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New Project By: Light Clark Synopsis: Tyler Gahret cares for nothing more than science, so when someone attempts to recruit him while he is returning to his usual job, he is all set to refuse. When he learns what the new project he's being recruited for is, however, he finds it too tempting to resist. Warning: This story is 'technically' set in the Whateley universe. It makes mention of a few characters and places from that universe, but does not use them for anything major. It mostly just borrows a few terms and general thematics. It is certainly not canon. Chapter 01 - Day 1 - Friday Little moved in the small, sterile office. In fact, very little occupied the office at all. There was a desk and chair with a computer on the former. There were shelves, but they were all bare. There were no pictures on the walls, no plants to liven up the room, no extra furniture for guests or meetings. It was so spartan that one would assume it didn't belong to anyone, if not for the man that sat behind the desk, that is. To an onlooker, the man, one Tyler Gahret, might seem rather ordinary. His hair was brown, as were his eyes. He wasn't particularly tall or short, nor was he ugly or handsome. He wasn't even particularly old or young, looking anywhere from mid twenties to early forties in age, in spite of his being only twenty-seven. Perhaps he leaned slightly toward the attractive side of things, and he was a bit lean, but for the most part he was quite plain. One might claim he had a studious or intellectual look to him, but that impression came more from his white labcoat and glasses than from any part of his appearance that was intrinsic to him. At the moment, Tyler was adding to his studious appearance by reading a document on his computer. It was a rather dry document as well, a recently published research paper on the mechanics of a specific variant of the mutant energizer trait. While hardly groundbreaking, it was interesting enough to hold Tyler's attention as the day ticked slowly by. A knock interrupted the peaceful quiet of the office, forcing Tyler to devote some small portion of his attention toward the door. "Come in." With permission granted, the portal swung open, revealing the man that had been a sort of boss for Tyler for the last nine months, Langley Paulson. He was an older man, looking to be in his mid forties, though, he was actually older than that. He was also the department head of advanced technologies and a former superhero. "Hey, Tyler," Langley greeted as he stepped inside. "Hello," came Tyler's neutral reply as he returned to reading his paper. "You're here awfully late," Langley remarked as he approached. Glancing briefly toward the clock, Tyler furrowed his brow at the time. "It's not late. I am normally here for at least one more hour." "Yes, but the work day ended two hours ago," Langely returned. "It was one thing to work this late when you actually had work, but you already finished everything you had left. You could leave and do something fun for once. You do have fun with things that aren't work right?" Without looking up from his reading, Tyler answered matter-of-factly, "Of course, I do things for fun. In fact, I am doing that right now." "Really?" Langley questioned as he moved around the desk to look at Tyler's computer screen. It took him only a moment to see what sort of entertainment the other man as engaged at that time. "Reading a research paper is a thrilling evening for you?" "Well, I wouldn't go so far as to call it thrilling, but it makes some interesting points," Tyler replied. "Mildly amusing would probably be more apt." That response elicited an amused chuckle from Langley. "Well, anyway ... I came by to see if you wanted to watch Tennyo's combat final with everyone tomorrow." Finally, Tyler looked up from his paper, but it was with a confused expression on his face. "Why would I want to do that?" Langley blinked in surprise. "To see your work in action, maybe? Your research and insight is what led us to the crystals." The explanation did nothing to abate Tyler's confusion. "I already saw the results in the lab tests. There's no need for me to reobserve what is already known." "Sometimes things perform differently out in the real world than they do in the lab," Langley commented. "But the research's conclusions are sound," Tyler countered. "If there are any faults in the implementation, it will just be a matter of making some small corrections. You and the rest of the team will be able to handle that easily enough. There's no need for me to be involved." Rolling his eyes, Langley let out a weary sigh. "Alright, if you don't want to come that's fine. I just thought I'd asked." Glad to have that issue resolved, Tyler nodded and returned to his reading. "Was there anything else you needed from me?" Langley shook his head. "Nope, just a quick thank you for coming to help with the research." "There's no need for thanks," Tyler told him. "Honestly, I should be thanking you for the opportunity to study The Scourge. It was fascinating." "Well then we are both thankful," Langley responded before extending his hand. "It was a pleasure working with you, Dr. Gehret." Once again, Tyler looked up from his reading. He took a moment to just peer at the offered hand before finally extending his own to take it. "Likewise." *********************************************** *********************************************** Day 7 - Thursday "Fifteen minutes?" Tyler mused, glancing at the nearby clock as he sat down. As soon as his butt hit the seat, he was flipping open his laptop and setting it in his lap, intent on getting some reading done before his flight boarded. "Should be just enough time ..." "I couldn't agree more," a strong male voice interjected just before someone sat in the seat right next to Tyler. Frowning slightly at the interruption, Tyler looked up to see who the new arrival was. It was, unsurprisingly given the voice, a man, one that radiated power and prestige. It started with his tall, well-built physique, continued with his handsome features, piercing blue eyes, and perfectly coiffed, raven hair, and ended with his expensive, custom tailored suit. The entire package spoke of wealth, influence, and confidence, but its impact was lost on Tyler, who immediately returned his focus to his laptop. There was a brief moment of silence as the man seemed to wait for a response, but Tyler never gave one. He just booted up his laptop while ignoring the other man's presence. Small talk was just a waste of time to him. "You know, I never expected to find Dr. Tyler Gehret flying with the masses," the man commented, seemingly undeterred by Tyler's cold reception. "I would've been certain that you would choose a more expedient mode of travel. Teleportation perhaps." Hearing the man use his name piqued Tyler's interest enough to get him to look up again. While he had some fame in scientific circles, it was very rare for anyone to recognize him in public. When it did occur, it was usually other scholars, not businessmen in fancy suits. "When you study the cosmos intimately enough, you gain a new fear for the risks of such manners of transportation," Tyler answered. "Magic, portals, mutant powers, alternate dimensions, all are highly variable and inconsistent. Simple physics like lift, chemical energy, and propulsion are much more reliable." "I'll keep that in mind, next time I'm trying to get somewhere," the man replied as a faint smirk curled his lips. That smirk was followed by the extension of a hand. "Kenneth Asker, but please call me Ken." "CEO of Askerix Labs," Tyler noted, recognizing the name. Askerix Labs was one of the major frontrunners in research related to abnormal entities and mutant powers. That explained why the man knew his name. Letting his unshook hand fall, Ken nodded in confirmation. "That's me." "Then I take it this is not a chance encounter," Tyler remarked, losing interest in the conversation. His gaze returned to his laptop, now booted up, as he started opening a document to read. "What makes you say that?" Ken asked. "A few reasons, Mr. Asker. One, Askerix labs is on the other side of the country in San Francisco, which means you would need to be here on business. Two, I would wager you have a private jet, and would not be flying 'with the masses' as you put it without reason. Three, our meeting comes just as I am concluding my work with Whateley Academy, so I am at the most available of any time you might approach me," Tyler reasoned as he started in on his document. "Ergo, you are clearly here with the intent to recruit me. Unfortunately for you, you have wasted your time. I am not interested." Ken raised an eyebrow at that final declaration. "How can you not be interested? You don't know what the project is, yet." "Again, a few reasons. One, I have already informed HPARC of my imminent return. Two, Askerix Labs is a private enterprise, focused on developing practical applications, not theory. Lastly, I don't like California," Tyler rattled off quickly while continuing to read. "Well, that certainly makes it an uphill battle," Ken joked, chuckling softly. "I do like a challenge, though." "Your enjoyment of the challenge does not change my answer, Mr. Asker," Tyler stated simply. Ken smiled confidently at that. "Well, I didn't expect that it would, but I think the project itself will change it." Intrigued, Tyler looked up from his laptop. "Really? What is so fascinating about this project that you think it will overcome my numerous reasons to decline?" "Because it's a complete unknown," Ken answered as he pulled out a briefcase, popped it open, and handed a picture from inside to Tyler. In the picture was a small box, seemingly made of plain stone. Its mundane looking construction sat at odds with the faint red aura of light that surrounded it and the fact that it was floating off the exam table in the picture. "A literal mystery box." Tyler's eyes widened slightly in excitement at the picture. "What kind of readings are you getting from it? Electromagnetic? Magic? Radioactive?" "That's part of the mystery," Ken replied. "With the testing that's been done so far, we're not really sure. It does apparently bare some rather strong similarities with what you were working on at Whateley." A slight frown tempered Tyler's interest. "It's not just another one is it?" "If it is, it's divergent enough that your results at Whateley can't be duplicated with it," Ken responded. Resting his chin in one hand, Tyler nodded thoughtfully. "Accommodations? Staff? Research goals?" "Fully equipped lab with a complete research team," Ken answered. "We're just looking for a head researcher to help us get us some initial understanding of what it is and how it works. Any development past that can be handled by our staff. You don't have to stay on if you don't want to." Tyler didn't ask any further questions. He just peered at the picture of the box, imagining the possibilities. It was just too intriguing, seeming to suck him in before he'd even had a chance to look at the work Ken's lab had done so far. Undoubtedly, it would only be more fascinating once he had. "So, have I managed to overcome your numerous reasons for refusal?" Ken inquired. "I'll have to check some things to make sure I'm not missing out on something incredible at HPARC or falling into some legal tangle by accepting," Tyle clarified. "But, tentatively, yes, you have found your head researcher." Ken smiled at the answer. "Glad to hear it." *********************************************** *********************************************** Day 14 - Thursday "Fascinating," Tyler commented as he moved around the small containment unit. Within the unit was the object that had overcome all of Tyler's objections. Visible through the glass, the simple cube, surrounded by its red glow, floated easily in its container. Its position was constant, never shifting in height or from side to side, making it seem almost frozen in time in mid fall. "Even better in person, isn't it?" Ken, the only other person in the lab at the moment, remarked. Eyes still glued to the cube, Tyler nodded absently. "Indeed it is. What were the results of the analysis of the material the cube is made of?" "There are no results," Ken stated simply. Pulled from the cube, Tyler turned to peer at Ken curiously. "No results? Why?" "Because we haven't collected a sample yet," Ken explained. "You've had this for almost a month and you haven't even taken a sample of its surface material?!" Tyler asked incredulously. Ken nodded in confirmation. "The researchers tell me that it's surrounded by some kind of repulsion field. They can't guarantee the cube will go undamaged if they puncture it, so I had them forestall such tests until we could get someone like you on the project." "A repulsion field ..." Tyler mused, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully as he returned his attention to the cube. "That explains why it's floating. Does the field keep out even gas particles?" "I honestly don't know. You'd have to ask one of the researchers," Ken replied. "We should introduce you to them now that you've seen the cube." Not looking up from the cube, Tyler waved a hand dismissively at Ken. "No, there's no need to waste time with that. Just show me my office and get me all the results that they've gathered so far. Unfortunately, we'll likely have to redo most of them, but I'd still like to review it all before I delve into anything else." "Well, I'm sure the team would be glad to help you review-" Ken started to offer. "No!" Tyler cut in forcefully, lifting his gaze to glare sternly at Ken. "I don't want their assumptions tainting my perception of the results. They are to stay away from me until I have completed my review of the tests. Only after that will I want to hear whatever anecdotal evidence they have to offer." Ken shrugged. "As you wish. I'll let everyone know that you don't want to be disturbed until you say otherwise." "Thank you, Mr. Asker," Tyler responded politely, glancing briefly back at the cube before returning his attention to Ken. "Now, I believe you should show me to my office so that I can get to work." Nodding, Ken gestured for Tyler to follow him. "Right this way." A moment later, the two were off, Ken leading the way and Tyler following behind. The latter spent the trip carefully assessing his surroundings. The cube itself sat in a secondary lab room which existed mostly for containment. Next to it was the main lab, complete with desks for the associate researchers and technicians. From that main area, several doors shot off, leading to specialized lab rooms as well as offices for the upper level researchers. "I know it's a little barren, but ..." Ken began as he opened the door to one of the offices and stepped inside. "This one is yours." Following in behind Ken, Tyler paused to look around at the office. It was similar to the one he'd had at Whateley but notably larger. The extra space mostly just seemed wasteful to him, though. It would have been put to better use making the lab space larger. "It will suffice," Tyler critiqued neutrally. "If you need anything, furniture, electronics, etc. just ask, and I'll make sure you get it," Ken offered. Tyler shook his head. "That won't be necessary, at least not for my office. There might be a few items needed for the lab, but I won't know for sure until I've thoroughly assessed the facilities." "Well, just let me know on that front too," Ken told him while reaching into his pocket to pull out a card. "Anyway, I've already got you set up in the system, so that you can access everything in the research database. Here's your login and password. It only works from your office computer and the other ones in the lab." Taking the card, Tyler nodded in understanding. "Thank you." "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll let you get to work," Ken excused himself before slipping out of the office. Once the executive was gone, Tyler tapped the card he held against his hand a couple of times while he carefully reviewed what he had seen so far. Finding nothing that had been unsatisfactory, he nodded, turned, and walked over to his computer. Sitting down, he got started on his work. *********************************************** *********************************************** Day 20 - Wednesday "And so, I would like to formally introduce you all to the new head researcher for this project, Dr. Tyler Gehret," Ken announced, keeping it brief as per Tyler's request. "Please do your best for him in the days to follow." A small spattering of applause rose from the assembled staff. It wasn't much given Tyler's excellent reputation as a scientist. It was even odder given the large total number of staff, including two senior researchers and two associates, as well several lab technicians, janitorial staff, and other office auxiliaries. There just wasn't much good will for a man that had been working among them for three days while refusing to meet any of them. The lack of welcome did not bother Tyler in the least as he stepped forward to address the gathering. "It is a pleasure to get to work on such a fascinating project, which is exactly why I'd like to get right to it The very first task we'll need to undertake is redoing some of the past tests. I have created a list-" "Redo past tests? Why?" a woman, one of the two senior researchers that had been running the lab prior to Tyler's arrival, interrupted. She was a stern, professional woman in her fifties by the name of Jody Mullen. A frown creased Tyler's face as he let out a sigh. "Because, Dr. Mullen the experiments used in those tests were improperly designed, creating a bias in the data that makes it unusable for my analysis. Now, in the future, I would appreciate no interruptions while I am giving operational directives. If you have questions or comments, please save them until after I have finished." Jody stiffened at the reprimand, responding coldy, "Sorry, Dr. Gehret." Not even acknowledging the apology, Tyler moved on. "Now, then, back to where I was. I have created a list of the tests that will need to be done, along with specs for the alterations to the experiments in question as well as a time table for their completion. All of this information will be emailed out to relevant parties as soon as I am finished here. I will also be making available to all of you a schedule of my activities including times when I will be available in my office to discuss any questions or issues that you may have. The first such office period will begin in five minutes. Once that has concluded, I will expect everyone to be focused on their assigned tasks. Does anyone have any comprehension issues with this order of events?" There were several unhappy looks, even a few angry glares, but no questions from the crowd or objections. The only confirmation that Tyler received was a few stiff nods from people to get things moving along. That was enough for him. "Excellent," Tyler stated, glad to have things running smoothly. "I'll go email out the instructions, and will be available in my office to discuss things in five minutes." Without anything further, Tyler just turned and walked off toward his office, leaving the crowd to mutter as it dispersed. While most went about their work, Ken did not. Instead, he trotted to catch up to Tyler before falling into step beside him. "You were rather autocratic there, don't you think?" Ken remarked quietly as he caught up to the scientist. Tyler shrugged disinterestedly. "I suppose, Mr. Asker. Is there a problem with that?" "Well, it's not exactly going to inspire much loyalty or good will," Ken noted. "I suppose that might be a salient point, if either of those things were important," Tyler replied as he opened the door to his office and stepped inside. "However, all that matters to me is that the lab is run efficiently and to my specification, and the best way to achieve that is to be exacting in my instructions." "I can see your point, but -" Ken started to argue as he tried to follow Tyler into the scientist's office. Stopping in the door, Tyler raised a hand to both block Ken's entrance and forestall his words. "I realize that you are the CEO, but I must ask that you observe the same schedule as the rest of the staff. I am not available for discussion on any issues you may have with how I run the lab for another four minutes. Excuse me." Without waiting for a reply, Tyler closed the door to the office in Ken's face. Stunned, Ken fell back a step from the suddenly shut door. "Well, that's a first," he mumbled, smirking as he turned and started toward the lab's exit. *********************************************** *********************************************** Day 21 - Thursday Peering at the cube, Tyler examined a few things before turning to his laptop to type. A few blistering lines later, he returned his attention to the cube. Rubbing his chin, he just stood there in thought for several long moments. The cube was living up to Ken's salesmanship as a mystery box. While there were some energy signatures, radioactivity, and other detectable aspects to the cube, none of it seemed to mesh together to explain the floating polygon. There simply wasn't enough activity, implying some sort of shielding effect. "Perhaps magical?" Tyler mused, releasing his chin to shake out his hands. Once he'd limbered up, he started in on a spell, a simple one to allow him to detect any magical patterns surrounding the cube. He just needed to know what, if anything was there, and he'd be able to consider its impact on the system as a whole. As soon as the spell completed, Tyler's vision shifted, showing a faint magical aura around the cube. For the next several moments, he looked it over carefully, dissecting its structure and purpose. Once those moments were passed, he frowned slightly. "Not like what you see?" Ken's voice commented, cutting through the silence of the dark, nearly empty lab. Frown deepening, Tyler looked up at Ken in annoyance. "Why are you disturbing me while I'm in the middle of a crucial observation?" "Because security called me. They thought you were some kind of spy that had broken into the lab," Ken explained. Tyler rolled his eyes. "If they had checked the lab access records, they would have seen that my clearance had been used to enter today but not exit, indicating that I was still at work." Smirking, Ken shrugged off the reasoning. "I can't really blame them. We're not exactly used to employees working this late ... alone ... in the dark ..." Sighing, Tyler started to turn back to his work when a curiosity caught in his mind, getting him to turn back to Ken. "Why would the CEO respond to a security call for an intruder in the lab by entering that lab by himself?" "Let's just say I had more going for me than wit and good looks when it came to starting a business," Ken replied mysteriously, causing Tyler to furrow his brow in consternation. "What? Can't figure it out?" "No. You're obviously referring to having powers of some sort, but I can't figure out which ones," Tyler replied. "There aren't very many powers that are useful for both being the CEO of a research company and for dealing with an intruder. I would have guessed a psychic package of some kind, but at the airport, you did not attempt to influence me to accept the job." "Why would I when I knew I wouldn't need to?" Ken pointed out. "Besides, if you'd noticed, the attempt would have ruined my chances, and I'm betting that you would've noticed." Tyler nodded. "Mostly likely. Knowing how to identify and resist mental intrusion is a necessity for my line of work." "I figured," Ken responded, followed by a brief pause. "Speaking of unknown powers, I thought you were a gadgeteer, not a wizard." Losing interest, Tyler turned back to the cube. "You thought correctly. However, one does not have to be a wizard to learn magic. Like resisting mental intrusion, it was a necessity for my work, while also being an interesting subject in itself. I do prefer the hard sciences, though." "And that nicely brings us back to my original question. Did you not like what you saw?" Ken segued. Tyler shook his head. "Liking or disliking a results clouds one's objectivity and biases one's observations." "Then why were you frowning," Ken questioned pointedly. That observation brought another frown to Tyler's face. "That ... because the result indicated an issue with testing. There is a very unusual form of containment magic at work." "Containment magic? Are you sure?" Ken inquired. "As certain as I can be given the interruption of my work with which I am currently dealing," Tyler noted acerbically. Ignoring the barb, Ken nodded. "Interesting. The previous expert I'd had examine the cube had assured me there was no organization to the essence within the cube's repulsion field. Any idea what's it containing? Tyler shrugged. "Guessing at this juncture would be pointless. Worse, the magic is likely having a masking effect on the very things that we'd like to test. That makes ascertaining what it contains very difficult." "Well, if it was easy, I wouldn't have had to go headhunting for someone like you," Ken remarked. "I assume you do have an idea of how to proceed." "Naturally," Tyler assured him. "I just am not pleased by the setback this discovery will cause, hence the frown." "Understood," Ken replied. "Anyway, I'll go inform the guards of your propensity for late nights. Good luck with your research." *********************************************** *********************************************** Day 27 - Wednesday Window after window of graphs and numbers flashed by on the computer screen as Tyler reviewed the most recent tests. The staff had not been happy with having to redo some of them a third time, but the results were more than worth it. Finally, he was starting to get an idea of what he might be dealing with. A knock on the door pulled Tyler from his work while putting a grimace on his face. He was getting tired of the endless string of nuisances that marched into his office during his periods of availability. It was usually one of the two senior researchers, leaving Tyler to wonder which it would be this time. "Come in," Tyler called while returning his attention to reviewing the results. A moment later, Tyler heard the sound of the door opening, followed by someone walking inside. "Good afternoon, Tyler," Ken greeted. Surprised to hear the CEO's voice, Tyler looked up from his work briefly to acknowledge the man. He was back to his work before he got halfway through saying, "Good afternoon, Mr. Asker. What can I do for you today?" "Well I don't normally like to micromanage my researchers too much, but I heard something ... interesting with regards to the cube research and felt like I should probably check up on it," Ken remarked. "Please get to the point Mr. Asker," Tyler requested inhospitably, uninterested in the roundabout manner of speaking. "I'm in the middle of important work." "Phil tells me you're planning to break open the cube," Ken stated. "Is it true?" Tyler nodded. "Yes, eventually." "Eventually?" Ken questioned. "Phil made it sound like you were planning to do it tomorrow." "Well that's because Dr. Laird believes that the series of tests that I plan to begin tomorrow might break the cube," Tyler explained. "It's very unlikely, especially in the early stages, but, I will admit to there being a slight possibility of damage to the cube." Ken narrowed his eyes uncertainly. "What are these tests?" Sighing, Tyler looked up from his work to level an annoyed look at Ken. "I thought you didn't like to micromanage your researchers?" "I don't, but when they are potentially unleashing uncontrolled destruction in my lab, I like to be at least informed of it," Ken retorted. Rolling his eyes, Tyler shrugged dismissively. "Very well. If you must know, I intend to insert a pair of probes inside the repulsion field of the cube to get some more accurate readings of what's going on inside. Initially, it will only be a few millimeters of penetration, but the intent is to eventually make it all the way to the surface of the cube itself." "Sounds safe enough, if you don't jab the cube with the thing," Ken commented. "Why is Phil so worried about it?" "Well, we are unsure what kind of strain the repulsion field applies to the cube itself," Tyler explained. "Currently, the cube moves away from objects that push hard enough on the field, which is why it floats above solid surfaces like tables. However, in order to insert the probe, we'll have to do so simultaneously from opposite sides to force the cube to hold it still. It's possible that this will put pressure on the cube itself, but it's very unlikely." Ken furrowed his brow slightly. "Why so?" "Because it would be very foolish to create a containment vessel for anything powerful in such a manner manner," Tyler critiqued. "Something as simple as a heavy object falling on top of the cube would result in it breaking, releasing whatever is inside." "Makes sense," Ken conceded. "Should I take that as approval to continue with the tests or do you need further convincing?" Tyler questioned. "You're good to go on the tests," Ken replied. "Just try not to break the thing before we know what's inside. Okay?" Tyler nodded. "Of course." *********************************************** *********************************************** Day 28 - Thursday The bustle of people moving around and setting up equipment greeted Tyler as he stepped into the lab room where the cube was kept. The room was quite crowded as most of the staff hurried to finish setting up for the test that was scheduled to start that day. Tyler was in a bit of a hurry as well, arriving a few minutes, because he was so excited to see what kind of results the test would yield. "Dr. Mullen, Dr. Laird, good morning," Tyler greeted robotically as he approached his two senior subordinates. "How go the preparations for the test?" The pair shared an uneasy look before turning to Tyler. Jody was the one that spoke up first. "Sorry Dr. Gehret but we're a bit behind schedule because someone," she paused to glare at Phil, "messed up a calibration." "I didn't mess it up!" Phil declared defensively. "The instrumentation was faulty and had to be replaced!" "It had to be replaced because you broke it!" Jody countered. Sighing, Tyler held up a hand to stop the argument. "It doesn't matter what caused the delay, just tell me how late we're running." Phil shrugged. "Ten minutes behind maybe?" "Assuming the manpower needed to correct the mistake didn't put any other tasks behind schedule," Jody added. After considering that news for a moment, Tyler nodded in acceptance. "That shouldn't upset the overall testing schedule, so that's fine. We'll just move everything for today back ten minutes. I'll make sure to circulate an amendment to the schedule after we complete the initial test. Is there anything else that I need to know about?" Jody shook her head. "No. That was it." "Actually ..." Phil spoke up. "I just wanted to once again express my concerns over this test. There is a significant risk of rupturing the cube and releasing whatever is inside upon not just us but the world. It's too dangerous." "Your concerns have already been noted, Dr. Laird," Tyler replied. "Both Mr. Asker and myself have dismissed them as overly cautious and limiting. The test will go on as planned." Eyes narrowing, Phil huffed, "Argh! Stubborn ass!" before turning and stomping off. Pursing his lips slightly, Tyler turned to Jody. "Let me know if his intractability will put us any further behind." "Will do," Jody promised. With his senior subordinates checked on, Tyler walked off to review the work of the rest of the staff. Just about everyone was focused on final touches at that moment. There didn't seem to be any major hiccups or anything else that would require his attention, leaving him free to wander over to the test subject. The cube's glass container was surrounded by the apparatuses required for the probe insertion. They were rather simple devices, looking very much like two large needles. Soon, those needles would be inserted into the field and provide a whole new set of data for Tyler to use in his quest to understand the mystery hidden within the simple looking cube. The blare of an alarm cut through the bustle of the lab, grinding everyone to a halt. It cut out quickly, replaced by an automated female voice recording announcing an intruder in the building. The voice barely had time to say that before the first loud crash shook the lab. Instantly, panic overtook the lab. Everyone looked around in fear as they all tried to ask at once what they should do. Should they hide, flee, evacuate? That fear only worsened with the second crash. Amidst the chaos, Tyler stood impassively. His only reaction was a slight frown of consternation. In his mind, the only worry was how to mitigate the delay that this disruption would cause with the testing schedule. ?I need to preserve personnel,? Tyler decided under his breath right after the second blast rattled through him. With a course of action set, he set to work. ?Everyone, listen up!? Normally quiet and even keeled, Tyler?s voice still managed to carry over the racket. It commanded attention as well, quieting people down while getting them to turn toward him. The lab staff were already quite used to having to listen when he gave orders. ?I am sure the building is more than sound, which means we need to focus on avoiding this intruder!? Tyler yelled. ?First, everyone organize yourselves in an orderly fashion and leave this lab! Outside, go to your offices and lock the doors! If you do not have an office, join someone else in theirs! Any intruder is likely after the cube and will pass you over if you do not get in their way, so don?t panic! Now, let?s move!? Once his orders were given, Tyler shifted tasks to guiding the crowd. Ostensibly this was to help people quickly and safely evacuate the small lab the cube was contained in, but he did it for another purpose. It allowed him to keep people from damaging or upsetting the equipment for the test. He wanted everything to remain in place in case the intruder was dealt with quickly. Given the small number of personnel, it didn?t take long for the lab to empty of everyone but Tyler. It wasn?t that he didn?t have time to evacuate as well, but that he had no intention of doing so. Instead, he moved over next to the cube, positioning himself between it and the door. Once he was there, he began casting a barrier spell. It wasn?t anything terrible strong, but he had no intention of just letting the cube be taken away from him before he had a chance to figure out its mysteries. The barrier spell was just finishing when a third crash was heard. This one was much closer and much louder, sounding like someone had bashed down the steel door that led to the lab proper. It wasn?t long until the next crash ? a crash that brought the intruder face to face with Tyler. Unsurprisingly, at least to Tyler, the intruder wore one of those spandex costumes that were so popular among the supernaturally gifted both hero and villain alike. The wearer of the costume, a woman, certainly looked like one of the former. Her costume was a bright and optimistic, red, white, and gold ensemble. The woman herself was tall, athletic, and blonde with the look of righteous determination in her bright green eyes that heroes always seemed to get when they thought they were doing something noble. It was that look of righteous nobility that furrowed Tyler?s brow. Askerix Labs was a legitimate research company, not some criminal, devisor front. It didn?t make sense for a hero to be busting in there and making a mess. While Tyler was trying to figure out what was going on, the woman frowned at him. ?I guess you?re the one trying to unleash a cosmic entity on the city,? she remarked, raising her fists. ?We doing this the easy way or the hard way?? ?I don?t know what you?ve been told, but I am not trying to do any such thing,? Tyler tried to tell her. ?I have a very reliable source on the matter, so you?ll have to forgive me if I don?t believe the person standing between me and an ancient, stolen artifact,? the woman replied. Truly confused, Tyler furrowed his brow. ?Stolen? It?s not ?? ?Enough of your stalling!? the woman interrupted before she took off, darting through the air toward the scientist with incredible speed. Caught my surprise, Tyler just gawked for the moment it took the woman to close on him. If not for the barrier he?d set up before she?d arrived, he?d have lost on the spot. Luckily for him, that barrier was there, causing the woman to crash against it instead of him. Rebounding from the barrier, the woman paused for a moment to peer at Tyler suspiciously, clearly trying to deduce what had stopped her. Meanwhile, Tyler recovered enough to try talking again. ?Please, listen to m?? Unfortunately, the woman proved no more interested in listening to Tyler than the last time that he?d talked. Instead, her fist lashed out, slamming into the barrier that the scientist had erected. There was a loud crack, as a spiderweb pattern appeared in the air around the woman?s fist. That just got her to reel back and throw another punch. When this one hit, the barrier shattered like a pane of glass getting slammed into the ground. Realizing he needed to act, Tyler tried to get his hands up to start another defensive spell, but the woman was already on him. One of her hands snagged one of his in an iron grip as she spun around him. A moment later, he had one of his arms twisted around behind his back as his legs buckled under him, dropping him to his knees. ?Not much of a fighter,? the woman mocked as she locked Tyler in the hold. ?That?s because he?s not a fighter,? Ken?s rejoindered as he appeared in the ruined doorway. ?Now, unhand my lead researcher.? Those words carried a suggestive power that Tyler could immediately recognize. The woman seemed to recognize it as well, shaking her head fiercely to try to keep the idea from taking hold in her thoughts even as her grip slackened. Unfortunately for her, that was all the distraction that Ken needed. The next moment, a wave of force swatted the woman away from Tyler, sending her crashing into one of the desks full of equipment. Thanks to her suggestion weakened grip, Tyler didn?t go flying with her or lose an arm, but he didn?t escape unscathed. He got yanked around pretty hard, wrenching his arm and knocking him to the floor. Rattled, it took Tyler a moment to shake off the hit and come to his senses. He did just in time to hear another loud crash. A glance up showed even more of the lab being destroyed as the woman tossed some expensive lab equipment at Ken, who swatted it out of the air with his telekinesis. That just made it crash off to the side, destroying even more. Growling in frustration, Tyler shoved himself to his feet. ?You have to stop fighting! You risk?!? Yet again, Tyler never had the chance to finish what he was going to say. This time, it wasn?t anything that was happening to him that stopped him. It was watching helplessly as the woman dove toward Ken, knocking aside everything in her way. Among those things was one of the probes which she swatted with all her clearly considerable strength right at the cube. Tyler?s shoulders had just enough time to slump before it stabbed in, piercing right through the red of the repulsion aura to skewer the cube. Wincing, Tyler watched the cube as the two supers continued to battle unaware of what they?d done. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. The cube just continued to float there like it always had, albeit with a probe jammed in it. It didn?t last, though. A moment later, the first cracks started to spiderweb out from the hole, then the whole thing shattered. The last thing Tyler saw before he lost consciousness was a burst of brilliant red. *********************************************** *********************************************** Chapter 02 - Day 29 - Friday For some unknown time, Tyler did nothing but drift in an endless red haze. It was like being wrapped in a fog bank lit by a red light, except he couldn?t find the light. It seemed to come from the cloud itself, permeating everything within its boundaries. He was no exception to this, feeling the light and mist seep into him. It clogged his lungs, burned his eyes, and created a dreadful pounding in his head that grew worse and worse and ... The red haze vanished, replaced by the silvery sheen of metal. Unfortunately, it didn?t take the pounding in Tyler?s head with it. In fact, other aches and pains seemed to have joined in the fun, making his whole body feel like it had spent the last several minutes substituting for a punching bag in a boxing movie montage. Groaning, Tyler raised a hand to rub at his head, pleased to find both without obvious signs of damage in spite of the pain. That prompted him to try sitting up, an action that he immediately regretted as the pounding in his head turned into an agonizing pulse that felt like it would make his eyes pop right out of his head. He powered through it, though, staying elevated in the hopes that it would pass quickly. It wasn?t quick, but it did finally pass. When he opened his eyes again, Tyler looked down at himself. He was surprised to find that, other than some torn clothes and a lot of bruises, he seemed to be in pretty good shape. All of his limbs were accounted for, and there weren?t any gashes, burns, or bandages that might be covering either. ?Fascinating,? Tyler mumbled, wondering how he?d survived the cube rupturing. He could have sworn there had been a wave of red energy before he?d blacked out. Without any defenses to shield him, he?d been sure that that was going to be the end for him. With his own health confirmed, Tyler lifted his gaze to his surroundings. There wasn?t much to see in that regard. He was laying on a small cot-like bed that was bolted to one wall of an equally small room. The entire room was made of metal from top to bottom, even the door which had a small panel next to it. Other than the bed, the only other furnishings were the plumbing, namely a toilet and a sink beside it. Taken altogether, Tyler realized exactly what kind of room he was in ? a prison cell. Leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, Tyler let out a weary sigh. The fact that he was in a cell instead of a normal hospital room meant that he was being treated as a criminal, a superpowered one at that. He doubted that it would be too difficult to prove his innocence, but that would take time. The fact that he would have to also meant that there was little chance he would be getting a chance to study whatever had been inside of the cube, assuming that he hadn?t hallucinated or misremembered it breaking open. ?I suppose that I?ll have to settle for reading about it,? Tyler muttered, feeling truly dejected. ?What a disappointment.? Just as Tyler was starting to lament his situation, Ken?s voice filled the room. ?Hey, Tyler, this is Ken. If you can manage it, come over to the door please, so you can use the intercom.? ?Alright, let?s try standing up,? Tyler told himself. After taking a moment to gather himself, Tyler pushed off the bed, getting up onto legs that were wobbly and sore. They managed to hold him, though, and even allow him to walk over to the panel on the wall beside the door which had a small screen that showed Ken standing outside, along with a camera, microphone, and a few buttons, one of which was labeled talk. Pressing that button, Tyler greeted the other man with a polite, ?Hello, Mr. Asker. I assume since you are not also in a cell that you have sorted things out with the authorities.? ?Sort of ...? Ken responded uncomfortably. A frown creased Tyler?s lips at that response. That tone combined with the indistinct answer meant that something was wrong. Given the situation, whatever that something was, it had to do with him. ?Just tell me what?s wrong, Mr. Asker,? Tyler instructed. ?The cube broke, and whatever was inside decided to make you into its new home,? Ken explained. ?We?re still trying to figure out exactly what that means, but the fact that you?re awake and seem to be your usual self is a good sign.? Taking a moment, Tyler mulled over the news. The cube breaking wasn?t good, but if its contents had chosen him as a receptacle for them, at least they weren?t lost or destroying the planet ? yet. If the pain he was feeling was indicative of a decaying system, however, he might not have a lot of time. ?Alright. How long have I been out?? Tyler asked, gearing up for work. ?A little over a day,? Ken answered. Tyler nodded. ?And what kind of test results have you gotten so far?? ?Well, the doctors say they?ll need more time to observe you, but so far, they haven?t found anything wrong with you,? Ken replied. Rolling his eyes, Tyler shook his head. ?Not medical tests. Lab tests. Am I releasing large amounts of radiation or other energy signatures? Were there any results from when the cube was broken? What about security cameras? Are there any signs of repulsion fields around or within me? Are there other abnormal effects of any kind?? Ken blinked in surprise. ?Oh ... uhm ... I think they did some radiation tests to make sure you weren?t hazardous, but I?m not sure if anything else was done. Other than when the doctors initially examined you, you?ve been alone in that sealed containment room the whole time.? Frustrated, Tyler pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. ?Alright, assuming the study is still on, I?ll start working on some experiments. You get the team here as quickly as you can, so that I can tell them what to do.? Smirking, Ken chuckled softly. ?I suppose I should have expected you to react like that. It?ll take me a little bit to get everyone rounded up for ya.? ?That?s fine,? Tyler responded. ?It will take me time to plan everything out, anyway. How long do you think I?ll be in quarantine anyway?? Ken shrugged. ?It was mostly a precaution against you possibly being possessed by whatever was in the cube. I?ll have to check with the doctors to be sure, but since that isn?t the case, I don?t think it?ll be much longer.? ?Also fine,? Tyler stated. ?If I have to stay in here, though, get whatever you?ll need to allow the team access to me for the testing.? ?Roger,? Ken replied. ?Anything else?? Tyler shook his head. ?I?ll probably have more by the time you get back, but that should be good for now.? ?Alright, be back in a bit? Ken told him just before the video screen winked out. Glad to have things moving in terms of testing, Tyler turned to walk back toward the little bed. ?I might get to figure out the mystery box after all, even if I am the new box.? Plopping down on the bed, Tyler rested his chin in his hand thoughtfully. He had tests to devise, but before he did that, he needed to assess the new information that he?d gained. The fact that he wasn?t dead was noteworthy, as was his new status as a host. That implied some sort of entity, which helped narrow down the possibilities a little. Of course, he didn?t want to get ahead of himself. He still had to test to make sure he was in fact hosting the thing rather than it just appearing to enter him during its escape. That would be a good place to start. Just as he was getting on a roll, Tyler?s train of thought was derailed by a loud growl from his stomach.. Groaning, he placed a hand on his abdomen, feeling the muscles tense along with the painful gurgle. ?I should?ve asked for food,? he chastised himself for the blunder. He often missed meals while working, but a whole day without was a different matter. That would be harder to ignore. Putting a meal on the top of the list of priorities for when Ken returned, Tyler got back on track with his thoughts. As he did, he absently noted an itch on his chest and reached up to scratch at it. The moment he started the first rake of his nails, though, his hand froze as he winced in pain. ?Ow ... ? Tyler complained, switching from scratching to rubbing at the aggravated spot. While it helped with the pain of the scratch, the rubbing sent its own twinges of discomfort running through him. It also caused him to notice an unfamiliar sensation on his palm. Frowning, Tyler abandoned his thoughts again to look down at his chest. As he did, he tugged open the neck of his dress shirt to peek inside. The sight that awaited him caused his eyes to widen in surprise. Not a large man, Tyler?s chest was normally flat and a little bony, with only slight pectoral muscles. Now, resting above the muscle were twin, swollen cones, each centered on a puffy nipple that served as its apex. The points stuck out only about half an inch from where he was used to his nipples being, while the swelling extended out to a bit past his aureolas. At first, Tyler assumed it was some sort of irritation or injury resulting from the fight or the cube?s destruction. The shapes on his chest had him doubting that almost instantly. They were too distinct and symmetrical, clearly centered around specifically his nipples. Given that, there was a far more likely answer as to what they were. ?Fascinating,? Tyler mumbled as he poked gently at the tender flesh. ?Why would it stimulate breast development?? There were a lot of possible answers to that question. They ranged from random side effect to female entity to some sort of strange subconscious interpretation and beyond. He just didn?t have the information to narrow it down. After several moments of consideration, Tyler shrugged, at a loss for what the answer might be. Making a mental note to verify his hypothesis about the swellings being from breast development later, he put the new development aside for the moment. It just wasn?t currently useful to his research. *********************************************** *********************************************** With his eyes closed and his legs folded, Tyler sat on the bed, deep in thought. His thoughts weren?t on the tests and other preparations. He?d finished those quite some time ago, leaving him free to consider other things. It was considering one such thing that had led him to the meditative state. After completing his work, Tyler?s focus had returned to the physical changes that he had noted, but he considered them from a different angle than before. No entity that he had ever studied would waste the energy it took to change a host if it didn?t intend to inhabit it for a while or at least as long as it would last. There weren?t any indications that the entity was trying to harm him either. His pain and stiffness had even lessened considerably in the time that he?d been awake. There hadn?t been any urges to destroy the world or melt people?s brains either, so he was optimistic that the entity was either symbiotic or at least not hostile. With that hypothesis as a basis, Tyler had spent the time while he waited for Ken?s return doing tests that only he could. The first series had been a number of attempts to communicate with the entity. None of the methods that he was aware of had proven effective, however. Not even magical communication had managed to succeed. He took that to mean that the entity either was incapable of communicating in a manner that he could possibly understand, which wasn?t uncommon, or merely had no interest in communicating with him at all. After the efforts to communicate, Tyler had moved on to assessing possible changes. In addition to the swelling on the chest, he?d also detected a mild weight loss. It wasn?t much, but enough to be observable. Other than that, he hadn?t found anything readily apparent. The next thing on the list was what Tyler was currently focused on. Serving as a host to an entity often resulted in the expression of abnormal abilities. Given the cube?s repulsive field, he?d been trying to create one of his own, but so far had not succeeded. Getting a power to express itself was hardly an exact science, however, so that didn?t really mean much. ?You awake in there?? Ken voice asked through the door speaker. Focus broken, Tyler sighed in annoyance over the fact that he couldn?t just talk from where he was sitting, but had to get up. A long time sitting cross-legged had left his legs stiff, adding to the remaining soreness from the battering that he?d taken during the fight. Getting up prompted a wince, but he managed to get to the door without too much trouble. ?Yes, Mr. Asker,? Tyler replied as he looked at the video showing just Ken, with a bag in hand, in the hallway outside the room. ?I don?t see the team with you. Were you not able to get them?? ?Don?t worry. They?ll be here in just a few minutes,? Ken assured him. ?I wanted to talk to you before you were all wrapped up in your science stuff.? Glad to have the team nearly there, Tyler nodded in acceptance. ?Very well, Mr. Asker. What did you need to discuss?? ?Well first, the doctors said that, unless something strange happens, they don?t see any reason to not release you tomorrow,? Ken informed the scientist. Tyler made sure to keep his expression neutral when he heard that news. Something that could be described as strange had already happened, but he had no intention of disclosing that information. Getting out of the cell so that he could work freely on his research was a top priority. ?Since that?s the case, I have everyone working on cleaning up the lab rather than trying to set up something here,? Ken continued on. ?Well, everyone except for Dr. Laird. He?s be released.? ?The hero did mention having a source feeding her information,? Tyler remarked. ?I presume Laird was that source?? Ken nodded in confirmation. ?Yeah, if you can call a lying bastard a source.? ?Well, I suppose, technically he was actually correct about the experiment,? Tyler commented. ?My insistence on running it did lead to cube rupturing.? Smirking, Ken let out a little chuckle. ?True. He?s still very fired, and blacklisted from people that value my opinion of employees which are a lot of people.? Tyler frowned slightly at the news. ?I see. Do we have a replacement or am I going to have work down one senior researcher?? ?Down one researcher unfortunately,? Ken told him. ?I?d like to say I?ll have a replacement soon, but hiring top class scientists can take a while.? Frustrated, Tyler sighed. ?Alright. I?ll make it work.? ?Oh, and speaking of making things work. I know you didn?t ask for anything, but,? Ken segued, holding up the bag in his hand. ?I figured you?d probably be hungry, so I brought you something to eat. I didn?t know what you liked so you?re stuck with a bottle of water and a ham and cheese on white.? ?That will be fine. Thank you,? Tyler responded. On the screen, Ken set the bag into the wall and pressed a button. A moment later, there was the hiss of air pressure followed by a small panel under the intercom sliding open to reveal a bag. Taking it out, Tyler peeked inside to see a neatly wrapped sandwich and a bottle of water inside. ?Is there anything else you need or should I go bring the team in?? Ken asked. After taking a moment to consider that question, Tyler shook his head. ?No, I think that?s everything.? *********************************************** *********************************************** Day 30 - Saturday ?Alright, how do you feel today?? the doctor, one Allen Greene, asked as he sat down in front of Tyler. ?Bruised, slightly anemic, and a bit fatigued,? Tyler rattled off clinically. ?However, given what I?ve been through, I think it would be fair to describe my current state as ?fine?.? Narrowing his eyes in displeasure, the doctor started a quick examination, starting at Tyler?s throat. ?Anything unusual like headaches, muscles pain, trouble breathing or the like.? Shaking his head, Tyler lied, ?No. Nothing unusual.? Accepting that without question, Allen just nodded and continued on. ?Alright, say ah.? ?Ah,? Tyler complied, opening his mouth, so that the doctor could peer inside. Allen seemed to like what he saw because he gave only a cursory glance at Tyler?s throat before moving on. ?Alright, now take of your shirt please.? Tyler tensed at the request. ?Is that really necessary?? That question caused the doctor to furrow his brow suspiciously. ?Yes, it is.? Knowing that arguing would only make the situation harder to avoid, Tyler sighed in frustration and reached up to start unbuttoning his shirt. ?Alright.? The moment the shirt was off, Allen?s eyes widened. ?Uhm ... how long has your chest been like that?? ?LIke what?? Tyler questioned, feigning ignorance. He even went a step further, pretending not to notice anything wrong when he glanced down at his chest. ?Seems normal to me? Allen gave Tyler an incredulous look. ?Are you being serious right now? Your chest did not look like that when I first examined you.? Tyler shrugged. ?It?s just a little swelling.? Reaching out, Allen prodded one of the swellings with a finger, eliciting a wince from Tyler. ?Yeah ... sure it is.? ?Look, this really isn?t relevant,? Tyler stated. ?I?m not in any pain. The entity isn?t harming anyone, nor impacting my mental faculties in any way. There?s no cause for concern over this.? ?Not harming anyone?? Allen asked, eyeing Tyler?s chest. ?That?s your opinion of what those mean?? ?Even if they are what we both think they are, doctor, I would hardly be the first host to change in such a way when something decided to settle in,? Tyler pointed out. ?Furthermore, you and I both know that there won?t be anything you can do to stop or reverse it anyway, so I might as well get to work on understanding the being that caused it. Don?t you agree?? The doctor nodded reluctantly. ?You?re right that we won?t be able to fix it, but what if it?s the predecessor to something more concerning, such as a physical change that would require medical aid to keep you alive, dangerous power manifestation, or full on loss of control to whatever?s inside of you? What if it?s not because of some spiritual inhabitation, but from a contagion that was released from within the cube?? ?Well if it?s a contagion, I would suggest you, and perhaps men the world over, get acquainted with the idea of wearing a bra, because I would have already infected you and several other people who were not quarantined,? Tyler countered. ?As for your other concerns, they either only effect me, and I?m willing to take the risk, or there would be nothing you could do about them, but I might be able to if I am free to work.? Rolling his eyes, Allenr sighed in defeat. ?Fine, since I know Ken wants you out of here, I?ll make a deal with you. You agree to check ups once a week, and I?ll sign off on you getting out of here. I promise they?ll be quick.? ?Fine. You have a deal,? Tyler agreed. ?Now let?s get this exam over with, so I can get back to my research.? *********************************************** *********************************************** Day 33 - Tuesday Sigh after sigh filled his office as Tyler reviewed the results of the first tests of him as a host. As the noise he was making would attest, they were not the kind of results that he had been expecting to get. Almost every measurable form of energy was below even where it had been in the cube. There was barely even enough of an elevation for him to be sure that the entity, whatever it was, had entered him. ?Maybe it?s because it?s in a host,? Tyler mused, wondering how difficult it would be to get Ken to sign off on a surgery to insert sensors inside of him. That might cut down interference. Shaking his head, Tyler switched to a different approach. It had only been a few days, with only some slight physical changes. The entity could just be lacking energy at the moment, or in an acclimation phase. Activity might well pick up if he just waited. ?I should make sure to repeat the tests frequently just in case,? Tyler mumbled, wanting to make sure that he accommodated that possibility. It wouldn?t be difficult to cover, and was probably the most likely explanation. Having to be patient was frustrating, though. He was used to coming onto projects only after the phenomena were readily visible, sometimes even dangerously so. Waiting was not something that he accustomed to having to do. A knock on the door pulled Tyler from the uncertain mire of the test results. ?Come in!? ?Hey, Tyler,? Ken greeted as he pulled the door open, stepped inside, and closed it again behind him. ?How?s the research coming?? ?No progress,? Tyler stated, unable to fully keep the frustration that fact caused him from his voice. ?There a particular problem?? Ken inquired. Looking up from his work, Tyler shrugged. ?I?m not sure. I think there?s a possibility the entity is just recovering from its change in domicile. Unfortunately, if that?s true, we?ll have to wait.? ?Don?t worry about it. If we have to, we have to,? Ken replied nonchalantly. ?I just don?t like having to waste time like that, not mine or others,? Tyler reasoned. ?It?s not a waste if we figure it out in the end,? Ken pointed out, earning a nod of concession from Tyler. ?Anyway, does this mean you?re free right now?? Frowning slightly, Tyler nodded. ?I suppose. Why? Is there something you need from me?? ?Not me, no, but you do have a visitor, a woman by the name of Mattie Hagen,? Ken answered. ?I presume she?d like to talk to you.? Confused, Tyler took a moment to try to place the name, but there wasn?t even a hint of familiarity to it. ?I don?t know a Mattie Hagen.? ?You may not know the name, but you definitely know her,? Ken responded mysteriously as he turned to go. ?I?ll show her in.? ?Wai?? Tyler started to protest, wanting to know who he was going to be talking to before they were just shown into his office. It wasn?t meant to be, though, as Ken was already out the door, gesturing to someone. A moment later, the visitor entered the room. Mattie was a tall, athletically built woman with an excellent figure, stunning features, and short, sunny, blonde hair. All of that made her boring, conservative, gray suit and skirt look incredibly out of place, like she was some pretty actress that was playing the role of someone that was supposed to be plain. ?Oh ... that?s what he meant,? Tyler remarked when he saw Mattie. The last time that they?d met she?d had a different outfit, complete with mask, but that didn?t make it any less obvious to him who she was. ?What?? Mattie asked, not following. Tyler waved it off. ?Nothing, just a riddle that Mr. Asker told me.? ?Oh ... alright ... I guess,? Mattie said uncertainly. ?So, what business did you have with me today?? Tyler asked, moving right along so that he could get back to work. ?I trust it?s not to repeat the damage that you caused last time. We?re still fixing up the lab from that, and I am quite attached to my new object of study.? Mattie winced at the reminder. ?No, actually, I stopped by to apologize about that.? Hearing the reason brought a frown to Tyler?s face. ?You came here and interrupted my work to apologize