Chapter #4the Exchange by: A4L   She wasn't a pretty woman, some would probably say mundane, average height average build with dull brown hair framing her pale blue eyes and falling in a simple fashion down past her shoulders. She didn't wear the latest fashion, she wore clothing that was practical, not flattering not revealing, just plain and simple. Casual shoes, efficient steps, Mundane.
However Sandra Bryce had an outstanding mind, one of the best in the country where genetics were concerned. Often found traveling from country to country giving guest talks on splicing DNA, filling in gaps where diseases were concerned, and writing papers on numerous topics in the field of biosciences. A truly gifted woman in terms of intelligence and it was this feature that led her on a truly extraordinary journey.
Sitting at her desk on a Saturday night, a half eaten Chinese takeaway lay discarded on one edge of the table, the rest of the table was scattered in paper and photographs, it was a quiet night, the rest of the building was empty, not surprising being a Saturday, but this was how she liked it, she tried to avoid people as best she could, they annoyed her, asking her often insignificant questions wasting her time which could be better spent elsewhere. Currently she was researching the possibility of creating human hybrids, finding the right genetic makeup to improve longevity and health of humans on earth, perhaps even using nano-technology to improve upon the human physique so they would be better adapted to working in high altitudes or extreme temperatures. A knock came at the door, a rather loud rapping which startled her from the paper she was reading she looked up, surprised that someone else was in the building this time of night, let alone disturbing her.
"Yes?"
Her voice rang out authoritatively the tone in her voice giving whomever was at the door permission to enter. The handle turned and the door opened. Two men entered, the second coming up behind the first practically filled the whole door frame. Sandra didn't recognize the men, but the fact that to get into the building required high security passes meant that she felt quite safe even though these men brought with them a heavy oppressing feeling as they entered.
"Can I help you?"
Again her voice carried an air not dissimilar to a head teachers. The smaller of the two men straightened his tie, he was wearing a black pinstriped suit as was the bulkier man, he cleared his throat and looked directly at her. His cold gray eyes fixing hers in a lock.
"Miss Bryce? Miss Sandra Bryce?"
She didn't like his tone but she nodded.
"yes? Can I help you?"
Annoyed that she was now repeating herself she stood up from behind her desk. The front man produced a strange gun from his shirt, aimed, and before Sandra could react, before she could even acknowledge what was in his hand, before she could hit the emergency call button under her desk, before she could leap out of the way or beg for her life, he shot her. Everything for Sandra went dark.
It was dark, It was uncomfortable, bloody uncomfortable. Her head ached, no no ALL of her ached, she felt like she'd been hit by a bus, slowly she opened her eyes. She tried to pull her hand up to wipe the hair from her face but realized she was strapped down. Panic flared in her but she could hear a mans voice talking behind her, he sounded like he was talking to someone on a phone or over a comms link of some kind.
She could feel movement underneath her and came to the conclusion she was in a vehicle, perhaps an ambulance, looking around seemed to confirm her suspicions, there were shelving units with drugs and latex gloves and she could even see a defibrillator . Her sight was blurry and she felt like she'd been out drinking all night. What had happened? Those men. She had been shot, perhaps a work college had found her in a pool of her own blood. Was she going to die? She lay there, eyes open, trying to figure out what was going on. She wasn't attached to any drips or anything. She ached but there was no real pain. She suddenly caught her name being mentioned by the man up front.
"....Bryce has been acquired, currently transporting target to rendezvous, arrival in approximately 3 hours 25 minutes"
That didn't sound good. Was he talking about her? Three hours until they arrived at the hospital. She tried to talk, her mouth moved slowly like as if in slow motion, she had to concentrate to make her mouth produce the right shape to say the word,
"hello?"
The conversation going on at the front of the vehicle ended abruptly and she felt the vehicle pull in sharply to the left. Movement in the front suggested whomever was driving and conversing was now clambering into the back. Sandra could feel her heart hammering in her chest, she waited for the man to come into her line of vision, being strapped down onto the bed didn't allow her to see everything. She tried speaking again.
"Hello?"
This time her voice rang a little louder, she was feeling drowsy, but a lot better in comparison to a few minutes ago.
"Shit." came the reply.
This did not fill Sandra full of confidence. She saw a man appear over her head and realized with sinking certainty that the man above her was the man who had shot her.
"how can you be awake?" He continued "I shot you with enough SD25 to wipe out several people for several days"
He rummaged around the shelving unit until he produced a needle and a small vial of liquid.
"please....don't"
was all Sandra could manage as he filled the syringe full of the liquid and stuck it in her arm. Sandra felt instantly drowsy and the last image she saw was of the gray eyed man looking confused above her.
Her blue eyes fluttered open she was propped up on a seat, her left wrist handcuffed to the side of the chair. A table lay out in front of her, several folders and boxes lay sprawled out on the table. A glaring light illuminated the small room. There was a large window on one of the walls that even in Sandras drugged state, it was obvious it was a two way mirror. She looked around. The chair was secured to the floor, she was trapped. What in hells name was going on. The only door to the room opened and a woman entered holding a clipboard. The woman was dressed in a white lab coat, had thin framed glasses and her hair neat in a bun. She looked rather familiar to what Sandra would look like whilst working in one of the medical laboratories dotted around the country. Sandra simply looked on, trying to clear her muddled head. Her eyes weren't focusing properly, she could barely think.  You have the following choice: 1. part 2 |
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