I was running.

It had become something of a habit. When you can outrun crossbow bolts without difficulty, you tend not to walk much.

I haven't done much to hide what I can do. I figure with what people in this town can do, who cares if I run fast.

Now, when I run at that speed, sounds get all screwed up. Doppler something or other. So, when I hear something clear as day, it get's my attention.

"Stop."

That's all it was. But I heard it like it was normal. So I stopped, just to see what was what.

-----

It was dark when I woke up. Like pitch. Like my eyes were dipped in tar. I was strapped down and couldn't move. Not an inch.

-----

When I woke up again, there was a black suit standing over me. One of those guys takes his job too seriously.

He just looked at me. I wasn't really aware enough to talk.

I was slow as molasses in my dream. I woke up at the table again.

"We're going to take a blood and tissue sample. We'd like you to run for us first."

No way was I letting these people do that. They kidnapped me. Even if that door was solid steel, if I hit it fast enough, enough times...

My speed was near gone.

"You're on a pretty hefty mix of sedatives. A normal person would take a week to walk across the room on that stuff. It brings you down almost to human speeds."

Blood and tissue. I asked him what that would entail.

"Nothing too bad. We'll put a needle in your arm, take about a pint. Then we want to biopsy some leg muscles. All told, your arm might be a little sore and you won't be able to run for a bit. I suspect only a few days."

I didn't like this. But it didn't seem like I'd have much of a choice.

"If you agree to run when we ask, we can cut down on the sedatives. It's in our best interest, anyway. We don't know how they'll affect our samples."

Run.

-----

"Simple test. When I flip this switch, the ball bearings you're standing on will go frictionless. I want you to run as fast as you can. This will get us your base speed. Ready?"

He flipped the switch. I ran.

"Approaching mach one. Alright, you can stop now. I'm going bring friction back. And there it is. Not bad. If you promise not to try to escape, we'll let you sleep without the sedatives tonight."

Whatever will let me think clearly, I thought. I couldn't stand that fog.

"We got our control samples. Now we need to to press these eight buttons in succession, repeatedly, as fast as you can. We'll take another set of samples, then."

I did what he wanted. They were almost done with me.

"Good. Now, we'll just...alright. Done. Go have some dinner. I've got a request once you're finished."

A request. Just what I wanted. I ate, then he told me what he wanted from me.

"This man has been attacking people. Might have raped a girl. He used to work with us, did odd jobs. If the local authorities get to him, he might say something we'll regret. I would appreciate it if you'd bring him back here. Alive and unhurt, if possible."

Was that a direct order?

"If you don't want to do this, you're free to go."

So I did it.

-----

I found him in an alleyway. He was trying to take the purse off some woman who'd taken a short cut.

He hadn't even started to fall by the time I hit his other knee. Then I dragged him back.