Looking around, I was filled with despair. I had been harboring the idea that I could somehow elude them and escape, but it became clear there was no way we were getting out of here.
Bruno took my elbow and escorted me to a door that was off to the right of the building.
“Bathroom,” he said shortly obviously not a man of many words.
I turned the knob and walked in. The small bathroom offered no means of escape, it was windowless and the ceiling seemed to be made of a solid single sheet of metal. It held a metal toilet in the corner and a metal sink by the door. I looked around for a few moments getting a feel of the space. Sighing in frustration after a few minutes, I gave up seeing no way to escape. I sat on the toilet and relieved my full bladder. When I was done, I washed my hands at the sink and took a moment to splash water on my face.
I heard a knock on the door; apparently I had used up my allotted time.
I opened the door finding Bruno waiting for me. “They want you by the machine over there.”
He obviously didn’t know what all of the machines were either.
“Why?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t get paid to ask questions.”
I scanned the room with my eyes trying to file away as much of the set up as I could. Except for the hallway that I had been escorted through, the only other door into the lab was the door that led to the bathroom. I at least now knew that there was only one way to get in and out of the lab.
I approached what I thought was an X-ray machine, but upon arrival, could tell it was like no other I had ever seen. It looked like most of the occupants of the room were readying the equipment. One was fiddling with a computer that was hooked up to the machine, while another adjusted the placement of the lab table underneath. The rest just stood there watching me approach.
“Sit on the table please,” Russo told me. I refused to think of him as Mark’s dad.
I sat on the table as they proceeded to attach wires to my collar bone and temples. They assisted me on lying down so that the wires wouldn’t pull free. Two of the assistants pulled arm restraints out and tried to attach them to my wrist. I pulled my arms back.
“No,” I said, near panic now. What could they possibly be doing to me that they needed to strap me down?
“Don’t be difficult. This test will be as hard as you make it. If you fight, it will only get worse.”
I shook my head no. With a sigh, Russo beckoned Bruno and his look alike over.
I sighed, reluctantly holding my arms out. The techs strapped them securely to the boards and then moved to my ankles. I wanted to protest, but knew it would do no good. Once they had my ankles securely attached, they moved up to my head and strapped it down to the board.
The straps cut painfully into my wrist and ankles.
“These hurt,” I said, but no one responded. “These hurt!” I said, louder this time.
“They’re not supposed to be comfortable, now be quiet.”
I laid there trying to hear what they were discussing.
“Is the other subject ready?” Russo asked. I figured he was talking about Mark, but I couldn’t believe he was referring to him as a subject. It seemed hard to believe that he shared the same DNA as Mark.
“Yes, we had to knock him out to get him into the containment room, but the camera is up and ready to record.”
“All right then, let’s get started. You need to make sure the sequence is right,” I heard an unfamiliar voice say.
Sequence? I thought, beginning to panic. What the heck did they have planned for me?
“Amanda, check the sensors on her temples.”
“Yes Mr. Russo,” Amanda said formally as if addressing an official. I could practically feel the hero worship emitting from her.
She carefully inspected each sensor as the other spectators stationed themselves on the far side of the machine where the control panel was. >I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out as I felt a sharp pain on the back of my head. I was out before my head hit the ground, and never saw the person who delivered the blow that knocked me unconscious.
Chapter 12
I woke slowly with my head pounding, feeling very disoriented. It was pitch black in my room as I opened my eyes. I reached over to turn on my bedroom lamp, but felt nothing but open space. Where was my lamp?