The Wounded Healer

Chapter 3: Incentive

Evelyn stirred. Her head wasn't pounding anymore. Her limbs felt heavy though, and her mind felt weirdly sluggish. She tried to move, she didn't feel Newt beside her. He was an early riser, maybe he was already up.

With a groan she forced her eyes open. It was so bright her eyes clamped shut again.

"Sir. She's waking up."

"Good."

Evelyn froze. The Fogg around her mind started to clear and she didn't feel so sluggish. She tried to figure out what was going on. She definitely knew Newt wasn't beside her anymore. But where was he and where was she?

She didn't hear anything else. She tried moving, but she couldn't. And not because her limbs felt like cement, but because there was something restraining her. Something cold. When she tried to wiggle it bit into her skin. Panic started to in her chest, the tight knot of anxiety formed. She forced her eyes open again. Blinking a few times she looked around, her eyes were stinging and watering from the bright harsh white. She was strapped to some kind of chair bed, like a dentist chair.

"Welcome back."

Evelyn looked over. Director Janson was leaning on the wall, his arms crossed.

"What's going on? Where is everyone? Why am I here?"

He held up a hand, she stopped instantly, there was something in his eyes that made her anxiety increase. The welcoming Director was gone. Replaced by a cold calculation look.

"What's going on is we have removed your chip, well removed the controlling part of your chip. We still want to monitor your kill zone patterns. Your powers should be at full capacity now."

"Chip? What...how do you know about my powers?"

"Come child. I thought you were smart."

Evelyn blinked a few times and then realization hit her so hard she lost her breath.

"No! No no no!" She whispered, shaking her head, "We escaped! We left!"

"It was a very convincing rescue, don't you think? The fake blood, the cadavers in place of real bodies and such. Though we didn't anticipate Girtrude's death. That was a very interesting spike in the other Subjects. A very useful unexpected variable."

Evelyn just blinked at him, trying to process what Janson said.

"You're WICKED. This is WICKED! We never escaped!"

Janson frowned at her, "I thought I just said that. Your friend warned you we wanted you back."

"You just want my power!"

"Yes. We do. You might be able to save humanity, even if you might not be able to save yourself."

"...what?"

Director Janson pushed off the wall and started to walk back and forth between the walls, his hands clasped behind his back. Evelyn watched apprehensively.

"Well. In the Maze you were able to override two of the subjects control-"

"Alby and Gally." She whispered.

Janson paused in his pacing and nodded.

"Indeed. Over the three years you were in the maze we monitored your brain activities and powers, it slowly gain in power, despite the suppression we put on it with the chip. You were able to bring a few of the subjects back from the brink of death and insanity. You are able to change the levels of serotonin, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone levels, along with dopamine, endorphins and oxytocin. Which changes the brain balance."