Hey guys, sorry...school started, I'm supposed to get ready for college, and there's a few more SATs I have to take, so updating won't happen very often for a while. By the way, I get the feeling that these chapters have been nothing but dull conversation. And that maybe I'm not making these guys react as realistically as I should. Argh, I'm getting all self-deprecating again.
And by the way, yes, people did use to go to radioactive mineral springs.
The door opened with only a whisper of air.
"Ah, general. I haven't seen you in a while." Dr. Cockroach smiled despite the stern, cold faces that stared distantly back. With three monsters, the whole facility grew even more out of Monger's control. Everyday, more paperwork came in, about budgets and lab results and shipping and new employees. Monger, not really the paperwork type, visited the cockroach-headed man less frequently until finally, the visits ceased.
"We're movin' you somewhere temporarily. There's some big construction work goin' on, which includes all the cells. There'll also be a large recreational area where you'll eat your meals with the others." And with that jolly greeting, Dr. Cockroach was escorted in military silence to what looked like an extra storage room. A well-guarded one, of course. "There's also a new inmate. Be nice to 'im," Monger added curtly before the guards shut the doctor in.
Hm. Maybe he was in a bad mood because of all the papers flooding his desk.
Dr. Cockroach looked around to greet/console his new prisonmate, but only saw Link and B.O.B., the latter, he was relieved to find, not eating anybody. Maybe somebody housetrained it. (He wouldn't be surprised if Monger could housetrain a herd of ravenous wolverines.)
Both seemed rather troubled and bemused, and Link slowly moved his way towards the scientist. "thUrs a VoIce buT no pErsuN," he mumbled worriedly, eyes darting around for the mystery monster. He had really improved his English since last time the doctor saw him.
"I believe that guy's talking about me," said a voice about a foot from Dr. Cockroach's head.
"In retrospect, that wasn't a good idea," the voice apologized as Dr. Cockroach climbed down from the ceiling. Link resumed watching suspiciously from the comfort of the wall.
"So let's see…" The scientist calmed himself down as he brushed off his coat. "An invisible man?"
"Yeah, pretty much," the voice replied a bit sheepishly. "Though I have a feeling you're used to this kind of stuff. I'm Griffin Becher."
"ksht InvisoBill. ksht"
"Do they have microphones and speakers everywhere?"
"ksht Yes. ksht"
"Creepy."
"It's best not to think of it. Welcome to one of the many storage rooms of this fine establishment, ah, Bill. I'm Dr. Cockroach. My colleagues are known as Link and B.O.B." It was…more than a bit difficult talking to a person you couldn't see, the scientist realized as his large eyes darted around to where he could only estimate InvisoBill was. A shame, as he was the only inmate that actually knew English. "Now if you don't mind me asking, I would really adore hearing of how an invisible man was captured…"
"They caught me peeping in a women's changing room."
The doctor, taken aback at the answer and how deadpan it was, took a few seconds to say, "You can actually see?" He peered carefully at the air in front of him, looking for maybe a hint of floating retinas, perhaps, which he might have not noticed earlier.
A loud laugh. "Just a little joke, they found me with heat vision goggles. I've been invisible for about, say, thirty, forty years. My wife took a while to get used to a disembodied voice around the house, then had me proclaimed dead and collected the insurance. I mostly sat around at home while she went out looking for a job when her money ran out. She spent the rest of her days trying to figure out how I'd be able to pull off bank robberies…then a neighbor caught sight of floating objects through one of the windows and here I am."
Dr. Cockroach nodded slowly as the story was related to him and mulled over this for a short time, during which B.O.B. started amusing himself by blowing small bubbles made of himself. Somehow. "And now there's just the simple question of why you cannot reflect light…was there any sort of unusual event that happened around the time you turned invisible?"
"Very interested by my state, aren't you, doctor?" said the invisible man with a hint of amusement. "Although I guess I can't expect much less from a scientist. Before I continue with my background, can I learn something about you and the others? At least your ages would be nice; I can't tell by voices alone."
"Oh, of course. Ah…" How many years had it been? How old was he? Dr. Cockroach struggled to pull a number from one of the crevices of his mind.
…Forty-three…
"I'm forty-five. Link is approximately twenty million years old, and B.O.B. is," (the blob turned from his bubble-blowing activities at the mention of his name,) "from what I gathered, around seven."
This seemed to amuse the former Griffin even more. "A very diverse demographic, to be sure," he attempted to say stoically, though the tone of his voice betrayed the smile he was certainly wearing. "Anyways, I'm not certain, but I think the hot springs have something to do with it."
"Hot springs?"
"Yeah, since soon after I started going there to calm me down, I disappeared. It affects an area around me too somehow; here, hold out your hand…" Dr. Cockroach did so, and after a few minutes, during which the newly christened InvisoBill carefully searched around for the scientist's arm. He had to stifle a gasp when he felt an unseen hand grab his wrist, the ghostly presence clutching him gently but firmly, but had to let it out when he couldn't help but notice that he had no wrist.
Immediately Link, who had been observing quietly from afar, leapt up and jerked Dr. Cockroach's shoulder, forcing his wrist out of the invisible grasp. "Yur nOT goNnA TuRn iNto a VoiCe, DoCTur," he growled firmly. Although he still wasn't quite composed himself, the scientist assured his friend, "I'm quite alright, everything is fine," and showed him his wrist, visible again. Only then did Link release his tight grip and lumber away again, although he stopped noticeably closer to the two than he was before.
Overcoming his shock, Dr. Cockroach realized he was now more curious about Griffin than before and he leaned against the wall, deep in thought. "…A hot spring causing invisibility…?"
"If it helps, it was radioactive," the voice offered. He continued, as if oblivious to the way the doctor suddenly jerked his head up in realization (which of course, he was), "Yes, I remember the advertisements well. They were around in my childhood, but I was never able to try them out until I was much older…"
It wasn't that the radioactivity of the springs suddenly explained everything (in fact, it brought up further questions, such as 'how the hell did he survive?'), but that it revealed a depressing fact that may have explained the general's earlier mood. If he had been a child when radioactivity was lauded as therapeutic… "If I may ask, how old are you?"
"Me? Oh, I think I just turned sixty-nine last week…"
