As The World Caves In

ch. 25

Raven grabbed the key that stayed hidden inside her drawer before teleporting out of headquarters. She could feel herself getting lost in her own thoughts as they finally overcame her.

No words could ever truly describe what she was feeling. But, if she had to explain all of the overwhelming emotions that are taking control of her body, she would describe it as guilt and self-blame. Her memories says it all.

As soon as Raven made it inside the storage facility, she stopped dead on her tracks. She doesn't know what to expect nor does she even want to see anything behind the latch.

The brunette is still a little hesitant on entering considering that the last time he spoke with Rao was before the explosion. Now that she thought about it, he was right. He tried to warn her about her past and Raven chose to ignore him.

"Looking over your files, it definitely gave me a better understanding of who you are as a person." Rao began to talk. "All you wanted to do was save them. You were always remarkable. Always have been. But unfortunately, your own ego got the best of you and you let them die."

Just like that, Rao shot himself.

Raven lifts up the latch, seeing nothing but pure darkness. She searched for the light that was located near the entrance. She turned it on and was instantly met by numerous pictures of herself with red yarn connected to different corners of old newspapers. Not only were they trying to look for her but they were trying to find a way to recreate another person just like her.

The brunette gawked at the multiple cork boards all over the room as it was filled with more information about herself. She read each and one of them, drawing back to when she first used her powers. They couldn't figure out as to how she got them but they came to a conclusion that the explosion from five years ago was not the reason why she got them. That's how she was able to escape her death. Raven teleported out of the building without realizing it.

As the broken woman looked around the room for more answers, she came across a box of VHS tapes labeled, 'Test Subject 23, Raven Amelia Woods.' The brunette didn't hesitate to play as she let the film play before her.

"Dr. Lu here." The man in a white coat said as he moved out of the frame. "Here we have test subject 23, known as Raven. After running multiple tests, it is still unknown as to how she got her teleportation powers."

Raven watched herself strapped down on a gurney as the man continued to pace around the room to think.

"I have plenty of theories but they are all deemed radical every time we do blood work." The frantic man stuttered, fixing up his crooked glasses. "Her DNA is unlike any other. She is the first test subject to survive the 'wolfsbane' serum."

The mad scientist went on about a few of his theories, trying to connect the dots. It seems as though, whatever they put in her, she pushes it out. They torture her, starve her, and hallucinate her to get some answers. But, just like them, she doesn't know anything. Raven was just as oblivious about her powers as them.

The VHS tape popped out as it was done playing. Raven inserts the other one, waiting for it to play. It's Dr. Lu again.

"This day 58, and test subject 23 is still holding up." The man chuckled mischievously as he grabbed the unconscious girl's chin. "She is a tough one to crack no matter what we do to her. But that's besides the point. She is slowly losing her memories due to electroshock therapy focused on the hippocampus and the temporal lobe. But she is still holding on."

Raven clenched her jaw tight as he watches the man continue to torture her by electrocuting her brain for the 100th time. The psychotic man laughed loudly, taking pleasure in her misery.