Post by Deleted on May 25, 2016 2:17:10 GMT
The main lab of Project: Rebirth was a dimly lit place, only having a few fluorescent lights throughout the secret sub-basement of the office building they were set up in. They tried not to draw too much extra power - according to Dodge that was just the sort of thing enemy organizations would be looking for to find projects like theirs. The symbiote pressed against the containment tube that it spent most of its time in, sealed shut for a few hours now. Dodge paced back and forth, a motion which was all the more threatening considering he couldn't even see where he was walking. Flash had sat in silence for a while now, but his emotions were getting the better of him. "Sir, I maintain that I was within mission parameters. Just because the enemy was falling back, didn't mean they would cease aggressions. I was-"
Dodge stopped pacing then, turning towards Flash and pointing at him with surprising accuracy. Even behind the blackout glasses, Flash could feel the anger in Dodge's eyes. "Don't you try and justify this to me, soldier! This is the second time since the attacks began that we were forced to activate the failsafe in the symbiote. It's getting in your head."
MacKenzie leaned his chair back against his desk, flipping through one of his files and shaking his head. "This doesn't make any sense - we figured that the symbiote might start having an effect on the host, but it shouldn't be happening this quickly. Not with the sedatives in use, and definitely not with the constant removals. It's almost like the suit is bonding to Flash more... Effectively."
Flash shook his head, slamming a fist down on the arm of his chair. "It's not having an effect on me! That was a warzone, and I was doing everything in my power to fight back against the enemy! I pushed myself to my limits, but I wasn't letting the symbiote get in my head! I'm telling you, I'm fi-"
He pushed to get up out of his chair, forgetting for a moment that he didn't have legs to stand on. A moment later he was flat on the ground, and Glover was moving over to help him back up. Dodge hadn't moved, which just pissed Flash off, even though he knew Dodge wouldn't have been able to, not knowing where the chair was exactly. "You forgot your own disability, soldier... I'm starting to think you're getting a little too dependent on the symbiote for your own good. Maybe we ought to pull the plug - we can move on to the next host, and continue to send you a stipend for your service. Not about to leave you out in the streets, but this-"
"General, please. I'll be fine, I just... I think I just need to take some time off. Unless an emergency situation crops up and there's no other supers around to handle the situation... I want to keep serving my country - with this, I have the chance to, and I'm not about to give in just because of a couple bad days."
There was a long silence, Dodge staring at Flash - unmoving. "Glover? Your opinion?"
Glover furrowed her brows, still standing behind Flash's chair after having helped him back into it. She let out a sigh, standing up straight and crossing her arms over the small of her back. "I think that Agent Thompson deserves another go... He's been an effective agent so far, and as long as he's given proper time to eliminate whatever attachment he's made to the symbiote, it would be simpler to keep him on than to recruit a new host."
Dodge nodded, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down at Flash. "You have one more chance, soldier. No more incidents, and no more assumptions about mission parameters. You follow my orders to the letter, without any symbiote incidents, or your part in this project is history. Understood?"
Flash nodded, lifting his hand in a salute as he sat up straight in his chair. "Understood, General. I won't let you down again."
That said, Flash began to wheel out of the room and towards the elevator to the main building. Dodge's gaze didn't move, but his expression shifted - suspicion and concern written across it. "I sure hope not, soldier... I sure hope not."
Inside the elevator, Flash gripped the armrests on his wheelchair a bit harder. He'd put on a good act in the lab, but he knew the almost undeniable truth. The attack on the city had pushed him too far, had him wearing the suit for too long. Even now, he felt... Incomplete without it. He'd endure the pain of being separated from it for a time, if only to keep the others calm, and in the dark. But it was too late - soon enough, he'd need to wear the suit again. He wasn't about to give it up. Not now, and not ever.
Dodge stopped pacing then, turning towards Flash and pointing at him with surprising accuracy. Even behind the blackout glasses, Flash could feel the anger in Dodge's eyes. "Don't you try and justify this to me, soldier! This is the second time since the attacks began that we were forced to activate the failsafe in the symbiote. It's getting in your head."
MacKenzie leaned his chair back against his desk, flipping through one of his files and shaking his head. "This doesn't make any sense - we figured that the symbiote might start having an effect on the host, but it shouldn't be happening this quickly. Not with the sedatives in use, and definitely not with the constant removals. It's almost like the suit is bonding to Flash more... Effectively."
Flash shook his head, slamming a fist down on the arm of his chair. "It's not having an effect on me! That was a warzone, and I was doing everything in my power to fight back against the enemy! I pushed myself to my limits, but I wasn't letting the symbiote get in my head! I'm telling you, I'm fi-"
He pushed to get up out of his chair, forgetting for a moment that he didn't have legs to stand on. A moment later he was flat on the ground, and Glover was moving over to help him back up. Dodge hadn't moved, which just pissed Flash off, even though he knew Dodge wouldn't have been able to, not knowing where the chair was exactly. "You forgot your own disability, soldier... I'm starting to think you're getting a little too dependent on the symbiote for your own good. Maybe we ought to pull the plug - we can move on to the next host, and continue to send you a stipend for your service. Not about to leave you out in the streets, but this-"
"General, please. I'll be fine, I just... I think I just need to take some time off. Unless an emergency situation crops up and there's no other supers around to handle the situation... I want to keep serving my country - with this, I have the chance to, and I'm not about to give in just because of a couple bad days."
There was a long silence, Dodge staring at Flash - unmoving. "Glover? Your opinion?"
Glover furrowed her brows, still standing behind Flash's chair after having helped him back into it. She let out a sigh, standing up straight and crossing her arms over the small of her back. "I think that Agent Thompson deserves another go... He's been an effective agent so far, and as long as he's given proper time to eliminate whatever attachment he's made to the symbiote, it would be simpler to keep him on than to recruit a new host."
Dodge nodded, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down at Flash. "You have one more chance, soldier. No more incidents, and no more assumptions about mission parameters. You follow my orders to the letter, without any symbiote incidents, or your part in this project is history. Understood?"
Flash nodded, lifting his hand in a salute as he sat up straight in his chair. "Understood, General. I won't let you down again."
That said, Flash began to wheel out of the room and towards the elevator to the main building. Dodge's gaze didn't move, but his expression shifted - suspicion and concern written across it. "I sure hope not, soldier... I sure hope not."
Inside the elevator, Flash gripped the armrests on his wheelchair a bit harder. He'd put on a good act in the lab, but he knew the almost undeniable truth. The attack on the city had pushed him too far, had him wearing the suit for too long. Even now, he felt... Incomplete without it. He'd endure the pain of being separated from it for a time, if only to keep the others calm, and in the dark. But it was too late - soon enough, he'd need to wear the suit again. He wasn't about to give it up. Not now, and not ever.