Project A-932 – Code-name: Project Red
Story by Cederwyn Whitefurr on SoFurry
James is unwittingly, and unwillingly, transformed into a feral Red Kangaroo. It is revealed, to be a secret project of a clandestine group from the USSSR, for their own nefarious plans - but things don't quite go according to plan...
Project A-932 – Code-name: Project Red
Chapter Two
© Cederwyn Whitefurr
9th July, 2019
All Rights Reserved.
As helpless as the day he'd been born, no, more so, Jack hung like the meat he was, his senses overwhelmed, tears running down his face and his ears hearing the sickening cracks and snaps of breaking bones. He had never imagined there were so many bones in the human body! He could feel each one, as it was shattered and remoulded into – what – was he becoming?
He had no reference, couldn't feel anything other than the soul-crushing pain the AI had ensnared him with. It filled his nervous system, short circuited his brain and drove out any and all chance of rational thought and action.
Finally, it proceeded up his belly, to his ribs. He heard the gut-wrenching crack as they shattered, one by one, and with a herculean effort, he got a glimpse of what was happening – his mind unable to process it. He was changing – from human – into – what? He couldn't tell. Skin remained, but muscles, bones, tendons – all of it tore, twisted and reformed as something...alien.
“Subject A-932, metamorphosis 63 percent - “ Spoke the AI.
Metamorphosis_?_ Some fleeting thought swept through Jack's tortured mind, before it was washed away as fresh agony seized it. He felt his heart begin an abnormal rhythm in his chest, even his lungs weren't spared, as he suddenly – for a moment – felt he couldn't breathe! He gasped, yet he could only draw one third as much air into his lungs, than what he was used too and he tried again and again.
“Subject A-932, you will acclimatise in time, to reduced lung capacity."
Gasping – he could do that at least, he felt like he was suffocating.
“Subject A-932, please remain calm, you have received the recommended amount of sedative for your body mass. It will pass, remain calm..."
Calm? James mind screamed. I can barely breathe – what the hell did you do to me?
_“_Abnormal reaction noted, pending investigation, subject refuses to accept current circumstances"
Abnormal? I'm dying you fucking stupid piece of silicone and integrated -
Jame's mind screamed silently, as the agony returned, this time the heart rate monitor started its strident alarm as his blood pressure and pulse rate skyrocketed.
“Subject A-932, I do not enjoy dispensing pain – I am incapable of feeling it, but my intelligence circuits are analysing your feedback responses. From this exposition and information, I may surmise it is, as you would say, excruciating. Interesting, shall I continue this? Or will you comply?"
Stop, please! Jame's wept,his mind broken and pleading for mercy.
_“_Acceptance of subject A-932 to orders submitted. Compliant and willing to obey."
Easing back the still agonising levels, the pain reduced and James hung, helpless and unknowing. He was indeed broken – physically and mentally – as the AI continued monitoring him and the project continued apace.
“Subject A-932, metamorphosis at 83%"
James felt his throat tighten, vocal cords twisting and snapping painlessly, as it moved up his throat and into his skull. To say it was...unexplainable...was putting it finely. His entire skull shattered into microscopic fragments, that were rewoven and structured. He felt the facial bones pushing out, and as he stared helplessly – he seen them form into a muzzle.
James' mind reeled, this wasn't happening, couldn't be happening! What sick, perverted drug fuelled hallucination was this?
“Subject A-932, you are rational and conscious, this is no hallucination."
No, this is all a fantasy, a drug induced paranoid side effect of the drug testing, its got to be, I'm not...I'm human! You hear me! I'm a human being, homo-sapiens...
“Incorrect assumption, Subject A-932. Metamorphosis at 90%, you are being genetically and physically changed to a Megaleia Rufa."
A what?
“Megaleia Rufa!" Come the response again.
What the fuck is that?
“Megaleia Rufa, Red Kangaroo, found often in the outback of Australia..."
It rattled on, and James' mind reeled.
“No, that's – that's not possible, it can't be..."
“Subject A-932, metamorphosis complete, moving to stage three."
James shuddered as his skin began to tingle, then it was like an infinite number of ants crawling from his toes towards his ankles. He desperately wanted to scratch, but he remained immobile, paralysed by whatever drug has been administered to him.
No, no, NO! You can't...it's...it's against all known laws of...
“Negative, Project Red is nearing completion. You are the first prototype to survive this far. Congratulations, Subject A-932!"
Unbearable, the itch spread up his shins, his thighs, his groin and belly. Unable to see past the muzzle, at least in a towards direction, James hung helpless, his minds creaming to be released from the paralysis, so he could scratch himself bloody, so intense was the itching. As it advanced up his belly, then his chest, and finally his throat – James thought he'd surely go mad.
A pale reddish-brown fur spread up towards his eyes – eyes that were no longer human, but felt widely spaced apart. Greyish fur from between the eyes down the head and upper neck and around each cheek and chin, whiskers pushing forwards just below and behind the nose. A white stripe formed along the cheekbone, ending just below the eyes. Pale bands encircled the base of each ear. Nose was fur-less and nostrils flared, as they drew breath into the lungs that now had fully formed in his chest.
A odd sensation come to James, as he felt some heavy weight tugging him downwards, from his rump.
“Subject A-932, Metamorphosis complete." Come the voice.
Slowly, the machine lowered him to the ground, James just boneless flopping, unable to use his legs or anything, as there was a click from behind his neck and the robotic arm retracted back to the ceiling.
“Subject A-932, prepared for stage four, requesting removal of subject from procedure room. Subject is sedated, repeat, subject is sedated."
He heard footsteps – but unable to even lift his head, let alone turn it, he felt what felt like a hood thrown over his head as human hands slid under his furred arms and around his hind legs.
Both humans grunted, as his limp body was lifted and unable to see, or hear, he was carried away and into a room. Something soft, a bed? A gurney?? He didn't know. He was laid on it, before the humans left, removing the hood.
His eyes blinked, but nothing but pitch darkness greeted him. He had no reference, nothing to focus on, it was like he was existing in pure emptiness.
No...please, don't let this be true...please let me wake up!" James wailed in his mind. Please...
*
“Doctor Petrov, Project Red is complete, metamorphosis is 100% successful, subject is in recovery room."
“Excellent, thank you!" Spoke Doctor Jameson, his American accent dropping, as he adopted his native Slavic accent. “Comrades, well done! Project Red is a success, commendations will be forthcoming from the hierarchy!"
Cheers and the clink of champagne glasses met this announcement, as about twenty staff drank the champagne and celebrated their achievement.
“Doctor - “ Spoke the AI again. “If I may, Comrade, there is still the difficult in smuggling subject A-932 out of these, the home of the Imperialist Pigs, the United States of America."
“Never mind that, Project Red is successful, you are certain?"
“100 percent success rate, comrade." Answered the AI.
“Outstanding, this changes everything!"
“Comrade Doctor - “ Began the AI.
Doctor Petrov walked over to the computer, before he smiled and took a key from around his neck, listening to the thud as bodies fell to the floor, death claiming them. He ignored it, as he inserted the red coloured key and took a deep breath.
“Comrade, what are you doing?" Come the AI.
“Override – Delta-Niner-Niner-Zulu-Delta-fiver-niner-zero, confirm!"
“Confirmed." Spoke the AI in a flat, monotone. “Override authorisation granted."
“Transfer all relevant research to hard media."
“Working...confirmed."
“You have done well, the Ministry will be most pleased." Doctor Petrov smiled grimly, before he turned the switch.
All lights, electrical appliances and machinery in the building went dark, as a massive EMP detonated, erasing the AI and frying the electronics. A few moment later, emergency lighting flickered on.
Doctor Petrov stepped over the bodies of the researches and others, not even bothering to give them a second glance. They had done what they had been paid – handsomely – he mentally added – now their job was done. Taking the drive out of the PC, he slipped it into a hard case, then sealed it in a specially protected briefcase.
He made his way to the recovery room, pausing outside to grab a needle and syringe from the cabinet beside the door, before he stepped through. He blinked, eyes a second adjusting to the darkness, using what little lighting the emergency lights provided.
“Warning, five minutes until catastrophic meltdown of Generators Alpha, Bravo, Charlie..."
Blinking, he frowned as his eyes fell on the bed...and found it empty...
Something flashed and he grunted, feeling powerful muscles slam into his belly, then the un-imagined agony as talons tore him from chest to groin. He shrieked and staggered back, driven by the kick, clutching at his shredded lab coat, blood and entrails spilling out over his hands before he fell onto his back.
“What..." He gurgled helplessly, stunned by his head hitting the floor.
A large, imposing kangaroo crawled out, its lips curled back in a feral snarl of fear and rage. Its biceps bulging, hind leg muscles bunching and propelling it forwards, as it come to stand over him, one long hind-food either side of his hips.
“I...made you - “ He gasped, agony tearing through him. “Subject A-Nine - “
He never got to finish the command, that'd turn the kangaroo completely subservient.
It snarled at him, gripping his shoulders tight, before transferring the paws to his throat – the claws tearing into the flesh as it cruelly pulled him upright. It glared at him with a feral intensity – yet there was something – more – elusive...
It's head flashed, and he shrieked as it snapped its head back, powerful jaws and teeth tearing open his jugular. Blood spurted over the Kangaroo's head, as it dropped him, watching impassively as the human began thrashing and drowning in his own blood.
Shaking its head, it dried as much of the hot, coppery blood off its face with its paws and wrists, before it looked around, and took first one, then another – tentative, almost panicked hop. It fell to the ground, forcing itself up again and hopped again – quickly figuring it out and dashing recklessly through the hallways. Fumbling with door handles, the kangaroo screamed in fear and fright,
It skidded on the floor, bounced into and off walls, as its head flashed from side to side, seeking a way out – finally – it found a large green and white sign above a door – a fire escape – and it frantically kicked at the door with both feet. Its fear grew, before some rational, sane part of it grabbed the bar and yanked it down.
A screaming fire alarm went off, making the kangaroo shriek and clutch at its ears, before it shoved the heavy door open and bounded out, colliding with the steel railing and going head over tail. It fell onto the cold, wet concrete, where it lay gasping and panting, body aching. At first one, then another, white crystal fell from the sky, followed by another – more – soon, it was...
It's snowing...
His mind whirled, filled with images and feelings and sensations – the hearing was incredible, the eyesight, worse than normal, but the sense of smell! He could smell scents that he'd never dreamed of...they threatened to overwhelm him, before rationality was forcefully restored. Scrambling back to his feet, he took a few tentative hops, before re-learning how.
He fled into the snowstorm, no destination, no purpose, and no idea – he just hopped as fast as he could – for as long as he could...
In the distance ,a brilliant flash tore apart the sky, and the concussive rumble made him scream and tumble head over tail again. He lay in the cold, wet snow for several minutes, shocked, ears ringing and senses whirling.
Carefully, he crawled back to his feet, then stood up, eyes blinking as wet snow clung to the lashes, before he smelt the heady pine scent – and something he craved desperately – water...
He bounded across the wet, slushy road and vanished into the forest – here, he would learn to feed himself, protect himself and all thoughts of his humanity, slowly faded away over the months – as he become what they'd made him – a wild, free spirit...
END