September 24th, 1997
12:24 pm
Nick and Philip were quickly approaching the Academy. More quickly, in fact, than Philip's body was designed to take. Clutching the door of Nick's cherished 1964 Mustang convertible Philip closed his eyes and prayed for the ride to be over. Nick looked over to his partner in the seat next to him and grinned.
"What's the matter, Phil? Can't handle the speed?" He asked, cutting in front of a beat up old Volkswagen and causing Philip to jump again.
"I don' think I'll ever get used t' your drivin'." He replied as Nick sped up even more to reach a yellow light before it turned.
"When you have a car like this, you have to go fast. It's a universal law." Nick explained as the San Francisco Academy of Science appeared in front of them.
The main building was immensely old, constructed from huge blocks of stone and covered with ivy. It looked on the verge of collapse and didn't seem a fitting home for a science academy. Gargoyles flanked the roof, grinning down grotesquely and causing Philip to shiver. Shaking himself, he followed Nick into the building. Stopping at the front desk, Nick eyed the young secretary and broke out a charming smile.
"Hey there. What's your name?" He asked, and Philip rolled his eyes. The girl, like most, was taken by Nick's dazzling smile and fluttered her eyelashes up at him.
"Mary." She replied, snapping her gum and filing her nails stereotypically. Nick smiled again.
"Well Mary, my name's Nick and this is Philip. We're from the Luna Foundation and we were wondering if we could take a little look around." He spoke, watching as young Mary flipped her long auburn hair over her shoulder and considered. Finally the she nodded.
"I suppose. You need to stay away from the ESP lab, though. There's a study underway and you can't interrupt it." She told them, watching as the two headed down the hallway. Once they had turned the corner Philip shook his head.
"This gets easier every time." He said, quickening his pace to keep up with the strides of the younger man. "Where are you going?"
A sign appeared at the end of the hall and Nick pointed to it. As they got closer Philip could make out the lettering, which read: "ESP Lab". Below it was a sign hung on a nail that read: "STUDY IN PROGRESS- AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY". Philip followed Nick through the closed door, feeling his conscience begin to nag.
"Nick," he began.
"If they really meant that they'd lock the door." Nick reasoned, cutting the priest off before he could speak. They walked together in silence until they came upon a set of windows. Peering through the tinted glass, they saw rows of blindfolded people and groups of doctors in lab coats performing sensory tests. Together Nick and Philip watched the scene until there was a clucking noise behind them. Spinning around they found the doorway blocked by a tall and attractive male doctor, dressed sharply in a suit and tie and staring at them coldly. He was flanked by a small lab assistant, who was made smaller by his hunching posture. Images of Doctor Frankenstein and Igor flashed through Nick's head and caused him to smile. He quickly changed his smiled from one of amusement to one of charm.
"Who are you and what are you doing in my lab?" The doctor asked, and Nick decided this must be the much talked about Dr. Mayer.
"My name's Nick Boyle, I represent the Luna Foundation. We're just here to take a look at your lab facilities. As you probably know we have a great interest in the sciences." He spoke, hoping the doctor wouldn't notice the astonished and panicked look on Philip's face.
"This area is off limits. You'll have to call and make an appointment. My assistant will escort you out." He spoke, watching as they followed the small man out of the lab. Glancing behind him, Nick caught a final glimpse of the doctor as he moved further into the lab.
They arrived back in the lobby where Dr. Mayer's assistant left them to return to the lab. Nick gave Mary a little wave and a wink as he and Philip left the building and got back in the car. Once they were back on the road, Philip breathed a sigh of relief.
"Tha' was close. Looks like Dr. Mayer has somethin' in th' lab he'd like t' keep secret." He theorized, and Nick nodded.
"And it's our job to find out what."
Nick and Philip were quickly approaching the Academy. More quickly, in fact, than Philip's body was designed to take. Clutching the door of Nick's cherished 1964 Mustang convertible Philip closed his eyes and prayed for the ride to be over. Nick looked over to his partner in the seat next to him and grinned.
"What's the matter, Phil? Can't handle the speed?" He asked, cutting in front of a beat up old Volkswagen and causing Philip to jump again.
"I don' think I'll ever get used t' your drivin'." He replied as Nick sped up even more to reach a yellow light before it turned.
"When you have a car like this, you have to go fast. It's a universal law." Nick explained as the San Francisco Academy of Science appeared in front of them.
The main building was immensely old, constructed from huge blocks of stone and covered with ivy. It looked on the verge of collapse and didn't seem a fitting home for a science academy. Gargoyles flanked the roof, grinning down grotesquely and causing Philip to shiver. Shaking himself, he followed Nick into the building. Stopping at the front desk, Nick eyed the young secretary and broke out a charming smile.
"Hey there. What's your name?" He asked, and Philip rolled his eyes. The girl, like most, was taken by Nick's dazzling smile and fluttered her eyelashes up at him.
"Mary." She replied, snapping her gum and filing her nails stereotypically. Nick smiled again.
"Well Mary, my name's Nick and this is Philip. We're from the Luna Foundation and we were wondering if we could take a little look around." He spoke, watching as young Mary flipped her long auburn hair over her shoulder and considered. Finally the she nodded.
"I suppose. You need to stay away from the ESP lab, though. There's a study underway and you can't interrupt it." She told them, watching as the two headed down the hallway. Once they had turned the corner Philip shook his head.
"This gets easier every time." He said, quickening his pace to keep up with the strides of the younger man. "Where are you going?"
A sign appeared at the end of the hall and Nick pointed to it. As they got closer Philip could make out the lettering, which read: "ESP Lab". Below it was a sign hung on a nail that read: "STUDY IN PROGRESS- AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY". Philip followed Nick through the closed door, feeling his conscience begin to nag.
"Nick," he began.
"If they really meant that they'd lock the door." Nick reasoned, cutting the priest off before he could speak. They walked together in silence until they came upon a set of windows. Peering through the tinted glass, they saw rows of blindfolded people and groups of doctors in lab coats performing sensory tests. Together Nick and Philip watched the scene until there was a clucking noise behind them. Spinning around they found the doorway blocked by a tall and attractive male doctor, dressed sharply in a suit and tie and staring at them coldly. He was flanked by a small lab assistant, who was made smaller by his hunching posture. Images of Doctor Frankenstein and Igor flashed through Nick's head and caused him to smile. He quickly changed his smiled from one of amusement to one of charm.
"Who are you and what are you doing in my lab?" The doctor asked, and Nick decided this must be the much talked about Dr. Mayer.
"My name's Nick Boyle, I represent the Luna Foundation. We're just here to take a look at your lab facilities. As you probably know we have a great interest in the sciences." He spoke, hoping the doctor wouldn't notice the astonished and panicked look on Philip's face.
"This area is off limits. You'll have to call and make an appointment. My assistant will escort you out." He spoke, watching as they followed the small man out of the lab. Glancing behind him, Nick caught a final glimpse of the doctor as he moved further into the lab.
They arrived back in the lobby where Dr. Mayer's assistant left them to return to the lab. Nick gave Mary a little wave and a wink as he and Philip left the building and got back in the car. Once they were back on the road, Philip breathed a sigh of relief.
"Tha' was close. Looks like Dr. Mayer has somethin' in th' lab he'd like t' keep secret." He theorized, and Nick nodded.
"And it's our job to find out what."