The A.R.EX. Project:Transformation

by Angelo Facchin

  * * *

  Joseph Henry’s office was located in the middle of the main corridor of the firm’s floor. He preferred the middle to one of the corners because he didn’t want to “isolate himself” from his staff and colleagues. Janiece sat down on one of the chairs facing Henry’s office. She took some time to calm herself down. She soon felt really stupid for losing her temper the way she did and giving Hall the satisfaction of letting him feel superior to her.

  Henry came five minutes later and closed the door behind him. Janiece felt her career in law grinding to a halt as her boss walked around her. Henry sat behind his desk and regarded Janiece. To her surprise, he wasn’t scowling at her as much as he was smiling and even chuckling with good humor.

  “That was quite the rant in that corridor. It’s only one of the reasons why I like you so much. You have passion.”

  “Sir, I’m really sorry about what happened. I never should have exploded like that.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I think that most people really enjoyed seeing you try and put Kirk in his place. What I don’t like seeing is the kind of verbal abuse you take because of him. If only I were able to do something about this. If I had my way, I would never have hired him.”

  Everyone knew the story. Kirk Hall had just passed his BAR exam when a relative of his, a senator, had “recommended” him to Henry with the promise that he would work hard and be a good lawyer. There was also the promise of new furnishings and a brand new coat of paint for the building, which were both sorely needed. Unfortunately, it also meant that Henry couldn’t fire him without a good reason and not suffer any severe consequences.

  “You let your emotions get the better of you. That may be a fault, but I can tell your heart’s in the right place. I‘m sure that you had something on your mind other than your client‘s innocence.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meyers‘ case was different, not only because for the first time, you felt that your client was truly innocent, but it was also the first time your client was a single parent.”

  Erickson Meyers’ son, Jason was about to turn eight. When his father was arrested, Jason was put into a sort of halfway foster house while the trial. It was no secret that Janiece had always wanted to have a family. At the moment, though, that seemed like a distant dream that could never come true. She always let her career come before any romantic relationship, so becoming a wife and mother was becoming impossible for her.

  “Jason is in need of a family right now. He has no one left. I’ve seen the way Jason looks up to you and Rick seems to have faith in you. You have a big family, don’t you? Jason needs that kind of environment to grow up in. You can let Jason know that you’ll never give up, and that you’ll be there for him. This is your chance to become a parent. The question I’m asking is: will you be a mother to Jason?”

  Janiece thought about it for a while. She had always wanted a child of her own. She did have her doubts about committing herself to Jason. What if Jason decided he didn’t like her that much? What if she proves to be ineffective and inattentive? How stable an environment could she really provide for Jason? What would happen to Jason if she refused? Finally, the answer came out of her mouth before she even thought about it.

  “I’ll do it. I accept. I want to be there for Jason, and take care of him. I just want his permission before I do anything else.”

  “Jason‘s at the first floor lobby with a social worker. She‘ll fill you in the paperwork you need to fill out.”

  She found Jason a few minutes later. It was astonishing how much he looked liked his father. If she didn’t know any better she’d swear they were brothers. Jason frame, like his father’s was tall and lanky, with brown hair and eyes.

  She couldn’t really figure out his demeanor, but she could guess by his bowed head that he knew all too well what was happening to him. His world had just come crashing down all around him and his future couldn’t be more uncertain. Janiece started to feel the pressure of trying to be a means of salvation for Jason.

  Jason looked up and saw Janiece coming towards him.

  “Hi Jason.”

  “Hi.”

  The social worker shook Janiece’s hand. After a quick exchange of words she quickly excused herself to a corner, so as to not intrude. Janiece wasn’t too sure how to start the conversation.

  “How has the lady been treating you?”

  “Okay, I guess,” Jason replied, “but she kept telling me things like “It‘s not your fault”, or “are you okay?”.”

  “Yeah, well, people feel the need to ask you these questions, so that you tell us how you feel.”

  “I guess you’re right. I just want to go home.”

  “You can’t, but I can go get your things for you, if you want.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What I mean is that I can go there, get your things, and take them back to my place.”

  Jason looked up to her. It was like realized what she was talking about.

  “You want me to live with you? Really?”

  “Yes. I may not be your real parent, but I would really like the chance to be a mother. I want to be there for you. I also hope that you‘ll still let me come around once I get your father out of jail.”

  “But everyone says…”

  “Forget about what everyone else says. Just remember what I say. I say your dad is not a killer, and I promise I will do whatever I can to prove that.”

  With a hug to seal the deal, Janiece set about the task of becoming a temporary parent. A task that would prove daunting.

  Chapter 3

  Monday, July 27th, 1998, 1:15 PM

  Operating Chamber

  Several individuals were amassed within the dark confines of the operating chamber, making preparations for a test. It was to be the foundation of a new kind of weaponry and military reality.

  Ever since the United Nations signed an international treaty practically banning nuclear weaponry from the face of the Earth, military organizations had to find new, creative, and often ludicrous methods of achieving their goals of overpowering their enemies. What these scientists were doing went beyond that, into the realm of the scientifically insane.

  These people were lead by Patrick Sandlak. Also known as the “Chief”, his vision for the world was particularly terrifying, even to his colleagues. He had discovered a formula that, he theorized, would create a weapon that would be highly efficient, deadly, and intimidating. After all, as his father once told him, intimidation is an essential force of nature.

  It was a controversial undertaking for anyone to achieve, but it was original, and Sandlak promised it was going to change the world forever. It was a dangerous boast to be made, but the Chief enjoyed huge funding, a solid team to back him up, and a proven concept. Everybody on his team respected the Chief, but also feared him, for they knew he would stop at nothing to achieve his creation. Nobody else but him knew what ingredients were in his formula, and the thought of the end result would even make a high-ranking general shiver in fear. For the moment, though, his weapon still lacked a final test completion, something he hoped would come on this day.

  In order to conduct the test, the Chief had found a suitable live subject. The weapon was to be tested and reviewed by himself and his colleagues. The scientists all felt they were facing an occurrence of the Third Kind. It certainly was an event to behold.

  * * *

  Outside the chamber, a small crowd had started to gather. The Chief’s other colleagues, the ones not directly implicated in his plans, were waiting on any news from behind the metal doors. It seemed that the entire company had ground to a halt, and all people both inside and out of the chamber held their collective breath.

  The crowd could hear muffled conversations going on, but they couldn’t make out what was being said. The Chief had told them that the entire procedure would take about an hour and a half. The people waiting thought it was taking twice as long. They were anticipating the appearance of the Ch
ief every second that was passing by. He would deliver the news of their success, or drop the failure bombshell that would end up demoralizing everyone for a few weeks.

  The clock was showing 2:07, when there was sudden movement being heard from inside the chamber. The next thing the crowd heard was a piercing scream coming from behind the closed doors. Then, pandemonium erupted as metallic clanging and fearful yelling from panicked people was just barely audible from the outside. Panic ensued as the crowd outside scrambled to try and open the doors. In their struggle, the screams suddenly died out, causing even more concern and more urgent action. Finally, after five minutes and a call to emergency services, they were able to break down the door and break in the chamber. What they found, was a disaster scene.

  An electric fire had broken out and the sprinkler system was struggling to fight it. The computers were caved in, destroyed, their wiring and boards exposed. Bodies were sprawled all over the floor with their blood being both charred and flooded. The test subject was still intact, but barely. It seemed unchanged, meaning that the weapon was clearly a failure on its first test. Nobody had any explanation for the paramedics as to what happened.

  There were only three survivors in that room out of the dozen that were present when the test began. One of the survivors was Patrick Sandlak, his face badly scarred. The Chief’s military vision had just hit a wall.

  Chapter 4

  Thursday, October 22nd, 1998, 4:55 PM

  Henry’s Law Firm, New York City

  Janiece Ryder had mixed feelings about becoming a parent, but she had to admit that there were improvements in her life so far. It felt good to know that there was someone waiting for her at home once she finished work every day. An added benefit of being a parent included a lessened work load. She was also growing to love Jason as she got to know him better, even though he wasn‘t really opening up to her all that well. She found herself enjoying doing things like watching TV with Jason, helping him with his homework, and cooking for the both of them. He was quiet, polite, albeit a little shy at times, knowing his situation though, she wasn’t surprised. What did give a jolt was when he starting giving her that half-grin she had now gotten used to. It was Jason’s way of trying to tell her that everything was fine, even when he clearly wasn’t feeling too well.

  She was hoping to be able to leave early, as she did everyday. She hoped as much, even though she didn’t always have a family to go to. Her job always came first, and it was meant to stay that way, and so, it interfered with her hopes of ever having children of her own. She was a defense lawyer working under Joseph Henry’s banner in New York city, which meant that she had to work hard. She also felt that she had something to prove in relation to her colleagues.

  That was her mentality just two weeks ago. It already seemed like such a distant past. Nowadays, she had someone to come home to and actually take the time to cook dinner for. She had always wanted a family of her own and to be a mother to a child. Her work had put a damper on those dreams, because it took so much of her time. Her boss, Joe Henry, wasn’t opposed to the adoption, and, in fact, he endorsed it completely, saying that it would be beneficial to her and to Jason once they grew closer to each other. And he was right.

  The move allowed Jason to live in the same apartment complex as his best friend, which made Janiece all the more happier since she almost always worked past five o’clock. Even though Jason never had a hard time making friends, most of his classmates turned their backs on him because of his father’s conviction. Kip Simon was the only one who stayed true to his friend, and Janiece was thankful that his parents seemed equally as understanding. She was comforted by the fact that she would always be able to find him at Kip Simon’s. And if Jason ever needed anything while he was there, Kip’s parents would always be there to help.

  She was just finishing her lunch, a small baloney sandwich Jason had actually made her, when her office telephone rang. Jason was having difficulty dealing with his father being in jail. She expected the call to be from his principal saying that he was acting out in school. Instead of that, the caller I.D. showed as “D. CARTER”.

  “Janiece,” came a voice from the receiver, “are you there?”

  “Hi Daisy, long time no speak.”

  “And whose fault is that Ryder?”

  Janiece couldn’t help but laugh at that comment. Daisy Carter was her best friend since they were ten. She was the only one Janiece allowed to call her by her last name, seeing as she usually hated being called “Ryder” just because they couldn’t pronounce her first name right. Unfortunately, Janiece’s work (and her new maternal responsibilities) also somehow meant alienating her friends and family.

  “I really want to meet the little guy. I am officially going to invite you over to dinner next Saturday. That‘s four days from now, and I won‘t take no for an answer.”

  “Actually I didn‘t have anything planned for Saturday. I‘m glad to accept your invitation. I‘ll see you at seven, okay?”

  “That‘s the spirit, I knew you couldn‘t resist a chance to get away from both work and cooking.”

  “That‘s because I‘ve got a friend who‘s looking after me, and my social health.”

  Janiece’s thoughts were a little lighter for the rest of that day. Daisy never let things get too boring in anyone’s life. She loved the fact that she had all the time in the world to make other people feel better.

  “Speaking of health, how‘s your new protégé? I hear you are officially an adoptive mother.”

  “Yeah. I don‘t think I‘m the ideal choice for this kid, though. I have more time to spare, but it might not be enough. I‘m starting to wonder why I even decided to do this.”

  “So,” Daisy said, “you‘re thinking of giving up, aren‘t you?”

  “I never said that, I just think that he would be better off with someone who has all the time in the world. Someone like you.”

  “Not anymore. I‘ve got a new job in a very interesting field of study. You‘re looking at a new member of the forensic team at BIOGENCORP.”

  “BIOGENCORP? I‘ve never heard of it.”

  “It‘s in Albany, so I‘m the one who will have the least time.”

  Janiece suddenly understood why Daisy was so urgent about seeing her as soon as possible.

  “I get it now. I‘ll be there sometime before your first shift.”

  “Yeah, I‘ll talk to you later.”

  * * *

  5:37 PM

  Janiece Ryder’s apartment, New York City

  When Janiece got back home, she found Jason finishing his homework. He looked up and gave the small, half-hearted grin. Janiece took it as a warning to say that he had had a bad day.

  She gave him as much of a smile as she could, knowing she couldn‘t really smile to him. They had an awkward relationship, which didn’t suit Janiece, but also left her feeling helpless.

  Jason wasn’t telling her much of anything. She was still new at being a parent, but it was clear that he didn’t want to tell her what was really on her mind. She never really knew how to react when she found Jason asleep at the kitchen table, using his father’s case file as a pillow. He had snuck around that night and found it on her desk. She never found out why he had done that, or what he thought of that file. For now, all she could think of, was to give Jason enough time to heal his emotional wounds. She hoped to make him feel better before his father’s next appeal, which was a week away.

  “Jason?”

  “Yeah?”

  “A friend of mine invited us over for dinner on Saturday night, would you mind coming?”

  “Okay. What‘s her name?”

  Jason’s father had told her that he never spoke much, in part due to him not being able to speak at all.

  “Her name‘s Daisy Carter. She and her husband have been friends of mine for years. They‘re really nice people. I‘m sure you‘ll like them.”

  “Sounds likes fun.”

  “AND don‘t forget that we‘re going to s
ee your father on Sunday.”

  Jason lightened up immediately at the prospect of seeing his father for the first time in three weeks. He was in a much better mood for the rest of that night. Janiece was always able to keep her promises toward Jason, especially since she didn’t make that many promises.

  Chapter 5

  Friday, October 23rd, 1998, 5:46PM

  FBI New York City Office

  FBI agent Mika Nomura was finishing a very busy week in her office. Looking at her desk, she had an urge to shred every single sheet of paper that was lying around and then burn the strips just to make her day. As much as she loved being a field agent, she hated all the paperwork that awaited her whenever she finished a case. As much as she also like her office, she hated coming to it. That only meant one of two things: Either she had just finished a case and had to write her reports and any other necessary paperwork she needed to finish, or she was coming because she about to begin investigation on a new case, which involved reading reports and research. Working in the field liberated her, though, in ways that made the tedious work worth the effort. She knew that crime was an entity that never has slept and never will sleep, so she wouldn‘t complain to anyone. At least not out loud, she wouldn’t.

  Her work also included undercover operations and interrogations that often lasted over four hours. Her superior, Corey Rodgers, was at the head of the Criminal Investigative Division in New York’s FBI Headquarters. His load of cases sometimes exceeded the amount of agents that he had available, which meant his subordinates had more than his or her own fair share of cases during such times. When that would happen, Mika found out that her supervisor wasn’t a pushover when it came to taking to the field himself. Still, he was often seen taking hard looks at resumes being sent to his office, probably hoping to find more decent, qualified help.