Dioxide

'How does it feel to be different?' [Dioxide x Caits]

Felt like that was a good place to end Chapter 1!

Would you mind coming up with a cool title ([ h1 ])in your next post like what we did for 'Chapter 1 - Conformity and the Weird'? :D

'How does it feel to be different?' [Dioxide x Caits]

Big Boss stared Agent Caits down just as hard, not as shock of realization of her stark bravery, but as to observe every subtle, subliminal gesture, to find the bullshit that accompanied her speech.

Many Agents caved under the deplorable conditions of this line of work, and many fail to match their action to words when facing Big Boss. He did not even have to do anything remotely physical; incredible oratory, and the linguistic strategies of pragmatics play into his favour very well. He did not let down, because he did not have to.

‘Good. Then you will regard what we have accomplished today as a fruitful event.

We will always make progress. Those wretched rats will cooperate because we make them cooperate. We will watch them, record them, and dissect them, to get to the truth.

I have assembled 24 hour armed-guard duty to watch over Subject 30, effective immediately. He will not know a single taste of freedom because he does not deserve it. He is not an evolution of a higher order of man; he is a mutation, an outlier who deserves to be put in his place, and we will share his abilities for the good of all mankind.

You may leave.’

---

Even in the digital age, many organizations run the risk of storing vital information in cloud storage bases, allowing hackers and unofficial eyes to gain access to them given the skills of computer and software engineering. UNARM had the foresight and capacity to store both digital and hardcopy versions of information. People say that the White House is the most well-defended place on the planet, that is wrong; Logistics is, and for the right and wrong reasons.

There are rumours that Big Boss has written and read every single document that has ever moved around in UNARM, and that he remembers all of them – but even he has to supply factual data on printouts for his higher-ups. This is proof enough to know that such evidence exists, and therefore information on the previous Subjects’ disappearances.

Agent Dioxide knew that there was no way of getting more information from the Attendants without raising suspicion, but given the ridiculous bullshit that displayed itself just now, desperate times call for desperate measures – about as desperate as the security measures to keeping the information vault safe.

Deep underground, entrance and exit through one tunnel, security cameras, microphones, heavily reinforced doors only openable by daily changes to passcodes, and guard duty rotated on a weekly basis that involves Agents as well – the one positive that can be gained from being short-staffed in UNARM.

Getting into the vault is actually simpler than it can be explained: just a few steps. Only one of them was very hard: getting the passcode. The Agents don’t get them – the SRD staff do. Dr Baoning.

If UNARM cannot be taken down internally, then it has to be done from the outside world. Controversial information will be exposed: the existence of Anomalies, their illegal captures, the unethical abuse, and the – presumably – murdering of innocents. Everyone, including him, will be tried in court, but at least there will no longer be torturing and suffering.

Agent Dioxide had to go through every trusted connection he had within his department to figure out who was on guard-duty.

Agent Caits.

The moment he read that name, he rushed to her office and slipped a note under her door – this time as discreet as possible.

I’m breaking into the information vault and I need your help. Are you in?

File #45

End of Chapter 1

'How does it feel to be different?' [Dioxide x Caits]

Oh, and write up a report from Dr. Baoning on the next post! Bring some science and research into what happened during Cody's torture. As dark and uncomfortable it is, even for me, this sort of crap happens on a daily basis in real life.

Animal experimentation =/

'How does it feel to be different?' [Dioxide x Caits]

Just to let you know now, I'm not seeing a long future for Agent Dioxide.

'How does it feel to be different?' [Dioxide x Caits]

Very well-written!

Big Boss is a character I accidentally made, and I hope to develop on him just as well as the others.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall - spoilers!

'How does it feel to be different?' [Dioxide x Caits]

A group of large men had passed Agent Dioxide and Gershwin. With reluctant acknowledgement, he knew what was going to happen.

The ‘motivation’ team was a sinister but effective measure in quite literally getting the powers to work on the most bare, physical level. These heartless men get paid with benefits for their striking efficiencies in ’persuasion’ while some seemed to somewhat enjoy torturing defenceless victims. Agent Caits and Agent Dioxide have both had to call them in, orders from Big Boss. Hypocritical, heartless, immoral, but orders were orders.

…

Everything electric was going haywire around them. People rose from their chairs to look around. Crowds and busy men would stop dead in their tracks to observe what was going on. Some moved along as if they had experienced the like before. There was no need for confirmation; Gershwin knew:

‘Cody! Where’s Cody!?’

‘I… don’t know.’

‘What do you mean “you don’t know”? What are you people doing to him?

‘You… can’t help him.’

‘You people are monsters!’

Gershwin had to go find him, save him, stop whatever was happening to him. Even now, far away from their floor, the whole building seemed to vibrate, echoing Cody’s screams of pain. She jolted to the side, hoping to run past Agent Dioxide.

Agent Dioxide caught her by the arm, holding her back while he pulled out a case. With his one free hand, he deftly opened its lid to pull out a fabric, coated with chloroform. Anaesthesia via needle was avoided to prevent her abilities activating. He had always taken this precaution ever since caretaker duty. If he were to let her go, she would be shot down on sight by the motivation team, where upon she would come back from the dead and kill literally everyone here. This was for her own good.

Gershwin had been pulling on her arm, struggling effortless to break free, when a fabric came covering her mouth and nose. Her exertion exhausted her, and her heavy respiration led to huge inhalation. Soon, she passed out, taken back to Cell 29. She will not wake for another few hours. Everything’s going wrong.

‘Fucking hell…’

---

In Big Boss’ office

Date and Time: 10/03/2016 – 1000

Big Boss did not like having to ask people to sit down – precious seconds and neurons wasted for such a ridiculous gesture. Agent Caits knew to knock, enter, and sit immediately.

‘You are responsible for your Subject as Caretaker. So I am putting the blame on you for his escape. You are privileged to know that I have not decided to fire you on the basis on you having to email me on what to do.

I guess it can’t be helped – your performances and profile statistics were always so… mediocre. Five attempts to capture Subject 15, Six on Subject 16, and you failed to capture 14 and 17 yourself.

I am glad that it was tortured. Our surveillance cameras have learnt so much from him now. His wounds and scars may heal, but he will always know – that doubt in the back of his mind – that the pain will come back for him.’

Big Boss straightened himself in his chair, now facing Agent Caits. His towering, hulking frame hovering menacingly over her, his arms and chest foreboding an emanation of hidden, surging strength, and rested on his torso, a head donning a face unforgiving, yet methodical – furious, but collected.

‘I watched you watch him the entire duration. Did you enjoy the show? Did you feel sorry and pity for him – itching to stop the motivators? Do you not agree with our methods?

Where does your allegiance lie, Caitlynn Dashwin – to us, or them?’

'How does it feel to be different?' [Dioxide x Caits]

I hope that you don't mind that I move Agent Caits to be seated in the office immediately. Just for character's sake, Big Boss does not like having to ask people to sit down. :p

Also, I gave Agent Caits "a real name" - that should freak her out :p

'How does it feel to be different?' [Dioxide x Caits]

Gershwin awoke to the sound of Cody’s voice just faintly audible through the hard metal walls of their cells. It was early in the morning, and in the relative silence and desolation of the empty hallways, everything was louder than it was. Her sleep went unperturbed, and it was comforting that she did not wake to any of her nightmares – a moment of temporary solitude and dignity; she knew the dreams will come back. She did not look forward to them.

She waited for Agent Dioxide to open the door for her. He did not keep her waiting any longer than necessary. The two met under the doorway, and both watched the looks of Cody and Agent Caits – a concerned look on the latter, and the former donning an unreadable expression.

---

In Big Boss’ Office

Date and Time: 10/03/2016 – 0800

Big Boss understood that there was only so much that could be understood with blood of Subject 29 and Subject 30 – history and data analyses of previous Subjects confirmed this. It was time to move on to the next stage: to study the manifestation and processes of their abilities, they have to be activated. In other words, stimulation of a considerable kind has to be given. Live field tests, power displays, and ‘motivation'

From: Big Boss
To: Agent Caits

Do remember that you must come to my office to talk to me. I have important things to deal with, and you are responsible for your Subject’s actions.

Remove him from his current cell. Transfer him to Cell 50, where there is no scanner.

Contact the ‘motivation’ team – 8-men strong. Waterboard him.

File #44

'How does it feel to be different?' [Dioxide x Caits]

No act of defiance must go unpunished!

For this, you can write that he resisted, definitely, but ultimately he will have to succumb, be defeated, and suffer.

He should experience some pain, for story sake.

Dark story ooooooohhh

'How does it feel to be different?' [Dioxide x Caits]

Gershwin only nodded in reply, and watched back as intently as she was being watched. At this point for now there really was nothing to do. Even eating seemed like a chore compared to the grand scale of things such as figuring out who they were – who they really were, and why they warranted capture like this.

Even if their stay right now was not as bad, there was nothing that could hold them back in terms of what they could do to them.

She continued eating, only because she felt like she was forced to, under the scornful gaze of eyes immediately around her, and the digital through the invisible cameras. She showed cooperation out of cooperation sake: compliance to ensure not safety, but avoiding unnecessary harm.

To be frank, she wasn’t even sure if the people she’s come to know here are entirely trustworthy. There was a lot more to these people that meets the eye. But to keep her guard up the entire time would be unhealthy and impractical. Not to mention, it’s groundless to make the grandest of assumptions if the contradictions are present. Agent Dioxide, Agent Caits, and Cody… are the only people worth giving a damn in this place. Gershwin needed to make sure she got that.

Time had passed. It was time to return to their cells.

‘Big day tomorrow, I guess. …I’ll… see you.’