Whatever was injected in her was a sort of serum that even her body was too tired to resist. It was too much of nothing and everything. In the midst of being transported, by once again the psychiatric duo, Amanda could only hear the words, lack of feelings, make it more painful, use the emotion, and so on and so forth. Words that did not mean anything to her at the moment, and yet, right now her subconscious now knew what it meant.
It was in Interrogation Block 12 where she woke up. On the other side of the one way mirror, she could see the faint silhouette of Glass and Wilkes, she was sure it was them. Blinking to get a better view, she stood up, and Amanda could feel angry, angry because she had been used so much that it hurt her, that it made her feel as if she was a threat to even herself, but before she could utter those words, a loud piercing sound echoed through her ears, that even the trained personnel was not able to save herself from the screeching sounds. Opening her eyes again, she was met with another sight, two words… Darcy Dancelli.
Amanda suddenly felt as if she was being choked inside out- he was there lying before her in a chair that looks similarly like the one she had sat down on before, the psychiatrists chair, a chair that literally held the insanity in a person. She probably was standing there for quite some time before she was awoken by a murmur, “Ai—” it started before the head lolled to the side and the eyes were, if she was right almost smiling. “Amanda.” Darcy croaked, smiling. “Whe-where am I? I’m not in trouble again right?” he said weak and yet trusting.
Amanda tilted her head, more in thought of what to do. Such emotions ran through her that she didn’t understand. Didn’t Dancelli just want to die somehow? Hadn’t he expressed the desire to kill himself? The handler wondered about this, and in an almost angel like quality, Amanda walked over to the boy and placed her hands on top of his head, soothing, before pressing one single button, that ended his fate, just like that.
….
Ten seconds counted again in her head.
….
In ten seconds, the boy woke up with such a start that the whole of Division would have woken up if the walls were not so soundproof. “What the fuck?!” he cried, more of a question that an exclamation. “Why the- how- Amanda what is that fuck?” he said his eyes wide, and this time his body was moving, jerking, as if wanting to get out of the chair but with so many restraints on him, it was impossible. “I— I swear Amanda, I saw the light, I saw it, and then, it was gone and then I was here!” The recruit would have touched his body just to check if he really was alive. “Oh my god, I thought I died!” he said as if chuckling after the barrage of words and surprised had left him.
"You did die.." the handler said without pause. "But you are here again alive…" just before the boy could say anything again, Amanda had already locked her fingers on his jaw and opened, them, letting him take a big gulp on a sickly green liquid, for another ten seconds, the boy stopped, gurgled, trashed, cried, and fell unconscious, another ten seconds and he awoke.
This time her eyes were met with eyes of fear, cowering, afraid, unsure, terrified. “What -” he croaked again, the liquid as if burning his insides. “What the fuck is happening Amanda? What, what was that?” His question was met with another this time, numerous cuts burned through his body as the chair released tiny robots that cut through his skin as it walked over it. The recruit was crying again, moving around to try and throw off the little bugs that were attached to him with no avail.
"Godamnit Amanda!" he said, and both recruit and handler looked down at the deep red gashed that seemed to eat through his skin until the bones were almost seen. The interrogation room was never met with this kind of scream until now. "Wha- what -have… have I done to— to de —de serve this?!" said his words filled with anguish and despair, "Amanda, help- help me?" he cried out his body wracking in pain and his hear literally bleeding until he blacked out. Whether with blood loss or his own body getting tired.
Ten seconds rang again, and once again the boy woke up, his cuts magically now scars. “Please no more, Amanda… please… I’ I’m sorry for what I did, or what i’ve done, oh my god, what was that? Please, I don’t know.. is this some lesson you want to teach me, goddamnit, please.. I don’t.. just, just kill me already!!!” the shout said, a mix of betrayal, hurt and anger in the boys eyes that battled with her own.
The handler tilted her head as she listened to the boy’s words, and when she was satisfied he would stop she spoke. “But… I did kill, you and I will, again and again.” his eyes grew wide, wider that it could have been. “Wasn’t this you plan all along Mr. Dancelli?” she said without preamble, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Haven’t you always wanted to die?" she let those cruel words sink in… hook, line and sink him, "Now I’m giving you the chance, again and again and again."
The fate of Darcy Dancelli was unknown that day, but Interrogation Block 12, was never used by anyone else.
"Raoul, she does not take -." Liane Glass started as she flicked her finger on a syringe that contained a shiny- yet dark orange color. "Yes she does Liane, did you see how she reacted with the Patterson recruit?" he asked as he sat on his chair looking at how his colleague of sorts, Liane Glass would toy with their new experiment. "Why do we not just let her kill them all in one go?" The older man asked. Liane looked back at him with a haughty look and a roll of her eyes. "Fine, for this round we’ll see, have you made your own serum yet?" The older man stood up and went on the other side of the unconscious handler. "As a matter of fact- yes." he said with a smile that showed his teeth and ye did not reach his ears. A smile that would have chilled the hottest of blood.
With a syringe darted to the side of her neck, Amanda suddenly woke up. Disoriented but once again standing. “Good Evening Ms. Magnus.” the curt voice said. “Have you had a good sleep?” The handler nodded, taking in the words. “Very well. If you are all set for your next assignment, please proceed outside where your pet, Doyle, will be giving the necessary instructions.” With those words, the handler did not blink, she just walked towards the doorways that opened automatically for her, as there once again was Doyle with a table, waiting.
Amanda had left the doors, her mind was clear and her conscience was shut in a box as she felt nothing, and saw nothing but the task she was set to do. On the tablet was once again a name and a room number.
Rachel Berkley - Cell Number 1
The handler did not remember much as she walked down the hallway from where she had also committed her mission, a mission that placed in her body and mind forcefully. All she knew right now was that it was to eliminate the person who was in her task. With unflinching eyes, and yet a relaxed posture, she made her way into Cell Number 1, the smell of acid that should have been burning was miraculously gone and standing crucified on the wall directly in front of her was Rachel Berkley.
Just before the door closed, quick running steps reached her ears “Aman—- uh- Magnus!” Doyle said as he ran carrying a box. “Dr. Glass said I should give you this.” he continued as he placed a box in between both of them. The handler looked at the guard’s eyes and took the box with one hand - the other? It went straight towards his gut. “Magnus.That’s the only term you will call me.” she said, her whole personality clinical, apart from the eyes wherein an icy storm weaved through their blue tint.
For some reason, even if she had never seen what the box contained, she had an inkling what it could be. Could it be because she still had her own thoughts intact? Despite the serum that was injected in her? Probably yes…
The door now firmly closed behind her, Amanda walked in front of the girl who’s eyes contained an anger same as her own, but this one, filled with emotion, this one filled with ice covered daggers as it pierced her, or rather, should have pierced her. “I should never have trusted you in the first place.” the words were spoken low, almost in a breaking quality. That once upon a time, Rachel was the girl who cared about her handler, almost the same way as the handler did. Now, all the apprehension the agent had during her graduation came back… her handler was just the monster she believed she was in Division.
True to the newest serum in her, Amanda did not care for words said and let the fully conscious yet bound girl to speak. The handler walked towards the crucified figure, wherein by the head, hands and feet were strategically placed containers where the items in the box could be placed. It was no surprise to when the handler opened, the box, it contained numerous little bombs that had a special detonator in them.
Even as the girl simmered in anger in front of her, Amanda need not need to say too many words. “Dr. Glass and Dr. Wilkes agree that you make such a find agent, Ms. Berkley.” the handler started. “These are all the bombs you had innovated while inside Division, many of which are creative and yet deliver the best performance… yet, Division can offer so little people to do this to, and with the recent knowledge of your relationship, the only way to let you go, is at least to acknowledge the job well done.” In a nutshell, the bombs were to be used on her and as smart as Rachel was, she knew that from the start.
Just as Amanda had placed the first set of bombs near the body, an electrocution bomb, that mimics the hurt of a tazer, Rachel refused to budge and let the effects wash over her. Strong as she was, she did not cry out. By the fourth set of bombs, Rachel had felt her bones were melting, her skin burning off and if she looked down, her blonde hair was already falling to the floor.
Finally, the last set of bombs were placed, Rachel’s eyes grew wide. “How did you—?” she started but Amanda cut in, “Dr. Glass saw your blueprints and found it fitting to finish this certain creation with their own twist. I have little idea what it does, but for certain, the best is saved for the last yes?” she said cordially before placing the bombs on the containers once again.
The agent feared for her life at this moment, that was the kind of bomb that should have not been made yet, that everything was just by plan. Just as Amanda had finished placing the bomb and turned to walk away, Rachel had already stopped the tears from flowing… and before the timer ticked down to zero, the agent was able to pierce the handler with words, that only the deepest of Amanda’s desires was able to hear.
"I trusted you..." Those were the last words from the agents mouth.
Despite the serum, despite the apathy, Amanda stood there, shocked still, until it was her turn again to be hit by another serum to the neck and black out… this time, the same heels clicked into her vision as it faded away.
"How many more do we have?" a woman’s voice said as it echoed throughout a room. "Three more" a man replied.
"I only have two more serums to use, her body is getting too used to it, what do you think we should do?" Liane Glass said as she moved around the room, looking at the unconscious handler who was not stirring in her sleep.
"The best thing we can do is use the same serum from Mr. Dancelli on the one we have next, not because Mr. Dancelli’s show was a failure, in fact it was one of the best I have seen, but because it did not make the experiment too tired in the end. Also, Mr. Dancelli has proved to have denied himself the permission of looking if others cared for him, as such we had ruled his death as suicide of sorts." Wilkes replied as if it was just as normal as checking his notes.
Liane walked towards the male doctor looking over his shoulder at the scribbled writing on his notebook. “Well,” the female replied, “I think I understand where you are going, this time, we’ll reverse it the other way around?” A quiet nod answered her and even she nodded on her own to think on how to proceed. “I think I have the perfect plan, call on Doyle to proceed with Interrogation Room 14, make sure that by tomorrow at nightfall, the whole area has been fixed to our liking. Let us let Ms. Magnus sleep for a little bit more.”
If it was any other normal day, Amanda’s body would have resisted the wake up call, for some reason, deep inside her psyche she was so tired that breathing became a chore. That was the case until she could hear Glass once again move around, the clicking of her heels no doubt voiced the displeasure in her face. Amanda didn’t have to look at her, she knew already.
"This is the same serum Ms. Magnus, just a little tweak from the last time. You know your duties, and whether you like them or not, well…" Glass shrugged with a chuckle, a tune that sent shivers down her spine… and then nothingness once again. "But don’t worry…" the psychiatrist’s voice was still ringing in her ears even as she only saw the darkness, "you won’t have to do a lot of things here, all you need to do is press a button, you will know what to say when it comes."
The handler was now standing up again… Interrogation Room 13, the same layout as when Dancelli had his final moments … but this time, the chair was different, it was void of the male recruit, and rather than knives, detonators, items that could physically kill, were only wires and suctions, just like a hospital would have during medical examinations. The handler idly wondered what they were for…
Soon enough, the door opened again and thrown inside by two burly guards was a sedated Emma Leigh Carick, that despite sedation was quick to punch, trash around and speak as if a wild animal on the loose. “Amanda! Hey!” she said when their eyes met, the agent’s eyes, half lighting up when they saw their handler “Tell these two fuckheads to let me go or I will punch em’ in the gut! You know I can!” She was strong-willed, but she was small, and in that sense physically weaker. It wasn’t long before Emma was strapped on the chair and the belts tightened to the maximum so she wouldn’t fall or destroy anything.
"Amanda?" a curious word, a tone that many of her recruits and agents had said before they met their fate. "Now, now Emma…" she smiled, "don’t worry, this is just a game, like a virtual game." the handler said softly, it was as if, Amanda thought she was back to who she was, kind, sweet, and yet inside there was blankness, as if she knew what to say and yet didn’t understand what she was saying and what she meant to do.
"Oh, ok, if you say so. Is it like a video game?" the agent asked. "I mean, I’m all for testing it, but the restraints are getting a bit uh, hurtful." The handler just nodded, "Yes just like a video game, virtual reality of sorts, oh and I’m sorry, it’s a prototype and we needed someone who would enjoy this, the restraints are just for safety purposes. Don’t worry." the soothing voice said as it placed the wiring and suction on the girl’s head, hands, feet and joints.
"Just relax… Ms. Carick." and just before Emma could retort in either confusion or whatever emotion regarding the use of her surname, the agent’s eyes went blank as her vision blurred. On one wall, directly in front of the two way mirror in the interrogation room, was a giant screen wherein the visions from what the agent saw with her eyes were projected on.
From Amanda’s view, the girl was smiling, as if having fun, and the screen on the wall was a testament to that. It was Jasper, or at least Amanda knew it was from the files and photos Division has given her. The screen showed moments in Emma’s point of view, and it seems Jasper was talking to her, memories of old passing through the screen.
The screen showed moments of friendship? Kinship? Things that were privy to their lives, scenes that had fun of sorts, danger… It was quick though, more like a preview, and then, Nathan showed up..
"Come on Nathan! Let’s do it, you need to have some fun!" Emma’s voice said, as she teasing with a reluctant Nathan in regards to stealing something around Division during the night. Whether this was true or not, Amanda did not know, but continued to watch the scene,"I don’t know Emma, the guards are pretty rowdy tonight,—" the boy replied, in which was answered by "You’re just afraid Nathan, if you’re sure you won’t don’t regret it when I have some fun and food!" the girl teased again before turning the corridor. There was a view of the gray walls before a voice was heard and the scene turned to the left, it was Nathan, walking slowly on the floor so that he wouldn’t be seen. "Knew you’d come!" Emma smiled as she cocked her head.
It was a quick way to the pantry, quick, and yet dangerous as there were multiple times that they were almost caught, but just in time they were able to duck or move towards a different hallway. By the time the duo was stuffed with food, they made their way back to their rooms, blood pumped up and faces flushed red with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. “Wasn’t that fun?” the girl said. “Told you it would be.” she continued, a few pants were heard. The boy shook his head with a smile also on his face, “Course it is, we’re good, but we need to be careful next time cau—” he wasn’t able to finish his sentence, as the next scene showed was a bullet through his brain. The screen, or from a perspective, Emma’s eyes saw a bullet his straight through Nathan’s head and moved sideward, piercing the inside until blood splattered on her. Emma fell down on her knees crying as she could hear a man shout.
"It’s your fault for his death, your fault that you had to bring him with your unnecessary wants, you should have died not him."
Just as ScreenEmma wanted to retort, and the real Emma was starting to trash uncomfortable on the chair, the screen went blank, and this time it was Cambria on the screen. Emma and Cambria were on the top of the latters apartment, watching the traffic from below while enjoying the autumn wind. “Emma!” Cambria called out “Don’t get too near the edge, Amanda wouldn’t be so happy with me if I let you fall!” Emma turned back to look at Cambria before rolling her eyes. “Of course I won’t fall, I’ve done this lots of time, come on Cambria! Have your legs dangle, it’s fun!” As fun as it was at least with ones heart pounding, the building was so high up it felt like the air pressure had changed, and yet it was exhilarating as well.
"I— I’m not sure Em…" the other agent "I think I’m good here." With another roll of her eyes, Emma jumped up from the ledge so she could drag Cambria towards her, at least that was the intent before she herself slipped, prompting Cambria to shout and run as fast as she could to grab the other girl and not fall to her death. "I got you Emma! Come on pull up!" the other girl’s eyes were afraid for a moment, but when the hand came, they easily got up and the fear was gone. "Oh my god that was fun!" she exclaimed as if it was the best adrenaline rush she had ever had. Emma couldn’t help but jump up and look at how far that would have been "That was so cool, I didn’t understa-" once again she was cut off from her words when beside her, a body started to fall.
Emma was only able to grab Cambria’s sleeve. “No, no no no Cambria get up! Come on!” she said frantic. “You weren’t supposed to fall! Come on!” but as small as Emma was, she was weak, and no amount of adrenaline rush could have given her the strength the pull a full grown body from such a height. Eerily though, Cambria wasn’t shouting, but she looked at Emma as if wondering.
"Isn’t this what you wanted Emma? Fun?" With that… Emma’s fingers finally slipped and the body of her best friend fell uncountable stories below.
In the real world, Emma was already sweating, her heart rate was already at such a dangerous level, and her words that were muttered held little sense. “Oh my god/ I’m sorry/ No,/ It wasn’t / It’s an accident / Cambria!/ Jesus, no!/ My fault/ Oh god… /”
Different scenarios then flashed through the screen, Amanda and Emma jumping from Air Force regulated planes, both wearing parachutes before jumping out, and suddenly, she didn’t have a parachute anymore! But ScreenEmma was enjoying the fun and exhilaration with the addition of the wind on her hair, the shouts of her handler almost non-existent. At least that was until ScreenEmma was smacked on the face with a handle- a parachute handle? “Pull it!” she heard her Handler say “Pull it goddamnit!” and pull she did, safe from being flatten from such a height, enjoying more of the fresh air and delicious sensation. At least that was the case until she dropped safely on the ground and the only one she was with was a body of her handler on the ground, wherein there were more broken bones than not.
A whisper in the wind echoed in her ears. “I hope you had fun…” said the soothing, caring words, one she would never hear again.
Right now, the real Emma was crying, the blank screen in the room meaning that the girl wasn’t in her visual realm anymore. “Amanda, stop it, what is this? No.. Amanda, please, no more, I… I don’t know why I do that, it was for me, it wasn’t to hurt anyone, it was just for me, I didn’t.. I didn’t mean that they were … why were they, I should be… should be the one punished oh god…” words, so many words left the agents lips. Until, the screen went on again.
"Jonathan…" one word. Another life. Another chance. Then, they kissed. "Yohan, I told you this would be fine." she giggled from above him as they kissed again. It’s not like any one would know that fast." another giggle was heard as she was tackled to the bottom by Jonathan. "I know Em, I know. You were right." Another sweet kiss as their legs were tangled together. Even with the difference in their height and size they were perfect. They were one.
Jonathan was always the cautious one in their relationship, it took a big explosion and a swift kiss from her side before they could both seal their relationship with such passion. That they were always so careful before doing the deed that no one would know, that they wouldn’t be found out… “You sap, you were just scared about getting found out and you didn’t kiss me first.” she chuckled, and it was met with his own deep rumble. “I know, I know, stop teasing me.” he replied before he tickled her.
The real Emma was somehow smiling, a heat forming in her body, replacing the ice cold feeling of the recent deaths her vision show. Back to the screen, the voices were talking. “Oh Yohan…” she said “I’ll never do anything to destroy what we have. I promise.” The night was spent with passion, as much as it was, at least, until she woke up, the only one beside her was a bloody corpse and a note.
"His killchip has been activated. Romance is not allowed in Division. As you read this, you have five seconds, until it is your turn."
5… Jonathan was right, they should have been cautious
4… She shouldn’t have been so impulsive
3… It wasn’t their fault, it should have been hers…
2… Just hers, her own…
1…
The real Emma let out an ear piercing scream and her hand despite being restrained was now on top of her chest, she was heaving so hard, everything was so tiring, so lost…
"No… it was only just supposed to be… me" were the real Emma’s last words…
and then, nothing… her body had shut down completely, mind and heart.
"Liane? I think we’ve put too much into her." a male voice said as it moved the unconscious body on the chair, checking the statistics and watching the small automated movements that meant the mind and body were still functioning, even if unconscious. "Do not be absurd Ra-oul" came a female voice, sing song in it’s tune. "She has just had the two most relaxing deaths in which there were less of an emotion and even less physical work. Magnus just had to push a button and connect the right wires, say the right words. A perfect catalyst in the chain of events." she shrugged, thoroughly unfazed with the situation.
"This wasn’t what we ultimately planned Liane…" came the cautious tone once again before it was cut off. "No Raoul, it’s not, but this is the perfect plan, Amanda Magnus is not just the face that mostly everyone in Division trusts, she has the face that many of Washington, of the White House, of America and different parts of the world know, she is our ticket for whatever purpose she may serve." The voice was almost a cackle, as if the woman was losing her own sanity. "Hear me out Wilkes, this - this what we have, and what we have given her, is a gift. A perfect physical being who can entice anyone with her natural charm, and yet, we control her innermost thoughts, it will be nothing but a breeze for her to do all the work… Trust me."
And trust did Mr. Raoul Wilkes did do. “She is almost at her limit, we should finish the rest quickly…”
