Chapter Nine

Jason felt very different. He could not feel any part of his body from the neck down. The only sensation that let him know that he still had a body was the intense pain that seemed to radiate from every cell of his being. But his senses were very much alive from the neck up. It was as if he was truly seeing for the first time. Every minute detail was now his to explore. He could see the fingerprints on the computer screen across the lab. Not could he just see that it was a fingerprint, but he could see each intricate line and swirl in the print itself, as if he were scrutinizing the finger that it came from. He could smell each item in the room individually, and if he closed his eyes and focused, the smells would form colors and pictures in his mind. He could smell the Asian doctor's scent on the chair next to the computer, as well as the scents of others that had been in the room before him. It was somewhat unsettling, and yet thrilling at the same time.

Jason tried to sit up, only to find that his head was securely strapped to the table. The fact that he could not feel his body was very disturbing, and he struggled desperately to crane his neck to view the body that now felt so foreign to him.

Hearing footsteps coming toward the lab, Jason ceased his struggling, and his eyes snapped to the only door in the room. Moments later, the door swung open to reveal the creature known as Sinister.

"It would appear that you are awake. Good. I was hoping that you would be ready for the next phase soon."

Sinister walked across the lab, and started checking readings on the various monitors on the desk. "It would appear that our genetic changes have adapted to your physiology nicely. How do you feel, Weapon X?"

"I can't feel my body." Jason stammered.

"That would be because your body is not complete. You are just a shell of skin now. Your genetic makeup has been altered drastically. But you did not answer my question. How do you feel?"

"I can hear everything. I can hear the fact that you have no heartbeat. I can see everything. I can see that you are not human. Are you a mutant also?"

"No. I am not. But you are correct. I am not human either. That is all you need to know."

"What did you mean that I am not complete?"

As if to dismiss his question, Sinister turned and walked back towards the door. He opened the door and motioned for someone standing outside. Three men entered the lab, rolling what looked like a metal cube with glass walls. Suspended inside the cube was what appeared to be a skeleton, except that this skeleton was composed of some shiny metal. The skull of this metal contraption appeared odd to Jason. The eye sockets were larger than normal, and the top of the skull had some sort of grooves emanating from the rear, ending in a point just above the bridge of what he supposed was the nasal cavity. There were various circuits and wiring poking from different areas of the metal skeleton.

Sinister ushered the men in, and closed the door behind them.

"This, my dear boy, is what will make you complete. The process of bonding admantium to living tissue has become passe. I have designed you complete physiology to adapt and coexist with an entire new skeleton, one that has been expressly designed by our late Dr. Chun."

Jason grasped the meaning immediately. Dr. Chun had obviously outlived his usefulness, but just barely. Jason wondered what would happen if he was no longer useful.

"Here comes the difficult part my boy. We must now insert this wonderful creation." Sinister smiled faintly as he walked back towards Jason. "It is necessary to assure that we sync your nervous system to each and every cybernetic component. To allow for maximum compensation, we cannot dull your healing factor with drugs. Unfortunately for you, that means that you will be awake during this procedure."

Jason's eyes were wide with fright. The men standing behind Sinister smiled cruelly at that remark, and seemed to take some sort of pleasure in the fact that Jason was truly scared to death. He could smell the callousness that the three gave off. However, he noted that the thing known as Sinister gave off no scent.

Sinister walked behind the table, and out of the range of view of Jason. However, he could track his movements with his hearing, and could hear Sinister retrieving several instruments from what sounded to be a metal table.

Suddenly, Sinister appeared standing over Jason. Before he could protest, he could feel something sharp enter his chest cavity. Screams of pain and horror echoed through the soundproof laboratory.