Catharsis: Outbreak Z: Books 1-4
Page 31
Eli retrieved a small, white mouse and handed to his boss. The man placed the uninfected creature into a cage with one of the cannibalistic mice. The infected mouse went crazy, attacking the newcomer. Within a matter of seconds, it was hungrily consuming this new meal. Eli was a little sickened at what he’d created.
“I’m not sure what caused this mutation. I’ll need to look at it more closely,” Eli, nervously, told his mentor.
“See that you do. There are people counting on your work. The future of this country is at stake. We could control this industry. It will happen, eventually. We just need to be the ones to do it. I have faith in you, son,” McKierney stated, clapping Eli on the shoulder. It wasn’t so much a consoling pat as it was a warning.
Eli turned and surveyed the lab. He was glad someone had faith in him because he was starting to question himself. Margot, his wife, had certainly lost her faith in him, and while his father and mother were always telling him how proud they were, he knew they didn’t really understand his work. As for his twin sister Ella—well, he certainly knew he wasn’t ranking too high in her books these days.
He’d told his family he was working on an AIDS virus. That wasn’t really the truth. The truth was the government had sent out a call to all pharmaceutical companies. They were looking for a super steroid which would create an enhanced soldier. Like any other steroid, increased muscle mass and strength was the ultimate goal. However, Eli had taken it a step further; he wanted to create a drug that would aid in regeneration of certain tissues. If he could do that, not only could he help out the government, he could also help cure countless other diseases.
Over the past few weeks, he’d been working with an idea similar to that of certain lizards and amphibians. If certain species could regrow limbs, why couldn’t humans? If he could create a serum that accomplished all of these things, he would reach the pinnacle of his career. He’d been working with various proteins and stem cells over the past year, and he’d had moderate success in several of the mice. Two of the twelve had regrown missing tails. This episode was a serious setback.
A couple of hours later, Eli couldn’t believe his findings. The brain of one of the infected mice contained a prion. At least, this meant their infection wasn’t viral, so that was a relief. He didn’t have to worry about anything spreading through the lab. He’d studied prions back in medical school when his microbiology professors had lectured on mad cow disease and CJD, a disease affecting the brain and causing it to become sponge like. It wasn’t his mode of expertise, but he did recognize the findings.
“Prions are still being studied. It’s a relatively new area of study, but I’ll it break down as best as I can. These prions are abnormal proteins in certain genes. They cause progressive neuro-degenerative conditions. Basically, the brain is altered and eventually ends up like a sponge. I don’t mean that in a good way, either. I mean, the brain, literally feels like a sponge,” Eli explained a few hours later to various members of the board. He’d been summoned to this meeting to update the company on his findings.
“So, then, why were the specimens so aggressive?” one of the members questioned.
“That’s the thing. I think mixed with the steroid, the prion triggered an aggressive side effect. The specimens are constantly in need of replenishing the proteins,” Eli answered.
“So, can it be transmitted through the air? In other words, do we have to worry about the entire lab being infected?” another board member asked, slowly placing a hand over her nose and mouth, as if just realizing Eli could be carrying the prion. Eli wanted to laugh aloud. It was a little too late to cover her mouth with her hand. If it were in the air, she would already be infected. But, he wouldn’t say anything. He didn’t want to come off as a know it all.
“Most research indicates prion diseases aren’t spread that way. However, it’s a relatively new area of study. I suppose with variations, it could be made into an airborne illness, but I don’t know why anyone would want to do that,” Eli replied and watched as the same woman shrank back in her seat.
“Well, obviously, this last year was a waste of the company’s time, but Dr. McKierney assures us you’re an excellent research scientist. We’ll expect another update in three months, and we do hope to see some advancement in your studies, or we’ll have to find someone else,” the President of the Board warned, and Eli’s heart sank. This meant longer hours at the lab. That meant more fights with Margot and less time spent with his family.
When he’d first met Margot, she’d been fascinated with his profession. She’d been convinced he would develop some super important drug and become rich and famous. What she hadn’t realized was that creating a drug or vaccine was a long tedious process and could take anywhere from ten to twenty years to reach the market. He hadn’t chosen this profession for the money. He’d chosen his profession because he wanted to find cures and ways to battle diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Lately, his wife had been cold and secretive, and Eli wondered if she were having an affair. He still loved her and would move the moon if he could for her. He just didn’t know what to do anymore to make her happy. He wanted to win this contract with the government because not only would it bring him recognition, it would also be a financial boon to their lifestyle.
A couple of hours later, Eli unlocked the door to his apartment and entered quietly. He’d decided he would take off early and surprise Margot. Maybe they could get lunch or just hang out around the house. Tomorrow, he would worry about the lab and his responsibilities. He just wanted to be at home with his wife, and he wanted to work on making things the way they used to be. Maybe, he would even call his father and check in.
He looked in the kitchen and wasn’t really surprised not to find his wife. The kitchen was spotless and a little sterile, certainly not like his mother’s kitchen back in Tennessee. His mother’s kitchen was always spotless, but it had a lived in look. Margot didn’t cook, and she didn’t clean, a product of her privileged upbringing. The only time she spent in the kitchen was to get the ingredients to make a mixed drink. He wasn’t bitter about it. He knew what Margot was like when he’d married her. He’d found her faults charming. Now, he wasn’t so sure.
He walked down the hall to the bedroom. Maybe she was taking a nap, or she might not even be home at all. Her car was in the garage, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t stepped out with a friend. More and more, Margot wasn’t in the habit of notifying him of her plans. They’d fallen out of that habit a couple of years ago. It was starting to bother him more and more because he realized he wanted a marriage like that of his own parents.
He heard strains of music coming from the bedroom, and he smiled in anticipation. They hadn’t had sex in a couple of months, and the thought of sinking himself between Margot’s long luscious legs gave him an instant hard on. He walked to the door, opened it, and quietly stepped inside. Immediately, his erection fizzled.
Margot lay on her back with a woman’s face between her legs. The woman was holding a hot pink vibrator in one hand and was fingering Margot’s pussy with the other. Margot moaned in satisfaction as the woman replaced her fingers with the vibrator. Eli stood there silently, unsure of what to do. While this was every man’s fantasy, it was also a betrayal on Margot’s part. He felt ashamed that his cock was already reverting back to his prior state of arousal.
As if sensing his presence, Margot looked up at the doorway and smiled sensually. Unrepentantly, she reached down and stroked her lover’s head, maintaining eye contact with Eli.
“Well, are you just going to stand there gawking, or are you going to join us?” she asked, her eyes smoky and hot.
Eli wanted to turn around and leave the room, but he couldn’t make himself move. The scene was so sexy, and his cock was rock hard. Hell, this was probably the only way he’d be able to get laid. He pulled his shirt from his slacks and tossed it to the floor. Divesting himself of his remaining garments, he made his way over to the bed.
“Baby, climb right on in here. I wasn’t expecting you, but now that you’re here, we can do this together,” Margot purred, pulling him down onto the bed and kissing him hard on the mouth. He automatically returned the kiss, puzzled by this unexpected turn of events. He felt Margot’s hand creep down to his cock and stroke, causing him to jerk with excitement. Maybe he could be adventurous and get into this. After all, it wasn’t like she was cheating on him with a man. And, wasn’t it most men’s fantasy to hook up with two other women?
“Lay down,” Margot ordered. Eli complied and watched in fascination as the young woman moved from her position between his wife’s legs, crawled over to him, and lowered her mouth onto his cock. No one other than Margot had touched him for a long time. The woman sucked on his cock and fondled his balls, and Eli groaned in satisfaction.
“You like my gift to you baby?” Margot asked, and Eli nodded. “Good, now you’re going to have to return the favor.”
Margot lowered her pussy over Eli’s face. He leaned his head up slightly and smelled her arousal. He sucked on her clit and smiled as she groaned. Reaching his hands up, he splayed one hand over her ass, and sunk two of the fingers on the other hand up into her. Pumping in and out, he continued to eat her pussy even as Margot’s lover continued to suck him off. He heard the sound of the vibrator and assumed the young woman’s was using it on herself.
This continued for a few minutes until he thought he would explode. His face was wet with Margot’s pussy when she lifted herself off of him. He took a long breath. He almost felt like he was in a drug state; things like this didn’t happen to him.
“I feel kind of bad for Leah, poor baby,” Margot murmured, as she slid down to the woman and kissed her. Eli watched in fascination, his cock twitching in response.
“Maybe you should fuck her, Eli,” Margot pouted. Eli cocked an eye at this. Was Margot for real? She like to play games, and he wondered if this were a game that would have dire consequences.
The girl sat up and flipped over, barring her ass for Eli. She looked back at him, licked her lips and winked.
“Are you going to do me, baby? You can fuck me, and I’ll fuck Margot,” she whispered in a raspy voice.
Eli did as he was told. He climbed behind the young woman’s ass and sank his cock into her, and groaned. She felt tight and good. He pumped in and out of her, noticing that Margot had moved in front of the woman and had posed herself in a similar position. In fascination her watched, as the woman he was fucking placed the pink vibrator into his wife’s pussy and thrust it in and out. It was so fucking hot, he thought he might shoot his load already. What had started out as a shitty day had turned around rather quickly.
He’d never imagined this side of Margot. They’d had sex at least once a week, more in the beginning. Lately, even the once a week had tapered off, and Margot had seemed uninterested in sex. Margot was a classy lady and from a well to do family. He’d never imagined there was this side to her. Eli had to wonder if the lack of sex between him and his wife was because she was getting this kind of action on the side.
He placed his hands on the cheeks of the young woman’s ass. He was angry that she’d taken his place in his wife’s affections. This anger caused him to fuck her deeper and harder. She moaned as he thrust harshly into her. His punishment seemed to be her pleasure. In turn, she pumped the vibrator in and out of his wife’s pussy.
“My turn,” Margot looked back and smiled. The young woman in front of Eli moved and changed places with Margot. Margot lay down on her back looking up at Eli, invitingly.
“Fuck me baby, while I eat pussy,” she whispered. Eli had never heard his wife talk this way. The one time he’d said the word, she’d given him a look that would curdle milk.
He slipped his cock into his wife, feeling satisfaction as her eyes widened upon his entrance. He thrust back and forth into her, squeezing her tits in the process. Margot grabbed her lover’s ass cheeks and pulled the girl’s pussy down onto her mouth. Eli watched as his wife gave oral satisfaction to another woman, and it pushed him over the edge. With a few hard thrusts, he came like he’d never before. It was probably the biggest orgasm of his life.
He rolled off of Margot and watched as she played with her friend’s pussy. Realizing Eli was out of the equation, the two women moved around until they were in opposing positions. Smiling at Eli, Margot gave and was given an orgasm.
A little while later after saying goodbye to their guest, Eli was at a loss for words. He’d just fucked another woman in the presence of his wife. He felt like a cheat, but he’d been encouraged to commit the act by his own wife, for God’s sake. He knew there were people who engaged in threesomes all the time, but he never thought he would be one of those people. He felt dirty. A moment ago, he’d been into it, but now, he just felt dirty.
“How long has this been going on?” he asked quietly.
“Darling, it’s always been going on,” she replied with a sardonic, little smile.
“With men, as well?” he asked, feeling sick. He’d always been faithful to his wife, and had never really thought about her being unfaithful.
“Sometimes, darling, sometimes,” she replied, walking naked into the kitchen and taking a glass from the cabinet. She walked to the fridge and poured herself a glass of water.
Eli felt sick and angry. Not only had he just played into Margot’s twisted fantasies, he’d just found out he wasn’t the only one.
“And you just expect me to just allow this?” he disbelievingly asked.
“Allow this? You’re under some kind of disillusion that I care what you think. Plus, you just fucked someone else, and I have no problems with it,” she shrugged.
“I fucked someone else for you,” he growled angrily.
“No, you fucked someone else because you liked her tight, little pussy. Come on, don’t tell me it didn’t turn you on to fuck someone else right in front of me?”
“I don’t know you. I’m not sure I want to know you anymore,” he said, turning his back to her and walking to the bedroom. Entering the room, it almost turned his stomach. True, he’d been turned on and excited by the threesome, but now that he’d found out Margot was having sex with other men, there was no way he could continue this. He was done, and it was over.
Now that he thought about it, maybe he was done with New York and his job. He could just pack up and head back to Tennessee. He could live with his parents for a while and help out with his mother. His father and mother would be ecstatic to see him, and he was sure they wouldn’t care that Margot wouldn’t be there. He got the feeling they’d never really cared for her anyway. And, he could patch things up with his sister. He’d really missed her. By God, he would do it. He would start over. This whole incident with Ella and the pressure at work today was the final straw. He felt a sense of relief and peace at his sudden decision.
A loud bang brought him to attention. It sounded like the slamming of the front door. He stood and walked to the living room. Three masked men stood there, weapons drawn, staring at him. One had a gun to Margot’s head. In shock, she stood still, her eyes wild with fear begging Eli to do something.
“What do you want? Money? You can have it. Just leave her alone!” Eli exclaimed, flinching when one of the men stepped forward.
“Here take this,” the man commanded handing Eli a flash drive. “I want you to remote access your lab and download all the files.”
“Why? What do you want with them?” Eli questioned.
Eli knew the competition for the government contract was fierce, but he hadn’t thought someone might make an attempt to steal it. He was convinced it had something to do with that project because it was the only project he was working on.
He grabbed his laptop, opened it, and accessed the remote server. He slipped the thumb drive into the USB port and prepared for the transport. His research wasn’t worth the loss of a human life, but he didn’t want it getting into the wrong hands, especially with the issues he’d seen in the lab earlier. He paused for a second.
“Don’t fuck with me. I’m not some fucking moron. I know what your research is supposed to look like,” the man growled from behind Eli’s shoulder.
“Listen, this research has some serious problems,” Eli began.
“We know. That’s why we want it,” the man growled, placing the gun’s barrel against Eli’s head. Eli swallowed nervously. He had no other choice but to do what he was told.
A few minutes later, the download was complete, and Eli waited to see what would happen. He was at the mercy of these men. He watched as the third man entered his bedroom and returned with Margot’s jewelry. So that’s it, he thought. They were going to kill the two of them and make it look like a burglary gone wrong.
“Kill the woman,” the first man ordered, and Margot began to scream in fear. The man quickly shut her up with a bullet to the temple. Eli looked on in shock. His wife was dead, her body falling to the floor with a soft thump. There was no noise to alert neighbors as the gun had a silencer attached.
“Now, this is what is going to happen. You’re going to call the police and report a home invasion. Your wife attempted to fight back and was killed in the process. We will return if we find that you’re revealed our true mission. We’re not going to kill you just yet because we might need you in the future,” the man ordered as he and his friends disappeared through the front door.