6Chapter 5: Insistence of Truth
Author: zeusfluff.
I own all characters in this story. Date Started: 8/9/19. Date Finished: 7/11/24. Hope you all enjoy!
Mike woke to pain. Pain overran his entire body, including behind both of his eye sockets. It took him a few moments to adjust to the churlish light in the immense and overly bland room with a two-way mirror. The pain behind his eyes continued, but his sole attention was on a blurry figure in a white lab coat. "Good, you're awake."
Instantly, Mike became suspicious. The blurry man reached a hand out to him and touched his shoulder. Mike tried moving away from him. Clearing his throat.
"Where am I?"
He wasn't quite sure, but he could just make out a face. The man in the white lab coat had black hair, receding hairline at best. Gray eyes and a pair of glasses framed his face. Mike found he was hooked up to an iv and he picked at the line in his hand. The doctor in front of him smirked.
"XB698J6."
Mike froze, but it wasn't him anymore.
"Sargeant Eric Carson reporting in Doctor Carollson."
Doctor Carollson smiled at Mike/Eric. Shaking his hand in the process.
"Welcome back Sargeant Carson. Has Mike Barsby suspected anything?"
Eric shook his head no and pulled at the restraints on his hands and feet.
"No. Hey doc, can you get these stupid things off me? I'm dying for a cigarette."
Watching as Doctor Carollson freed him from the restraints, Eric rolled his head to get the knots out of his neck.
"I find it amusing that Mike thinks Janie is his. He has no idea that she's mine. Those doctors at New York General aren't very detail oriented. If they looked closer at the genetic markers, they'd see a difference between me and him. Where's my uniform? I gotta shave and take a shower. I won't be needing these glasses anymore. I don't know how that man can live with a beard. I guess he was going for the grizzly adams look. That's not me."
Doctor Carollson frowned at Eric and put a hand on his shoulder.
"We need to re-hydrate you sargeant. The serum is depleting your body of fluids. I'll inform General Martins of your progress and send him in."
Nodding, Eric sat and looked around. This room had been his for the last five years. His eyes wandered to the photo sitting on a side table next to the bed. He was in it, along with a woman and twin girls. Sighing, he spoke to the empty room.
"Megan, I wish I were with you, Morgan and May. The girls must be getting so big by now."
Eric was interrupted by the metal door opening and in came General Martins.
"Welcome back Sargent Carson. Report."
Straightening himself out, Eric briefed General Martins.
"Michael Barsby has no idea what we're doing to him. He simply thinks he has amnesia. It's good to see you sir. The ex-wife Karen has no idea that your name isn't Rod. If I may ask sir, how is your mission going?"
General Martins paced the room.
"As well as to be expected. I can't wait until this mission is over. I'm not too fond of your daughter Carson. She likes me to play hide and seek with her all the time. I'm not a family man. Never have been. Doctor Carollson says he and his team are close to perfecting their little genetic experiment. Soon we'll have two separate DNA sequences, two different personalities. We'll essentially be two people; the serum numbers are the only thing that will bring the real us back."
Eric stared General Martins straight in the eyes.
"Sir, how are we going to control our other selves?"
General Martins smirked.
"The docs are still working on that part. Sometimes their personalities will bleed through. The other day, I found myself going to Coney Island with Karen and Janie. I don't do that."
Eric nodded and leaned back against the bed.
"Sounds like the docs have everything under control. "
General Martins nodded and patted Eric on the left shoulder.
"You get rehydrated soldier and get some rest. After that get cleaned up and back in uniform. We've got a lot of work to do still. Project Maple Leaf is just getting underway."
Eric leaned back as General Martins left the room and in came Doctor Carollson.
"Let's get you rehydrated sargeant. I'm also going to give you a mild sedative so you can get some rest. It will also help your body heal faster."
As Doctor Carollson administered the sedative into his iv line, Eric looked him in the eye.
"How's my family doc?"
A smile came to Doctor Carollson's face.
"Megan has something to tell you when you're on your feet sargeant. For now, rest. I'll come and check on you soon."
Eric let sleep envelope him. He was beat. Crossing back into his own consciousness was never easy. It took its toll every time. It wasn't about to get any easier either. Ten hours later, Eric woke refreshed. When he opened his eyes, General Martins was there to greet him with a fresh uniform.
"Pressed and starched sargeant."
Taking in the scent of pine on his uniform, he gave a toothy smile.
"Just the way I like it general. Thanks. Once I clean up, can I see my wife?"
General Martins shook his head.
"Unfortunately you know that's not possible sargeant. We have strict rules here at the base. Project Maple Leaf is level 10 security clearance. Sargeant Carson, your wife, doesn't have level 10 security clearance. She only has level 5."
It dawned on Eric.
"Wait, you weren't thinking of bringing Megan into the fold were you?"
General Martins paced the room. It seemed to be his signature go to strategy.
"General Stevenson and I had considered it, but considering Sargeant Carson's condition, we thought it best to not bring her into the fold right now. We can wait."
Eric looked at General Martins.
"Megan's pregnant isn't she?"
General Martins looked him in the eye.
"It's not my place to say sargeant. Get cleaned up. You have a formal briefing with the rest of the staff in forty minutes. You'll want to look your best."
Shaking his head, Eric would do his best to approach the situation with calm and rational demeanor. Fixing his tie he made sure everything was in order with his uniform and sat down on the bed, grabbing for a book his wife Megan had given him to keep his mind occupied while he was here on the base.
To Be Continued…
A/N: I apologize to my readers for the long hiatus between chapters. Finally got the inspiration to dive back into this story. Hope you enjoyed! What do you guys think?