Repurposed

Part 6

To say that Sophie was scared was something of an understatement. The last thing she had recalled was being on the beach and the strange black substance engulfing her body. Then there was the dream. It was as if she was mealy a passenger in a car, except the "car" was in fact her own body. Then she had woken up in this cell. She had no idea where she was, only that there were people above her. She pawed against the wall as she tried to call out, but it was no use. Looking up at the observation window, there was enough of a reflection in the glass to show that the substance had completely engulfed her in a latex like skunk suit. Speaking was was impossible. She then tried to get up off the ground, but it was if her body had forgotten how to stand up on two legs. She was trapped. Trapped in this suit, trapped on all fours and trapped in this cell. The fear was too much for her. She rolled up into a fetal position and began to shake uncontrollably, until she tied herself out, and sleep swiftly followed.

********

The sound of the cell doors opening came so suddenly that Sophie reacted instinctively. She sprung up from her curled ball, aimed and her tail and fired a geyser at the sound that had startled her so. It had all been so automatic that it took her a good few seconds for her brain to work out exactly what had just happened.
Standing in the doorway was the woman she had seen earlier from the observation window, now covered in the substance she had fired at her. Sophie backed into the far corner of the cell in near blind panic as she realised what she had just done. It was just like the black gunk from the sun cream bottle that had spread across her entire body and had left her trapped in this skunk suit, and now the same was going to happen to this woman...

And yet as she watched, she watched the woman casually glance at where she was hit before brushing of the substance as it turned to dust before her eyes.

"Fear not. We took precautions so ensure no one else would get skunked accidentality. I know its not your fault. You understandably scared."

The woman made her way to a nearby ledge and sat down. She was not at all what Sophie was expecting. She had been expecting some sort of swift punishment for what had just happened, but there was no anger on her face (or those who were watching from the observation room for that matter). No, if she had to place the look on her face, it was one of someone who didn't want to deliver bad news, but had no choice. A mixture of sadness and pity, but one who was still trying to be respectful.

"My name is Anna York. My fellow college," she motioned to the giant man in the armour "was the one who found you and brought you here. Your name is Sophie, correct?"

It was several seconds before she slowly nodded. How did she know her name?

"I know you have no reason to trust me, not after all you have been through, but please believe me that we were not the ones to do this to you. That would be the woman in the cell next door."

This got Sophie's attention. Thinking back on her half dreams, she recalled there being a familiar face, one she had hopped never to see again.

"This will take a while, but I will explain all that I know."

Slowly, she made her way out of the comer and walked over to Anna. So far this was the only friendly face she had seen so far, and one apparently willing to give answers as to what was going on. She knelt beside Anna, and waited for her to begin.It took a while for Anna to explain everything. Understandable considering the circumstances. Several times she had to stop to comfort the poor girl. The worst part of all was when she had to tell her that it was likely impossible to ever remove the nanites from her. She would be trapped in it forever.

That was one part of all of this that Anna found unforgivable. Caroline had found a way to prevent the permanent bonding to the nanites to a subject, and yet left the original coding in them on purpose.

It was difficult to hide the anger from her face, but Anna maintained her carefully crafter poker face as she stroked the head of Anna, trying to calm her down from her latest bout of crying.

"I'm sorry this has happened to you. I know more than anyone what it is like to be helplessly against the Agency's machinations. I was given a second chance, a chance to pay them back for all they did to me and my family, but along the way I lost who I was before. That person has been dead for many years now.

In a way, I can offer you a such a chance, but I will not lie. This offer would mean significant mental changes. By the end of it, you probably won't even remember or care what has been done to you."

Slowly, she got up and started walking to the exit door before turning around.

"But it is not something I will force a pone you. This decision will be yours and yours alone. You must want this."

It was sometime before Sophie gave her answer. Maybe it was because she hated what had happened to her and wanted all that to go away, or maybe it was the idea that if she didn't take this offer, she would be left trapped in containment like this forever and fully aware of every moment of it. Meekly, she nodded. Her eyes said all Anna needed to know. The offer was her only means of escape this nightmare and if it meant losing herself in the process then so be it.

"Alright. Let us begin."