Chronicle of Nautilus

Chapter 26: The Preparation, Part 1

After the trip to the Navigator’s base and a glimpse at the Nautilus’s map, the Outsider had figured what was needed to be done.  During the last two years he had been lurking in the shadows, preparing. Using his mind tricks he easily made friends with dangerous people. He knew, there would come a time when he was going to need rare and powerful tools to finish the job. The amount of people to be used, greatly increased after he got Usher under his control, the man knew so many secrets about the ‘elite’ that even the Outsider was surprised, surprised and amused at the same time. He always enjoyed watching at the human flaws. He knew that he was not perfect himself, but human imperfection, with their confidence were feats to behold.

In time the Outsider had given Glen more freedom. Now, the man could feel his body’s physical interaction, taste and smell food, yet he was still far from full control. Glen had an illusion that achieved this on his own, with the power of his will, when in reality it was the Outsider who dropped a few crumbs to a starving man.

 “Are you afraid, Glen?” The Outsider asked as they walked an empty street in between tall buildings.

“Afraid of what?”  Glen replied.

“Something, anything, some pain perhaps?”

Glen did not say a word.  He had learned that silence was a great tool to annoy his host.  Sadly it was getting weaker, the Outsider learned things quickly and it didn’t take much time for him to learn patience, the most important quality he lacked. Over the short time of their companionship they both have improved. They made a strong and uncanny team.

The Outsider stopped by the stairs leading to a cellar of one of the buildings, glanced to the direction he came from to see if no one was following, and stepped down. He gently knocked on a small wooden door with no sign. It opened up before he could pull his hand away. An old skinny man dressed in white coat, wearing small glasses, was standing inside. He swiftly stepped to the side. Not letting go of the door knob, he said, “What are you waiting for? Come in.”

The instant the Outsider stepped in, the door shut down behind him. Besides a massive table in the center of a large cellar in front of him, the Outsider noticed many weird tools in the lair of this mad scientist – a human hand wired to an old computer, a couple of cylinders oscillating and pumping air to support life of the front half of a cat, a pile of old robots lay in the far corner of the room. The Outsider was sure that more atrocities were hidden in a long closed cabinet standing on his left.

“A necromancer - that’s who he is.” Glen whispered.

“No, he’s only a humble magician.” The Outsider replied.

“I am just a humble scientist,” said the old man behind them. “Don’t be intimidated by my little experiments. That is just a hobby of mine. Have no fear. The fate of my little pets doesn’t await you. The old man tried to make a warm smile, but failed miserably, all it did was to make him look creepier.

“Did he hear us?” The Outsider asked Glen. Only this time no one answered.

“Have your brought the payment?” The old man asked.

“Yes, here.” The Outsider walked towards the scientist, took a cube of shiny material and put it on the table in front of him.

For a moment the scientist stared at the cube with awe. He said, “Iridium… I thought you bluffed when you told me you would bring it. It will do wonders in a small project of mine. Thanks.” He took the cube and ran in short steps to another room, talking without turning around, “Take off your clothes and lay down on the table I’ll be back in a minute.”

******

The Outsider sat naked on the table in the middle of the cellar, looking at homemade equipment attached to it. Many crinkled wires, different sensors and digital equipment were connected messily. Duct tape was used in multiple places.

 Connected to a breathing respirator, a wide plastic tube passed a dosimeter and went to a green maliciously looking gas tank.

Glen’s body was covered in scars and old wounds. Cold moisture condensed on his skin and flowed down his tight masculine lines.  The air was freezing, but the he did not shiver. Warm breath steamed out of his mouth and floated towards the ceiling.

“We will get the painful one done first. Is it ok with you?” The scientist asked, manipulating the keyboard on the other end of wiring connected to the table.

“Sure, let’s get over with it.” The Outsider said and laid down.

The scientist approached him and put a breathing mask, on his face.

"A small tip - resist the pain, if you do that, you will breathe faster and the procedure is going to end sooner." The old man strapped the Outsider to the table, tightening each strap as hard as he could. He took a wooden stick and put it into Outsider’s mouth.  He attached a few sensors to the Outsider's heart and neck. Then he went back to the console and pushed a button. “Here it comes. I hope the fact that you are not the first going through this procedure is going to make you feel better.”

The Outsider opened his mouth, and tried inhaling, but the tube carried no air. He started to suffocate. For the next few seconds he was starving for oxygen. And when the air came, at start it felt as if he could breathe normally, but with each inhale the air became heavier, with each exhale his lungs were getting warmer.  After a minute, the warmth turned into heat, he felt as if he was burning from the inside, the fire got hotter and hotter. His blood pressure increased, his head got dizzy, but the burning sensation did not let him to pass out. Blood carried the chemicals from his lungs and the pain slowly spread to other parts of his body. He had never imagined, there could exist a pain of such magnitude. What a physical interrogation device this table would make!

“See, Glen, I could easily move to the side and let you a part of the fun. But I keep it to myself.”

“How noble of you.”  

The pain seemed to be limitless. The outsider clenched his fists. The pain resonated through Ushers body and went to the Outsider’s astral self. Fascinating, he thought, I never thought that the pain of such intensity could establish a connection to the other side. For a blink of an eye he was half there and half there. And then the pain stopped.

Even though the straps were taken off the Outsider did not move a muscle for the next few minutes, he spew out the stick and started panting. Strength returning to the body was a fascinating experience.

“Wow that was fun,” he told to the old man and sat on the wet table, there was no dry spot on his body.

The scientist lifted his hand to the side of his glasses and pushed a button. The Outsider could see an inverse hologram of his body on one glass. The image changed its color a couple of times.

“You seem fine, here.” The scientist threw him a towel and clothes. The Outsider jumped down started to wipe the sweat. The old man looked at him suspiciously. “First time I see someone enjoying this.”

“I have never felt so alive,” the Outsider replied. He dressed up, a large stupid grin decorated his face.

The Outsider walked towards a device which resembled a microwave heater and turned it on. He extended his hand into the beam – it did not hurt, it started shining in a light shade of green.

“Instantaneous evolution - fascinating.” He murmured to himself. “You humans are capable of great things, yet you always seem to use them in the most horrible ways.”

“Take these pills.” The old man approached him and extended a small bottle. “Take one each day for a week and then come for the next operation.”

“Thanks.” The Outsider grabbed the bottle and walked towards the door. He turned to say goodbye at the doorway, but the scientist had already disappeared.