"The Final Link"

The next day, Vladimir and Gristle arrived at the studio, where Dr. Thornton-Fiennes was waiting for them, a maniacal glint in his eye. "Today's the day, gentlemen," he said, his voice dripping with excitement. "The final episode of the Link show. And this time, we've made some... adjustments." Vladimir's gut twisted with a sense of foreboding as he glanced at Gristle, who looked equally uneasy. "What kind of adjustments, sir?" Vladimir asked, trying to keep his tone neutral. Dr. Thornton-Fiennes chuckled. "Oh, just a few tweaks. This time, Ret won't be participating in the challenges. And Link will be... secured in various ways, shall we say, to ensure he can't escape." The studio was set up with a series of challenges, each one more ominous than the last. Link, looking bleary-eyed and exhausted, was led out and strapped into a harness, suspended high above a pit of foam blocks. The first challenge was a simple obstacle course, but as Link navigated it, Vladimir couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. Link was secured tightly to the harness, his movements restricted, and with each step, he looked more and more panicked. The challenges escalated, each one more sadistic than the last. Link was duct-taped to a spinning wheel, forced to endure a cacophony of loud noises and flashing lights. He was then submerged in a tank of water, unable to move, as a series of electrical shocks were administered. With each challenge, Link's distress grew, and Vladimir's unease deepened. He glanced at Gristle, who looked like he was about to be sick. The final challenge was the worst. Link was strapped to a table, a device clamped to his head, and a series of electrodes attached to his body. Dr. Thornton-Fiennes cackled with glee as he explained the challenge: Link would be forced to relive his worst memories, over and over, with no escape. As the device whirred to life, Link's eyes went wide with terror. Vladimir's gut twisted with horror as he watched, frozen in place. But as Link's screams grew louder, Vladimir's expression darkened. He took a step forward, and then another, until he was standing beside Dr. Thornton-Fiennes. "Sir, I think that's enough," Vladimir said, his voice firm. Dr. Thornton-Fiennes turned to him, a look of surprise on his face. "Oh? And why's that, Vladimir?" Vladimir's eyes locked onto Link, who was still strapped to the table, his eyes vacant, his body shaking with fear. "Because, sir, I think we've gone far enough. This is cruel, even for an experiment." Dr. Thornton-Fiennes's expression turned cold, but Vladimir stood his ground. With a swift movement, he disabled the device, freeing Link from his torment. As the studio fell silent, Vladimir rushed to Link's side, carefully unstrapping him from the table. Link collapsed into his arms, shaking, his eyes unfocused. Dr. Thornton-Fiennes's voice cut through the silence, his tone icy. "Vladimir, what have you done?" Vladimir looked up, his eyes locked onto Dr. Thornton-Fiennes. "I've stopped this, sir. I won't let you do this to him anymore." The air seemed to vibrate with tension as Dr. Thornton-Fiennes's gaze bore into Vladimir's. For a moment, it seemed like anything could happen. But then, Gristle spoke up, his voice trembling. "I... I think Vladimir's right, sir. This has gone too far." Dr. Thornton-Fiennes's expression darkened, but Vladimir stood his ground, Link still clutched in his arms. He knew that he had just crossed a line, but he couldn't bring himself to care.