Really? The audacity of that girl to disrupt me while I'm in thought, he steamed. Well, no matter. Seems that I have just enough bottles to get this business of mine going. Just a few more hours and I'll be set for fortune. Hm… how to transport them without being caught, though…

But before Thadean could further elaborate on his thoughts, the front doors of the factory flew open as the Mexican police stormed and filed in. "Todos están bajo arresto por el uso no autorizado de este establecimiento y la producción de sustancias ilegales!"ordered the commanding officer

"What!? How was I discovered!?" Fear, panic, and confusion now laced the beads of sweat that emerged on Thadean's brow, replacing his confidence.

"I lead them here" answered a voice.

"… Raymond". Thadean straightened himself up to mask his dread. "…How are you?".

Raymond did not respond to him. "Señors," he began to say to the police, "gracias por su trabajo. Por favor, deme las botellas para que yo pueda disponer de ellos adecuadamente. Aprovechar el hombre de la abrigo marrón."

The police seized Thadean and began to haul the many boxes away to Raymond and some of the other research team that had come along with him to take back to the U.S and dispose of them properly.

"Oh, y ¿podrías quitar el dispositivo?" Raymond requested. The police who held on to Thadean ripped a small metal circle from the back of Thadean's brown coat.

"Ah, the tracking device research lab C-7 was working on. I should have known" Thadean's cool composure returned and a slight villainous grin appeared on his face. "A prototype that never seemed to fully work, but you saw its potential and used it anyway. It worked. Now why can't you see the high potential in something more significant? Something more life changing than a measly metal toy?"

"DON'T mistake high potential for high potency, Mr. Thadean!" Raymond didn't have much desire to talk to his estranged friend, but he felt that his ideas were so severely deluded, he had to be corrected. He did not use an overly excited voice, but he made sure his tone was stern and forceful. Thadean was slightly surprised, but he continued to converse with his former colleague. Surely, Thadean thought, he must see the possibilities.

"Why the formalities Raymond? Trying to distance yourself from this work, when you had as much part of it as I did. And you certainly knew and still know its capabilities. Why else would you use the serum on your own brother?"

Raymond did not feel comfortable arguing about such a secretive topic in front of civilians, but all of them did not seem to understand a word of English. They all were being taken away, anyhow, so they most likely were not listening. Plus, the anger that welded inside him overruled his better judgement.

"I love my brother! He would have committed suicide if I hadn't consented to his wishes. I was a fool to have done it, but I did it for him, and now regret the consequences. He has no recollection of his past life, he doesn't remember what he did, who he was… he doesn't remember who I am… by no means do I want to subject any other human being to the same fate, which was exactly my reason for shutting down the project and still is my reason for not wanting to start it back up again!"

"But that's just it Raymond. You quit right when we were close. Your brother is younger, isn't he? It just wasn't quite right".

"Quite right!?" Raymond's anger bubbled over. "He is a little boy now, for Pete's sake! Growing up to be a different man because of this serum! And you plan to have the rest of the world be your guinea pig to fill your sick desire for wealth?!"

"You know this was not just my dream, it was yours as well. We both wanted the wealth. I just had the courage to improve it, which is exactly what I did. I improved it! Anybody can turn back the dial ten years with just a pill. No injection, so it isn't as harmful as simply directing it to the bloodstream. Can't you see the logic?"

Raymond scrutinized the man standing before him with each arm held tight by a Mexican police officer. Douglass was never really a malicious man. Stubborn, yes. Stingy, even more so. He always did use money to get out of tight spots. But he never acted like this before. Now Thadean had a faintly crazed gleam in his eye, his face glowing as the dim lights from the factory reflected off the perspiration on his face, his usually neat hair now unkempt, as if this was not the same man Raymond had worked with. And Raymond knew he would not see the same Douglass Thadean again.

Raymond let out a heavy sigh. "Boy, do I feel sorry for you", was the only response he could give. He nodded at the two officers, and they began to drag Thadean away.

It became clear to Thadean that there was no way to win over Raymond. "So, what? You're just going to send me back to the U.S?" He smirked. "I can easily pay my own bail, Raymond. It won't be that hard".

"Oh, you won't be going back to the U.S. The Mexican government would rather have you stay here. I could have the state government fight it, but," Raymond shrugged, "that's too much effort I'm not willing to spend". He then looked hard at Thadean. "You can't pay your way out of this one".

Thadean did not have anything else to say. He only stared wide-eyed at Raymond. That flicker of confidence in his eyes now dissipated as he was hauled away, not to be seen or heard from again by his former colleague.

"All right!" Raymond called to the research team he had brought with him. "Let's hurry with loading this substance in the truck so we can go home as soon as possible. I'd like to see this stuff disposed of immediately".

He then turned to a few of the officers who were arresting the workers. "Por favor, asegúrese de que no se han tomado el medicamento con ellos". All we can do is hope that no one took it with them.

[…]

This was a devastating blow to the Mexican workers. How could their willingness to work be paid with such tragedy? There would be no way to explain that they were not trying to partake with this crime. They simply needed work. Many of the men and women were going to jail. The whole village would be ruined. Even with this inevitable future, there seemed no use in making matters worse. They solemnly complied with the police and were rounded up in trucks that would take them to jail.

Xeveria was furious. These were honest-working people. Many she knew her entire life, and they were being taken away without being heard. Their lives and the effects on their families not considered. But… what could she do? It seemed that the most realistic thing to do was to focus on gaining money for her own family. But how?

The pills. While she was in thought, she had overheard the whole conversation between the two Americans. It was a little tough to fully understand, but she had heard enough. Youth in a bottle. That could definitely be worth money. Now, Xeveria did not feel good about stealing. The growing guilt sat at the pit of her stomach. But it seemed like the only choice. As the Americans continued their conversation, she slipped behind the machinery and towards the back door and pocketed a bottle of pills. She was expecting to get caught, but her small stature allowed her to slip through unnoticed. She was never really quite happy about her size before, but she definitely was grateful for it that day. She gingerly closed the door and then bolted towards the village. She had to leave for America and she had to do it now.

All right! First time I've ever submitted a second chapter! So, I'm hoping to get to more of the story in the third chapter. I also hope you guys are liking the story. Don't be afraid to comment and/or leave a review. :)