FUTURE PAST

Lifeline

"All systems to be shut down, specimen is now active! All systems to be shut down, specimen is now active! "

The chaos that came next was very well expected. As the female voice continued to blare from the speakers, Dr. Conner hurriedly fixed his glasses on his face, threw his laboratory coat over his thin shoulder and walked briskly to the dark room the specimen lay in.

With slow strides and his feet leaving loud echoes of footsteps as he walked, he stayed quiet, heart pounding against his chest with realization that he might have just raised the dead.

The legendary Dr. Freda.

"Lights on" He instructed the AI present in the room and all florescent lights came on immediately.

His eyes rested on her body spread out on a metal stretcher, the life support wires connected to her head, hands and feet had been disconnected, but she was breathing.

He dared to move closer to the body behind the glass. The glass was all that separated him from his most amazing work, his liberation, his breakthrough.

He had given her another lifeline, he now had the ability to give humans a second chance, just like he had given her.

"Dr. Conner?" Came the voice of a junior scientist beside him.

He turned to the speaker with joy in his heart that shone through his eyes.

"She lives..."

The young man's face beamed with a smile as Conner turned back to the body.

"She lives!"

****************************************

She inhaled and exhaled deep breaths before her head shot up with force.

She groaned in pain as she looked down at her wrists cuffed to the metal platform she lay on. It appeared to be a stretcher, and it hurt, badly.

Where was she? How long had she been lying here? Why was she here?

Her eyes were now fully open but she could not see anything. She sat still, breathing heavily as she struggled to take in all of the oxygen present in the room.

What type of place was she in that oxygen was not even sufficient?

Footsteps, not one, but two were picked up by her auditory senses. One from scrawny boots and the other from heels.

She was now expecting a man and a woman to come in at any time.

The sounds of a door open and close sent her back against the wall, with arms tied down by the strong cuffs she desperately wanted to free herself from. She felt her heartbeat quicken with a strange feeling, one that appeared to be fear, maybe mixed with curiosity.

"Lights" A male voice called and the room was illuminated immediately.

Her eyelids shut involuntarily as the bright light penetrated the blue orbs in her eyes.

She shrieked almost inhumanly for the burning sensation she felt in her eyes.

"You're awake" The man said, coming closer to her.

With great effort, she opened her eyes and looked past him to the woman beside him.

She was focused on the tablet in her hands, typing away with speed and caution fused between her furrowed brows.

The man was now in front of her. Tall and lean with messed up dark hair, he shot her a broad smile, one she was too confused to return.

"Who are you?" She muttered in fear.

Her shoulders became less tense as he moved backwards.

"I'm doctor Conner" he stated, hands in the pocket of his coat now.

"who are you?" he shot back.

She felt a strange sense of shock at the question. Her heartbeat picked up an even quicker pace and her brain seemed to do a momentary scan.

"Freda! Freda!" She looked around confused, searching for the voice. Another gun shot rang in her left ears and she crawled under a car in front of her.

"Freda, no!" was all she heard before bright lights shone before her eyes, fire, then deep darkness.

She drew in sharp breaths.

"Freda, I'm Freda"

She said, in between pants.

Conner's eyes widened. He had not only caused her heart to beat again, but had revived her brain cells again.

He moved closer to her this time, giving Alice, the woman beside him, signals to jot the important information down.

"Do you remember how you got here?"

He asked and he noticed how Freda panicked at his question again.

She wore a thoughtful look on her face, staring at nothing in particular as her brain tried to recollect events.

Someone calling her name, a loud bang above her, fire, a sharp pain in her stomach, then darkness.

Her eyes shot up to Conner with realization and awe etched in her stare.

"I died" Even as it slipped out of her mouth, it was still very difficult to believe.

Conner nodded.

"You did, December 21st 2024"

Something didn't feel right.

"Three months ago.." the woman beside him added.

"When are we?" Freda asked, her brain struggled to make sense of it's surroundings.

"Washington DC state, United States of America"

Freda fought the urge to mentally groan.

"Not where, when!"

Her yell caused the woman to stagger backwards but Conner only gave her an understanding and apologetic glance.

"February 2025"

"1st November 2026, and we're heading to where it all began" She was scared, she could feel it.....

"Something isn't right, I was alive 2026"

Conner and Alice exchanged knowing glances and she blinked twice.

"You have to believe me! I was alive, I..."

"Sedatives please" Conner instructed and Freda froze as needles pierced her skin immediately.

All vision became hazy, her head grew heavier then lighter almost immediately.

"I was ali......."

Her head bent to the side as she fell unconscious immediately.

"She's sick" Conner muttered, before walking briskly out of the room.