was reminiscent of that scene out of The Matrix when Neo wakes up after taking the red pill. I had a whole new appreciation for that scene. Actually no, it was more like that scene in Starship Troopers when Casper van Dien wakes up in that tank after being sliced and diced by some or other weird alien. It was definitely more like that. It’s strange what floats through your mind during those high panic situations.

So you can understand why it took a few moments for me to notice the weird little spider-robot thing that was doing something to my damaged arm. It looked to be rebuilding the nerves and damaged tissue. It had these tiny pincers for arms at the front of its body, and a miniature laser thing mounted on its head. It was actually quite cute and fascinating to watch it work. I almost forgot how incredibly uncomfortable I was, suspended, and nude in a water tank with an audience.

Doctor Mannheim, Von Zimmer, and a soldier who seemed vaguely familiar stood around the tank. They simply stared in fascination. They weren’t looking at me in a way that I was used to. I can handle a man undressing me with his eyes and lusting after me. I’m used to that. But I have never felt like a science experiment. I have to say, I did not enjoy the experience. The way those three men watched me was anything but empowering. I wanted to curl up and hide in a dark corner like a cockroach.

When the robot finished the last of its repair work, it scampered up the glass and disappeared through a hatch I hadn’t noticed before. I heard a loud thunk, and all the water rushed down what looked like an unplugged bath drain, and I was dropped on my arse like a puppet whose strings have been cut.

I really wanted to punch that self-congratulating smile off that fucking old Doctor’s face.

But I couldn’t.

I had a feeling I was going to need that crazy old man a lot in the near future. The excitement on Von Zimmer’s face told me as much.

I was so beyond fucked.

*

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