The Many Regrets of a Cyborg Werewolf

Artisan - XIX

Jessica had never rode the elevator alone before. The hidden lift that led from Ms. Wintergreen's office directly to the sublevels felt larger without her employer, yet somehow claustrophobic. It didn't deter Jessica, but the feeling was different, like the walls were closing in the deeper she went. This kind of anxiety would never, ever escape to the surface. Jessica was too professional for such breaches of decorum. Still, there was relief when the doors finally parted and she exited into the sub-labs. They were busy as always, though Jessica would not be entering any of the laboratories herself, she nevertheless couldn't help but give casual glances through the windows as she passed each one. Most were filled with lab techs and scientists working on gene sequences. She saw cloning vats being prepared, grafting chambers being sterilized, a room packed with men and women in white coats examining a neural map on a projector, as well as a few terminated iterations being dissected. She saw a living iteration as well in one of the larger rooms undergoing strength tests. A massive metal press was above it while the half-man, half-wolf creature resisted its crushing pressure, along with men in full-body hazmat suits should the iteration falter and make a mess. These sights had some time ago become routine, even somewhat boring. Jessica was no scientist, but she'd come to realize the vast majority of research and development was tedium. Repeating nigh-identical sequences and tasks, making subtle alterations one at a time, and re-testing it again and again. Iterations released into the wild had slowed lately, partially due to increased public awareness, partially due to the man in the blue armour. "Luke," and his allies, were a disruption, and whilst they'd hardly made a dent in their operations, it nevertheless had resulted in many iterations to be terminated. A waste of good genes, as it were.

However the room Jessica sought was unlike all the others. It was a comparatively small chamber closer to the storage rooms than the labs, and was one of the few not guarded by armed security. All Jessica had to do was swipe her access card and the windowless doors hissed open, allowing the soft ambience of soothing music to emanate into the hall for the brief moment it took her to enter. The doors closed behind her as Jessica found the lone occupant, as well as a life-sized clay sculpture of a man. The music played from a simple cassette stereo plugged into the wall next to boxes of clay, whilst next to them was a bucket of water. There was clay and splatter stains all over the room, and the only other individual in there was likewise covered in the stuff. Her overalls and white shirt had been dyed an earthy terracotta, and her bare arms and even face had smudges all up and down, to say nothing of her encrusted hands. The only thing untouched was her hair, tied back in a simple yet effective ponytail bun.

"Afternoon, Jessica," Ms. Wintergreen said, not taking her eyes off her work.

"Ma'am," Jessica replied. She retrieved the clipboard she had carried beneath her arm, "I have the newest contracts from our liaisons, as well as details about the new facility."

"Excellent," Angela smiled without looking at her, "make sure to have copies on my desk for later."

"They're already waiting for you," Jessica adjusted her glasses. "Mass collection of the remains is going smoothly. So far we have had no interruptions. The vampiric catalyst has a one-hundred percent success rate, and we should have the projected amount within sixteen days."

"Magnificent," Angela stepped away from her sculpture to wet her hands, "and what of Dr. Alabaster?"

"Reiteration was a success," Jessica sighed, "he has made a full recovery, although he ignored the recommendations to rest and has resumed testing."

"Do I detect frustration in your tone?" Angela glanced at her assistant. Jessica did not immediately reply, not wanting to be critical of her employer's methods, but Ms. Wintergreen swiftly detected that hesitation. "I share our concerns. Alabaster disobeyed me, and I let him get away with it. You're wondering why I didn't punish him?"