INTEGATES (Original Story)

CHAPTER 1 - FIVE BLOCKS

My head was throbbing and my entire body had goosebumps from the extremely cold metal touching my uncovered arms. When I tried to open my eyes, I immediately shut them back tightly due to the blinding light coming from the ceiling. They took time to adjust as I attempted to move, yet I was halted by a metal belt around my waist. I forced to open my eyes just to realize that I was lying on a hospital bed.

The next thing I noticed was the cushion-tiled walls surrounding the spacious room. It was silent. Nothing could be heard except for my erratic breathing and a faint beep. I looked on my both sides and saw several machines flashing numbers and figures which didn't make sense to me.

I tried to lift my upper body that was free from the metal belt, but I immediately collapsed back because it only made my headache worse. There was pain on the back of my left hand which I assumed was the needle from the IV injected in my vein. My orbs were trying to adjust as my vision was still a bit blurry. Then I heard a door open from one corner of the room. I was so unsteady that I couldn't process if the person who entered was a man or a woman.

"Agent Drayson, you're awake."

The voice revealed that we were the same. I blinked a few times just to finally clear the images around me. Then I saw the human figure beside me. She was tall and dark with a slender body which was wrapped with a lab coat. Her face wasn't familiar at all but I assumed she was a doctor.

"W-Who are you? Where am I?" I weakly asked as my palm pressed my temple.

"My name is Lyra Zigan. You are inside the NCIO." She answered.

"NCIO?"

I didn't know what it was and I tried to recall whatever happened that led me to my current state, but I couldn't remember anything.

"Your fall was really bad that it makes it hard for your brain to process anything right now." Lyra explained as she removed the metal strap that was locking my body.

Her words didn't help at all. They only confused me more.

"Fall? What fall? What happened? I w--"

I wasn't able to continue what I was going to say because I felt a patch on the back of my head while she helped me sit up. When my fingers pressed it lightly, I hissed due to the sudden pain. There was probably a cut underneath which was causing my extreme headache. Most likely, I got it from the fall that the woman was referring to.

"I need to run a few tests on you, Agent Drayson. Is that alright?" She gently asked.

"Y-Yeah, I guess." I almost whispered.

Lyra did the common checking of eyes by using a flashlight pen. Then she tested my grip by making me close my fists tightly. The last physical test was checking if I could move my neck, arms, legs, and feet. Everything was surprisingly good. At least for a patient who felt horrible.

"Now I'm going to need to ask you a few basic questions just so I know there's nothing wrong with how your brain responds. But if you don't want to go through that yet, then it's fine." The doctor stated.

Even though the pain was nearly unbearable, I forced myself to give in to her request hoping it would open details for me to understand what was happening to my body. So I gave her a faint nod.

"What's your name? Do you remember it?"

I wasn't able to answer immediately not because I didn't know it, but only because it was suddenly difficult to think.

"Margaux. Margaux Drayson." I exclaimed, still cupping the back of my head.

She smiled like she was actually glad that I at least knew who I am. Then she wrote down something on her paper pad clip which I didn't notice she even had.