Mwas sat up and looked at his regrown arm. He was in awe. He could feel, move and even clench his fist. The only thing that was different was its color. It was gray, a stark contrast to his light brown skin. Still it was his. He was still admiring it when he saw Kim. Instantly, his expression went sour. He was about to say something when he found himself engulfed in a hug. It was Shiru. She had been looking at him in shock and happiness. Her brother was still alive.
Thia looked on in amusement. 'So he can also make that face' he thought as he watched both siblings act affectionately towards each other. 'Seems that near death situations can bring out sibling love eh' he thought smiling as he assessed the room they were in. That's when he saw Kim, lying on a bed struggling to see what was going on ahead of him. He rushed to him and, for the first time in a long time Kim smiled. " What happened to you? Are you hurt anywhere"? Thia asked worriedly. Kim looked at him again and smiled, " I'm fine its just that I can't move my body at all -" he stopped talking and looked at Thia in shock. He was able to talk again. This came as a surprise but he didn't have time to examine himself. Why? Albert's imposing presence.
Albert had never left. He had stood there from the moment the three had started convulsing. He had refused to put them under using anesthesia. This was because of the limited supply and use of it. Anesthesia was so rare in this world and because of this, became a rich man's plaything. A drug for them to use in their free time. Like heroine. Like drugs in the previous world, anesthesia was used and abused by the people as a way to escape reality. It gave them a' high' that made them happier, relaxed and very sleepy. Its popularity among the rich and famous made it very expensive and, because of this, its demand outstripped supply. This led to people manufacturing and selling it. Some of the people who manufactured it was Albert. His was the most expensive and purest form of it, there was no way he was going to use it on a bunch of strangers, much less prisoners.
" Aren't you done with your touchy feely moment"? he said as he stepped forward, into the medical wing once again. The four youngsters glared at him angrily. Albert wasn't amused. " You clearly have no manners at all", he almost shouted. The robots moved away as if already aware of impending danger.
It seems that you are unaware of your positions just yet allow me to remind you," he continued his voice cold and threatening. Suddenly, small *bots came up from behind him and dragged all four to their knees. This stunned them and tried to free themselves. Mwas struggled and escaped them.
He was angry that someone was interrupting the one moment that Shiru was showing genuine concern. In a fit of rage, he jumped and went to
attack Albert. Albert stood there and waited. Using his new arm, Mwas pulled back clenched his fist and went to punch him. Everyone waited for the punch to land, it never did. Thia looked up and froze. Mwas' clenched fist was frozen in place in front of Albert's face. Mwas was surprised. He thought he had punched him but, his arm seemed to stop a few inches from Albert. It was as if a barrier made of thin air had come between them, preventing the punch from connecting. No matter how hard he pushed, Mwas just couldn't punch him with his gray arm.
Furious with himself, Mwas swung his left arm but he was caught by bots and pulled back. " Do you think you can hit me with something that belongs to me"? Albert asked coldly looking directly at Mwas. "Impale" he said quietly, still staring at Mwas. Immediately, he collapsed and grit his teeth. Something was wrong, very wrong. Shiru screamed suddenly and Thia let out a gasp then he too grit his teeth painfully. Kim looked at them," What did you do to them"? he asked looking up at the now imposing man.
"I made them face a new reality," Albert replied glaring hard at Kim. "You see, those nanos you were so happy about a few minutes ago have one glaring flaw. They listen to me and work only when I tell them to so there's no way they can attack me, their master," he looked at the other three and smiled gruesomely. "I did treat them however, their lives are now at my beck and call and I can choose how I want to deal with..." he continued still looking at them when Kim interrupted him." Let them GO"! he shouted. ' Re-alignment complete. Resume complete body control' said the same metallic voice in his head. Instantly, he could feel every part of his body. He stood up and was face to face with Albert. Unfazed Albert stared back. He had been through enough to let a mere naïve boy shake him up. Still staring at Kim he said, "Strangle."
Thia, Mwas and Shiru's hands flew to their necks and began to squeeze, hard. They all gasped and tried to release themselves to no avail. Kim rushed to them and tried to pull Shiru's arms away. " Its pointless," Albert said matter-of-factly. " They will die by their own hands and there's nothing to do." Kim looked at them. For the second time, he was helpless, he couldn't be of any use to them. He sank down to the floor watching them slowly snuff the life out of themselves. " Release", Albert said quietly.
Their hands pulled back and they were left coughing and gasping for air. Albert stood at the door and said," You are all mine, my prisoners of war don't forget that." He walked away leaving Kim in silence as the other three coughed and gasped for air. This was not what he'd expected.
That was merely the beginning.