Tia walked down the office hall. She was no longer in a good mood after witnessing the new fungi experiment created by the twins. She was almost sure it would explode, and sure enough, there is now a green stain on her lab coat. She tried to hide it with the clip board she was carrying. She didn’t really need any more people to kill. She made it into the dressing room, and locked the door. She went to a mirror to change, and see if any sludge got on her face. None. She looked in her hair and then her ears. They seemed fine. They twitched with satisfaction. She noticed, and after a pause started twitching them again. That was one thing she could do after the operation that she couldn’t do before. It cheered her up a bit. She looked past herself as something moved behind her.

“The twins again?” Tony stood there, leaning against the wall, his front arms crossed, and his back arms slack at his sides. “What did they do now? Create a snot bomb?”

“Fungus.” said Tia, smirking. “I swear they’re gonna kill me someday.”

“If you need any help keeping them in line,-”

“They are just kids, Tusk.” Tia grimaced, realizing her slip of the tongue.

Tony’s expression grew very cold. “You promised.” He said gravely. Tia filled with annoyance in Tony and herself.

“I know. I-”

“You promised you wouldn’t call me that!” By now Tony was right behind Tia, his fists clenched in anger.

“I’m sorry.” Tia said quietly. “I’m just tired. It won’t happen again, Tony”

Tony could tell by the inflection in her voice that she stressed herself to add his name at the end. He couldn’t be mad at her. She was forced to call him that in front of the other doctors, while he was still being modified. It would have happened eventually, so there was no point in being mad at her. After all she was his sister.

Tia put on her new coat and goggles and without another word left. Her mind was troubled as she walked down the hall. She had hurt her brother. He wasn’t just some experiment. She had no right to call him Tusk. He didn’t choose to be called that. Just like she never chose her “Nickname”. Of course, they both did choose to be modified, so there was no helping subject names. They were short, precise and didn’t take up much space on paper. Just too useful not to use, so there was absolutely no reason to be upset about them. She sighed and headed for the coffee machine.

Sunny was dizzy. He had been spinning in his new chair for about five minutes straight. The phone had been ringing for four. What were they gonna do, fire him? He was their best technician/desk clerk they could find. Of course It was easy for him. He was an octopus, or squid… He never really knew, but who did he care? He could glow, so get off his back! His resume included breathing air, speaking English, and a PHD in engineering. Impressive by any aquatic animal’s standards. He picked up the phone and answered. “Hello? Who is this? I’m in the middle of a very important business meeting. … I know, but if I did I would be in the middle of a very important one. … Fine. Let me see if she is here.” Sunny spun in his chair two more times. “Nope. Can I take a message to give her? … Okay, wait let me get something to write with.” He opened his desk drawer, and pulled out proper writing utensils. “Okay, I’m ready. Go ahead.” With that he hung up the phone. “Eat that, James!!!” he said at the obviously inanimate phone. He threw his pen and notepad at it, and started spinning again. He was abruptly stopped when a hand stopped his chair. He shrieked in surprise as he was hurled onto the ground. “Who the heck-” He shouted looking up. “Oh hey, Task!” He sat back in his chair. “Can’t find any interns to torture?” Tia sighed. She was visibly annoyed.

“Don’t make me hurt you again.” She said, going to the front side of the desk, and setting her cup on the edge.

“Oh no!!!” Sunny said holding up his tentacles. “You have coffee!!!” Sunny faked terror till he was slapped across the face. He looked at Tia with a face that said ‘Can I help you?’

“Why don’t you be nice to people?” Tia said taking a drink.

“Haha. First of all, that just made my day. Be nice? Coming from you? That’s great. You should do standup.” He picked up the pen and notepad and put them in his desk. “But you know what I should do something nice. Even if it’s once.” As he said this someone walked by. “Hey Bill!” Sunny said to the guy in a pleasant tone. “You know that motorcycle that I drive, and you wanted one but didn’t have the money for? It’s yours!”

Bill looked at Sunny in shock and broke into a sprint for the door. “Thanks Sunny! God bless you!” Sunny waved back.

“Wow.” Said Tia, “You really gave him your cycle. I’m impressed. What’s the catch?”

“Oh nothing. Well… His dead cat is tied to the front of it.”

“You hit his cat?!”

“No, silly! That thing died years ago. I just dug him up!” Sunny then broke into a laugh. He got up out of his chair, and walked past Tia. “I’m gonna go around and turn on the gas. See ya Task. Tell me what Bill says.” That last one cheered him up a bit, for he noticed a little skip in his walk.

As Tia watched Sunny walk down the hall, trip a few new doctors, she decided that she didn’t feel like dealing with Bill right now. She started walking away when another doctor called her attention.

“Dr. Task, The intruder in cell twenty-two, is awake.”

“Thank you. I’ll be there shortly.” Tia hurried to the confinement cells; the “Intruder” had been unconscious for two days. It was a surprise they didn’t slip into a coma. Tia met Tony at the door of the cell block. She walked with him down the hall.

“He’s been a bit fussy.” Tony said to her. “He almost broke the glass a few seconds ago. He won’t try that again.” Tia looked up to see a smirk on her brother’s face. They entered the detention room. Tia approached a glass cylinder in the middle of the room. The blue light of the glowing liquid in the tube lit up her face as she got closer. The captive squirmed around, trying to find a way out. Then his eyes caught sight of Tia.
He froze, and floated where he was in a stupor.

Tia smirked at his reaction to her presence. “Hello, Jake.”

Check up for the next installment!
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