Chapter 15 The Lab Experiment

Dr. Frank escorted William into the big science laboratory. He made him wear a clinical mask over his face before entering. Inside the laboratory was buzzing with lots of activities. Many workers moved about from one building into another, wearing long white lab coat and a nose mask.

“Right this way, sir.” Frank led him into a room labelled ‘special project’.

They came upon an electric door, and Frank slid a card through it. The lock clicked. Then he raised a hand to push the door open. They entered into a smaller room filled with dim light. At the centre of the room was a clinical bed, and on it lie a lady who was fast asleep. Two doctors flanked her, scrutinizing her body behind large goggles.

“I take it this is Mrs. Eulich?” William whispered to Frank from behind.

“Yes.” he affirmed. “And as you can see, we are keeping her under closed medical observation.”

“Dr. Kent, Dr. Stone…” Frank called the attention of the two doctors examining her. “Can we have some time alone with Dr. Eulich, please?”

At once, the two men packed up and left the room. Frank walked to where the lady lay, gently tapping her arm to wake her. “Dr. Eulich, there is someone I would like you to meet.” he said, helping her sit up straight on the bed, then gestured to William. “This is Mr. William Martinez, president of the threat control unit in this city. He’s been meaning to meet you.”

Eulich stood up and walked over to William with a greeted smile. She didn’t look as old as William had expected. At a glance, William second-guessed her to be in her late twenties.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” she took his hand and kissed at the back of his palm as a sign of respect. “My name is…”

“I already know who you are --- Mrs. Eulich.” he cut her off with a smile.

She appeared stunned.

“Frank here had mentioned so much about you, and pretty much about the incredible things you could do. I came down here hoping to see for myself that everything he’d told me is true.”

Frank nodded his head at Eulich as if passing a silent signal. “Show him.”

She stepped back a few paces away from William. Then stood still, shutting her eyes. Her skin colour deepened and hairs slowly started growing from her skin.

“You might want to step back now, Mr. Martinez. The sight of a transformed shifter can be pretty scary.” Frank warned.

William took the warning and scrambled backward until he was a few meters away from her. As Eulich remained still with her eyes closed—fingers clutched, veins moved visibly over her skin and her body structure began to grow larger.

She let out a horrifying cry as her nails grew longer, and her teeth grew into fangs. Her face was completely covered in animal furs. And when she opened up her eyes, they were deeply coloured. William startled in fear as he stared at the deep colour of her eyes. She was now a transformed animal.

Frank’s features formed a humourless smile. “They never undergo a complete transformation process. They can only shift their body composition to resemble that of an animal—and most interestingly, they can heal themselves quickly after they have transformed.”

William kept his distance. The way she remained motionless, staring at him coldly as if she could see right through his soul freaked him out.

“Do they speak when they have transformed?” he whispered to Frank, sounding a bit shaken by her icy stare.

“Your heart just beat seventy-eight times in the last sixty seconds.” Eulich said in a deep masculine tone. “That is faster than the normal heartbeat of sixty-two times per minute.” A cocky smile crossed her lips. “You are scared.” she concluded.

His lashes fluttered. “She has been observing my heartbeat.” he stared in disbelief.

Frank’s smile broadened. “I guess that answers your question, Mr. Mattinez.” Turning to look at her, he said, “You can change back now, doctor.”

And within minutes, Eulich turned human again. Her sharp claws grew back in and her fur-like hairs disappeared.

“I would leave you to rest now. There are some things I would like to discuss with Mr. Martinez outside.” he said, escorting William out.

Eulich returned to the bed and lay prostrate. Then Frank signalled for the doctors to come. He—together with William, left the room, shutting the door behind. After they got out, William was positively wonder-struck when he saw Derik sauntering towards them. He looked very cross.

A lady was chasing after him. “Sir, wait. You can’t go in there.” she kept calling out to Derik, but he would not pay any attention.

And when Derik finally got to where they stood, the lady following him behind finally caught up with him and immediately apologized to Frank. “I’m really sorry, sir. I tried to stop him but he wouldn’t listen.”

“It is okay, Catherina.” he said, “You can go back now. I would handle this.”

The lady left.

He turned to look at him. “What is the meaning of this?”

Derik was flooded by rage, his face visibly red. “Do you know we’ve destroyed several houses and burnt hundreds of innocent people to ashes today, and yet not a single one of them was found to be a shifter? All because of a wrong evaluation on your part.” he directed his glare at Frank.

“You watch how you speak…” William chided. “… or else.”

“Or else what? You will fire me?” he shot a venomous glance at him, before raising his voice. “Go ahead, because I’m through!”

Then he turned to leave, but then stopped to finish what he came to say. “For years to come, people will continue to tell stories of how the citizens of Burnout were burnt to death by the very people that were supposed to protect them. My only regret is that I was the one who’d executed that order. Those little children’s screams will continue to haunt me until the day I’m put to the ground.” Derik—terribly distraught and cross, left without a backward glance.

Did he just fire himself? William’s brows went up inquiringly.

Kevin made sure Mirabel was properly treated before leaving the hospital to return home. As he sat at the edge of his bed with his drawings all scattered around him, he recollected the events that had played out earlier.

The scene of the burning houses along with the plaintive cries of the women and children filled his subconscious. The memories of the girl that was consumed by the flame left him in utter grief.

Am I now able to stare at future events? He kept wondering. Birds on the tree, a handwritten note, a man screaming. What do these things mean? Are they events that are going to happen in the future—like the burning houses?

The questions kept coming, but no answers. He kept staring at the drawings which he had scattered on the ground. He tried to see if they were connected, but nothing came to mind.

As he fell back to rest on the bed, he huffed in exhaustion. His blue eyes were filled with desperation and defeat. He laid there on the bed, facing the ceiling, eyes shut. Kept repeating the same words repeatedly, trying to find a connection between them.

Burning houses, birds on a tree, a handwritten note, a man screaming. How are these events related?

He was pulled out of his thought when he heard a buzzing sound. It was his phone ringing. He immediately recognized the number after he picked up his phone.

Mirabel’s mum?

Did something bad happen, again?

Placing the phone gently to his ear, he heard the lady cried out in the most depressing voice, “A man wearing a mask took my daughter from the hospital!”

The phone slips from his hand and shattered on the floor.

He froze.