CHAPTER 34

 

Ray walked easily in front of the CDSE soldiers. They moved briskly past the familiar barracks and buildings of Atlas. Once or twice a window blind was opened a crack, and scared eye peeked out. Clearly people who were either allowed to stay or had hidden. Some of the houses Ray knew and she wished the inhabitants well. They would live.

The party moved into Atlas’ outskirts and on into the new concrete structures that had arrived with the humans. Beyond these, the cool of the forest rose up, swaying gently under the patchy clouds. The old trail that Ray had run so many times winding into the ardent green.

To Ray it had never looked more beautiful. She wished she could run to the end and walk out into the lake one more time. Watch the sunlight rippling across the lake bed.

Too soon the CDSE compound loomed ahead of them and the guards hauled the gates open as they approached. Jager led them through and headed straight for the buildings at the back dedicated to research. Another guard opened the door as they approached and Jager led them in.

Astrid sat in a small room, armed guards flanking her. She appeared utterly defeated, her face sallow and her eyes bloodshot. She looked up as Ray entered tears still clinging to her cheeks.

“I’m sorry…I’m so sorry. I’ve made a mess of everything, but you have to understand. They were going to leave them here to die. Your sisters. All the children. I have no choice...”

Ray shrugged and smiled at Astrid trying to convey that it was OK. She wished she could say more. Astrid's head dropped down again, and her shoulders shook.

Jager watched dispassionately for a spell and then turned to Ray. “Our work here on Diana is not finished and Miss Copeland is the only one with the appropriate knowledge to fulfill our mission. Unfortunately, following recent events she has developed a misplaced sense of injustice. We need her to forget. For that reason, you are to become the new Miss Copeland. She will write an earlier backup of herself over to you. When you wake up, you will have no memory of the events of the most recent six months of time on Diana. Do you understand?”

Ray nodded.

“During the procedure you are to lie still. Gross movements may upset the process and could damage your brain. Do you understand?”

Again, Ray nodded, looking straight ahead. She tried to block the feeling of triumph from her eyes. Not that it really mattered. Even if Jager figured all this out somehow, they would all be stuck here anyway, unable to escape.

With a small start, Ray remembered the encryption key sitting in her stomach. If the key went with her to the Golden Hind, there was a chance that Astrid would find it. It would have to come out some time and Astrid might feel it and wonder what was happening. A swallowed flash stick would be too tempting. She would look at it for sure.

Before she could stop herself, her eyes flicked to Astrid. Astrid happened to be looking up and the two exchanged a glance. Fleeting, but Ray felt something pass between them. Astrid’s forehead crinkled just the tiniest amount.

Jager frowned, his piercing eyes boring into hers. Ray stared back trying to give away nothing. Frozen to the floor.

Jager leaned over slowly and pressed a button on a wall mounted screen. His frown remained. The screen flicked to life and a CDSE uniformed face appeared.

“Captain Jager Sir,”

“Inform Pfeffer that we will be performing the procedure here, “Jager instructed.

At the engineer’s confused expression Jager continued. “Relay the message ensign.”

“Yes sir,” the engineer replied, and the screen turned blank.

Jager turned back to Astrid and Ray.

“I don’t trust you two. Transfer them to surgery one.” He turned to Astrid. “The MRI we moved in there will suffice?”

Astrid nodded without looking up.

Jager flicked a nod at the soldiers and they guided Astrid up to standing with a hand on each arm. Ray followed as they exited the room.

A short way down the corridor they entered a surgical suite like the one Ray had escaped from just a few short days ago. The memory of Pritchard’s haggard face with the cruel metal spike sticking out of his eye made her shiver.

Against the wall was the familiar bed complete with brain scanner. Slightly bigger than Ray was used to and, from the look of the molded plastic, containing many more rings than the ones Ray had used before. Despite her resignation, Ray felt a surge of fear. She wondered if it was going to hurt and looked to Astrid. Astrid looked back clearly reading Ray’s face.

“Don’t worry dear,” Astrid projected so Jager could easily hear. “You will wake up with no memory of what had happened so that equates to the same thing as no pain. Please lie down. I must fix your head to keep it as still as possible. That will be uncomfortable I’m afraid.”

Ray approached the bed and levered herself up, careful not to put too much weight on her injured hand. She lay down carefully and Astrid walked over. She put a hand on Ray’s head and stroked her hair for a second. Ray looked at her feeling peaceful and resigned. They held each other’s gaze for a time, Astrid’s hand now still. Finally, Astrid leaned down and quickly whispered in Ray’s ear “Don’t let them win and please, look after your sisters.”

Astrid broke contact and quickly slid the cowl over Ray’s face. The white plastic sat inches from her nose and she felt a small swell of claustrophobia. A white band descended from the cowl and wrapped itself around Ray’s head. It tightened to the point where Ray thought her skull was going to crack.

She fought her compounding fear, forcing herself to lie still. Something tugged her boots off and she felt cold metal against her skin as somebody cut the metal zipper out of the front of her pants.

After a time, the room fell quiet and the lights dimmed. Ray could hear Astrid adjusting settings. And felt the hum as the powerful magnets were engaged. Astrid put her hand on the back of Ray’s wrist and squeezed it briefly. Ray heard her footsteps retreat and the light switch clicked, plunging the room into darkness.

In the total black Ray’s world shrunk to the sound of her heart beating and the phosphines in her eyes reminding her of the lack of light. The hum of the magnetic coils slowly began to penetrate her mind. Filling her slowly with an intense high-pitched whine. Sparks flecked through her vision and her skin felt burning hot all over. Her mouth began to taste metallic. The sensations increased in intensity until Ray felt like she was about to fly into parts. A scramble of human pieces, disentangled and flung into every corner of the universe.

She began to feel her body distorted. Oversized hands and feet and then the sensation of sinking into the hard bed, pushed by a giant invisible hand. The sparks in her vision intensified until they coalesced unto a sheet of pulsing white light, burning behind her eyelids though she could no longer tell if her eyes were open or closed. The light flashed one blinding, intense pulse and then vanished.