Artificial Willpower

Threats

Steven never came back down that hall again, but not too long after he watched them drag Freddy to wherever they brought Steven. And then Peter.

Jason wasn't at all surprised when the guards came into his room, or when they grabbed him and pulled him down the hall to wherever they had pulled his friends. He didn't bother to pull or shout. If Peter, who was much stronger than him, couldn't get away there was no way he could. Plus, whatever fate lay at the end of this hall was the same fate his friends met, and Jason would not abandon his friends.

He was brought into a room with a metal table in the middle. Pitch was standing beside it, cleaning some surgical tools.

Jason had already suspected they were going to undergo the same surgery as Daniel, but now he had no doubts... and now he knew he had nothing left to lose. Nothing was stopping him from saying exactly what he thought.

"They're right, you know. Illinois and Daniel. You're an awful person, Xander. You keep stabbing people in the back and someone will return the favor someday soon. Sooner than you'd expect."

The doctor looked unamused, "You have no clue what you're talking about." He said, before nodding to the guards who took Jason over to the metal table and strapped him down.

"You can't hide from everything you've done forever." Jason continued. He had started, and he saw no reason to stop, "You can keep trying to justify it and ignore your own crimes, you can keep hurting people for your own gain but it will come back, mark my words"

"I really don't think you're in a place to be making threats," Dr Pitch said, sounding disinterested, preparing a syringe.

"Oh, I know. I know there's no hope for me, and there's nothing I can do to save myself and stop you. This isn't a threat. It's a fact. A promise. Everything you've done will come back to haunt you. And I really hope it's by the hands of Illinois and Daniel. I really hope despite everything you've done and every rule you broke, you fail, and they make you face what you've done"

The doctor watched Jason for a long moment. Jason could tell he had pissed him off, that he had struck a nerve. He could see Doctor Pitch actively trying to keep his expression flat and emotionless. Jason knew he wouldn't get out of this alive, but he was happy. He had gotten under the doctor's skin, and he hoped his words lingered after he was gone. He hoped Pitch would remember this next time he stabbed someone in the back.

Without another word, Pitch stuck the syringe into Jason's neck, and he felt himself quickly losing consciousness. "Heh, don't even have a response...? You know.... I'm... right" Jason mumbled before finally passing out.

—

"So he wants to meet Yancy?" Illinois asked, pacing through their makeshift living room/dining room. Yancy watched, sitting on the sofa. Illinois had put Kathrine on speaker this time, so Yancy didn't just have to piece together one side of the conversation.

"Yes, he's already halfway done with the first article he's writing. He says this one is just to get the basic information out there, get people talking about it. But he thinks to get people to really care they need to see and hear what Yancy has to say about it all."

"Ok so like an interview?"

"Yeah. Remote could work but I'm not sure if that's a good idea. I think the amount of calls and digital correspondence we've been having is already risky. Do you have any more spots like the warehouse we could use?"

"Yeah of course I do. It might not be a comfortable setup but I think we're past prioritizing comfort. Yancy, how do you feel about all this?"

Yancy took a second to realize he was being pulled into the conversation before saying "It sounds good to me. Youse know I was actually in theater back in early high school. I was told I got a decent stage presence" He said, attempting to joke away his nerves. He wanted people to care about the situation and he was willing to do anything to do that, but he'd be lying if he said it didn't make him a bit anxious.

Illinois smiled "'course, sometimes I forget you were a theater kid. It was meant to be. Do you know when Apollo would wanna meet up, Kathrine?"

"He works fast. I'd say anywhere from a few days to a week."

"Got it. Alright I'll try to figure out what spot would be best."

"Perfect. I got the statement you guys sent so I should be able to get that to Apollo tomorrow. He doesn't really like digital communication it seems so I have to wait till I can see him in person again"

"Smart guy, alright. Thank you for the update Kathrine"

"Of course. Since I'll probably be coming with him, do you guys need anything?"

"Yancy, do we need anything?"

"Nah I don't think so. I mean some snacks might be nice, but I don't think we need 'em"

"I can grab some snacks," Kathrine said. "Alright I'll call you guys back later. Stay safe"

"We'll do our best," Illinois said with a chuckle "See ya" He said before hanging up.

"So, are you actually ok with being interviewed? Like on camera and everything?" Illinois asked.

"I mean, yeah. I'm nervous about it, obviously but I know it's probably necessary"

Illinois sat next to Yancy "Can I ask a personal question?"

"Yeah of course" Yancy responded, a little surprised Illinois would even ask. They'd gone through so much together that sometimes Yancy forgot neither of them really knew much about the other's life before all the messes started.

"What would you have done if things didn't turn out the way they did? Like what did you dream of doing before you got caught up with gangs?"

Yancy leaned back, thinking. He didn't usually indulge in thinking about how his life might have been, in fact sometimes he completely forgot that he had once had dreams.

"I wanted an acting career" He finally said "Preferably on stage, not in front of a camera. I really did love theater life. It was rough, stayin' after school till night almost every day, learnin' two hours worth of dancin' and lines but... it was always worth it. I really wanted to do it for the rest of my life. I dropped out of theater when I joined the gang. I tried to juggle the two for a bit but after the guys found out why I wasn't around them after school they gave me a hard time till I quit. It really sucked cause the play we was doin' in the time I had gotten a lead role I was super excited for. Gosh I was so stupid. I still don't really understand why I picked them over theater"

Illinois chuckled "I wanted to be a stunt double... it's funny to think if a few things went differently we'd both be in entertainment... I'd like to think in a different world where everything went like we wanted, we'd still know each other"

"That... that sounds really nice," Yancy said, looking down at his hands. A world where he had never hurt anyone. A world where things had worked out for Illinois. A world where the two of them could have met at some... acting workshop or something like that.

"Do you think we still woulda been friends, if we met that way? If we didn't have to cling to each other for survival?" He asked

"Y'know, I think we would have. I really do like talking to you, Yancy. And not just because you're the only person I have to talk to"

Yancy smiled a bit "I hope in some... different timeline, that's how everythin' worked out"

"Me too... so you really weren't lying about having a stage presence?"

"Well I wasn't a professional for sure and I'm probably rusty, but I do know a thing or two. I used to love bein' the center of attention. All I gotta do is tap into that again, right?"

Illinois chuckled "if you say so. Just don't go turning into a diva on me, alright?"

"I'll do my best. I make no promises though" The cyborg joked.

The mechanic got back up "Oh boy, this is gonna be fun" He teased "Alright let's get something to eat, then we can get back to the obstacle course"

"Youse sure we can't just have a spa night? I'm gonna be a celebrity soon after all" Yancy teased, getting up as well.

"Soon, but not yet. We still got work to do. If the interview goes well then we can talk about a spa night" Illinois teased back, bumping Yancy.

The cyborg chuckled and headed into the kitchen to help Illinois make some lunch. The air felt electric with excitement. Things were happening. Maybe victory was actually in reach.

—

Kathrine came in from her lunch break, letting out a small sigh. She never used to leave the lab during break, instead just opting to use the breakroom or eat in her office, but recently she found herself going into town to grab some food or even heading home for a little while. Part of it was so that she could check how things with Apollo, or Illinois and Yancy were going. She didn't like the idea of trying to interact with them in the lab. Too risky. The other part of it was just she was avoiding Pitch.

Every time she passed him in the halls, she felt like she was being watched like a hawk. Like he was determined to find any weakness to dig into. The walls felt like they were closing in.

She sat down at her desk, rubbing her temple. It would all be over soon. Just a few more weeks, probably. She opened her bag that was under her desk, to grab her water bottle before freezing.

The papers she had printed out for Apollo.

Yancy's statement.

It was missing.

She had meant to take it out of her bag, she had planned to leave it home, but she had forgotten. She had told herself it would be fine for one day, it's not like they did bag checks.

It was not fine though.

Someone had taken the papers.

Doctor Pitch cleared his throat from the doorway, and held up some papers."Looking for something, Kathrine?"