He waits at a desk, writing in a notebook at furious speed. His actuators are coiled at his feet. The room is dark, save for a small desk lamp. Another door, closed, leads to his actual lab.
Del knocked, slightly nervous. She had planned to bring Doctor Watson with her, but the older woman had been unavailable. But she'd left details about where she was, and when she expected to return. Every possible precaution. She wouldn't have come, but this possibility... She couldn't let it slip past her.
The door opened for her and Octavius was across the room at the desk. He looked up, sunglasses still in place in the dim of the room, and gave her a slight, businesslike smile.
"Dr. Harbor. Come in."
If she looks, the actuators are behind the door, having opened it for her when she knocked.
"Hnn. It's a nice design." He pushed himself away from the desk and turned in the chair, rolling over closer to her. He withdrew a penlight from the stereotypical white lab coat he had on.
"Any allergies? Drug reactions?" he asked as he checked her pupils for proper dilation.
A little startled by the speed with which he was getting to work, she blinked at the light as she set the brakes on her wheelchair. "No, none," she said calmly. "What can you tell me about the procedure?"
She nodded in acknowledgement. She expected pain. Nothing gained nothing, after all. "I'd like to see the records on the drug's testing... Afterwards. From a scientific standpoint, we could use this on my world."
"If you wish. Although I and Mr. Osborn own the patent, we may be willing to expand to... other markets, once the testing is complete."
He rose crossed the room to the entrance to the lab. He flipped on the lights; every surface gleamed in stainless steel and tile. A surgical table dominated the middle of the room.
The surgury didn't intimidate her. She worked in a room similar to this every day. She unlocked her brakes and followed him in, examining the facilities. Her approval showed on her face.
"I do. But they're not human." As if on cue, the door closed behind them and the actuators spidered into view. Octavius paid little attention to them as they began to prepare the table for her.
She should have known they were nearby. It irritated her that they surprised her. She covered it with another look around the room. "What's the procedure? Will I be awake for this?"
"I'm afraid that you'll have to be awake. It's part of my studies. I have to monitor what the serum does."
The actuators backed away and he smoothed a sheet out on the table for her. "It won't take long, though. You'll be in and out in about an hour." He smiled.
She parked her chair next to the bed, and undid her jacket, folding it over the arm. "I'll need help up there," she said with a confident smile that almost completely hid the nervousness in her voice.
The actuators came up behind her and slipped underneath her arms to lift her out of the chair and onto the table. Their touch was delicate but cold.
"I'll need to continue to visit you. See how you're coming along, how it's affecting you." He was busy preparing a spinal syringe with a greenish liquid.
"I'll visit you," she offered instead, tense as they lifted her. She wsan't allowed to disclose the new location of the Shop. They set her on her stomach and she shivered slightly.
"Whatever works for you." He washed his hands and pulled on a pair of rubber exam gloves. Her shirt was pulled up, revealing her spine. He ran his hand along it until he came to the base.
"This may sting." He lowered the needle, using the tip of his finger to guide the point.
Reply
"Dr. Harbor. Come in."
If she looks, the actuators are behind the door, having opened it for her when she knocked.
Reply
Reply
"Any allergies? Drug reactions?" he asked as he checked her pupils for proper dilation.
Reply
Reply
"Spinal injection, right at the base. The serum works very quickly. There will be pain... normally, it passes quickly.
"Also, this is a variant of the actual OZ formula. You shouldn't end up like ah... my employer."
He gave her the same slight smile.
Reply
Reply
He rose crossed the room to the entrance to the lab. He flipped on the lights; every surface gleamed in stainless steel and tile. A surgical table dominated the middle of the room.
Reply
"So, is this just us, or do you have any aides?"
Reply
Reply
Reply
The actuators backed away and he smoothed a sheet out on the table for her. "It won't take long, though. You'll be in and out in about an hour." He smiled.
Reply
She parked her chair next to the bed, and undid her jacket, folding it over the arm. "I'll need help up there," she said with a confident smile that almost completely hid the nervousness in her voice.
Reply
"I'll need to continue to visit you. See how you're coming along, how it's affecting you." He was busy preparing a spinal syringe with a greenish liquid.
Reply
Reply
"This may sting." He lowered the needle, using the tip of his finger to guide the point.
Reply
Leave a comment