"And how do you feel about Rinzlo?"
They had been at it for quite some time now. Amy had been drilling 28 about his relationships with his fellow test subjects and now his instructor.
"He's Rinzlo. I don't know what to say. He pushes us hard."
Amy sighed, taking off her glasses to clean them.
"Twenty-eight, I can't help you if you don't talk to me. Please-"
"What makes you think I need help? I'm fine."
"Surely there is something that's bothering you. You can't talk to me."
28 turned his eyes down, staring at his twiddling thumbs. Amy sighed once more and put her glasses back on.
"If that will be all then you can leave for today."
28 didn't move.
"There, there is one thing."
Amy stopped, staring intently at the boy, waiting. 28 took a deep breath.
"What did you people do to Thirty-six?"
Amy frowned.
"I don't have any information on Subject: Thirty-six. Could you elaborate?"
"He hasn't been the same. We had a training exercise and he disappointed Rinzlo. After words they hooked him up to some sort of machine and he hasn't said a word since."
Amy's frown deepened and she leaned forward in her chair, her thumbs rubbing her brow.
"Thirty-six must have been assigned to correction. I have never personally seen the machine of which you speak but I know of it. It is designed to root out any imperfections, specifically those of the mind. This could be emotional imbalances or insecurities, even insubordination. Normally such a device would be fatal due to the amount of stress it puts on the mind and body but one such as yourself or Thirty-six should be able to survive. Though I don't know anything about the machine's potential side effects. For all I know this is the intended result, has he ever shown reluctance to participate in combat exercises again?"
"No...no he hasn't."
"Then there likely isn't anything to worry about, he has simply been corrected."
28 shot up from his chair so fast it nearly fell over.
"There's nothing else doc, I'll be on my way."
"Twenty-eight wait!"
But he was already gone. The others had not yet emerged from their meetings so 28 skulked and waited. He could feel the eyes of their security escort on him at all times but he did not care. 'How could they be so callous about all of this?' He paced impatiently, just wanting to be gone from this place. Eventually his peers joined him and the group left the way they had come. 28 knew that 78 could tell something was up and he tried to avoid her concerned gaze. Fortunately she didn't press him on it, it wasn't something he wanted to discuss. When they reached their chamber, 28 quickly tucked himself into bed. But he couldn't sleep. His eyes pierced through the darkness, they were glued to 36 who had yet to say a word. Then he heard a slight rustling of covers.
"You awake?"
"Yeah," 28 responded.
78 had rolled over to look at him from her cot.
"What's bothering you? You can talk to me."
28 scoffed at the words.
"Hey," there was anger in her voice and she glared at him now.
Silently she stalked out of bed and across the room, planting herself down on the side of his cot and pulling back the covers that concealed his face from hers.
"Don't you get an attitude with me asshole, what is up?"
28 opened up to her, initially starting in a whisper but as he spoke and his anger grew he seethed and spat the words out like poison. 78 listened quietly, her hand on his shoulder. When he was done she spoke not a word, lending silent comfort.
"I just don't get why they did it. The tubes, the machine, the brutal exercises. Are we just expendable to them?"
"Probably, but who gives a shit. We have each other, we don't need those sickos. Hey," She knelt down beside the bed, meeting his eyes, "we'll help Thirty-six. If they won't help him then we will. We're all we have and we've gotta look out for each other, okay?"
28 nodded and she gave his shoulder one last comforting squeeze before retreating back to her cot. And they slept.