Chapter Text
Rex was led away from Corric and Echo. Eventually, he was led to a long hallway with individual cells with a glass panel instead of a standard ray shield. In each cell where clones and Rex clenched his fists tightly. He grabbed the mop he had and began to clean the floor.
“You are from the new batch brought in?” A voice asked to the side.
Rex turned to the clone who sat on the floor of his cell. He was close to the glass door, leaning against it slightly. His hair had not been cut in a while so it was long. It was matted and stark white. Not as if it had been dyed but more as if someone drained the color from it. His eyes were pale and he looked weak. Underfed and his eyes had an empty look to them.
“Yeah. Rex,” He replied. Midnight seemed the only to be either wake or up for talking.
“Midnight,” The clone said. “How are you holding up? Officers normally get a rough time at first here until they are broken down.”
“I’ll be fine. Should- should we be talking? I don’t want to cause you any trouble.” Rex said.
Midnight just shook his head with a small humorless chuckle. “As long as you continue your work it should be fine.”
Rex nodded and continued to mop the floor. Redeye’s voice though came from ahead and called, “Captain?”
“Redeye!” Rex said and hurried over to the cell. He looked inside and saw Redeye was sitting up in his cell. A bandage wrapped around his eyes and Rex felt sick.
“What did they-” Rex began but stopped and shook his head. “Are you alright?”
“Not really,” Redeye replied softly. “Are you- did they bring you in here too?”
“No. No. They are having me clean,” Rex said. “I am alright. Don’t worry.”
Redeye nodded numbly. He had his knees to his chest with his arms wrapped around them. He put his head back and let out a soft breath. “Is…is Mixer alright?” He asked.
“Yeah. He’s alright,” Rex said. Redeye nodded and relaxed a bit hearing that. Rex looked at him with concern, he wished he could do something to help him.
“The best thing you can do is continue moving.” Midnight said. “Let him rest.”
“Right,” Rex said and moved away from the glass. He picked up his mom and gripped it until his knuckles where white. He had to force himself to get back to work. He looked to Midnight and asked, “Is this where clones who are being experimented on are put?”
“Some yes.” Midnight answered.
“Some?” He asked.
“Yeah. They have a few different places where they put us. This is the main one though, you’ll rarely be in the others unless you do something drastic.” Midnight explained. Rex nodded and looked back at Redeye, still curled up in his cell.
“How would I be able to check on the rest of my men? I don’t see all of them here,” Rex asked.
“The medics normally could tell you. Yet, I can tell you if I have seen them,” Midnight offered.
“Hardcase, Fives, and Dogma.” Rex said.
“I have seen Fives and Hardcase. They were both taken out earlier today but they are alive.” Midnight replied.
“What about Dogma?” He asked.
“I am sorry I have not heard anything,” Midnight said. The clone in one of the cells beside him looked up and moved to the front of the cell.
“Did you say Dogma?” he asked.
“You heard something? What?” Rex asked as he moved closer to the other clone. He knelt and looked at the ragged clone.
“I overheard that name mentioned. He was brought deeper in. There is another doctor here…or something we don’t know. It’s not like the others. Whoever ends up under there isn’t right after, they are normally just tossed in a random cell.” He answered.
“Are you sure Etch?” Midnight asked.
“Yeah, I am sure,” Etch replied.
“What?” Rex asked looking between both clones. Midnight sighed and leaned his head back.
“We don’t know much about it—none of us do—but we know there is something here.” Midnight said. “There is something dark here…something that is worse than these doctors. Yeah, they will hack us apart and treat us like pincushions. Yet, whatever is being done to these clones either leave empty shells or they are just lunatics. I am sorry.”
Rex cursed softly. He hoped Dogma’s stubbornness would help him but if clones who are tortured by mad scientists daily say it's bad. What does that mean for him? Kriff just what was happening to him?
Elsewhere Dogma woke up to darkness and he felt just cold. He wasn’t sure how long it had been the last thing he remembered was being led away from the others. Then just distorted voices, pain, and nightmares.
“Huh. You are awake. This is a good sign,” a distorted voice said. Dogma tried to talk but no words came. Fear sparked through him and he swallowed.
“Not being in control of your body has been recorded before. So that is normal,” The voice said. “It does seem though you haven’t lost your mind though. So that is a good sign for you.”
Dogma tried to steel himself, whatever was being done with him he wouldn’t break. Whatever they had planned he wouldn’t give in. He wouldn’t show them that he was afraid.
The voice in the shadows laughed, “Oh. Don’t worry fear is quite normal. Now let's continue shall we.”
Whatever happened next Dogma could not even explain. Pure pain surged through him and he wasn’t sure if he screamed. It wasn’t long before his consciousness faded away again. He drifted back into another nightmare.