Prologue: An Experiment Gone Wrong
Author: Öshi
"What are you trying to do exactly?" the tiny framed news reporter asked of the man she was following, as she fumbled with the microphone, trying to find a pad and pen in her purse.
Seeing that he was already halfway up the marble steps to the laboratory, she squeaked and quickly followed him up, pushing through the crowd as she shouted out questions to be answered. She stumbled a bit, as a drunkard jumped at her, trying to force a bottle of vodka in her face while muttering something about Superman's defense mechanism.
Narrowing her eyes and shoving him into the other news reporters, she scrambled up the stairs to the scientist as to be the first to figure out what his great experiment would be.
"Doctor, Doctor, please. Let America know just what you are attempting to do here!" she cried as she thrust the microphone in front of his mouth.
The tall, dark-haired man looked at the awaiting crowed and leaned forward to speak. "I can not…reveal any information at this time."
With that, he turned, pulled the large steel door open and entered the spacious laboratory. The newspaper reporter immediately followed.
Once they were alone in the hallway, away from the crowds and cameras, he let out a small chuckle. "So they sent you out on this report, huh?" he asked as he opened another door for her and they stepped into a completely white room.
"Of course they did. Who better to interview the great Scientist Doctor Wyre, than his wife?"
"True, true."
Coming to a third door, he pushed a series of buttons and it lifted up with a hiss and a cloud of smoke. Handing her a white lab coat and goggles, he nodded towards the bright light the room was emitting. "You may want to wear this," he suggested.
"Yes doctor."
She put on the coat, then followed him once again, into another room. This room was different. The walls were lined with fluorescent lighting and there were capsules with specimens suspended in mid-air. Other scientists and assistants skittered about with test tubes and filed reports, preparing everything for the big experiment.
He led her to three capsules, each varying in size. The first, roughly the size of a jam jar, and sporting a small winged creature. The next, was larger, clearly holding a fox in it's contents. The last of the three was the size of a large SUV, its insides dark, and mysterious. The small women could not decipher what was inside.
Doctor Wyre cleared his throat an motioned towards the three capsules. "Fairy, fox, and dragon: the latest fad in pet fashion. Cats, dogs and birds have all been outdated, nobody wants just a playmate anymore. They want bigger, better animals to do more than sit around the house and fetch. That, is exactly why I am here today," he paused to indicate two larger capsules and one smaller one in between,
"As we know, these animals no longer produce sexually. With our modern technology, we have made machines that will reproduce their offspring in a matter of seconds. With the help of our fellow scientists, these animals have lost all instincts to reproduce on their own, hence no overpopulation.
"What I am to do today, is combine, the fairy, with the fox, to create a new species. I would combine dragon and fairy, but their genetic make up is too complicated, and in doing so, we would lose all progress we have made, and all natural instincts would return. The same is true for the fox and the dragon."
"And what do you plan to accomplish by doing this?" she asked.
Stopping to adjust a knob on one of the capsules, he replied simply, "I only wish to create a new species in which all family members can enjoy and keep in the household without hassle."
Mrs. Wyre made a note of that.
"Doctor Wyre!"
The man looked up to one of the higher bridges crossing over to the other side of the lab, where his personal assistant was waving a clip board.
"Everything is ready sir! Begin the procedure as necessary!"
He nodded.
"Stand back Marianne!" he ordered, as he put on a pair of thick white rubber gloves, "Stand up on that ledge there," he added, pointing to a high metal platform above her head.
She did as she was told and got her pad and pencil ready.
Whispering prayers under his breath, he pushed the button to open the fairy capsule, then the fox. Holding the two creatures in hands, he brushed by the other where the dragon hatchling rested. He tripped slightly on a cord, but straightened himself, not noticing the tiny green light that blinked on the dragon's resting area.
He approached the other two capsules, placing the fairy in one and the fox in the other, not closing the doors yet.
"Doctor, what is it you are doing now?" Marianne called from her ledge.
"Now, I am preparing to--" but he was cut off by the hiss of a capsule door, then another, and finally, a third. A small beeping noise followed the hiss, and the laboratory began to shake. Whipping around quickly, he registered something mixed in with the fairy in its container.
"The dragon…" he whispered. "Marianne! Get out of here!"
Everyone looked at him in utter confusion and he was forced to explain. "The reproduction machines are on automatic, nothing can stop it! The dragon is in there!"
It took a while before anyone could register what he was saying, but then, they went into a panicked frenzy, minus a select few who decided to stay and help the scientist.
The lights flickered and the ground shook harder. "The three are not compatible with each other! Get everyone out… now!" but he was too late. There was a small zap and the entire lab went black. Silence filled the room, not a single person breathed, no metal creaked.
"Mark…"
Dr. Wyre silenced his wife with a hand on her mouth. "Don't speak."
There was another moment of apprehensive silence, still nobody dared to move. Then, without warning, there was a loud explosion and glass shattered. Everyone within fifty feet were sprayed with some sort of liquid. There were several screams, but aside from that, as the last piece of glass hit the perfectly tiled floor, everything was silent again.
Dr. Wyre stood up, and looked towards the broken glass although he could see nothing. "Someone get a flashlight! Take a cage and lock it up!" he shouted. Then he lowered his voice, "Get it out of this country…"
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Well, I hope that wasn't a bad prologue. It was short, I know, but Chapter I should be up shortly