Project S.T.A.T.I.C. Part 5: The Asylum

Pam sat with her back against the wall, eyes closed, and head resting against the padded cell. She’d spent the last fifteen minutes recounting Addy with a short recount on the events of the last year. Everything from Voidfoot’s surprise ambush and world-bending assault, to her and Beth’s highlights in alternate realities, to the resurrection of both Jake and Rebecca, and then their return to their world and establishment of the resistance movement. Their small victories against Duchess contrasted with their extreme loss of Jason to Murray and the rest of the Brunswick corporation.

“Which brings us to now,” Pam finished her abbreviated explanation to Addy, “Me, pumped full of some disgusting cocktail of suppressants, alone and wandering almost aimlessly through the halls out of one of my nightmares.”

Addy hadn’t sat down while Pam talked. She’d paced back and forth briefly, but had otherwise seemed strangely calm. “You’re not alone,” she shook her head, “You weren’t when you came here, and you’re not alone now. I was alone. Sally was alone. My mis-Kaitlyn was alone. All of us were kept apart and separated over the last year. The only time any of us were allowed to see one another was when we were strapped down and watching recordings of the other being poked, prodded, or experimented on! You don’t know what it means to be alone, Pam, not like this.”

Pam frowned at the hostile tone that the young woman adopted with her. Once again, she could sense the pain that was hiding behind her hostility and aggression. “This isn’t a competition, Addy,” she shook her head, “At no point did I say that I had anything worse than you. I know that you, Sally, and Kaitlyn have all had it far worse than I could ever imagine. However, we came as quickly as we could.”

“Yeah, after Jason was taken,” Addy scoffed, “It wasn’t until he was brought in that you decided to make a move on this hell hole.”

“We were planning our next move before Jason was captured,” Pam argued, “Samantha, Zoey, and Bruce needed to recover, and we had hoped to have a more calculated assault as a cohesive unit. We were coming, Addy, but Jason’s capture forced us to abandon those plans and improvise. We’re here now, and we aren’t leaving without you and the others.”

“Hmph, are you sure you’re leaving at all?” Addy asked, her tone bitter, while her mood suddenly shifted to fear.

“I know you’re scared, Addy, but we are getting out of here,” Pam sighed, still sitting but trying to find the strength to get back to her feet.

“I’m not…” Addy began before stopping and looking away, “You said your powers were being suppressed!”

“My magic, but my empathy is innate,” Pam explained, “I promise you, I did not make it this far to fall now. I’m not losing my KItten and I’m not losing my friends.”

“You can barely stand,” Addy pointed out, “I”m supposed to put my faith in a woman that let herself get captured and ran from Murray’s monster?”

“Because I’m not spending any more time in this nightmare factory than I have to,” Pam answered, sensing the bitterness coming from the young prodigy yet again, “Why are you so bitter towards Kaitlyn? I was under the impression that you were as obedient as you were infatuated with her.”

Addy closed her eyes and replied in a more bitter tone than Pam had ever heard, “I saw a conqueror fall the same way that I saw a Goddess fall. It turns out that you can’t put your faith in women that claim to be all powerful.”

“That’s not exactly fair to Kaitlyn,” Pam raised an eyebrow, “Comparing her to Rebecca is certainly a stretch as well.”

“And I should take the word of a dominant that’s cowering and hiding in a cell with a beta?” Addy asked.

“Just because I may be the one in charge, the dominant as you so kindly pointed out,” Pam began, “That doesn’t mean I’m not human, nor does it mean I’m infallible. I’ve never claimed to be, and I doubt that Kaitlyn has made those claims either. At least not since our time fighting for Metropolis together.”

“Hmph, clearly you don’t know the woman as well as you think,” Addy huffed, “You have no idea how often I heard how superior she was while she was training me. I believed that she was some sort of unstoppable force, an unbreakable pillar, but then we wound up here. I watched as she crumbled in a matter of weeks. I saw the woman that was buried beneath all that bravado. She’s no commander, she’s just a woman like me and you.”

“And that’s so wrong?” Pam asked, “We are all human, Adelaide. The fact that you saw a vulnerable side of her shouldn’t be what makes you despise her. Even the most commanding and powerful women are still human and still have fears and a weakness. If anything you should feel closer to her.”

“Don’t tell me how I should feel!” Addy snapped, “What do you know about any of this, huh? Ms. Perfect and Powerful over here doesn’t get to run my life like you do Beth’s! You can have your Feral little pet, but don’t treat me like I’m her. I’m not some weak and dependent little girl, not anymore.”

“Is that how you see Beth and I?” Pam asked, narrowing her eyes at her, “Say what you will about me, but don’t insult the woman I care for. Don’t chide her while she can’t defend herself, and do not presume to think she is weak or tied to me by anything other than her choices. I don’t control her in any ways other than what she allows. Do you think she’s some weak, cowardly little worm? Is that how you viewed yourself?”

Addy clenched her fists and shook with frustration, “I-I relied on her for strength. She took me to my limits, but then helped me find a way to overcome them. I learned from her and from Goth different ways to be strong, but through that I became too reliant on them for guidance and purpose. I need my own. You want to know how I see you two? I see you as a woman that rose from the shadow of a mad Goddess and into her own person. Beth, I see her as a funhouse version of myself in many ways, so yeah I do think she relies on you too much.”

“That’s absolutely not true,” Pam sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, “Adelaide, listen to me very carefully. Just because Beth chooses to submit to me does not make her weak or dependent. She’s no different with me than she is without me. I was there to pick up the pieces when she was broken and help put them back together. I may have helped to rebuild her, but she isn’t defined by me. I help her, Adelaide, but I don’t own or control her. Now, I don’t know the ins and outs of your relationship with Kaitlyn, but I do know that the woman you became wasn’t some sad little worm.”

“How can you say that when you never knew me before Goth?” Addy asked, her voice trembling and nearly breaking.

“I know the type of women that Rebecca indoctrinated,” Pam said, “The lost, aimless, and uncertain. She had a talent for finding women that needed someone or something to believe in. It doesn’t matter who you were before Kaitlyn, or even Rebecca. Both of those women simply played a part in your evolution. Let me ask you something, are you angry with Kaitlyn or yourself for what’s happened?”

Addy sighed and shrugged, “I don’t know.”

“That’s what I thought,” Pam sighed, pushing herself into a standing position, “This is something that is going to take time to work through, Adelaide. Let me ask you this: what does the thought of Kaitlyn suffering evoke in you?”

Addy’s eyes hardened as she thought about Pam’s question. “Anger,” she answered, “I don’t like the idea of her being hurt and tortured.”

“Good,” Pam nodded, “I can work with anger. I know that things are…complicated at best between you and Kaitlyn, and believe me when I say I know how difficult that can make things. One last question regarding you two. Do you want to save her?”

“Of course I do!” Addy exclaimed without hesitation, “I want to stop these people from causing any more harm to anyone in our group or the rest of the city.”

“Then we work together and put a stop to this madhouse,” Pam said, “Whatever is going on between you two can be figured out later once we’re out of this nightmare. What do you want, Addy?”

“To make these assholes pay,” Addy replied, “I want to shut this place down for good and make them hurt. I want to get out of here and be able to sleep without being tied or strapped down and without some bullshit drugs being pumped into me.”

“Then that is exactly what we’re going to do,” Pam nodded, “Now, what can you tell me about what Murray has been doing? What do you know about that thing that she’s had roaming the halls and city streets?”

“Chaos,” Addy frowned, “You’re talking about the hulking gray woman, right?”

“Yes, that’s the one,” Pam said.

Addy shook her head, “I don’t know a lot, but I know she used to be human. From what I can gather, she volunteered herself for a procedure to enhance herself. The word among the orderlies, nurses, and security teams is that she used to be a member of Duchess’ brigade. You know, her band of merry fuckwits and misfits, but she was one of those that kept taking things too far. She already had a penchant for violence before the procedure, but whatever they did amplified it beyond measure.”

“What did they do to her?” Pam asked, “What do you know about this procedure?”

“I don’t know specifics or details, but I saw notes and pictures on a board a while back that were related to Havoc,” Addy replied, “I’ve seen that thing wandering around, patrolling the halls, and she’s easily as big as Havoc was. The thing is, I remember hearing about these bouts of uncontrollable rage from that woman shortly after the procedure. The Doctor went through and added some kind of inhibitor or something on the base of her neck. She keeps it covered with that bulky-ass coat of hers she's always wearing.”

“An inhibitor?” Pam repeated, “You mean like a controller?”

“Something like that, yeah,” Addy nodded, “Before it was installed, she killed like twelve people in some really sick and demented ways. I don't know if she was just angry and felt like she'd been lied to, or if she was always that sadistic. Whatever the case, she went after Murray and nearly got a hold of her. Mind you, these are all things that I've overheard only.”

“Still, it's something,” Pam shrugged, “If that's true then we can use that to our advantage. Whether we like it or not, we are going to wind up crossing paths with that thing sooner or later. Do you know why they're drawing blood samples?”

“That's one I don't know anything about,” Addy shook her head, “All I know is that once a week for the last six months they come in and take blood from each of us. They take the samples to one of the labs, but that's all I know. The nurses either don't know much of anything about it, or they're keeping their mouths shut tight. I know Murray has one other project she's been trying with. Again, all I know is what I've been able to overhear. The nurses have been talking about something called the Infinite Project. It doesn't come up often, but anytime it does is when they're hauling carts of tech towards the main offices, central elevator, and the operating theater. I don't know what it is, but I've seen Murray mixing technology and flesh more and more over the last several months. Granted, I can't see much from my cell and short walks, but it's enough to unnerve a girl.”

“I'd ask what you've seen, but I fear I'll see it myself soon enough,” Pam frowned, “Do you know where they're keeping Sally? The nurse I interrogated earlier gave me an idea, but-”

“You want a second opinion,” Addy nodded, “Sally isn't far from us. If she's still in her cell, then she's about midway down the hall. Now, she looks different and she's not quite the same person you remember from a year ago.”

“I'm finding that to be true with many of you all,” Pam frowned.

“Yeah, it's amazing how much can change when people are left out to dry for over a year,” Addy scoffed.

Pam's frown deepened and she closed her eyes. She wasn’t sure if Addy had meant it to be a dig directed at her and the others or not. She knew that Jake and Beth carried a heavy burden of guilt regarding what their friends and their city had endured while they’d been away. It was something that she tried not to think about, but it was difficult when she was face-to-face with the people that had been directly affected by the new regime. The guilt hit differently for Pam than it did with Jake and Beth. It reminded her of her time serving under Rebecca and all the pain she’d inflicted on countless citizens in Citiville.

“Sorry,” Addy sighed, seeing the way Pam was seemingly shutting down, “I didn’t mean-”

“I know you didn’t,” Pam sighed, “It’s not personal, it’s just the unfortunate reality. Like many so many other things, we can work through it once we get out of this hellhole.”

“Tell me you have a weapon,” Addy shook her head, “I’ll beat these people with my bare hands if I have to, but something, anything, would make things easier.”

Pam dug into one of the pouches hanging from her belt. She pulled out two scalpels that she'd picked up from the operating room she'd been trapped in. “It's not much, but here's what I could salvage,” she said, offering the tools to Addy.

Addy looked at the small surgical tools and chuckled. She reached out to take them and get a feel for their weight. “I'm guessing you can't summon a weapon right now either, huh?” she asked, twirling one of the scalpels between her fingers.

“Not with these chemicals in me,” Pam shook her head, “I haven't felt this lightheaded since Beth originally captured me at the cabin. They've lined the walls with different ores to make magic more difficult to cast here as well, but I could have pushed through that pain. Now, I'm doing well to be able to walk.”

“I figured that might be the case,” Addy nodded, “They did a whole bunch of stuff to this place well before Eva and the rest of her psychos made their move. Kaitlyn and I were focused on surveillance before things went to shit. I remember seeing trucks heading across the bridge periodically months before everything went down. They were Blackridge trucks, so I just assumed that Jake was doing something like a restorative project.”

“They operated under our noses for a long time without any of us noticing,” Pam frowned, “We were so focused on rooting out and dealing with what was in front of us that we failed to notice what was happening behind the scenes. Honestly, I almost respect their cunning.”

Addy frowned and shrugged as she clenched the scalpels in each hand. “All we can do is work with what we have at the moment. Can you keep up?”

“I'm wobbly, not feeble,” Pam frowned.

“This isn't a joke,” Addy shook her head, “This floor has Dolls on it alongside the usual nurses and security.”

“Dolls?” Pam repeated.

“Yeah, did you guys not do any research before breaking in?” Addy seethed, “Ugh, of course you didn't. The Dolls are probably the most twisted of the good Doctor’s experiments. Her obsession with turning people into works of art with her knives by cutting on them is what creates them. Of all the shit that I’ve seen and heard over the last year, the procedures that result in them are probably the most haunting. People are taken to the theater where she cuts on them until they become something else. They scream and scream until either their voices give out, they pass out, or she cuts their vocal chords out.”

“Are you sure they’re not just bleeding out?” Pam asked.

“I’m sure,” Addy shook her head, “Murray is one sick and twisted bitch, but she’s too skilled with a knife to let anyone get off that easily. No, she takes them apart and puts them back together in the worst ways. They stop being people and start being something else…they don’t feel anything. I watched one of them get grabbed by Chaos during an altercation with an attempted escapee. She snapped its limbs like twigs, and I swear it just tried to get back up. It never cried, never screamed, it just acted like nothing was wrong. One of the guards had to put it down.”

“You keep saying it,” Pam frowned.

“Yeah,” Addy sighed, “They’re so wrapped up in bandages that you can’t tell whether they’re male or female anymore. They’re mutilated in some of the worst ways, and between that and the way their dead eyes and wrapped faces they're the stuff of nightmares. One of my greatest fears is being turned into one of those things…I’ve lost, I don’t even know how many hours of sleep this past year wondering if they were gonna come for me next.”

“Then perhaps it’s for the best that we take things slow, steady, and silent,” Pam offered, sensing the sheer unease that was seemingly overwhelming Addy.

“With these little things and your inability to fight, we don’t have much choice,” Addy shrugged, “We move when you tell me you’re ready.”

“I’m not entirely helpless,” Pam defended herself, “I’m off balance, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be of use. “

“Yeah, moral support and passive empathy,” Addy scoffed, earning a sudden, sharp slap on the arm from Pam.

“You can lose that smug attitude,” Pam frowned, holding her hand up and letting wisps of crimson smoke roll from her arm, “I may not be able to do much, but I’m one of the few people that can be in two places at once.”

“Is that…” Addy trailed off.

“It’s a long story, but yes, it’s one of my alternates,” Pam nodded as the smoke dissipated, “Rage, to be precise. We have a loose accord with one another wherein she gets a bit more freedom. In exchange, she’s been giving some much needed aid without me having to concentrate and summon her.”

“Hmph, so why not let her out and loose?” Addy asked.

“Becuase she’s the only reason I’m standing upright,” Pam sighed, “When she comes out, I lose a part of myself. Ordinarily, it doesn’t make much of a difference because we can move in tandem, but right now we’re having to work with shared and limited resources. I can still call on her, but doing so means I’m going down.”

“Great, so if I need help I get your pissed off self and calm, cool, and collected dead weight,” Addy rolled her eyes.

“Take it or leave it,” Pam frowned and nodded, “I was just pointing out that you’re not in this all by your lonesome. Lead the way, Addy, I’m right behind you.”

“Comforting,” Addy shook her head, “Just try not to fall down before we get to Sally’s room.”

Pam frowned and rolled her eyes but fell in line behind Addy who crouched down in front of the door to her cell. Pam made it a point to keep a few feet of distance between them. She knew that she had more of a potential to be a hindrance than a help, and that Addy was far more familiar with the layout of the asylum, especially this floor, than Pam could have ever hoped to be. While it wasn’t something she was particularly fond of, Pam was willing to take a step back and let someone else lead for a change. She’d learned that pride could be the ultimate downfall over the course of her time with Jake and Beth.

Addy looked back at Pam to make sure she was still standing before opening the door. The heavy door barely made a sound as she cracked it open and slipped out like a cat in the night. Watching her move, lithe and quick, was a stark contrast to the talented fighter she remembered Kaitlyn to be. The young woman was more akin to a ninja than a gladiator like her mistress. Despite the dirty and baggy scrubs she had on, Addy moved with a fluid grace that made her almost like a blur. She clutched at the twin scalpels in her hands with the blades pointed down and jutting out from her fists. 

Pam tried to follow as closely and carefully behind her as she could. It was difficult to keep up as Addy practically bounded down the hall at a surprising speed. Pam tried to stay low and close to the wall as Addy stalked her way forward. There was a junction not far from the cell they’d been sharing moments ago. Addy stopped and held up a hand as they approached the T-shaped junction. Pam nodded and leaned against the wall. Her knees continued to shake despite her best efforts to keep herself steady. She waited, watched, and tried to send her empathic senses outward. The empathic wave she cast out was empty and hollow beyond the expected misery and fear that hung in the air. However, she spotted a pair of shadows growing along the floor.

Pam watched as Addy’s fists tightened around her weapon. She could sense the anxiety hiding behind Addy’s anger growing as whoever it was got closer. The sound of clumsy, plodding feet slapping across the floor was getting louder. Pam furrowed her brow as two figures came into view. Two people with their faces wrapped in bandages and practically mummified stumbled forward similar to the infected on the floors below. They were wearing hospital gowns that were a pale blue with black polka dots on them. Their feet dragged them across the floor and their arms hung limp at their sides. There were twin holes in the bandages where their eyes were, and Pam could faintly see the bloodshot whites and wide irises behind the masks.

“Get ready,” Addy whispered, “It’s just two, but there may be more. Let’s just hope your pissed off side can do more than throw a tantrum.”

Pam shook her head and frowned. She wasn’t a fan of Addy’s tone and blatant disrespect no matter how upset she knew the girl was. If she had just a fraction of her usual strength and energy, she’d give her proper and stern discipline. However, she was still working through the effects of the cocktail the nurses had given her. Addy inched her way closer to the junction while keeping close to the ground. Meanwhile, Pam let herself slide down and held out her hand to call Rage back into the material plane. The wispy red smoke trailed out of her and slowly took shape. Rage stood with a frustrated grimace etched on her face; likely from Addy’s comment mere seconds ago, but she waited for a signal all the same.

Addy sprang into action the second one of the Dolls, at least that was what Pam assumed they were, spotted her. She closed the distance as one of them reached out to grab her and knocked its arm away with a thrust of her shoulder. She twisted to the side and plunged the edge of the blade into the temple of the mangled monster. The other lunged at her and grabbed her shoulders. Addy was quick to react the second she felt those clammy hands on her back. She ripped the scalpel from the skull of the first Doll and threw herself forward in a corkscrew flip to break the Doll’s hold. It worked, but it was quick to give chase and try to close the distance again.

Pam noted the way the Doll moved towards Addy despite having its grip forcibly broken. Addy landed in a crouch and slashed at its legs. The edge of her blade cut across the thigh of the Doll, but it didn’t flinch or react to the wound. Pam watched as droplets of blood started to trick down from Addy’s attack, but whoever it was kept moving as though nothing had happened. It kept advancing towards Addy, but this time it took a swing at her. Its fist was clenched tight and cut through the air at speed that would have made Jake proud. Addy deflected it with her right hand and slashed at the Doll’s face, but it ducked down under Addy’s swing and tried to tackle her.

Rage took it as her cue to intervene. The Doll had managed to force Addy to the ground, but Rage held out her hands. A pair of fiery, ethereal chains shot out from her arms and towards the Doll. They wrapped around the Doll’s waist and pulled it off of Addy before it could land another blow. Addy was quick to recover and get back to her feet as the Doll’s body came crashing to the ground. It fought against the chains despite the searing heat that was burning through its gown and bandages. Addy ran towards it and plunged the scalpel into its forehead to put it down before it could fight off Rage.

“More are coming,” Addy remarked, looking down the hall, “Shit, we’re going to get surrounded before we know it.”

“Then we shouldn’t hang around,” Rage growled, looking back at Pam, “How close are we to Sally’s cell?”

“Close enough that we might be able to duck in and hide if we’re quick,” Addy replied, nodding towards the hall, “Do you still have that keycard?”

“It’s a badge, but I believe so,” Rage replied, her body beginning to disappear, “Ugh, I hate being dependent on somebody else for my survival.”

“Guess you’ve got pride to go with that anger, huh?” Addy scoffed.

“Oh, you’re lucky you aren’t mine, little girl,” Rage snarled as she faded, “I would bend you over my knee and turn that little ass of yours red!”

Pam rolled her eyes at Rage’s comment, but she noticed a slight hue of pink spread across Addy’s cheeks. It wasn’t the place or the time for this sort of talk, but she noted that the young woman had a definite reaction to her words. She once again forced herself to her feet and grabbed the badge she’d stashed in her belt to show Addy. “It’s here,” she said, “Let’s just hope it works on Sally’s cell. Lead the way before more of those things show up.”

“It’ll work,” Addy cleared her throat and looked down the hall, “Come on, it’s just up ahead.”

Pam had to force herself to take steady steps forward. She and Addy were through with their stealthy approach. They could hear the sounds of more footsteps approaching from the opposite end of the hall. The sounds of glass breaking and a fight breaking out could be heard as well. Neither of them were sure if whoever it was was on their side or not, but then they had no intention of sticking around. Even if it was somebody on their side, they couldn’t be sure that they’d survive against whatever they were fighting. If they did, and if they were, they’d rendezvous with them soon enough.

Addy looked back to see Pam stumbling and struggling. She shook her head and reached out to take Pam’s hand. She grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward while trying to be careful not to pull her down. They moved together as quickly as they could. Pam was able to keep herself upright as she let Addy lead her along down the hall. They made it to the midsection of the hallway, but there was more movement coming from the far end. Addy frowned and looked to the side. A small smile of relief spread across her face as she spotted the number beside the door.

“Gimme the badge,” she whispered, “This is it.”

Pam didn’t argue and handed the ID card over to Addy. She could sense the emotions of the people at the end of the hall. They weren’t Dolls and they weren’t infected. The way they moved told her that they could have possibly been security or nurses. They were moving with a sense of urgency too. Luckily Addy was quick to slide the badge across the scanner and unlock the cell. She threw it open and pulled Pam inside. The pair were standing in another small, padded cell that was roughly the same size as Addy's. The door closed behind them, but before they could react or hide, Addy was grabbed without warning. The young woman was pulled away from Pam which caused Pam to fall to the ground.

Pam looked up and watched as a familiar, heavyset woman grabbed Addy by the shoulders and slammed her against the wall. Dirty, disheveled blonde hair and a robe that was too big for her covered her frame. She’d lost weight since the last time she’d seen her, but Pam knew Sally anywhere. She watched as Sally brought her fist back and tried to swing at Addy only to have Addy break the hold and sweep Sally’s legs out from under her. The heavy woman fell on her back, but she tried to get back to her feet. She froze when her eyes found Pam’s.

“Am I…am I fucking seeing shit again?” Sally asked as she rolled over and stared at Pam.

“No, jackass,” Addy spoke up, “We’re here and we’re busting out of this shit hole. Now would you quit trying to fight me and save it for-”

Gunshots rang out and cut Addy off before she could finish. “Shit, both of you get down,” Pam commanded as she pushed herself into a sitting position.

“What the fuck now?” Sally asked, looking back at the door, “You two bring a fucking army with you?”

“I’ve been locked up, same as you, asshat,” Addy pointed out, “Just do what the woman says and shut up.”

“Good to see you two too,” Sally scoffed and shook her head, “I take it that out there ain’t reinforcements then.”

“We’ll know soon enough,” Pam sighed, turning to watch the door.

The three of them went silent as the commotion outside grew. The fighting escalated and grew as the seconds ticked by. Gunfire and shouting could be heard as they sat in tense silence. The noise died down after a few moments, but the tense silence that followed was unnerving. They held their breath as they waited for the right moment to peer through the glass or open the door to see who or what was waiting for them on the other side.