Chapter 40: At Wit's End
Doctor Kaiser leans on the wall with his arms crossed as his predator-like eyes leered through his glasses at the files that lay on the table. Another scientist nervously fiddles with her notes, fearing that Nigel will snap her head off the very second she opens her mouth, while Keith clinks around with his old butterfly knife, completely calm and collected.
Nigel paces around the room, his eyes full of silent rage as he glances at the surveillance screens. Brimming with frustration and anger, each sight of Adam turning in his sleep, or Merrick looming in his tank, brings him nothing but white-hot fury.
"Well," Kaiser said softly, "This is getting us nowhere."
"..." Nigel stopped in his tracks as he looked at the various X-Rays, "And what do you suggest we do, Kaiser?"
"I believe we are up a creek without a with these young men," The doctor said, "Maybe it is time to begin the hunt anew? Perhaps we should question Mr Bryant's bedfellows."
"Don't you think I've thought about that?" Nigel said, "From what I've done with Adam, I'm at my limits on any further conduct. I'm facing enough noise as it is, with Miss Conally constantly nagging me."
"What about Miss Pink then?" Keith said, referring to the very few files that they have on Belinda – which consists of nothing more than a written profile and a few photographs.
"Haven't you been listening, Keith?" Nigel growled, "If I pull another abduction like with Adam, I'm finished. If that woman turns out to be a citizen, that's it."
"What if she ain't?" Keith said, "S'ppose she a mermaid. Wouldn't that be progress?"
"And what if she's not?" Nigel said, "Get it through that thick skull of yours – I am on thin ice."
"How bout this," Keith continued, "I go to the pier we spotted her at. I get a cup of water. I throw it in her face. She changes, we take her in," Keith stated. "What do ya think?"
"I think you need to keep your goddamn mouth shut." Nigel replied.
"Hey, just tryin to help here."
"Hmph."
"Um..." Said the meek scientist, who barely has worked up the nerve to utter a single sound, "What if we tried the Water Torture with him?" Nigel turned to her, giving her an evil gaze of death, "A-Adam, I mean..." She shook as his eyes reduced her to a meager mouse.
"The Water Torture." Nigel turned his attention to the girl, "After spending 10 hours of it on the merman, only for him to sneer at my face, you want to try that on his boyfriend." He walked up to her, towering in rage over the young scientist.
"I-It's just..." Taking a bold move, the female spoke on, "You haven't done anything more since you had him paralyzed... Sir."
"Are you really going to sit there in your seat," Nigel began as his arm began to rise, "And tell me how to run my detainees, you little, useless, simpering-" His arm backed up, and thrust at the quivering scientist.
KHH!
Nigel's wrist is grabbed by a rubber-gloved hand, belonging to Dr Kaiser. Nigel's eyes of rage stared right into Kaiser's dead gaze.
"Nigel, say and do whatever you want to anything else," Kaiser said very softly, "But I will not have my protégés harmed out of aggression" Those glazed eyes narrowed, "Not even by your hand." Nigel yanked his hand away. He turned around, and threw a chair from across the room. The scientist eeped as she observed the mild violence. "Jessica, why don't you go to the labs, and see if they have anything for us."
Without saying another word, she dashed out of the office. Keith snickered at the mere drama of the moment.
"Now really, Nigel," Kaiser said, "She was only trying to sort out your-"
"Then she should have come up with a better answer!!!" Nigel yelled, "What in the hell were you bringing a fledgling like HER for anyway?!"
"You ordered me to come in here, and I was still in the process of setting up shop. It was her turn to sort the files, and you know I can't leave anything unlocked and vulnerable."
"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!!" Nigel roared.
"Hey hey," Keith said, "Take it easy, bossman."
"And you shut your goddamn hole!" Nigel said as he pointed, "You're lucky I even keep you around, if it weren't for your efficiency."
"Pfff," Keith shrugged, "You wanna tell me why you're all bent outta shape? Last I heard, havin the Fagfish's personal ass-fucker was gonna make things easier."
"It was!" Nigel retorted, "We've pumped him with enough Sodium Pentothal to get his whole goddamn life story!!! Yet he hasn't even given a slightest bit of anything I'm inquiring!"
"Oook?" Keith said.
"You're such a goddamn idiot!" Nigel threw up his arms and walked away.
"Sodium Pentothal," Kaiser said, turning to Keith, "Otherwise known as 'Truth Serum', is a drug that basically makes someone talkative, and utterly honest – the idea is to make them high in a way where they openly talk just about anything."
"Now see, that's MY kinda language!" Keith commented as Nigel shook his head, "So what's the problem?"
"We've administered 50ml of the Truth Serum into Adam's blood stream – that's five small bottles a little bigger than a shot glass," Kaiser continued, "And not only is it not having the desired results, but he shows absolutely no behavioral effects from the injections. We may as well have injected him with his vaccinations while we were at it."
"Well, this is all news to me." Keith said.
"Usually, I'd be very fascinated to examine as to how a living human being could have such immunity," Kaiser turned his head to Nigel, "Were someone would give me some time to do my work my way."
"Don't start with me, Kaiser." Nigel snarled.
*KSSSH* "=Dr Kaiser?=" Came a voice on the doctor's walkie. He picked it up, and held it to his mouth.
"Yes? What is it?"
"=We may have found something interesting about Mr Bryant's blood.="
"Very well. We'll be there presently." Dr Kaiser put back his communicator, and gestured for Nigel, "Shall we?"
~~~
Nigel and Kaiser entered the lab, where the other scientists were at work. They walked to one in particular, who has a sample of Adam's blood.
"First few times, I thought I had accidentally been studying the merman's blood. However, it's Adam's blood, and these are still the results."
"How do you mean?"
"Well, I've studied his blood, and introduced it to a drop of the Sodium Pentothal, as well as a few other compounds." Nigel looked into the microscope, "Just like with the merman, Adam's blood seems to defuse any foreign substances that are injected right into the bloodstream." The enzymes of the blood eat away at the tiny drop of serum on the small glass slate, "It's broken down into useless proteins within minutes, sir."
"So what are you saying?" Nigel asked, "He has fish blood now?"
"N-No, it's still human blood. But it has astounding immunity over most of the chemicals I've put into it." The scientist said, "I think it also worth mentioning that the previous paralysis victim needed over 24 hours to recover, while Adam here showed signs of trembling within 90 minutes, and he was able to move his arms within 3 hours after that."
"My, that IS impressive." Kaiser commented, "To have such an interesting biology..." He turned to Nigel, who really looked at a loss for words, "So what do you propose next, Nigel? If chemical warfare is not going to work, what can we do?"
"..." Heavy with frustration, Nigel's fists clenched, "I stopped playing nice a long time ago..." He muttered. He straightened up, and turned to Kaiser, "Now the gloves are officially off..."
~~~
Jacob's pencil shook slightly as he had paused in drawing the possible compounds of Merrick's tears. It's such a strange and wonderful substance, but he can't even enjoy the thrill of breaking down and developing on it from what's been going on. He's so close to forming a new chemical from it. Just a few hypotheses away from discovering a new possible element!
"..." He sighed as he put down the pencil. He still has trouble sleeping. Merrick's muffled cries and screams are still resonating inside his head. He can still remember seeing the helpless aquatic creature as his colleagues crowded around him, cutting, plucking, and skinning him bit by bit.
"I can't..." Jacob muttered. He can't think right now. Hell, he doesn't even think he can continue this work anymore...
He got up, and walked away from the table, shaking his head as he went.
~~~
"Nnngh!" Adam grunted as his arms were strapped down with thick, wide belts, along with his legs, ankles, and over his torso, "What are you doing now?!" He demanded as they even bound his head to the table. A masked doctor takes a needle pilled with muscle relaxant, and lines it up to Adam's arm. He grunts in pain as the needle pushes through his skin, and injects the chemical.
"I am getting sick and tired of all this drama, Mr Bryant," Nigel said as he came in. Adam looked up at him, from his awkward position on the table, "Since neither of you will cooperate, I have to resort to drastic measures."
"Please, just let us go!" Adam begged, "Haven't you done enough to us?!"
"No." Nigel answered, "I will never have done enough until I get the answers I need."
"You're wasting your time!" Adam said, "You're killing us for nothing!!"
"I wouldn't have to be killing you two if you would just help an old man achieve a dream in jeopardy." He calmly said.
"So sorry I'm late." Kaiser said as he brought in some old-fashioned looking equipment. Adam looked as best he can, his stomach feeling like its about to be sick.
"What's that??"
"You know, when I was a young man – younger than yourself, I might add," Kaiser said, "I was working at one of those Ex-Gay Ministries. Mother insisted." He said. Adam looked with terror into those glasses, "Oh, not that I really believe that homosexuality is a sin – frankly, I couldn't care less. It was just some of the methods they used – call me dark, but half the time, I had to keep myself from laughing at all of the staff's idiotic idealism. Those self-righteous fools all came across like clowns to me.
"In particular, I was fascinated by a rather nasty old treatment of theirs..." He said as he stroked the box next to him, "They believed that homosexuality can be cured through the administration of Electro-Shock Therapy..." Under his paper mask, Kaiser was grinning, "Once again, I don't care one way or the other over the subject of homosexuality, but just the sheer science of it. It always bothered me how such lunatics could be allowed to wield such magnificent equipment..." He giggled very lowly, "I was eventually fired because I was caught making a dead frog move again using the tech. Hahaha, the way they ranted and raged at me was so hilarious..."
TCK. The device buzzed quietly into life, priming up for use.
