Lab 23

Lissa had followed quietly and closed her eyes. She was like a cat a stray cat and so dazzled by everything. Her coat had pretty drawings on and she looked more like a student then a scientist. As she watched him enter codes she nodded looking at it amused almost. "You'd think it would take a genious to crack it." she murmered dreamily but she knew that given the right equipment and knowing the right things... Someone could do it. That someone was not her. Not at all. She doubted anyone here was smart enough to crack the security but then again she knew there were odd ways. She grabbed the hand wash and the gloves but wore the mask round her neck and took a chair in a corner putting her feet on a desk watching intently as if it was a reality program.

The subject was young and she pouted a little but didnt protest. His hair was long and she muttered. "Looks like a hippie if you ask me" Under her breath smiling again and her hair in pigtails so she could observe. Mikhail was very bossy and she laughed a little as he took the vial. It was purple. Such a pretty colour for something so ... leathal.... It was odd she thought that because she had no idea what it was she was just assuming because it was Mikhail that it was something sadistic like that. Probbally something to keep the subject under control as things did tend to lash out when given the space. She looked around distracted by the lighting again and then watched a piece of wiring move and jostle about. Her heart started to race and she giggled a little too loudly looking up and realising that the subject now couldn't move. "Paralised" She whispered to herself. None of the other scientists had stood near her as they knew that she had the habit of muttering to herself or daydreaming she looked at the others and saw they were watching intently. She didnt need to she got the picture and she frowned. they're kids... they use DNA from aliens on kids... . even if they were abandoned with no hope, how will this help them.. She closed her eyes and bit her lip. She wouldnt let her personal feelings get in the way of her job. The scanner appeared. It was a good piece of equipment but Lissa's favourite part was the lights. "Ooooh..." Following it carefully she stalked the light with her eyes and looked back up at Mikhail. He scared her a little but she never showed it always putting on a strong face. Strong and friendly.

The next thing to catch the little dreamers eye was the scientist that decided to kick up a fuss. A little groan came from Lissa and she rolled her eyes. She knew that Mikhail wasn't to be questioned. She glared (which she didnt do often) at the one who had spoken out of turn and looked away again at some other piece of equipment. Every nut and bolt intriegied her like a castle made for a princess this lab was made for Mikhail.
When Mikhail drew blood from the other scientist Lissa squirmed uncomfortably putting her hand over her mouth. An odd feeling had clouded her and she looked at Mikhail survying him once and knew that he had had the idea she had believed him to possess.

The other scientist was furious almost paniking she'd say. She wanted to get up and clap and tell the man to blow fire like a dragon but she kept quiet clearly impressed that her boss was so prepared and so calm. It was an admirable factor even if he was purely insane but she wasnt going to question it as it wasn't her place and she would like to sleep safely. The scientist wised up quickly though and retreated while looking increidbly stunned Poor fella she eyed him then turned back to Mikhail looking at his height. I've always wanted an elf friend she giggled again and clamped her hand other her mouth wide eyed in shock. She knew it wasnt professonal to mix her fantasy with the real life but it was diffcult considering how long she'd lived in a made up land. With nowhere else to go she had created it to stay safe and forgotten about reality for years until she joined fate.

The tourtuing of the ... thing began and she shut her eyes covering her ears pulling herself closer to herself withdrawing further and further away into the childlike dream. If Mikhail yelled an order at her she wouldnt of heard. She couldnt hear anything she was just frozen there knowing the end of that story already and flinging herself into the world where Mikhail was a nice little pixie willing to help her find her way. Reality... Had lost Lizzie again as she refused to watch him create his sadistic fun again. Sometimes one wonders why she is so loyal to Fate.

Mikhail sat with a leg crossed, watching Andrei with an almost impatient look on his face. It had been nearly seven minutes, and he was still in terrible pain, the tears hadn't stopped yet, if anything they had gotten worse, the only way to compensate for Andrei's lack of being able to express the pain, Mikhail guessed. However, the average time it took for Mikhail's self-made mixture to do it's job was about five minutes. Usually the pain would spike at about the three minute mark, and then slowly decline, but it was only just now spiking for Andrei. This annoyed Mikhail, who had been hoping to be able to move on already to the more 'hands-on' tests. However, the fact that Andrei had lasted this long was something intrigueing. Anyone that lasted five minutes and forty-three seconds had forty percent Alien DNA, and only sixty percent Human DNA. The Alien ratio would slowly rise the longer the Subject was affected, which meant that right now, Mikhail looked at his watch, then quickly executed a series of mathematical formulae in his head, Subject #9001 has forty-seven percent Alien DNA, and only fifty-three percent Human.

Somewhere down the road, Andrei could prove an interesting test subject again, particularly as far as pushing a Subject to the fifty percent mark. According to many theories and experimental formulas, a perfect fifty percent hybrid would be... Mikhail moved past those thoughts, realizing that Andrei's pain had seemed to stop. The tears were still running down his face, but now, his nerve endings and body's cells were no longer under attack. The only thing Subject #9001 could feel now was a dull throbbing, everywhere in his body. "Well, now we can finally move on!" Mikhail declared, as if accusing Andrei of being the one at fault for it taking so long. Mikhail stood, looking at the group of scientists and Lissa, sitting in a chair, eyes shut and ears covered, well, he had seen her doing stranger things. "One of you, go to the supply room and fetch me a kit labeled SS-23." He pointed to the room across the second bridge. "Ah, wait. Maybe two of you should go and get it." He remembered how large the Surgical Supply kits for Lab 23 were.

While his two lackeys were busy doing that, Mikhail leaned over Andrei again, a cold expression on his face, and he removed his surgical mask to reveal his sick grin. "Any complaints? Aches or pains?" All Andrei could even do was narrow his eyes at the mad scientist, pushing more tears out of them. "Good! Wouldn't be much fun if you were enjoying yourself!" Mikhail was genuinely excited now. He always was during this part of the primary testing. The two scientists that were sent to get the SS-23 kit were barely managing to carry it together across the bridge from the supply room. "Hurry up, hurry up." Mikhail droned, "Anyone that wants to see the next phase needs to come here, onto the central platform, now."

Mikhail waited impatiently for everyone to come onto the platform, and then went over to his computer and typed in a command. A tremor coursed through the entire platform, causing many of the scientists to stumble and one of them nearly fell down into the black hole that surrounded the platform. Panels of glass rose up from the edges of the platform, and connected to the edges of the heavy piece of machinery that hung above. The central platform was now completely enclosed. The same female automated voice from earlier came buzzing back to life. "Sterilization; commencing." From both the floor and the machine hanging overhead, a white vapor filled the glass room, completely cleansing the room. "Sterilization; complete." A panel in the floor at the the foot of the expermintation table opened up, and a strange piece of machinery with several arms rose up out of the floor, towering over Andrei, staring at it through his still-wet eyes.

"I bet you're wondering what that is, 9001." Mikhail spoke loudly, drawing all attention to him, his surgical mask back on his face and eyes glinting brightly. "It's called the Zaytsev, named after a Soviet World War II Sniper, Vasily Zaytsev." Mikhail walked over beside the machine, standing nearly twice his height. "Zaytsev is a robot, particularly, a surgical robot. It can perform any type of surgery imaginable, from laser to cosmetic, at pinpoint accuracy, hence the Sniper name." Mikhail let it sink in for a moment, looking around at the other scientists. Having a surgical robot, he never actually needed anyone's help, and there was a drone he could have sent to retrieve the SS-23 kit. But he liked to order them around. "Zaytsev was developed by an old colleague of mine, meant to completely take away the need for human surgeons. My old colleague is dead now." The last sentence was cold and callous, but Andrei didn't notice. He felt a small pang of relief, at least that madman wouldn't be tearing his insides apart. Whatever he was looking for in Andrei's body, the robot could find without a problem, and without causing unnecessary pain.

Maybe Mikhail noticed the look of relief on Andrei's face, or maybe not. Either way, he continued, in his cold tone "We won't be using Zaytsev." Mikhail stood over Andrei, "I'll be doing it myself." What, exactly, was still a mystery to everyone in the room, and the thought scared Andrei even more. "Set down the SS-23 kit right here." Andrei commanded the two scientists, sweating from the exertion. They set it next to the experimentation table, and Mikhail went and leaned against it. "Today, you will all be witnessing a laparotomy, on the entire ventral cavity, in order to visually check on the status of Subject 9001's internal organs. Let's hope we all have strong stomachs." Mikhail smirked deviously under his mask. Andrei's eyes were tightly shut, trying not to panic, hoping he would wake up from this.

Mikhail rolled up the sleeves on his labcoat, then ordered, "Someone remove his shirt." Mikhail simply watched as it was done, and then demanded, "Scalpel!" his hand outstretched to his right, looking at nothing other than Andrei. A scalpel was in his hand in seconds, and then it was on Andrei's chest. His eyes fluttered open, and he looked down in horror at the blade against his skin. Mikhail wasn't even going to put him out beforehand. The scalpel held gently against Andrei's skin, Mikhail pushed down, easily cutting into Subject 9001's linea alba, the small bit of connective tissue that holds together the left and right sides of the chest and the rectus abdominis muscles, more commonly called the 'six-pack'. Mikhail slid the scalpel down Andrei's body, down to just below his umbilicus(belly button), and then pulled the scalpel away, making another incision at the bottom of the first, horizontally this time. Now, Mikhail would be able to pull the entire abdominal section apart, and look directly in on the still conscious Subject 9001's internal organs.

The monitors showed how irregular Andrei's heart and breathing rates were, as well as the sporadic readings of his brain. But no one was looking at the monitors now, Mikhail had peeled back the two halves of Andrei's abdomen, and the scientists could see everything from just under his chest below. One of them almost immediately vomitted, covering his mouth and then diving for a trash can next to Andrei's desk, emptying the contents of his stomach into it. "What, already?" Mikhail sneered at the scientist's weakness. He looked back down at Andrei below him, still conscious, looking down, wide-eyed, at his wide open abdominal cavity. "Still awake? I'm surprised." Mikhail chuckled to himself, then continued with his work. All flesh and muscle was now out of the way, but in order to see the heart and lungs, the thoracic cavity, then the thoracic wall would have to be removed. The thoracic wall consisted of the flesh, skin and muscle above the rib cage, but now there was the fascia, a layer of fibrous tissue surrounding the rib cage like plastic wrap. It was a pallid yellowish color, in contrast to the red, fleshy colors of the organs in Andrei's abdomen. Quite simply, Mikhail slid his scalpel down Andrei's ribcage, then managed to pull of the sinewy substance.

"And... there." Mikhail backed away, a small streak of blood on his surgical mask, scalpel in hand, looking as if he were observing a work of art. Andrei lay there, breathing heavily, eyes looking around wildly in hopes of being saved, or at least being knocked unconscious. The entire front of his body no longer had any skin, muscle, flesh or tissue covering it. The rhythmic pulse of Andrei's lower organs in conflict with the wild up and down of his lungs, underneath the ribcage, seeming to just bend like it was made of rubber bands with his breaths. His heart, visible only from the side, being covered by a thick layer of tissue and the xiphoid process, the bone that the ribs connect to on the chest, beat randomly and at an impossibly high speed. His organs were glistening in the light that shone down from directly above, a slick of blood beginning to cover them all.

"Is this really necessary?" One of the scientists finally protested.

"Yes, it damn well is." Mikhail turned around rapidly, to reveal the streak of blood on his mask, holding the scalpel up high behind him. A small amount of sweat was on his forehead, his hair was a mess. His tone was low and dark, "Is there a problem?"

"N-no." The scientist stammered, backing away into the glass wall.

Mikhail turned back to Andrei, like nothing had happened, then shouted, "Swab!" One of the scientists got him a surgical rag, and placed it in his free hand. Mikhail put it down on Andrei's lower organs, in order to wipe away the blood that was building up on top of them. As soon as the rag touched him, Andrei shuddered, even through the paralysis, and passed out. "Surprising he lasted so long without anesthetics." Mikhail noted aloud, and then wiped down everything, then examined everything closely.

After a few moments, he pushed himself away from the table, set down the scalpel and rag, pulled off his mask and gloves, and said, "All done. Someone stitch him up. Everything's in the kit." He had done the part that interested him, and he was done now. Subject #9001, after recovery, would have to have his abilities tested, and then use in the field would be authorized. Subject #0000 had already had all the previous testing done, while he was unconscious, so the both of them only needed abilities testing and documentization. Mikhail recorded everything onto his personal computer while some other scientist handled putting Andrei back together.

Lissa opened her eyes when she had realised she had been humming loudly. A couple of people had glanced at her and stepped further away. She looked at the test subject and spread her feet out further glad she'd picked shorts today so that she was able to be comfortable instead of some skirt. Lissa smiled to herself. This is serious buissness Liss serious buissness she playfully scolded herself and then continued to watch with a pained expression.

As mikhail pushed the poor subject getting excited when he couldn't talk and she grimaced. Disgusted by it. Without knowing she said. Loud enough for Mikhail to hear at least. "Try telling him that when he can move. Mikhail... " She addressed him by his first name now. "He's strong." And she laughed shaking her head. Not caring what he said about it later seeing as she was 100 per cent loyal to him and the company.

She stayed where she was instead of following him onto the centre platform. It was like a throne room but with experiments and no where near as pretty. Flowers, Thats what it needs... flowers She started to she all the sceintists wearing flowers and she began to draw on the desk a floral design so abstract that it was odd like her. Lissa however whacked out she was with her fantasies and drawings. could hear the sterilization process and grimaced some more her stomach turning and taking another unwanted leap. She shut her mouth before she talked again. She liked to see the subject as a bird and the sterilization as a bird bath but she knew that was just a cloud in her mind.

The robot that Mikhail never really used was introduced to the subject again and Lissa knew false hope was being planted. She stood up and walked over her mask still round her neck and she had discarded her gloves. Her arms looped round some bars and she watched from there her eyes weak and her face pale. She was a little queasy as Mikhail started to remove the skin and she could see the insides. The maze was almost laid out on the table and she closed her eyes taking some breaths. A scientist emptied their guts into a bin and Another scientist asked the question wether it was nessercary and then Mikhail had said that it was. "Stop it! Just stop with the big talk!" She dashed out and sat agaisnt a wall outside surprised at her boldness she was shaking and her head was in her hands. She wasn't queasy because of the blood. Orges and orcs died all the time but it was more Mikhails attitude towards it all. It was too much to watch him belittle everyone. "He's one angry Elf today... "

Fate ~ Mikhail

After Andrei had been stitched up and everything was back inside where it belonged, Mikhail punched a command into the computer and lowered the glass pannels. Still sitting on his chair he swiveled around to look at the scientists, taking off the surgical mask and gloves to reveal a faint smile. He wasn't one to show his smiles at the scientists, but he was almost pleased with the results for 9001, all that was left to do was the ability testing, then perhaps, in time, he could become what Mikhail was aiming to achieve. A perfect hybrid of Alien and Human DNA, 50% either side. He had gotten up to 47% today, it would be risky to inject him with more Alien DNA or the red substance, but it was a give or take situation. If he went over the 50% mark, he'd end up like all the other 'Viruses', which wasn't a good thing. "Carry him to Recovery Room 5." he turned back to the computer, leaning on his hands, deep in thought about how the experiment went. 9001 was promising, that was for sure, but risky, ah well, he always had that other one, 0249. He remembered giving Dr. Harker orders to inject her brain with the DNA. He would have to check how that went later.

"How do you expect us to carry him?!" one of the scientists was protesting again, Mikhail turned once again on his chair, it was always the same one. Hadn't he learnt by now? Mikhail would have to deal with him later, it was obvious he was being defiant and very disruptive. He could however be a good test subject for something Mikhail had been working on.

"With your arms" Mikhail just shrugged at the scientist's question, was it not obvious how you pick someone up and carry them? Obviously this scientist wasn't the most smartest one out of the bunch. Lucky for him, the other four had all picked up 9001 and were carrying him above their heads and back down the bridge. The scientist turned to start walking away when Mikhail stopped him. "What was your name again?"

The scientist turned and glared at Mikhail, hadn't he already told him his name just under an hour ago? "Koray Porter" he snapped at Mikhail, just glaring at him, he wasn't happy with the way things had planed out earlier. Being injected with Andrei's blood, he wasn't scared of Mikhail like the others were. "I'm not intimidated by you. I don't care what you try and do to me. It won't scare me."

Mikhail smiled cheerfully, jumping up from his chair and clasping his hands together. He walked over to the scientist, now his smile had become sinister and rather threatening. "Then you won't mind joining me later? If you come to my office in an hours time we can talk this whole mess over." he walked around the scientist who just continued to glare at him, seemingly unphased by the whole conversation, but on the inside he worried slightly. "Coming?" Mikhail called cheerily back to the scientist who was still on the bridge. He mumbled something to himself before walking past Mikahail and out of the lab, Mikhail stalking him close behind. He turned before he had left and called out. "Computer, shut down." the lights switched off suddenly and the lab was once again in darkness. It was obvious that you couldn't find you way in that darkness and would probably fall over the bridge and down into the seemingly abyss below. As he past the scientist and the security gates, the doors would shut and lock behind him. He gave a smile to the scientist and continued off down the hallway to lab 17, to check on the status of subject #2049. He hadn't noticed Lissa at the entrance of lab 23, or perhaps he did but just didn't want to say anything to her.

Andrei was taken to recovery room 5, which was all too close to lab 17, it was obvious Mikhail planed that, after he was done with 2049, he would pay a little visit to 9001. Mikhail hoped that in a few hours time, he would be able to get the ability testing results for 0000 and 9001, maybe he should change 0000's number, if he was now active. But no, that would just cause more work for Mikhail, he'd have to learn his number all over again.

He walked inside lab 17 and announced his presence by speaking louder than normal. "What is the process on Subject 2049?" he was directing the question to anyone, however his eyes kept on the unconscious girl on the examination table.