#altno2

The world came back to the boy slowly. He could hear Gemma’s voice somewhere, it seemed far off and far away, or maybe underwater? He wasn’t exactly sure. Memories sloshed in his head, when he tried to grasp onto one it would just slip away and tumble around. Slowly he lifted a hand to rub at his face, if he could only get back into the world of the waking maybe he could figure out what was happening. 

“Oh good, you’re awake,” Gemma said, her voice cool and toneless. He opened his eyes, flinching against the bright clinical light above his head. Gemma was standing at the foot of the bed he was laying in, her arms were crossed over her chest and she looked angry or maybe just mildly irritated. It was always hard to tell with an imperfect Apathetic what they were really feeling. She let her arms fall to her sides and adjusted her lab coat. “You manage to be a constant and never ending string of surprises Julian.” She said, stepping up to his bedside. Her hand brushed against something at his throat.

He opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. He tried again and met the same end. Raising a hand to the place Gemma had just touched, he could feel the new stitches right around where his vocal cords were located. Opening his mouth he tried to force some kind of sound out but only managed a strangled noise of sorts. Gemma just stood there watching him, watching the panic that was rising. Julian quickly scrambled off the bed and stumbled into the bathroom, bracing himself for what he saw in the mirror. Three tiny little stitches were prominent against his skin, he ran his fingers over them again.

“Just another addition to your ever growing android system,” Gemma said, she stepped into the bathroom behind him. “I should have thought of it years ago but you have never spoken out of turn like that, and in front of a client no less. For that, I believe that an addition to your vocal programming was needed. It’s just a little chip that will allow me to control your ability to speak.” There was an almost smug look on her face. “I believe that we will leave that pesky voice of yours off for a little bit, you can earn it back of course, in time. But understand one thing,” she grabbed his dark hair in a tight grasp and yanked his head back. “You may be my child Julian but if you ever try to come between me and my project again I will not hesitate to dismantle you.”