Chapter 2: Set Up
Zachary woke up the next day tied to an examination table. He sighed, what are they going to do now? He thought.
He looked around the sterile room, the same cold, fluorescent lights casting harsh shadows on the steel walls. He was alone, but he could hear the distant hum of machines and the faint murmur of voices outside his door. He tested his restraints, but they were tight, as always.
"Morning, Zach," Dr. Clark's voice cut through the silence, making him tense. She was not like Dr. Arthur; she was cold, clinical, and had no interest in his comfort. She was the one who ran the experiments, the one who poked and prodded and took notes.
Zachary rolled his eyes, "What are you doing to do today?" His voice was heavy with sarcasm, but Dr. Clark didn't seem to notice. Or perhaps she just didn't care.
"We're running some tests, Zach. Routine stuff," she replied, her voice as emotionless as ever. She pulled a tray of instruments towards her, selecting a needle with practiced ease.
Zachary watched her, his heart pounding in his chest. He hated these tests, hated the feeling of being poked and prodded, like he was just a piece of meat. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Routine, huh?
That's what you call strapping me down and sticking needles in me?" Zachary retorted, his voice laced with venom. He could feel his cat ears flattening against his head, a sure sign of his growing irritation.
Dr. Clark didn't even glance up from her tray of instruments. "It's for your own good, Zach. We're trying to understand your condition better."
Zachary scoffed, pulling at his restraints again. "My condition? You mean my curse? The thing that makes me a freak in your eyes?"
Dr. Clark finally looked up, her eyes meeting Zachary's.
There was no warmth in them, no empathy. Just a cold, calculating gaze. "It's not a curse, Zach. It's a condition. And we're trying to help you manage it."
Zachary barked out a laugh, a harsh, bitter sound. "Help me? Is that what you call this? I'm locked up in here, strapped to a table, and you're sticking needles in me. That's not help, Doc. That's torture."
Dr. Clark sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "We're doing what we can, Zach."
"Whatever," Zachary winced slightly when the first needle was sticked into his neck, "The hell was in that?" he grumbled, trying to ignore the burning sensation spreading through his veins.
Dr. Clark checked her clipboard, "A new cocktail of hormones and neurotransmitters. We're trying to regulate your heat cycles, make them less unpredictable."
Zachary scoffed, "Yeah, because being unpredictable is the worst part of this nightmare."
The doctor ignored his remark, continuing with her tests. Zachary gritted his teeth, trying to distract himself from the discomfort. He focused on the hum of the machines, the distant beeps, and the faint echo of voices from outside the room.
Eventually, Arthur came by.
A sense of relief and favoritism washed over Zachary. He felt even better when he was untied.
"W-" But Arthur cut Zachary off.
"Dr. Clark," Arthur said, "I have found that #051 as new bone structure and must be examined through an X-Ray." Dr. Clark's eyes narrowed as she looked at Arthur, "I have already performed the X-Ray yesterday. It's in his file." Arthur shook his head, "No, you didn't. I've reviewed the files and there's no mention of it." Dr. Clark's lip curled slightly, "Well, I suppose we could do it again, just to be sure." Her tone was dismissive, but Arthur wasn't buying it. He knew she was hiding something, and he was determined to find out what it was.
Zachary watched the exchange with interest. Hell, he even wished he had popcorn to enjoy the drama. "Are you going to fight or give me an X-Ray?" Zachary teased, a smug look on his face.
"Looks like you're not as infallible as you thought, Doc."
Dr. Clark's lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes flashing with annoyance. "This is not a matter for jest, 051. Your health is our priority."
Zachary rolled his eyes, but Arthur cut in before he could retort. "I apologize, Dr. Clark. I didn't mean to imply that you were negligent. I merely want to ensure that we have all the information we need to provide the best care for Zachary."
Dr. Clark's expression softened slightly at Arthur's diplomacy.
"Very well, Dr. Arthur. I'll arrange for another X-ray. But I must insist that you let me handle the testing from here on out. Your... emotional involvement is clouding your judgment."
Arthur nodded, trying to hide his frustration. "Of course, Dr. Clark. I understand your concerns. I'll leave you to it."
As Arthur headed towards the door, Zachary called out, "Hey, Doc? Can you bring me some real food later? I'm sick of this synthetic crap."
Arthur looked back, a small smile playing on his lips. "I'll see what I can do, Zach."
Dr Clark grumbled, before grabbing 051 (via Zachary) by the neck and shoved him in his cell again.
He landed on the cold floor with a thud, his tail swishing angrily behind him as he glared at her. "You're not getting any special treatment, 051. You're a specimen, nothing more." she said, her voice cold.
Zachary growled, "I'm not a specimen. I'm a person. And I deserve better than this." He said, his voice laced with anger and pain.
Dr Clark rolled her eyes, "You're a hybrid, 051. You're not human anymore. You're something else. Something we don't understand.
Something that needs to be studied, controlled, contained." Dr. Clark's voice was devoid of any emotion, and that made Zachary's blood boil even more.
He stood up, his tail lashing behind him, his cat ears flattened against his head. "I am not a thing to be studied, Doc. I am a person. I have feelings, thoughts, desires. I am not a freak, a monster, or a specimen. I am Zachary. And I'm not some furry you can fantasize over." Dr. Clark's eyes widened at that, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I assure you, 051, that's not what we're doing here." She hurriedly gathered her things, avoiding Zachary's gaze. "I'll have someone bring you lunch later." She said, before leaving the room, leaving Zachary alone with his thoughts.
Zachary sat on the cold floor of his cell, his tail wrapping around him like a blanket. He hugged his knees to his chest, trying to ward off the chill that seemed to seep into his bones.
He could still feel the residual sting from the needles, the foreign substances coursing through his veins. He hated these tests, hated the way they made him feel - used, violated, less than human.
A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. Arthur entered, carrying a tray of food. The smell of something warm and savory filled the room, making Zachary's stomach rumble.
"Hey, Zach," Arthur said softly, placing the tray on the small table by the bed. "I brought you some real food, just like you asked."
Zachary looked up, his eyes meeting Arthur's. His eyes drooped off happiness as he ran to Arthur, hugging him. Not for the food, but because he was back. And he was going to take as much comfort as he can get. Arthur was taken aback by the sudden display of affection, but he quickly recovered, patting Zachary's back gently. "Easy there, Zach. I'm not going anywhere," he said, his voice warm and reassuring.
Zachary pulled back, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Sorry, Doc. I just... I missed you." He admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Arthur smiled, his eyes softening. "I missed you too, Zach. Now, let's get you fed. You must be starving."
Zachary nodded, taking a seat at the table. Like a cat, he licked the milk he was given, nibbled on the vegetables. He even let out a little meow on accident, "Meow... I-i mean-" Zachary stammered, his ears twitching in embarrassment. Arthur chuckled, "It's alright, Zach. I know you didn't mean to. Now, eat up. That's real chicken you're eating, not the synthetic stuff they usually feed you."
Zachary took a bite, his eyes widening in surprise. "Wow, this is really good, Doc. Thank you." Arthur nodded, "I'm glad you like it. I thought it might help lift your spirits a bit."
Zachary smiled, his tail swishing behind him. "It does, Doc. Really, it does." Zachary was even purring, letting out more meows than normal, "Mew... A-ah! WHy do I keep doing that!?" Zachary exclaimed, his tail flicking in embarrassment. Arthur chuckled, "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Zach. It's just a natural response when you're happy or content. It's quite endearing, actually."
Zachary looked down, his cheeks flushing pink. "I guess... I just never noticed it before." Arthur smiled, "Well, now you know. And don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your little secret." He winked, making Zachary laugh.
After lunch, Arthur helped Zachary clean up the tray. Zachary tried to help, but only ended up licking the try clean.
Arthur laughed, "You know, they have these things called forks for a reason." Zachary looked up, his eyes wide, "Oh, right. I forgot." He grabbed a fork, mimicking Arthur's movements as they finished cleaning up. As they worked, Zachary's tail brushed against Arthur's leg, making him jump slightly. "Sorry," Zachary muttered, tucking his tail closer to his body. Arthur smiled, "It's okay, Zach. I just wasn't expecting it.
Your tail, it's so soft." Arthur said, his voice barely above a whisper. There was a moment of silence, a moment where time seemed to stand still. Then, Zachary's lips curled into a small smile. "Thanks, Doc. I guess that's one perk of being a hybrid, huh?" He tried to keep his voice light, but Arthur could hear the underlying sadness. He wanted to reach out, to comfort Zachary, but he wasn't sure if it was appropriate. Instead, he simply nodded.
Zachary yawned, walking on all fours to his bed, before jumping onto it. "Mew... mreow...." Zachary yawned, stretching out on his bed, his tail flicking lazily behind him. Arthur watched him, a soft smile playing on his lips. "You should get some rest, Zach. It's been a long day." Zachary nodded, his eyes already drooping closed. "Mm-hmm," he murmured, snuggling into the blanket Arthur had brought him earlier. Arthur hesitated for a moment, then pulled up a chair beside the bed. "Do you mind if I stay for a bit? I promise I won't wake you." Zachary's eyes fluttered open, meeting Arthur's gaze.
"Mew...." Zachary mewed in agreement, "Meow..." Zachary let out a soft purr, his eyes closing again as he nestled into the blanket. Arthur smiled, watching as Zachary's breathing slowed and steadied, his body relaxing into sleep. He reached out, gently stroking Zachary's soft fur, careful not to wake him. It was moments like these that reminded Arthur why he did what he did - not because he wanted to create monsters, but because he wanted to help, to understand, to make a difference. Even if it meant going against the grain, like he had with Dr. Clark earlier.
He knew the risks, but he also knew that Zachary deserved better than to be treated like a lab rat. He would fight for Zachary, no matter the cost.
Arthur stayed by Zachary's side for hours, watching him sleep. He couldn't help but feel a sense of protectiveness towards the young man. Zachary was so vulnerable, so innocent. He deserved kindness, compassion, and understanding, not the cold, clinical treatment he was receiving from Dr. Clark and the rest of the staff at H.Y.B.R.I.D.
As the sun began to set, Arthur finally decided to leave.
But Zachary could tell he was.
"Meow!" Zachary exclaimed, "Mreoowww!" as Arthur began to stand up from his chair. Arthur paused, looking down at Zachary with a soft smile. "I have to go, Zach. It's getting late." Zachary's ears drooped, and he let out a small whine, "But I don't want you to go, Doc." Arthur's heart ached at the sight of Zachary's sad face. He crouched down to Zachary's level, his voice gentle. "I know, Zach. But I promise, I'll be back tomorrow."
"Mreeoooww..." Zachary whined, "Mew.... mew..."
Zachary whined, his tail twitching in disappointment. Arthur reached out, gently stroking Zachary's fur. "Zach, you know I have to go. But I'll be back first thing in the morning, I promise. And I'll bring you something special, okay?" Zachary's ears perked up slightly at that, his tail stopping its nervous twitching. "Something special?" he asked, his voice hopeful. Arthur nodded, "Yes, something special. Now, get some sleep. You need your rest." Zachary sighed, but he settled down on his bed, his eyes already drooping closed.
"Okay, Doc. I'll try to sleep. But you better bring me something really good tomorrow." Arthur smiled, "I will, Zach. I promise." He stood up, giving Zachary one last look before turning off the lights and leaving the room.
As Arthur walked down the sterile, fluorescent-lit hallway, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of his stomach. He knew Dr. Clark was hiding something, and he was determined to find out what it was. He just needed to be careful, to play his cards right.