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.713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDO2yLI2Mw
“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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgruQamwLfR
A scrawny little student came up to them and laughed. “Tell that to Dr. James! She was livid!”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxmp0hc9yT
Mangle frowned. “Do you speak to all your superiors here like that, Mx. Reich?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpq6jgT75MI
The student shrugged. “Only those I respect, Doc! You got stones, saying you thought that thing was as smart as some of us!”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyhJI3vQok
Mangle sighed. “That was hyperbole. I don’t actually believe--”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRRKbMUcRU
“Can I help any of you?” Dr. James snapped, walking into the discussion.713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cbVFaSqVk
The scientists all looked away and muttered. Mangle cleared their throat. “Dr. James...about earlier…”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOorGS7qLQ
“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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtzaHb7WBi
Mangle nodded. “Of course.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiPcd9lwjg
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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbWdIypbxI
Mangle shrugged. “It was as I said, the subject devised a name for itself. It was a startling and disconcerting experience for me.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggIUq4gP9Y
The old scientist laughed. “Oh, I call mine ‘Joey’! What’s yours?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YhykMIVrX
“Um…‘It’,” Mangle supplied.713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarr6q8J5rF
All the scientists in the room got quiet.713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuV2B1yNHqQ
“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.713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtvuxNiQsn
Mangle nodded gravely. “It told me its ‘name’ before I left.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3aly5fiog
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?!”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyDpn3O3xC
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?713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08PwnxDauS
“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?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIVDQwaPCt
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!”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNmoXeNHSA
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?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcj3uQaydM
“Okay, what would this be about?” Mangle asked as they started out of the kitchen towards Dr. James’ office.713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQDZ4LIhSQ
“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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXQYmDW0ZB
Mangle nodded. “Perfectly understandable. They have quite the collection of security cameras.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALfIKOXahz
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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qM4eqChjl
“‘All the world’s a stage,’ I suppose,” Mangle contemplated.713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8JHw8jZp3
“Quite.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJu1jt95w5V
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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAghIMLcuC
Mangle watched Dr. James curiously. “What do you mean?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKq8hKWQI6L
“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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOJwb0qbLk
Mangle shook their head in confusion. “I’m sorry, Dr. James, what are you trying to say?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡca4M7Cibob
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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvR2LOJdh0Q
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?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpbTMznEUj
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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXSmgj1i5I
Mangle was curious. “An offer about what?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGVaErUCQR
“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?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWbnpqvxcE
Mangle couldn’t believe their ears. “Yes! Of course, yes! That would be very beneficial. There wouldn’t be any cameras, right?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQHxFMLAD9
Dr. James laughed. “Not if I have any say in the matter, which I do! Don’t worry, you’ll be allowed your privacy.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqO3MSDo4CJ
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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUO2gaef3IN
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?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQbXSVf7zj
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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6E7PkdU4Q
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!”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXUEPV7YSb
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?”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaX3I3tmrlT
“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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPs86bagLDG
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.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ886Jh0SqmJ
“Thank you, Dr. James.”713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3N1RRwMNT
