Chapter 2

It was a very large room compared to what he was used to spending his time in. A study, the kind of study every middle-aged men could only dream of, with a huge varnished mahogany desk and a high backed leather chair. It all seemed unnecessarily intimidating to Chris, who was sitting on a tiny metal folding chair in front of the desk, his briefcase clutched tightly to his chest.

Chris checked his watch for the umpteenth time. He had come over early to impress his new...friend?...comrade?...employer?...that sounded right. It was now way past the agreed upon meeting time. Just as he was considering whether to give up and leave, the door behind him opened and a tall young man strode in, head high, his over-conditioned hair rippling with every movement. He was flanked by two identically dressed men, each equipped with an automatic rifle.

The young man flung himself into the leather chair, propping his feet on the table and looking down his nose at Chris.

"Well?" he said to the older man. "Impress me!"

Chris stood up quickly to show off his plans. In his haste, he stumbled and fell, scattering the blueprints across the room. His young benefactor's laughter echoed in Chris' ears as he gathered his things.

"Loser! Is this the best you can do?"

Chris' face flushed red with anger. He looked up and glared at the youth, who continued laughing.

"I hear tell that you lost another one of your exploits last week Tobias. And what a grand fit you put on afterwards."

That snapped the youth's jaw shut. "H-how do you know this?"

"How many consecutive failures does that make? Five? Twelve? Oh that's right, twenty five. Did you even get a chance to stow her memory before you gave the burn order?"

Chris smiled wickedly at the sheer magnitude of angy expressions that flashed across the youth's face.

"So?" Tobias spat out finally getting himself under control. Face a bright shade of tomato. "What's your point?"

"I could help change that." Chris answered slowly patting his briefcase. He wanted the words to sink in.

"How?"

"With science, of course."

"Bah!" Tobias threw up his hands in frustration. "And what do you call all I've been doing? Do you think I haven't given every single avenue a try till its last breath? Do you think I'm an idiot?"

As if on cue, Tobias' guards stepped forward, rifles raised.

"W-w-wait!" Chris scrambled across the floor out of their reach. Reaching into his briefcase he pulled out a couple papers and threw them on the desk.

"These plans you see before you," Chris gestured dramatically at the desk. "They are designs for a formula. A formula that can achieve what your crackpot scientists, and I use the world lightly, have failed to pull off for three and a half years."

"Formula?" Tobias leaned forward and glanced at the papers. "You sound like some kind of crazy Doctor Frankenstein."

Chris smirked and whispered. "Something like that…"

Feeling back in control of the situation, he sat back down in the small chair.

"You want this, don't you?" he asked. "A sure way to succeed at your heart's desire?"

"Oooh yeah!" Tobias exclaimed, narrowing his eyes. "You haven't been going through my diary have you?"

"Diary?"

"Yeah…" Tobias breathed, staring at the wall. "You may continue."

"All I need is your funding and I can make it happen." Chris explained. "We can make it happen. Together."

"And what proof do I have that you can fulfill your end of the deal?"

With a smirk, Chris pulled out a revolver from his briefcase and promptly shot one of the guards in the heart.

"What!" Tobias screamed, jumping to his feet.

The other guard immediately moved in front of his young charge, focusing his rifle at Chris' head. "On the ground!"

Obediently, Chis got on his knees and dropped the revolver.

"W-why would you do that? What is wrong with you?" Tobias screeched from behind the remaining guard.

Chris only chuckled. "I'm ensuring your investment."

"By killing my bodyguard?!"

"Yes, that was part one. If you'd let me finish. I'll show you the next part."

After a moment, Tobias nodded for the guard to lower his rifle.

"Thank you. Now then back to business."

Chris knelt next to the dead guard and retrieved a lone syringe his lab coat. "As we all know, this guard is very much...deceased. As is the case of the one you've been trying to resurrect."

"Yeah so?"

Chris held up a hand. "Just watch."

He inserted the needle into the man's left forearm, releasing it's contents. Within seconds, the bullet wound was no more. Within minutes, the guard was sitting up and resting against a wall.

Tobias scratched his chin. "Okay, I guess you have yourself a deal. But one question. Will this really work?"

"Excellent question. While it is true that your comrade was brought back. It'll take more effort and research to bring back your desired. Who's been dead much longer."

Tobias cringed.

"Nothing to worry about though. The properties of Dimension W have more than proved themselves."

"Indeed."

A slow maniacal smile spread across Chris' face. "Excellent. I'm glad you're on board. You won't be disappointed." He laughed, a small throaty chuckle that rose in pitch and volume and was downright diabolical.

"I'd better not be." Tobias muttered as Chris continued his laugh.