Chapter 5: The Specimen

Water streamed from the hand shower that Ella held over Red’s feet. Ella had the CEO sit on a stool and place his feet inside the catch basin under the emergency shower as she washed any acid off. Ella ran the shower head over Red’s exposed feet and she noticed that his feet seemed to be unharmed despite the acid seeping through his shoes and damaging his socks.

Matt watched Ella with amusement as she washed the CEO’s feet. He approached them with a faint smile on his face while still holding the thermal bag between his hands.

“Sorry to disturb you, but would you know what I should do with this?” asked Matt, raising the thermal bag.

Red raised his gaze and looked at the thermal bag. “I had that brought in because I want you to look at the specimen and tell me what you think,” he said. He uncrossed his legs and brought both feet on the catch basin. Ella realized that she had washed Red’s feet adequately.

“Let me take that, Matt. Please help Mr. Kazor dry his feet and get him a pair of slippers,” said Ella as she turned off the shower and rose to get the thermal bag from Matt.

“Are you sure you don’t want to dry Mr. Kazor’s feet yourself?” Matt teased Ella although his face looked serious.

Ella wanted to jab Matt but managed to keep a cool composure. “I think you’ll do a better job,” she said, grabbing the thermal bag and taking it from Matt’s grasp. “Besides, I don’t think I can trust you to prepare this specimen.” She then walked away, leaving Matt and Red looking at her.

“Don’t worry. We always tease her like that,” Matt said to Red. “Let me just get you your slippers,” he added while offering a hand towel to Red for him to dry his feet. “Sorry about your shoes and your pants,” he apologized.

Red accepted the towel and dried his feet while waiting for Matt to get him the slippers.

Ella opened the thermal bag and admired the secure way that the specimen was stored inside an airtight container. She had worn her gloves and carefully took out the container with the specimen. She had just placed the specimen under the microscope when Matt and Red stepped beside her.

“Let me just get this in focus,” said Ella as she peeked into the microscope and adjusted the knobs slowly. After a few moments, she raised her head and turned to Red. “Where did you get this from?” she asked.

“May I see?” Red asked Ella, ignoring her question. “Did you see anything peculiar about the specimen?” he asked as he looked into the microscope.

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” answered Ella. “They seem like perfectly normal muscle tissue.”

“Human?” asked Red which made Ella turn her head to one side.

“They appear to me as human,” she answered slowly. “What were you expecting for me to find?” Her eyebrow lifted.

“Ms. Freya told me to try our serum on that. Let me just drop this on the specimen,” said Matt and placed a few drops of liquid from a vial he was holding.

Ella frowned, thinking that Matt was too hasty in offering to try an experimental serum.

“From what batch did you get that?” Ella asked Matt.

“The latest one. Batch 249A,” replied Matt as he quickly covered the vial.

Red kept on looking at the microscope. “Are you sure this is human tissue?”

“Let me see,” said Matt. Then, instead of taking Red’s place at the microscope, he turned on a display which showed the specimen that Red was looking at.

Red stepped away from the microscope and looked at the display.

“Yep, looks healthy muscle cells… and human,” said Matt.

Red noticed that Ella was observing him and smiled at her. Ella could not help but observe how her body seemed to react with Red’s magnetic gaze and warm smile. She felt immediately drawn to the CEO and could imagine how he could direct his army of managers and staff to his bidding. However, her instincts as a scientist started to get hold of her senses. With the uncompromising objectivity demanded by her profession, she analyzed her own body’s reaction at the CEO’s appearance and slight gestures. Instantly, she broke from the CEO’s gaze and looked at the image on the specimen.

“You still haven’t told us where you got the specimen from,” remarked Ella, expecting Red to answer. She avoided Red’s gaze as she looked at Matt moving the specimen under the microscope.

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you that,” said Red. Then, he turned to Matt and said, “You can give me back the specimen now.”

Matt raised his head and then removed the specimen from under the microscope. “Sorry, if we didn’t see what it was that you’re expecting,” he told Red. “I don’t expect to see any reaction of normal healthy cells to our serum though. We can try again under controlled conditions,” offered Matt.

“No need to apologize. I was just trying to confirm a hunch,” said Red as he took the thermal bag where Matt had placed the specimen. Red was silent for a few moments before speaking again. “What day is it?” he asked.

“Twenty-first of January,” replied Matt.

“When is the next full moon?” asked Red.

Matt took out his phone and did a voice search. “When is the next full moon?” Matt asked his phone.

A woman’s pleasant voice was heard: The first full moon of the year, or what Native Americans call the Wolf Moon, will light up the night sky on January 28. Enjoy your camping, Matt!

After the computer-generated voice, there was the sound effect of a howling wolf. Red smiled as he heard the sound effect while Matt immediately lowered his phone.

“Thanks!” said Red as he appeared to consider something inside his head. Then, he raised his left hand and lifted his sleeve a little to reveal a gold watch.

“I really enjoyed visiting your lab,” said Red, looking at Matt and then at Ella. “Unfortunately, I have another important appointment coming up and I need to leave.”

“It was nice to have you, Mr. Kazor,” said Ella, smiling at the CEO.

“Sure!” said Matt. “Drop by anytime.”

“Pleasure’s all mine,” said Red, staring at Ella and smiling slightly.

“Sorry again about your shoes and your clothes,” apologized Ella, slightly bowing her head.

“You can keep the slippers,” added Matt.

“Don’t trouble yourself, Dr. Garcia. This is nothing,” said Red, looking down at his feet. “Now, I really must go.”

Red proceeded towards the exit and was followed by Ella and Matt. He returned Matt’s lab coat and retrieved his own black coat and necktie. Afterwards, he said his final goodbyes to the laboratory researchers and walked out of the Biotech Laboratory flanked by his two armed guards.