Lab Rats

****

Being a lab rat means being subjected to experimental research. I can't believe that there are still some cruel humans out there who are willingly ready to use a fellow human being as lab rats for their own personal and selfish gain.

****

I suddenly woke up in a strange room. Everything was blurry but I could smell the mixture of different chemicals and this made me sick.

I tried to stand up but noticed I couldn't move because my legs and arms were bound to some kind of metal elongated chair.

I also noticed that there was also something like a helmet on my head but unlike usual helmets, this one has lots of wires attached to it and there was a bright light above me like the ones in surgical rooms.

What does these guys want with me?
Could Ric and the rest people who were kidnapped be here?

Different thoughts kept running through my mind. I was very restless and needed to find a way out of this hellhole and if possible find and get Ric and the rest.

I tried multiple times to free myself but it was just pointless as it looked like something that can be only opened remotely.

****

After staring at the light above me for almost thirty minutes, I started becoming dizzy then suddenly the some people in lab coats came into the room.

One of them started moving towards me with a syringe in his hands.

"don't use that syringe on me. What do you want from me? Where is this place" I kept screaming but the man didn't even budge. He just walked up to me and extracted blood from me.

****

The extraction blood and other test continued for three consecutive days.
God knows all what they had done to me.

The pain in my body was unbearable, I mean I haven't moved for almost four days now and I was not the type to stay in one place for too long.
The multiple needles that has pierced through my skin made feel the pain even more.

****

The next day, some men in ski mask came into the room. It seemed like I was being moved to another location

The metal chair was rolled out of the room into a huge van.
After they locked up the door of the van I noticed that I was not the only one present here.

Cody, Cassy, Adrian, Ric and surprisingly Jimmy was also present there bounded up just like me.

I was really happy to see Ric was alright though we were not in the best of positions but at least we were still breathing.

It is said that when there is still breath, there is always hope.

As we were about moving, I overheard two voices discussing outside the van saying
First voice: from the experiments and test done so far, we got to know that their genes were mutated due to the research we were working on which caused the storm in Transville. The mutation transformed their fears, vulnerability and weakness into their greatest strength.
Second voice: what are the usefulness of those helmets?
First voice: they help to regulate their abilities so that they don't use it against us and try to escape.
Second voice: that's great!!! Now we will be able to create...

The van started moving. I wish I heard the last part of his statement.

"Ace are you alright" Ric asked from his chair by my right hand side.

"I'm fine what about you" I replied

"I'm alright also" he replied giving me am assuring smile.

"aren't you going to ask me if I'm fine" a voice by my left hand side said.

I turned my head to see Jimmy letting out a little smirk. I can't believe that he still find the time to be a jerk even in this situation.

"yeah I should have asked you but I guess you don't associate with clowns like me so why waste my time with an unimportant person and the irony is such that you didn't want to associate with me but now you are in the same van as I am, captured and bound to the same kind of chair. Guess that also makes you a clown" I said while giving him a sheepish smile.

His smirk soon turned into frown and this made me feel like I just won the greatest battle. It feels nice putting a jerk in his rightful place once in a while.

I could notice Ric laughing silently even if he wasn't looking at me.

*****

An hour had passed and the van finally stopped. It seems we have reached our destination.

Some men came into the van and started injecting us. Few seconds after the needle pieces through my skin, everything went dark.

****

When I woke after what seems to be like forever, I found out that I wasn't on the chair anymore neither was I still wearing that creepy helmet.

This time we were all in the same room but this room seemed to be different from the one we were. It had some kind of computerized walls and there was also something like a magnetic force preventing us from even touching the walls.

I guess they had it all planned out. Since they said we all have some kind of ability, we should find a way into channeling it to escape done this place.

I decided to speak with them and at least tell them what I have heard. At times like this, we should cooperate with each other and leave behind all our differences.

They were sitting down on the plastic chairs in the room and minding their own business as if they don't know each other.

To be honest, it seems like they just chose the worst of enemies and put them in the same room except Ric and I.

I finally summoned up the courage and started speaking, " I know non of u guys like each other and that also goes for me" I turned to Jimmy then continued "but this is not the time to show our hatred for each other but a time to work with each other in finding a way out of this place. I overheard them saying that they helmet was used to suppress our abilities which I believe most of you know about already. I also heard that our abilities varies according to what we fear most. This fears and weakness has become our greatest strength. Now what I need you all to do is tell what you fear the most so that we find out what your abilities are ".

After this long and tiring speech, it seemed that all were on board with my plan except Jimmy.

"there is no way I'm sharing my secrets with you guys" Jimmy said in a rather serious tone.

"then you should just sit there quietly like a sissy and a chicken that you are because you are too scared to man up and find a way out of this hellhole" Ric replied him.

Jimmy was really quiet after Ric had counter attacked him this made me feel he was in agreement with my plan.

I was the first to speak about my fears. I have always been afraid of electricity ever since I was four when I was almost electrocuted to death at my grand parents house so I guess mine has to do with electricity.

Up next was Ric. "ever since I was young, I have always kept to myself and not letting people know what was in my mind which made people never understand me"

Next was Cody. "my weak appearance had always made me vulnerable to bullies which made me sometimes wish I was invisible"

Then it was Cassy's turn. "I don't fear anything, it's just that ever since I was young, my step mum had always mad me do things against my wish which I hated"

Adrian spoke after Cassy was through. "though I claim to be tough, I am usually beaten up by my abusive dad. I wish I could summon up the courage to stand up to him one day".

Then it was finally Jimmy's turn to speak. To say the truth, I couldn't wait to hear what almighty Jimmy was scared of. " Well as you all know, I'm Jimmy Holland the son of the biggest businessman in the United States of America. Money isn't my problem but to say the truth no matter how hard I tried, I don't seem to be good at anything pertaining to education so I just use my money to cover up".

***

The room became quiet and it seemed like we all understand each other. The only thing remaining is to find how we can use our abilities and plan our escape.

We are finally at the end of this chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading.

Question for the chapter.
What do you think will be their individual abilities?