Life In MegaCorp (Pt. 3)

After so many years in a cell the homey room looked unnatural. Like the last room Tzeitel scanned it for dangers. Tzeitel tensed visibly at the mention of the feeding tube. “I'm not hungry.” She said, pleading. Indeed, after all that was forced down her throat it would be quite some time before she would be the least bit hungry.

“I’ll have protein shakes brought for you. Will you drink those?” Loreen inquired. “If you refuse those, Thrane won’t give you a choice. I’d happily give you the choice, Tzeitel, but you keep endangering your children…once they’re born, I will do everything I can to make things better. Thrane has made an agreement with me to keep you from Canestone once the children are born. You’re off limits from everyone now.”

It was an agreement she had worked hard to get for Tzeitel. She was still trying to get help for Riley, but Thrane knew how she felt for him and was holding that sword over her head…

“I'm not going to live that long!” Tzeitel knew how meta women almost always died in childbirth. She had nothing to look forward to but a painful death. The babies would probably be subjected to cruel experimentation when she was gone, if they survived. Tzeitel never wanted them but she didn't want them to suffer.

Loreen stared at Tzeitel silently. “If you don’t cooperate Thrane will make sure you die. Cooperate and I will make sure you live, Tzeitel. I’m trying to get us out of here without you and Riley dying. You know this…” She tried to explain this, thankful that the cameras in the room had been shut off.

For now.

Tzeitel cringed. “Sometimes the babies live but meta women always die in childbirth.” She did not want to die that way.

“No, they don’t. You’ve only convinced yourself that they do, Tzeitel. I’m your doctor in this. You won’t die.” Loreen reminded her.

“You've had women die.” Tzeitel whispered. Times like this she wished Colt was still alive, or that Klaire was with her. She always felt safer with Klaire around. Even if she usually felt abandoned by her friend lately.

“You know I was forced to let them die,” Loreen’s voice broke at the memories. She didn’t want to think about it!

“He can change his mind and make me die.” Tzeitel was not so sure that even Loreen could get her through this alive.

“He won’t,” Loreen said, knowing Thrane wanted Tzeitel very much alive. “As long as you don’t cause trouble, you can move around in this room freely, Tzeitel. Please, don’t make it difficult…I…” She looked at the floor. “I don’t want to see you getting hurt more. Please…”

“I can’t take it anymore.” Tzeitel pleaded, touching the scars on her neck that refused to heal because of the collar. The force feeding. The invasive examinations by other medical personnel. The abuse that was still continuing from Canestone. What the guards would do to her too. Especially Urbanus. Tzeitel looked like a small scared child.

It seemed the medicine wasn’t working, so Loreen merely sighed and escorted Tzeitel to her bed, coaxing her to sit down. “Try to rest.” She said softly. “I’ll bring you a meal later and if you eat, I can promise that no one will bother you.”

Tzeitel hid under the blankets, wishing it could keep her safe. Wish she could ever feel safe. The twins kicked healthily.

Loreen gave Tzeitel some more calming medicine through an IV she started for her and left her in the room for the night, locking all doors but the one to the connected bathroom, which had no glass of any kind in it. There was a walk in shower with a curtain, a toilet and a sink, but no mirror….

She would not get a visit from any of her tormentors because Thrane was keeping her safe from them for once, but there would be the familiar face of Cook at some point. He would knock at the door of the room a few hours later.

“Tzeitel, are you decent?” He asked and wouldn’t enter until she told him yes because he was one of the few guards that respected her.

At one point Tzeitel went into the shower, still wearing what clothes she had. She sat on the floor of the shower and let the hot water hit her. The bathroom was full of steam and Tzeitel was feeling drowsy by the time Cook knocked. She felt panicked for a moment before recognizing his voice. She grabbed a towel and wrapped her soaking wet, still clothed body. “Uh…”

“Yes, Tzeitel?” Cook asked from beyond the door.

“I- uh- need a minute.” Tzeitel was reluctant to take off her clothes even when there was no man outside her door. She hated seeing her body. First it was the scars from Canestone, now it was the undeniable signs of the pregnancy. Tzeitel found some dry clothes, closed her eyes as she stripped off the wet things, dried with the towel, then pulled on the dry clothes before opening her eyes. “I’m… decent.”

Cook waited a moment to be sure before stepping into the room. The door automatically locked behind him, which made the poor man jump a little and look back at the door with concern. He knew his card reader would open it, but there was always that concern in the back of his mind. “I brought you some juice and a new blanket I got while I was out.” He said as he set the bottle of juice and the blanket down on the nearby desk they’d left in the room for her.

When around Tzeitel, he always kept over an arms length between them so she would feel some semblance of safety. “I wanted to let you know that I left behind a gift for your friends so they might be able to make it here to save you.” He whispered, praying she could hear him.

Tzeitel cautiously approached the table. She touched the blanket, it was very soft. She picked it up, taking some comfort in how it felt. She pulled it over her shoulders, looking so much like a child with a favorite blankie despite her swollen belly. She eyed the juice warily, picking it up carefully and sniffing it.

It was just regular juice.

Cook took a seat on the floor by the door and dug out some paper from his jacket pocket. They were letters from Klaire that were addressed to Tzeitel. He’d retrieved them from the secret spot while out on his mission. Sliding them across the floor, he would let Tzeitel decide if she wanted to look at them or not.

“She misses you,” He said.

Tzeitel took a small sip of the juice, the flavor was a lot after months of a feeding tube. She set the cup down and stared at the letters. She recognized her best friend's handwriting. She picked them up, having a hard time believing they were real.

Each and every letter recounted what Klaire had done so far. She explained meeting Alex and starting the work to infiltrate every facility they could. The moment they learned about Ami, she’d gone and saved her, hoping Tzeitel would be happy to know she had the sweetest little sister alive. There was the constant concern for Tzeitel and every one in each letter, but each one also mentioned how disappointed Klaire was in herself for not being able to get Tzeitel out yet.

Tzeitel almost disbelieved every letter after getting to the part about her little sister. How could her parents have another kid after selling her to MegaCorp? After neglecting and abusing her for 11 years? Why would they do it again? Tzeitel stared at the letter for a long time, realizing that Ami was born not long after her parents had sold her. Almost like after selling her they thought they made enough money to justify having another baby just to sell her. Tzeitel saw the briefcase of money her parents had been given, it had to have bought them a lot of drugs and alcohol. Why wouldn’t they do it again? It was a surprise that Tzeitel only had one little sister and not several younger siblings bred for MegaCorp. Tzeitel ignored the kick from the twins she was being forced to carry for MegaCorp. Tears were running down her face by the time she finished reading the letters and she had to hold them carefully away from herself to avoid getting them tearstained. Klaire had not abandoned her, Klaire was still trying to get her out of here. She had some slim hope now.

Cook watched Tzeitel and let out a soft sigh, wishing he could comfort her, but he knew to keep his distance. “Is there anything I can do to help you feel better?” he asked after a long moment.

Tzeitel looked at Cook, her large eyes desperate. “I need to get out of here.”

“I know and you know I’d get you out of here fast as lightning if I could, but I want to get all of your out. There’s only so much I can do, though, at my rank. I’ve only recently gotten to go on missions outside of the facility…” Cook explained in whispers, constantly glancing at the door as if afraid someone would burst through the door at any minute. “Plus, your children…you’ll go into labor before we know it and Loreen wants to make sure you live.”

Tzeitel didn't want to think about that. She crinkled one of the letters. “Can you get a letter to Klaire?”

“I can try.” Cook replied as he dug in his bag and pulled out some paper and a pen for Tzeitel. Getting up, he set it all on her desk before returning to the door.

Still draped in the blanket, Tzeitel went to the desk. She picked up the pen and stared at it. It had been a long time since she was last allowed anything sharp. Still she was tempted. But, Klaire… Tzeitel turned her attention to the paper, not even knowing what to write for a long moment. Finally she just started moving the pen over the paper.

‘Klaire - I can't believe they had another kid after me! I know you'll take good care of her. They killed Colt when he tried to help me. I'm pregnant. They're coming soon. I can't do this.’ Tzeitel did not write that she was scared, she knew if Klaire got the letter she could smell the fear on the paper. She could not think of anything else to write and folded the letter. She left the desk and wandered to the other side of the room.