Prisoner 836

[untilyousubmit]

The Spire pulsed. Not audibly, though he perceived it as something like sound. A humming that rose and fell, unchanging and unending. It was as familiar to him as his own heartbeat. It pulsed, and the shards embedded within him pulsed in time with its power.

Not today. Lucien's searing anger had knocked him out of time--no, revealed how imperfect he had been. The pulsing in his head was fitful now, still sparking with pain. He had begged for mercy, but they both knew how meaningless those words were. His contrition was total, as was expected of him. There could be no other way. He would do everything that was necessary to correct his mistake.

And he would not show how much he hurt, as he made his way to the cell. Prisoner #836 was kept isolated from the prison proper. In the other cells, there were many others, restrained for many reasons. Dangerous but valuable individuals, who posed a threat to the Spire but could not yet be killed. Disobedient guards, left to wonder when they would next be dragged to the torture chamber by the more compliant ones. For some, he did not know the reason why they languished there, only that Lucien wished it.

And then there was Prisoner #836. 836 should have been so simple--he had captured many others like him. He knew something, and retrieving the information should have been simple. All the others had broken without the collar ever activating once.

But 836 was stubborn. At first, it simply seemed like insolence. So many claimed to not remember. He had left the matter to the torturers. He had so much else to attend to.

That had been a mistake. A careless one. Whatever slow progress had been made in retrieving 836's memories had been obliterated in an instant, when the man had been found outside his cell. 836 had been dragged to a new, isolated ward, but the damage was done. A failure he now suffered for.

The ward guards straightened up as he approached. "The new prisoner. Where is he?" If they heard how raw his voice was beneath the deep distortion, they showed no sign of it.

"This way, sir." Guard 427 led him through the twisting passages in silence toward... an open cell door.

He grabbed the 427 by the collar, blank white eyes staring into terrified blue. "Sound the alarm. Find him. And when you have done so--lock yourselves in empty cells. I will deal with you later." He gave the collar one last yank as he let go, sending the man tumbling to his knees. He was already striding away, the sharp sting of his failure burning deeper into him. He had to find 836. In this moment, nothing else mattered.

Comments

[circuitcontrol]

Luca knew he wasn't supposed to leave his cell. He knew what the consequences would be. Pain, disorientation, his knowledge slipping away with every step he took in the wrong direction. Their warnings had been clear, and the voice in his head right now was even clearer, demanding his obedience. But that wasn't enough to make him care.

There was only one thing Luca cared about, and that's what drove him forward now, feeling weaker but more determined with every step. His cell contained nothing. There wasn't anything to do in there. And they wanted his secrets, his work, without giving him a chance to complete it himself. No. He refused. He'd build it, look upon it with his own eyes, one more time, even if it killed him. The details of his invention were vague in his head, but he was sure that if he could only find somewhere quiet to work, he'd be able to figure it out.

He had no idea where he was. He turned a corner, and there was a force-field in his way. But the wall had a control panel, and he pulled it open without hesitation, and a few minutes later the force-field was gone. He kept going.

He giggled to himself, wondering if they even knew he was gone yet. It didn't matter. He was smarter than they were, and they needed him. And he wasn't planning on being helpful at all.