The A.R.EX. Project:Transformation
Page 9
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I’m going to learn how to trust you. I don‘t want to distance myself from you, because I know that people being afraid of you will cause you to feel ashamed or even angry at yourself. I just can‘t have my doubts interfere with my work Your thinking is different from ours because of your amnesia, I know that, and that‘s why your so innocent.”
“I don‘t understand. Are you talking to me? Why would you say these things?”
“Excuse me, I was talking to myself, maybe trying to figure you out. This city, in this era, despite holding ties to others, is isolated in certain ways. You can tell the difference between someone from New York City and someone from, let‘s say, in the farmlands of Arkansas. It‘s just one of the reasons why humanity is so divided. You can guess where a person comes from the physical appearance, the language, the spoken accent of that language, the ethnical origins, and the religious or spiritual beliefs. You don‘t have any of those traits, which makes it even harder to figure you out. Nobody on this Earth in this day and age can relate to you in any. Knowing this, it’s going to be really difficult for you go about announcing your existence to the world. And what would happen to you from there is entirely up to fate to decide.”
“Well, everything about life seems complicated now, but I know that I can‘t remain a secret forever. Eventually, people are going to know about me, it‘s only a matter of time. I think it would better to stop Sandlak‘s project if knew about me sooner rather later.”
The female agent, Mika Nomura, intervened.:
“Until then, we have to come together and work out something that will stop Sandlak and hopefully the project. Miss Ryder and Jason will have to come with us to a secret safe house. There, they will be better protected and no one outside of the F.B.I. will know where they are. Unfortunately, with a perfectly legal contract in their hands, there will be no stopping BIOGENCORP from creating even more reptilian soldiers and doing what they want with them. We need more proof.”
A funny sound was heard nearby. It sounded like someone was chocking on something. Every head turned toward Arex, who was coughing. Janiece came over and held his back.
“Are you okay?”
“I can‘t believe that with the file you have and your knowledge of my existence you still don’t have enough evidence to stop another transformation from happening.”
“There are several reasons why we can’t do anything about this. The reason would be that I obtained the file after it was stolen. I’m liable to be prosecuted for theft by receiving. Not only that, but you are Sandlak’s creation. No judge is going to accept your testimony without evidence to back it up. In also couldn’t hurt to find out who you were before your transformation. On top of all of that, there is the possible involvement of the American military. There’s the question of our word going up against theirs. They are the military power of the entire nation. Nobody is going to believe a small group of people it doesn‘t matter if they‘re right.”
“But if they are doing something illegal, or allowing something wrong to be done, shouldn‘t they be stopped?”
“You‘ve been created in the wrong place at the wrong time,” stated Jainece.
“What do you mean?”
“If there‘s one thing people wish to avoid these days, it‘s a scandal. If BIOGENCORP is exposed, then it will create a domino effect where the Pentagon and everyone else higher up in the nation’s political circle will do their best to avoid being caught up with them. For all we know, even the President could be involved in this project. The international reprocutions of the scandal would tear, not only the nation, but the entire world apart. The trick here would be to expose the project and make sure everyone knows what you were sent here for without implicating anybody specific besides Patrick Sandlak.”
“Then let‘s tell everyone. Let‘s make sure that they see that. And maybe even make Sandlak think that I did what I came here for so that he will show himself. He told me that he would come and fine me in the abandoned apartment once he heard about your murder.”
“You mean you think we should stage my death?”
“Yes. What do you think?”
Janiece was suddenly struck with an inspiration. She turned to the two agents.
“Do you think we can do that?”
“It‘s possible,” said Mika Nomura, “we will have to talk to our supervisor, but I think we can pull that plan off.”
Chapter 6
Sunday, November 1st, 1998, 5:30 PM
BIOGENCORP Laboratories
Working for BIOGENCORP started off as a dream for Daisy Carter, but it had quickly turned into a living nightmare. Ever since she got her hands on the file describing the A.R.EX. project, she hadn’t been able to work properly. She had become afraid of the place where she worked. How could she continue her medical research there while keeping in mind that it was really being used as a front to cover up for something bigger, more bizarre, and definitely dangerous. What was the use of trying to find a cure for a life-threatening disease if her employers’ priority is creating giant reptilian monster soldiers for destructive purposes? What made things even worse was the knowledge that the project was being started and implemented down the hall from where she was working. Daisy actually had to walk past the sealed operating chamber whenever she came and went from work. She officially had enough, it was time for her to look for another job, one that didn’t involve genetic manipulation…or corruption.
She was just over halfway through her shift, when she was told by one of her colleagues that someone wanted to talk to her over the phone. It was her husband on the other end of the line.
“Paul! Hey baby, how are you doing?”
“I‘d like to warn you about something. Pack up your things once you get back. You‘re out of here.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you‘re going to Florida with me for the next week, maybe even two.”
Daisy laughed with incredible relief. This was the first bit of good news she‘d heard in a long time. She felt so lucky to have a husband who was willing to plan a surprise trip to her favorite state behind her back. She was excited at the prospect of relaxing for a few days with him and leaving this god-forsaken company behind for good.
“It‘s high time for you to quit,” said Paul, “Get into a violent fight, steal a beaker full of chemicals, I don‘t care, as long as you get fired without going to jail. Just get yourself out of there, now.”
“Okay, hold on. Let me ask a supervisor for a leave of absence. I‘ll see you tonight anyway. I love you.”
Daisy hung up, a heavy weight having been lifted from her shoulders. All she figured she had to do now, was to tell a supervisor that her husband had won a contest that got them a trip to Florida on very short notice. Since she didn’t use up any of her vacation days, she figure she could obtain a leave of absence for a good while. Her only hope, though, was that Paul hadn’t bought them the plane tickets just yet.
“That sounded like a happy and romantic conversation.”
Stunned, Daisy turned around to see Patrick Sandlak standing at the doorway. She had only seen him twice before, and was told that everyone referred to him as the “Chief”. She knew that he was leading most of the important projects, which also meant that he was probably heading the A.R.EX. project. That fact made Daisy less than comfortable around him. She also couldn’t help but flinch at the sight of the awful scars that marked his face, which gave him a sinister look, despite the seemingly mild disposition that could be seen from his face.
“I‘m sorry,” he said, “I didn‘t mean to scare you. I couldn‘t help but overhearing your phone chat with someone. Who was that, by the way?”
“That was my husband. He won a contest for a trip to Florida, and he wants to take me with him.”
“Oh? And when is this trip to take place?”
“Three days from now. It‘s such short notice, so I doubt I‘ll be able to go.”
&nb
sp; She knew it was a terrible lie, but it was the only strategy she had to get a leave from work. Besides, she was pretty sure she could put together a letter of resignation by the time she left.
“Well, I don‘t see why you shouldn‘t go,” Sandlak replied, “Unless, of course you‘ve taken your vacation time, already.”
Daisy’s eyes lit up.
“Don‘t worry, I haven‘t. Thank you very much, Chief.”
“No problem. Just don‘t forget to send me a postcard.”
Even tough she had just had a normal conversation with the Chief, Daisy was glad to be rid of him, even though she still had three hours to go in her shift. It was also unsettling to know that Sandlak heard her exchange with her husband. Now she knew she had to leave at all costs.
She finished her shift without any further incident. Daisy felt a little more at ease at that point. The anticipation of leaving left her feeling like she could smell the aroma of her home already. She put her stuff together quickly enough, and headed out taking one last passing glance at the chamber as she neared the stairs. A sound caught her attention as she turned away. It was a muffled noise, perhaps a metallic clang. She had checked the duty roster this morning, so she knew that no one else was supposed to be on the third floor at the time. She pressed her ear against every other doorway nearby and listened for the sound again. The entire corridor was silent. Comforted by the thought that it was probably just her imagination and paranoia playing a nasty trick on her, she drove out of the building through the underground parking.
* * *
Daisy was flustered. She had forgotten her mobile phone, and it took her 15 minutes after she had left to realize it. She really didn’t want to go back there, but it was essential that she not have someone from the company find her phone and call her to return it to her, or even worse, just steal it.
The only people left in the building at that point were the night shift guard, who sat at the lobby, and the custodian. Daisy made her way through the darkened corridor, and entered her office.
She opened the light of her laboratory, and searched her desk and the surrounding area thoroughly. Despite her best efforts, though, she couldn’t find her phone anywhere.
“Looking for this?”
Daisy froze. The voice had come from behind her. It sounded somewhat familiar, but it sounded strange because it had a raspy quality to it that made it unrecognizable. It sounded as if someone had taken a rusty cheese grater and rubbed it against the inside of his throat.
Daisy slowly turned around, and found herself facing a monster. It was one of those reptile soldier things, a black-skinned being with yellow slashes across its hide. Pepper hair had grown in an unkempt mane on the top and back of its head.
The thing held her cell phone in its left hand. The phone had been turned on and a phone call had been placed to Janiece. Daisy could hear her voice calling out to her.:
“Hello? Daisy? Where are you?”
The reptile snarled, growling the name “Janiece Ryder. It’s interesting how you know her.”
Before Daisy could act, she was taken and thrown against the wall. As she recovered, she tried calling for help, but the thing was too fast for her. Her screams were immediately drowned out…in her own blood. Her attacker had slit her throat open with its bare claws.
Her hand went to her open throat. Blood was spilling uncontrollably. Daisy soon felt weak as she stumbled on her knees. All the while, she heard Janiece screaming her name, wondering what had happened.
Her attacker grabbed her throat, closing its hand on her wound and putting pressure on it, strangling her. It was clearly trying to prolong her suffering. She felt her life leaving her, her energy gone. All she could do was stare at the monster as it held the phone to the side of its head and said.:
“Beware, because you‘re next.”
As Daisy’s body went limp and lifeless, her attacker dropped her phone and crushed it with its bare foot.
* * *
Janiece was shocked as her line with Daisy went dead. Her best friend had just been attacked and was now surely dead. Everybody else was standing in her living room waiting to know what had happened.
“She‘s dead, I think,” she said after a few seconds, “She was attacked while she was trying to call me.”
Arex looked at her intently.
“Did she tell you who it was?”
“I don’t know who it was, but I heard his voice. It was another A.R.EX. soldier, I‘m sure of it.”
The voice. It had a raspy quality to it, like Arex, but it lacked Arex’s gentler tone of voice. Daisy’s killer had a harsh, brutal voice.
“He said I was next. He‘s coming after me.”
“That can only mean one thing,” said Mike Scatchard the male FBI agent, “it means that Chief Sandlak might be coming along quite nicely with his massive science project. We‘ve already run out of time, and we just can‘t catch up to him.”
“Wait,” said Arex, “how wouldn’t he wait for me to get back? And furthermore, wouldn‘t he attract attention by creating another reptile? And now what will happen to the plan to draw him out?”
“We have to go on as we planned,” said Agent Scatchard, “He knows that the law is on his side, but not for long, looking at what just happened to one of his employees. We‘re not supposed to know she‘s dead, so we proceed as planned without looking for miss Carter‘s body until after Sandlak is in custody. Then, after he is interrogated, we can search BIOGENCORP for the body and any other evidence we may find to incriminate Sandlak and any accomplices he might have.”
“What about Janiece? Her life is in danger, now.”
“We will put her in the F.B.I.‘s witness protection program. She will have to come with us to a safe house and live there until we apprehend Sandlak. Our supervisor will arrive shortly. It’s important that we set everything up just right.”
* * *
7:00 PM
Janiece Ryder’s apartment
Corey Rodgers couldn’t believe his eyes when he first saw Arex. He also couldn’t believe that a talking reptile could hold its own in a normal conversation, or actually seem just as intelligent as any human being. He liked Arex right away, despite being a little afraid of him at first.
He thought Agent Nomura had lost her mind when she told him what had happened earlier on. He wanted her to use force and apprehend the giant reptile at all costs. He realized now that it could have been a huge mistake.
His agents had credited Arex with the idea of drawing Patrick Sandlak out. It had merit, although it was possible that it could backfire now that it was likely Sandlak knew Arex wasn’t going to kill Janiece Ryder.
Another cloud over all of their heads was the death of Daisy Carter, Janiece’s best friend and the one responsible for getting them the A.R.EX. project file in the first place.
Rodgers had begun to set up a news broadcast of Janiece’s death. He would, however, keep the circumstances of her death from the media. The newscast would run for two days starting at ten o’clock the same evening. He hoped it would get Sandlak’s attention and that he would come to the abandoned apartment building to pick up as was originally planned. Once that happened, he would arrested and interrogated. It was instrumental that Sandlak be taken into custody, because he was their only link to finding out more about the project.
As for Janiece and Jason Meyers, they would be escorted to a safe house until the dust settled.
* * *
1 hour later,
Safe house, New York State
Janiece was escorted to the safe house a couple of hours before the news story of her death was set to broadcast. The place was large, a two-story house, but the lack of open windows made it feel very closed off. She was told that agents were always going to be there on watch. Nobody would be able to come in or out of there without the agents knowing about it. They were monitoring everything happening inside and around the perimeter of the building with security cameras set up at every access point.
There was also a new problem coming up: Mika Nomura had told her privately that Patrick Sandlak was the one who had extradited Rick Meyers and brought him to Albany as an A.R.EX. “volunteer” Jason’s father was unknowingly awaiting a transformation into a talking killer reptile. For all she knew, it had probably already happened, and he was awaiting his first task as an A.R.EX. soldier.
All the while, Jason was worried about Arex‘s well-being.
“Do you think he‘s going to be okay?”
“Of course, sweetie. You‘ve seen him, he can definitely take care of himself if he needs to. He‘s tougher than even he knows.”
“I hope so. He‘s a really cool guy.”
“He‘s really brave,” Janiece agreed, “he doesn‘t know it, but we owe him our lives. It‘s too bad he probably thinks he‘s the one who put them in danger.”
It made her wonder what would happen to him after this mess was over. Would he be sent to prison and serve his former self‘s sentence? What if he wasn’t? Would he actually be able to be integrated into society, a society which can hold a lot of prejudice towards people who don’t fit in what was considered the norm?
In that sense, she felt a connection with Arex. It was a challenge for her to get to where she was, not only because of her gender, but also because she was African-American. She had to climb her way out of the preconceptions and into her current position. The only thing she could do now, was wait and gauge the public’s reaction toward Arex‘s existence, and hope it would be a favorable one.
* * *