Chapter 3
It was an unusually warm day for March in the city of Chicago. Temperatures had reached a high of 70, almost a heat wave compared to the winter weather that had been there just the week before. The sun shone brightly and children could be seen playing in the city's many parks, having fun and just being kids. It was a wonderful day for a young carefree child to be just that.
Not all children were free to be children on this day. One child in particular was anything but carefree, or free for that matter. Far below the Limburger Tower in a hidden lab, in a small room a little girl with deep green eyes was strapped to a table. Several pairs of cold eyes watched her through the one way mirror that was on the far wall. Dozens of wires were attached all over the girl, delivering electronic pulses through her. Electrocuting her, torturing her and all in the name of science. Tears streamed down her dirt covered furry cheeks, leaving paths of white as they fell. She cried out in pain and terror, two things that were very familiar to her. More than any child should be familiar with.
The silent observers on the other side of the glass, watching with apathetic expressions. All that is, but one. Dr. Karen Dean watched with horror the torment these `doctors' were putting Zoey through. She covered her mouth with a hand to keep herself from throwing up. Wondering not for the first time why she didn't have the courage to save Zoey herself.
One of the observers was a man Karen didn't know and she didn't know what was worse his looks or his smell. He was writing something down on a clipboard with every scream and whimper the child made. He frowned and turned to the person controlling the electronic pluses; a young lab tech named Elise.
"We're not getting the results we want, increase the voltage by two," he ordered evenly.
The woman looked at him in disbelief, as did Karen. "But, sir," Elise protested. "We're already over the safe about of voltage!! Anymore might kill her--"
"Do as you're told or I'll find someone else to do it!!" He ordered his voice the same even and cold. Elise looked at Karen in desperation.
"Doctor-with all do respect.Elise is right! Killing the child won't get you your results any quicker!" Karen interjected. He glared at her for several minutes, then smiled. "That's your opinion, Dr. Dean. If you have a problem with the experiment or how I'm handling it, take it up with Doctor Carbuncle." He turned backed to Elise. "Well what are you waiting, increase the voltage or I'll strap YOU to the table next!"
"Y-yes S-sir," Elise said quickly, stammering in fear as she turned the dial.
The scream that came for Zoey was heartbreaking, wailing cries of anguish. Karen spun around on her heels and left the room, not able to take anymore.
Her fists tightened in fury as she walked to Dr. Kurbunkle office. There was no way that monster was going to get away with doing that to Zoey. She couldn't believe the Doctor would put such a.a..THING in charge of the experiments! She couldn't believe she let this go on, that she didn't do something to save the child. How weak was she? Karen closed her eyes briefly, that was probably why she'd been hired, because she was easily scared and timid. Most of the employees in the lab seemed to live in fear of the Doctors, and all of them to weak willed to give up the money that the job paid to leave.
They were all cruel monsters, worse than Hitler on a bad day. But she was worse because of the fact she did nothing to stop what she knew was wrong. She stood there and watched a baby be tortured. Karen Dean felt she was no better than those that hurt her.
When she reached the office of the "good" doctor , she stopped dead in her tracks. The door was cracked open and voice drifted out from inside. Karen could just hear what they were saying and put her ear closer to the opening. Her heart froze as she listened. "So, Doctor...when will your little...experiment..be ready for shipment?" The revolting man she knew as her boss, Lawrence Limburger said, his voice slightly muffled through the door.
"Within a week your over ripeness. She will make the perfect gift to Lord Caberna." The Doctor hissed, Karen could just imagine the horrible smile on his face as he spoke.
Limburger laughed, sending chills down Karen's spine. "Yes she will won't she. He says he's looking forward to having his `scientist' do some work on her. " The fish laughed again. "And from what I hear he has quite a who should I say it. fondness. for young children."
"I doubt they will get more out of her than I was, your cheesiness. I did create her." Karbuncle hissed more conserved that someone else would be experimenting on his creation.
"If it pleases him you'll make as many as he likes and keep quite about it. This might be my way of keeping him off my back about those dratted mice!" Limburger informed the doctor.
The two laughed and Karen backed away from the door, feeling like she was going to pass out. How did she ever get mixed up in this? Why hadn't she taken Zoey as a infant and ran?
Shaking herself, Karen focused on protecting Zoey at the present. She took a deep breath, more because she didn't want to have to breath in that room to long than anything else, and knocked on the door. Without waiting for a answer she barged into the room.
"Karen - how many times have I told you." the Doctor started. "I'm sorry, sir. But it's Doctor Hamburg - I'm afraid if he put in more voltage in to her - it'll kill her! But he won't listen." Karen said hurriedly, trying to sound meek and scared of him.
The Doctor stood and glanced at Limburger. "We can't have him killing her now can we. Don't worry Karen I'll set it right - why don't you go home for the evening." He cooed at her, leering a her in a way that made Karen sick. He turned to Limburger. " Would you care to join me, sir?"
"Yes, yes...let us go Doctor."
The two left the room leaving Karen standing alone. She stood there for several long moments, her fists clenching shaking. She had to do something.
Karen walked slowly out to the parking lot of the tower and got into her car. She sat behind the wheel for several moments, taking deep sobbing breaths before she started the car. There had to be something she could do. But what? She couldn't break the child out of there alone, it was to dangerous now. But who could help her? Who would help her?
Karen stopped at a light in front of an elementary school. Her windows were down and she listened to the children and parents talking as she waited for the light to turn green. A little girl stopped on the sidewalk right beside her car, she had to be all of 4 years old. She struggled with a knot in her shoelace for a while then looked up at her mother, who was standing right beside her.
"Mommy, could you help me?"
The light turned and Karen drove on. The words of that innocent little girl echoing in her head. 'Mommy, could you help me.' A bittersweet smile crossed her lips. She knew just who could help her save Zoey. The person she should have told the moment she knew Zoey's parentage. One of the only people that might be able to help her. Well there was one more, but she couldn't ask him. No she couldn't involve him into this if she wanted Zoey to go to her parents.
Race wouldn't be happy when he found out what she was doing, but as much as she loved him, this was all partly her fault so she had to be the one of fix it. She couldn't let him pay the price for her mistakes, a innocent child already had.
to be continued..
It was an unusually warm day for March in the city of Chicago. Temperatures had reached a high of 70, almost a heat wave compared to the winter weather that had been there just the week before. The sun shone brightly and children could be seen playing in the city's many parks, having fun and just being kids. It was a wonderful day for a young carefree child to be just that.
Not all children were free to be children on this day. One child in particular was anything but carefree, or free for that matter. Far below the Limburger Tower in a hidden lab, in a small room a little girl with deep green eyes was strapped to a table. Several pairs of cold eyes watched her through the one way mirror that was on the far wall. Dozens of wires were attached all over the girl, delivering electronic pulses through her. Electrocuting her, torturing her and all in the name of science. Tears streamed down her dirt covered furry cheeks, leaving paths of white as they fell. She cried out in pain and terror, two things that were very familiar to her. More than any child should be familiar with.
The silent observers on the other side of the glass, watching with apathetic expressions. All that is, but one. Dr. Karen Dean watched with horror the torment these `doctors' were putting Zoey through. She covered her mouth with a hand to keep herself from throwing up. Wondering not for the first time why she didn't have the courage to save Zoey herself.
One of the observers was a man Karen didn't know and she didn't know what was worse his looks or his smell. He was writing something down on a clipboard with every scream and whimper the child made. He frowned and turned to the person controlling the electronic pluses; a young lab tech named Elise.
"We're not getting the results we want, increase the voltage by two," he ordered evenly.
The woman looked at him in disbelief, as did Karen. "But, sir," Elise protested. "We're already over the safe about of voltage!! Anymore might kill her--"
"Do as you're told or I'll find someone else to do it!!" He ordered his voice the same even and cold. Elise looked at Karen in desperation.
"Doctor-with all do respect.Elise is right! Killing the child won't get you your results any quicker!" Karen interjected. He glared at her for several minutes, then smiled. "That's your opinion, Dr. Dean. If you have a problem with the experiment or how I'm handling it, take it up with Doctor Carbuncle." He turned backed to Elise. "Well what are you waiting, increase the voltage or I'll strap YOU to the table next!"
"Y-yes S-sir," Elise said quickly, stammering in fear as she turned the dial.
The scream that came for Zoey was heartbreaking, wailing cries of anguish. Karen spun around on her heels and left the room, not able to take anymore.
Her fists tightened in fury as she walked to Dr. Kurbunkle office. There was no way that monster was going to get away with doing that to Zoey. She couldn't believe the Doctor would put such a.a..THING in charge of the experiments! She couldn't believe she let this go on, that she didn't do something to save the child. How weak was she? Karen closed her eyes briefly, that was probably why she'd been hired, because she was easily scared and timid. Most of the employees in the lab seemed to live in fear of the Doctors, and all of them to weak willed to give up the money that the job paid to leave.
They were all cruel monsters, worse than Hitler on a bad day. But she was worse because of the fact she did nothing to stop what she knew was wrong. She stood there and watched a baby be tortured. Karen Dean felt she was no better than those that hurt her.
When she reached the office of the "good" doctor , she stopped dead in her tracks. The door was cracked open and voice drifted out from inside. Karen could just hear what they were saying and put her ear closer to the opening. Her heart froze as she listened. "So, Doctor...when will your little...experiment..be ready for shipment?" The revolting man she knew as her boss, Lawrence Limburger said, his voice slightly muffled through the door.
"Within a week your over ripeness. She will make the perfect gift to Lord Caberna." The Doctor hissed, Karen could just imagine the horrible smile on his face as he spoke.
Limburger laughed, sending chills down Karen's spine. "Yes she will won't she. He says he's looking forward to having his `scientist' do some work on her. " The fish laughed again. "And from what I hear he has quite a who should I say it. fondness. for young children."
"I doubt they will get more out of her than I was, your cheesiness. I did create her." Karbuncle hissed more conserved that someone else would be experimenting on his creation.
"If it pleases him you'll make as many as he likes and keep quite about it. This might be my way of keeping him off my back about those dratted mice!" Limburger informed the doctor.
The two laughed and Karen backed away from the door, feeling like she was going to pass out. How did she ever get mixed up in this? Why hadn't she taken Zoey as a infant and ran?
Shaking herself, Karen focused on protecting Zoey at the present. She took a deep breath, more because she didn't want to have to breath in that room to long than anything else, and knocked on the door. Without waiting for a answer she barged into the room.
"Karen - how many times have I told you." the Doctor started. "I'm sorry, sir. But it's Doctor Hamburg - I'm afraid if he put in more voltage in to her - it'll kill her! But he won't listen." Karen said hurriedly, trying to sound meek and scared of him.
The Doctor stood and glanced at Limburger. "We can't have him killing her now can we. Don't worry Karen I'll set it right - why don't you go home for the evening." He cooed at her, leering a her in a way that made Karen sick. He turned to Limburger. " Would you care to join me, sir?"
"Yes, yes...let us go Doctor."
The two left the room leaving Karen standing alone. She stood there for several long moments, her fists clenching shaking. She had to do something.
Karen walked slowly out to the parking lot of the tower and got into her car. She sat behind the wheel for several moments, taking deep sobbing breaths before she started the car. There had to be something she could do. But what? She couldn't break the child out of there alone, it was to dangerous now. But who could help her? Who would help her?
Karen stopped at a light in front of an elementary school. Her windows were down and she listened to the children and parents talking as she waited for the light to turn green. A little girl stopped on the sidewalk right beside her car, she had to be all of 4 years old. She struggled with a knot in her shoelace for a while then looked up at her mother, who was standing right beside her.
"Mommy, could you help me?"
The light turned and Karen drove on. The words of that innocent little girl echoing in her head. 'Mommy, could you help me.' A bittersweet smile crossed her lips. She knew just who could help her save Zoey. The person she should have told the moment she knew Zoey's parentage. One of the only people that might be able to help her. Well there was one more, but she couldn't ask him. No she couldn't involve him into this if she wanted Zoey to go to her parents.
Race wouldn't be happy when he found out what she was doing, but as much as she loved him, this was all partly her fault so she had to be the one of fix it. She couldn't let him pay the price for her mistakes, a innocent child already had.
to be continued..