Amidst Our Broken World

Chapter 4 (Part 1) - The Scientist

I sat alone at the end of one of the lunch tables, chewing on my sandwich as my eyes darted around the room, scanning for any sign of Brenner. 

I needed to know what exactly what was going on in this lab, and how these people with powers existed. But I didn't feel comfortable asking Doctor Ellis any more than I did asking Miller. She was pretty elusive after that practice session with Six, not giving me any openings to slip in a single question. Before I knew it, Miller and I were sent away on our lunch breaks, and of course, the dark haired man showed no interest in helping me settle in with my new work.

The sound of a lunch tray clattering in front of me pulled me out of my thoughts. An older man wearing a lab coat took his seat across me. He wore a kind look on his face, with smile lines and wrinkles on the edges of his eyes.

"Is anyone sitting here?" he asked in a pleasant voice.

I shook my head politely. There were so many other tables that were open and filled with other scientists that I was sure he knew well. Why was he choosing to sit here?

We both ate in silence for a while.

"The sandwiches are pretty good here," he observed. "But I hear breakfast is pretty rough."

Not expecting small talk, I replied with a simple "Yeah."

Some more chewing. "I don't think I've seen you around before." He looked up from his food. "Are you the new assistant?"

"Yeah." I scolded myself for answering yet again with something so dry. He's being nice here, Y/N, stop being so rude.

"Doctor Brenner's niece, huh?" He smiled and winked jovially at me.

I was surprised he knew. If I wasn't mistaken, I thought Brenner had wanted to keep our familial relationship under wraps in case of unfair treatment, or something like that. But I guess he told--

"Doctor Owens," he held his hand out.

I shook it, introducing myself back. "Nice to meet you, I'm Y/N." Finally, this conversation's going smoothly.

"So how's your first day of work going?"

Immediately, the images of Six, the red ball, Doctor Ellis, the scratching of the EEG machine needle, and the nosebleed, all surged to my head.

"Good," I managed to utter out weakly.

Owens chuckled at my overwhelmed expression. "It's okay, I understand. It's a lot to process at first. It's not something you see every day. I get it."

Surprised by how easygoing he was, I let out a nervous exhale of a laugh. He made me feel safe. Like I could talk to him. Like I could trust him. 

I watched him take a bite from his sandwich. "So, how exactly did you guys come across people with superpowers?"

"We didn't really 'come across' them. We raised them. In an experiment."

"Raised them? Like when they were children?"

Owens grinned as if I was missing some sort of joke that had gone over my head. "Well, they are children."

I dropped the hand that was holding my leftover sandwich. "You mean all of your test subjects are children... and they all have these abilities?"

He nodded. "Some stronger than others, but yes."

My mouth opened with no sound as I struggled with what to say. "Where are their parents?" I asked exasperatedly with shock.

"Fine," the doctor replied nonchalantly, "Carrying out the rest of their normal daily lives, wherever they are."

I looked at him in disbelief and asked what every science major would have asked: "Do they consent to this? Using their children for experimentation?" No parent in their right mind would give away their child to some scientists, especially if their child had such special, unseen gifts. For all I knew, these children could've been kidnapped or something.

Doctor Owens' face turned serious. "Sometimes, minor ethical violations must be made for the sake of the greater good. And the greater good in this case would be the safety of our country."

I shook my head in confusion. We both continued to eat for a moment, with me trying to process everything I'd just heard. So these people are experimenting on children with supernatural powers, without the knowledge of their parents, in order to somehow protect the country, and my job is to be an assistant who helps with bringing EEG machines around the place and essentially being a clinical nurse.

What the hell am I doing here?

"I need to speak to my uncle." I gave him the most determined look I could muster.

"Any question you have for him is one I could answer."

Perhaps I had enough of being kept in the dark. Not being told what my job even was when I hadn't even arrived. Not being told how to do things or why I had to do them. Not being told what exactly was being experimented in Hawkins Lab.

I glared at the doctor, feeling a rush of indignance. "Okay, tell me why I'm here. Why did my uncle invite me, an animal psychology major, here on an internship to help pick and prod at a bunch of super-children, which I don't think the entire operation is even legal! Where are the authorities on this case?"

Panting, out of breath from my sudden outburst, I realized that the entire cafeteria had grown silent, and all heads were turned towards me, including a set of icy blue eyes that I had to try my hardest to ignore. What had been a light-hearted, hushed, civil conversation had turned into a huge freak-out. On my part, at least.

Owens stood up from our table. "Come, let's talk somewhere private."