Work Smarter Not Harder (001 x Reader)

Relief

My head is pounding, and my vision is still blurry. I hear voices and movement all around me but it hurts to move so I don't bother opening my eyes. Shit, now I remember. I was caught just as I was about to escape. Suddenly an excruciating pain shoots through my neck, I'm forced to sit up because of the unbearable feeling of discomfort. I feel my neck and notice something hard and round, couldn't be more than half an inch wide.

Dr.Brenner: "Only precautions, 017, we don't want to lose you again".

Fuck. A tracking device, this is going to make escaping much harder. As I lower my hand from my neck I notice a small number on my wrist.

017

They must have done it while I was unconscious, that would explain why I'm also in one of the hospital gowns. However I notice that they didn't cut my hair. It's probably so they can easily identify me from a distance. If I looked like everyone else I could easily blend in.
Dr.Brenner is now talking to some of the other lab assistants. I analyze the room, it looks like a nurses office. I look to my left to see the guard I attacked with my tattoo needle. He's laying on the bed next to me, his neck is wrapped tightly in bandages.

Dr.Brenner: "You did quite a number on him 017. I'm very impressed."

I glare at him.

Dr.Brenner: " Don't look so disappointed 017. There was never a chance you were going to escape, nobody ever does".

"Eleven did" I say.

He looks down and smiles. Shit I shouldn't have brought her up. What if he tried to get information out of me? I might be the reason El ends up back in this crazy place. Brenner is now looking at me. He smiles in amusement as if he knows exactly what I'm thinking.

Dr. Brenner: "Don't worry, I have no use for 011 anymore".

I look at him with pure shock. Is this man serious? He's been after El her whole life, and now he clams to have no use for her?

Dr. Brenner: "I have you now 017. Your gift is different. All the other kids here have the same power 011 had. Hers may have been the more powerful among the children. But who's to say I can't train them to be just as powerful?".

I give him a look that says "you're crazy". I think he read my face perfectly because he starts going on and on about how all of this is good for us, and how it's helping us. I start to tune him out as I notice a man by the door staring at me. He looks familiar. Then I notice those same blue eyes. It's the man from wake up call. He gives me a smile, and it's the most pure and genuine smile I've seen in a long time. I smile back. Brenner sees me smile and turns towards the man. I couldn't see what kind of face he made at him, but the guy looks down as if he knew he was in trouble. I hope nothing bad happens to him. He was just trying to be comforting, at least I think he was. I shouldn't really trust anyone here. But El never said anything about this guy, so he must be new. Dr. Brenner begins to unstrap me from the bed. My body still hasn't regained its strength back, I can still barely move. Dr. Brenner picks me up bridal style and walks me over to the man by the door, handing me to him. The way his arms wrap around my back and legs is so delicate. Like I'll break if he drops me. The way he holds me is much different from how Dr. Brenner held me. It has a warm and welcoming feel to it.

Dr. Brenner: "Take her to the punishment room, she needs to learn the rules around here."

The punishment room. El has told me about it. They put a shock collar around your neck and shock you till they think you've learned your lesson.

The man holding me nods and walks out the room with me in his arms. He looks down at me.

???: "Papa's mean isn't he. I don't think you deserve what's happening to you.

I smile up at him. I still don't trust him, but something about him makes me feel safe.

(Time skip)

We approach a room, but unlike all the other rooms this one is not white. It looks to be made out of some kind of titanium steel. Indestructible. I gulp. I don't have any powers to protect me. Without even thinking, I bury my face in the man's shoulder as if he were my own mother. I didn't even realize I did it until he moves a strand of hair out of my face. I look up at him and he gives me a reassuring smile.

???: "Don't worry, I'll be in there with you. If you feel uneasy, just look at me okay?"

I stare at him. How can someone so pure, so kind, be in a place like this? A place full of such horrible people.

Suddenly I'm forced from his arms by two guards and dragged into the room. I look back at him. The sympathetic look on his face makes me wonder if he has ever been in this room. I hope not. From what I've seen, someone like him doesn't deserve any form of torture.

The two guards throw me in the room and the man that was holding me follows in after. He just stands by the door looking at the floor. I turn to see Brenner towering over me with a guard on each side of him. One is holding what looks to be the shock collar El told me about. And the other must just be there for back up purposes. I notice Brenner holding a remote. It must be the device used to rank up the pain levels the shock collar provides. I swallow hard.

Dr Brenner: "I didn't want to have to do this 017, but you must learn the rules".

I look back at the man who brought me here. He gives me a weak smile and nods. The guard straps the collar around my neck. The metal it's made out of is cold against my skin.

Brenner: "Clear the area".

Everyone begins to step back, leaving me in the middle of the room panicking. I try to think of anything that can get me out of this situation. If only I had something to disable the collar around my neck. It would take less than three seconds. Then I remember the tracking chip that was put into my neck. Even if I did get out of this, it would only lead to further punishment. It's best to get this over with so I can gain Brenner's trust. He might allow me more freedom if he thinks I'm trustworthy enough. I could-

Suddenly I feel an excruciating pain shoot through my whole body. Brenner has turned the collar on. I scream in pain. Falling over, I claw at the collar in an attempt to loosen it. He turns it up and I scream louder. My screams can probably be heard throughout the whole building, echoing down each hallway. Tears stream down my face as I try to pry the collar from my neck. I begin choking on my own saliva. I see the man that gave me sympathy from the corner of my eye. He hasn't taken his eyes off me this whole time. The look in his eyes gives me hope. It's almost as if they're saying "hold on a little longer, it's almost over". We continue to stare at each other.

Finally, Brenner turns the collar off and I let out a big gasp of air. My neck is throbbing but at least I can finally breathe again.

Brenner squats down to my level and holds my chin up. He smiles then drops it.

Brenner: "I think that's enough for today, take her back to her room"

The only emotion that I can feel at this moment, the only emotion that seems to exist is

relief