Saving the World - Awakening

Pharaoh's Science Center

In all of Eliot's dirty street life, he had never seen such a clean, modern area in his life.  Test tubes being slowly swirled by robotic arms, ice chambers, microwaves, blowtorches; there was just about everything an inventor would need.  It was a workshop for science. The walls were neatly arranged with cubby holes containing different substances most likely used for experiments. Next to the cubbies, glass cabinets contained larger samples.  Inside one of the cabinets, Eliot could see a large hunk of crystal, and another looked to contain some kind of diluted water.

"What do you guys do here?" Eliot asked, in awe of the fantastic room.

Jessica was smiling ear-to-ear, clearly proud of the place.  She carefully picked up a scalpel from a container and pretended to be inspecting it, as if there was going to be a dirty item there.  She was enjoying herself.

"After the world governments banned the creation and possession of catastrophic weapons, we dedicated ourselves to developing weapons of peace."

Jessica motioned to the room around her.

"Though Brachs destroyed all of the research the Maples had after Czar left, we hope to surpass what they had."

Eliot snapped out of his awe, surprised at what Jessica just said.  Brachs destroyed research? Czar came from the Maples?  Ciara had mentioned some kind of attack, but that wasn't Brachs, was it?

"Hold up a second: What do you mean, 'Brachs destroyed all of the Maples' research?' And since when were the Maples and Czar together?" Eliot asked.

Jessica looked at Eliot, not sure if he was joking or really didn't know what was happening. She thought for a second, then her expression changed, as if she understood why Eliot didn't know anything.

"That's right, Brachs wouldn't tell you any of this.  He wouldn't want to look like the psychopath he really is, especially to the son of Nicholas Green."

"What does that even mean?!  First Ciara, now you!  This Nicholas Green, my father, was a bloody drunk, not some kind of a saint!" Eliot said angrily.

Jessica was silent for a few seconds.  Eliot looked at her, frustrated that seemingly everyone thought of his father as more than the bipolar alcoholic he was.  He would sometimes talk about being a part of an organization, but that was all drunk ravings. It would never make sense, one day he was a field agent rescuing children from a fire, the next he was a doctor who proficient in every kind of medical field.  His father was nothing but a useless dead guy.

"Eliot, your father created the serum Brachs used on you." Jessica started.

Eliot gripped the edge of a lab table, his knuckles white from pressure.

"What about Samantha?  How did the serum work on her?" Eliot asked defiantly, unwilling to accept that his father was once a greater man.

"We don't know why she was chosen by Brachs, but we know he's targeting certain people for this serum." Jessica answered evenly.

"How do you even know all this?  I know you're the head of Czar somehow, but you're my age.  You couldn't have been there when Czar and the Maples split."

Eliot could tell that he hit a chord.  As soon as he said it, Jessica's face darkened. Though he knew Jessica wasn't someone he should mess with, he was curious.  Unfortunately, Jessica looked to be done sharing her life with him.

"We've talked too much.  I don't even know if you're for Czar or the Maples." Jessica said bitterly.

"What else do you need from me?  I've told you all I know." Eliot answered, resigned to the fact that he wasn't getting any more personal information.

Without another word, Jessica walked over to a door and opened it.  She obviously meant for Eliot to follow, so he did.  As they walked in silence, Eliot noticed everything around him.  There were individual rooms, some with hospital beds and others with large chemical mixing setups. It was eerie, the pristine metal walls reflecting the fluorescent light into the rooms so that he could only barely make out the contents.

Jessica reached the end of the hall, turned around and stood in front of the door.  She motioned to his wrapped ankle.  Eliot had forgotten about the pain in all the excitement and remembered the knife he concealed in it.

"You aren't gonna need that in this room, that will only make him angry." She said blankly.

Eliot apprehensively nodded his head, growing more and more concerned.  Jessica grabbed the handle and heaved the door open revealing a dimly lit room.  Unlike the rest of the compound, the floor was carpeted, very short and rough.  The carpet looked to be providing a more welcoming look rather than comfort.  Workout equipment was scattered throughout the room, massive dumbells and barbells with massive plates haphazardly strewn about.  Whoever lived here was ripped.

Jessica looked around before lifting a hand to her mouth.

"Pharaoh, I've got a visitor for you!" she called out.

Eliot really didn't know what to expect when Jessica called out for "pharaoh."  Maybe an actual mummy lived here.  Considering the advanced science, he wouldn't be surprised. There were two doors, one on the left side of the room and one on the right. He prepared himself for whatever was going to walk through one of the doors.

He heard dull thudding come from the right, and he instinctively reached for his hip for some kind of weapon.  Remembering that he was still technically a prisoner and Czar had taken his pistols, he started to reach for his knife, regardless of Jessica's warning.  Jessica put her hand on his shoulder, as if to remind him of what she said earlier.  Reluctantly, Eliot stopped and continued to watch the door.

The thudding got closer and closer, and the door handle slowly turned.  It felt like "pharaoh" was going in slow motion on purpose, trying to make it as suspenseful as possible for Eliot.  If he or she was, they were definitely succeeding.  Eliot tensed up as the door swung slowly open to reveal...something.

What stood in front of them looked like an alien.  Pharaoh's skin was shiny, like it melted and then solidified to its body.  Its eyes were neon, like Samantha's, but more of a dirty neon.  The whites of its eyes was replaced by the sickly teal color, surrounding the relatively normal pupils. Its skin was blackish-red, a stark contrast with its eyes.  It was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, one of the weirdest parts of the whole experience.

"Chief," The creature boomed, a voice as inhumanly deep as its appearance,"how shall I serve you?"

Jessica smiled, her cold demeanor gone.

"I'd like to introduce you to Eliot Green." She said, motioning to Eliot. "He's special, just like you!"

Pharaoh looked at Eliot and at Jessica, confused.

"He's normal." it replied, its voice shaking the room.

Jessica rolled her eyes, "Yes, obviously.  But he's gonna help fix you!"

Eliot looked at Jessica, face pale.  He had no idea what he had in common with this abomination, but he did not want to have to look at it more than he had to.  It was horrifying. Jessica nudged Eliot towards Pharaoh.

"Shake his hand! After all, you two are gonna be roomates!"

Eliot slowly extended his hand to Pharaoh.  Bracing himself for the contact with its smooth skin, he awkwardly shook its hand.  Whatever it was Jessica had planned, it was too late to back out now.  He only hoped that Ciara was doing okay.