(no Turtles in this chapter but it's only a short one..)

Chapter Six: It Lives & they Die

Later that night she dreamed she was someone else, and in the darkness someone was watching.

She liked it.

Her alarm sounded out with it's incessant beep beeping - she hit the snooze and rolled herself over. It only felt like she had been under the covers for a matter of minutes and here she was having to get up for work? Ugh.

The sunshine was peeping through the drapes and creeping it's way across the bed as if encouraging her to get up. Swinging her legs out of bed she made for the bathroom and turned on the shower. The warm water on her skin felt nice, relaxing, she let her hands massage the soap along her shoulders. The noise behind her made her jump, spinning round there was nobody there, of course, but the feeling remained and she suddenly wanted to cover up her nakedness. Shower effectively ruined she got out and went to her bedroom to get dried and dressed - it didn't feel as strange there. No imaginary eyes boring into her.

She attempted to pin her hair up, finding the task seemingly impossible for some reason "Jees get a grip", the scolding enabling her to take a breath and eventually win.

Shoes on feet breakfast was a mobile affair - toast whilst exiting her apartment - deciding instead to get a drink when she arrived at work. The walk allowed her to get her head straight and rationalise: she had lived in that place for years, it was not haunted and more importantly she didn't even believe in ghosts.

Entering TCRI she went straight to the lift. Today there was only one guy on the front desk and he looked very familiar; it was the suited man who was present last night. She held up her pass and managed a smile, he, on the other hand, didn't even acknowledge that she was there let alone attempt a conversation. Fine with her. She hated chit-chat anyway. Arriving at her floor and swiping into the lab she immediately noticed change. The specimens that had been there yesterday were no longer in residence and there were significantly fewer staff too.

"Leeanne" Mike Fallon, it appeared, was already waiting by her workstation "Glad you're here. I just need a word"

"O-kay" She put her bag on the workbench and waited.

"Not here" He made a move towards the door from which she had just entered and as he was her manager, she followed. She'd been in her new role for a day, surely she hadn't done anything wrong?

They ended up in the lift in silence. She found herself going over different scenarios in her head and as usual, planning for the worse but trying to remain positive. It seemed like they were traveling forever when in reality they had only passed around eight floors to arrive at the chosen destination - it certainly wasn't the floor for Fallon's office but it was the floor for Eric Sacks. He stood just ahead, a smile on his face: "Mike, thank you" Fallon appeared to deliver her and then take a few steps away "It'll just be me I'm afraid, Doctor Fallon has other matters to attend to this morning"

"Oh.." Leeanne felt confused - hadn't he said he wanted a word - he certainly hadn't said that Mr Sacks did. All of a sudden she felt a twinge of anxiety and knotted her hands together accordingly.

"Please come in and, don't look so concerned, please"

The office was huge. Had to be at least one third of the entire floor width, it certainly looked bigger than any room she had been in previously and the desk situated by the window was also impressively big. Like everyone else she was well aware that he had given generous amounts of funding to multiple departments within TCRI but Sacks was not a scientist so why would a financial backer require an office of this magnitude?

"Have a seat Leeanne" He indicated towards one of the two chairs which sat on the visitor side of the desk, instead of sitting in the large leather chair opposite he remained standing and regarded her with intensity "How are you?"

"Fine.." Then she quickly added "Thank you"

"Good" He turned away from her and walked over to the window "Did you know that out of every scientific venue in this state we are the only ones using alien technology?"

She didn't.

"And by technology I don't just mean we have a basement full of flying saucers Leeanne"

Why would they?

But did they?

She found herself asking a question: "I wondered where the specimens had gone, the ones from the lab, I, they were.."

"Yes. They were there weren't they" He paused and glanced over his shoulder "Or were they?" He smiled and looked back out of the window. Leeanne felt confused and a little nauseous all of a sudden.

"I don't understand"

Sacks sat himself down in the chair opposite "Apologies. I don't expect you to understand my riddles. I don't expect you to understand any of this but I would like you to listen carefully as to what I am going to tell you" He smiled again "The entire set up was fake Leeanne, fake but necessary. We had to get you in somehow"

Now the nausea became very real. It bubbled in her stomach and burned upwards into her throat.

"You were good though. You abided by our rules, you did your little test and you discovered that the liquid was sugar based am I right?"

Leeanne didn't say anything.

"And it was - it is - because we made it just for you"

"Why would you..."

"To keep you occupied - you and your scientist friends. Sadly all of them were mis-connections" He took a breath and looked at her "Apart from you"

"What? I don't understand" She felt light headed.

"Leeanne" He leaned forward "You are the experiment"

Vern signalled the countdown and April put her microphone up to her mouth: "Early this morning within the apartment block behind me a gruesome discovery has led to one of the biggest manhunts in history. Whilst the police have kept details to a minimum for now we have confirmation that several bodies have been found and there is one missing person whose identity has not yet been released. We will keep you updated as and when we hear more. April O'Neil, Channel Six news"

Vern gave her the okay sign and lowered the camera.

"I wish they'd give us more info" began April. She looked at the building "I just have to know what went on in there"