The Black Night

Claire Bennet

Eden Medical Laboratories, Odessa, Texas

The Present

Claire Bennet furrowed her slender eyebrows, deep in thought. Absently, she chewed on the tip of a pencil. Twenty-six years old and still she kept the bad habit from her teens. Suddenly, as if struck by lightening she began hurriedly scribbling chemical formulas on the pad of paper next to her. The pencil scurried across the page so fast it almost flew out of her hand. She stopped, eyes searching the formula again. "Yes" she murmured. She swivelled slightly on her desk chair and effortlessly pushed herself backwards. She grabbed the nearby computer keyboard and frantically began entering the numbers and symbols from the pad. "Come on, come on . . ." she whispered, urgency wracking her voice. "Come on." The computer in front of her was thinking, processing the data and loading the result, and it was taking its time. She fidgeted in her chair for a few minutes before she pushed herself up and started pacing the room. It was a few more minutes before the computer made a high pitched bell toll. Compution Complete. Claire rushed to the computer, planting both hands on the desk and leaning towards the monitor. "No!" She stepped back in frustration sending the desk chair scuttling across the room. "Damn it," she breathed.

After taking a few minutes to get over her disappointment, she shut down the computer and turned out the light in the small office. Her high heeled shoes echoed loudly in the empty office corridor. The dim night time lights created eerie shadows along the hallway. Ahead the light from another office crept towards her. She started towards it, but not before pausing and glancing into the darkness at the other end. Her ears strained for the slightest sound. Nothing. Allowing herself to breathe again, she inwardly cursed her overactive imagination. She was too old to be afraid of shadows. However, past events had done nothing to quell the uneasiness in her stomach. Only this morning she swore she was being followed to work.

She knocked gently on the office door before entering. Mohinder Suresh was sitting at his desk, also deep in thought.

"Claire." A warm smile crept over his handsome face. "I didn't think you'd still be here, at this hour."

Claire rolled her eyes as she set herself down into the chair in front of his desk. "C'mon Mohinder. We both know my social life is DOA."

Mohinder chuckled slightly. "Still working on the formula?"

Claire screwed up her face. "Yes. If anyone had told me at Columbia, how frustrating Biochemistry was I swear I never would have picked it as my major."

"Ahh yes, what they don't tell you in the prospectus is the reality of how boring a scientists job is."

"Or how lonely." Claire tapped her fingers thoughtfully on the armrest. "What are you working on Mohinder . . . It's not like you to be her so late." Her lips curled into a knowing smile as she played on her friends weakness. Truthfully, they were both workaholics. Extremely committed to their field.

Mohinder raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth as if he was about to scold one of his dearest friends. Instead, he chose to ignore her comment. "Actually, it's a little side project of mine."

"Oh?" Claire's interest was peaked.

Mohinder shrugged his shoulders. "It's nothing really."

Claire rose from the chair and moved so she was standing behind him. Her eyes fixed on his computer.

"I've been re-doing some research into Genetic Inheritance."

"Okay." Claire's eyes skimmed over the research documents as Mohinder brought them up on the screen. She yawned softly.

Mohinder smiled and looked up at her. "See I told you it wasn't that interesting."

"Oh, no. I'm sorry, it's not that. Normally I'd be fascinated, it's just . . ." She yawned again. "It's been a long day."

Mohinder nodded his understanding. "Go home Claire. Get some rest. I don't want you falling asleep at tomorrow's meet and greet. The Lab is being reviewed and I want you in top form if we are going to impress the suits into increasing our funding."

"Okay . . . Okay I'm going." Claire leaned in and gave him a warm hug around his shoulders. "That get some rest thing goes for you too! Don't work too late." She gave him a quick smile and a wave as she left.

The smile on Mohinder's face faded slowly. He hated deceiving his friends, but sternly reminded himself that he had no choice. Truthfully, he was working on something big. Something that could potentially expose those with special abilities and result in a catastrophe for Humankind. He stretched his arms out in front of himself and refocused. The hours steadily wore on and he worked at a feverish pace, fingers hurriedly taping the keyboard. Eventually they slowed.

"No . . ." he murmured softly. He taped the keyboard again, but received the same terrifying result. "This can't be." The printer beside him sprung into life as he leapt up and grabbed his jacket. He quickly shut down the computer and grabbed the paper from the printer.

Exiting the lift on the lower ground floor he made his way to his navy blue Lexus sedan, stopping only briefly to check if anyone had seen him. The engine surged into life and he turned right and accelerated along the road. Beads of sweat started gathering on his forehead. He wiped them away, anxiously checking his speedometer and adjusting his speed. He couldn't risk attracting any unwanted attention. Ten minutes passed and he relaxed ever so slightly. Just a few more minutes and he would be there. He turned the car and headed west on the motorway. Suddenly, the lights of another car appeared in the rear view mirror. Mohinder squinted and tried to ignore them. The loud rev of an SUV sent chills down his spine. The SUV behind inched closer and closer. The two headlights now filled the entire back window of the car. Mohinder increased his speed slightly, the SUV followed. Dread filled Mohinder's entire body.

"This can't be happening" Mohinder's mind raced, overloaded with fear and confusion.

Smack! The SUV shunted him from behind. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensued. Mohinder accelerated again and again, hoping he could hold out until he got to Claire's apartment, but the SUV kept up the pace. Mohinder watched the speedometer inch closer and closer to the red line. The SUV backed off suddenly. Mohinder could only watch in horror as the jet black SUV accelerated and pulled up along side his car. He couldn't help but meet the eyes of the other driver.

"You!" Mohinder cried out.

At the same instant he recognised the driver, the SUV made one last launch at his car. The impact sent him spinning wildly out of control. Mohinder fought valiantly with the wheel, but to no avail. The navy blue sedan shot to the right and launched itself up into the air. It spun away from from road, taking what seemed like an eternity to return to earth. A loud bang, followed by the gnawing and scraping sound of splintering metal. The Lexus eventually coming to rest upside down on the verge, its four wheels still turning. The furor of the scene was quickly forgotten, as the loud hum of the SUV disappeared and the stillness of the black night returned.