//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Near Human 
// by Element of Power 
//------------------------------//

Darkness, cold, unforgiving darkness. Felt like home, or as close to home as he could ever be. Just like every morning for God knows how long, it started in that same darkness, awaiting the next test, experiment, or assignment with the scientists. He didn't move, instead choosing to lie in wait on a simple bed with the little free time he had.

One of the walls in the blackness of the room moved, opening like a garage door and bathing the small room in light. Rising up to stand, he slowly stepped out into the white barren room like he had done hundreds of times, the door closing behind him.

When he was first put here, the first thing he noticed was that the main room was like the typical "white box" kind of room you find in a movie or something. It was bizarre at first, but over the... months?... years?... he wasn't too sure anymore... the room became almost normal, even if it got to him sometimes.

Now that he was in the white light of the room, he unconsciously looked at himself. Before all this, he would have been considered pretty muscular. Now, there were subtle differences. Not all were bad though. Both arms, once a slightly tan white, were a dark gray, almost black, color of metal. The material was definitely metal, though it had a softness to them like skin, but extremely hard to break like, well, metal. Otherwise they looked almost exactly like real arms, powerful machinery hidden beneath metallic skin. The same thing went for his legs, which were covered in a pair of plain, close to skin tight pair of workout pants. 

Though these parts were artificial, they were still fitted with nerve sensors so he could feel, but the odd thing was that the pain felt was dull in most circumstances, like if he flicked the surface, he would feel it, even a bit of pain, but not the normal amount. This is probably because he was not really feeling, but rather a simulation of feeling.

He glanced at the rest of his body, he had metal which covered his main body, like his abdomen, back, chest, and neck. His head had the same metallic skin, fitted to remain aesthetically human.  His eyes, however, overshadowed the simplicity of his face. Within his advanced eyes, the color of his irises were a pool of ever changing colors, like glowing paint swirling in a puddle. These eyes could see better than a normal human's ever could, while relaying information about his surroundings when he wanted.

While changed on the outside, his insides were also improved. The assho.... "scientists" that upgraded him wanted to keep the layout and workings of a normal human organ function, though slightly improved. His heart, stomach, liver, intestines, lungs, and even brain, were all augmented, made to keep him going better than anyone, while things like his bones and muscles were torn out and replaced with the strength of machinery.

He looked up, sighed, then said "Unit E - 30 ready for operations". He said this every single day, in the most monotone voice possible. He wasn't allowed to say his name, only his identification. He could have made a wise crack or even yelled. He could have beat at the walls or threatened them.

But he wouldn't, and they knew he wouldn't. They knew that the rebellious behavior was long gone, forced out of him.

Finally, the scientists spoke from the speakers lining the ceiling.

"Welcome back, let us begin the biomechanical pre-assessment"

Or you could just say move around and show us you work.

"Lets begin with your arm and hand movement."

So, like he practiced over and over, he lifted one hand on the air, made a fist, then lowered it and did the same with the other.

"Good, now check your leg and foot movement."

Now, he ran in place, while making surprisingly little noise given his feet were made of the same metal as his arms.

"Perfect. Now let's move on to the main test in experiment B - 74, the teleportation device. Please step forward and grab the device from off of the table."

This was it. He had been dreading this for a couple of weeks now. This test in teleportation was extremely risky, given all the possibilities. He could go to the intended place, or end up halfway in a wall of some restaurant, his glorious butt on display for all who eat there.

But, it also gave him a twinge of hope. Hope, that after all this time, he could have a chance to go somewhere else, to run and escape.

"I am only warning you once, you are connected to the remote shocker. if you use the device, then run from the mission, you will be sedated then captured. The shockers range goes to any part of the world, no matter where you are. Behave."

Oh well.

He walked over to the lone white table, where a device was laid out. It was spherical, with 4 holes on each side. They must have been to put his fingers in, like a bowling ball. There was an array of buttons where his exposed thumbs would be.

"Put your fingers and hands in the indicated spots on the device"

Carefully grabbing it, he inserted his fingers into the device, the inside was cool, like his fingers were inside ice. Done

"Now, we will count to 3. At 2, press the left-most button, then at 3, the right-most. When you are transported, wait until we have a connection to you, then press the buttons in the reverse order to come back. Don't try anything else."

"1"

Fingers tensed.

"2"

Left button. This was it.

"3"

He pressed the right button, making the device let out a repetitive beeping sound. The device instantly heated up, letting out a powerful hum. Then, a wave of energy exploded outwards, passing over everything without moving anything. Then, it came back and grouped back into a single point, this time pulling him forward. It shrank smaller, then became nothing, taking both the device, and E - 30 with it.


................................................................................................................................

After regathering and setting up different equipment, the team of scientists spoke into the radio. "Come in E - 30, was the test successful? You should be in another testing facility."

Static.

"You have 5 seconds to reply before we use the sedative."

Static.

They pressed the buttons on the panel, trying to send powerful amount of electricity through E - 30's body, but something happened.

The computer said "Subject out of range."

"That's... not possible!" Dr. Jovan, the lead scientist was shaking his head, his hands clenched in a fist. "The satellites, they cover the whole world, it should be in range!" He whipped around to yell at the nearest subordinate. 

"I want all the officers searching for E - 30. Check every facility, every GODDAMN country! Both him and the machine are important property!" He growled between his teeth.

"It had to work..."