In the communal kitchen later, a few scientists approached Mangle. “Hey, kid, I hear you were an abomination advocate earlier today!” an older one exclaimed by way of greeting.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzFVYQLl8Q
“No, I wasn’t. I was simply trying to give an objective view of my subject’s development. The fact that is was misconstrued by the board members does not mean I see any subject here as human.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RmkGYyElq
A scrawny little student came up to them and laughed. “Tell that to Dr. James! She was livid!”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWtimNvuox
Mangle frowned. “Do you speak to all your superiors here like that, Mx. Reich?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTlEeils0j
The student shrugged. “Only those I respect, Doc! You got stones, saying you thought that thing was as smart as some of us!”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CANNAQ3Xd
Mangle sighed. “That was hyperbole. I don’t actually believe--”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWeBihsuBj
“Can I help any of you?” Dr. James snapped, walking into the discussion.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosQGoddOeD
The scientists all looked away and muttered. Mangle cleared their throat. “Dr. James...about earlier…”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWrkAok2eu
“No, I understand, Doctor. You were simply trying to be objective and did not see how your comment might be detrimental. The board doesn’t see much merit in what I do, and I overreacted to your simple overstatement. I simply ask that you refrain from doing that again.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xN66eLuQ7
Mangle nodded. “Of course.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPclHuCvqf8
Dr. James smiled at the quick resolution. “Now, then, Doctor. We have a few things to discuss. Perhaps you can explain your reasoning for your statement earlier while we’re at it? Surely something astronomical must have happened.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpryHDVJThv
Mangle shrugged. “It was as I said, the subject devised a name for itself. It was a startling and disconcerting experience for me.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxrF7kQ63r
The old scientist laughed. “Oh, I call mine ‘Joey’! What’s yours?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiofO9eF2qE
“Um…‘It’,” Mangle supplied.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08irSePSaF
All the scientists in the room got quiet.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPyyJon4b2
“You...you weren’t joking or saying that it took a nickname you had for it and made that its name, did you? You were serious,” Dr. James whispered.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpyHK2H7z8
Mangle nodded gravely. “It told me its ‘name’ before I left.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jZ2DVKIby
There was a sudden uproar from all the scientists save Mangle and Dr. James, crying “Kill the thing before it can get dangerous!” and “Geez, Mangle! Tell us when you’re planning to try something dangerous!” and “Dr. James, how could you let such an intelligent subject live?!”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN92V4ckH3v
Dr. James held up her hands for silence. When the cacophony died down, she said calmly, “Listen. We have no way of measuring intelligence in the womb. The fact that this subject is so smart must be simply a freak coincidence. After all, we’re all geniuses, and no one messed with our DNA, right?688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5wJMsJm0g
“Furthermore, the subject is not a threat to us. All subjects are contained, safeguarded, and kept ignorant of the world around them. All we have to do is ensure this subject is not introduced to any other subjects that may turn it against us, and we’ll be okay. Dr. Mangle is more than capable of staying objective in this matter. Anyone opposed to this?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMitfGJCIp1
No one argued.
“Well, then, I’ll leave this ‘It’ in Dr. Mangle’s capable hands, and we’ll all go about our business as if this never happened. No need to worry anyone on the outside unnecessarily.”
Everyone murmured agreement and went their own ways, to their houses, experiments, or offices. Dr. James turned to Dr. Mangle. “I hope I’m not misplacing my trust in you, Doctor.”
Mangle shook their head. “No, no! I can handle it!”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0XnsTo5Qd
Dr. James huffed in amusement. “A little eager, aren’t we? But I suppose when you’ve only been here two days, with such an interesting project ahead, anyone would be. Let’s talk in my office, shall we?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFqQ63coi1
“Okay, what would this be about?” Mangle asked as they started out of the kitchen towards Dr. James’ office.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NqypIc8zh
“I’d prefer to wait until we are in the privacy of my office to talk. The hallways are far too watched for me to feel comfortable.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ECFVO86Ag
Mangle nodded. “Perfectly understandable. They have quite the collection of security cameras.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1Y4li04lQ
Dr. James hummed. “Yes. I’ve been here for 10 years, and I probably still haven’t found every camera in this hallway, which I go through every day. Big Brother is always watching, Doctor.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40pVI1sHGD
“‘All the world’s a stage,’ I suppose,” Mangle contemplated.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSH3csI2wTk
“Quite.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzu09HesDR
They closed the doors to Dr. James’ office and Dr. James slumped down in relief. “I have to be honest, Mangle. Sometimes I really hate it here.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4IET5IO6m
Mangle watched Dr. James curiously. “What do you mean?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7xbSAxo6Q
“I’m here about 16 hours every day. I have no time for my own life, I go home and I immediately fall asleep when my head hits my pillow. This project is amazing, yes, but it’s also incredibly taxing. Did you know that I nearly had a heart attack 8 months into this project? I had worked myself so hard, I nearly dug my own grave. I’m relieved to have scientists who are willing to visit subjects regularly for me, but my doctors say it might be too little too late.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxf7Eg4Kna
Mangle shook their head in confusion. “I’m sorry, Dr. James, what are you trying to say?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmt0aoRLuss
Dr. James looked at Mangle, eyes full of sorrow. “I may not live long enough to see this project to fruition. My life’s dream, finished after I am dead. If I don’t relieve myself of the everyday stresses of this job, then I will die. No questions about it. The stress will send me into a heart attack. I wouldn’t have this problem on any other project, no matter how painstaking. Never have. But I have to reign myself in to simple observing and administrative work. I’m not asking you to take over my duties, you have your hands full with…‘It’. I shudder at the thought of trying to keep that thing’s curiousity down enough to be manageable.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQ4rPC7OhP
Mangle hadn’t considered that. They’d have to work hard as it matured to keep it as restrained as it could tolerate without rebelling. That one thought nearly sent them scrambling back to their previous job. “Do you need my opinions to find a new administrator to do the rounds?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpE2lU8NvAN
Dr. James waved him off. “No, no, I have someone lined up. They start in a week. But...I do want to make you an offer.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv2EQ5hzhY
Mangle was curious. “An offer about what?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3HeEG65Oo
“I’ve been pushing for this since I started, but I need one more person to sign a petition to make it work. I plan on setting up living quarters within the lab, to reduce commuting, and for health reasons for myself. You wouldn’t have to forfeit any housing you already own, I know that you have that beach house down in Bethany that’s in your family, but you wouldn’t have to pay rent here in the city, no hour-long drive through traffic, and easy access to the subjects at all hours should you choose to accept. What do you say?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEcHxmkPom
Mangle couldn’t believe their ears. “Yes! Of course, yes! That would be very beneficial. There wouldn’t be any cameras, right?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRqrai0GlB
Dr. James laughed. “Not if I have any say in the matter, which I do! Don’t worry, you’ll be allowed your privacy.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMbcNRDtGl
Mangle nodded approvingly. “Well, that’s certainly a relief.” A thought occurred to them. “Dr. James, are there cameras in the subjects’ rooms? I imagine that if any of them are as self-aware as mine is, if they find one they’ll completely shut down until they know they are not being watched.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6mvZZcIHK
Dr. James thought about it. “There aren’t any that I know of, and I’ve never seen feed of a subject in the security room, so I’d say there are no cameras in their rooms. But there are cameras and microphones nearly everywhere else, so I imagine that their reasoning is that if one tries to escape, they’ll capture it elsewhere, rather than making it paranoid. Why?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWmtlkoFiR
Mangle shrugged. “I was just curious. I need to make sure my subject won’t refuse to participate purely because it feels it is being watched.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCF5DYKalTR
Dr. James nodded. “Rest assured, your subject won’t shut down because of that. It might refuse to participate because it has to deal with Dr. ‘Cold Heart’ Mangle, though!”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVstvaXRmBe
Mangle laughed. “I’m trying to tone that down so I can interact with the subject beyond it calling me a liar, rest assured. When will the living quarters be accessible?”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoGytn8UHy
“Give me a month,” Dr. James assured. “I should be able to do something with the offices and add a bedroom. It’ll be more like a college dorm than anything, but it’ll function.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR10jSKFONK
Mangle nodded. “I’ll be off then. I have some research to do for my next tests.”
Dr. James waved him off. “Best of luck, Dr. Mangle.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXr6Xq8cguO
“Thank you, Dr. James.”688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhbGljNUKP
