1 Chapter One

On a Desert far away from civilization, where there was not, a single body of water to be found. Lay a completely dry and plain landscape of Sand. It is completely uninhabited for many miles from all directions on its great expanse, except for some military camps that seems to be on guard of something that's not even there to be seen. People who try to travel anywhere near the desolate land, never survived their journey just with the intention of crossing it to the other side of the Country on another State. Losing their way in the Desert and dying because of dehydration, the lack of food and the extreme heat of the place itself burns them alive to crisp and those who strive to survive, just got captured by the scouting Military Soldiers for Tress passing. The Military camp is being guarded there just for nothing, would eventually raise a lot of questions and as to whatever happened to those people gone missing, remains a mystery. They obviously are hiding something out there that they don't want a single soul to know about, for some unknown reasons.

That is beyond ''TOP SECRET'' as to whatever that means to them, which they are hiding from the public's eye. Warning signs were placed, around the desert to keep people from taking the path through the Desert or to loiter around for any reason. At the Military Camps Soldiers are dressed in white-thick clothing on their whole bodies and cowls around their face. The gloves and boots they wore were also white, but made with special material that resists heat. The Soldiers rode on Camels back armed with Rifles. They patrol around the perimeter where they are stationed. Their Camps had white Leather Tents that is fire proof, these Camps were scattered around an empty space of the desert serving as security and checkpoint before proceeding to some unseen station or base that does not seem to exist. Meanwhile, Across the Desert, there was a trail of smoke made out of dust from the Desert sands, trailing from Ten incoming Cargo Trucks, all lined up heading towards nowhere on the vast Desert Wasteland. A Soldier mounted on a Camel was looking around with his Binoculars. He spotted through his Binoculars, the cloud of smoke, a great distance away and recognized it as vehicles rushing on the vast expanse of the Desert trailing with the dusts thrown under the its Wheels.

The Soldier mounted with Camel holding the Binoculars says:

''Look over there! The new arrivals of the Cargo that we were informed about are finally arriving on schedule!'' telling the other soldiers nearby on Camel's back.

The Cargo Trucks reached the checkpoint and the Soldiers struck their Camels at their back with a long flexible shiny silver metal rod with small short whips on the end, which made the Camels quickly ran toward the Trucks. The Soldiers on Camel's back all circled around the Cargo Trucks like a group of Bandits, forcing the Driver in front to hit on the breaks as the other Truck drivers following behind were startled and did the same making them stop on the spot. As the Cargo Trucks made a sudden stop, the leading Driver of the first Truck leading the Caravan of Cargo Trucks, came out of the vehicle wearing thick green fatigues and a military cap.

The Soldier on Camel's back approached the cargo truck's driver and went down from the Camel's saddle and walked on foot carrying his clipboard with papers on it.

''Security Clearance Please'' The Soldier asked.

The Driver went out of his Truck and met with the Soldier and shows his Identification card and a Clipboard ''Here you go! It is just as the General ordered for delivery. They are all in blindfold, for security measures as usual.''

Then the Security Soldier signs the papers on the clipboard. Meanwhile, The other Soldiers rode quickly to take look at the back of the Cargo Trucks, peeking on its green curtains, confirming that the cargo were indeed People in blindfolds.

''Carry on, you may proceed!'' The Security Soldier said.

The leading Security Soldier on Camel's back said to the Driver, confirming the cargo was all clear to go on ahead, towards the Base without any hassle. The Soldier led his other companions on Camel's back at their camp riding in a rush, hitting their Camels' ass with their flexible metal rods.

The Driver went back inside his Truck and once again started its engine and together with the other cargo trucks, continued on their journey for another mile. Finally reaching their destination that seems to be nowhere, there was simply nothing there to be seen at all, just empty sand and space with a clear blue sky above, with no trace of a single cloud. Suddenly there was a mild tremor that shook the ground. Some distance away from the Trucks, piles of sands were immediately bursting into the air like huge Geysers the dust was piling around the area falling on top of the Trucks that look as if it were burying it with Sand that was piling around.

As the bursting of dust in the air stopped, it revealed a vast Octagonal metal flooring that has now been dug up and there was an inclination around it like a crater. The leading Cargo Truck proceeded to go somewhere in the middle of the vast flooring as the other trucks followed. When The Trucks were all on the flooring it began to sink slowly, it appears to be a platform elevator as vast as a parking lot. As they descended on the Elevator, there was another transparent Octagon door above them that closed. Sand was once again being blown on top of the closed door to cover the Octagon Entrance above the surface from whence they came. The Elevator platform carrying the Trucks continued going down through the Elevator Tunnel. The Elevator's underground tunnel had many rows of vertical white lights from every side. For about an hour they had finally reached their destination the octagon elevator platform stopped and a huge Elevator door that was like on a Hangar in front of the Trucks opened, as the Cargo Trucks continued to drive through a new tunnel. It was all bright of a sudden as a whole new world was revealed underground, filled with many beaming lights coming from a huge Base. It was like a city underground, above the city was like that of a cave but was vast and enormous over a mile high from the flooring of the Military Base.

Beams of lights, came from the City-like Military Base, it was actually a Huge Crater that had been constructed like an underground cave. The Cargo Trucks went for another mile on the road of the Base, heading onwards and made many turns over the structure of the underground City. There were many Hangars on an Airport surrounding the Base. The Cargo Trucks finally reached the Main Structure of the Military Base. The Main Structure is a fortress like facility, it had a huge metallic Door, that opened slowly with groups of military guards staring on the left and on the right, allowing the Cargo Trucks to come inside the Huge Base' mega structure. The Cargo Trucks continued to enter the base and a mass of jugging military soldiers in their green fatigues passed by. The Cargo Trucks stopped at a certain point where many other cargo trucks were parked. The Drivers of the Trucks came out and met with soldiers, while the people at the back stay seated.

A Military officer wearing a highly decorated military uniform with a matching green cap and a scientist wearing the usual long white laboratory coat came to check on the Cargo. They both looked inside the back of the cargo trucks and searched through the curtains and saw all the people seating on two rows, facing each other blind folded. There were twenty people on each of the cargo trucks blindfolded in the same way, many soldiers then came forward and led them out of the Trucks and removed all their blindfolds. The captives were all Scientists.

''Are we being kidnapped?''

''Where are we? What do you people want?''

The Captive Scientists commented.

'Well, Surprise! Welcome to our Base, this is where you will all work from now on.'' The Colonel greeted them all as they were made to lineup about face, in one row. He ordered them with a tone of his commanding authority as if he was speaking to Soldiers.

The Scientists did not respond in confusion.

''That's Sir! Yes Sir! Remember you are under military premises, you all must treat Military Officers here like they were also your superiors, Understand?'' The Colonel said in a commanding tone.

''Sir… Yes, sir!?'' The Captive Scientists responded.

''The Head Scientist of this Base will brief every single one of you, is that understood?''

''Sir yes Sir!!!''

A Scientist wearing a white lab coat came next to the Colonel.

''You can leave your post now, Colonel Lazarus, I can handle this now, carry on.'' said the Scientist.

''Who are you to order me around Crox! '' The Colonel said and seemed to feel insulted.

''Well, as far as I am concerned I am just as important as you are, you could have been under me, if you were in the same field as I am. You could take me as being the equal of General Mchagen in my position for speaking out loud!'' The Scientist bragged to the Colonel.

''I can't stand you being placed in such a position by General Mchagen. I just hope you don't corrupt them just as you do to your test subjects.'' Colonel Lazarus said to Dr. Crox as he immediately left as two soldiers infollowed him behind.

''Well now, you are not in dreamland anymore, this is all real. You are not all being kidnapped, but given a privilege. I am Dr. Crox. Head of all the Scientists here in this Base on all fields of top secret scientific research, you all have been chosen because you are the finest among all the scientists in your fields. You will get paid twice as much from where you all were working before. You will only know what you needed to know and there are restrictions here, you can only do what you are allowed to do and you are not allowed to go anywhere else beyond the place you were assigned. Guards will always watch you where ever you may be and guide you to where you want to go. There is no place for emotional attachment to test subjects here, whatever the research will require as a sacrifice, we are just here to do our job.'' Dr. Crox explained to them as he walked by and glared at each of the new recruits.

After being briefed, all the newly arrived captive scientists were all dismissed by Dr. Crox and were guided by the soldiers to their respective places to work according to their field, as other scientists who were working there introduced them to the staff and touring them to different laboratories in separate groups. The Laboratories inside the Military Base were in the different fields of Science and Technology, focused mainly on illegal or restricted Scientific Experiments. The Facilities are all well equipped with everything the Scientists may need for research. Each Laboratory had different levels of top secret research, and even goes a hundred feet underground. There is also a restricted laboratory in the middle of all the other laboratories which holds the Secret of the base, for why it was built in the first place. It was a hundred feet deep further beyond underground.

Dr. Strife went to his private laboratory to check on the progress of his private experiment and met with his partner, who was an experienced Scientist and as good as he is, or even better than him. He never considered her as his partner out of his arrogance and pride, being the head of all the head scientists in all fields on the base, which was an equivalent to General Mchagen's position and military Authority. Dr. Strife's private lab was one huge room for testing, test subjects. There were floating Animals that were inside, rows of cylindrical Aquariums surrounding the walls of his private laboratory with rectangular consoles with glowing square buttons of unknown purposes in front of each one. There were many cages of different kinds of small animals on a huge table which were being used as test subjects for the experiment they were conducting. Some of them are rabid and some are harmless looking, yet already mutated in different ways by Dr. Crox. Rabbits and cats were barking like dogs and some chirping were like birds. Twisted Oddities, it is nature being messed up at its own worst nightmares.

''Rabbits, just like Hamsters and Guinea Pigs are good test subjects, they are so disposable, if one dies on the experiment, you just get another one and you're ready to go.'' Dr. Crox said to his female partner scientist Dr. Zarah who was with him in his private lab.

Dr. Zarah had a long red pig-tailed hair two long locks of hair, like an antenna pointed behind her head. She wore special reading glasses of her own invention. She is beautiful and not as mad of a Scientist like Dr. Crox, is. She is a brilliant Scientist, while Strife was a man obsessed only in his work.

''How about our human test subjects, that we inject with our Mutagen Serums Doctor? Are they really that disposable too?'' Dr. Zarah questioned him.

A Mutagen Serum is an agent that allows mutation to take place on a living organism's Genes where hereditary information is stored like a computer program. The Special Mutagen Serum Dr. Crox and Dr. Zarah made, served as an agent and catalyst that allows a mutation containing different immunities to develop. It is either a medicine, a cure and a permanent immunity to many sickness and diseases. Like a virus but doing the other way around and adapting automatically against new strains of viruses. The Experiments of Dr. Crox was only known to the researchers on the base, that the greedy General only wants to be reserved for his soldiers' treatment. The Mutagen Serums were on a Vile, encased on a silver square casing lying on top of a silver table, where many cages of test subjects like Rabbit's, hamsters and other type of Rodents were. It has different colored liquids on test tubes. Dr. Zarah and Dr. Crox are inside a private laboratory, which was still big enough to conduct their private research.

Dr. Zarah and Crox were standing and arguing for a time on the Laboratory. Dr. Strife put both his hands on Dr. Zarah's shoulders.

''Listen Zarah. They have embraced their fate from being criminals and instant volunteers, it was their doing that led them here in the first place, in order to participate in this great experiment and make themselves of use. I will not be responsible for their deaths, it has already been decided, it was because of their crimes they committed, that gave them the life sentence that they deserved.'' He then removes his hands from her shoulders.

''How come we scientists here on the Base also deserve to be called doctors anyway? We do have real Doctors here that are even turning into mad scientists, considering the people outside this base. It's such a shame that these are only reserved for Soldiers. All we do here is make weapons out of life and manipulate its natural balance. This is not healing or curing at all, our job should be aimed for the benefit of people in all race and standing.'' Zarah replied.

''We are not Doctors remember, we are SCIENTISTS! Have I not personally briefed you when you were taken to this Base for many years now? We are just here to do research, make experiments and gain results, confined only for the benefit of the Military. We are called Doctors here because General Mchagen believes what he asked us to do, is healing and curing in a way, to modify his military force to broader their capabilities and getting rid of human weaknesses, which can already be considered a cure for him.

If you want to protest, then go ahead meet with General Mchagen. As if he would even care and listen to your protests. We are here to do our jobs, it's a done deal. We have been doing this for years, have you not learned anything yet. We are not responsible for possible casualties, their fates has been sealed and we are not responsible for the possible loss of their lives, they are criminals not innocent civilians!'' He explains to her.

Zarah walked around and took a look at the modified Animals and cages not minding too stare at Crox, while talking. ''Don't ever forget I was the one that convince you to do an experiment that is not using humans as test subjects. Yet we seem to fail using it on those animal subjects.''

''I told you, it would have been more successful, if we make the necessary sacrifices and use it on human test subjects, instead of being afraid of taking significant Scientific risks. That's why we are here going nowhere, playing with your pets. There are more results in our human test subjects that can significantly show broader results.'' Dr. Crox tries to convince her.

Zarah turned to look at Crox with a serious face. ''I don't want to end up being like you. I heard General Mchagen had already asked for a replacement for your position, seeing that you were not working anymore on the "Great Discovery'' that led to the construction of this very base twenty years ago. He mentioned to give your final work before you are relieved from your Job. He wants you to make a weapon to test on some who were known to be a threat rebel force in some country and who were disagreeing with the General's corrupted ways. He was planning to put the responsibility of the success of the mission in your name to do something for him for the last time.''

''What?! See what you made me do! It's all because of this Idea of yours! When I am suppose to be producing more results on my experiments'' He shouted at her.

''Don't be such a hypocrite Crox, You were also completely obsessed with this idea.'' Zarah made it clear to him as she stared at him.

''How come I was not informed about all this?'' He asked.

''You still don't feel responsible Doctor? Rumors do spread around the Base, the guards, soldiers and high ranking officers can't even keep their mouth shut. I don't want to work here anymore, it's pointless, if you want to join me in resignation, I am sure you will not take responsibility for the development of that life threatening research and you are about to be replaced by force.'' She said.

''Well, all thanks to you! I am now losing my job, although I might have found out sooner or later anyway. But this is going out of hand and absurd. I won't allow that General to force me to entrust my research to someone else on the great discovery. Which I have been trying to solve for twenty years, I can't leave it to some Amateur, he just found from somewhere. He even wants me to take responsibility on which was truly a product of his own corrupt mind and I have been working for him for years, he can't dispose of me just like that!'' Crox argued and was disappointed and kept walking back and forth in confusion.

''So, did he also he found you from somewhere in the same way?'' Zarah asks.

Crox pulled a chair near him and sat on it, while Xarah still standing with hands on the pockets of her lab coat, staring at him in the eye.

''I don't think so! He did not found me, I am the one who came to this Desert and firstly found out about the great discovery, which I can't tell you about. I am a Scientist just like you, as a Geneticist and an Astronomer as you are a Physicist and a Geneticist. I always dreamed some day that there would be some other structures of life I could manipulate beyond this planet of ours. I have already experimented with all the insects and animals found all over the world. I was the one who firstly saw that falling meteor on my observatory in the middle of Metherin forest a distant away from that annoying Circus.

I saw that huge meteor which was attempted to be destroyed by the military before it hit the atmosphere with a Laser that fires unto space, but was only scratched a bit. While I was star gazing for falling meteors that may contain possible alien life from micro-organisms. I found out the exact location of that meteor, that fell on the desert and I rode with my Jeep as fast as I can, but the military immediately arrived after an hour with General Mchagen, saying that it was already military property and almost arrested me. My occupation allowed me to have the right to conduct my research on that Meteor. Thus founding this base together with the General.''

''The Great Discovery, you mean that colorful Glowing Rings made out of Symbols?'' Zarah surprised him.

''How did you know about all that?! He stood up from his chair and went close to her.

''You never had a clearance to pass through the levels of the restricted laboratory facility a hundred feet below. The only way to know that, is going to the General's office another hundred feet underground and looking at the transparent wall at his office, that he is obsessed staring at and can't turn his eyes away from.''

''I saw some Photographs with Top Secret documents, that you carelessly threw in the garbage can of your office, without shredding them first, you also forgot to lock your door. I saw a picture of that hovering Glowing Globe of Rings of Symbols. I know there was something eerie about it by just looking at the picture. So you can't even crack the code to decipher it, am I right?'' She said to him, knowing a lot and surprising him as if she knew about it all along.

''What?! You knew that much just by searching on my trash can?''

Crox went on to explain. ''The Alien's technology is confusing just as it is to understand. There seems to be no way of getting a way to touch it in the first place to learn anything at all. All it was is a hologram of some sort with no projections from any device ever found. It was more like a Ghost of Symbolic Codes of some sort, as if it was in a different dimension, perhaps it is being transmitted somewhere outside space or in this planet by the Aliens hiding somewhere. Like I said it is just there, you can see but not touch. Enough with the Great Discovery, I think I need to pay the General a visit and you are coming with me. I must stop that General from making me take the responsibility under my name.''

Zarah followed him with her stare as he moves back and forth in worry. ''It's surprising to hear that from you, who never cared that much about your test subjects like they were nothing but a disposable necessity. Anyway you made a good decision Doctor, I knew there was still some humanity left in you after all this years. But I still feel that both of you have something in common.''

Crox stopped moving and stared at her and says. ''Please don't speak to me about kindness. We were never Medical Doctors in the first place, I have always been a Scientist and a Researcher, that is all I should care about, don't ever compare me to him at all.''

''Well, what could be worst? At least you agreed with me on something for quite some time now. I hope this private research we have worked on, will not go to General Mchagen.'' She said to him.

Crox went to the table close by, and took a vile with a clear liquid on it, he held it on his hand and stared at it close to his face. ''This Special Mutagen Serum is the only thing that shows, I am not like him and will surely be famous around the world and earn me the pay I truly deserve. I just hope you are not a squealer, you may be a kind hearted woman but I don't know if I could even trust you on this, this is my prized possession. This Special Mutagen Serum is the only thing I have left to be proud of, if that General really removes me from this Base like I was some Toy he had grown up from.''

Zarah moves close to him and stares at what he was holding and said to him ''You mean the experiment we have been working on?'' I hope you don't use that Special Mutagen Serum on any Human Being yet, that stuff is an unstable immunization. I don't want to know how it will turn out, if it is used on a Human Subject, like we could do it with animals. We already tested it with our Animal Subjects, But of no avail to Adult Humans to make it work properly, because it was not stable enough, don't even try using that on a Human Being yet. I am more than just your partner Doctor. We worked on this in equal terms. But it's your own responsibility whatever you're planning to do with that. Perhaps with a criminal subject, I suppose.''

''I already have! But the test subjects are not suitable Containers. They all fell ill a day after the dosage of the Special Mutagen Serum. They were not stable enough as usual. The Serum was too fragile for their Adult Genes to make any properly fitted Mutated Reaction.'' Crox explained.

Dr. Xara was surprised. ''What?! You did not even tell me? You truly are becoming a Mad Scientist by profession, totally misguided and reckless. I already know where you're going through all this conclusions, so don't even try doing things without your colleague's opinions first or else you will be no different from the General himself. I will be finding the same kind of cures on natures natural medicine rather with this mutagen serum idea we developed, I would rather start from scrap.''

''I will take my chances no matter what the risks are, this is the ''Miracle of Science'' anyone can be a suitable volunteer, even as a Sacrificial Hero to human kind for helping in developing this Mutagen Serum. He said with such intent and he placed the vile back to a silver square casing with other serums on it.

''Surely, you would not dare on trying to use that on an innocent, who is not done a single crime to deserve a life sentence against their will.'' She says to him looking at him with a concern on her face.

He looks at her. ''Consider it as a heroic deed, which they did not choose by their own will, but they have been chosen by us who have more wisdom to know what being a hero really is. Consider it as a special life insurance, a privilege from Science that is there to answer for them.''

''You are totally misguided, Crox. I will try to have my own research for cures instead of these specialized mutation for immunities, I will use plants using the same ideas with opposite of what you're doing and instead of sacrificing a single human life and finding a counter to your reckless experiments.''

''That is impossible! You are going to that with herbs? I hope you don't use it to make people grow leaves and branches on their heads. Well, good luck on your research Zarah!'' He said to her, took the casing with viles, placing it in his pocket and turns away from her.

She follows him behind and continued to talk. ''This is for people waiting for a cure without mutating them. I earned enough by doing so, even if it is going to be for free. A form of Herbal Medicine for a cure for various sickness and mutative diseases, might take some time to produce, but without the risky mutation process. But it will be safer than using an animal or a human being as a vessel for unnatural or even twisted enhancements, like they were just containers as you refer them to be.''

Crox turns around facing her. ''Are you kidding, Just for Free? You can't possibly make a living out of that!''

''It is how I want to devote my work, something that you can't seem to understand, being obsessed in your work for years like it was going to make a difference for the benefit of Humanity.'' She said.

''Fine, do as you wish.'' He said to her.

Afterwards, they made their final tests on the other Mutagen Serums. The two Scientists then proceeded to go through the elevator leading to the restricted laboratory facility. Dr. Zarah never bothered to care about the restricted laboratory facility and Dr. Crox kept on bragging about it, until they arrived at the elevator leading to the facility. There was a console on the right side of the transparent elevator.

Crox used his Keycard I.D. which was tied with a thin silver rope around his neck. The keycard I.D. on its front had his photo and information of his position, it also had a barcode at the back with his finger prints and signature. He slid the Keycard into the slot vertically on the left side of the console and there was a small transparent tray that suddenly appeared from the right side of the console, at the same time he had slid the card it sounded with a beep. The Keycard I.D. was flexible and thin, which was also very sharp.

Crox gave a tiny cut to his index finger with it, and he squeezed his finger and an amount of his blood dripped on the small tray which suddenly had a green beam of light going back and forth on it, and it automatically went back inside the console.

There was a small rectangular screen that reads ''Access Granted'' which had a green glow. The door of the Elevator opened and they both went inside and he then pressed a series of code from the buttons on another console inside the Elevator. The Two Scientists entered the Elevator and descended to the hundred feet restricted level of the underground facility.