The Disparate One

Chapter 2 - Ray

The two men arrived ended up in a room after hours of walking. The room has a glass desk in the middle, joined by three chairs, one behind the desk and two in front. On the right side of the room is a glass cabinet that contains some trophies, certificates, and even medals. On the opposite side is a glass shelf that contains folders and even boxes. Oxford left the man still standing near the door while he took a sit on the chair behind the desk. He signaled the man to take a seat also in front of his desk.

"Thirsty? Hungry? Dehydrated?", questioned Oxford as he looks at the man.

"N-No.", the man replied when Oxford pulled out a red folder and placed it on the desk.

"Are you sure?", Oxford looked up at him as he opened the folder.

"No.", said the man whilst staring at him.

"Don't worry, the only reason why I bought you here in my office is that, you are my test subject, for now. Of course, I also need a name that I can use to call you. Any suggestions?", said Oxford fetching himself a pen from one of the drawers under his desk.

"I don't have any suggestions.", murmured the man when he looked at the glass shelf.

"You can get an idea from those if you want.", Oxford told the man while writing something on one of the papers that are inside the folder.

The man stood up and approached the shelf slowly. He walked sideways while looking at each folder, and boxes that are in front of his eyes. He decided to pull one folder and opened it just to see what is inside and also to get an idea for his name.

"How about Trox?", Oxford asked a question as he stared up at the ceiling. "No, too futuristic.", he said suddenly.

"You know, this is one of my weaknesses, not very good when it comes to naming things.", he added before he looked back down at the folder.

"Ray.", the man spoke suddenly just seconds after he flipped a page.

"From Project R.A.Y., interesting, if it suits you.", said Oxford.

The man walked away from the shelf after he returned the folder back to its place. He caught Oxford starring at him while tapping the pen gently on the folder.

"Is it final?", questioned the man in a black suit.

"Final.", said the man who just got a new name.

"Phase one is over, now for the next phase.", Oxford spoke as he stood up, closing the folder, and kept it in his right hand as he walked closer to Ray.

"Let get you something to eat.", Oxford opened the door for the man wearing a white general uniform.

Ray took the offer and waited for Oxford in the corridor. The two men began to walk again. Ray begins to think that Oxford is somehow friendly to him, he wants to know why, in fact, he wants to know him completely.

"What do you feel right now?", Oxford let out a question.

"None.", Ray answered immediately.

"You're just like my first two test subjects.", said the man in front of him. "Do you at least have any questions that need to be answered?", he added by glancing at him.

"What is this place?", Ray responded with a question.

"You're in one of our facilities, SPOT Mark three."

"How did I end up here?"

"We found you in one of the islands in the Marshall Islands at exact twelve midnight.", answered Oxford as he opened a door for Ray who continues to follow him.

"Why am I here then?"

"It is because you're different from the rest of us. Your blood is unlike any other blood, your immune cells are stronger and active compared to ours. So active that it even exterminated the Ebola virus we injected into you when you were still asleep.", said Oxford before taking a seat near a table.

"How come I can't remember a single thing about me?", questioned Ray who also sat down.

"That's not the problem that we are facing about you, it is what you are.", said Oxford. "Let's put this aside first, you need to eat something before your day starts tomorrow.", he added.

Oxford raised an eyebrow when he saw haw Ray grabbed the silverware. He began to ask himself some questions like, he must be born here on Earth, because it is impossible for him, especially at his age, to not know how to eat with the use of silverware. Plus he speaks English. But another question emerges, if he was born here, then he must be a mutant due to the structure and the system of his body.

He felt his phone vibrated in his right breast pocket. He pulled it out while keeping his eyes on the man in front of him, enjoying the food that the cook had prepared. His group of scientists sent him a message that made Oxford to blink several times. He replied, Do more research, I'll be there after we have accomplished phase two.

"You eat like the people from high societies.", Oxford said putting his phone back in his pocket.