From a stupor I woke, two doctors over me. One hooked me up to IV's while the other was assessing some sort of needle with a probe on it. When the nightmare of almost getting probed faded, I figured that was the end of it. Then I bloody woke up.
Blank white light invaded my vision in a flash that never ended. The muffled sound of voices tried in vain to get through the pressure in my head. Maybe the blood dripping from somewhere on my face would help rectify that.
Finally one snapped his fingers in my face twice. My face burned, and one eye was covered by bandages. It wasn't until I sat upright that I realized that blood was coming through the bandages.
"Would you please tell us everything you can remember?"
Images invaded my mind. Lights, flame, swirling glass and metal. Sounds of the cacophony from a wreck played out in my mind's ears. I replied as much, and they confirmed,
"Yes, you and your brother were traveling together around the border to the Separatists state. After the wreck, some of your cognitive and motor abilities have been compromised but nothing to disqualify you from duty. Would you please tell us those duties? Gotta check for dementia or other after effects."
The pain in my head seemed to intensify as information was recollected like the ooze going out of my head at the moment. My chest tightened and the words seemed to escape my mouth once they finally came. I recounted,
"I was a Prodigy, a super, who volunteered to the army for the retaking of the Separatist state. The EV-" my head pounded and I contained the scream, "Stryker was knocked out before the WMD was released."
"What were the side effects?"
"Obviously, I only had a trace exposure." I replied, "My vehicle was in the very back of the formation before the radio chaos hit of a G-series nerve agent. I masked up while the others struggled to find their gear without their NODs and without lights." I choked up with emotion, "Though the vehicle was pitch black. I watched them die. By the noises they made, I watched them die."
"Do you remember any smells?"
"The radio briefly mentioned a sweet odor, a sign of cyclosarin. Men in my vehicle noted a rotten fruit smell. Possibly a cocktail of soman and cyclosarin; if plain sarin was used we'd never know. Madman probably used all three."
"Thank you, but you were able to make it back? How did that work?"
"I was able to find a manual release for the door. After that partially worked, with my enhanced ability I was able to force the door down enough for my to crawl out and escape before my filters in my mask gave way. Running through the chaos I bumped into wrecked pilots and humvee drivers to spread the word via word of mouth."
"Yes, those were chaotic times. Would you please tell us about those abilities?"
I shrugged, "Overall, general enhancement in every way. Healing is faster. Punches are stronger. I can run longer and my mind is sharper." Smiling I added, "And I rarely ever miss a shot."
The lights cut off and one of the disappeared silhouettes finished,
"Good, let's get you up to speed Corporal Richard Arcadia."