Chapter 5

Duality





For Doctor Steve Dewey the specimen that lay inside of the holding cell fascinated him. It was something that he had never seen before in his entire life. He had only seen something similar to it before and that was when another one of the creatures had rampaged through Manhattan. He looked forward to examining that creature in good time.

Dewey used to work in for Army doing medical research and now he worked for the private sector. Before being hired for this project he was working as a researcher for spice company in Baltimore. Now he could get back to work that really interested him. The army may have never allowed him to handle creatures of a foreign nature but now he had his chance.

He prepared to go inside the holding cell. Dewey put on the standard gear used when about to examine a creature of unknown origin. It included a special bio hazard suit, a separate ventilation system, special tools and cameras everywhere to document his findings.

As he entered the small square cell he eyed the creature that laid unconscious on the table. Dewey watched as its skin shimmered gold even in the flourescent lights.

"Beautiful, quite beautiful" He said to himself as he picked up a scalpel and was about to make an incision.

Just as the blade was about to cut the gold skin, Dewey heard the speaker above him come on.

"What's happening?" The voice called out.

Dewey sighed just as he was about to make his first move.

"I was about to start the examination of the creature." He said out loud so the microphones would pick him up without moving away from the table.

"This is not alien autopsy I want a piece of the symbiote not have who ever is under there to be disemboweled."

"Well I'll try to do what I can."

"You do doctor, but let me be clear just get me a piece of that symbiote.. When you do I want to be notified ASAP." The voice told him sternly

"All right"

"Good you may continue."

The speaker went off and the room was quiet. Dewey could get back to his what he was doing. He moved the scalpel in closer and carefully put the blade against the gold skin. He then went to make an incision when he witnessed something he had never seen before.

The skin instantly reverted back revealing the flesh under it. It was a bare arm and judging from the shape of it. It was a man's arm.

Dewey pulled the scalpel back and saw the symbiote fill in the exposed part of skin.

"Amazing" He said to himself as he stood there and tried to figure out a way to get a piece of the symbiote.





He watched from a monitor that allowed him a crystal clear view of the examination. He didn't bother to look up as someone entered the room.

"Sir, I've got word from team leader Bradley." The aid said to him

He turned around and faced the young aid. He was in mid to late 30's and had a youthful face. His hair was a deep brown and had blue eyes. He wore a very nice suit he purchased when he was in Washington when he attended a hearing on mutant registration. His name was Graydon Creed and he was the head of the Friends of Humanity. A group that had two agendas. It's public agenda was that to represent people who were opposed to mutant rights and stated that they were a threat to the public good. It was an ideology that played well to many of the constituencies that back the current congressmen. Creed was in essence a lobbyist. He was part of a very political family that included two senators, several congressmen, and numerous bureaucrats both civilian and military. That was the public face to the Friends of Humanity. There was however and much darker and twisted face to the so-called "Human rights organization".

The Friends of Humanity was also a militant anti-mutant organization that if investigated could be connected to well over thirty act of violence against mutants. Wether it'd be bombings, beatings, or harassment many mutants found the Friends of Humanity to be the new Gestapo. Creed didn't care what they thought. He thought mutants were an abomination and unlike some of the other groups the FOH was compared to. Creed had a respect to all peoples so long as they weren't mutants. At this moment that line of thinking made him very popular and very wealthy with contributions from a wide number of donors.

"Send Bradley in." Creed told his aid

"Yes, sir" The aid walked away and another man came in. This time he was wearing a military uniform. He stopped to salute Creed.

"Team Leader Bradley reporting in, sir!" He said sharply

Creed returned the salute. In addition to its lobbying force the FOH also had a sizeable paramilitary force. They were the ones who would commit violence against mutants.

"What is it?" Creed asked

"Sir, I've been able to retrieve some information from the prisoner."

"What would that be?"

"That the prisoner was to meet with another member of his kind at the George Washington Bridge in New York tonight at 2100 hours, sir."

"Good, do we have a team set up there?"

"Yes sir, Leader Hayes and his team are in position."

"Good tell them to maintain their position. Also tell them I want the subject alive."

"Yes, sir"

"What about Maheim?"

"Excuse me, sir"

"Oh you may not know. I hired a Richard Manheim to draw the prisoner out. I was wondering what happened to him."

"I'm sorry sir but I just don't know."

"That's fine, just go and inform Hayes, Dismissed."

Bradley and Creed saluted each other at the same time. Bradley turned around and quickly walked back out of the office.

Creed turned and went back to watching Dewey examine the symbiote when someone walked into his office. He quickly turned and scared his aid. He nearly dropped the stack of newspapers he carried in his hands.

"Here are the morning papers, sir."

"Just put them on the desk."

The aid nodded and carefully dropped the papers on the desk. The top paper was the Daily Bugle and the big bold headline was "MAN TIED TO VENGEANCE KILLINGS!" The article detailed how a Richard Manheim out of Maryland was connected to the double murder of a couple in their car. The media was already making connections to the "Son of Sam".

Creed just smiled as he read the article and wonder what headlines was he going to create next.





To Be Continued