Infiltrating Harmony

Infiltrating Harmony Part 11

"Okay, I'll tell you what you want to know," I said. "Just not again." I felt my eyes strain against the bright light, the weight of the situation now coming down on my shoulders like a thousand pounds.

"I have a better idea," said Vocation 13. One of the vocations that stood in front of me backed away, disappearing once again into the blackness. "We don't need to kill you. We need you to leave us alone, so that we can get this job done. We need to figure out what you value most in the world, and take it away... sort of like for leverage. And guess what, Jerry?"

"What?" I asked.

"We know just how to do it," Vocation 13 laughed maniacally.

The vocation that had disappeared came back, now pushing a small TV. Attached to the TV, were two small wires that hung like serpents off of the platform that the screen sat on.

Vocation 13 came back into view, now holding a syringe. Inside the syringe, the largest amount of HARMONY that I have ever seen.

"No," I protested, and started to try to free myself. I knew exactly what was about to happen, and I didn't want any part of it.

"Hold him boys," Vocation 13 ordered his friends. Each of them put one hand on each of my shoulders, and suddenly I was even more immobile. Vocation 13 places the syringe onto the platform where the TV was, and then grabbed the two wires.

Attaching the wires to my temples with the sticky pads that came with them, he picked the syringe back up, and knelt down. Slowly, he injected the golden liquid into my veins. I squirmed uncontrollably while it coursed through my body.

Usually when someone takes HARMONY, it just distorts their vision to make everything look nice and perfect. It explains why the streets are in ruins and parts of buildings are missing. The drug transforms what would be insults into compliments or something that doesn't cause conflict. And that's if you take a normal dose.

A dose this large was dangerous. I had read an article about it once. The article was about a woman who overdosed on HARMONY, the last moments being the best of her life. I thought of that article as my head started to feel fuzzy.

Suddenly, everything went black. And then, a hallway lit up, manifesting itself into view, a view that would usually only be in my subconscious. I could hear the voices of the vocations, but it was distant, as if they were underwater. And I definitely couldn't see anything that was happening in the real world.

The hallway was long, and consisted of doors that lined themselves up on the left side. They were white doors, the types that you would find on a nice suburban house.

I approached the first door and opened it. On the other side, a stage was erected in the middle of a town square. Vocations and humans alike made up an audience that faced the stage, and on top of it I stood. Next to me was Officer Anderson, holding a gold medal.

"And we would like to reward this medal of bravery and honor to our very own, Monty Chapman! For ridding this planet of HARMONY!" exclaimed Officer Anderson.

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. The Chapman that I was looking at turned to look at the audience, smiling. I smiled back.

"Interesting," I heard Vocation 13 say, muffled. I couldn't answer back.

I exited that reality and walked over to the next door. On the other side I could hear music, the type that makes you want to dance. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

My eyes widened at the scene that took place in front of me.

Berlin's apartment was lit up warmly, the quiet of the night adding a strangely calming feel to this dream. My Girl by The Temptations played on a big record player in the corner. Simon ran around, bumping into things happily, oblivious to the fact that he might be giving himself brain damage.. And in the middle of it all, swayed Berlin and I, slow dancing.

"Wow," I couldn't help but say.

I walked over to Berlin and Monty, who looked at each other lovingly. I took a seat on the yellow couch and observed for a while. We seemed so happy... and no HARMONY in sight.

"Is that the girl that we have?" I could hear Vocation 13 ask. The wires that were hooked up to my temples were broadcasting everything I was seeing to the room. The vocations to his sides must have nodded. "Perfect. Dump this fool somewhere, and let's leave."

Although I heard Vocation 13 say this, I didn't react. I couldn't react. I just sat and watched what was happening before me, smiling serenely.

After a couple of what felt like minutes watching the two dance, the scene started to fall apart, like an old film screen being burnt. Pieces flew in every direction, and I reached out to try to grab them, but I couldn't.

The whole scene was gone, and I found myself in total blackness again. But this time there was no light, because the bag had been put over my head again. My arms were still tied to my side.

I started to move, trying to free myself. I must have been making a lot of noise, because I heard a door slide open. A door?

The bag was taken off of my head, and I looked around. I had been drugged, and then I had been thrown like cargo onto a train. From the looks of the view outside my window, we were drifting slowly over farmland, most likely somewhere in the middle of Pennsylvania.

"Oh my," said the woman who pulled the bag off of my head. "Would you like some assistance?"

"Yes please," I answered and stayed still while she untied the knot that restrained me. After a couple of seconds, I was free. "Thank you so much," I said, as she walked away.

How long have I been out? I thought, looking out of the window.

"Berlin!" I screamed as I realized she wasn't with me.

I scrambled to take out my communicator, and dialed Officer Anderson's number. After a second of ringing, someone picked up.

"Hello, Monty," said Officer Burton.

"Burton, I need to talk to Anderson, they have-"

"I'm sorry, Monty. Anderson is currently debilitated..."

"What do you mean?"

"It means don't come back to Boston, you are no longer needed. And if you try to leave that train before the last possible stop, I'm sure Berlin will be the one to suffer. And I don't think my friends from Destruction who are watching you right now will appreciate it either." Then she hung up.