A fluorescent light flickered above Lili's head as she looked over a fire escape map posted on a cold white wall. She memorized the map completely and photographically, then continued on, calculating the distance in her head, faster than a computer. She continued at a nearly silent run on the balls of her feet, like a predator stalking its prey through a white washed world. There were only dead bodies left between her and the way out.
Harrison woke up in a sterile, yet somehow comfortable white room on a cot, beside which sat a toilet and a sink. A single door stood to his left, and a large mirror faced him head on. He sat up and looked back at his reflection. His hair had been shaved closer to his head than he normally wore it, but he smiled to see his improved visage.
Nothing was going to bring him down today. Harrison noticed he had been absentmindedly scratching his left forearm, and glanced down to see "HT96" emblazoned in bold black letters on his arm. He had never been one for tattoos, but he enjoyed his new rugged looks all the same.
The small redhead from earlier now bustled into the room, hurrying to bring in a metallic rolling cart with food and several vials with syringes laid beside them rattling as she pushed it across the tiled floor. She smiled gently and handed him the plate. "I just need to give you a few vitamins and such to keep you up and ready for testing today," she said as she began to draw serums into the needles. "What's your name?" Harrison asked softly.
She turned around and smiled again, "Kate," she said matter of factly. "I'm..." Harrison trailed off and looked down as if he had dropped something, "you know, I can't remember." Harrison chuckled to himself at the situation, then looked up at Kate's turned back. "It's okay, your name isn't important here," was all Kate replied as she filled another syringe with serum.
A dull throbbing sound began pulsating against the door, and Kate rose to attention immediately, crossing the small space between the cot and the door in seconds. The second the door opened, the blare of an alarm pierced the small space, echoing awfully against Harrison's ears.
A small figure in black flashed past the opened door, quickly followed by three men in white lab coats each sporting equipment with which to neutralize a threat. Harrison leapt to his feet to witness the action outside, he stood behind Kate in time to watch a small girl crumple to the ground, a small dart protruding from her neck as she curled into a ball.
Harrison pushed past Kate and ran ahead of the three men to reach the girl's form on the cold floor. The men began to approach, but the one in the middle held the other two back while quickly pulling out a small notebook and pen. Harrison pulled the girl's body into his arms, checking her over for any other signs of injury, then pulled the dart from her neck gently.
She was beautiful, tragically gorgeous, he thought as she lay in his arms, as if in a deep and wonderful sleep. He stood up, her weight comfortable against his arms, and walked towards the three scientists, "where would you like her to rest?" Harrison inquired, and the men guided him down the halls to a room exactly like his.
He laid her down on her own cot gently, brushing her hair from her face, he looked back at the man with the notebook. "Can I see her again?" Harrison asked, his brown eyes blending with green as he looked into the man's face. The man scribbled this change in Harrison down on the pad, "yes, you can," was his reply as he motioned for Harrison to follow him out and back to his own room. Harrison memorized the way back to his room, he wanted the option to go back even if he wasn't given the amount of time with her that he wanted.
Once Harrison had left, the other two men moved in on Lili and strapped her back down to the cot. She was deemed a danger to herself and others, and until she was awake enough for testing, she was to be monitored closely. Over the next few hours, several changes were made to her room, bars were placed across her mirror, a cage was put over the door, and a slot was installed through which food was to pass.
This threw a wrench in the overall plan for the experiment, for the two subjects needed to have the exact same treatment in order to prove if nature or nurture is the true culprit.
