Uploaded October 1, 2011
Copyright 2011 SamRider
Chapter Five
“Come along, now. Keep up!” Resten called. Finally, it was River’s last official day at the Orion Academy of Health. She could finally get away from the moron. But until then, she’d have to deal with it. The school would not forgive her if she strayed from the group again. River strolled studiously down the halls, following Resten to their next seminar, when she was suddenly yanked unceremoniously down another passage.
“Hey!” River yelped, spinning to face her kidnapper. It was Ailer. “What are you doing here?” She asked suspiciously.
“Proving to you that I was right.”
“About what?”
“Razor.”
“You’re insane, Ailer,”
“Right back at ya, Streams.”
River rolled her eyes. Dang nickname followed her to another city, kilometers away from her home.
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"We have to get in there," Ailer muttered.
"How the hell do we do that?" River asked. "It's a top level, Brain Study, secured lecture room! It's impossible!"
"Anything's possible, Streams." He shrugged, then dashed towards the opening door.
"Ailer! Ailer! What do you think you're doing?" River hissed, glancing at the Professor who had opened the door. The woman eased herself in, then attempted to shut the door as quietly as she could.
But there was a small crack.
"Come on," Ailer whispered, coming back from his hiding place. He grabbed River's wrist and pulled her towards the door.
"Listen to me," Ailer murmured. "When we get in, it'll be dark. Stick to the shadows. If someone spots you, pretend you're a student and you lost a contact walking in. Got it?"
River nodded, and Ailer let go of her wrist. "Stick with me," He whispered, slipping his hand into hers. "Don't let go."
They slipped in through the crack, maneuvering against the back wall. Ailer had been right; it was dark. A slideshow was playing up front.
And who should be the lecturer but Dr. Razor.
"This medicine," Razor said, holding up a familiar bottle. "Is the key to our planet's success. Every single person on this planet, be it man, woman, toddler, or child, takes this medication. Yes, it enhances our brain's functioning, but it does other things as well.
"There are eight of you in this room; eight who are destined to work with me. So I trust that this information will not leave here.
"You see, this medication influences the brain. Influences it to make—choices. Choices based on actions, which are influenced by choices. It's an ongoing circle of thought.
"These choices keep the world intact. No more war, no more depleting ozone, no more sickness or hunger or homelessness. But, unfortunately, it also means that your actions are no longer yours. You have no freedom." Razor paused, then shrugged. "But with every good thing there comes a price."
The eight students were dutifully taking notes, showing no signs of protest, anger, or anguish. They were Razor's emotionless robots. Toys to be used for her work and nothing else.
"However, there are some who have developed immunity to the medication. It is an odd phenomenon that I am working to fix, but for right now, these select few are dangerous to our project, our future. These abnormalities must be neutralized."
River stared at Ailer, horrorstruck. "I—I don't understand," She whispered. "I thought, I thought—Oh my God," She buried her head in her knees, trying to wrap her head around this new information. Ailer rubbed his thumb up and down her hand, attempting to comfort her. When she looked up, Ailer's dark, forest green eyes pierced into her as he spoke the most frightening words she'd ever heard. "It doesn't work on me."
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"So let me get this straight," River said, glancing quickly around the crowded Orion coffee shop. "The meds don't work on you," Ailer nodded encouragingly. "So you're able to think all rebel-y. That's why you realized how the meds were influencing people." Ailer nodded again, this time more vigorously. "And because you showed me, now I know, because the medication can't influence information you already have."
"Right," Ailer said.
"But if they find out it doesn't work on you, they'll, they'll—they'll what again?"
"Neutralize me," Ailer said it so calmly that River was amazed.
"What does that mean?" She asked, not really sure she wanted to know.
Ailer scooted his chair forward. "Basically, they'll have to shut me up, right? Because a person who basically isn't taking the medication would figure out that the people who are are acting strangely, right?" It was River's turn to nod this time. "So they would have to 'neutralize' me before I figured anything out and started to act against Razor and the Government. See?" River nodded again.
"But what do they mean by neutralize?" She asked.
Ailer took a long sip of his coffee. He put his cup down and sighed, looking straight into River's amber eyes. "Neutralize—neutralize is synonymous with the word—with the word kill."
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Jeepers! Who's excieted?! AHHH! Do you love me? I updated THREE DAYS AFTER THE LAST UPLOAD!! Eep! Haha! ;P Oh my God, Ailer was right! Sooo... I have no idea what happens after this! So be prepared for some wingin'!
Oh yea, so it turns out that I made a relly stupid mistake with Doctor Razor's name. Her name is not Grzen. It is Razor. So I fixed that in the last chapter.
Hope you enjoyed! COMMENT!!
This is for Watty Awards ;) I don't expect to win for most popular (obviously), but there is another category called On the Rise... Wink, wink! :)
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The Brain Project
Science Fiction4237 AD "This medicine," Razor said, holding up a familiar bottle. "Is the key to our planet's success. Every single person on this planet, be it man, woman, toddler, or child, takes this medication. Yes, it enhances our brain's functioning, but it...
