Laboratory [PART ONE]

It had been a long night for Mira normally her nights where full of exams and studying for school or even more school. She was good at keeping with her commitments, including the one where she offered her services to her father’s laboratories after passing her exams.

Mira sat in the back of an unmarked black car that had been travelling well into the pitch black of the night. Her body was pressed against the cold leather of the back seat as she closed her eyes wishing to herself the trip would end soon.

'Tired Miss Zera?' asked the driver who took a few seconds to glance in the rear view mirror. His voice cut the air like a jagged hack saw and sent shivers down Mira's spine,

'Please call me by my first name, Mira.’ she paused for a second her words clinging in the cold air between them, 'I could say the same for you Driver,' she only knew this man as the "Driver," she felt bad that she didn't know his name.

'Lucky for me,' he paused as if hesitating, 'Mira our trip is almost over,' as he spoke Mira fluttered her bright green eyes happily as she let out a toothy grin her arms stretching up into the air hitting the roof of the car.

'Thank god I feel so cramped in this car.' she yawned softly dozing off into a sleep.

As Mira felt the low rumblings of the car stop she opened one eye looking out the window at a building that was full of gothic architecture. Mira rose in her seat slightly taking in the sites of the black stone work with dark gargoyles hung high over the building.

Opening the car door with a clunk Mira saw a woman standing with a board by her side. This woman looked over worked and tired, she had dark aging bags under her eyes, and her frizzy red hair was thrown up in a bun.

Watching the woman Mira stepped from the car she wore a long flowing orange dress that screamed colour much unlike her dull brown hair that hung over her shoulders. As she moved over to the back of the car the woman walked over glancing at a piece of paper on the board as she spoke.

'Hello Dr Zera welcome to Zera laboratories,' the woman's voice was more tired than hostile. Mira analysed her voice in her head as her clammy pale hands grabbed her large black bags.

'You seam tired Dr Rosiana,' said Mira not taking her eyes off her belongings,

'I did not introduce my..' the doctor was cut in mid sentience

'it's on the paper you are holding,' said Mira as the thunk of a car trunk finished her sentience for her,

'your father warned me of that,' said Dr Rosiana looking towards the building’s entrance,

'Of what?' said Mira in a sly tone

'Follow me,' was the cold reply as the wheels of the car spun kicking up dust against the two women they walked towards the main entrance.

'This place looks more like a home then a labra....' Mira didn't finish her sentence before she was blown back by the inside of the building. Everything looked like a hospital there was a lot of white and in the middle of the room looked something like a reception desk.

'This is Dr Zera signing in,' said Dr Roseana looking towards the middle aged round lady sitting behind the tall front desk.

'Right Dr Roseana I will buzz you two in,' as she spoke a loud metallic buzz was heard. Mira followed close behind the other doctor, her new work place now feeling like a prison.

The two pairs of shoes clicked on the white ground as Mira followed the other woman down the hall way with lots of doors on each side. Miras heart was racing out of control as she saw each door with a brightly coloured Bio hazard sticker on the front.

'You'll need to change.' smiled Dr Roseana pulling a card from her side she slid it though a small metal slot on the side of the door. It took a few seconds but then the sound of about four locks clicked. Opening the door Dr Roseana revealed to Mira a changing room with light green lockers along the left of the room and a low wooden bench along the right. Slowly Mira was lead to a locker right at the end,'B21,' she said softly under her breath, the exercise helped her remember.

'Well now all you need is your schedule, ID, security card, uniform and dorm.' Dr Roseanas voice seemed somewhat cold as she held out a plastic card that was the same size as a credit card. Mira took it in her hand as she slid it into the small metal box on the edge of the locker. A second later with a soft click the locker door opened. She looked inside to see a few books some paper and a white uniform. Swallowing a lump in her throat she finally spoke up grabbing the uniform.

'Why are there dorms?'

'Well I thought that was obvious,' came a harsh reply before the doctor rubbed her eyes, 'Most people who work here live far away so they dorm here permanently or on weeklong shifts,' She continued to rub her eyes.

'Right,' said Mira her words hanging in the air as she slipped off her dress feeling an uncomfortable cold draft across her skin. She quickly grabbed the uniform and in a matter of seconds she was dressed in a long sleeved white top with a short sleeved white top over it, there were also long white pants, white tennis shoes and just to match a nose and mouth mask which were also white. Mira's dull brown hair now stood out a lot.

'As I know you are….. how your father puts it smart, but right now we are badly under staffed and need help for our...' The doctors words trailed off as if she was having trouble getting them out, ‘…studies, you have a lot to learn.'

'Well I'm always up for a challenge,' replied Mira hopefully

'Well I hope your spirit doesn't change but it might have to,'

'what?' asked Mira

'Follow me,' came the delayed reply. Dr Roseana was already walking to the door and slipping her card in. Mira hurried behind the woman, she began speaking while walking her pace quickening, but Mira kept up.

'You have a lot to learn, I mean a lot and all of it,' she stopped looking back at Mira with a half smile, 'You won't like.' she continued splitting her card into the side of another door as it clicked open revealing yet another white hall way this one was longer and was in an 7 shape. The doctor continued to walk as she spoke.

'There are different names for different subjects in our...facility,' there was another pause of hesitation from the woman. 'At the top of the chain...or maybe pyramid you might look at it as, is Chevels,' she said before continuing down the corridor as she turned a corner Mira struggled to keep up. 'Chevels medicated four times a day, blood tested twice day, psychosis extreme,'

'psychosis?' asked Mira as Dr Roseana opened another door leading into another identical hallway this place was like a labyrinth.

'Loopy, mental, insane,' Said the doctor, 'Then you have Mehvels and Gehvels medicated twice a day, blood tested once a week psychosis none, these two are pretty much just there to be observed and re tested, and last of all Axevels harmless like Teddy bears,' Mira started to laugh as the two of them entered a smaller hall way. They stopped two doors down and Dr Roseana took Mira's card opening the door into a small simple bed room. There was a small single bed by the side of the room a cream wood dresser at the back and a table with a few chairs.

'Your shift starts soon, the instructions and schedule are on the desk have fun,' Cooed the doctor as she made her sudden leave.

Mira was left t0 mull over what she had just been told, she sat down on the edge of the bed looking towards her bags which had already been brought in she began to think out loud.

'Ok so what I know is there are different classes of subjects obviously testing different drugs or who have been genetically modified and obviously people need to record them and look after them that must be my job, ugh this is so inhumane.' Mira leant her head in her hands and shivered slightly choking back tears.

'What have I gotten into, this place is like out of a horror movie.'

Picking herself up off the bed she walked towards the small oak wood desk where there was a piece of paper neatly folded in front of her. She picked up the paper and with a raised eye brow she read the page.

'Week 1: supervise west wing, aide of Dr S.Fray First break 25 min then aide with medication. Mask must be worn at all times in the wing and while travelling,' the rest of the letter went on about cross contamination and effects. Mira finally stopped to ask herself what her father was doing. She never even knew him much as a kid, her mother always used to tell her he was off saving lives, but how testing on things? People? Animals? She felt her heart sink as her hands lifted to her face tying the mask over her mouth and nose she walked out of the door folding the paper and tucking it into the back pocket of her pants.

Mira looked both ways out of her door just seeing the same white walls she had no idea where she needed to go. But she did what she did best when in a situation where she had no idea what she was doing, faked it. She lifted her head and she began buzzing though several doors and several identical hallways before she finally hit a hall way with markings. Big blue letters over an archway towards with big double doors that said 'EAST WING,' Mira stood for a second looking up at the big mocking words. Pausing Mira turned on the balls of her feet and began to walk in the opposite direction. Again she walked past hallway after hallway finding it odd that she didn't see anyone else. She shrugged off the thought and kept walking her feet dragging on the ground slightly before she entered another hallway with big yellow letters.

'WEST WING,'

'Yes!' she cried loudly hearing Her words echo off the empty walls. She sheepishly walked though the double doors and looked into what seemed like a laboratory. There were tall metal benches with lower benches towards the side, rolling office chairs and a lot of equipment. What really caught her eye was the large metal cages hidden at the back. It seemed to quiet to have anything living in here. Slowly she walked towards the back, sliding past two large metal benches stupidly placed in the middle of the room. She paused a little as she knelt down trying to look though the bars of the cage.

Her mask hid most of her expression as she leant in further her bright green eyes squinting into the darkness. Her slim eye brows pushed in together in a puzzled way she saw something moving at the back of the cage. The quietness was cut by the loud beating of her heat as she placed a hand to the cold metal bars trying to see the dark brewing mass pushing itself as far to the back of the cage as it could.

Suddenly she felt a large hand on her shoulder; she sprang back feeling her heart pounding in her chest. A loud scream escaped her as she jumped to her feet, turning around to see a pale faced man dressed just like her. The only thing different was his short brown hair and brown eyes.

'What are you doing in here? And why on earth do you not have gloves on!' the man’s voice rang though Mira's ears it was loud and gruff

'Ah a hum,' she paused 'I'm doctor Zera,' she said softly as the man moved his hand back he turned on the balls of his feet and walked towards one of e large metal benches.

'Well new blood I see, heh such a pretty little girl like you won't last here long,' The man was now shaking his head seated at the scratched up bench his hand signalled her to sit with him. Sitting by his side the man lent his elbows on the table glancing at a small white clock on the wall as he took a deep breath.

'Medication time,' he grinned his teeth seemingly jagged and harsh, 'I need you to grab three needles out from the desk beside you and three of the vial’s marked 34INQ.' as he spoke the man walked towards the cages and Mira hurried over to the desk and carefully grabbed out three vials and three covered needles. She walked back to the bench as the Man opened the cage. Loud banging on the bars could be heard as whatever the man was trying to pull out scrambled and screamed high pitched like a dog in pain. What he brought infront of Mira made her stomach churn with disgust.

The animal was about the size of a tall dog. Everything about it reminded her of a dog except that it had no hair no ears or a tail. It's skin was dark and leathery and had grotesque gashes along the side. Mira felt her heart pounding out of control as the man held down the creature with one hand, this animal didn't give much of a fight.

'Take the needle and fill it up from the vial and jab it! Before I lose my grip.' his voice sounded urgent.

With shaking hands Mira unwrapped the needle pressing it into the vial she sucked up a clear liquid. Looking to the animal with the needle in hand she felt her hands sweat. She watched as the man grabbed the muzzle of the animal holding its neck tight as Mira pressed the needle against the skin pushing in she animal kick and fight. In a few seconds it was over and the animal gave no further fight as it was brought back to its cage.

'Maybe you should hold the next your hands look a little shaky.' said the man pointing towards the cage. Mira's face was pale as chalk as she walked towards the cages slowly.

After the last one was injected Mira was allowed to go get some food and a rest. The man told her there was some were she could get eat but she wasn't really listening. She made a rushed exit, she burst though the double doors rushing down the hall way. Her heart was beating her eyes welling up with tears as she slid her card onto another slot to open yet another door. There were so many doors in that place she was already getting used to it. She kept walking along with her eyes drawn to the ground before she finally looked up and saw in big red letters,

'Eating hall,'

Clearing her throat Mira walked into the room with a lot of tables and vending machines in which you didn't need money you just punched a number. There wasn't any one in there she was beginning to think so one else but three people worked there. Walking up to one white painted machine she punched in a few numbers and got a sandwich, she sat down at a table. Mira felt like she was going insane with all the white it made her feel cramped. She placed her sandwich in front of her as she tried to choke back tears. Her eyes were drawn to the door as she heard them open.
A woman walked in huffing slightly her mask around her neck. The woman's red fiery hair was a welcome colour distraction. The woman stopped and looked towards Mira as she walked over sitting down in front of her.

'Hey you’re the new blood right?' she asked loudly

'Ah a hum ye..yea I am I guess,' Mira smiled nervously

'First shift hey?' and in response Mira just nodded, 'Well there’s a lot about you going around at the moment' as she spoke the woman played with a strand of her red hair and looked towards Mira with bright blue eyes.

'I bet there has I don't know what I'm doing here I mean what...' she paused

'Heh guessing you had a run in with our subjects? No one knows what they are or used to be all we know is they were built from a lot of human like properties so our tests show some used to be human well the Chevels anyway man they are scary,' she said as the she started to walk towards a machine punching in numbers.

'Why...' said Mira her heart sinking

'Biological weapons medical science.' said the woman as she sat back down with a candy bar and laughed. 'I'm Sam by the way,' she slightly.

'I'm Mira just finished school.'

'So you got stuck hear been everyone’s helping hand hey?' smiled Sam and Mira just nodded. Sam extended a finger and pushed Mira's sandwich towards her.

'You never get used to it but try and eat,' leaning in towards Mira in a hushed tone she continued, 'Look girl no one likes what we do here and in fact I know many have tried to set them free none have managed to do it and many have tried. The sad thing is the reason there are scared is because of your dad.' Sam snapped back at the last part as if she was trying to stop the words before they came out, 'I'm..' she paused looking down at the table.

'Its ok I know what you mean black mail is pretty scary,' said Mira glumly

'How'd you know it was black mail,' asked Sam

'Well from the look of your left hand there's a tan mark were your ring used to be and it's recent from the red indentation but there is also slight scratch marks on your wrist which look like nail marks which also suggest something...' she paused 'Intermit,' as she spoke Sams eyes widened as she looked at Mira,

'I'm sorry if I crossed a line but..' she stopped and un wrapped her sandwich.

'Its ok it's true black mail but I'm not scared about some little affair I had I just pretended like it was good black mail so your father didn't go digging up anything else he shouldn't,' laughed Sam

'Just guessing he was an ass,' remarked Mira as she bit into her sandwich,

'Who?' asked Sam 'Oh my ex.' she said looked at her ring finger with a slight smile and she gave Mira a nod, 'Oh yea,' she laughed a little got up walking to the door with a heavy sigh, 'Back to work for me,' she said as she unwrapped the candy bar and walked out of the room eating.

After she finished eating Mira did feel a lot better, just as she got up to leave Dr Roseana entered the room. Her hair was now out of its bun and neatly hung over her shoulders. Mira stayed as she walked over to the table she was seated at and leant her hand on it.

'Well, Dr Fray said you had a bit of a meltdown,' she said calmly her smile spreading over her lips and Mira shook her head.

'It’s just wrong,'

'What’s wrong?' asked Dr Roseana her expression falling.

'Those things' Said Mira her eyes piercing into Roseana

'Well we aint paid to have an opinion,'

'Well I guess opinions got nothing to do with it when black mail is involved.' Mira's words hung in the air as a grin slipped over her lips she felt the heart rate of the doctor sky rocket. Getting up from her seat Mira headed to the door.

'Don't worry pay backs a bitch,' she left the room laughing.