Moore’s lips twisted into a sad smile, “Alright Seamus, I’ll stop asking you to desist. Just sign in the highlighted areas and this will move forward.”
Taking the stack of papers and the pen Seamus didn’t even glance at the print, he just signed all the right spots, handing the signed forms back when he was done. “Moore, one last thing as who knows what happens from here. Thank you, you didn’t have to take my case for next to nothing. You didn’t have to fight as much as you did after I pled guilty. I thank you for that and will say it again once I go into the pod, stop fighting for my freedom. I will live out the rest of my life in a digital world in one form or another.”
Taking the pen and forms, Moore stood up as Seamus spoke, shaking his head. “I can’t. I promised your father I would do my very best. I will honor his wishes even though he’s gone, I will do what he asked of me.”
“So be it. In my father’s name then, fight as you will. Goodness knows it broke his heart when I did what I did, but he understood and forgave me which meant the world to me. Say hi to my mother for me if you see her.” Seamus said softly before Moore left and Seamus was returned to his cell.
The next two weeks went by without incident or break from routine until the third Monday came. Seamus heard the cuff flap open as Sgt. Jasperson ordered Seamus up and over to be cuffed. Smiling, Seamus did so thinking it was finally time. Seamus was escorted down to the medical wing of the prison, which he hadn’t seen since he’d killed the other inmate. Smiling and nodding to the staff, he was sat on a gurney. The doctor came over and did a check up on him, noting all the vitals before Seamus was shackled to the gurney.
“Well, looks like it’s time. Good luck gentlemen, I might not be one of you wearing the shield anymore but I still support you every day. Hold the line and bear the weight, your dedication is honored.” Seamus said, seeing the faces all go hard as he spoke.
Jasperson leaned over him, face grim, “Shut it, inmate.”
Seamus shook his head being serious, “Can’t Sarge, it’s the truth whether you all like it or not. Until we meet in the next life or beyond remember: Dedication, Duty and Honor.”
Growling, Jasperson walked next to the gurney as the medical staff wheeled him down the halls. Eventually he came to a processing room where his paperwork was being completed. Seamus could make out very large men in federal uniforms signing for him. Jasperson seemed very upset about the fact the feds were taking away one of his inmates. Seamus stayed silent as the feds pushed him out the door to a waiting heavy transport unit. He was placed into the back where a nurse was waiting to get the gurney secured. He read her name on her scrubs, smiling at it as he lay back while she worked around him. A few minutes later she took her seat and the engine turned over, making Seamus laugh.
The nurse looked at him, “What is so funny?”
“My freedom is the fact that I’m going to be poked and prodded as a science experiment that I hope will help those people who could use it while taking it away slightly from those who threw it away.” Seamus replied with a grin on his face, “It’s also why I love your name, Sunshine. The first rays of light breaking over the cloudy day my life had become.”
Sunshine blinked, looking at him oddly, “Do you understand what is going to happen to you?”
“I’m going into a virtual reality pod to test how very long term immersion affects humans.” Seamus said, his smile not dimming in the least, “During that time I am going to be able to partake in one of Mindblown Entertainment’s finest works.”
“Well yes, but you won’t have contact with your loved ones anymore,” she said as if this should hurt him.
Shaking his head sadly, Seamus answered her, “My father is dead, my mother hasn’t spoken to me since and I have no siblings.”
Sunshine’s face seemed to scrunch slightly, “That’s horrible, for her to turn her back on her only child.”
“No, she’s right to do it. It’s my fault dad died, I killed him by breaking his heart when I was arrested for murder. So I don’t blame her for turning from me even if he did forgive me before he passed. One day I hope she’ll find it in her to do the same but I will not beg her. I love her too much for her to see me broken before her.” Seamus replied before turning his face away from the nurse, “Is it going to be a long ride?”
“A few hours, did you need something to drink?”
“Nope, I’ll just get a nap in while we drive.” Seamus said as he closed his eyes to nap. Running away from the pain he felt in his heart at the loss of his mother comforting him even at his age.
Seamus woke sometime later when the vehicle stopped and the engine cut off. Blinking open his eyes while yawning he looked around to find Sunshine hooking an IV bag up to a pole above his head. “Going to stick me before we roll?”
Smirking, she looked down at his arms, “Don't need any more than I already have.”
Following her eyes, Seamus's jaw opened up in astonishment. “Wow, now that is the work of a pro. Both arms without me feeling a thing while I slept and I'm not exactly a heavy sleeper.”
“There’s a reason they’re paying my salary as the chief nurse for this little experiment. The head doctor, Rosenbloom, should be ready for us.” She cut off as the back doors opened and the four federal guards wheeled him out of the back.
“Wait, the Doctor is Rosenbloom and the head nurse is Sunshine?” Seamus started to laugh, considering the names. “Too bad it's fall or I would so be making spring jokes right now.”
Shaking her head, Sunshine followed the gurney and guards. “You seem very mellow for a murderer, with a second murder investigation ongoing.”
Seamus snapped his mouth shut cutting the laughter off. “Oh, the nurse scores a point with that comment. Well done Sunshine, but if you knew the details you would understand.”
“I read all of the related news bits I could find. After all, if I have to be around a killer for a year or more I wanted to know what I could. You killed him in cold blood while escorting him to court.” Sunshine replied as the guards trundled the gurney down a few halls all done in the standard jail décor of reinforced brick.
“That thing,” venom dripped from the word, “deserved much more than I did to him. After all, I was kind. I only double tapped the back of his head. Then I waited calmly for my fellow coworkers and the sheriff’s deputies to show up and arrest me. You obviously skipped the real details of the crime he committed that led to me removing him from the gene pool.” Seamus’s voice turned icy at the end, cutting off further conversation.
One of the guards grunted, “Shut up, Masterson.”
Seamus looked over at the guard with hooded eyes, his face blank. He looked around, noting the signs of heavily reinforced walls with small windows way up off the floor. The door they came to had to be opened by remote, which made Seamus feel almost back on the job. No keys for this facility which meant escape was way down on the list of possibilities. Not that he wanted to, after all you don't turn yourself in to try and escape.
A couple more hallways and doors brought him to something like an operating room, if you discounted the heavy reinforced door they came through. Six people in scrubs were moving around a metallic pod with way more wires than it should have. The guards brought the gurney to a stop next to the pod as an older white haired man came over.
“Ah you must be Masterson, I'm Doctor Rosenbloom. I head up the medical staff keeping you healthy while you’re in the pod for the next year. Do you have any questions about what we are going to do?”
“Kind of curious how I'm going to get enough nutrients?” Seamus replied. “Also, what about muscle atrophy?”
“We’ll be using the nutrient solution the space agency created for the proposed Mars missions, before they were scrapped by the government. It was tested for years and showed that it would keep the body in good working condition while in stasis, which is what you’ll basically be in. As for your muscles, this pod is designed to flex your joints periodically. We’ll also be stimulating the muscles with small electric currents.”