Reaper Sigma
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Chapter 6: Activated
Professor Duswin lead Adam down another hall to his next exercise.
"Now, Adam," he said. "We will now begin your speed and endurance training. We will see how fast you can run, and how long."
"Yes, professor," Adam answered.
They entered an enormous room, filled with weights and an Olympic-sized track. Other devices that caught Adam's eye were the components for a tazer, a generator, and several stun guns.
"Alright, we will now begin your training," the professor announced. "The first exercise is simple: run the mile-long course as fast as you can."
"Yes, professor," Adam said, right before sprinting off onto the track, running so fast that he would put a cheetah to shame. He kept low, and his feet seemed to almost fly, never touching the ground for more than a second. The professor watched, holding a timer he had started just in time. The runner finished shortly, slightly tired.
"Well done, Adam," Duswin congratulated. "Five minutes and twenty-six seconds. Now, we will move onto your endurance exercise."
The professor walked over to the nearby pile of equipment, dragging two metal braces out.
"We will, use these to see how you perform." Professor Duswin dropped both braces, clutching his back. "They really should have assistants do this. I'm too old for heavy lifting."
Adam picked up both braces, which seemed to go on his arms. He strapped both on, adjusting to the added weight. "I believe that you want me to run the course as long as I can while keeping these braces up, am I correct?"
Duswin nodded, plopping down against the wall. "Keep the same pace for as long as you can. Do not speed up, and, go."
He pressed a button on the timer. Adam ran back onto the track, keeping both arms in the air. It was as if he was pretending to be an airplane, which was humorous to the professor. But unlike the children that pretended to be planes, Adam kept running, and running. If any child could run around as long as him, they would make their mother collapse from exhaustion, Duswin thought, chuckling at the idea. The boy ran for almost an hour before stopping. He removed the braces, drenched in sweat. He was panting hard, which he shouldn't have been.
"Well," the professor said, getting up from the floor, "it seems that not all your programming has been activated. You could have gone much faster and much longer. Now follow me, we will activate the rest of your mind."
He walked out of the room, Adam following. Duswin walked down the corridor, leading his young accomplice into a section of the laboratory he had never even seen. No one else seemed to be around, and there was only one door, at the end of the hall. They reached it shortly, a chrome colored door that shone bright from the lights. The professor placed his hand on a pad and spoke clearly into a microphone.
"Edward Duswin," he stated. The door approved his identification, sliding into the side. Inside, however, was a large group of men wearing bulletproof suits and wielding machine guns, pistols, samurai swords, and grenade launchers. There were even anti-air missiles and about five mounted turrets.
"Identification, sir," one man asked. The professor complied, showing an I.D. to the man. "Very well, this way."
The man lead the professor and Adam across the room, the soldiers parting to create a clear path. He led them to another chrome door, this time with a camera and a speaker.
"Authorization, please," a feminine voice asked.
"You," the man said, pointing at Adam, "You have to answer."
Adam stepped up to the door. "I am HPP-F005, product of the Final section of the Human Protection Project. Adam, as other call me."
The door whirred, opening to reveal a small, nearly empty room. It was dimly lit, with only three lamps dangling from the ceiling. The only things inside of it were a metal chair and a metal helmet with various wires attached to it.
"Adam," the professor said, "You must go in alone now. Only the Highborn are permitted to enter this room. The others will be waiting for you.”
“Others?” the boy questioned. “Who are the others?”
“It’s us,” a gruff voice said. “All four Highborn are here.”
The voice was John’s, and he wasn’t alone. Three more Highborn stepped out of the shadows. Louise, Einstein, even Loki, who didn’t seem to have washed himself off since yesterday’s events. But he had his hair combed back, and Adam could see small bits of tan on his face. “Adam, if you would,” Louise said in his French accent.
Adam walked slowly into the room, towards the chair and the helmet sitting on it. The door closed behind him, and he reached where he was going. He stood in front of the glistening seat and the wired contraption. He looked back at the other four, unsure what to do.
“Put on the helmet,” John answered. “It’ll fully activate your programming.”
“But this is a very big decision,” Louise added. “You put on that helmet, you will eventually leave the laboratory.”
“The helmet will stimulate different sections of your mind,” Einstein explained. “There will be three phases of this operation, and when completed, you will be vigorously trained for military service. You may remove the helmet any time after the first phase. Removing the helmet before the completion of the first phase could result in major brain damage and possibly insanity.”
“Alright, Einstein,” Loki said. “Don’t go showing off that head of yours, it could burn out. Listen, Adam, you put on that helmet and complete the process, you probably won’t see anyone of us, Highborn or scientist, ever again. None of us have ever completed the process, that’s why none of us have left yet. So, what’ll it be?”
Adam looked at the others. These were others who were made for the same reason he was. They were, in a way, his family. He turned his gazed to the shining device sitting on the chair. It would change his life, for better or worse. The Highborn placed the helmet on his head and sat in the chair, awaiting activation.
The others looked downcast. They were losing a Highborn, something that hasn’t happened in any of their lives.
“Program activation process initiated,” said the same female voice at the door.
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