Chapter 3: Chapter 1: Catalyst

(2 men are sitting at a table. The room is cafeteria-esque with people eating food of middling quality. They are wearing lab coats with the initials U.N.S.T.F on the back. One is a Caucasian male with two birthmark dots on his neck. His hair is combed to the right and by looking at him, you wouldn't be able to tell his age at any one observation. Next to him is a male who seems younger than him, his hair is combed up at the front and skin is the color of store-bought honey. The younger male starts to speak, his leg bouncing under the table and his face somewhat confused and lightly frustrated.)

"Eli. What are we gonna do here? The results are just... uneven. There's no consistency in each result. We put in an apple and it comes out a glass statue. You put in another and it turns into a fucking orange. And now we're supposed to be doing Human Testing? You saw what happened to that poor man. We're being rushed and they know it."

(The older man seems calmer. His words come out with less stress.)

"Theodore. We can't focus on what we don't know just yet nor focus on the failures. And we've reached certain setbacks yes, but-"

(Theodore's face turns from simple frustration to shock)

"Setbacks? 5 people have died and sixth was about to until we got a sudden break for 'stress reasons'. Nothing we do here is working, and we've made screw all progress."

"Again, what happens happens. There is nothing we can do now but push forward. What we do now before the next session is to go over what we know and what constants there are. First, whatever substance we put in comes out in a different substance but always the same amount of mass. A normal 12-pound rat comes out as 12 pounds of orange flesh. Second, liquids are put under the same scrutiny. Lemon goes in, grape comes out. Third, quartz is safe for it to touch without it starting a reaction."

"So what do we do now, huh? Everything we have is coming up bunk and I don't think we can go back and say that we have nothing."

"We try something different. Think outside the box. My current thinking is to electrocute it."

"...Electrocution? Seriously?"

"If we can put in solid material then it stands to reason that something would happen with the reaction of energy."

(Theodore slants back in his chair and lets out a long breath.)

"This isn't science, it's throwing balls at the wall and hoping it doesn't fuse with it. Your theory seems sounds but let's not start shocking things yet though. I don't wanna turn electricity into a nuclear force."

(Another sigh)

(Eli grins and leans over to tussle Theo's hair)

"When have I steered you wrong huh?"

(Theo grins back and swats away his hand)

"When you got me this job."

(A few hours later)

"Ok Eli, what's the plan?"

"Simple, we point a concentrated laser into the device after we activate it. If the rules still apply to energy then something should come out. At least we'll have something to show to the board if nothing comes out of it."

(Theodore comes out with a compact laser pointer, his face looks as if he's pondering something.)

"Yeah about that Eli, don't you wonder why we're doing this for them? All our information is coming from that spokesman girl, we're required to live on base 24 hours a day, and we rarely get a direct update except those stupid emails like we're cubicle men."

"I've worked with these people before Theo. And as far as I know, you don't need to know everything. You do your job, then you cash out and never look back."

"Then why did you look back?"

"Same reason you did my dear colleague, cause what we have here."

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(Eli points at the device.)

"Is something no one else will ever get the chance to. You know these government types, as soon as we figure this stuff out, we'll have everything we'll ever want. You'll get your cash out and I'll get what I want."

"And that is?"

"Same thing as my motto Theo. An even deeper look into the depths of the unknown. And what we have is as unknown as you get. "

"Seems hypocritical to your motto to let yourself be that in the dark."

"Oh, I don't think you're one to talk about hypocrites. Now fire it up, Theo.

(Theodore lets down the laser pointer and prepares to exit the room. Eli takes a look back at the device and its position. His head feels... unsteady. He quickly shakes off this emotion and follows after Theo. Theodore lets down his goggles and in his hands holds a remote. Eli coughs into his sleeve.)

"Do you think Leif would've enjoyed something like this? This sort of 'new frontier' levels of experimen-"

"Let's... not talk about Leif. Please."

".... I understand. Hit the switch, Theo."

(Theo moves to hit the switch, something is hanging above the device, containing some sort of liquid, a mix of quartz and water. A giant ring of sorts. seems to be centered in the room and as Theodore flips the switch , a liquid starts to drip onto it. As soon as a few drops hit the ring, the ring starts to glow. First into a harsh orange into a glaring blue. Eli starts to crack a smile.)

"Alright, Theo. Let it fly!"

"Yes, sir!"

(Theo clicks the remote in his hand. The laser immediately focuses its red glare into the Ring. The Ring starts to rotate. A swirl of the green starts to envelop the device. Eli's smile grows wider.)

"Something great is about to happen, Theo! Absolutely Amazo! Keep your ey-!

(The ring starts to destabilize. The light inside starts to move away from the rim. The Strange markings decorating it start to glow on and off. The light starts to center towards the laser pointer, the blue luminescence traveling towards the laser.  Eli's smile soon is wiped off and Theo starts to furiously turn off the device.)

"It's not turning off sir! The heating system isn't affecting it! The goddamn thing isn't evaporating"

(The liquid seems to be dripping faster, as if the ring is drawing it out)

"Then turn off the laser Theodore!"

(Theo starts to fumble around with the remote.)

"What the hell's happening Theodore?"

"It won't turn off either!"

"Damn, I'll just do it myself then!"

"Eli no!"

(Eli rushes towards the door and as soon as he opens it, a bright Blue light envelopes the room. It consumes Eli in an instant and as it rushes towards Theo, all he can do is contort his face into a scream, but his face is gone before he can let out a sound.)

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