June 19th, 1998
An alarm clock is set off. The loud beeping causes Max to wake up, making him slamming his hand on the clock to hit the snooze button. Max looks at his clock sleepily and notices that it is 6:00 in the morning.
Max: (sighs) Why can't I sleep longer?
Max pulls the covers off him and looks around in his bedroom.
Max: And why can't this be another dream?
Max gets off of his bed and goes to the bathroom to do his daily morning routine: taking a shower.
Ten minutes have passed and Max turns off the water. He opens the glass door and gets his towel, which was hanging on the handle of the door. He wipes the water with the towel off his body and hair. He then wraps the towel around his groin and walks over to the mirror to look at himself. He stares at the figure he's been staring at since forever; average height and weight with short black hair and blue eyes. He looks at this figure for a couple of moments and says something to himself.
Max: God, I look like I'm thirty years old.
Realizing it had been a week since he shaved, Max takes some shaving cream and puts it on his mouth, cheeks, chin, and his neck. He then takes a razor and starts shaving off his facial hair, some of it falling into the sink full of water. After a couple of minutes of shaving, he washes his razor and lets the water go down the drain, taking the shaved hair and used shave cream with it. He then puts on a pair of brown pants with a black belt, black shoes, light blue collared dress shirt, and a white lab coat. He goes to back to his bed and sits on it. He glances over at his night stand to see that it's only 6:15 AM. He then turns on the TV and watches a random channel to pass the time.
An hour has passed. A woman's voice is heard on speaker, which travels all the way around the base.
Woman: Ladies and gentlemen, breakfast is now being served. Please make your way to the cafeteria.
Hearing this catches Max's attention and he turns off the TV. Aaron opens the sliding door and walks in wearing black pants with a black belt, black shoes, black collared dress shirt, and his white lab coat.
Max: Can you be anymore tacky?
Aaron notices Max's choice of color of the clothes he's wearing.
Aaron: Look who's talking.
Max gets off his bed.
Max: Well, I guess it's time for breakfast.
Aaron: Before we go, Max, I ought to show you something.
Aaron walks into his bedroom and Max follows too. Aaron opens his closet to reveal two gaming consoles, the ones that Max was talking about the night before. There was also two cardboard boxes full of games for each of the consoles.
Max: Is there a reason why she couldn't tell us this?
Aaron: Maybe it was a surprise?
Max: Maybe. Well, at least you and me have something to do while on we're on breaks.
Aaron: (smiles) Yes, siree.
Aaron and Max leave their rooms and make their way to the cafeteria.
Max and Aaron go into the cafeteria. The room is almost as big as the meeting room was. Some of the scientists are sitting at tables eating their breakfast, some are getting in line to get their food. Max and Aaron get in line, which wasn't that long of a line since it only took a couple of minutes for Max and Aaron's turn. While Max and Aaron get their food, they are amazed at how professional the food looked.
Aaron: Gee, I was expecting maggots and cold baloney sandwiches.
Max: Well, you should be thankful you're not in a prison.
Max soon fills his tray with his food: French toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, and a breakfast quesadilla.
Max: I can't wait to get stuffed with this. I haven't ate anything since I got here, other than that drink.
Max looks up and notices Groomer standing by herself getting coffee. Max walks to her, putting his tray on the table, and gets his coffee ready.
Max: Good morning, mam.
Groomer looks at Max, then looks back at the coffee machine she's using.
Groomer: Good morning, Mr Parker.
Max looks at Groomer, then her coffee, and then her tray of food.
Max: You had a fine sleep last night?
Groomer looks at Max.
Groomer: I really don't think you should be asking me personal questions, Mr Parker.
Max: Well, why not? It's the best way to get to know someone.
Groomer: I think the files you read in your bedroom about me and Parvo was enough for you.
Groomer's coffee machine makes a ding sound and she takes the pot and pours it into her cup.
Max: So, where are you sitting at?
Groomer takes her coffee and puts it on her tray.
Groomer: With your boss, Mr Parker.
Groomer snaps her fingers to alert someone. Out of the corner of Max's eyes, he sees a cano-mutant; a large orange-yellowish Cocker Spaniel named Fluffy. This cano-mutant has served for Parvo since the beginning. Before he takes Groomer's tray, he looks at Max and growls at him. Max waves his face with his hand, disgusted because he smelled the cano-mutant's bad breath.
Groomer: He doesn't like you.
Max: (trying not to puke) Yeah, I can tell.
Groomer: And you should be happy that he isn't biting your head off.
Fluffy takes Groomers tray and walks out of the cafeteria. Groomer follows him, but turns around.
Groomer: Oh. You can turn off the charm too, Mr Parker. I'm immune to it.
Groomer smiles and leaves the cafeteria.
Max: Sure thing, Galore.
Max's coffee machine 'dings' and he takes the pot and pours it into his cup. Aaron takes the coffee pot from the one Groomer was using and pours it into his coffee cup.
Aaron: So, where do you want to sit?
Max shrugs and sits at a table nearest to him. Aaron sits next to Max.
Aaron: We're not even here for a week and you're trying to hit on Parvo's assistant?
Max: No, I wasn't, Aaron. I was just trying to be friends with her.
Aaron: Being friends with someone like her or Parvo is a million to one shot. I don't trust those two at all. You want my advice? Think everyone around you is an enemy so you'll figure out who you can call a 'friend'.
Max looks at Aaron, looking slightly annoyed by this comment, and starts to eat his food. A tall and slender man walks into the cafeteria. This man wears a blue shirt with a white shirt underneath, blue pants with a black belt, black shoes, and a black cape. The man has blonde flat-top hair and is in his late 40's. The man walks over to Max and Aaron's table.
Man: Perhaps I can teach him that.
Max looks at the man and is in shock of who he is staring at. The man is Captain Zachary Storm, Max's former infantry unit commander during the Persian Gulf War. Just looking at him brought Max back and for a couple of moments he didn't know what to say to him, but then a word came to him.
Max: Storm?
Storm looks at Max. Despite that he hasn't seen him for seven years, he's not shocked at all. He kept his face stern and nodded in response.
Storm: Max Parker.
Max slowly gets up from his chair.
Max: Hey, man. It's been a long time.
Max puts his hand out to shake Storm's, but Storm looks down at Max's hand, then back to Max.
Storm: Sure it is. Of course I'm not the only one who's been discharged.
Max puts his hand down.
Max: Storm, that was a long time ago. What you did was wrong.
Storm: And what you try to do was wrong too; stopping your leader from doing what he was going to do, an order.
Max: That you had no right to do. You were sentenced to life in prison for it.
Storm: And I escaped four years later.
Max: Yes. Here's what I love what you did after you escaped. If I recall, you try to destroy ten U.S. cities-
Storm: Until I was stopped by a team of mongrels.
Max: Yes, the Road Rovers. But out of all your schemes, this one is my favorite. In January '97, you tried to make the world leaders turn against each other so you can start a nuclear war. Of course, the Rovers stopped you again and you were sent to a psych ward.
Storm: You know how to do your homework, Max. I suggest you study on somebody else.
Max: I study when I need to. So, how did you escape the psych ward, anyway?
Storm: Before I arrived there, I sent a signal to Parvo to help me and Atwater escape. He did, but he said he would help me on one condition, and do you know what it was?
Max: To help Parvo with his new plan for world domination?
Storm: Ding, ding, ding! What do we have for Mr Parker, Johnny?
One of the scientists who was eating his breakfast stood up.
Male Scientist: Me?
Storm notices the scientist.
Storm: No, not you, idiot.
The scientist sits back down.
Storm: So, that's why I'm here. I've been assigned by Parvo to be the commander for this army that you're developing, and Atwater... well you know why he's here.
Max: But why was he sent to the psych ward?
Storm makes a notion with his head for Max to look at Atwater, who was sitting by himself at a table a couple of feet from Max's. Max takes a look and notices Atwater feeding some of his food to a praying mantis, who he kept in the pocket of his lab coat. He also heard Atwater mumbling to himself, saying things like, 'Here's your food, my friend'.
Max: He thinks his pet is his wife or something?
Storm: Make that three pets. When I met him, he always had those bugs with him wherever he went. Said to me that he wouldn't know what to do without them and it would break his heart if someone killed them.
Max: Right...
Max looks back at Storm.
Max: Say, my food is getting cold. What do you say we talk to each other after breakfast? You know, catch up?
Storm: Oh, no need to. I think this conversation was enough for me, and besides, we've already met before. I look forward to working with you, Max.
Max nods.
Max: Same to you.
Storm smiles and leaves the cafeteria. Max sits back down to continue eating.
Aaron: What was that about?
Max: What do you mean?
Aaron: What happened in the Persian Gulf War? What happened between you and Storm?
Max: I'll tell you later tonight, Aaron. It's not appropriate to tell it to you right now.
Aaron: (confused) Ok...
Aaron goes back to eat his breakfast. Max continues to eat his breakfast leaving him with one thought in his mind.
Max: (thinks) 'This is not how I imagined my first day here.'
July 1st, 1998
Two weeks have passed. The scientists haven't come up with any ideas for the new army, mainly because they just don't know where to start. Even Max Parker and Aaron Ash weren't coming up with anything. It is lunch time, where Max and Aaron are sitting at the same table they sat at two weeks prior. Max and Aaron are both eating grilled cheese sandwiches and a bowl of tomato soup. With them is Groomer, who was walking around the cafeteria asking each of the scientists if they came up with anything. She would always get responses like, 'No', 'Not yet', 'Getting there', etc. She goes to Max and Aaron's table, dreading that she'll get the same answers that the scientists have been giving her.
Between Max and Groomer, they started becoming acquaintances almost. During the two weeks, Max was always curious about how the cano-mutants acted and wanted to know what it was like up close. He asked Groomer if he could get why's and how's of the cano-mutants, and she reluctantly agreed to do so. Because of this, the cano-mutants started to have a liking towards Max and secretly, so did Groomer. Although she never admitted it or shown it, she liked having Max's presence around her. He would always find a way to make sure she was comfortable with him by cracking a couple of jokes and even admitting his past to her. He told her that he never grew up without a father and wished that he could meet him one day and express his feelings toward him. She never had someone like this around her before. She never even had someone in her workforce being this close to her, except for that one man she worked with back in '95 to secure the transdogmafier to the back of a truck. This was also the same day where Shepherd supposedly met his end.
Groomer: Hello Mr Parker and Mr Ash.
Max and Aaron: Hello mam.
Groomer: So, you guys come up with anything, yet?
Max: No.
Aaron: (shakes his head) Me neither.
Groomer sighs and shakes her head down in disappointment.
Groomer: God, I knew that this was a bad idea.
Aaron: Actually, I have thought of one thing.
Groomer hears this and perks her head up, being interested in what Aaron has to say.
Groomer: Yes?
Aaron: Have you considered using cats?
Groomer becomes disappointed again.
Groomer: We tried that before, it didn't work.
Aaron looks back at his food and eats some of it.
Max: I have also thought of something.
Groomer looks at Max with excitement, despite not showing it.
Groomer: What is it?
Max: Well, it's not really an idea for an army, but it's a thought that came to me. Since I'm not really getting anywhere, I think I can come up with something if I go over the files of the Road Rovers.
Groomer: Files we already have that we can provide for you, but you're going to have to get approval of that from Parvo.
Max: I don't think it will hurt if I ask him personally.
Groomer: And you'll be certain that you'll come up with something?
Max: (shrugs) Maybe.
Groomer: Good. I'd hurry up with it if I were you, though. He's getting impatient with this procrastination.
Groomer leaves the table to go ask the rest of the scientists. Max and Aaron get back to their lunch.
Max walks to Parvo's room and looks up and down at the biggest door he's seen in his life. The door stretched from the foor all the way to ceiling. Max soon opens and closes it to enter Parvo's room. This was the biggest room in the facility that he has ever seen. The entire room felt like the size of half of a baseball field. At the end of the room, was Parvo sitting on a big chair that spins to reveal himself. In front of Parvo is a large desk with nothing on it besides paper and stuff that didn't felt important to Max. Behind Parvo was a number of screens that show the entire facility via security cameras. He walks up to Parvo's desk and Parvo turns his chair to look at Max.
Parvo: Hello, Mr Parker.
Max: Hello, sir.
Parvo: So, Groomer says that you needed something?
Max: Yes, sir. I haven't been able to come up with anything for this new army, so I feel that I need something that can give me an idea for an army. I respectfully request for you to give me any files you have on the Road Rovers so I can look over them and maybe it will trigger something.
Parvo gets up from his chair and walks over to Max.
Parvo: Well then... your request is granted. I'll have Groomer send the files to your room. If that is all you needed, I'll get back to my work and you'll get back to yours.
Parvo goes to walk back to his chair.
Max: That's it?
Parvo gets slightly annoyed, but looks back at Max with a stern face and walks slowly to him.
Parvo: Is what it?
Max: No concerns? No warning?
Parvo: Maybe I can persuade you a little bit? Find a new way to motivate all of you scientists to hurry up?
Max: Well, no, sir. That isn't what I meant. I'm just asking if I should know anything else before I go.
Parvo: I don't think you need anything else from me, but I have to warn you.
Max: Warn me about what? That you think I'll simply toss the files into a shredder or an open fire?
Parvo: You can tear and burn the files all you want, but I have plenty of copies of them to make those actions completely pointless. You can look at the files all day and all night if you wish, as long as you will find an idea for a new army.
Parvo gets close enough to Max and stares deep into his eyes with a serious face. Max, although a little worried about Parvo being this close to him, he gets the courage to say something.
Max: Well, that is what I'm hoping for, sir.
Parvo: And I hope so too, for your sake, Mr Parker. I want all of you to know that if this keeps going on, then you all must heed my warning. I am not as forgiving as Groomer is. Now then, please leave me. I got stuff to do and so do you.
Max: (bows) Yes sir.
Max leaves the room and Parvo goes back to his desk. As Max is leaving, Parvo looks at him and as soon as Max closes the big door, Parvo sighs, shakes his head and looks back at the screens.
At 9:00 PM, Max started looking through the files of the Road Rovers. He looked at each of the Road Rovers and studied each of the Rovers for a long time. For Max seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours, and hours felt like days. After five hours, Max was exhausted to the point of wanting to go to sleep, but he was able to stay awake thanks to sneaking in a cup of coffee. He felt that he was getting to the end of his research, but couldn't find the answer. He looked at the files in every direction, but wasn't satisfied enough. He then looked at the word 'cano-sapien', which was imprinted in the files for each dog. He knew that the word 'cano' had to mean 'dog' and the word 'sapien' was another way of saying 'man'. He looked at the word for a while and then a thought came to him. He writes the word cano-sapien, with two of the words separated from each other, and wrote underneath each word: dog and man. All of a sudden, everything stopped. He looks at the wall and finally gets the words out he wasn't able to get out.
Max: Oh my God...
Max writes a line beside 'man' and stops the line when he approaches 'dog'. He then writes an arrow at the end of the line. He puts a circle where he was writing and puts underneath the circle, 'Safe for human experimentation?'. He gets excited to the point where he started typing on the laptop of all the ideas he had in his head. He had so many that you can fill half a notebook with it. After a couple of hours, he stops typing. His hands were sore, but he didn't care. He felt this was good enough for an army. He looks at the clock and notices that it's 6:00 AM. He couldn't believe that he was working for nine hours straight.
Max: Nine hours. I didn't had one of these days since college.
Max didn't felt tired and felt that he wasn't able to go to sleep. He goes to his bed and puts on a random channel on the TV to pass the time until it was time for breakfast.
Max and Aaron sit at the same table as usual, eating their breakfast. Groomer goes over to their table, noticing Max looking 'too awake' in her eyes.
Groomer: Morning Mr. Ash and Mr Parker.
Max and Aaron: Morning.
Groomer: Anything, Mr Ash?
Aaron: Zilch.
Groomer looks at Max.
Groomer: And you, Mr Parker?
Max looks at Groomer.
Max: (excitingly) I might have one of the greatest breakthroughs that might change the face your and Parvo's history as we know it!
Groomer: (sarcastically) Oh, how wonderful. Here's something I want you do, Mr Parker: Call up Clinton, he'll jump into Air Force One and spread the news.
Max's smile changes into a frown.
Max: You do realize that I'm being serious?
Groomer: I'm sure you are.
Max: And I'm sure you and Parvo can't wait. Just tell him after breakfast that I want to talk.
Groomer: (arms crossed) Since when is it your job to boss me around?
Max: I'm sorry. I just can't wait to tell him what I thought of.
Groomer: (smiles) That's better. I'll make sure to tell him. Parvo and I will be delighted to hear what you have come up with, and at a perfect time too. I thought for sure that this was going to go on forever.
Groomer leaves with the same smile she had. Max and Aaron get back to their breakfast, with Max feeling so ecstatic to talk to Parvo, a feeling that he never thought of having before.
Max walks into Parvo's room with his laptop in his arms. In the room are several of cano-mutants and Groomer standing by Parvo with her arms crossed. Parvo turns the chair to reveal himself and Max walks to Parvo's desk.
Parvo: Hello, Mr Parker.
Max: (bows) Hello, sir.
Parvo: Groomer says you have come up with an idea for an army.
Max: That's affirmative, sir.
Parvo: So, spill it for me.
Max: Yes, sir.
Max turns the laptop on. He is able to get into a document file where he kept his ideas for the army. He looks at his laptop and then back to Parvo every now and then.
Max: So, last night, I did what I set out to do, which was to go over the files of the Road Rovers. I went into each of one of them individually and studied back and forth of their powers, their abilities, their-
Parvo: (annoyed) Yes, I already know that. Now, can you get to the point, Mr Parker?
Max: Yes... sir. Well, at the end, five hours have already passed. I studied them in every direction I could. I tried so hard to find the answer I was looking for. It's like something I can't explain and I can't describe it, but I would know it once I seen it. So, I went back to the files and they are classified as 'cano-sapiens'. So the word 'cano' can be another word for dog and 'sapien' is another word for man. And so I figured that these dogs went through some transdogmafier, like the one Groomer showed me a couple weeks ago. They went through the machine and out came pretty much themselves, except they appeared more human, like anthropomorphic. And then it came to me. I figured, 'What if it was a complete reversal?'. And so, I suggest that you find humans and put them in a transdogmafier, except it's more efficient for humans to undergo a transformation into a cano-sapien. If we can find a way to make sure it's safe for humans, you'll have an army that would be powerful enough to be like the Road Rovers, and if you team them up with the cano-mutants, you would have the most unstoppable army in the history of mankind.
Parvo: So... that's it? You suggest that we make an army like the Road Rovers, but far more powerful...?
Max: Yes, sir. That's basically what I'm saying to you.
Parvo starts laughing, which becomes quieter and becomes louder. Everyone around Parvo, including Groomer, also laugh a little bit. This causes Max to be confused.
Parvo: That's the greatest idea I've ever heard in my life! You're a real scientist, Mr Parker!
Max starts laughing a little bit.
Max: Really, sir?
Parvo: Yes! It is a great idea...
Max: Well, thank you, sir! I'm sure that you won't be disappointed-
Parvo: (angry) ...if only we had files of powers for cano-sapiens!
Max: Oh. You don't have files of that anywhere here?
Parvo: (gets up from his chair) No! Those files could be anywhere in this world!
Max: (puts his hands on his desk) Then we'll find them! Find wherever they're located, then I and Atwater will give you the greatest army that you will ever have!
Groomer: Yes, why not try it, sir? Besides, I have a good idea of where they could be.
Parvo: (looks at Groomer) Where?
Groomer walks to him.
Groomer: Shepherd's house.
Max gets confused by this comment.
Max: Shepherd? You don't mean William F. Shepherd, the acclaimed scientist from New Mexico? I thought he died three years ago.
Groomer: Yes, until we discovered that Shepherd is the 'Master' of the Road Rovers. That's how those mutts call him.
Groomer looks at Parvo.
Groomer: Come on, sir. Do it for your three favorite words: Complete. World. Domination.
Parvo: (aroused) Ooh! You know how much I love those words.
Groomer smiles.
Parvo: But I don't know if we can pull this off. It's too much of a risk.
Groomer smile changes into a frown.
Max: And that's a line you're afraid to cross?
Parvo looks at Max.
Parvo: Right now, yes.
Max: How about this Parvo? If everything goes well, you'll give me the ten million dollars, which if you want, I can give some of it to you and I'll share it with my co-workers. At the end, I'll do whatever I want with it when this is over and you won't need us anymore. If everything fails, you keep the money and act like we never met before. Either way, Parvo, you win.
Parvo: Well, it is a winning situation, but if anything goes wrong, this will be something you can't get out of.
Max: Whatever happens, sir, I will always the bear the blame. But I promise you this, I will give you an army that you could only have in your dreams and make it a reality.
Parvo walks to Max and puts his mechanical hand out. Max handshakes with Parvo.
Parvo: You will leave with Groomer, Atwater, and a small group of scientists with you tomorrow morning.
Max: (smiles) Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.
Parvo: Although, I have to tell you that if this fails, I'll be out of options and I don't know what I am going to do.
Max: As long me and Atwater can find a way to make this safe for humans, I promise you won't be disappointed.
Max walks to Groomer and puts his hand out.
Max: Thank you for letting Parvo taking his time to let my idea out.
Groomer looks down at his hand, then kindly gives him a handshake.
Groomer: (smiles) You don't have to thank me, Mr Parker. You should thank yourself for giving us a brighter future.
Max smiles, then bows both to Groomer and Parvo.
Parvo: And be sure you get a lot of rest for your big day tomorrow. I can tell you haven't got any sleep.
Max: I'm sure I will, sir.
Max leaves the room and Groomer looks at Parvo.
Groomer: What did I tell you? I think he'll change how we'll rule the world.
Parvo: Oh, yes. I think he will.
Groomer: I think I'll grab another cup of coffee.
Groomer leaves the room and Parvo looks at one of the cano-mutants, a huge Dalmatian who goes by the name of Spot. He orders him to come over to his desk. The cano-mutant obeys his order.
Parvo: Bring me Aaron Ash. I need him here.
The cano-mutant growls in agreement and leaves the room.
It is 9:00 PM. Max is lying in bed, tired. He writes in his journal:
July 2nd, 1998:
Parvo has approved my idea of the new army. A cano-sapien army teaming up with the cano-mutants, this just screams 'unstoppable'. I don't care about either Parvo or the Road Rovers, I just want peace and quiet while I'm sitting on a pile of cash to spend and give. We head off tomorrow looking for the files we need to start working. I'm tired. I need sleep.
He stops writing and puts the journal on his nightstand. He didn't bother turning on the TV to watch anything. He closes his eyes, hoping for the best of what was going to come tomorrow, and falls into a deep sleep.