Cybernetics
You can thank merisel_1 and cazcatharsis that I'm updating at all. I was sick so I've been sleeping for the last five days. I'm so sorry for the inconvinience *glares at them...and their author-poking stick*
This is a longer chapter than you're used to, but I had a lot of backstory to squeeze in. I'm sure you'll like it anyways ^^
Title: Cybernetics (chapter 41)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Past Barricade/OC
Summary: Repairs are made, new conflicts arise and some questions are answered [/vagueness]
Warnings: References to violence, rape, torture, language
Disclaimer: Transformers is not mine and neither is Dr. Tennenbaum (BioShock = WIN!!!)
Chapter 41: Again
“What do you think? Are those upgrades enough?” Ratchet sat back to admire his handiwork.
Natalie was now only 12% organic, as opposed to the original 43%. Her vocal cords had been severed, as well as her esophagus, so he’d had to give her a vocalizer. What had been left of her lungs had been replaced with a respirator, due to them being flooded with blood, and oddly enough that meant nearly all her blood vessels had to be replaced by tubing. Her heart had failed as well, lacking blood enough for it to function, so that had been replaced with a pump. Her processor also had to be replaced, and though that would make her memory a bit questionable, it wouldn’t wipe it completely as in a non-organic. Really, one thing led to another which led to another and everything but her brain and reproductive organs had been converted to Cybertronian.
“I think she could use a welding torch.” Wheeljack mused.
“Well, it’ll have to wait until we get back to base.” Ratchet stood up into his robot form and stretched.
With the assistance of Wheeljack as well as some surprisingly helpful S7 engineers, the work on Natalie hadn’t taken all together too long. It was approximately 6 hours and 20 minutes in to the planet’s solar cycle. The grass below them was sticky with dew, the sun was barely up past the horizon and as was true to the old folk saying, the sky was red with bloodshed from the previous night. Off in town Autobots were working to collect the dead, put out the remaining fires and work with local emergency response teams to help those in need. The humans were oddly cooperative, not that Ratchet was complaining.
Over by Natalie he watched as several S7 agents loaded her up on a stretcher and started taking her away. He moved to stop them, curious why Barricade was merely standing and watching, when Wheeljack put a hand on his shoulder.
“The humans are going to load her up on a chopper and take her back to base. They want to monitor her vitals along the way AND,” Wheeljack held up a hand to prevent Ratchet from protesting, “I approved it because I think you deserve a little time to relax before we get home; she’s going to be a handful the next few weeks. Just like a sparkling, now more than ever, she’ll have to get used to her new body.”
He nodded, watching as his charge was carried away. Something about how she was being taken seemed...off. He couldn’t wrap his processor around what it was though.
Before Ratchet really had a chance to think about it, he saw Jazz light up over Wheeljack’s shoulder and wave to someone in the distance. He turned, curious as to who it could be that had garnered his attention, when he saw Optimus and Ironhide come lumbering up the path leaning on one another for support and carrying a fair amount of scrap metal.
“Why’d ya even bother salvagin’ that slag? You know Ratchet can’t use it once it’s dented!” Jazz shouted over at them.
“I believe it is the thought that counts.” Prowl said, coming to stand beside him. Jazz shrugged and collapsed back down into the grass.
Ratchet didn’t stick around to watch Jazz smile up at his friend and pat his leg, “Nice strategizing, Prowler.”
“I try.”
Ironhide was forced to drop all the parts he was holding in order to catch Ratchet, pulling him close and stroking his arm. “Miss me?”
“Of course. Where were you?” He asked quietly, a little put off that Ironhide had never showed up all night.
“Ah...well, about that...” Ironhide shifted uncomfortably. Ratchet went to pull away and inspect his lover’s frame, knowing by the tone of his voice he was severely injured somewhere. ‘Hide held him fast though, not allowing him to pull back and survey the damage. “Listen, before you go and look, just remember that you love me and if ya kill me then- ...where are they taking Natalie?”
“Some S7 engineers are flying her back to base. She...got hit. Bad.” Ratchet replied.
“Ratchet,” Optimus put a hand on his shoulder. “If you sent her back with engineers, why are they dressed as special agents?”
Ratchet spun around in time to see several men dressed in all black carrying heavy weaponry lift the stretcher onto the S7 chopper. They were definitely not a medical team.
“I...I don’t know.” Ratchet watched as the chopper took off and flew away, a shiver running through him. Ironhide pulled him closer.
***
“How’s she lookin’ Doc?”
Nataile smiled. “How many times have we gone over this? It’s clearly a boy, Jeff.”
“Says you.” The Marine replied, smiling despite his losing argument. His wife rolled her eyes.
“You’re a nut job.”
“Yeah, but I’m your nut job.” He took her hand in his and caressed it lovingly.
“Alright, look. What’s this?” Natalie asked, mock condescending.
“That there’s a sonogram, ma’am.”
“Right, and this?”
“That’s my baby girl.”
“And this between her legs?”
“The umbilical cord, of course. I thought you were certified in medicine, Doc.”
“So did I.” Natalie crossed her arms. “Fine, she’s looking fine.”
“Oh now don’t encourage him Dr. Crossfire.” The woman on her exam table sighed in exasperation.
She laughed, patting the soldier on the shoulder as she walked past. “You’re just going to have to try again later Kennedy.”
“I can promise you that won’t be a problem doctor.” She heard him say.
“Jeff!”
“Not in the exam room!” Natalie scolded, closing the door behind her regardless. She heard Mrs. Kennedy squeal and then what she could only assume was a slap. Shaking her head, she continued outside. It was pleasantly warm. Not hot, not cold, but somewhere comfortable in between. It had rained considerably heavy amounts the last few days, so the sun break was well-received...even if it was disgustingly muddy outside. Steam rose from the ground, thick like mist under the sunshine.
Deciding that she was overdue for a cup of coffee, Natalie shoved her hands in the pockets of her lab coat and started toward the offices. She ran her fingers through her hair to smooth it back out after a slight breeze whispered through the wavy lengths, frowning at the awful squelching noise the mud made beneath her boots. Somewhere else on base she could hear the troops running some training exercises to keep them sharp as well as the beating of helicopter blades off in the distance, the sounds carried clearly by the cool winds.
The sounds were calming, reaffirming of the normal quality the day had taken on. She loved days like this, when the air was crisp and sun was bright. It made life seem more bearable, as if thinking became easier when the sky was clear.
As she walked, looking forward to that cup of coffee, the air raid alarm sounded. Natalie spun around, looking for the enemy and saw nothing. Then from behind came the sounds of the helicopter blades, and the sharp whistle of the rotors cutting through the air vertically as the chopper fell. She turned instinctually to see it and stood frozen in terror as it came down on top of her.
The mud seemed oddly warm as her body was pressed into it, and by the time she’d realized she couldn’t move and that the mud was warm because it was being mixed with her bodily fluids, she was already in shock and nearly unconscious from blood loss. The next thing she knew she was lying in an OR with nurses and doctors all around. Above her a kind looking woman gazed down on her in deep concentration, brown ringlets falling into her face from the loose up-do she’d apparently twisted them into. She rather carelessly jabbed a large needle full of thick orange...something into her neck. A freezing sensation accompanied the substance as it entered her blood stream, followed by pins and needles that stung like fire ant bites. A strangled cry escaped her, but the sound was ignored.
“Well doctor?” An aging man standing in the corner drew Natalie’s attention, though she continued to whimper softly as the freezing/stinging sensation spread to her chest. Her breathing became labored and she squeezed her eyes closed, praying quietly for death or an antidote.
“The first administration of the Metallisive showed immediate results of organic tissue molding with cybernetic implants,” Began the brown haired woman in a thick German accent. She fished around in her lab coat pocket and finally withdrew a cigarette. She lit up, took a drag and exhaled the smoke as she continued. “This dose should produce the results you require to continue your work with no further damage to the subject. However, she may eventually become resistant to it. At that point, you will need to advance to Metallisive compound two.” Here she paused, thoughtfully looking down at Natalie. She reached out to brush a strand of hair off her sweaty forehead. When she continued her cold professionalism was replaced with maternal kindness. “I wouldn’t advise doing that unless it becomes absolutely necessary though, it could damage her genetic make-up substantially.”
“Human experimentation yields many losses. One can never expect the prototype to be successful.” The aging man replied, cold where the woman had been warm. “I understand it may be hard to fight your feminine instincts, but you must not get attached to your experiments my dear.”
“I can assure you Otto, that will not be a problem. I have no trouble fighting my...’feminine instincts.’” She replied, taking another drag of her cigarette. With one last look at Natalie she went for the door. Just before walking out she paused to call over her shoulder, “Her anesthetic has worn off. I’d suggest putting her back under before she has a chance to gather her wits and register the fact that you don’t consider her anything but an experiment.”
Otto muttered under his breath as he approached her bedside. He turned a knob viciously off in her peripheral and flooded her senses with the sleeping gas.
When she woke up she was still screaming, reaching out to her mother as she cooed and murmured sweet reassurances.
“It’s just a storm Natalie. Nothing more than a storm.” She soothed, obliging her daughter’s request to be held.
“But mommy I’m so scared!” She exclaimed, burying her tear-stained face in her mother’s shoulder.
“Don’t you remember what you’re supposed to do when the storm scares you?”
“No...”
“You’re supposed to think about your favorite things! Like Maria, remember?!”
“Yeah.” She sniffled.
“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...come on, you remember. Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens...” She sang, rocking her little girl softly from side to side. “Brown paper packages tied up with strings...”
“...these are a few of my favorite things.” Natalie sang along softly, pressing her face against Barricade’s neck as he slowly rocked her.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just kiss me.” She pleaded.
His lips covered hers as his hands trailed up her arms to pin her wrists above her head. Natalie broke away and looked up at him, scared, not understanding.
“If you break for me, tell me something, they’ll give you to me as a reward. If you don’t, they’ll kill you. I can protect you from them, I just need one piece of information. Anything.” He tried reasoning with her, but her body was spent and broken and beaten and bloody and God, it hurt, it hurt so bad, but she had come this far and she would NOT give up.
“I...am loyal...to Optimus...Prime...” She wheezed. Natalie closed her eyes, waiting anxiously for the pain to come. “I am loyal to Optimus Prime. I am loyal to Optimus Prime.”
“Well, that’s good to know, but it won’t help you here.”
Natalie’s eyes snapped open at the familiar voice. The blurry world reeled around her, and her stomach contents struggled to find which way was up. Eventually they figured it out, but she managed to keep everything down. Despite the hot, feverish feelings that swept through her body, Natalie managed to pry her eyes open.
“Welcome back to the world of the living.” The German woman smiled. Her hair was down now, but she was still wearing a lab coat over her tea-length burgundy dress and she was still puffing on a cigarette.
“Who are you?” Natalie groaned, closing her eyes against the feeling of her head spinning.
“My name is Bridgette Tennenbaum. I was the lead geneticist working on you.” She explained, taking a long drag. She laughed bitterly as she exhaled. “Or at least I was.”
“You’re Dr. Tennenbaum?” Natalie cautiously opened her eyes and scoped out her surroundings. She was in an operating room, different from the one she remembered in her dreams. But it wasn’t just an OR, it was a high security OR, the kind with only one door that requires a keycard to open.
“I am. And you are Natalie Crossfire.” She nodded, leaning against the wall on the far side of the room. “I suppose you’re wondering why you’re here.”
In fact, Natalie wasn’t wondering why she was here. She was more concerned with finding out where “here” was and struggling to get her memories in order. Also, why she was strapped down to her hospital bed. Everything was still very muddled in her processor, and she was having trouble associating her feelings with their subjects. For example, the incredible anger and anxiety she felt. She couldn’t pin point a reason for the emotions or even what they were directed at, but she felt them strongly.
“I’d love to tell you, but I’m afraid we don’t have much time.” Tennenbaum took another drag, then walked over to Natalie. “To put it simply, Sector Seven wasn’t very impressed that you were allowed to escape with a Decepticon sympathizer. They view you as their property, a government experiment. You are a tool to them and they expected you to be watched more closely. They lied to your guardians and took ‘protective custody’ of you.”
“Decepticon sympathizer?”
“Yes. I believe you would know him as designation ‘Barricade.’”
“Barricade?” She closed her eyes, feeling a pang of recognition but not understanding it.
I can protect you from them, I just need one piece of information.
And there it was. That’s where the anger/anxiety was originating...or was that where it was directed?
“I don’t remember...I’m so confused.” Natalie moaned.
“Don’t strain yourself, you have much work to do yet.” Tennenbaum said. She reached down and began undoing the restraints that held Natalie in place. “You must escape this place.”
“What?” Her eyes widened as the doctor helped her to sit up.
She helped Natalie to her feet and handed her a pile of clothes. “If you do not, they will do unspeakable things to you and I will not be able to stop them. Now that your body has stopped rejecting your implants they have no use for me and I have no jurisdiction. It would seem I have done my job too well. But never mind that, it did not do to watch you suffer so, even if you were asleep for most of it.”
Tennenbaum assisted her in removing her hospital gown and sliding a green wrap dress over her head. After she’d helped her into some stockings and was slipping on some non-descript black heels, Natalie spoke. “I don’t think I can walk in these...I don’t think I can walk.”
“You will have to.” She replied, handing her patient a lab coat. “They were the only things I had time to grab. I’m sorry I couldn’t get you any undergarments, or anything warmer.”
“I’ve withstood Decepticon interrogation, I think I can deal with whatever they have to throw at me.” Natalie reasoned. “I don’t feel strong enough to make an escape attempt.”
“You must find the strength. They will brainwash you, inject you with mutagens...you must escape now, or you will never leave this place. Tomorrow you leave my care permanently to be put in the hands of bioengineers. To them you are a toy. An animal to be poked and prodded.”
Natalie felt dread wash through her. How was she supposed to escape undetected when she had no idea where they were or why?
Tennenbaum fished a key card and a fake ID out of her pocket. Natalie took them and briefly glanced at her false identity before stashing them in her own pockets. Apparently her name was Tony Killingsworth, and she was a medic.
“Will this keycard let me through any door?” She asked.
“Yes, it has the master code, but all you need to do is walk to the end of the hall, take the elevator up to level 2 and follow the hall through the medical wing until you get to the end. The room on your left will be vacant. Go out on the balcony and drop down to the ground level.” The geneticist explained. “Now, it’s about 9:30 so the building should be mostly empty but it’s not so late that you’ll draw suspicion.”
Natalie felt her pulse increase as she was led to the door.
“You said I was under your jurisdiction, won’t they guess that you set me free?”
“I intend to tell them the truth when they ask.” She replied.
“But, what will happen to you when they find out?”
“Fire me. Deport me back to Germany. Use me as their new guinea pig. Who knows?” She laughed a little and took another drag on her cigarette. “The way I see it, you and I are really the only family either of us has left and this is what family does for each other.” Here Tennenbaum reached out to run her fingers through Natalie’s hair. “You have become like a daughter to me.”
Her mother singing and stroking her hair gently, ”Silver-white winters that melt into spring, these are a few of my favorite things...”
Frenzy grabbing her by the hair, yanking her head to the side to expose her neck for Birkin to slide to knife through while the Decepticon dug a dagger in the space below her collar bone. Her awful scream, made a gurgle by the blood pouring from her useless throat. The taste of crimson copper in her mouth and on her hands as she sank to the ground, Barricade standing stoically before her watching....just watching.
Natalie gasped and blinked away her dizziness.
“Ready?” Tennenbaum asked, looking concerned.
“Y-yes.” Natalie tried to sound more sure than she felt.
“Take this.” The older woman handed her a stun gun, then spun her around and gently pushed her out the door. “Go now, before it’s too late.”
“Thank you.” As disoriented as she was, Natalie still wished to show her gratitude to her benefactor. She hesitated to leave. “You really think they’d force you to participate in their experiments if they found out you’d set me free?” She asked.
“It seems likely.” Tennenbaum shrugged. “Don’t worry about me dear, just get yourself out.”
There was a pause while Natalie thought and then, “My mother died when I was ten...I know I’ve only known you for about five minutes but...but I can’t let you do this.” She took a step back toward the German. “When security gets here, tell them I attacked you.”
That was all the warning Tennenbaum got before Natalie jammed the stun gun into her stomach and sent her reeling to the floor just before she hit the security alert switch outside the door.
Without a second glance backward Natalie made a mad dash down the hall toward the elevator, her heart thundering in her chest. She found a small alcove to hide in and wait until the security personnel made it out of the elevator and past her. When their backs were turned to her as they made their way to her room, she ran to the elevator and got inside just in time for the doors to close.
She pressed the button for level two and waited patiently for the lift to reach its destination. While it ascended a voice came on over the intercom saying, “Attention all staff members still present in compound A, SBE1 is making an escape attempt. Patient is African-American female, 5’8” with short brown hair and a medium build. Patient is armed and dangerous. Do not engage. Alert security immediately upon sighting her.
As the lift slowed and the doors opened Natalie felt her blood run cold when she saw there was a small group of doctors and nurses waiting for the elevator. There was a horrible moment when all they did was stand there and stare at each other. Then one of the nurses slowly reached for the intercom button and Natalie reached out a hand to stop her.
“Please...” She pleaded. The woman, a maternal-looking blond in her late 40’s gave her a sympathetic look and withdrew her hand. Natalie breathed a sigh of relief just seconds before the stout brunet beside the sympathetic blond nurse darted forward with lightening speed and pressed the button.
“Get security up to level 2 stat!”
Natalie didn’t think twice before clocking the woman (“You bitch!”), shoving the others aside and racing through the medical wing toward freedom.
This is a longer chapter than you're used to, but I had a lot of backstory to squeeze in. I'm sure you'll like it anyways ^^
Title: Cybernetics (chapter 41)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Past Barricade/OC
Summary: Repairs are made, new conflicts arise and some questions are answered [/vagueness]
Warnings: References to violence, rape, torture, language
Disclaimer: Transformers is not mine and neither is Dr. Tennenbaum (BioShock = WIN!!!)
Chapter 41: Again
“What do you think? Are those upgrades enough?” Ratchet sat back to admire his handiwork.
Natalie was now only 12% organic, as opposed to the original 43%. Her vocal cords had been severed, as well as her esophagus, so he’d had to give her a vocalizer. What had been left of her lungs had been replaced with a respirator, due to them being flooded with blood, and oddly enough that meant nearly all her blood vessels had to be replaced by tubing. Her heart had failed as well, lacking blood enough for it to function, so that had been replaced with a pump. Her processor also had to be replaced, and though that would make her memory a bit questionable, it wouldn’t wipe it completely as in a non-organic. Really, one thing led to another which led to another and everything but her brain and reproductive organs had been converted to Cybertronian.
“I think she could use a welding torch.” Wheeljack mused.
“Well, it’ll have to wait until we get back to base.” Ratchet stood up into his robot form and stretched.
With the assistance of Wheeljack as well as some surprisingly helpful S7 engineers, the work on Natalie hadn’t taken all together too long. It was approximately 6 hours and 20 minutes in to the planet’s solar cycle. The grass below them was sticky with dew, the sun was barely up past the horizon and as was true to the old folk saying, the sky was red with bloodshed from the previous night. Off in town Autobots were working to collect the dead, put out the remaining fires and work with local emergency response teams to help those in need. The humans were oddly cooperative, not that Ratchet was complaining.
Over by Natalie he watched as several S7 agents loaded her up on a stretcher and started taking her away. He moved to stop them, curious why Barricade was merely standing and watching, when Wheeljack put a hand on his shoulder.
“The humans are going to load her up on a chopper and take her back to base. They want to monitor her vitals along the way AND,” Wheeljack held up a hand to prevent Ratchet from protesting, “I approved it because I think you deserve a little time to relax before we get home; she’s going to be a handful the next few weeks. Just like a sparkling, now more than ever, she’ll have to get used to her new body.”
He nodded, watching as his charge was carried away. Something about how she was being taken seemed...off. He couldn’t wrap his processor around what it was though.
Before Ratchet really had a chance to think about it, he saw Jazz light up over Wheeljack’s shoulder and wave to someone in the distance. He turned, curious as to who it could be that had garnered his attention, when he saw Optimus and Ironhide come lumbering up the path leaning on one another for support and carrying a fair amount of scrap metal.
“Why’d ya even bother salvagin’ that slag? You know Ratchet can’t use it once it’s dented!” Jazz shouted over at them.
“I believe it is the thought that counts.” Prowl said, coming to stand beside him. Jazz shrugged and collapsed back down into the grass.
Ratchet didn’t stick around to watch Jazz smile up at his friend and pat his leg, “Nice strategizing, Prowler.”
“I try.”
Ironhide was forced to drop all the parts he was holding in order to catch Ratchet, pulling him close and stroking his arm. “Miss me?”
“Of course. Where were you?” He asked quietly, a little put off that Ironhide had never showed up all night.
“Ah...well, about that...” Ironhide shifted uncomfortably. Ratchet went to pull away and inspect his lover’s frame, knowing by the tone of his voice he was severely injured somewhere. ‘Hide held him fast though, not allowing him to pull back and survey the damage. “Listen, before you go and look, just remember that you love me and if ya kill me then- ...where are they taking Natalie?”
“Some S7 engineers are flying her back to base. She...got hit. Bad.” Ratchet replied.
“Ratchet,” Optimus put a hand on his shoulder. “If you sent her back with engineers, why are they dressed as special agents?”
Ratchet spun around in time to see several men dressed in all black carrying heavy weaponry lift the stretcher onto the S7 chopper. They were definitely not a medical team.
“I...I don’t know.” Ratchet watched as the chopper took off and flew away, a shiver running through him. Ironhide pulled him closer.
***
“How’s she lookin’ Doc?”
Nataile smiled. “How many times have we gone over this? It’s clearly a boy, Jeff.”
“Says you.” The Marine replied, smiling despite his losing argument. His wife rolled her eyes.
“You’re a nut job.”
“Yeah, but I’m your nut job.” He took her hand in his and caressed it lovingly.
“Alright, look. What’s this?” Natalie asked, mock condescending.
“That there’s a sonogram, ma’am.”
“Right, and this?”
“That’s my baby girl.”
“And this between her legs?”
“The umbilical cord, of course. I thought you were certified in medicine, Doc.”
“So did I.” Natalie crossed her arms. “Fine, she’s looking fine.”
“Oh now don’t encourage him Dr. Crossfire.” The woman on her exam table sighed in exasperation.
She laughed, patting the soldier on the shoulder as she walked past. “You’re just going to have to try again later Kennedy.”
“I can promise you that won’t be a problem doctor.” She heard him say.
“Jeff!”
“Not in the exam room!” Natalie scolded, closing the door behind her regardless. She heard Mrs. Kennedy squeal and then what she could only assume was a slap. Shaking her head, she continued outside. It was pleasantly warm. Not hot, not cold, but somewhere comfortable in between. It had rained considerably heavy amounts the last few days, so the sun break was well-received...even if it was disgustingly muddy outside. Steam rose from the ground, thick like mist under the sunshine.
Deciding that she was overdue for a cup of coffee, Natalie shoved her hands in the pockets of her lab coat and started toward the offices. She ran her fingers through her hair to smooth it back out after a slight breeze whispered through the wavy lengths, frowning at the awful squelching noise the mud made beneath her boots. Somewhere else on base she could hear the troops running some training exercises to keep them sharp as well as the beating of helicopter blades off in the distance, the sounds carried clearly by the cool winds.
The sounds were calming, reaffirming of the normal quality the day had taken on. She loved days like this, when the air was crisp and sun was bright. It made life seem more bearable, as if thinking became easier when the sky was clear.
As she walked, looking forward to that cup of coffee, the air raid alarm sounded. Natalie spun around, looking for the enemy and saw nothing. Then from behind came the sounds of the helicopter blades, and the sharp whistle of the rotors cutting through the air vertically as the chopper fell. She turned instinctually to see it and stood frozen in terror as it came down on top of her.
The mud seemed oddly warm as her body was pressed into it, and by the time she’d realized she couldn’t move and that the mud was warm because it was being mixed with her bodily fluids, she was already in shock and nearly unconscious from blood loss. The next thing she knew she was lying in an OR with nurses and doctors all around. Above her a kind looking woman gazed down on her in deep concentration, brown ringlets falling into her face from the loose up-do she’d apparently twisted them into. She rather carelessly jabbed a large needle full of thick orange...something into her neck. A freezing sensation accompanied the substance as it entered her blood stream, followed by pins and needles that stung like fire ant bites. A strangled cry escaped her, but the sound was ignored.
“Well doctor?” An aging man standing in the corner drew Natalie’s attention, though she continued to whimper softly as the freezing/stinging sensation spread to her chest. Her breathing became labored and she squeezed her eyes closed, praying quietly for death or an antidote.
“The first administration of the Metallisive showed immediate results of organic tissue molding with cybernetic implants,” Began the brown haired woman in a thick German accent. She fished around in her lab coat pocket and finally withdrew a cigarette. She lit up, took a drag and exhaled the smoke as she continued. “This dose should produce the results you require to continue your work with no further damage to the subject. However, she may eventually become resistant to it. At that point, you will need to advance to Metallisive compound two.” Here she paused, thoughtfully looking down at Natalie. She reached out to brush a strand of hair off her sweaty forehead. When she continued her cold professionalism was replaced with maternal kindness. “I wouldn’t advise doing that unless it becomes absolutely necessary though, it could damage her genetic make-up substantially.”
“Human experimentation yields many losses. One can never expect the prototype to be successful.” The aging man replied, cold where the woman had been warm. “I understand it may be hard to fight your feminine instincts, but you must not get attached to your experiments my dear.”
“I can assure you Otto, that will not be a problem. I have no trouble fighting my...’feminine instincts.’” She replied, taking another drag of her cigarette. With one last look at Natalie she went for the door. Just before walking out she paused to call over her shoulder, “Her anesthetic has worn off. I’d suggest putting her back under before she has a chance to gather her wits and register the fact that you don’t consider her anything but an experiment.”
Otto muttered under his breath as he approached her bedside. He turned a knob viciously off in her peripheral and flooded her senses with the sleeping gas.
When she woke up she was still screaming, reaching out to her mother as she cooed and murmured sweet reassurances.
“It’s just a storm Natalie. Nothing more than a storm.” She soothed, obliging her daughter’s request to be held.
“But mommy I’m so scared!” She exclaimed, burying her tear-stained face in her mother’s shoulder.
“Don’t you remember what you’re supposed to do when the storm scares you?”
“No...”
“You’re supposed to think about your favorite things! Like Maria, remember?!”
“Yeah.” She sniffled.
“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...come on, you remember. Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens...” She sang, rocking her little girl softly from side to side. “Brown paper packages tied up with strings...”
“...these are a few of my favorite things.” Natalie sang along softly, pressing her face against Barricade’s neck as he slowly rocked her.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just kiss me.” She pleaded.
His lips covered hers as his hands trailed up her arms to pin her wrists above her head. Natalie broke away and looked up at him, scared, not understanding.
“If you break for me, tell me something, they’ll give you to me as a reward. If you don’t, they’ll kill you. I can protect you from them, I just need one piece of information. Anything.” He tried reasoning with her, but her body was spent and broken and beaten and bloody and God, it hurt, it hurt so bad, but she had come this far and she would NOT give up.
“I...am loyal...to Optimus...Prime...” She wheezed. Natalie closed her eyes, waiting anxiously for the pain to come. “I am loyal to Optimus Prime. I am loyal to Optimus Prime.”
“Well, that’s good to know, but it won’t help you here.”
Natalie’s eyes snapped open at the familiar voice. The blurry world reeled around her, and her stomach contents struggled to find which way was up. Eventually they figured it out, but she managed to keep everything down. Despite the hot, feverish feelings that swept through her body, Natalie managed to pry her eyes open.
“Welcome back to the world of the living.” The German woman smiled. Her hair was down now, but she was still wearing a lab coat over her tea-length burgundy dress and she was still puffing on a cigarette.
“Who are you?” Natalie groaned, closing her eyes against the feeling of her head spinning.
“My name is Bridgette Tennenbaum. I was the lead geneticist working on you.” She explained, taking a long drag. She laughed bitterly as she exhaled. “Or at least I was.”
“You’re Dr. Tennenbaum?” Natalie cautiously opened her eyes and scoped out her surroundings. She was in an operating room, different from the one she remembered in her dreams. But it wasn’t just an OR, it was a high security OR, the kind with only one door that requires a keycard to open.
“I am. And you are Natalie Crossfire.” She nodded, leaning against the wall on the far side of the room. “I suppose you’re wondering why you’re here.”
In fact, Natalie wasn’t wondering why she was here. She was more concerned with finding out where “here” was and struggling to get her memories in order. Also, why she was strapped down to her hospital bed. Everything was still very muddled in her processor, and she was having trouble associating her feelings with their subjects. For example, the incredible anger and anxiety she felt. She couldn’t pin point a reason for the emotions or even what they were directed at, but she felt them strongly.
“I’d love to tell you, but I’m afraid we don’t have much time.” Tennenbaum took another drag, then walked over to Natalie. “To put it simply, Sector Seven wasn’t very impressed that you were allowed to escape with a Decepticon sympathizer. They view you as their property, a government experiment. You are a tool to them and they expected you to be watched more closely. They lied to your guardians and took ‘protective custody’ of you.”
“Decepticon sympathizer?”
“Yes. I believe you would know him as designation ‘Barricade.’”
“Barricade?” She closed her eyes, feeling a pang of recognition but not understanding it.
I can protect you from them, I just need one piece of information.
And there it was. That’s where the anger/anxiety was originating...or was that where it was directed?
“I don’t remember...I’m so confused.” Natalie moaned.
“Don’t strain yourself, you have much work to do yet.” Tennenbaum said. She reached down and began undoing the restraints that held Natalie in place. “You must escape this place.”
“What?” Her eyes widened as the doctor helped her to sit up.
She helped Natalie to her feet and handed her a pile of clothes. “If you do not, they will do unspeakable things to you and I will not be able to stop them. Now that your body has stopped rejecting your implants they have no use for me and I have no jurisdiction. It would seem I have done my job too well. But never mind that, it did not do to watch you suffer so, even if you were asleep for most of it.”
Tennenbaum assisted her in removing her hospital gown and sliding a green wrap dress over her head. After she’d helped her into some stockings and was slipping on some non-descript black heels, Natalie spoke. “I don’t think I can walk in these...I don’t think I can walk.”
“You will have to.” She replied, handing her patient a lab coat. “They were the only things I had time to grab. I’m sorry I couldn’t get you any undergarments, or anything warmer.”
“I’ve withstood Decepticon interrogation, I think I can deal with whatever they have to throw at me.” Natalie reasoned. “I don’t feel strong enough to make an escape attempt.”
“You must find the strength. They will brainwash you, inject you with mutagens...you must escape now, or you will never leave this place. Tomorrow you leave my care permanently to be put in the hands of bioengineers. To them you are a toy. An animal to be poked and prodded.”
Natalie felt dread wash through her. How was she supposed to escape undetected when she had no idea where they were or why?
Tennenbaum fished a key card and a fake ID out of her pocket. Natalie took them and briefly glanced at her false identity before stashing them in her own pockets. Apparently her name was Tony Killingsworth, and she was a medic.
“Will this keycard let me through any door?” She asked.
“Yes, it has the master code, but all you need to do is walk to the end of the hall, take the elevator up to level 2 and follow the hall through the medical wing until you get to the end. The room on your left will be vacant. Go out on the balcony and drop down to the ground level.” The geneticist explained. “Now, it’s about 9:30 so the building should be mostly empty but it’s not so late that you’ll draw suspicion.”
Natalie felt her pulse increase as she was led to the door.
“You said I was under your jurisdiction, won’t they guess that you set me free?”
“I intend to tell them the truth when they ask.” She replied.
“But, what will happen to you when they find out?”
“Fire me. Deport me back to Germany. Use me as their new guinea pig. Who knows?” She laughed a little and took another drag on her cigarette. “The way I see it, you and I are really the only family either of us has left and this is what family does for each other.” Here Tennenbaum reached out to run her fingers through Natalie’s hair. “You have become like a daughter to me.”
Her mother singing and stroking her hair gently, ”Silver-white winters that melt into spring, these are a few of my favorite things...”
Frenzy grabbing her by the hair, yanking her head to the side to expose her neck for Birkin to slide to knife through while the Decepticon dug a dagger in the space below her collar bone. Her awful scream, made a gurgle by the blood pouring from her useless throat. The taste of crimson copper in her mouth and on her hands as she sank to the ground, Barricade standing stoically before her watching....just watching.
Natalie gasped and blinked away her dizziness.
“Ready?” Tennenbaum asked, looking concerned.
“Y-yes.” Natalie tried to sound more sure than she felt.
“Take this.” The older woman handed her a stun gun, then spun her around and gently pushed her out the door. “Go now, before it’s too late.”
“Thank you.” As disoriented as she was, Natalie still wished to show her gratitude to her benefactor. She hesitated to leave. “You really think they’d force you to participate in their experiments if they found out you’d set me free?” She asked.
“It seems likely.” Tennenbaum shrugged. “Don’t worry about me dear, just get yourself out.”
There was a pause while Natalie thought and then, “My mother died when I was ten...I know I’ve only known you for about five minutes but...but I can’t let you do this.” She took a step back toward the German. “When security gets here, tell them I attacked you.”
That was all the warning Tennenbaum got before Natalie jammed the stun gun into her stomach and sent her reeling to the floor just before she hit the security alert switch outside the door.
Without a second glance backward Natalie made a mad dash down the hall toward the elevator, her heart thundering in her chest. She found a small alcove to hide in and wait until the security personnel made it out of the elevator and past her. When their backs were turned to her as they made their way to her room, she ran to the elevator and got inside just in time for the doors to close.
She pressed the button for level two and waited patiently for the lift to reach its destination. While it ascended a voice came on over the intercom saying, “Attention all staff members still present in compound A, SBE1 is making an escape attempt. Patient is African-American female, 5’8” with short brown hair and a medium build. Patient is armed and dangerous. Do not engage. Alert security immediately upon sighting her.
As the lift slowed and the doors opened Natalie felt her blood run cold when she saw there was a small group of doctors and nurses waiting for the elevator. There was a horrible moment when all they did was stand there and stare at each other. Then one of the nurses slowly reached for the intercom button and Natalie reached out a hand to stop her.
“Please...” She pleaded. The woman, a maternal-looking blond in her late 40’s gave her a sympathetic look and withdrew her hand. Natalie breathed a sigh of relief just seconds before the stout brunet beside the sympathetic blond nurse darted forward with lightening speed and pressed the button.
“Get security up to level 2 stat!”
Natalie didn’t think twice before clocking the woman (“You bitch!”), shoving the others aside and racing through the medical wing toward freedom.