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"Lillith Perne." The voice cuts through where I was lost in. Desmond? No… No he is dead. Why do I think of him? I shift slightly, tensing muscles. Ah… I see. My wrists are bound to the gurney, thick straps wrapped around my torso, legs bound down too. The only part of me I can move is my head and fingers. I fight to keep my breathing even as I realise I have been robbed of all my clothes and hidden weapons while I slept.

"Lillith Perne. Awaken" I fight the urge to open my eyes. Why? Who are they to demand things of me? I try to think. Why… Why… What is happening…? Oh. I remember. The Organisation. Always The Organisation.

"Lillith Perne." The voice repeats my name a third time. It is female with a slight Japanese accent. Early twenties. Definitely The Organisation. They are behind every aspect of my life right now. How could it possibly be anything else? Mine is the only breathing in the room. The walls stifle even that, and only a few sounds filter through, distorted by what sounds like thick glass.

"She's not-"

"She will. Look at the heartbeat monitors. She is awake. We just don't control her conscious yet."

The Japanese girl mumbles something else as the other voice leaves the room.

"Lillith Perne. We know you are awake. Open your eyes." What do I do? If I pretend to be their pawn I could escape later. But… But if I pretend to be their pawn they might use the weapon further. I wage an argument in my head, despite knowing what the answer is going to be. Do I even want to see what is in store? Yes. Of course I do. It would be foolish to face it blind. But…

"I open my eyes only because it would be foolish to face what is coming blindly." I speak quietly and evenly before opening them. The room is grey. Padded walls. Like an asylum. There is no door. The only window is one set high up out of human jumping reach, through which I can see the observing woman. There are cracks in the ceiling that form the square through which I must have been lowered. My gurney is plain metal, steel most likely, and the straps are made of solid leather. Breakable, but not easy without the help of my fingernails and teeth, which are strapped so they cannot reach anything.

"Well done, Ms. Perne. I am glad that you can see logic. It will aid us."

I remain silent.

"We have been tracking you for some time, Ms. Perne, as we have discovered that you've been tracking us." She pauses, waiting for a reaction. I stare at the ceiling, motionless and expressionless. She continues. "My name is Seiko. I have given my last name to The Organisation in payment for the stock my father failed to invest." I could have sworn a hint of sadness entered her voice there. She continues once more, not pausing to let me confirm that. "They've given us your senses, Ms. Perne. The Organisation has powers, beyond what you would believe. That's why we've got you here. Do you think anyone else could bring down a vampire? It was an interesting test to see how immune our agents would be to our Weapons."

I tense and untense slightly, curling my fingers into fists and tugging gently against my bonds. How could they know? That is beside the point. Why did they want to know?
"So why do you have me here?"

"Because you found us. Nobody finds The Organisation, but you did."

"You imply that The Organisation needs me for security purposes."

"Yes, though you now have a choice: join us as a trainer, or join us as a test subject."

"What if I refuse?"

"Ms. Perne, test subject is the default. If you do not comply, then you shall be trapped here for experiments anyway. There is no resistance of The Organisation. You have one hour to decide."

Carl. I could get Carl. If I can get out of these damned bonds, I can find a way to get us both free. They will undoubtedly offer the same deal to him, so we can find a way out together. What will we do after that? Who knows…? But this is the easiest way out right now… There is the sound of the door opening and closing again. The crackle of the intercom falls silent and the voice of the man from before engages Seiko's. They speak quickly, their conversation full of jargon that I do not understand. I close my eyes and speak to the ceiling.

"Seiko, an hour will not be necessary."

"Why is that, Ms. Perne?"

"I accept your offer to be a trainer."

"Brilliant." There is a short pause and gas hisses through the padding on the walls. What is going on? This was not part of the deal! I can hear the man chuckle.

"Look at her heart-rate!"

"Seiko, what is this?"

"This, Ms. Perne, is sleeping gas." The man interjects before she can answer.

"I did not accept this. I accepted a training position."

"I am aware of that, Ms. Perne. But before you can do that, we must first operate." I hear Seiko exit the room as my chamber fills with gas. I struggle against my bonds, trying to roll free from the gurney. I clench my teeth.

"Why can I not train like this?" My eyelids are getting heavy and my strength is seeping out of me.

"Why, Ms. Perne! Is it not obvious?" I glare at the window before my muscles fall prey to the gas and I flop back.
"You still have free will. We can't allow that in a trainer!"

Description
"Lillith Perne." The voice cuts through where I was lost in. Desmond? No… No he is dead. Why do I think of him? I shift slightly, tensing muscles. Ah… I see. My wrists are bound to the gurney, thick straps wrapped around my torso, legs bound down too. The only part of me I can move is my head and fingers. I fight to keep my breathing even as I realise I have been robbed of all my clothes and hidden weapons while I slept.

"Lillith Perne. Awaken" I fight the urge to open my eyes. Why? Who are they to demand things of me? I try to think. Why… Why… What is happening…? Oh. I remember. The Organisation. Always The Organisation.

"Lillith Perne." The voice repeats my name a third time. It is female with a slight Japanese accent. Early twenties. Definitely The Organisation. They are behind every aspect of my life right now. How could it possibly be anything else? Mine is the only breathing in the room. The walls stifle even that, and only a few sounds filter through, distorted by what sounds like thick glass.

"She's not-"

"She will. Look at the heartbeat monitors. She is awake. We just don't control her conscious yet."

The Japanese girl mumbles something else as the other voice leaves the room.

"Lillith Perne. We know you are awake. Open your eyes." What do I do? If I pretend to be their pawn I could escape later. But… But if I pretend to be their pawn they might use the weapon further. I wage an argument in my head, despite knowing what the answer is going to be. Do I even want to see what is in store? Yes. Of course I do. It would be foolish to face it blind. But…

"I open my eyes only because it would be foolish to face what is coming blindly." I speak quietly and evenly before opening them. The room is grey. Padded walls. Like an asylum. There is no door. The only window is one set high up out of human jumping reach, through which I can see the observing woman. There are cracks in the ceiling that form the square through which I must have been lowered. My gurney is plain metal, steel most likely, and the straps are made of solid leather. Breakable, but not easy without the help of my fingernails and teeth, which are strapped so they cannot reach anything.

"Well done, Ms. Perne. I am glad that you can see logic. It will aid us."

I remain silent.

"We have been tracking you for some time, Ms. Perne, as we have discovered that you've been tracking us." She pauses, waiting for a reaction. I stare at the ceiling, motionless and expressionless. She continues. "My name is Seiko. I have given my last name to The Organisation in payment for the stock my father failed to invest." I could have sworn a hint of sadness entered her voice there. She continues once more, not pausing to let me confirm that. "They've given us your senses, Ms. Perne. The Organisation has powers, beyond what you would believe. That's why we've got you here. Do you think anyone else could bring down a vampire? It was an interesting test to see how immune our agents would be to our Weapons."

I tense and untense slightly, curling my fingers into fists and tugging gently against my bonds. How could they know? That is beside the point. Why did they want to know?
"So why do you have me here?"

"Because you found us. Nobody finds The Organisation, but you did."

"You imply that The Organisation needs me for security purposes."

"Yes, though you now have a choice: join us as a trainer, or join us as a test subject."

"What if I refuse?"

"Ms. Perne, test subject is the default. If you do not comply, then you shall be trapped here for experiments anyway. There is no resistance of The Organisation. You have one hour to decide."

Carl. I could get Carl. If I can get out of these damned bonds, I can find a way to get us both free. They will undoubtedly offer the same deal to him, so we can find a way out together. What will we do after that? Who knows…? But this is the easiest way out right now… There is the sound of the door opening and closing again. The crackle of the intercom falls silent and the voice of the man from before engages Seiko's. They speak quickly, their conversation full of jargon that I do not understand. I close my eyes and speak to the ceiling.

"Seiko, an hour will not be necessary."

"Why is that, Ms. Perne?"

"I accept your offer to be a trainer."

"Brilliant." There is a short pause and gas hisses through the padding on the walls. What is going on? This was not part of the deal! I can hear the man chuckle.

"Look at her heart-rate!"

"Seiko, what is this?"

"This, Ms. Perne, is sleeping gas." The man interjects before she can answer.

"I did not accept this. I accepted a training position."

"I am aware of that, Ms. Perne. But before you can do that, we must first operate." I hear Seiko exit the room as my chamber fills with gas. I struggle against my bonds, trying to roll free from the gurney. I clench my teeth.

"Why can I not train like this?" My eyelids are getting heavy and my strength is seeping out of me.

"Why, Ms. Perne! Is it not obvious?" I glare at the window before my muscles fall prey to the gas and I flop back.
"You still have free will. We can't allow that in a trainer!"