Breakin' In.

[Zeta]

"I-I'm sorry? You...You what?"

The secretary behind the counter stuttered at the strange request. She shifted uncomfortably, unsure if she should buzz down to the labs or not. The stange man on the other side of the counter only smiled a strange, twisted smile.

The man chuckled darkly and flipped his long, dark hair out of his eyes. His sick, pale eyes, shallow as an icy mirror. His lips twisted as he smiled, careful not to show the jagged teeth hiding behind his thin lips. He looked back down at the woman cheerfully and cleared his throat.

"I'm here to see the doctor." He said darkly.

Laughter rang through his head. Sharp juts of echoing light. He joined the insain laughter, letting out a few soft chuckles as he turned around, leaning on the front desk, and waited for her to do something.

Whatta day whatta day! We're just gonna walk in through the door and commit us?

*buzzzz* "Ummm... Can someone come up to the front desk, please?"

[Dr. Hart]

A pale finger depressed the button next to the P.A system. "Can it hold on a moment, I'm rahter busy right now." There's a click as the P.A system is flicked on on, rather than the press and talk method. Up stairs, the sounds of a chair rolling across a floor can be heard coming out of the P.A system. The voice is now more distant, but still clear. "I'm just fixing one of the coolant and air purifier systems. I'll be right up, alright?"

There is the sounds of someone working on machinary, a few grunts, then something groans into life. "Ah, there we are... all fixed." The voice is light, airy nearly. But conserved and a little on the shy side. Modest, maybe.

Boot heels click and there's another click. "I'll be right up." Then the P.A goes dead. A few moments later, the door in the lobby opens. A huge stair case going down is visible for a moment before the door clicks shut behind the owner of the voice.

The owner is a short man, no more than 5'3. He is delicate, pixie-like. His black hair hangs in straight locks around his jaw. A spray of freckles crosses over his nose. A scar traces his cheek bone. His golden eyes look over the lobby and he clapps his hands together, dusting them off. "And what seems to be the problem?" He askes, looking over the man at the counter and the secretary behind him. His heart speds for a moment. Could it be?

"What can I help you with sir?"

[Zeta]

The secretary fiddled with her hair nervously as they waited for the doctor's arival. The boy whistled a scratchy tune as he watched the sunset down the desert skyline through the glass front of the building. He laughed quietly to himself. He could feel the tension the woman was giving off. He unnerved her. How charming.

A door opened behind him, and the man turned to meet the doctor. The laughter in his head stopped ringing as he looked the man over.

Hmmm...hmm. Not like we expected, huh? Not like we expected at all. He's short. Rather weak isn't he? He doesn't stand a chance! Are you sure we're in the right place? This is the guy?

"Wonderful to meet you sir." The boy sir coldly, but with a warm smile spread over his face, "Wonderful indeed.

"I'm checking in, sir." The boy stood up taller, a sick smile twisting over his lips. The laughter was starting up inside again, "I'd like a room."

[Dr. Hart]

The doctor looked up at the being. An experiment, it was rumored. A slow smile crept over his lips. "I haven't even introduced myself yet." He held out a hand and shook hands with the experiment. "I'm Dr. Clarence Hart, but everyone just calls me Clarence." He said. He let go of Zeta's hand. Though tiny compared to him, he didn't seem intimidated at all.

"Why don't we continue this palaver somewhere a little more private, yes?"

The doctor turns, his lab coat swinging out behind him and begins to lead Zeta out of the main reception. There is a huge stair case up, made out of glass, or maybe plexi glass. Hart leads the pale being up these stairs and to the first door on the right. He opens it and holds it for the experiment. The room beyond is breath taking. A wall of glass overlooks the sunrise from the second story and there is a few couches and a table.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Clarence offers and waves his small hand indicating the comfortable couches. Clarence himself takes a seat in a stiff, plastic chair. He crosses one ankle over his knee and foldes his hand on the other knee.

"So, you want a room?" He questions. "That might be a lot of work. Lots of strings to pull. I am but a low-level scientist. But why don't you tell me your story and I'll see what I can do."

[Zeta]

"Wonderful to meet you, Dr. Hart." The boy nearly laughed as he said the name. He made a mentle roll of his eyes. Thing just really weren't that funny.

He shook the man's hand, gave a unnerving look in the secretary's direction, and followed the man up the stairs.

"Damn!" the woman sighed as she let her posture drop in relief, "Why is it I always get the shifts with the creepy fuckers..."
* *** *** *

"it's a beautiful view up here." The boy said softly as he stepped out into the glassroom, "Must be terribly warm up here during the sun's peek though." He commented, sitting down on the large couch that the doctor had pointed out for him.

"A room is barely much work, Doctor." The boy cooed, pulling his legs up onto the couch and close to his body. He was wearing a simple, longsleeved, black cotton turtleneck and a pair of matching cotton pants. His feet were bare and near black from dirt. He gave his toes and experimental wiggle to make sure they were all still working. The sat quiet for a moment, figthing with himself on how much he was really ready to tell the doctor.

"Tell you my story?" His voice fluxuated slightly, a darker cadence lingering below the suface, " I've got cronic fatuge and am going blind in one eye. What does it take to get into a medical facility? Huh?"

Something flashed behind his cold eyes,"Would it help if I told you I'm addicted to steroids, doc?"

[Dr. Hart]

"Yes. Quite a view isn't?" He said softly, watching the being carefully. "These rooms are not really used very often, and the heat that is gathered in these rooms is filtered down to the lower levels and is used to heat them, quite brilliant engineering if you ask me."

He leaned forwards. His golden eyes trailed over Zeta slowly. "Well, we're not just a regular... medical facility. If you haven't noticed, our building is rather...out in the middle of nowhere. It's a wonder you made it out here at all...on foot... without shoes." He paused for a moment. "And it does help. I mean, we're willing to help, but it might be easier to air lift you to a hosptial. But...."

"And no, it doesn't particularly help that your addicted to Steroids...."

Clarence stands, and walks over to the windows. "But you aren't human." He said softly. "Maybe you are... a natural... evolution... or an escaped experiment from another lab, however, it's still a wonder that you made it all the way out to THIS lab." He turns, the sun highlighting his frame for a moment, turning him into a black figure in the window. "If you tell me how you got here, I'd be better able to help you..." He says softly and sighs.

He walks a slow lap around the room and then sits on the table infront of the couch that the being has decided to sit down on. He crosses his legs and props his chin up in his hands, his elbows on his knees.

"Either way, I do have a few spots currently....But tell me your story... and could you start with your name?"

[Zeta]

"Oh I'm fine, doctor!" The boy laughed suddenly. Something snapped behind his eyes. It was as if the ice had cracked and revealed the cold, swirling water beneath it. "I enjoyed the walk here! Easier to navigate than the forest I might add." He grinned deviously.

The boy's face dropped its playful joy as the man started talking about him. He hadn't expected to have him examining him already.

[white]Not good Om. [/white]A little voice rang through his head. [white]He knows. HE KNOWS![/white]

The creature gave a tick and grimaced. He knew all to well what was going on.

[white] He's excited about us. To you feel it? It excited. [/white][red]It's not what we had wanted-[/red][white] It's not what we had expected. This is it. This is the guy.[/white][red] He wants us. He wants to know us-[/red]

[white]Yes. Yes he does. We can work off that.[/white]

The creature smiled sickly, "Now...I'm not much for talk, doctor....And I do have a terrible memory..." He cooed, standing slowly and slinking his way to stand beside the doctor at the desk, " But...I do feel that I'd like to.... cut you a deal..."

The creature looked down slowly, glancing the man's lower half over. He picked up the man's hand gently and cradled it in his, running his fingers lightly over the back of it. He watched the man quietly, enthralled by his reactions, his human behavior, his human body... his flesh.

"I was called Zeta. It was the closest human name I was ever given." he said quietly. The shield of ice fired back up in front of his eyes as the fire that had melted it moments before pulled out of power, " And I'll let you figure the rest out for yourself. Run all your diagnostics. Your tests and your check ups, so long as you give me a place to stay.

"What do you say Doctor? Let's get.... physical..."

[Dr. Hart]

Clarence stiffened, eyes jumping up to the creature's face. "I don't know if I CAN make a deal with you." Then the being grabbed his hand, his fingers brushing over the back. His breath hitched in his throat and a touch a pink shaded his cheeks. His heart sped up. Most of the experiments gave him that feeling... the... Unbelonging, the... Being not worthy. Like standing in front of the face of God....

"Zeta..."

"A greek letter...interesting... A Zeta experiment, perhaps?" He looked over him. "But you might not even be an experiment... I shouldn't jump to conculsions should I?" He said softly, he pulled his hand free an brushed his hair out of his face.

"I can give you a place to stay." And then he laughed at Zeta's last response. "I don't know if we're going to start with the physical examination..." He says softly and then covers the grin on his lips with his hand. "But we can start with basics. We'll set you up with a bunk first, I'm afraid they are... rather modest." He says, his golden eyes watching Zeta closing, gauging reactions and just on guard in general. "Come on, I'll lead you down."

Clarence stands and walks over to the door. He pulls it open. The opens silently on well greased hinges like everything else in the lab. Top of the line. He leads the experiment down the stairs and into the doorway that he took coming up to meet him.

"And since you AREN'T an experiment, and if you are, you aren't ours....and you ARE self committed, you won't be required to wear a chip, but I'll have to get you a card key that will allow you access to the same places in the lab the experiments are allowed in. Unfortunately, we can't give you all access, however, if you DO want to leave and we deem you mentally stable, we will release you." He says as they near the dorms. He swipes his wrist, opening another door that leads down and they reach the dorms.

He pushes open a door and it opens to a living room that splits into two bedrooms. "This room is completely empty for the time being. You'll have a roommate by the end of the week though. Pick out a bed..." He says with a smile. There is a bunk bed in each room. "Or try them all if you like." He laughs.