Back to Contents
Previous Submission
The atmosphere in the office was cold. Zach sat scowling at the lackies that stood around him. None of them would give him a straight answer, and all kept informing him that he would need to wait for the boss.
The door was opened by two men in matching suits. Through it came a female who was all too familiar to Zach.
"So, you here to give me another lesson?" he asked.
"In a way, yes, Mr Jericho." She turned to those milling around. "Everyone out!"
The room emptied in record time, the people not wanting to incur the wrath of Ms Archibald.
"We were not introduced properly last time, Mr Jericho. My name is Lucinda Archibald, and I own you."
A look of shock flickered across Zach's face for a nanosecond. "Okay, so you can tell me what the fuck has happened here."
"Mr Jericho, okay, just follow me."
She led him from the office, stopping shortly to punch one of the suits to the floor.
"Don't listen in on my conversations. Oh, and you're fired."
She then carried on down the corridor. The suit was dragged off by two security guards.
* * *
The suite was familiar; Zach had been living in one for quite some time now. The young woman in it, though, he had never seen. In all his days here he had not visited this part of the complex, neither had he been allowed to venture outside. He was beginning to think that his time to get out was coming soon.
Ms Archibald looked from Zach to the woman, "Zachary Jericho, meet Amanda Winston."
"Nice to meet you, Miss Winston." He turned to Ms Archibald. "So why are we here? This is not the explanation I was expecting. I thought you were going to tell me about the thing that escaped."
"I am, Mr Jericho, but first I'm going to tell you about Project Atlas."
"I know about Project Atlas, that's me. So why are you telling me things I know?"
At this point Amanda chose to join in the conversation.
"Wait a minute, you say you are Project Atlas?"
"Yes," Zach replied.
"But I thought I was Project Atlas."
"Just calm down a moment," Ms Archibald said. "I think you aren't getting this. You are both part of Project Atlas, as was the thing that escaped last night. His name is Maxwell and he is what Dr Janus would call, 'a mistake.'"
"So you're telling me I'm not the only one you've given this damn genetic stuff to?" Zach was getting annoyed again.
"Yes, that is exactly what I'm telling you. But you should be happy that you came out more or less how the serum was supposed to make you. Maxwell and Amanda here experienced different effects."
Amanda looked a little shocked at this. "What? I thought my improved thinking capacity was the result."
"No, I'm afraid not. This was a purely physical process, or so we thought."
Paul Taylor, 14/06/01
Next Submission
Back to Contents
It's not too late to join in! Check out the author page for instructions!
The page is copyright © 2000, Despot_in_Exile
E-mail: despot_in_exile@yahoo.co.uk
| What's new? | Setting | THE STORY | Characters | Author info | Editors | Front page |