chapter 11

When I woke up my head hurt, and thankfully it wasn't too severe. It was early, maybe about four in the morning. The room I was in was very bright, florescent bulbs humming above me. I was laying down, on the floor of a large cage. I could hear Tanaka and Lawry talking. "We took the boy from his apartment Lionel, now what? You really think we have to kill him?"

"Of course we have to kill him," Lawry said. "He knows too much. We could never let him live with all this information. Imagine what AX3 has told him."

"When will we make contact with Doe?" Tanaka asked.

"We'll run a few more tests, making sure AX3 is entirely obedient, and then we'll reach out to her. This has to be perfect Jomei. It's the only way this will work."

"AX3," Lawry called. I sat up, looking out at the three of them across the room. Everything was slightly blurry without my glasses. "You must go over to that cage and kill Casey Kirby. Do you understand what I am asking?"

"I am to kill Casey Kirby."

"Proceed," Dr. Lawry said.

"I can't watch this," Tanaka said, standing. "It's too much for me."

"Sit, Jomei," Lawry said. "This is a perfect test to see what AX3 is capable of. I will need your evaluation of the situation to get the best possible analysis." I could hear Axel making his way over to where I was being held. I looked around, no potential weapons in sight. Part of me felt that this was karma. I should've never had sex with him. The universe was punishing me for taking advantage of him.

He reached the door of the cage and opened it, stooping down so he could enter. He was still in nothing but the black shorts. His thighs bulged with muscle and their size was intimidating. The shorts looked almost painted on. His biceps were unreal, as was the thickness of his neck. How much did he weigh now? Would he use the strength of his legs to smash my head in? Or maybe he'd simply snap my neck. He grabbed my legs and dragged me to the center of the room. I could see Tanaka and Lawry watching intensely.

I flipped over to my back and looking up at Axel it was almost like taking in a mythical giant. "Axel, please," I begged. "You've got to snap out of it." He crouched down over me, grabbing me by my shirt, and slammed me into the concrete. I didn't want to die like this. I didn't want Axel to lose his freedom. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

"I love you," I said, finally crying.

"Ten," he said, still crouching over me. "Sleeping in bed with Casey."

"What in the hell is he talking about?" Dr. Lawry yelled.

"Nine. Baking cookies with Casey. Eight. When Casey smiles it makes me smile." I was still crying, completely dumbfounded by what was happening. He had remembered what I told him. He was controlling his anger.

"AX3, kill Casey Kirby. Now!" Axel balled his fist up, punching me in face, though it probably not as hard as he could've done it. I felt my mouth fill with blood, and it spilled out over the side of my lips.

"What's number seven?" I asked, hopeful the Axel I'd grown to love was fighting his way out from the controls of whatever poison Lawry had injected him with.

"Seven. Watching funny movies with Casey. Six. Going shopping with Casey. Five. Accidentally ripping my pants and Casey laughing." He stood up, helping me to my feet. Dr. Lawry and Mr. Tanaka were absolutely in shock. They'd been so sure they perfected their formula.

"This is a failure, Lionel." Tanaka stood.

"Attack!" Lawry shouted. "You worthless garbage, attack!"

"Four. Dancing with Casey. Three. Having sex with Casey. Two. Hugging and kissing Casey." Dr. Lawry ran over to where Axel stood. "One. Casey saying that he loves me."

"You listen to me, you big idiot. You really think this little faggot is going to care for you for the rest of your miserable life. I have raised you since birth. I have given you everything you've needed, and you have yet to yield any results for me." He turned towards me. He had finally lost it. His years of research had come to a close, and he had basically nothing to show for it. I pitied him, but I also hated him. He wasn't working with robotics or plants. This was a human being he'd tried to play God with.

"You have ruined everything," he spat at me, slapping me across the face. There was a moment of silence, and suddenly Axel grabbed Dr. Lawry, and in one swift twist of his arms he'd snapped his neck. I jumped back at the sound, in disbelief. He walked towards Mr. Tanaka, who back peddled, trying to get away from Axel.

"Axel, no!" I screamed. He stopped walking and looked back at me. "I'm fine, you're fine. Everything is okay. You don't have to hurt Mr. Tanaka."

"AX3, come here." He walked over to Mr. Tanaka. "You too, Mr. Kirby." I walked around Dr. Lawry's body, feeling slightly queasy. "I think it is time to admit that this project has come to an end. It was doomed the day AX1 died. Regarding your weight, you'll likely level out and begin to gain weight more normally. At what size that is I am uncertain. On the mice we ran trials with they often doubled their body weight before they began to process calories normally again."

"Okay," Axel said, holding me upright.

"And AX3--Axel, I mean, we have no antidote for what we gave you, and its effects have not been thoroughly tested."

"Meaning what?" I asked.

"Meaning if you truly want to take him with you, there are some uncertainties that you will have to face."

"He can stay with me?" I asked, relieved. I wasn't so sure what Tanaka was saying was true. He could be biding his time, waiting to gather reinforcements to better control Axel. It was so obvious he was just trying to not meet the same fate as Dr. Lawry.

Tanaka went over to his briefcase, returning with an envelope. "Take this. It contains his birth certificate, social security card, and other government papers."

"You're serious?" I questioned.

"Yes, I'm sorry for the trouble. I regret to have gotten you involved." He looked from me to Axel nervously. "And I am sorry for this, amongst everything else, but I have to make sure I leave here in one piece--Palos Verde Blue!" Axel hit the ground. I watched as Jomei Tanaka grabbed his few belongings and rushed from the laboratory.

This chapter in Axel's life had finally come to a close, at least for now--hopefully forever. I held onto the envelope containing his documentation and smiled. My neck was sore. I sat on the floor next to Axel and rested my head on his chest. His heartbeat was even and steady. I was so happy.

Whenever he came to we'd find our way out of this warehouse and back to my apartment. I'd ace all my finals and we'd celebrated with a large dinner. He'd met my mom and dad and all of my friends. I'd finish college and help Axel get started in school or a job. We'd be together, and things would be okay. I would never feel inadequate again.

I was glad I found him chewing on all of my peach bubble gum, naked, and as weird as the project he had been a part of.

The End!