Once again I’m on the cold operating table. Behind me is Raimond preparing his tools for the organ transplant. A while later, I watch the other surgeons begin to wheel in the lion/bird chimera.

Looking into it’s green eyes, I find it strangely familiar. Almost like we have an untold bound. Staring back it gives me a confused expression.

What is this feeling I’m having? Are we related somehow. Telepathically or by a primal instinct. I know the past few days I’ve been feeling ‘different’. Is this one of the changes now?

Realizing it’s end is here, it gives a calm expression knowing it’s not alone anymore. Considering me as its relative, the beast calms down and allows the surgeons to put him to sleep.

Waiting for the operation to start, Raimond gives me one last reassurance.

“Will. I want to let you know that the chances of this procedure being successful is going to be higher with me here. I’m the only one who has taken into account, all the unknown factors and calculated an 80% rate of passing unlike the 20% Fritzhugh predicted.”

Satisfied with his statement, he hooks up the IV and begins going over how they’ll proceed.

“We’ll need to remove the beast’s core first. Afterwards we’ll embed it into 13’s chest next to his heart and hook up the nervous system to it.” Nervously, he panics a little. “We have already done some trial runs beforehand and even though we’ve been unsuccessful so far, Will has been the only one to pass all the tests I’ve designed for him. Failure here is not an option and if it is, pack up and leave now.”

Staring at his group of researchers, he waits a few moments before giving a satisfied nod. Hurrying his team, they begin to slice open the beast.

Using a laser, they managed to cut its feathered hide. Flipping the skin flap up, they carefully begin moving aside it’s stomach and liver. Now with its rip-cage fully exposed, they cut through its sternum, before breaking away the ribs. Eventually this process ends once the core is finally exposed.

Did they need to do this right in front of me. It’s gross to look at and I’m slightly pissed off for some reason. Must be knowing something akin to me, is being butchered in such a fashion. Also, is the core of a beast, it’s heart? I thought it would be some rock or squishy bag thing. Instead it looks like a glowing red muscle.

Taking every precaution, they manage to remove it’s heart and placed it into a machine to preserve some of its basic functions. Turning towards me, I fear I am next.

Laying nervously, I watch as Raimond takes the lead to cut me open. Strangely I don’t feel anything this time, not even a tickle. Noticing I’m healing faster than expected, he beckons for someone to stab a needle into me. Visibly happy he managed to suppress my healing so far, he moves aside my organs and finds a place to hook up my second heart.

The glowing mass is shoved up under my rib-cage by his assistant, and with some dexterity he manages to hook it up to one of my arteries. Once situated, he proceeded to fish out some nerves from my spine. Using a tool he manages to create a connection to the foreign organ and my body. Seeing everything is going okay, he sighs out in relief.

“Will. Now you need to keep conscious as we are going to use a defibrillator on the organ and hope for it to reactivate.”

I don’t know what to think about seeing my own organs, but it isn’t as bad as I thought. Has my state of mind changed that much? And here I was hoping It was all done with shoving it into my chest.

Seeing Raimond’s concentration, I watch as he slips two pads one on my heart and the other on the core.

“Everyone. I’ve got both receptors on. We’ll first stimulate the core and then sequence it with his heart’s natural rhythm”

Pulling up their 3D screens, they begin to inject fluids into my veins, while checking my condition. Once everything is green, one of the researchers brings over the defibrillator. With one last check, Raimond switches the machine on.

Then all went black. And from the blackness, I noticed everyone scattering about frantically. My chest is still cut open, but now a huge syringe is stabbed into my real heart. I guess they injected adrenaline into me. And once again, Raimond switches on the electricity.

This time, I was prepared for the shock. Instantly a wave of pain erupts from my body. I can hear my bones crackle under the stress and a faint glow rises from my chest before dissipating. Again Raimond stimulates the core. Another eruption of pain rises and the glow appears again.

Visibly distressed at the disappearance of the glow, Raimond picks up a few needles before stabbing them into my two hearts. This time he hooks up the needles to his defibrillator and turns it to full blast.

Raimond. Please calm down. You’ll explode my heart at this rate. The pain was barely bearable, so lets try it a few more times before trying… what seems to me, like man slaughter.

Ignoring my pleading look, he closes his eyes and switches the power on.

A tsunami of pain, more than I could ever handle assaults me. Electric sparks emerge from my chest and the glow in my chest shines a pail green. The whole room turns dark and a red warning light buzzes in the air. Not paying this any mind, I block out the pain as I try controlling this foreign substance seeping into my bones and tissue.

It feels hot and sticky. My organs are twitching and my eye’s begin to shine with a glow. The restraints on my limbs tighten and creak under my spasms. The only person who is still calm is Raimond. He notices the drastic changes happening to me, and shoves my mouth open. With a hoze in his hand, he begins to pump a purple fluid into my mouth.

“Will! Stay...Me… Don’t….s.leep...”

Falling halfway in unconsciousness, I notice a bright light in my eyes.

Am I dead; have I finally left?

Coming closer to reality, I notice lights flashing in my eyes and the ground sweeping underneath my feet. Raimond is behind me with disheveled hair holding a IV bag. On the ground is trickles of blood flowing out from my stretcher. Next to me is Triss yelling at a group of doctors.

Holding my hand, she tries to get my attention.

“W...Wi...Will!”

Disorientated, my eyes focused on her. Triss looks the same as usual. Brown wavy hair and her glasses. Like a professional she isn’t scared to see my condition. She is calmly instructing Raimond to help the medical team to stabilize my condition.

The radiation from my chest has dulled a bit, but the greenish light is still there. My chest is being stitched close and a tube is being shoved down my wind pipe.

Everything is blurry, but I can make out the silhouettes of Phil and Frithugh across the room. They’re all huddled around Raimond excited beyond belief.

I guess his experiment is a success. My body feels like grind-ed meat and all these hozes sticking out of my body itches. The new beating in my chest is strangely comforting. The energy it’s releasing is slightly warm and the pain from it, is subsiding.

Noticing my exhaustion, Triss comes over to check on me. Poking my forehead she gives me a smile and works down to check my stitches. Strangely enough they haven’t closed up yet. Giving a shrug she comes closer to my ear.

“Good job Will. We can see each other more now.”

Straining me eyes to focus on her, I give a satisfied smile before passing out.

A few days passed and I’m still in the infirmary. Raimond’s split decision to electrocute me proved to be a success. Even if he plays it off like he knew he was right all along, I won’t be so trusting in him from now on.

My chest has finally closed up and being electrocuted has caused a spider web of marks on my chest. I can’t see the glow from my chest, but I’m able to feel the new energy in my body.

It feels strange but also familiar. Like when in my nightmares of being a monster killing people, I had the same feeling. Is this what the chimera felt when releasing his red lightning bolts? I think If I tried, I might be able to do it.

Interrupting my thoughts, I notice Triss coming to check up on me again.

“Hey Will. I got the all clear to let you out.”

“It’s about time.” Standing up excitedly. “I hate being bed ridden.”

“Be careful now. I don’t want to hear Raimond’s bitching about you over-exerting yourself.” Wrapping her arm around me. “How does it feel?”

“Feel?”

“Yeah. You know, having the organ transplant.”

“It feels, different. Their is some kind of..energy. I don’t know how to describe it, but it feels just right.” Wobbling awkwardly. “You know what I mean?”

“No, I don’t really. I think Raimond would have a better idea at whats happening though.”

“Hmph. After what he did, I won’t be so trusting in him.”

Ignoring my grumblings, Triss brings me to my wheel chair.

I don’t know why everyone is so nervous with my health, but I can’t just regret Triss’s goodwill. My body feels healthy, and I might be even stronger than before the surgery. I just need to figure out how to use this unknown power like in my dreams. But, I need to do this in secret and attempt a prison break eventually. It’s not my plan living out my life as a lab rat.

Pushing me along, Triss brings me to my floor. At first I don’t recognize anything different, but when we pass my old room I realized we are going somewhere else.

The long white hallways stop and at the end is a small construction site. Everywhere are workers breaking down existing rooms and expanding them to make one giant floor. A pool, track and weight area are being set up. In the corner is a TV and a new bedroom being made.

Noticing my entry, Raimond and Phil walks towards me.

“What is this Raimond?”

“Nice for you to ask.” Chuckling aloud. “I manage to increase my projects funding and created this facility to help keep you in high spirits.”

“Raimond.” Interrupting, Phil continues. “You should tell him what you have planned.”

“Ah yes. You see, I’ve noticed a gradual change in your body's physique. I’m planning on using this area to test the increase in your abilities and optimize the results gained from it, to start my next experiment.”

No not another experiment. The first one caused me to sweat blood and the second one roasted me half to death.

“Not another experiment...”

“William I promise this one isn’t as dangerous.” Beckons towards Phil. “I’m going to have Phil help restore you’re missing right arm. Wouldn’t that be a good thing, Will?”

“Raimond forgot to mention we’ll be transplanting a donors arm to you.”

“Phil I really am tempted to have my arm back, but… what’s the catch.” Sighing to myself. “I can not imagine you guys are doing this for my goodwill.”

Staring back and forth between each other, Raimond decides to break the news.

“As Phil was saying, we’ll be grafting an arm onto you. More specifically it’s going to involved using classified resources to do it.” Whispering under his breath. “Using a recently discovered humanoid.”

Did he say humanoid; like ones not like us but something from this planet? Am I going to have an alien arm stitched to me and go around shaking hands with people. Being like, ‘Hey, I’m some sort of freak, nice to meet you.’

“Humanoid?”

“Shhh. Not so loud. We can’t spread rumors now.” Growing closer to me. “Our special ops have found some human shaped beings here. We captured one to dissect and decided to use it’s spare parts for our experiments.”

“Also, what Raimond means: If normal people realize other intelligent beings are out their, it can cause some hysteria.” Leaning forward, Phil continues. “These beings are not like chimps. They can critically think and have their own technology and culture. Now imagine the big fuss that will occur if we allow everyone to know about it.”

It could cause a small stir. I don’t think hysteria might follow, but human right groups might become more active and cause a headache to the city council. If they can use ‘magic’ like what Raimond is trying to teach me, then it will definitely be a bad thing to welcome them with open arms.

“I can see your point Phil. But why use an alien arm?”

“Well, Phil is going to be working on this new project with me. He already has some success fixing injured people like you.” Scratching his beard. “And with the both of us, transplanting a native arm from this planet, should allow you to harness this ‘magic’ you said to be feeling.”

“Magic? I thought Fritzhugh said it was all a lie.”

“Blasphemy. He can make up all the excuses he wants. I’ve already proved everyone wrong twice and managed to convince Phil to co-op with me. Even Terisa allowed me to name this new power, ‘magic’.” Boasting, he continues. “Fritzhugh can suck it up and admit I’m right.”

“What Raimond wants you to realize, is you’re the embodiment of everything we want to achieve in this institute. You can survive out in the void zone and can now create the energy with in yourself now. Once we complete this next experiment, we’ll be able to do some field testing to see if Raimond was right once again.”

“Where would I be field testing at?”

“We’ll do indoors training and then build up to outside training. Afterwards, we can compare the results and determine if this is a success or a failure.”

“I can’t wait.”

Can’t wait to have an opportunity to escape this place. I’ll need to start planning ahead and try everything to hide my powers. I have a feeling I can already use them as I am now, but I’ll hold off for now, until my next surgery.

Waving goodbye to both of them, I continue to explore the place with Triss. I noticed she is visibly excited with the place as I am. Even more so after finding out I’ll be getting a brand new arm. Hopefully, she wouldn’t mind it being a little darker or having scales or anything. She is the reason I was able to hold out for so long in this place. If I didn’t have her little notes and encouragement, I most likely be dead right now.

Once I figure out my plan, I’ll break out of this place and bring her with me. For now I can only wait out my time.