Jonathan Bond - The Terminus experiment

Pakow gained control awkwardly.

“Come, Doctor Pakow,” Wake said, killing the picture on the monitor. “It’s time to get to work on our patient. When I learned that Marco’s brother was coming to attempt a rescue, I took the liberty of moving Warren’s body to the backup facility. I meant to tell you, but I guess I was preoccupied.”

Wake looked up just in time to see Pakow swallow hard, his protruding Adam’s apple bobbing. In that moment, Wake actually found it in his heart to feel sorry for the other man. You didn’t ask for this, did you, little man? You didn’t ask for the burden of being the salvation of metahumanity, and the pressure got to you.

Pakow cleared his throat, and pushed a heavy lock of hair up off his forehead. The hair stayed for just a moment, then fell back down again. “Where are we going?”

Wake looked at him closely. finding a perverse pleasure in watching the man squirm under his gaze. “Doctor Pakow, you don’t look so well. Have you been pushing too hard?”

Pakow’s face turned positively ashen, then he nodded. “Maybe. I am feeling a bit… tired.”

Wake nodded. “My apologies, Doctor. Unfortunately, any rest will have to wait. I’m a bit tired myself, and could certainly use your expertise for this next crucial step. After that you should take a break. It’s been a tiring day.”

Wake led Pakow out of the room and down the hall to operating theater number six. He stepped into the dimly lit room. This one was identical to the other five operating theaters, complete with an experimental tank in the middle. Except this one held Warren D’imato.

“Well, hello, my friend,” Wake said to the figure down below.

“Is that Warren D’imato?”

Wake ignored Pakow’s stupid question. He spoke in a quiet whisper, addressing Warren. “You are about to be given a gift beyond your wildest imaginings. If your procedure goes well, you will become one of the most powerful creatures ever to walk the earth. How does that grab you?”

Pakow had gone over to the control console. “You’ve started the procedure on him,” he said. “How far has it gone?”

Wake shook his head. “Not far. I’ve done the ritual magic, but haven’t yet exposed him to the first viral bath. I’d like you to do that, and take over the rest of the process. I’m going to be busy for a while.”

Pakow gave him a grave nod. “I understand”

“Do you?”

“I’ll let you know when the procedure is complete,” Pakow said.

Without answering, Wake made his way from the operating theater and was heading for his office. By the time he reached his sanctuary, a small beep told him that someone had tracked him down on his private line. “Right on time,” said Wake.

Hitting the Connect button Wake found himself face to face with Marco D’imato. Wake had been expecting this call, but Marco’s condition took him by surprise. The vampire’s deterioration was occurring much faster than he’d anticipated. The man’s makeup was a drifting sludge on his black face, and his dark lips were trembling.

Covering, Wake said, “Doctor Wake here. What can I do for you, Mister D’imato?”

Marco’s voice was a dry rasp. “What happened?”

Wake laughed. “Exactly what I expected. Your brother and his compatriots met with a bit more resistance than they had anticipated. They fled with their tails between their legs, so to speak.”

“Is Julius dead?”

Wake frowned. “No, and he did a great deal of damage, which you will be paying for. However, as far as I’ve been able to determine, he was unharmed during the fray.”

Marco shook his head, and blood-tinted sweat flew from his forehead. “Not possible. I know Julius, and if he came and

saw your facility, there’s no way he would have left without Warren.”

Wake smiled, and he could see Marco, even in the state he was in. draw back from that grin. “Then you know very little about possibilities, Mister D’imato, Point of fact is that I have just left the room containing your nephew. Point of fact, your brother led a failed assault, and left after being soundly defeated.”

Marco shook his head again. “He’ll be back, with more firepower.”

Wake leaned into the screen. “Unless, of course, you prevent him from doing so, I am a doctor, Mister D’imato, and I really don’t have the time to be worrying about this.”

Marco shrugged. “You’re right. How is Warren?”

Wake sat down in the chair. “He’s doing remarkably well. We’ll be beginning the treatment soon.”

Marco nodded, and showed his teeth in a fierce grin. “That’s good news, at least. When will he be mobile?”

Wake weighed his answer carefully. “Another couple of days, provided there aren’t complications. Speaking of complications, I’m guessing from your appearance that there’s been a reoccurrence of your spasms?”

Marco nodded, his shoulders drooping.

Wake steepted his fingers under his chin. “I’ve done some tests, and I’m quite concerned. However, I think I might have pinned down part of the problem. I’m setting up a treatment for you that should correct things, and if my analysis proves out, I might actually be able to restore some of the damage done to you during the initial procedure.”

For the first time since their conversation began, Wake watched Marco’s face light up. “You’re kidding. I thought you said the damage was irreversible?”

Wake smiled, “I didn’t say I was promising anything. Thanks, however, to your generous contributions to the project, I’ve been able to make some advances that even I didn’t know were possible. But there isn’t much time. We have to arrest the deterioration in your system before it does more damage. When can you come out?”

Marco’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Wake thought he might have tipped his hand. However, all Marco said was, “How long will this procedure take?”

Wake pretended to check something on the desk, trying to weigh his answer into a balance that would provide Marco with something believable, without making it seem impossible. “It’s a complete battery of submersions, as well as injection, therapy, but my guess would be that it won’t take more than a month, six weeks at the most. Depending, of course, on how well your body is able to adjust.”

Marco didn’t answer for a moment. Then, “You realize that this is a very precarious time for my organization. Especially now with my brother creating problems.”

Wake nodded. “Yes, but Warren will be up and able by the end of the week. Couldn’t you put him in charge as soon as he returns? You could even claim that you know where he is and that you are going to fetch him. Then you could say you’re going to Europe to take in the baths, or something. We could set up a line, so that Warren could report to you each day.”

The dark gleam in Marco’s eye let Wake know he’d said just enough.

“Doctor Wake, you are worthy of my trust. While the plan is far from foolproof, it isn’t like I will be out of the country or anything. If something goes wrong, I’ll just interrupt the procedure and take care of it.”

Wake hid his smile. “Tomorrow morning, then? It will be the last time you’ll be able to look at the sun for a couple of weeks.”

Marco nodded. “I’ll be there.”

Wake cut the connection. He paused for a moment, and took a deep breath, then punched in a private number.

Pakow answered on the first ring. “Yes?” He looked disheveled and was breathing heavily.

“Have you started the procedure?” Wake asked.

Pakow nodded. “Yes, I’m injecting the solution into the tank as we speak. Is there a problem?”

Wake shook his head. “Not really. I think I’ve taken care of it.”