Atlas Origins

V

It was dark in the room in which she lay. Victor snuck in through the door and silently closed it behind him. He turned on the light and was relieved to see that Ms. Delinger was still on the table, unconscious. He walked over to his desk and typed in his computer that she has been unconscious for nearly 36 hours and he was starting to worry. The procedure never takes this long to recover from, that is if they ever recover. She seemed to have had no problem during the procedure, it went off without a hitch. Victor didn't understand why she hasn't recovered yet. Unless she's dead like all the others. This thought scared Victor, he didn't want to lose his job. He was warned if another death occurred from his research he was to be fired and thrown in prison.

He checked her pulse and wasn't greeted by a healthy pulse, instead he was greeted by nothing. Victor started to freak out and sat in the corner and held his head like a little kid who doesn't want to watch the scary movie the other kids are watching in the living room. He then remembered that he could call in a favor from one of his students who happened to be in the local gang as well, this helped calm Victor but didn't settle his nerves.

The next day Victor came into the room from the night before and found that Ms. Delinger was still there and presumably dead. He went out and into his classroom and taught his class as normal. After class, he called up Oscar.

"I need you to do a favor for me if you don't mind," he told Oscar.

"Why would I do that?" Oscar replied.

"Do you remember when I told you as long as you show up to class I'd pass you because you're the last student I need to be able to get my Doctorate and you said that you owed me one?"

"I can't say that I do"

"Of course not, but I do. Look I need a favor and you and your affiliates are the only ones that I can think of that can help me out"

"Affiliates? What the fuck do you mean by that?"

"I don't really mean anything other than that you're in a gang, that's all"

"Really? So because I'm in a gang means I can just give out favors huh? Because I'm in a gang means I'm perfect for this 'favor' of yours? Lemme guess, this 'favor' is you want someone dead huh?"

"No, I need a removal. The fact that you're in a gang isn't the only reason I came to you for this favor. I came to you because I knew you could be trusted and you don't rat people out"

"Sounds, to me, that you're just trying to cover your ass based on that bullshit excuse"

"OK look, I need help. I'll pass you even if you don't show up and I'll let you have a device I've been working on recently"

Oscar seemed to think about the offer for a bit.

He looked at the professor and told him, "I'll do it, but only if you tell me what the device you promised does."

"Of course," Wilkinson responded delightfully. "It gives the user the ability to control any and all matter."

"What the fuck? That ain't possible!"

"It is now!"

"Well, how does it work then, if it works at all? How can I even trust that you're telling the truth and not just bullshitting me on this?"

"You see, I have my entire job and my degree on the line here. I have something to lose. What do you have to lose? The normality of life?"

"You got a point there. Lemme get a couple of buddies and I'll meet you out in the front of the school for this 'removal'"

"Thank you so much, Oscar! I can't express enough how grateful I am!"

"Ok there bud, don't over do it now"

"Sorry"