Chapter 17 #2
Dr. Mercer’s voice lowered. "We are counting on you, Vesperin. The Phoenix—I’m afraid he is far more powerful than the Blackfalls thought.
I am Dr. Latra’s replacement. He was the doctor in charge of the Phoenix’s conditioning after the…
massacre at Nova Zone 21. The Phoenix escaped and killed all the scientists, including the lead researchers on his modifications.
Luckily, we had copies of our research."
Rin’s skin felt clammy.
"Now, do not move too much. You will feel discomfort in your pelvic and lower abdominal region. If you stretch out or stand, the muscles will spasm involuntarily due to tissue trauma. I will be back for you tomorrow—with your adoptive parents. I’m sure they will be very happy to see how well you’ve recovered. "
Rin went in and out of sleep for what felt like an eternity. When the door hissed open again, she tried to sit up, but her stomach cramped, and she settled back against the pillow.
Dr. Mercer entered, followed by Tobias. They were both without their masks today. Tobias’s mouth was pinched in a thin line, his brown hair neatly cut.
Sabine and Talor followed, and the door hissed shut behind them.
Sabine wore a lab coat, and there were shadows beneath her eyes—yet her gaze was filled with triumph. Talor was silent beside her, black boots thudding heavily on the polished white floor.
Rin tried to glare, but could only manage a slight twitch to her bloodless lips.
Sabine smiled at Rin’s vulnerability. She spoke to Dr. Mercer, ignoring Rin. "She is healthy enough, then?"
"Yes, I removed the bandage an hour ago."
Rin barely recalled the woman coming in and taking off a thick, slightly bloodied bandage from her middle. The skin beneath was tender and swollen.
Sabine’s heels clicked on the spotless floor as she came to stand over Rin.
Rin breathed raggedly, eyes narrowing on her. The beeping of her heart increased.
Sabine’s voice dropped. "I finally have you—and my son. Together. And no one can find us now." She looked over her shoulder. "Leave us."
Dr. Mercer and Tobias left. Rin wanted to beg them to stay for some reason.
Talor stood by the door, a hand on a gun at his hip. He had a long, pale scratch on his face, almost cutting through his eye. That hadn’t been there the last time Rin had seen him.
"Do you know where we are?" Sabine didn’t wait for Rin to reply. "On a spaceship built by Celestis. I’m abandoning the Blackfall Industries name now. It has no use for us anymore—what we want to accomplish requires illegal means. Celestis is what the Celestials wish they could be."
With every word, Rin felt her hope die.
"Where is—are they… okay?" It was all she wanted to know. The answer would tell her whether she should give up.
"Your Soulbonds," Sabine sneered, "are alive. If you cooperate, they will stay that way."
They were alive. They were okay. Rin gave a choked sob.
Sabine reached out with long, pale fingers, placing her palm over Rin’s blanket-covered stomach. She pressed down. Rin winced.
"Did Dr. Mercer tell you about the procedure?"
Rin just stared at Sabine.
"Good. I told her to let me tell you. We had you sterilized."
Rin’s mouth fell open, drawing in a ragged breath. "What?"
"We had your reproductive system resected. Permanently. The invasive nature of the procedure worried Dr. Mercer when I first tasked her with it. Especially after the state Kiton found you in. Arson, really? I thought you were better than that, Vesperin. Your parents would be so ashamed. Those Soulbonds of yours—they’ve corrupted you. "
"Don’t—don’t dare talk about my parents," Rin managed, choked.
"Out of everything I just told you, that is what you focus on? They are long dead now. Probably on some other planet—or Earth—forced to endure the rebirth cycle. Doesn’t it make you angry?"
"Of course it… doesn’t." Rin coughed, then her brows furrowed as pain tugged at her abdomen. She tried to ignore why she hurt there, but oh god.
"I knew you would say that, Vesperin. Not many understand the weight of rebirth. The torture of it all. No matter. It is not your burden—not any longer. Nor is anything, except to keep the Phoenix in line."
Her head swam. It was all too much. "Kit? He’s here?"
"He is more than here. He is waiting for you."
"And if he doesn’t see you, he will find a way to kill us all," Talor added.
Rin felt so out of her depth, laid bare with them above her.
She had a fleeting thought—how many times had they stood above her inert form and performed experiments on her?
She hated being so vulnerable; the aches in her body did not allow her to move quickly, but nevertheless, she struggled to sit up, gasping from exertion. "Why did you… bring me… here?"
Sabine watched with an arched brow. When Rin was finally sitting up, one shaking hand braced behind her, she forced herself not to waver—but she felt the trembling of her limbs. She must look so weak.
Sabine smiled, and Rin felt the edges scrape against her raw Soul.
"You want to know why we brought you here—why I had Dr. Mercer sterilize you?"
"The experiments…" Rin started. "Is it because of my Stella?"
Sabine laughed sharply. It hurt Rin’s ears. "No, do not be so self-important, Vesperin. We are far past the point of experimenting on your Stella. I had you sterilized to ensure you won’t get pregnant."
Rin didn’t want to hear anymore. She knew whatever it was Sabine was going to say would hurt.
"We brought you here because we have a problem. Kiton is uncontrollable. We had hoped his conditioning would make him the perfect blank slate, to use however we wish. A weapon to fight the Rogues, but more so, to keep us safe. I never anticipated the Phoenix imprinting on his Soulbond. He only wants you. When you are mentioned, or a photo of you is shown to him, his neural activity spikes. It hit me then—if I cannot control him the way I wished to, I could use you. You are his… reward for good behavior. The concept of a whipping boy is founded in Earth’s history.
Give someone a person they care for, and let them become easily controlled.
They will do anything if it means keeping that person from harm.
If I cannot control the Phoenix, then I will give you to him.
If he does not want you to get hurt, he will do exactly as we say.
" Sabine’s eyes slid over Rin. "And he will get a reward out of it, too. "
"Y-you’re crazy." Rin’s hand found its way to her sore abdomen. She made herself touch firmly, as if to feel everything they’d done to her.
"Perhaps." Sabine stepped back, taking Talor’s hand. "Though it is far too late to do anything about that now. I will tell Kiton you are ready for him. He will be excited to see you."
Rage filled Rin—the likes of which she’d never felt before. Everything grew distant around her, as if she had stepped outside her body. She watched in a daze as Talor led Sabine away.
Rin felt a surge of strength, breaking through her narcotized haze. She had no weapon. Except… her hand tugged. The IV line was deep inside her inner wrist. Rin gripped it and yanked it out, barely feeling the pain. Red droplets of blood flecked on the white sheets.
Their backs were to her, deeming her no threat.
Rin all but fell off the bed, her bare feet silent on the cold floor.
Bent at the waist, she stumbled toward Sabine, holding up the IV needle, and she drew her trembling arm back.
With a low cry, Rin stabbed the needle in the back of Sabine’s shoulder.
She gasped in shock, turning with angered eyes to find Rin’s stumbling form.
Rin seethed. "You will not… use me anymore."
Talor started to step forward, but Sabine held him back.
She shoved Rin’s hand away, then reached up to yank the needle out.
She eyed the bloodied end, then tossed it to the ground.
Her hands trembled as she did so. It was barely a second that the needle had been in her.
Was it enough for whatever drugs they’d given Rin to take effect?
"You will pay for that, Vesperin. I would hurt Kiton in retribution for your actions, but there is only one whipping girl here."
Talor caught Sabine as she stumbled.
"Do not make this harder than it has to be," said Talor.
The door shut behind them, and Rin sank to her knees, head bowed as she stared at her reflection on the shiny, white floor. A singular tear dropped from her lashes, plinking to the ground, making her reflected form shimmer like a diamond.
The room was utterly dark, a stark contrast to the brightness before.
How did she get here?
Rin sat up, feeling a lot better. The last thing she remembered was… trying to stab Sabine. She’d collapsed onto the floor and cried. Had she fallen asleep, succumbed to terror and exhaustion?
The room was dark and moody, with low lighting.
The walls were a gleaming, metallic black.
Strips of lighting ran down the corners, like blue neon.
A glossy mirror was right across from her.
She saw her reflection in it. She looked awful.
Her white hair was a tangled mess, tumbling down her shoulders, while her skin was sallow, cheeks sunken, and dark hollows beneath her grey eyes.
The bed was tucked into a hollow of the wall. The whole space felt cozy, yet to Rin it felt like nothing more than a trap.
The mattress was soft beneath her as she slowly folded down the dark sheets and threw her legs over the side of the bed. She grew dizzy, so she closed her eyes to let it pass. It was only when her eyes were closed that she remembered everything Sabine had told her.
If…
If Rin killed herself, wouldn’t that be easier?
The thought was uncomfortable. Could she, if it truly came down to it? She was going to die anyway. She would just be speeding it up a little. She swallowed. Something pressed into her throat. It didn’t hurt, but it was there—uncomfortable.