Artificial Willpower

Truth

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The puzzle pieces slowly started to fit together in Yancy's mind. It was beginning to seem like Illinois and Ben weren't too different, after all. They thought they would be doing good.

"Yeah... him. Doctor Xander Pitch-Markova.... It all looked so promising. I did research, ‭and all I could find was that he was super good at what he did, and he used to be in the military... I knew a lot of veterans had lost their limbs, so I had even hoped he had a similar motivation ... So I instantly said yes"

Illinois' voice was dripping with defeat. It was quiet, and wavering. Overflowed with regret.

"They showed me the facility. Things started out tame enough. And he seemed decent enough. Pitch got things done. He was a hard worker, and I admired that. I saw him do cold stuff sometimes, but dismissed it. He'd snap at someone, and I'd figure he had a rough day, as most people do. In the break room when people talked about him being rude or something, I would defend him"

Disgust laced in with his words, becoming more apparent, and making the words come across as more angry. Yancy that tone, because he had used it many times before. The anger that coats shame.

He could hear Illinois pause, to recenter the topic, and take a breath.

" I said he was just busy, or just didn't bother with sugar coating, and how that didn't mean he was rude. I couldn't see how anyone working on this project with me could be bad..." Illinois continued, now softer.

"He told me what was needed to connect the mechanics to the nerves. How accurate the limbs had to be, so the brain knew how to move it, how deep the connections had to go... Then he started discussing... other uses. And then the terminology changed. Words like 'Volunteer' changed to 'Subjects'. And then he started giving me things to 'fix'

"I started realizing they were weaponizing my designs. There was no good reason for the metal to be bulletproof, or for a finger to hold a switchblade. I finally caught wind of the full plan. Experiment on people with no one. People who they deem disposable. So they could use what I intended to be used for healing, for war."

Yancy ran his human hand along the cold, dark metal. Pitches words echoed in his mind. Less than a lab rat...

"Pitch had hijacked the whole thing. My life's work was being twisted and stolen from me, by the man I idolized for years. I never found out his motive, but I'd imagine his experience downrange did the opposite of what I thought it did. I think instead of seeing the healing potential, he saw how it could help in the war zone. It became less about helping people, and more about victories... I don't know, it hardly makes sense, but I think his mind is severely twisted. He laser focuses on things, forgetting about everything around him. I tried to talk to him, but soon I saw no amount of reasoning would work. So I'd have to play dirty.

"I made a computer chip that gave me full access to their systems, and planted it in the security room one day. A few weeks later, I took some vacation days. I went to Switzerland, went up into the mountains and just made it look like I never came back. I left a torn hat as 'evidence' that I had died, in a forested area, but I'm not even sure if they found that. I hitchhiked, and found a little place to stake out for a bit. I've been a survival enthusiast since I was a kid, so it wasn't too hard for me to survive. After I was sure everyone thought I was dead, I got a fake identity, and came back to America with some under the counter cash"

The idea of surviving, off all grids, alone, scared Yancy. He remembered when he first got out, how he thought he would have to do that. Illinois actually had done that.

Yancy couldn't help but feel gratitude for Illinois bubble in his chest again. Illinois may have been a survival enthusiast, but Yancy really wouldn't have lasted long.