Who's the real Monsters?

Back in the vents I made a straight shot for Aunt Patty's office. She'd have a contingency plan for everyone here, including the Colonel himself. Sifting through the files I saw two with the name of Armstrong. Checking on Henry Armstrong III first to see if I can use him against the Colonel.

My eyes first landed on 'hormone therapy currently being taken by Inmate 1' then 'prefers to being called Hannah'. Looking to the picture on the file the face was near identical. It was Hannah from the Green area. Who has the power of super speed and can go through walls with the right amount of energy. Reading some more I saw that her mother's name is Rita Armstrong who is currently working as a board member for this institution. Father is Colonel Henry Armstrong II who is head of security.

Before I could look into other files my consciousness was slammed back into my body. The sound of the bell ringing in my ears told me why my search ended so quickly. Taking in a few deep breathes before stretches for the day I was careful not to look at the hidden cameras. No matter how many hours I supposedly had of sleep my muscles always ached from being stiff and not enough sleep.

The sound of the breakfast bell ringing was replaced by banging on my door. Muffled voices calling my name told me there were human beings on the other side not my stalker from last night. Opening the door to see both Ed and Matt with a look of immense relief written across each of their faces hit me like a truck. I couldn't remember the last time someone looked at me so fondly. "Thank the Lord and all the angels in Heaven, you're alright", Matt said. Ed just smiled while letting out a heavy sigh. Looking at both of them carefully I could see bags begin to form under both their eyes. Having no idea how many hours of sleep either one of them had I asked, "Are you two ok?" They both nodded in response.

Taking a step out of the room both of them side stepped to let me through. Eric quickly wrapped his arms around me in a bear hug. Feeling myself stiffen he quickly said, "Sorry about the sudden touch, I'm just glad that you're ok." Before I could tap him on the back his arms dropped to their side. Matt signed to me Permission? With a shrug I replied, "Three second rule." He wrapped his arms around me before I could finish my sentence. By the time I reached 3 he had already let me go.

An awkward silence hung in the air as they both eyed me carefully. Unable to handle the silence I asked, "Anyone else hungry?" The look on their faces finally changed. We all walked down the hall to scan our bracelets at the door, the guys let me out first. There were already two guards waiting on the other side of the door. Waiting for Matt and Ed to come through my mind ran over the things I saw last night; Hannah is trans and a traitor, Ed has a twin brother named Eric, Eric is in the solitary area with other people, he is also spying on me and the others, on top of all that I'll be seeing Nurse Ratchet soon.

When Ed and Matt came out I shook my head to clear my mind. We all walked down the hall together Ed in front while Matt followed my pace. Thinking to myself Do either one of them know I'll be sent to see Nurse Ratchet soon? It doesn't matter if they do, I need to act like this is a normal day. Then to Eric if he was listening If you spy on me I'll flood your head with the worse things I did on the run, even stuff I try to repress. Deciding to think of the last thing I did before being caught just to prove that I wasn't bluffing. All those people, all that blood, let alone all those poor dogs that suffered under their so called 'master's' hands.

We were the last ones in line again. Taking a deep breathe to calm my nerves I got my tray and followed Ed and Matt to the same table we were at the previous day. The cafeteria seemed less lively than the day before, especially in Hannah's area. Feeling everyone's eyes on me said it all. Based on the tension in the air it's going to happen today. Making a vow to myself If I survive the torture today I'm going to make everyone pay: starting with Edgar, Waits, Ratchet, and then the rest. When I was done with the gruel on the tray I saw the look Ed and Matt shared as I got up.

Taking the tray over to the same area I picked it up from everyone's eyes followed me closely. Continuing to play the oblivious card I took a step outside the cafeteria area. Sure enough the second I was in the guards line of sight a strong electrical shock went through my whole body. In the process of falling to the floor two sets of hands grabbed each of my ears. Looking up to see Edgar and Waits my stomached dropped.

With a wave of the badge the door to the main hall opened to the rest of the area where non of us inmates were allowed to enter. These assholes dragged me down the halls to make a couple of turns before one of them opened a door with a keypad instead of their badge. The door opened into a lit room with a table right in the middle that has straps for the limps and head. There were rolling surgical tables on each side with who knows what was on them. One of the guards took my sunglasses away. I tried biting at him in vain.

Closing my eyes tightly I continued to bite at the guards until they strapped my head down first. By the time both of them were working on my ankles the door opened. Hearing their boots shuffle away as a female voice spoke, "You two can leave now, I'll call for you when I'm done." Edgar replied, "You're going to have a tough time with her. She's feisty, like you used to be." There was a small pause before Nurse Ratchet spoke with a biting tone, "I've broken everyone here, I don't intend on ruining my record anytime soon." The sound of footsteps both leaving and getting closer put me on edge.

For the first time in over a decade I prayed Buddha, Hades, Goddesses, or Nana please give me strength. The sound of buzzing startled me out of my mind. She stopped the buzzing to ask, "When was the last time you had a hair cut?" Nurse Ratchet buzzed the hair clippers close to my ear, my body flinched on it's own. "If you don't want to lose an ear stay still", she said in a sickly sweet tone. Balling my hands into fists I clenched my jaw so hard there had to be some cracks in my molars by now. She carefully used the clippers to shave my entire head.

Once done she said, "Now I'm going to ask you some questions and if you don't answer or lie you'll be punished." Taking in a deep breathe I steeled my nerves to respond, "Go screw yourself." With a chuckle she replied, "I love it when you guys have spunk, makes it all the worth while to break each and every one of you." She trailed her fingers lightly down from the top to my head to the tips of my fingers. It took everything in me to keep from shuddering in disgust.

She held my right pinky to press something metallic against the very short nail. Feeling a light tug was all the warning I got before the nail was ripped off entirely.

~ Exactly 24 hours later ~

Now I knew why no one lasted over 24 hours with Nurse Ratchet. She barely let me have a minute in between questioning before moving onto another type of torture. At my wits ends I was so close to answering any question she asked me this time when the sound of Aunt Patty's voice sounded over the intercom, "Nurse Ratchet your time is up, leave the room immediately." My body finally went limp from relaxation instead of exhaustion. She tried to protest, "Director Anderson, ma'am I'm so close to breaking her. I know it." With a hiss I replied, "They and them not she or her, you bitch." Nurse Ratchet made a sound close to a growl before I felt a slap across my cheek. Aunt Patty yelled, "Leave now!" Hearing the command in her voice I knew something was wrong.

That tone she used just now I've heard it before. It's the same one she used whenever she was trying to hide something. Aunt Patty took a lot of pride in being a professional under any circumstance. I learned that the hard way growing up. Nurse Ratchet left the room grumbling under her breathe before the door opened and two sets of boots came into the room. Whoever they were, they had to clothe me. Nurse Ratchet used a pair of scissors to leave me naked on the table after the waterboarding didn't work in her favor.

I recognized one of the people who was clothing me by their touch. It was Waits. Unable to move an inch or protest vocally due to yelling "Fuck you!" for the last 24 hours when Nurse Ratchet asked me a question. My throat was so sore I could barely whisper at this point. Fully dressed they dragged me off the table by my arms.

Feeling my whole body ache like never before I let my feet drag behind me as the guards walked down the hall. Using all the concentration I could muster to stay awake as the guards marched on. The door opened into the Green area where the rest of the Inmates are allowed to socialize. Both guards barely walked in a few steps before letting my arms go to drop me onto the floor. I didn't care that the cold tiles touch sent a shiver down my entire body. A sound of something being tossed to the floor told me that those assholes brought my sunglasses with them.

Hearing the sound of feet running toward me followed by voices calling out my name. Someone touched my shoulder gently. I tried moving away while yelling, "No! No more!" Ed responded calmly, "Z, its me. It's Ed, I'm trying to help. Matt is here too." "Z, it's us. We want to take you to your room. Is that ok?", Matt asked. Using the rest of the strength I had to reach out my right arm to whisper, "Prove it." Matt lifted my hand gently to the mouth piece that only he had in this building. Ed chimed in, "I have your sunglasses, is it ok if I put them on you?"

I could only nod in response. Ed announced every move he made as he got closer to me all while Matt held my hand gently. With the sunglasses in place I pushed them up the bridge of my nose before opening my eyes slowly. Seeing both of them actually in front of me I let out a sigh of relief. They both got closer to me as my body gave out on me completely. Ed caught my head tenderly to keep me from hitting my head onto the floor. With the sudden movement I winced from the pain on my left inner forearm. Matt let out a gasp when he saw the word 'Monster' burned into my skin thanks to Nurse Ratchet. Ed followed his eyes to see the mark as well. "Oh my...", Ed said.

Feeling my eye lids get heavy I mumbled, "I'm tired." "I'll carry you to your room", Ed said as he slowly lifted me from the floor. In his arms I looped my right arm over his shoulders my hand brushed over the nape of his neck. They shivered at the touch. Moving my hand to their shoulder I laid it there. Leaning my ear against his chest the sound of their heartbeat calmed me into a light nap.

The feeling of falling frazzled me awake, I gasped while clinging onto the person still holding me. Ed said in a low voice, "It's ok Z, I'm just lowering you onto your bed." Turning my head to see a long towel on top of the blanket I eased into his hold. They slowly laid me onto the towel. Matt kneeled by my side the second my head hit the pillow. Ed quickly joined him.

Looking between the both of them I could barely raise my voice over a whisper, "Thanks guys." They both smiled before each of them reached out a hand to try and touch me. Matt touched my upper right arm and Ed took my hand. My lips curled up in the tiniest of smiles. Even with the sunglasses I could see a small light shine in both of their eyes as they looked at me. "I'll be ok, just need to sleep", I told them softly. They both gave a gentle squeeze before Ed said, "We'll try to bring you some food and medical supplies." My response was just a nod before the exhaustion took hold of me.

As my mind began to drift off the oddest thing happened. I didn't have the same reoccurring nightmare that I've been suffering with ever since that night. Instead I dreamed of being in a dark haze of a fog. There was a voice that I recognized talking. "Explain to me how Project Omega almost broke out of the containment room", Armstrong demanded. I waited to hear the other person reply. "You saw the footage just like I did. Project Omega went berserk when Nurse Ratchet started taking drastic measures of interrogation. Waterboarding is usually all she ever needed to break someone before. She even tried it on Inmate Zero and she barely budged an inch. If Project Omega hadn't been an issue then Nurse Ratchet could've continued and we would've gotten all the answers we want and more. As of right now what we need to do is figure out why Project Omega had such a strongly negative reaction to Inmate Zero being tortured in the first place", Aunt Patty said. Thinking to myself So not even they know why that Thing is after me now. "What you need to do is figure out why Project Omega is being so obsessive over Inmate Zero instead of working on your side projects", Armstrong protested. Hearing those words filled me with dread. What could be more important than what's already going on at this facility.

Aunt Patty dug her heels in like I knew she would, she never backed down from someone looking down on her for anything. "Those 'side projects' are just as important as detaining the Inmates. If anything its more important and beneficial to our benefactors aside from the governments. Never undermine my work and I won't blow the whistle on the hormone therapy your daughter is still taking", she barked at him.

Hearing Armstrong's jaw clench so hard I was sure he may have chipped a tooth. "Director Anderson you're not the only one who has family as an Inmate being detained here. In all honesty your niece should be in the Solitary area instead. I control the guards and can have two of them send her to where she actually belongs." They were at a stand still and I waited for either one to make another comment.

During that silence a feeling rippled through my entire being just like it did on the first night here. Something was trying to pull me to it. Still unable to see anything some movement caught my eye. Turning to see something tower over me with glowing red eyes that pierced the fog.