Title:
Testing
Name:
Joy
Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com
Rating: PG-13
"Four Chimeras in the
same location. A Conspiracy Theorist's dream," the mechanical voice of
Sebastian said as the Max, Zack, Jondy, and Krit entered his laborites followed
by Logan. It was the perfect place for Dr. Jessica Spencer to conduct her tests
and experiments because all of Sebastian's employees were under a vow of
silence about the activities conducted in the labs plus she didn't have to
worry about nosy hospital personal. "I'm glad to see you walking
again," the mechanized voice said to Max.
"So am I. Zack, Jondy, Krit,
this is Sebastian. He has helped me on a few occasions already. Smart kids with
money are fun to have around," she joked.
"Sexy girls with amazing
agility and intelligence are fun to have around too," Sebastian teased
back.
"What have I told you about
flirting with my wife?" Logan said sternly to Sebastian.
"Who says I wasn't flirting
with your sister in law?" Sebastian shot back with his eye on Jondy. A
small blush crept across her face.
"Play nice…We're here with a
purpose. Where's Jess?" Max asked.
"She's setting up the Lab. I'll
show you the way… After you, my lady," Sebastian directed Jondy. The pink
in her cheeks grew a deeper red as she walked beside the wheelchair bound man.
"I've not seen him be this
forward since… well, ever," Logan whispered to Max.
"Forward seems to be what we
normally get… 'Singularly most beautiful face' ring any bells," she
whispered in response.
"It took a while once I was in
the chair to come around and admit I had feelings for you…" he commented.
"Gazing into each other's eyes
and kissing helped pin those feelings down real quick."
"Kissing you would drown any
man with love."
"How poetic…" Max said sweetly
and he kissed her hand. "You of course realize Jondy has heard this entire
conversation with her acute hearing and that is why she is still
blushing." The coloring of Jondy's fair face became pinker. The couple
just smiled at her embarrassment over the situation.
"Hello all… I'm guessing the
male that looks very similar to Max would be brother Krit. Nice to meet
you," Jessica said shaking hands with the young man. "You and I will
be spending a great deal of time together. Let me know what I can do to make
this place look less…"
"Freaky…" Krit responded
looking around at the sterile environment. The memories of Manticore flooded
back. He saw himself pinned to a table while his skin was pulled back to test
the regenerative power of his tendons and skin. Krit clutched his left arm on
instinct to protect it from the far off visions.
"Freaky is good. Max hasn't
filled me in on how or why things are the way they are with you… I can only
imagine by the level of hospital phobias that have been displayed by all of you
that it wasn't pleasant…I'd like to not add to your phobia," Jessica said
meekly.
"Well doesn't that beat all! A
doc that is concerned about the feelings of her mice… wish Manny had a few of
you laying around," Krit joked very amused leaving Jessica confused. The
hatred grew under his skin for this woman he just met. He hated doctors, all
doctors. After what happened to his siblings and himself, doctors ranked up
there with the devil on people he would rather not spend any time with.
"Please forgive him… Doctors
haven't been trust worthy in our lives," Max covered quickly. She walked
to him and stroked the clutched arm with concern. Krit set his jaw for a second
then relaxed under the touch of his sister.
"It's fine. Abuse of any power
is awful… I'm hoping that if the we can devise gene therapy to correct the
baby's serotonin levels and potential sleep deprivation, we can expand that to
you as well," Dr. Spencer spoke calmly. "I hope you will come to
trust me at least in part the way Max has," she said to Krit who was still
on edge.
Jessica walked to the microscopes
and light board on the wall. "I knew you would prefer to be part of the
research team rather then waiting on the side lines. So let's review what we
know from the amniocentesis … These chromosomes," she said pointing to a
few lines of purple on the light board, "are unique to Max's child in
terms of the fact other humans don't have them. I recognize some of the pattern
in this chromosome to be shark and this to be cat. This pattern gave me the
most trouble because it was a rare wolf that was used for this chromosome.
Heightened intelligence and strength come in here and here." She continued
to point to the purple markers to the fascinated eyes of the Manticore kids.
"I believe in these few markers
are where the serotonin level issue comes in. This is the area we find the
serotonin reuptake inhibitor problems in depressed patients and seizure
patients. Our first priority is to locate that sequence… The sleep deprivation
and wolf mating cycles, that you indicated were worrisome to you, we can look
at specifically in the animal DNA as we go. Truth is if we could get you guys
to sleep more, the tryptophan wouldn't be as necessary because your body would
be making more serotonin on its own during your sleep cycles."
"I mainly wanted you all here
so there would be no confusion as to what I am doing. You are welcome to see
all of my notes and research as we go. I hope you'll understand I mean you no
harm. All of you should have small amounts of blood taken to do gene profiling
to aid in our progress. You are welcome to keep your own vile or work on your
own sequence if you're concerned about the staff. Max, I would recommend you
not doing research since it requires long hours of microscope work. The sooner
we can compare each of your DNA to one another the sooner we'll be able to
discern which faulty chromosome the seizures lie in. Once we know that we can
get a handle on performing gene therapy to correct it… Are we clear?"
"So actually, you're
experimenting on all of us?" Krit asked.
"No, just you… I'll take blood
from all of you for screening, but you're the one that the experimental gene
therapy will be done on."
"Forgive me if this turns my
stomach," he said with a slight snarl. "The word 'experiment' isn't
one of my favorites especially in conjunction with myself. I never wanted to be
experimented on again in my lifetime. This, however, is for my sister and
nephew so I will make an exception. Please forgive me though if I look like I'm
reliving a war…its exactly what I'm doing."
"No problem. You and I can
discuss ways to make this easier for you to handle when the time approaches… I
get the distinct impression you're what I feared the USA was hiding all these
years…You're the reason why I'm in this business, to prevent corruption. I
failed before I'd even begun… Here you are free to go or come as you please and
to research on your own. I won't be surprised if one of you finds the cure for
cancer amid your genes… Now, whose microscope bound?" Jessica asked.
"I got nothing better to
do," Krit said slowly.
"I love science… Researching my
own blood is kind of cool," Jondy spoke.
"I'll go back and forth… For
now I'm here," Zack said gruffly, feeling the need to establish himself as
the badest ass again since Krit's arrival.
"I'm going to agree with Jess
and offer my blood then take my leave. My body is using most of my energy to
create a human being so I'm kind of tired," Max said glibly leaning back
against Logan's chest.
"That's fine… All right Max
gets stuck first and then the rest of you. Hopefully this will be a fruitful
process that will be short for everyone's sake," Jess quipped.
"Not for my purpose…" the
mechanical voice of Sebastian came from the door. Jondy smiled at the over
zealous man who had immediately taken a fancy to her.
"I think Sebastian will be hard
pressed to woo Jondy," Max whispered to Logan.
"I disagree… He will woo and
she will fall. You Manticore girls are so easy," he whispered back. Max
slapped Logan's chest and Jondy turned around and punched his shoulder.
"Man, that enhanced hearing is going to get me killed," he said as
the guys laughed at his dilemma.