Reel-to-Reel: Greentext (to be retitled)
Chapter 1
"Again."
>the soft voice of the snow leopard standing next to the bank of CRT screens in front of you painted a stark contrast compared to the rest of your surroundings.
>the facility you were being held in had obviously been abandoned for some time before being repurposed by Groznian forces as an interment camp.
>beige paint peeling off of cinder block walls, long halls, and large holding rooms suggested that it had once been an elementary school.
>they had restored power at least, that much was made obvious by the cold glow of the halogen lamps stuck to the drop ceiling.
>The CRT's crackled back to life as she spoke.
>the jingle you had heard probably hundreds of times by now played once again.
>one of the screens lit up, flashing the first portion of the task being demanded of you.
>You read the single digit projected onto its phosphor in a dejected tone:
"One."
>it was hard to speak with your arms chained above your head, but the blue eyes of that snow leopard in the lab coat watched you expectantly.
>you croaked out the rest of the now familiar sequence of numbers as they appeared randomly on one of the screens in front of you.
"Seventeen. Six. Thirty two. Twenty seven. Eighty three. Four."
>you finished with a sigh. Clenching your teeth, you braced for what you knew was coming.
"Good boy..."
>Coo'd the leopard as she stepped towards you.
>Her long black hair with a slight curl framed the sadistic smile that was obvious in her voice alone.
*CRACK*
>You feel the distinct roughness of her paw pads as she smacks you across the face.
>The sting fades quickly though, compared to the bruises that cover your body.
>now standing next to you, the leopard begins to idly play with the tattered Groznean battle fatigues that you've been dressed in.
>you turn away, but watch from the corner of your eye as she unconsciously licks her lips while gently running a claw across an exposed section of your torso.
>she slowly wraps one of her arms around your waist, but you wince when she suddenly digs her claws into your hip as she pulls in close.
"I think that's enough for now. You did such a good job, but there's something else I want to try with you today."
>she purred, pressing her face into your neck, deliberately forcing her hot breath down the back of your shirt.
>you barely cared, your cell was almost as bad.
>she took a key from her pocket, and reaching above your head, freed you from the cuffs that held you upright.
>you almost caught yourself as you fell, but one of your knees gave out after a moment.
>the leopard caught you under one arm, gracefully pulling it over her shoulders as she released your restraints.
"There you are... good boy..."
>she coos again into your ear, savouring pained groan that escapes you as your weight shifts.
>Adjusting her lab coat, she begins half guiding, half carrying you out the door, and down the hall.
>this time however, she skips the turn down the hall leading towards general prisoner quarters.
>another left turn, through a set of double doors and the buildings familiar state of the disrepair is significantly diminished.
>nothing approaching welcoming, but it looks like they've put a fresh coat of the that oppressive off-beige colour on the walls.
>you hear idle chatter ahead and realize that this must be the guards quarters.
>barely lifting your head, you glance around and see the smug looks and occasional chuckles from humans and anthros wearing the same uniform as the leopard who carried you.
>You almost trip when she stops to talk to another guard, but her arm around your waist catches you.
"Don't make me regret this, Neva."
>said a gruff, unfamiliar voice.
>the leopard who held you at her side laughed sharply before responding.
"HA! You saw the results of the preliminary trial, colonel. Dr. Spivak is very good at what they do."
>the first speaker only grunted in reply.
>Neva. You were almost surprised that she had a name at all.
>somehow it made her seem that much more cruel, showing how proud she was of the handwork displayed at her side.
"You know Stoyan, there's some real tactical value in playing with your food."
>her only reply was another, slightly angrier grunt.
>she turned away, and continued mostly carrying you down the hall past the rest of the guards.
>stopping at the end of the hall in front of a door bearing a red cross, she knocked.
>the door was answered by a female anthro, another large feline.
>but being so close, you could only see her lower paws sticking out from a pair of OR scrub pants, draped in a lab coat.
>they spoke what you assumed to be Groznian, but you couldn't tell the difference between the regional languages.
>though you were sure that you didn't like the "doctors" tone of voice when she handed something to Neva.
>you were especially sure that you didn't like the deep chuckle that Neva did while stashing it in a shirt pocket.
>the door in front of you closed gently as Neva turned you both back down the hall the way you had come.
>You only went one door down though, Neva opening the room next door to the dr's office lead you inside.
>the room was mostly taken up by 2 large beds, though a cardiogram cart stood in the corner, next to a pair of desks.
>notes and diagrams regarding chemistry and human physiology were strewn across the walls.
>you barely have time to take this in before you're once again beset by Neva's hot, damp breath on your neck.
>she continues to carry you, almost stumbling herself now to the far wall.
>pinning you to it under one arm, she grabs your face with her free hand, and turns your head to one side.
>tongue lolling out of her mouth, she buries he face in your neck, licking almost from your collar bone to your chin in one slow drag.
>she pulled back still panting, you noticed a renewed hunger in her eyes as she met yours.
"I couldn't believe my luck when they called in a captured humie." she giggled "Let alone CIA spook. Why can't you adorable westerners leave well enough alone?"
>she reached for her shirt pocket, and you noticed a small orange tube, roughly the size of a marker clipped inside.
>as she pulled it from her pocket and uncapped it, you recognized it as an epi-pen style autoinjector.
"Stay still baby, you're not going to enjoy this."
>Another, wider grin than before crept across her face as she pulled you close in her embrace.
>you felt a sharp pinch on the back of your left shoulder, and an unpleasant, prickly feeling spread across your body from the injection site.
"Shh.. shh.. good boy..."
>Neva coo'd once again right into your ear, dropping the injector and stroking the back of your head with her hand.
>your body began to feel heavier, and it wasn't long before most of your weight was being held by the embracing leopard.
"Lets lay down" she said.
>guiding you to the closer of the 2 beds, she sat you down, took off your tattered shirt and pants, tucking you into her bed in the only clothes that were actually yours. your boxers.
>It was the first time you had laid on anything but concrete or wood in 5 weeks, but it wasn't a restful experience.
>Your body was aching now. A cold sweat began to dampen your forehead, and your joints felt like sandpaper when they moved.
>your guts felt like snakes, threatening to reject your most recent meal of broth and stale bread.
>what was in that syringe?
>Neva stepped back from the bed, and began undressing.
>You could see that she was smirking at you, and making no effort to hide how slowly she was removing her uniform.
>Admittedly, her time in the field had her body in top condition.
>Lean arms, and a slender build but for her slightly wider hips and powerful thighs.
>She could have been made specifically to run down escapees.
>You could feel your muscles starting to twitch as she stared down confidently at you in her underwear.
>she slowly swept her eyes across your beaten and bruised body half curled up in her bed with a very satisfied expression before walking around to the other side and getting under the covers herself.
>you could feel her breasts push against the back of your shoulders as she curled around you, placing her chin on top of your head.
>whatever they had given you had travelled through the rest of your systems by now.
>every fibre of your being ached, twitching muscles caused jolts of pain to keep you from resting.
>with every twitch or groan, you could hear Neva giggling softly in your ear.
>she held you close, stroking your hair, or rubbing your stomach. Comforting you, but savouring every moment of your misery.
"Good boy... putting up with so much for me..."
>the way she whispered praise into your ear made you feel sick, because it sounded like she meant it.
>your thoughts seemed more difficult to hold on to as your head began to swim.
>you could feel Neva's chest vibrate against yours as she started to purr.
>you also noticed a spot of warmth on the small of your back, and realized that she was grinding her crotch on the ridges of your spine.
>her breathing got heavier as she slid one of her paws into her panties, sinking claws into your pec with the other.
>a soft moan escaped her before she began to slowly wrap her jaws around the area where your neck and shoulder met.
>she chewed softly, leaving tender bite marks on your skin between breaks of whispering twisted praise into your ear.
>you felt her begin to twitch more frequently, and fighting the fog that clouded your thoughts you realized that she was about to cum.
>the conclusion sent a wave of dread washing over you.
>you barely had time to wonder why before gut instinct was proven correct.
>Neva tensed up, sinking her teeth into your shoulder as she reached her climax.
>the arm that she had wrapped around your chest was so tight that you could barely breathe, squeezing a loud painful groan out of you.
>you felt the blood run down your shoulder blade, but it didn't seem like she had bitten you as deeply as you had first thought.
>she lapped at the area just below where the blood ran towards the bed sheets.
>reaching for the shelf above the bed, she produced a small gauze pad and stemmed the bleeding of the small punctures she had left on your skin.
"Such a brave soldier... Now... isn't that better?"
>she mocked you lovingly as she finished tending to your shoulder.
"This is the first bed you've felt in what, 4 weeks? Does it feel nice to lay somewhere warm, anon?"
>you tried to answer yes, even if it was a lie, but found that you couldn't. you could barely coordinate making a fist, let alone speech.
>what the fuck was in that syringe?
"Yea? I bet it does. I bet I can think of something else that would feel nice too... what do you say cutie?"
>you don't really know why you bothered, but you made another attempt at speech to decline her imminent advances.
>the only real noise you made was a pathetic whimper, eliciting another substantial giggle from Neva.
"Yea? I thought so. Good boy..."
>her left paw crept up your neck, fingertips reaching to caress your chin, while the other took its time working its way down and into your boxers.
>Your brain reeled in a narcotic haze, as her gentle but unwelcome touch played against the horrible sensations of nausea and cold sweats racked your body.
>her fingers leisurely crept around inside your shorts, winding between the sensitive folds of skin that she found there.
>she giggled softly as you felt your cock begin to swell under her paws.
>her giggling gave way to a sultry whisper that seemed genuinely impressed.
"Oh my... what do we have here?"
>she curled the index finger and thumb of her right hand around the base of your shaft, only a little to hard.
>her hand on your chin continued to climb until she cradled your head in a gentle almost headlock.
>her claws retracted, a soft finger caressed your ear.
>her grip on your cock loosened slightly as she began to slowly stroke up and down.
>you felt a soft bump on the back of your head, and you could feel her inhaling the scent of your hair.
>she exhaled your scent with a deep shuddering purr.
>a pained gasp escaped you yet again as your guts twisted.
>you felt her pawpads spread across your cheek as her hand slid towards your mouth.
>Neva took advantage of your ragged breathing to push her index finger between your gum and upper lip
>it was obvious how much she enjoyed the fact there was nothing you could do about it.
>she curled the rest of her hand around your dick now as well, and began to stroke more vigorously.
>the slightly rough surface of the pawpads on her other hand was much more stimulating there however.
>her gentle grip barely pressed them into the skin of your shaft, and the softness of the flesh underneath cushioned the surface from below.
>she brought her hand up to the end of your shaft, and twisted it around the head slightly.
>the tender caress sent waves of pleasure across your body.
>the dopamine centres of your brain lit up for the first time it months.
>yet at the same time, she stroking of her hand was like sandpaper.
>the cold, aching sweat that gripped you made everything your senses picked up an agony.
>the sound of her voice simultaneously slid through your ear canal like a warm drink, and rang your head like a bell with each "s" or "p" syllable.
>her finger in your mouth felt like a file scraping at your gums, yet more intimate than anything you could imagine.
>she slowed the motion of her other hand, but tightened her grip significantly.
>you shuddered under the increased abrasive force.
>Neva giggled again, pressing down on your rib-cage with her left elbow.
>you whimpered as she pressed into a deep bruise.
>worse than that was the way that the pain was starting to compliment the feeling of her hand pleasuring your cock.
>you were barely coherent enough to be disgusted with yourself.
>she withdrew the finger from your mouth, and slid the crook of the thumb and index finger under your chin.
>with a gentle squeeze of your cheeks that felt like it could leave a welt, she slid her hand back down your neck onto your chest.
>it was clear that she was in no hurry to finish you.
>your brain didn't last as long as your dick did.
>she continued to edge you for nearly an hour, but you were gone barely more than 20 minutes after she first slid her hand into your boxers.
>taking all the time she wanted, she rolled you over towards her, pressing your face into her breasts.
>you barely noticed.
>by this time your senses were little more than a haze of TV static.
>pain and pleasure blended into a fuzzy grey that pressed onto your brain with what felt like the pressure of the ocean.
>taking your hand in hers, and placing it in her panties, she pushed against you.
>not that you could tell.
>pushing and grinding against you, she found a rhythm that rubbed her clitoris against one of your fingers.
>after getting herself off once more on your hand, she finally decided that she was satisfied for the night.
"Are you ready baby?"
>you didn't even realize she spoke.
>the pace of her stroking picked up a much more purposeful cadence.
>it didn't take long after she decided to finish you before she could tell that you were getting close.
>she pushed down the front of your boxers, exposing your erect cock.
>pulling in close just before you came, she slipped its head into panties just far enough to spread the lips underneath few millimetres.
>the warm, comforting darkness as you came was the first distinct feeling you had gotten in over half an hour.
>muscles across your body contracted as you pumped your hot load into her panties.
"ooohhh anon..."
>she moaned as the warmth flooded her underwear.
>the effect that the muscle spasm had on you was immediate however.
>the soothing embrace of darkness that descended over you was shattered by searing, white-hot pain.
>your eyes burned like they had staring at the sun, ears ringing like air horns.
>you didn't even know that you had begun to cry.
>Neva, hands now free wrapped her right arm around your waist, and threading her left arm underneath you, slid her hand up the back of your neck.
>threading her fingers into your hair, she massaged your scalp.
"Shh... it's alright baby... let it out..."
>she coo'd into your ear as you sobbed into her chest.
>the intensity of before had subsided, and the familiar crushing TV static was back.
>her petting of your hair slowed as she drifted off.
>supremely satisfied expression fixed to her face as she feel asleep to the sound of your crying.
>the contents of that orange syringe continued to course through you, and you sobbed for around another hour before you finally fell asleep in Neva's arms.
Chapter 2
>you awoke the next day to find yourself alone in Nevas bed.
>for a blissful moment, you had forgotten where you were.
>you had time for a single peaceful sigh as you lay on the mattress with your eyes closed.
>a sense of resignation washed over you as you opened your eyes however.
>the light streaming down from above burned your eyes, and you were suddenly aware of the aching that still hadn't left you.
>you heard a clinking and rattling near the foot of your bed, and raised your head slightly as you stirred.
>Neva was standing at one of the desks that you had seen on your way in.
>she wore the same lab coat over her battle fatigues as she always did.
>her head was turned to look at you over one of her shoulders.
"Good morning Anon."
>she said casually.
>you propped yourself up on one arm as she turned back to her work.
>it took a few minutes before you sat yourself upright.
>finishing her task, Neva put whatever she was working on down on the table.
>she grabbed the cardiogram cart and rolled it over next to your bed.
>adjusting the pillows against the headboard, she sat you upright against it.
>pulling up a chair as well, she sat down next to your bed.
"Now, stay still Anon."
>she said as she took the first probe from the cart and peeled off its adhesive backing.
>her warm hands contrasted with the cold metal contacts of the stickers.
"Good boy..."
>she coo'd as she finished applying the last one.
>it began to beep rhythmically in time with your heartbeat as she turned it on.
>your stomach rumbled as you wondered what time it was, the windowless room offering no clues.
>Neva took her time taking measurements on the machine.
>after allowing you to lay relatively comfortably for a while to take a baseline reading, she pressed a button next to the screen and turned towards you.
"Now Anon, I don't want you to say anything, but just look at these pictures for me."
>she sounded like a kindergarten teacher as she spoke to you.
>lifting the clipboard in her lap that you had failed to notice, she turned it to face you.
>it was a picture of the UN logo as well as the round CIA emblem.
>you were slightly confused, it would have been more surprising if they didn't know your affiliations.
>she looked over at the unchanged cardiogram screen, and gave a small nod as it seemed to confirm her expectations.
>she lowered the clipboard below the edge of the bed out of your sight, and cycled the papers it held.
>the next picture was of the apartment building that the agency had rented out for personnel where you stayed.
>Neva looked past the clipboard at you for a moment with a slight smile, before turning to face the screen.
>the beeping emanating from it picked up the pace slightly as you thought about everyone else who lived in that building.
>she lowered the clipboard again, smirk still barely visible on her mouth.
>the next image she showed you was the one you were most hoping that wouldn't see.
>it was a picture of your partner, Jess.
>she had started as your work partner, but became more than that a long time ago.
>the beeping increased sharply and Neva giggled as she watched the monitor.
>she turned back to see the distressed expression that you did your best to hide.
"Someone important, Anon?"
>you glared back at her but your anger was clearly cut with a healthy dose of fear.
"Now now, don't dwell. I've got some other pictures to show you."
>she went through a few more pictures of places familiar to you in a similar fashion.
>after about half an hour of that, she put the clipboard back into her lap, and reached into one of her pockets.
>producing a small bottle, she poured two bar shaped pills into her pawpad in the centre of her hand.
>as she stood up from her chair and reached towards you, you thought it odd that she had left you completely unrestrained
>you second guessed yourself immediately however.
>she gave you a sly, knowing smile as you looked back at her after glancing at your wrist.
>she was showing you that she didn't have to, the threat of what she'd do to you if you resisted was enough.
>disgusted at your own complacency, you opened your mouth as she pressed the pills in her hand inside.
>she didn't remove her hand from over your lips until she was sure you had swallowed them both.
>she gave you a drink of water, and made notes on her clipboard while she waited for the pills to take effect.
>by the time she restarted her test, your thinking was mostly a smear.
>you could think intelligently, but only had the will to hold your thoughts for a moment.
>how many more times she ran the test, you weren't sure, but your stomach was aching with hunger as the pills she gave you finally started to wear off.
>she put down the clipboard finally, and began to pull the probes off your chest.
>there wasn't much body hair left for them to yank out, but you still felt the strands they found.
"You did such a good job, Anon. I think you've earned some breakfast."
>she swung your ankles off the side of the bed and sat next to you.
>pulling one of your arms over her shoulders, she stood the both of you up and led you towards the door.
>she opened it, leading you out to the right and down the hall.
>you soon heard the sound of around 2 dozen people chatting in what you assumed was Groznean.
>they grew louder as Neva mostly carried you towards a large, empty door frame ahead to your right.
>as you turned through the doorway you saw that it was a cafeteria, and with most of the prison staff present, it was clearly lunch break.
>a quiet spread across the room as everyone one by one turned to look at you and Neva.
>it didn't last long though.
>everyone quickly looked away and returned to their conversations as she carried you towards a large grey-black wolf standing against the right wall drinking coffee.
>even through the drugs remaining in your system, you felt the atmosphere of the room change as soon as you had entered.
>The wolf that Neva lead you towards looked down at you both, huge arms folded over his slight beer gut.
>making no effort to disguise his expression of vague contempt.
"Hey Stoyan!"
>she said cheerfully as she stopped in front of him.
"Neva."
>he replied in barely more than a grunt.
>you recognized his name and voice as the guy she stopped to talk to as she led you down the hall the first time.
"I need to go fetch some stuff. Keep an eye on this one for me, will you?"
>Neva asked, pulling an office chair from one of the corner tables over next to him.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
>he asked in response, raising an eyebrow.
"Aww, look at him, Stoyan. Don't think you can take half-starved humie? Besides, there's half a dozen guards between here and the door in this room alone."
>she teased him back.
"Fine."
>he said, with another grunt.
"Thank-you Sto-yan!"
>she replied in a slightly sing-song voice that caused him to roll his eyes.
>sitting you down in the chair she had pulled up, she turned back the way you had came in and began to walk away.
>she stopped only a step or two away and turned around again.
"Oh, and feed him for me, will you? I need him to have some strength for this afternoon."
>she didn't wait for a response before turning back around and leaving the cafeteria.
>you watched her leave, and tried not to catch the glances of the guards sitting or standing around the tables as you looked back down at your lap.
>still, you saw a mix of expressions on the rest of the rooms occupants.
>ranging from hatred to pity, they skewed much more towards the latter than you anticipated.
>similarly unexpected was the tone of voice that Stoyan took when he spoke to you.
"Not like it means much to you, but for the record, this place makes me sick."
>he said in a much more sympathetic voice than you expected.
"Like- I know why this place and what they're trying to do here is important, we have no choice, but there's something wrong with anyone who wants to work here."
>it was obvious who he was referring to.
>he sighed slightly and took another sip of his coffee.
"So, burger?"
>he asked after a moment in a matter of fact voice.
>you looked up at him in shock, but for the first time since you arrived you were too surprised to respond.
"Uh, s-sure."
>you managed to stammer after a second.
"Ketchup?"
>he asked, chuckling slightly this time at your surprise.
"s-sure, thanks."
>you replied still in shock.
"Hey! You!"
>he shouted at the nearest group of guards, and the closest came over.
"Get him one with ketchup on."
>Stoyan told the human who looked like he could be your age.
"Sir-?"
>the guard started, but Stoyan interrupted him:
"You saw who he came in with."
>the guards expression softened slightly.
"Fair enough."
>he said and set off towards the kitchen.
>your gaze returned to a neutral position, staring at the floor a few feet in front of you as you tried to process the treatment you were receiving.
"For what it's worth, I wouldn't wish her on anybody."
>Stoyan said before sipping his coffee after the guard walked away.
"Me neither."
>You replied.
>Stoyan laughed, choking slightly on his coffee.
"Ha! Don't make me like you, this job is hard enough already."
>he said, wiping his mouth.
"Sorry about them by the way."
>he said when you didn't reply.
"The walls of this place don't go up past the foam panels, so sound carries a lot more than you'd expect, and it's not like she's, uhh... discreet..."
>your face flushed slightly, but it's not like you remembered making much noise.
"I think I heard your voice last night. It's not like I remember much past her doorway anyway."
>You said, shrugging your shoulders and looking back up at him.
>he looked back at you with a mix of confusion and poorly disguised pity.
"We heard you crying for over an hour last night."
>he admitted to you.
>your face sunk to a mix of confusion and shame, eyes falling slightly as you processed what he said.
"Ahem..."
>the guard that Stoyan sent to fetch you the burger broke your train of thought.
>you awkwardly half-turned towards him, taking your plate without looking him in the eye.
"Thanks."
>you said sheepishly, setting it down on your lap.
>the silence was rather awkward as you ate.
>still, the slightly dry cafeteria burger was gourmet compared to the broth, bread and porridge that you had grown used to eating in your cell.
>it took you less than 2 minutes and 5 bites to clean your plate.
>Stoyan finished his coffee and let the mug hang at his side as you finished.
>you saw him turn and looked over to see him looking at you again.
>he looked like he was about to say something, but before he could, something over your other shoulder distracted him, and he looked up.
"Thanks for that, Stoyan."
>the familiar voice caused your heart to sink.
"Any time."
>he replied sarcastically as she stepped up to him.
>you stared straight ahead into the room of guards, head high for the first time since you entered the cafeteria.
>it wasn't pride that held it there, but abject terror as the the reality that your brief respite was coming to an end sank in.
>a few of the guards wore expressions of fear on their own faces, seeing your reaction to Neva's mere presence.
>Neva put her hand on your shoulder, and forced you, trembling, up and out of the chair.
"Wow Stoyan, what did you do to him?"
>Neva giggled, teasing Stoyan as he glared back at her silently.
>a moment of silence passed.
"You're no fun."
>she pouted before turning and leading you from the cafeteria.
>your legs carried you where she led you almost automatically.
>arriving at the doors that separated the guards quarters from rest of the prison, your legs shook as she paused to open them.
Chapter 3 (Unfinished)
>Neva opened the heavy double doors, and led you back into the more familiar, decrepit section of the complex.
>she took you back through the unkempt halls to the room with the bank of CRT screens that you knew too well.
>opening it's windowless door, she lifted you off your weight slightly, as your feet began to instinctually resist entry.
>the scene that greeted you this time was slightly different however.
>aside from the familiar metal table, 3x4 bank of CRT's, and shackles hanging from the ceiling, there was array of modern looking medical equipment now as well.
>a cardiogram cart similar to the one you had seen that morning now stood next to the table on the left wall, and a small fridge had been brought in.
>Neva led you to roughly the centre of the room, and you expected her to lift your arms into the hanging restraints.
>instead, she cuffed one of your wrists to the other behind your back.
"Now, don't move, Anon."
>she said, standing you in the middle of the room.
>the bank of CRT's was to your front, and the door in the corner behind you on your right.
>stepping over to the table on your left, Neva began to prepare something she took from the cart as she passed.
>you stood, barefoot on the cold tiles as she worked in silence.
>she had to be deliberately letting you stew in anticipation
>just then, a noise came from behind you, and you turned to look automatically.
>Stoyan bowed his head slightly to fit through the doorway and entered.
>you shared an awkward look for a second, before Neva's voice called your attention back to your front.
"Anon?"
>she asked softly, and you turned back to face your original direction.
*CRACK*
>her hand met your face in the opposite direction as you turned, hitting you hard across the face.
>you stumbled back in surprise.
"I thought I told you not to move, Anon."
>she said in her disappointed-kindergarten-teacher voice again, grabbing a handful of the front of your jacket to stop you.
>Stoyan watched her with a look of disgust, before walking past your other side to the bank of CRT's.
>he leaned down and examined some of the playback equipment that they were rigged up to.
>your puzzled watching was interrupted however, by a mechanical clicking sound coming from behind you again.
>you remained facing the CRT's however, red paw print on your face still stinging.
"Stoyan and I were chatting..."
>came Neva's voice from behind you.
"And he was telling me about how he doesn't think this is a very good idea."
>her voice was casual as ever, but a grim expression crossed Stoyan's face as he turned to look at her.
>as he did so, she grabbed a handful of hair on the back of your head.
>before she had finished her sentence, she had used it to force you painfully to your knees and bent you slightly forwards.
>you grit teeth as they hit the tile hard, causing tears to well in your eyes.
"I've argued and argued with him, but he doesn't seem to think you're worth the investment."
>she said, her voice far too blasé for what she was saying.
>that's when the next sound you heard made your blood run cold.
>the unmistakable sound of a shotgun being racked came from less than 2 feet behind your head.
>where did she get that? was it in the room when you came in?
>Stoyan had straightened up, and took a half step towards her, but stopped.
>he did his best to cover the caution on his face with contempt, but it didn't quite work.
"Neva..."
>he said in a low growl.
>but she ignored him and continued talking:
"It really is a shame, but... orders are orders..."
>she said the last words very slowly, their inflection betraying her wide-mouthed smile.
>your brain froze as she did so, feeling a spot of cold rounded metal touch the back of your head slightly off centre, pushing it forwards.
>your eyes bulged in terror, and your breath caught in your chest as she bumped the muzzle of the shotgun against the back of your head.
>Stoyans eyes grew wide, fear now openly worn on his face.
>He drew in breath to shout as he raised on of his fists, but Neva interrupted him.
>feeling the muzzle brush past your hair as she let it fall to her side, she erupted with laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHA! Stoyan! You should have seen the look on your face!"
>she roared.
"You *actually* thought I was going to kill him! And you CARED! AHAHAHAHAHA!"
>laughter redoubling as she finished her sentence.
>Stoyan only glared back, hands balled into fists at his sides.
"Sure you want to stay?"
>she asked him, as her laughter subsided.
"'Course I fucking don't." he snarled "But you're not getting rid of me that easy."
>Neva gave another laugh, much colder and sharper this time.
"Ha! Have it your way, colonel."
>she turned back towards the table that she was working on before and placed her shotgun, a Benelli Super-90, on it.
>it was a short, tactical shotgun intended for police use, it had replaced the long rifle-style buttstock for a pistol grip.
>Stoyan took a half step back again, returning to the position he was in before raising his fist at Neva.
>you remained kneeling on the floor, still frozen from the trauma of believing your childhood memories were about to be turned into floor-jam.
>it wasn't long before Neva stood next to you again, lifting you up under one arm, she stood you on your feet again.
>your knees shook as adrenaline still coursed through you.
"Silly Stoyan..."
>she said softly in your ear as she undid your cuffs.
"He should know better than to think I could hurt my sweet Anon..."
>the irony of that line somehow brought you back to earth, and you glanced in confusion at Stoyan, who only looked at Neva with poorly disguised disgust.
>she ran a soft finger up your arm as she lifted it into one of the hanging shackles like she usually did.
>hoisting you up slightly, she secured your hands one at a time before stepping back.
"Now, Anon, where was it we left off yesterday?"
>she asked rhetorically, stepping around to your front.
"The usual, was it? Well, make sure not to disappoint our guest."
>she ran a finger under your jaw as she looked from you over to Stoyan.
>he had relaxed slightly, shoulders back in their resting positions, his arms folded once again.
>his face still possessed the expression of mixed apprehension and contempt.
>Neva's hand retuned to her side as she strode over towards where Stoyan stood next to the array of CRT's.
"If you don't mind, Stoyan."
>she excused herself, pointing down to the playback setup he had been examining earlier.
>he stepped back and to the side wordlessly, arms remaining firmly folded.
"Thank you."
>Neva said, reaching down to pick up a remote.
>her tail flicked during the moment she was bent over.
>straightening up, she passed in front of the screens to the other side of the display where she always stood during these sessions.
"Shall we begin?"
>she asked, reaching down again to flick a switch near the base of the stand that the TV's stood on.
>they flickered to life as she did so.
>standing back up and turning to smile at you, she pressed one of the buttons on the remote.
>a short chime of a few piano keys played the familiar musical preamble, as she pulled a clipboard out of one of the lower pockets on her lab coat.
>then the numbers began to appear on the screens one at a time again.
>both Neva and Stoyan watched you expectantly as you began to read the sequence aloud as always.
"One. Seventeen. Six. Thirty two. Twenty seven. Eighty three. Four."
>you read them aloud, pausing as you waited for the next number to appear on screen.
"Again."
>said Neva when you finished, pressing the same button on her remote.
"One. Seventeen. Six. Thirty two. Twenty seven. Eighty three. Four."
>you recited again in a resigned tone of voice, accustomed to the repetitive task demanded of you.
"Again."
>your eyes flicked between the screens as they repeated the sequence, the display showing the current number being randomly chosen each time.
"Again."
>you could feel the cuffs that suspended you from the ceiling beginning to bite into your wrists, but you knew there was still hours to go.
"Again."
>you could have repeated the sequence with your eyes closed after the first day, but Neva had always demanded you watch the screens from the beginning.
"Again."
>the sequence played over and over in fast forward in your mind as you read out the numbers again.
"One. Seventeen. Six. Thirty two. Twenty sev-"
>you choked, saying aloud the number you had anticipated, rather than the one that appeared on screen.
>your eyes widened as you realized your mistake, and the tired resignation that you felt had been displaced by cold fear once again.
>Neva's wicked grin had began to spread across her face before you had even messed up, knowing you would fall into her trap.
"Thirty-"
>you tried to correct yourself, but Neva stopped the sequence with her remote and interrupted you.
"Ah-ah"
>she scolded gently
"that doesn't sound like what I asked for."
>her silky smooth tone of voice clearly relishing the anticipation, she placed down the remote stepped towards you.
>her stride didn't carry her to your side this time however, but again over to the table where she had been working before.
>eyes following her, you saw her take one of the glass IV bottles that sat on it.
>taking it in one hand, she grabbed a standing IV hook with the other, and wheeled it the few feet over next to you.
>hanging the bottle on the hook by its handle, she then reached into her pocket and pulled out some packages of sterile medical supplies
>leaving the protective plastic cover over it, she attached the sharp needle of a syringe to the end of the IV prep-kit.
>she attached the other end to a small plastic cylinder, and took the bottle off of the hook to attach it to what she had prepared.
>placing the bottle back on it's hook, she took the other end of the tube in her hand, and turned her attention back towards you.
"Dr. Spivak was kind enough to whip up something for us again today. Isn't that nice of her?"
>the way she spoke made you doubt that it was kindness that the Dr. was acting out of.
>stepping around behind you, she stepped out of your peripheral vision and you lost sight of her.
>you tried not to turn your head as you heard her uncap the IV needle.
>pausing a moment to purge the air from the tube, she took your left elbow in her hand pulling it slightly away from where it hung next to your head.
>you felt a sharp pain as she inserted the IV tube, then withdrew the needle.
>She made soft "Shh.." noises in your ear as you felt her applying the adhesive meant to hold it in place.
"I'm gonna give you some more of what I gave you last night, Anon, but we're trying a slightly different dosage."
>she said, her voice taking a more casual tone.
>your fear was now clearly written on your face again, and you glanced around the room, your eyes falling on Stoyan once more.
>his stony expression was frozen solid on his face, and he seemed to be looking through you rather than at you.
>you could tell he was trying his best not to see what was happening in front of his eyes.
>the IV in your arm tingled unpleasantly before she had even touched its faucet at the mouth of the jar.
"We're going to keep running the test, then I'm going to stop and ask you some questions. Do you understand, Anon?"
>she asked, retrieving her clipboard once again.
>a moment passed while she waited for your reluctantly reply.
"Yes."
>you said finally, your voice shaking slightly.
"Good!"
>she beamed back, making a mark on her clipboard.
>after doing so, she reached over to the faucet below the hanging IV bottle and turned it.
>you felt the same disgusting hot-prickly feeling that you had felt last night spreading from the IV site as Neva walked back to the bank of CRT's.
>even as the panic began to wash over you, it was dulled by familiar fuzzy static pressing on your brain.
>your vision began to swim slightly as she reached her place next to the screens and turned to face you.
"Before we return to where we left off though, I want to get a baseline. Anon, how many fingers am I holding up?"
>you squinted and tried to focus your vision on the hand she held up, a dozen or so feet away.
"uhh.."
>you tried to answer, but the image you saw seemed to shift slightly and make you second guess yourself.
"Let's try something else."
>Neva giggled slightly at your inability.
>she continued to ask you a few more simplistic questions, enjoying the progression of the bleary-eyed confusion that set in as you failed to answer correctly.
>taking the remote from where she left it on a ledge of the TV rack, she turned to Stoyan with a much more serious smile on her face.
"Now, watch this colonel."
>she said with conviction, and pressed the button a button on the remote dramatically.
>the jingle began to play, and as it did, the pressure that the static seemed to put on your psyche at least doubled.
>you groaned as your knees slackened slightly and the cuffs that held your wrists took more of your weight.
>the biting into your arms was indistinct however, and only served to add to the waves of acute, debilitating aching that washed over you.
>then, as the first number in the sequence flashed onto one of the screens in front of you, it hit you for the first time.
>your brain responded on its own.
>thoughts that were not yours made themselves room inside your head, and compelled centres of your brain to obey.
>the first number of the sequence burned a bright red in your minds eye, and your voice spoke without your volition.
"One."
>you said, in a completely neutral tone.
>still, your voice wasn't it's usual deadpan sigh, but a sharp, punctual response to an order.
>you continued:
>"One. Seventeen. Six. Thirty two. Twenty seven. Eighty three. Four."
>your tongue moved on its own, reading aloud the rest of the numbers in the sequence as they burned in your mind like they were shaped from red ropes of thermite.