Unlike Loki

Chapter 13

(Loki)

"Oh! Hello! Nice to see you back here again!" Dr. Martinez cheeks flushed a bright red when she saw me. 

"Yea. I'm so sorry to hear about Mr. Anderson! That's absolutely terrible! And the others who were with them." I looked down at my shiny black shoes and shook my head woefully. "Have they found out who did it yet?"

"No, unfortuneately they have not. I don't know if they will any time soon." She frowned. "Is there something I can do for you?" She asked. 

"Ah, yes. I was wondering... I spoke with Dr. Anderson before, well, the incident.... and he said that there was a way to keep Ann-- the subject's powers at bay. I was wondering if you could elaborate? Chemistry is my speciality." I grinned wide at her and batted my eyelashes.

She went nuts. 

"I'd love to!" she cleared her throat. "It's a seditive in a very pure form. It works similar to a vaccine actually. You put a dead version of the disease into the system and the body fights back. We've tricked her immune system into thinking her own DNA is poisonous to her. But it has to be administered twice a day for it to work effectively." She walked over to the other side of the room and opened a cabinet. Inside were hundreds of bottles of the "vitamin liquid" Dr. Pine had poured over Anna's breakfast. 

"Her food. That's how you give it to her." It wasn't a question. It was a realization. 

"Yes. She can't know about it. That's why we tell the guards the liquid is vitamins that help her regenerate and keep her calm." She picked up one of the vials and walked back towards me. She extended her arm towards me, wanting me to obviously take the vial from her. I gingerly took her, careful to purposefully brush my fingers on hers. 

She blushed even deeper, and then began to speak, struggling with her words, "Open it." 

I did so.

"Its an odorless, tasteless substance. And it's harmless to everyone but the subject. Even less tastless than water. Go on, drink it." She motioned for me to lift the vial. 

I looked at her skeptically. "That's quite alright. I don't want to waste any of it." I handed it back to her. She lightly took it, her hand lingering on mine longer than necessary. 

"So, hypothetically, what would happen if the drug stopped being administered?" I pursed my lips and frowned, pretending that I was deep in thought. 

"Hell. That's what would happen. The devil would surface from where it's buried in that thing, and would take revenge on all of planet earth." Dr. Martinez looked angry and terrified at the same time. 

I tried not to smile. 

"Oh. But wha--?"

"If this," she held up the vial and looked at the liquid moving inside. "stopped being given to it, the subject's powers and abilities would return. Rapidly. The damage that could be done.... I don't even want to think about it. It would regain its strength and energy. Everything. And it's not like it would kill it not to eat the food for a few days. It can survive on nothing for a month if it really needed to. That's why we make sure every scrap of food is eaten. Every. Last. Crumb." She was quite intense right now. Her nostrils were flared, and her lips were pursed together tightly. 

"Better pour on a little exra then. Just to make sure." I went for a joking smile. She relaxed and laughed. 

"Well, I better get back to it. I get off at 7 if you want to come back for any more questions, or just to talk, or anything. I'll be here."

This woman needed to get a man in bed with her. Soon. But it wasn't going to be me. 

I backed out of the room, trying to smile. "Will do, doctor." And I slipped into the hallway and to the elevator.