Inner Turmoil-Chapter 2
Professor Utonium was lecturing his students, but his heart clearly was not in it. The class was in the middle of a very important lab experiment dealing with elephant DNA. None pf the students had really let on that they noticed his obvious preoccupation, but it was even starting to grate on his own nerves.
"Make sure you change each pipette tube between each sample. That reduces the risk of contamination and it keeps the DNA sample pure." he droned. The class was watching him with mild interest. "Er- carry on class. You can begin now."
He turned as the class began its own experiment. There were no worries, simply because they knew exactly what to do. It was a good class, very efficient and independent, which was just what the professor needed right now.
Ever since they'd moved to the new city the girls had been very antsy. He knew very well they understood why they shouldn't be flaunting their powers in public, but he wondered if they knew how terrible it would be if they did. It wasn't so much the city he was worried about. Professor Utonium had worked in Seattle very briefly earlier in his career, and the people were friendly, and quite used to odd public outbursts. Seattle was notorious for that sort of thing.
Seattle was the center of many bustling corporations that ruled world markets. There was Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks and Nintendo; sure that was all well and good but the professor's past employers was what bothered him.
Just fresh out of college, Professor Utonium's old instructor had gotten him into a small position at a then, growing pharmaceutical company that specialized in various medical remedies. At first, being a Biochemistry major, genetics, the professor wondered what he was supposed to be doing. He'd been studying the effects the drugs had on human proteins, when he was put on the job of a more sensitive nature.
A division of the company called White Hazard was doing research on human performance enhancers, more specifically, the effects that Xantium radiation had on human abilities. It was widely known among the corporation that Xantium, or Chemical X, could be used to enhance human abilities, but to what extent? That was the purpose of Professor Utonium's newly appointed research position. Beginning with a human embryo, how does Chemical X radiation change aspects of a human being later in life?
That was when things had gotten tough, because all of his morals had been tested. He suspected that what White Hazard was doing had been wrong, but he'd really had no choice. He couldn't get out, because he'd already gotten himself in too deep.
My girls. he thought drearily, running a hand through his dark hair. The results had been astounding. Though the test subjects had been in very early stages of life, comparable to a human five year old, they demonstrated amazing capabilities. They had increased brain activity, meaning they were highly intelligent and well spoken for their age. well, that tidbit had been theorized because they'd been in stasis all their life.
Superhuman muscle strength was also an apparent side effect, as was the ability to gather highly charged electrons in the pupils and exert it with the force of powerful energy beams.
They could also harness the power of fire, wind, electricity and even sound, and use it as a weapon against an enemy. Also was the ability to counter the influence of gravity, giving the subjects the power of flight. Little did they know at that point, that over time the gravity counter- effect would wear off due to the normal growth of the subjects.
There was however, still the ability to use their muscle power to launch into the air for extended periods of time. Gravity would eventually take effect and make them fall back to the earth unscathed, but it was still more than enough power to enable them to leap incredible distances.
There were various other abilities that were minor, mostly all having to do with their strength and rapid healing, and there were even some that didn't come into play until later in their lives. They were strong, agile and fast; the perfect fighters.
But then there had been an accident. The subjects had been awoken prematurely. Professor Utonium had been the only one who hadn't fled. He'd had no choice but to take the subjects himself, feeding them a fake story as to how they were born to make it easier to keep their existence hidden from White Hazard, and also to protect their delicate minds.
To this day the girls still didn't know. He'd moved the girls to what he thought had been a safe location, Townsville, but over time that had proved to be false. It had come the time when leaving Townsville was necessary, and the professor had taken the only job available to him, which just happened to be in the same town as White Hazard had been. Professor Utonium wasn't sure if the company was even still around.
Something knocked Professor Utonium from his wanderings. He looked up towards the door and saw a tall, impressive man framing the doorway. He was wearing a black business suit, with his gray hair neatly gelled down to his scalp. The man stood in the doorway to the classroom, checked his expensive watch, and then looked at the professor expectantly. Professor Utonium was baffled. He'd never seen the man before.
"Yes, can I help you?" he asked warily, not sure what impression the man was trying to make. His aged face erupted into a smile.
"I wondered if I could have a word. James isn't it?" he said coolly. His demeanor was very business-like and professional, but Professor Utonium kept thinking of a snake oil salesman.
"Yes, it's professor Utonium. Um, why don't we step outside then," he responded. He moved past the man and into the hallway. The man followed and closed the classroom door behind him. "I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."
"Ah," the man said quickly. "The name's Doctor Alex Levigne," he said, extending his hand for a shake. This whole situation was rather suspicious. Professor Utonium took his hand, and was startled by Levigne's very firm, warm grip. "I suppose your wondering exactly who I am aren't you?"
"Well that's the general idea," said the professor. The man paused for a few moments, as if carefully choosing his words, all the while eyeing the professor very strangely.
"I've heard quite a bit about your research."
"Come again?" the professor said, growing increasingly alarmed.
"I suppose you're playing coy with me. That's fine, but if you must know Mr. Utonium, some very important people are keeping an eye on you. and your. daughters, shall we say?"
"What are you talking about?" he growled.
"Professor please, there's no reason to become violent."
"I know who you are now. If you so much as lay a finger on any of them, I swear-"
"In time professor, your girls may want to know exactly where they come from," Levigne said. For a minute the professor didn't say anything, because inside he did agree. He couldn't keep the same story going forever, because sooner or later he knew that, Blossom most likely, would ask him about the truth. "Mr. Utonium, if I understand correctly, our subjects had quite a track record at your former residence." Levigne's eyes glittered with glee.
"You knew about that?"
"Of course we did Professor. We have ways of getting our information-"
"I want you to get the hell away from my class right now," the professor said very sternly. He looked the bulky man straight in the eye, trying his best to look firm, despite the fact that this man was a bit bigger than him. The man was clearly not intimidated.
"Mark my words Professor Utonium, your girls will fall back into our hands by any means. They have weaknesses, and we will find them. It's just a bit too dangerous having these little freaks running around-"
The professor couldn't contain himself. He had suddenly lashed out and seized the man by his collar, slamming him against the wall. There was no visible trace of fear in Levigne's weathered eyes. Instead, he smiled broadly and chuckled. There was something very familiar about this man's demeanor. It almost seemed like he was playing a game.
"Please Mr. Utonium. There is no need for this kind of behavior. We are both grown men after all."
"No, I'm not an evil son of a bitch, unlike you. Stay away," the professor spat, letting go of Levigne's shirtfront. Levigne raised his eyebrows and smoothed out his shirt. He once again caught the professor's angered gaze in an expression of supreme interest.
"I'm sure they could do with a small reunion, wouldn't you say?" he laughed, and for a split second Professor Utonium saw something very evil flash across the man's eyes, something that seemed very familiar. "See you soon, Professor." And with that he walked away, leaving the professor completely ruffled. This was not good at all.
That man worked for White Hazard, definitely, but how could he possibly have known about Towsnville?
Professor Utonium watched Levigne walk away down the school corridor, with a rising feeling of dread. Something was going to happen, but what exactly he was unsure of. Whatever did end up happening, would the girls be ready for it? Would he?
Professor Utonium was lecturing his students, but his heart clearly was not in it. The class was in the middle of a very important lab experiment dealing with elephant DNA. None pf the students had really let on that they noticed his obvious preoccupation, but it was even starting to grate on his own nerves.
"Make sure you change each pipette tube between each sample. That reduces the risk of contamination and it keeps the DNA sample pure." he droned. The class was watching him with mild interest. "Er- carry on class. You can begin now."
He turned as the class began its own experiment. There were no worries, simply because they knew exactly what to do. It was a good class, very efficient and independent, which was just what the professor needed right now.
Ever since they'd moved to the new city the girls had been very antsy. He knew very well they understood why they shouldn't be flaunting their powers in public, but he wondered if they knew how terrible it would be if they did. It wasn't so much the city he was worried about. Professor Utonium had worked in Seattle very briefly earlier in his career, and the people were friendly, and quite used to odd public outbursts. Seattle was notorious for that sort of thing.
Seattle was the center of many bustling corporations that ruled world markets. There was Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks and Nintendo; sure that was all well and good but the professor's past employers was what bothered him.
Just fresh out of college, Professor Utonium's old instructor had gotten him into a small position at a then, growing pharmaceutical company that specialized in various medical remedies. At first, being a Biochemistry major, genetics, the professor wondered what he was supposed to be doing. He'd been studying the effects the drugs had on human proteins, when he was put on the job of a more sensitive nature.
A division of the company called White Hazard was doing research on human performance enhancers, more specifically, the effects that Xantium radiation had on human abilities. It was widely known among the corporation that Xantium, or Chemical X, could be used to enhance human abilities, but to what extent? That was the purpose of Professor Utonium's newly appointed research position. Beginning with a human embryo, how does Chemical X radiation change aspects of a human being later in life?
That was when things had gotten tough, because all of his morals had been tested. He suspected that what White Hazard was doing had been wrong, but he'd really had no choice. He couldn't get out, because he'd already gotten himself in too deep.
My girls. he thought drearily, running a hand through his dark hair. The results had been astounding. Though the test subjects had been in very early stages of life, comparable to a human five year old, they demonstrated amazing capabilities. They had increased brain activity, meaning they were highly intelligent and well spoken for their age. well, that tidbit had been theorized because they'd been in stasis all their life.
Superhuman muscle strength was also an apparent side effect, as was the ability to gather highly charged electrons in the pupils and exert it with the force of powerful energy beams.
They could also harness the power of fire, wind, electricity and even sound, and use it as a weapon against an enemy. Also was the ability to counter the influence of gravity, giving the subjects the power of flight. Little did they know at that point, that over time the gravity counter- effect would wear off due to the normal growth of the subjects.
There was however, still the ability to use their muscle power to launch into the air for extended periods of time. Gravity would eventually take effect and make them fall back to the earth unscathed, but it was still more than enough power to enable them to leap incredible distances.
There were various other abilities that were minor, mostly all having to do with their strength and rapid healing, and there were even some that didn't come into play until later in their lives. They were strong, agile and fast; the perfect fighters.
But then there had been an accident. The subjects had been awoken prematurely. Professor Utonium had been the only one who hadn't fled. He'd had no choice but to take the subjects himself, feeding them a fake story as to how they were born to make it easier to keep their existence hidden from White Hazard, and also to protect their delicate minds.
To this day the girls still didn't know. He'd moved the girls to what he thought had been a safe location, Townsville, but over time that had proved to be false. It had come the time when leaving Townsville was necessary, and the professor had taken the only job available to him, which just happened to be in the same town as White Hazard had been. Professor Utonium wasn't sure if the company was even still around.
Something knocked Professor Utonium from his wanderings. He looked up towards the door and saw a tall, impressive man framing the doorway. He was wearing a black business suit, with his gray hair neatly gelled down to his scalp. The man stood in the doorway to the classroom, checked his expensive watch, and then looked at the professor expectantly. Professor Utonium was baffled. He'd never seen the man before.
"Yes, can I help you?" he asked warily, not sure what impression the man was trying to make. His aged face erupted into a smile.
"I wondered if I could have a word. James isn't it?" he said coolly. His demeanor was very business-like and professional, but Professor Utonium kept thinking of a snake oil salesman.
"Yes, it's professor Utonium. Um, why don't we step outside then," he responded. He moved past the man and into the hallway. The man followed and closed the classroom door behind him. "I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."
"Ah," the man said quickly. "The name's Doctor Alex Levigne," he said, extending his hand for a shake. This whole situation was rather suspicious. Professor Utonium took his hand, and was startled by Levigne's very firm, warm grip. "I suppose your wondering exactly who I am aren't you?"
"Well that's the general idea," said the professor. The man paused for a few moments, as if carefully choosing his words, all the while eyeing the professor very strangely.
"I've heard quite a bit about your research."
"Come again?" the professor said, growing increasingly alarmed.
"I suppose you're playing coy with me. That's fine, but if you must know Mr. Utonium, some very important people are keeping an eye on you. and your. daughters, shall we say?"
"What are you talking about?" he growled.
"Professor please, there's no reason to become violent."
"I know who you are now. If you so much as lay a finger on any of them, I swear-"
"In time professor, your girls may want to know exactly where they come from," Levigne said. For a minute the professor didn't say anything, because inside he did agree. He couldn't keep the same story going forever, because sooner or later he knew that, Blossom most likely, would ask him about the truth. "Mr. Utonium, if I understand correctly, our subjects had quite a track record at your former residence." Levigne's eyes glittered with glee.
"You knew about that?"
"Of course we did Professor. We have ways of getting our information-"
"I want you to get the hell away from my class right now," the professor said very sternly. He looked the bulky man straight in the eye, trying his best to look firm, despite the fact that this man was a bit bigger than him. The man was clearly not intimidated.
"Mark my words Professor Utonium, your girls will fall back into our hands by any means. They have weaknesses, and we will find them. It's just a bit too dangerous having these little freaks running around-"
The professor couldn't contain himself. He had suddenly lashed out and seized the man by his collar, slamming him against the wall. There was no visible trace of fear in Levigne's weathered eyes. Instead, he smiled broadly and chuckled. There was something very familiar about this man's demeanor. It almost seemed like he was playing a game.
"Please Mr. Utonium. There is no need for this kind of behavior. We are both grown men after all."
"No, I'm not an evil son of a bitch, unlike you. Stay away," the professor spat, letting go of Levigne's shirtfront. Levigne raised his eyebrows and smoothed out his shirt. He once again caught the professor's angered gaze in an expression of supreme interest.
"I'm sure they could do with a small reunion, wouldn't you say?" he laughed, and for a split second Professor Utonium saw something very evil flash across the man's eyes, something that seemed very familiar. "See you soon, Professor." And with that he walked away, leaving the professor completely ruffled. This was not good at all.
That man worked for White Hazard, definitely, but how could he possibly have known about Towsnville?
Professor Utonium watched Levigne walk away down the school corridor, with a rising feeling of dread. Something was going to happen, but what exactly he was unsure of. Whatever did end up happening, would the girls be ready for it? Would he?