A statement, hesitant. Wild eyes, the agent saw the scientist’s fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of an anomaly in the system. Scientific fear, something with a frantic despair. Few thing unnerved the agent more than a cold man’s fear.
“And the rumors are true?
The agent said it softly. As though the subject could hear the two men, even through the three inches of steel. Perhaps he could, the agent knew nothing of this creature. Something so pressing that the Bureau had sent its finest to collect the data. This set the agent to caution. Never had he went on a mundane job, not in ten years in the organization.
“Yes.” No hesitation.
“How certain can we be? We cannot afford any doubt.”
“Entirely. If there is one thing science has taught me... it is how to kill.” This one was said with relish, perhaps enjoying fond memories of torture and death. But then returned the fearful pallor. The next words were halting. “He... cannot die, this man... he can’t be killed.”
the agent gave cool regard, careful eyes to examine the scientist’s every thought. But all there was to see was fear. Fear and confusion.
“How thorough has the testing been?”
Now came up the clipboard. A shuffling of papers. Hands shaking; the scientist seemed unhappy to be looking over his own notes. Seeing again the thing that so deftly avoided logic. Knowledge was absolute, ignorance even more so.
“We began... in a gentle manner.” It was said to fill the creeping silence. Uncomfortable. But then came the proper sheet and the scientist paused. Petty attempt at drama; the agent was unfooled. “We did not want to kill the man if the rumors were untrue.”
“On July seventh of this year, we began with a powerful mix of sedatives to keep the subject quiet quiet. Then, after some discussion, at 2 p.m. we began the drawing of a lethal amount of blood. At no point did the patient awaken during the process, but at the end there had been no change in the vitals.”
“How much blood was removed from his body?” Not in doubt of the efficiency. Just curiousity. It was odd thinking such a mundane method could kill a man.
“At first we meant only to withdraw two and a half pints before monitoring for any signs that the subject’s internal homeostasis was unbalanced, but as we noticed no change... we took liberties.”
The agent said nothing. Stared at the scientist. Waited. Liberties was never a good indication. Always indicated sloppiness, cruelty.
“We took six pints. There was never any indication that the subject lacked the proper amount of necessary bodily fluid.”
“Interesting. And this was the only test?” Such an extreme amount of blood loss would indicate an extreme survivability. The Bureau would be satisfied.
There was a moment of surprise. The scientest gave the agent a wild look, a look of mixed amusement and disbelief. “Of course not, we had to be certain. We had to know the limits this patient could endure.”
Disgusting. It was a knee jerk reaction. The agent was never fond of the sociopathy that bled through science into society’s veins. It was atrocious, an affront to civil culture. His job, however, was to recieve the report in full. Both through the paper’s and the scientist’s words, so again the agent opted for silence.
“We have... performed numerous tests to measure the subject’s physiological rate of regeneration. After the incident with blood, we decided it’d be most efficient for a quick executionary technique. To cement such immortality in fact more than odd evolution.”
Another shuffle of papers, this one shorter. Still with shaking hands. Still the scientist writhed beneath the weight of his nervousness.
“Electrocution. Swift, of high voltage. No effect. Not even pain responses. Perhaps we had overdone the sedation however. It was several hours before the patient stirred. We began to believe the rate of regeneration exacted rest as it’s toll. We are still uncertain, even now, of that theory. After this we rotated through acts of drowning, lethal stabbings, and even on one occasion the application of a blender to the patient’s left hand. All wounds ended in a full regeneration in less than twenty minutes. The patient is beyond any percieved rate of cellular regrowth as of yet observed in nature or in labs.”
And there it was. Immortality. Not in those words, but the agent didn’t fear it. An immortal. Brought into custody under the influence of fifteen milligrams of elephant traquilizer. Two inch steel manacles pinning him to a wall. Trapped in a lightless box, walls thicker than a bomb shelter’s. An immortal kept as a pet, a specimen for torture.
It took a moment, as those thoughts settled in his mind, before the agent could speak. “Very... thorough. I will need the documents to return to the Bureau’s care.”
Hesitation. The scientist held the papers against his chest. “What about the patient? What will be done with him?”
It was a false worry, the agent knew beyond doubt there was ulterior motive behind the question.
“I imagine the Bureau has plans for him.” No commitment. The answer was undecided.
“May... I continue my investigations after you have left...?”
Again, disgust. This time righteous, this time angry. But still in control. An agent must never lose control. It was the motto and the law.
“Until ordered otherwise, refrain from such activities. Treat him as you would any other prisoner of war.”
“But... there is so much the patient could teach us?”
“The patient is a person. And will be treated as such. Desist your tortures until ordered to do otherwise, is that understood.” Now there was an edge, a punishment wordlessly promised for disobedience. The agent would allow nothing but loyalty to the regime.
“You don’t understand, you agents never do. We can learn things from this subject. Perhaps we could even learn-”
“If you ignore my command, you will learn what happens to those who defy our leader.”
It was as close as an agent could come to crossing the line. To invoke the promise of high command’s intervention. It was as dark as the agent had ever let himself become. And in its wake fell silence. And in the moments that followed, the scientist handed over clipboard, and the agent left.
