Chapitre 112: 32. Underneath My Clothes.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a nightmarish setting. The room stretched out before me like a vast hall, resembling a giant operating theater. The harsh fluorescent lights cast an eerie, sterile glow, intensifying the cold atmosphere.
Along one side of the room, rows of menacing devices, shed session devices, resembling shuttles or instruments of torture, were lined up. A massive table, serving as a control center, dominated one wall, while above it, an array of instruments with long stems and probes hung ominously from the ceiling. These instruments, without mercy, were used to torment Adam.
The other deranged subjects were confined in a small room to my left, but the door remained closed most of the time. As my targets, I sank my fangs into them, enduring excruciating pain. My fangs always carried a venomous poison ready to be delivered.
I was placed in a different section of this space, sheltered by movable walls, while the table I was bound to, made of cold, hard steel, served as my prison. The scientists had noticed my rapid healing and lack of mouth soreness, which only fueled their sadistic desire to subject me to further torture.
The experiments were cruel, driven by the determination of one scientist who happened to be the grandson of one of my creators. He sought to create another being like me, but his attempts resulted in caged creatures devoid of reason or consciousness, far from possessing my immortality.
Though I knew he would ultimately fail, these experiments had to be stopped. The victims had to be destroyed, and that scientist had to meet his demise. I had already killed five of these creatures, but there were still more awaiting slaughter. The sadistic specimen overseeing my torment was so impressed by my rage that it only spurred him to subject me to further cruelty.
I observed that they studied Adam meticulously, while Damon was treated as a plaything for a group of sadists who were curious about the shed session devices they had acquired. It was both amusing and unsettling to witness the hit-or-miss nature of their experiments on Damon. Adam, on the other hand, caught glimpses of my awakenings, but spent most of his time unconscious.
The boys made efforts to keep themselves sterile, ensuring their bump bags remained empty. However, these sadists were not satisfied, as they were fascinated by the concept of pregnancy and semen. And also bump, as they had heard of its various uses, but they had gotten no subject to produce any. They had found bags inside the boys, but spell and meticulous emptying made sure that there were none left.
Damon had cast a spell to conceal his magical symbol and chakras, as well as Adam's, but he had overlooked me, and these sadists took pleasure in toying with them, not truly comprehending their significance. To them, my chakras were merely a row of targets on my torso.
Once he discovered how electricity weakened me, he kept me under an electric current almost all the time. The harsh buzzing sound of the current filled the air, making it difficult to focus. He studied the effects of different drugs and the effects of metals, and he was now very impressed with how well I had always healed.
The room, dimly lit and filled with the acrid smell of chemicals, felt suffocating. It was several days, or weeks, and time did not matter. I sometimes was woken up with a jolt of adrenaline, my heart pounding in my chest. Damon and Adam, their faces etched with exhaustion, hovered over me, doing their best to help me heal. They fed me, washed me, and put me back to sleep, only for me to wake up being torn apart once again.
The pain was unbearable, my body a constant mess of agony. But I had to keep my composure, to appear stronger than I felt every time I woke up in that room. I told them everything I had noticed, sharing any information that could help us escape. I even managed to hide instruments in my body from time to time, hoping to use them as a last resort.
However, deep down, I had to accept that it was not me who would lead us out of this hellish place. It was Damon and Adam. I just hoped that they would hold on for as long as possible. As I gathered information about our location, I formulated a few plans in my mind, but thinking them through was a challenge amidst the constant torture and experimentation.
These sadists showed no mercy. I had no idea what this Polish guy was after. Was I merely a toy to be broken in his eyes? He poisoned my chakras, and Damon and Adam tirelessly repaired them each time. Every day, I gave Damon my strength, keeping my energy panels open to harvest as much power as possible, knowing that he would soon be strong enough to take action.
But my body was weak, a mere shell of what it once was, and I would be a burden. I needed to share my backup plan with Damon, even though it pained me to admit my own limitations. I had a few ideas, but convincing the guys to go along with them would be a challenge. The two men, thin as rails, with pale, worn-out faces, were reaching their breaking point, and I feared how much longer they could hold on.
When I regained consciousness in the patient room, I was greeted by Adam's urgent voice and the rush of adrenaline coursing through me. My heart pounded in my chest as I struggled to sit up, my mouth and stomach in need of soothing. Swishing substances around in my mouth was a necessary ritual, as the researchers were aware of my fear of the CPAP machine. Thankfully, there were no masks or oxygen apparatus in this room, unlike the torturous chamber I had been subjected to before.
My face bore the marks of burns. But Adam or Damon had applied a soothing dental substance to ease the pain. They helped me wash, knowing I was too weak to stand on my own, and then we proceeded to eat. Damon cradled me in his lap, tenderly feeding me, but despite their care, I felt my strength dwindling relentlessly. I could also see that my straps were already damaged, but I kept this fact to myself. I wasn't sure if they noticed, as they themselves appeared exhausted, thin, broken, and occasionally in pain. But my rage fueled Damon's endurance, and with each awakening, I could sense it growing stronger within him.
After finishing my meal, I mustered the strength to ask about our escape plan. "How's the escape plan? Is it almost time? I have a few ideas," I inquired.
Damon smiled reassuringly and replied, "Actually, baby, it is. Don't worry, we'll soon be ready to make our escape and get you to safety."
I had previously informed them that we were in Austria, high up on a mountaintop, with no apparent means of escape except for a treacherous descent down a steep mountainside. There was only one train with the wire going out of this place and it was too risky for us to try to go that way as we had no idea what was on the other end. So down this mountain, we weren't all the up but high enough, but there was a pretty decent route to go down. While they were capable of such a feat, I knew I couldn't manage it in my weakened state.
So, I revealed my backup plan to them. "Now, I'm too weak to make the descent, but I have a plan. Damon, you'll break my straps and carry me on your shoulders. Then, you can either sever my pinky or remove my heart, whichever is easier, and dispose of the rest of my body. That way, you'll have a small piece of me that starts to grow back quickly, allowing you to carry it down the slope effortlessly."
My voice remained steady as I spoke, the words flowing from my lips. "Another thing would be for both of you to transform into birds. I can take in any shape I can imagine, but can you? I've given you my powers, but it might be a bit tricky for you at first. If you could take the form of an eagle and carry a piece of me in your talons, we could travel down to our destination swiftly. Once we're there, I'll reveal a safe house in Austria. It's not under my real name, but one of my aliases. We'll go there and regroup with the Pack."
I glanced at Adam and saw the surprise in his eyes as he processed what I had just said. Shape-shifting was new to him.
Damon stared at me for a moment before speaking firmly. "That's not our plan. The safe house is fine, we'll go there. But I won't destroy your body. It's too risky without the straps to ensure your regeneration. You're not heavy enough to warrant the danger, my love."
He paused, his gaze unwavering, and continued, "We won't change into birds either. It would make us vulnerable to being shot down. I've noticed the lack of birds in this area, indicating they're being targeted. Instead, I'll carry you on my back, ensuring your safety. I'll give you a cocktail to put you in a deep, pain-free sleep before we leave. I'll do my best to keep your body in as a good condition as possible until we reach the safe house. I've already prepared dental substances, and we'll assess the situation as soon as we're out of here."
His tone was resolute, and I didn't dare argue with him. His eyes reflected his determination, always keenly aware of his surroundings. Damon then requested, "Show me the safe house, give me all the details. Do you have any sense of our current location and the path we should take?"
In my mind, I vividly showed him the breathtaking view. As I stood up, I took a few steps, causing damon to support me as I walked to the window. I pointed towards the distant mountains, their peaks piercing the sky.
"My guess is that we're north of Hohe Wilde," I said, my voice filled with certainty. "Look over there. You can see them. This must be Wildspitze."
Damon ventured into my mind, examining the geography for himself. Austria was a familiar place to me, the scent of adventure lingering in the air from all our world-saving missions. And I had done a hell of a lot of flea work here as well. I knew my way around these hoods, so to speak.
Turning my gaze towards both Adam and Damon, I revealed the location of our safe house. "It's in the Hallein district, a town called Kuchl. We go by the name Minnie Alderman."
I projected the image of my safe house from my memories. Both Adam and Damon carefully examined the images, nodding in approval.
"We don't have an active base in this part of Austria, making it the safest place for us," I explained. "If you go as tigers or snow leopards, it won't take you long to reach there. Tigers might be bigger and faster, perhaps a better option."
Damon turned to Adam and shared his thoughts. "The place where I tortured Mimi is on the other side of Austria. This safe house would have sufficed if we were closer. I had plenty of gear there too. But let's go to this safe house instead."
Adam agreed. "Our main house is also in the wrong direction. It's ironic that we have a castle and mansion here, ready-made, but they're on the wrong side of this damn country, and it's not even that big."
Damon grunted in agreement.
Damon approached me, guiding me back to bed and tucking me in. "Now, take another dose of velvet, rest, and let us take care of everything," he said gently.
I didn't resist. The warmth and safety enveloped me, a soothing balm for my tired and aching body. I reluctantly took the velvet, its taste resembling vinegar, causing me to grimace with each sip. But amidst the discomfort, I found solace in knowing we had a plan. With Damon by my side, stroking my hair, I allowed the velvet to take effect, lulling me into a deep sleep. Darkness embraced me, a sanctuary devoid of pain and exhaustion.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone