John Howe sat at his desk comparing notes. He scribbled furiously, since this report was nearly overdue - it wasn't even typed yet! How could someone who remembered pass codes and experimental details so well, forget to report his findings? He glanced at the photo on his desk. The gorgeous woman with the dark hair that framed her pale, delicate face smiled back at him.
"Ada…" he grinned. The sooner he finished his report, the sooner he could give her a call. How he missed her. When he talked to her, it was as if his troubles disappeared. He could tell her anything. John couldn't wait, so he hastily grabbed his notes and ran to the computer so he could finish up his work.
"I've completed my report and assess-"
"Very well. Just place it on the desk and I'll go over it later. I'm in a rush. I'm due to meet Paul Saunders at the new lab underneath the city." William Birkin barked.
"You won't take it and read it on the train ride into the city?" John asked. William glanced over at him.
"Has there been much progress?"
"Um, not quite much, but it's worth a look-see. I assume you'll be significantly surprised, and perhaps you can further your own research this evening with Paul." John replied.
"I'll glance at it later." William replied briskly, shoving the papers in his briefcase.
"Oh, alright." John replied, feeling dejected. He had rushed all that work, just to see it shoved in a briefcase without a second though. He decided to cheer himself up with a call to his dearest Ada. She always managed to cheer him up and get his mind off the more depressing part of work. He was also amazed how she was the first girlfriend he had that was actually interested in his work, didn't just tune him out or tell him she didn't want to hear it.
Since John had finished his work and research for the evening, there was nothing left to do but tidy up his workspace and laboratory. If William Birkin had come in anytime during the night or next morning, and saw it left in shambles, he'd never hear the end of it. William Birkin prided himself in his neatness and organization, and expected those under him to follow his example. Besides, if someone left their workspace a mess, anyone could steal their work, or something could be misplaced. If any research were misplaced, you were responsible and reprimanded accordingly. Umbrella did not play games when it came to viral research, and John could understand why. If it were sold on the black market, forget about it. Their own research could be leaked out and used against them. He shuddered at the thought of being infected with his research. It was true that Umbrella had been using humans for testing, but these were runaways, or homeless. No one noticed them missing. They usually made good test subjects, too, because they didn't complain as long as they were warm and fed. For all they knew, they were being injected with vaccines for the common cold and influenza.
"Shut up!" Glenn Palmer screeched at the barking canines as he finished his sandwich and contemplated his next move.
"They get pretty annoying sometimes, eh?" Scott inquired, grinning and glancing over at the dogs.
"Yeah, it's because they haven't eaten yet, but I can't feed them 'til seven."
"Why?"
"The rules - and you know what happens when you break the rules here," Glenn replied.
"Hah! Tell me about it," Scott mumbled, as he took Glenn's queen.
"Dammit!" Glenn shouted as the dogs started barking again. "What time is it?" he asked, sounding rather pissed-off.
"Uh … five to seven." Scott replied, studying the watch on his wrist. "Well, now four to seven."
"Eh, four minutes ahead of schedule won't kill them. I can't stand listening to the beasts anymore. They're driving me insane." Glenn said, getting up. He pushed his chair in and headed towards the cupboard, then turned around and studied the chessboard.
"What on earth are you doing?" Scott asked.
"Studyin' the chessboard. I remember what it looks like, so I'll know if you cheated." Glenn replied. Scott rolled his eyes and pulled out a pack of smokes.
"You're insane." he replied, placing a stick in his mouth and fishing his pockets for a lighter. "Hey, you have a lighter anywhere? I misplaced mine, I think."
"You always misplace yours." Glenn mumbled, taking a lighter from his drawer and throwing it to Scott. Glenn then took out a huge bag of dog kibbles and measured them and dumped the measured amounts into their respective bowls.
"You gotta measure that stuff?" Scott asked in disbelief.
"Yeah. Don't know why. They have to have a cup and a half of kibble, and half a can of the meat. Well, except for Toby. He gets the most. No idea why, but it's an easy job." Glenn replied, dumping another cup of kibble into the bowl.
"If you like feeding dogs, then cleaning up their shit, sure." Scott added, taking a long drag of the cigarette. Glenn faced him and flipped him off.
"Help me carry these bowls out to the bastards. I don't trust you alone with that chessboard." Scott laughed, put out his cigarette and got up to help Glenn.
When they got outside with the bowls, Scott froze.
"What the hell you been feeding these dogs! Steroids!"
"No. Just kibbles and canned food."
"They're huge!" Scott exclaimed.
"I know. They're still growin', I guess."
"You idiot, even I can tell they're fully grown. They look like fuckin' monsters! What are they, 100 pounds of muscle? Shit! Imagine getting mauled by one of these guys! They didn't look this big when I was here last week!" Glenn shrugged at this remark.
"I don't know. I see them everyday, at all hours of the day. I guess I don't really notice too much of a difference." Scott shook his head.
"I'm afraid to ask which one's Toby."
"Ah, gotta keep Toby separated when they eat. He's very protective of his food, and he bit another dog so hard the other day, I saw the muscle. Boy, did my ass get chewed for that one." Glenn kept talking, but Scott wasn't listening. There was no way these dogs could get this thick in only a matter of days. Scott was suddenly jerked from his thoughts by Glenn yelling his name.
"Huh? Wha?"
"You gonna feed the dogs or stand there all day and listen to them bark at you?" Glenn asked.
"Oh, uh, yeah." Scott bent down and put the bowls down in front of the dogs. They scarfed it down like they had never eaten before.
"Come on, we have a few more bowls to bring out, and we can finish the chess game." Glenn added.
"Yeah, sure. Oh! Don't forget! Alias is coming here tomorrow, and so is Steve from research to play poker. You have money to lose?" Scott said.
"Haha - yeah, I have money, but you're the one who's gonna lose money. You, Alias and Steve." Glenn replied.
"We'll see, we'll see. Well, I have to get back, I'll see you tomorrow around seven."
"Yeah, sure. You can help me feed the dogs before the game, that way they can go to sleep and shut up." Scott nodded, got his jacket and left.
"Martin, I miss you," the voice on the phone pleaded.
"I miss you, too, sweetheart," Martin Crackhorn replied, "but we've had a breakthrough-"
"I wish you'd stop bringing up work. It's as if you're married to your job and not me," she huffed.
"Alma…"
"No, don't Alma me. I miss you. It's so lonely here. What's the point of having a house this big when there's no one to share it with?"
"Invite some friends over." Martin replied, trying to sound funny.
"Ha ha. Very funny." Alma replied, sarcastically, not having any of it.
"Sweetie, I'm getting vacation time in a while. It's the eighth of May today, right?" he asked.
"Right." she replied.
"Well, I'll take my vacation time on May 12th. We can spend out anniversary together. I'll take you to Europe. France. Paris, wherever you want."
"Really?" Alma asked, her spirits lifting.
"Promise. Tomorrow you can go into town, look at travel brochures and book flights. We can go wherever you want. I'll take two weeks off for you. Money's no object."
"Martin, you spoil me!" She giggled on the other end. Martin grinned to himself. He was happy when she was happy.
"Well, darling, I'll have to let you go now. It's getting late, and I have work to do in the morning. At least you can get up and figure out where we're going in a few days."
"Sure, Martin. Oh my God, I'm so excited! Paris - would you really want to go to Paris!" she asked, excitedly.
"Consider it my anniversary gift to you, sweetheart. Only, you pick the place and I'll pay."
"Martin, I love you!" she gushed.
"I love you, too, sweetie. Have a good night." Martin hung up the phone and rubbed his temples. He just couldn't wait until he got that vacation. He loved his job and all, but sometimes it was just a little too much.