2 Code:Madmen

***

What they could hear of the other "subjects" mostly consisted of coughing, groans, whimpers, rustling chains, and pleading screams of pain and fear. Each poor soul being experimented on in different twisted ways.

About a day after Dagen woke up, their doctor came to visit with his usual 2 guard escort. One guard, while being only around 5'3", was stocky like a dwarf and didn't say much; Varin called him Guard #02. The other guard was about 6'1" with a terrible temper. The bastard seemed to enjoy watching others in pain. He called this pleasant fellow, guard #01.

The doctor was a skinny little shit of a man that stood at about the same height as guard #02. He wore glasses and a white lab coat. As if he was trying to make himself seem like a legitimate doctor instead of a mad scientist from hell. It didn't even seem like his glasses were prescribed.

With him always was his tiny assistant with her clipboard. Ready to write down whatever updates the doctor said. The poor girl always seemed to have trouble keeping up with the eccentric doctor, trying to keep him on track.

That's to say, she was as much of a demon as the doctor was.

From Varins perspective, they always entered and exited the hall from the right. This made him think that their "lab" was somewhere behind the door in that direction.

Varin dreamed of the day that he could get a chance to slit their throats, watching them gurgle and choke on their own blood… slowly watching the light leave their eyes.

Guard #02 hit the button to raise Varin into a standing position, not leaving any slack for movement. As usual, #02 stayed outside the cell to the side, ready to close the door and push the lowering button. Guard #01 entered with the doctor and his assistant, standing to the side ready to hold Varin in place or hit him if he tried resisting.

With the assistant and guard standing ready, the doctor spoke.

"Time is 6:00pm. Administered solution 6 of the mutation plan of subject Black. No signs of rejection or mutation thus far."

Dagen watched with fear in his eyes as the guard pulled Varins head to the side to let the doctor jam a syringe filled with an unknown solution into Varins neck. The guard didn't let go till after the doctor stepped back, moving off to the side to let the doctor leave first.

Unable to contain himself, Varins face twisted in rage and fear as his eyes burned with an unattainable desire to destroy the people in front of him… If you could call them people that is.

*Muttering* "I'll kill you."

Guard #01 turned to look at the subject.

"Oh, what was that!?"

Looking the guard directly in the eyes, Varins voice resonated from deep within his core, a declaration to every soul who was there to whiteness.

"I WILL KILL YOU!!!"

A split second later, the guard's baton swiftly met the side of Varins head. With a loud crack, blood started flowing down the side of Varins head. Remarkably, Varin seemed to just shake it off as he looked back up and spit at the guard.

"YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

Going in for another hit, the guard was promptly interrupted by the doctor's voice. With an annoyed expression on his face the doctor yelled:

"Hit him in the head that hard again and you'll be the one to replace him! Honestly, what should I do if you put him into a coma, or give him brain damage! I need my subjects to be responsive! Are we clear!?"

Lowering the baton with an angered grunt, the guard left with the doctor and his assistant. As guard #02 shut the door and lowered Varin, the others moved to the next unfortunate person in the lineup of this round's doses. Which, to his horror, just so happened to be Dagen.

All Dagen could do was scream "NO!" as they proceeded to do the same to him. Being hoisted up like a slaughtered pig and injected by something unknown.

At least he wasn't hanging upside down.

"The time is 6:05pm. Administered the first solution of the mutation plan of subject Blue. Will be watching for signs of any sort of rejection or allergic reaction in the near future."

Leaving the cell and lowering Dagen back down to the floor, the doctor, assistant, and guards left.

On the floor with his breath and body shaking, Dagen looked over at Varin. A violent whirlpool of questions and thoughts whipping around in his head, making it hard to think straight or speak.

While Dagen was dazed and collecting himself, Varin was sitting with his head and back against the wall steadying his breathing. Leaning over with a pained grunt he ripped off a piece of cloth from the bottom of his pant leg and held it against the new wound on his head. Blood dripped off his jawline.

Glancing at Dagen, Varin sighed, his voice pained and tired.

"You still with me over there? … Hello? Are you checking out already? Oh come on… Snap out of it man!"

Snapping out of it with a jolt, Dagen closed his eyes tight and tried to breathe how he would while hunting. Steadying himself to not miss the shot, removing all unnecessary thoughts. After a few moments, he let his tense muscles relax and opened his eyes, taking a deep breath to steel himself.

'Panicking never helped anyone… it only gets in the way of finding a solution.'

Noticing Dagens eyes clear up and shakes stabilize, Varin cried out with exhausted relief.

"There he is! I thought you were gonna mentally check out and leave me there for a second."

"I'm sure you have questions, and they will be answered, but as you can imagine, my head hurts, so save it for now… alright."

…

"... Alright."

"Just… don't fall asleep. I've heard it's not good to fall asleep after a traumatic head injury."

Surprised by the sudden worry for his health, Varin managed a a brief chuckle and jokingly replied:

"As if anyone could get some sleep in this hellhole."

Seeing the condition Varin was in made Dagen worry, and oddly enough, feel a little ashamed. Varin has been here longer and his physical condition was far worse than his own. And yet, Varin was the one spending the energy to stop Dagen from crumbling. Meanwhile, here he was damn near breaking down from that single, brief experience with the doctor.

Compared to how composed Varin seemed to be, Dagen couldn't help but briefly question his manhood.