The 27th Element: Project 863

Where it all Started Going Wrong

 For weeks I had been working tirelessly on trying to get the right amount of anything and everything. Day by day my anxiety got worse. It's fine. You've gone over the readings thousands of times. This was it. It was the day of the test.

I slowly approached the testing room I was assigned to, I was about ten minuets early. When I arrived, I was about to open the door when it opened from the other side. Nelson was the one who had opened it. "Oh!" he seemed pleasantly surprised,"Benjamin, I would like to talk to you for a second." Talking with Nelson. I slightly shuddered at the thought. Nelson had gotten aggressive and power hungry since the 'discovery' of LB. "So you will inject yourself, you have enough experience. A few of us will be watching. Good luck." He swiftly exited the room.

I spent the rest of the time setting up the dosage. After I was finished I left the room to get a drink quickly. When I returned, some people were gathering behind the glass wall. It was finally time to get started. Nelson, I heard him over the intercom, was introducing me, himself and what we were doing there. "Ben, whenever you're ready."

I rolled up my sleeve and laid back in the examination chair. I took a deep breath. This is it. This will be fine. I pressed the needle into my skin and pressed down, introducing the serum into my bloodstream. I safely removed the needle and set the syringe back down on the cart. I was feeling fine. A slight bit of a burning sensation in the injection area, but overall, fine. I was counting the seconds, along with my breaths, which I tried to make deep ones.

Slowly, I felt the burning creep up my arm and start to spread. Then it worsened. I stood up and immediately fell, I caught myself on the chair. The sudden movement seemed to trigger something. The pain increased tenfold. It didn't stop getting worse, even when I thought it couldn't. After the shock of it, I realized I couldn't breathe. With the last of my air, I released a bloodcurdling scream I had been holding. I collapsed the rest of the way to the floor where I started coughing up the serum. I was still trying to get some air in when another wave hit me and I couldn't see. My eyes burned, all I could see was red. When what I assumed were tears, came in contact with my skin, it burned. What the hell is happening? I thought I had measured everything out precisely, right? I screamed again.

"We need to get him to someone who can handle this," I heard Deborah say from somewhere next to me,"Quickly."

Another wave. Fuck! What's happening? I soon couldn't think, if I did manage to it was some variation of the before mentioned thoughts. I never could stop screaming. I was hoisted up, much like I had been during the fire. I was only slightly conscious that I had been carried outside and placed in the back of a car.

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(B27 log ends)

(New log inserted)

Okay, it's started. Do you feel okay saying your nam-

Deborah.

Alright, we have been told that you, Wesley Nathaniel, Nelson Syphus, and Scott Clarick took Benjamin Cobalt to Syntec Location #12 after his test went wrong. Could you tell us about that?

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Location #17 was very small, therefore, it had no paramedics. We needed to take Ben to the nearest location that had an infirmary. That was location #12. Wes was driving, Nelson was in the passenger seat, Scott and I were in the back, trying to get Ben to either stop screaming or to get him to actually take a full breath. He couldn't do either and was in danger of passing out.

Serum had been leaking out of his eyes, nose, ears and mouth, I doubt he could see much of anything. We got him to the location, and by that time he had passed out. The air wasn't filled with his screams anymore, only his struggling, wheezy breaths. He was rushed to a medical bed and Scott and I weren't allowed to follow him. I got this next information from Wesley.

Wesley said,"I know we have a rocky friendship and it's definitely awkward but, I feel bad for that guy. I have no idea why Nelson thought that was a good idea. And, I understand now that they had been doing trials for months, without my knowledge. What might lead Nelson to even think to make Ben do it, I don't know. And, you're probably right in saying that Ben agreed to it, but when Nelson asks anyone to do anything, they're gonna do it. 

Anyway Ben is still unconscious, and in pain. I went back to look at the syringe and vial, to see if that's what went wrong. I could see from the lines the serum made on the glass, someone added serum to whatever was there before. I know Ben, he makes sure that it's right before even putting it in the final container. Someone wanted this to happen.'

 He went on to explain that Nelson felt no emotion towards the subject. 

After a few days, I was allowed to see him, I wasn't sure if he could see me.

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(D log ends)

(New log inserted)

Are you ready to-

Yes. I'm here, aren't I?

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Deborah. She came to see me, a few days after the initial incident. I was unfortunately awake and in agony. I still couldn't get a breath in, only short wheezing whispers of air. I couldn't see right, my eyes stung and everything was red. The pain still ebbed and flowed, but it never went away. I heard rumors that Wesley and Scott were working on a device that would allow me to breathe in the serum. Hopefully it would help.

"Hey, Ben." She sounded tired.

I tried to get my voice to work, but all I got out was a painful,"H- he- hey." Before I was thrown into an agonizing coughing fit.

"Wes went back to look at the, well it kind of looks like a crime scene now," D joked,"Someone added to the dosage in the vial."

 I went still. Who- Bastard. Who would do this? I was a high ranking member of the company, it's possible someone wanted to take my job. Who the fuck would do this to someone? Maybe it was Wesley. Not being able to ask questions was terrible. I started to feel whatever painkillers I was on wear off. What I was feeling was agony, it always became worse.

I hadn't slept, I couldn't. I was in searing, exhausting pain. Fuck, please, not again. I braced myself for the anguish to come. Wesley walked into the room to dose me with more painkillers. After he was done I grabbed his wrist, he pulled back but I had him in a vice-like grip. He was my lifeline at that moment when the pain struck. I had to let go because I started shaking.  

Nelson then entered. "Well," he said, emotionless,"That doesn't seem good." Even through the pain, I could sense D's anger. "Another dose should fix it." Everyone in the room except Nelson seemed to freeze. Another dose? Is he crazy? It'll kill me. He turned to an employee and asked for a small vial and syringe. They returned and Nelson positioned himself near me.

"Nelson," D warned,"I don't think that's a good idea." She and Wes would've done something if they could, but I assume they didn't want to risk injuring me further with their attempts or angering Nelson,

If he even heard her, he didn't listen. He plunged the needle into my arm, and the serum followed. New pain, by some insane possibility, even worse than before. I screamed again. I felt a warm liquid fall from my eyes and slide down my cheeks. I felt as if molten magma was filling me from the inside, overflowing and spilling out. I passed out soon after.