Chapter 80: The Final Dose
Flickering neon lights on the ceiling hummed with a low buzz that felt like a needle pressing into Agatha’s eardrums. She tried to move her head. Her neck was stiff. Her vision refused to settle. The white walls in front of her seemed to pulse, drifting forward and backward in a slow, rhythmic motion. Dark shadows danced at the edge of her sight. Every time she turned to look at them, they vanished into the glare.
"Ugh," Agatha groaned.
Nausea rose in her throat. Her stomach felt like it was twisting into knots. This was the aftermath of the liquid they had forced into her two hours ago. The second dose had turned her consciousness into a frayed thread, ready to snap at any second. She felt weightless, as if her soul were floating above her body. Yet at the same time, her limbs felt heavy, anchored to the cold metal chair by thick restraints.
The sliding door at the end of the room opened with a sharp hiss. A man stepped inside. The soles of his dress shoes made a rhythmic clicking sound against the ceramic floor. Agatha squinted. She tried to make sense of the figure emerging through the haze.
"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" the voice asked. It was a familiar voice. A voice that used to mean safety, but now only brought a chill to her skin.
Agatha’s lips were cracked and dry. She struggled to form words. "Mar... co?"
Marco walked closer until his face was inches away from hers. He smiled. His hand was cold as he reached out to touch her cheek. He ran his thumb over her skin with a slow, possessive stroke. Agatha wanted to pull away. She wanted to spit in his face. Her muscles simply would not obey.
"You look so beautiful when you are this helpless. Your memory is starting to crumble, isn't it?" Marco asked.
"What are you doing to me? Akh!" Agatha screamed as a sharp, stabbing pain shot through her skull.
Marco let out a soft laugh. He pulled a wooden chair over and sat directly in front of her. He folded his arms over his chest. His eyes moved over her with a look of intense ambition.
"I am helping you, Agatha. I am clearing out the useless parts of your brain. You carry too much emotional baggage. It is holding you back. It is stopping you from reaching your true potential," Marco said.
"Let me go." Agatha whispered. Tears began to tracks down her pale cheeks.
Marco shook his head slowly. "Let you go? And send you back to Xavier? The man is currently dying, Agatha."
Agatha flinched. The mention of Xavier’s name sent her heart into a frantic gallop. "What do you mean? Xavier couldn't... he is not..."
"Oh, he is very likely dead by now. My team made sure the explosion finished him off. Right now, he is probably taking his last breath on a cold hospital bed. All alone. Without you by his side. He died because he was stupid enough to try and save you," Marco said. He sounded completely satisfied.
"You are lying! Marco, you are lying!" Agatha shouted. She thrashed against her restraints. The metal chair screeched against the floor.
"Brak!"
Marco slammed his hand down on the table beside him. He stood up and grabbed Agatha’s jaw in a crushing grip. Agatha whimpered.
"Shut up! You do not have the right to scream at me! You should be thanking me. Xavier was nothing but a distraction. He was a weak man who only knew how to love in a pathetic way. I am offering you something much bigger. I will turn you into the most lethal weapon the world has ever seen. You will belong to me completely. You are The Rose," Marco hissed.
Agatha stared into Marco’s eyes. She saw flashes of Xavier in her mind. She saw him smiling at her in a garden of flowers. But the image warped. It turned into a shattered skull. The hallucinations were tearing down her mental walls. Agatha began to sob.
"Mmh... no... Xavier..." Agatha managed to mutter.
Marco released her jaw. He straightened his suit jacket. He looked up at the security camera in the corner of the room. A man in a white lab coat entered the room. He was carrying a silver tray. On that tray sat an automatic syringe filled with a deep purple liquid.
"This is the third dose. The final dose that will perfect everything. After this, you will not remember the pain. You will not remember Xavier. You only need to remember me," Marco said.
Agatha stared at the syringe. She tried to pull her arm back. "NO!! LET ME GO!!"
Marco ignored her screams. He picked up the syringe from the tray. He checked the contents with a cold, clinical eye.
"You know, Agatha. I gave you time to play around with Xavier just so you could see how cruel the world really is. Now, it is time to return to your real owner," Marco said.
"I am not your slave, you BASTARD!" Agatha screamed.
"Akh!" Agatha cried out as Marco slapped her across the face.
Her head snapped to the side. Her ears began to ring. Her vision grew even darker. She could feel the metallic taste of blood as it trickled from the corner of her mouth.
"Watch your mouth. From this moment on, I am your master. I am the only person who cares about you," Marco whispered into her ear.
The man in the lab coat stepped closer. He gripped Agatha’s arm with a firm hand. He searched for the right vein in the crook of her elbow. Agatha tried to fight with what little strength she had left. Her body felt like it was made of lead.
"Prepare the dose," Marco ordered.
"Ready, sir," the man replied.
Agatha looked up at the ceiling. She began to picture her husband’s face. She thought about the days at the orphanage. Every memory felt like a piece of paper being tossed into a fire. One by one, they turned to ash.
"Ugh... No... hiks..." Agatha sobbed.
The cold tip of the needle touched her skin. Agatha felt the sharp sting as it pierced through. She squeezed her eyes shut.
"Inject it now," Marco said coldly.
"Cress."
The purple liquid surged into Agatha’s bloodstream. An extreme sensation of cold raced from her arm to her heart. Then it exploded through every nerve in her body. Agatha’s body began to convulse. Her back arched forward. Her eyes bulged.
"AAAKKKHHHH!"
Agatha’s scream echoed through the sterile room. It was a sound of pure agony. Her lungs felt like they were being forced to expel every bit of oxygen. After a few agonizing seconds, her body slumped back into the chair.
Her head fell forward. Her breathing was shallow and fast. Marco stepped closer again. He lifted Agatha’s chin with his finger. Her eyes were empty now. Her pupils were fully dilated. There was no spark of life left in them.
"Agatha? Can you hear me?" Marco asked.
Agatha did not answer. She stared straight ahead with a hollow gaze.
"Tell me your name," Marco commanded.
Agatha’s lips moved slowly. Her voice was barely a whisper. "A... ga... tha."
"Who am I?" Marco asked. A wide smile spread across his face.
Agatha remained silent for a moment. She seemed to be searching for an answer inside her hollowed out mind. Then, she looked up at Marco.
"Master," Agatha answered. Her voice was flat. It was devoid of any emotion.
Marco laughed loudly. He was triumphant. The experiment had worked better than he had hoped. He stroked Agatha’s messy hair.
"Good. Very good. Now, forget about Xavier Valois. Forget about Silas. You are my weapon now. You are the strongest weapon. You will destroy anyone who stands in my way," Marco said.
Agatha gave a small, stiff nod. Her movements were rigid. She looked like a doll.