PROJECT SPARTA

CHAPTER 17

Tobias's Laboratory

Northern DC

2016

An echoing rattle sounded throughout the northern DC ghetto as Xander's fist pounded on the rickety garage door. The seemingly abandoned warehouse was a collage of faded colors - the windows had an auburn stain lining their frames, the siding was tagged with graffiti. These beauty marks were intentional on the part of the inhabitant - he had learned the importance of camouflage. No one would expect someone with a 175 IQ to be living in the dented garage. Xander's eyes met the scope of a surveillance camera shifting to view him. He offered a shrugging nod as if to say, "Yeah I know, it's been awhile."

The garage door screeched like a yelping dog as it slid open. Behind it a tangled explosion of hair poked out, followed by Tobias's marquis dark rimmed glasses. His appearance had matured since the Compound – his skin had hardened and grasped firm onto his cheekbones but his frame still seemed skinny and weak. Xander could never believe how smart Tobias was. He often thought his wild head of hair was probably an accurate depiction of his thoughts. His mind was like a computer surged with an extra hit of electric charge. Tobias also happened to be one of the clumsiest people Xander had ever met. He smiled after recalling this as he noticed his shirt was off by one button the whole way down.

"W...w...well if it isn't Xander W...www...whitt!" Tobias scooted his glasses back up his nose, examining his old friend before him.

"Tobias. It's good to see you buddy" They embraced as comrades from a previous life. Half patriotism, half nostalgia.

"What brings you to the g...gg...ghetto of D...C...C....C!" Tobias chuckled.

"I need the best forensic analyst I know."

"Well you came to the right p..p...place." Xander surveyed the warehouse before him. It looked as sterile of an environment as a junk shop, but he knew this was the best lab in the area code. Half eaten fast food cluttered the closest table before a row of computers. Each lab table, littered with test tubes, had homemade machines - the purpose for which only Tobias knew. Many of the machines had gathered dust like an old arcade – the power chords and wires sprawled over the open garage floor. Jeopardy was on a large TV against the wall.

"You look like you c...c...could use some c...c...coffee." Tobias leaned forward.

"Sure," Tobias immediately shuffled around another cluttered table. He threw off papers and CD's to uncover a coffee pot. Tobias filled the pot with water and prepared the coffee. He forgot the filter but didn't even notice.

He could probably recreate the polio vaccine from scratch, but he just botched the easiest chemistry experiment known to man.

Jeopardy chimed in the background from a distant TV.

Found before "Account", this term originated with announcers who described each punch in a boxing match.

"What is 'blow by blow'," Tobias answered. For some reason if Tobias was stating facts or scientific findings, he did not stutter, while his social conversations remained mildly incomprehensible. He wasn't even looking at the TV, the volume was up just loud enough to barely make out the words and he answered each questions as if he was a computer spitting output. The coffee pot came alive and the hiss of brewing began. Tobias finished his scurry and leaned against his desk and folded his hands. He looked over his black rimmed glasses at Xander and asked with complete focus.