By Hayden

Chapter 1

Limburger looked out over the Chicago skyline from his office high atop the newly re-built Limburger tower. A fact that if one was smart they wouldn't bring up with the big cheese, having the tower knocked down 8 times in one week would be enough to drive anyone to distraction. But we digress and someone is about to enter Limburgers office, and we shouldn't be there.

The door behind him, Limburger that is, slid open. The big smell turned slightly, and upon seeing who entered a evil grin spread across his face.

"Ah--Doctor--what brings you to my office this disgustingly beautiful day?" He asked, grabbing a handful of worm and munching on them.

The 'Doctor's' lips curled into what might be called a smile. A really evil sick perverted smile. Then again does he smile any other way?

"The --oh how should I put it--prototype is finished." The doctor sneered. "A complete success if I may say so. My most brilliant creation yet."

"Excellent Doctor. Let us go see this little creation of yours, and see if it's worth the fuss you've been making over it. And it had better be for the time and money you've spent on it." Limburger warned.

"I assure you sir…it will exceed your exceptions. Once full developed it will be a prefect weapon." Carbuncle assured Limburger.

"It had better be Doctor, or I'll be putting an ad out for a new mad scientist." Limburger warned.

Shortly after the two 'men', and boy do I use that term loosely, arrived in the hidden lab far under the tower. Which makes sense, because how else could Carbuncle's lab survive all times the tower comes crashing down. They approached a small room with a keypad lock. The doctor punched in the code, then opened the door.

"Right this way, sir. You will be please." Carbuncle assured him again.

The room they entered resembled a nursery, but only slightly. What could be demeaned as ‘scientific’ interments and equipment were placed around a small crib.. Or at least something resembling a crib, that is if you considered a crib a metal box with bars and a lid. And a lock.

A young lab technician held a small bundle wrapped in a white blanket. She was feed what was evidently a new born infant from a bottle. She looked up when they entered and placed the bundle in the ‘crib’ (for lack of

a better word).

"Ms. Dean, have the test results come in yet?" the doctor leered at the young human woman.

"Yes, doctor. They’re on your desk." The young woman answered, wrinkling her nose and trying not to get sick a the smell coming for Limburger.

"Thank you my dear, that will be all for now." the doctor crooned.

The young woman quickly left the room. Still partly in shock by the results of the Doctor's DNA experiment and because if she'd stayed in the room with Limburger a few more seconds she have lost her lunch.

Limburger and the doctor walked to the ‘crib’ and looked at the bundle lying in it. Carbuncle held it up by it's ankle so Limburger could get a closer look.

"Amazing--perfectly amazing. You have out done yourself this time." he said admiring the doctor’s work.

"Other than the fact she closely resembles those we took the DNA from, she will be perfect for the experiments." the doctor replied, quite full of himself.

The infant opened her deep green eyes and stared at the person holding her. On her hand against a background of white fur was: pt-01. Short for prototype 1. She let out a long squalling cry, thrashing her tinny arms and legs. The day old child letting her displeasure at her treatment being none.

"Yes she dose seem to bare the unfortunately resemblance to her ‘parents’. Her father especially." Limburger began to laugh. "I might never be able to get my hands on them, but now I posses something infinitely more-----profitable!"

Outside the lab the young woman named Karen was stopped by two other women. Very curios women. Karen Dean had been the only one to see the experiment full completed and some of her fellow employees were dying to hear what it looked like.

"So?" one asked quietly as she got close.

"Come on, Karen! Tell us what it looks like!!" the second hissed.

Karen sighed, and wondered if she should tell. "This doesn’t go beyond us, okay?"

The women nodded.

Karen took a breath. "It’s a baby girl, brownish red hair...green eyes. She is adorable."

"That’s it!! That’s all your going to tell!!" Amy interrupted.

"Hush!" the first woman hissed.

"The thing is," Karen lowered her voice to a whisper. "that baby girl looks almost like a large white mouse!!"

________________________________________________________________________________________________

2-14-98

A little girl sat on the center of her bed holding a worn teddy bear in bare white walled room. Nothing but a bed and a metal chair sat in the room, lit by a glaring fluorescent light. The bed wasn’t even a real bed, more of a thin thread bare mattress siting on the cold metal floor, with a thin blanket on top of it.

This was the room she had grown up in, it was the only thing she knew in her small world. That and the lab. The only time she was let out of the confining room was to go to the lab for tests. And she was always going for tests. The doctor never seemed to stop coming up with tests for her to go through. And the tests were usually very painfully. She used to try hiding from them, when they came to get her for the tests. But hiding only made the doctor mad, and when he got mad, he made her hurt even more.

The door opened and the creature she knew as Greasepit entered the room. Prototype 01 curled into a ball against the wall. He approached the ball of white fur and grabbed the child forcefully, by the back of her collar.

"Come on flea-bag the Doc wants to do some more tests on you," he growled at her.

She pulled back, and looked up at him. Her young green eyes were filled with remembered pain from her last ‘test’. Not to mention she was hungry, tired, and didn’t want to see that mean old Doctor. This was all she knew but that didn’t mean she took willing. The little girl known as prototype 01 took after her father in more than looks. Not to mention she was two after all and like most two year olds her favorite word was:

"No!!" She kicked him hard.

"You shouldn’t of done that, girlie. Now you’re in trouble," he backhanded the child and pulled her up by her white streaked brown braid. Tears rolled down her face, cutting clean paths of white in the dirty fur, but she refused to make a sound.

"Are you going to be good now, or do I hafta tell the Doc you’ve been acting up again do ya?" He said shaking her once.

She shook her head slightly, as much as she could with him holding her braid.

"I can’t hear you, girlie," he shook her again, still holding her hair.

"Yes, sir," she whispered.

Greasepit started to take her to the lab, still holding her up by her braid, when a commanding voice stopped him.

"What are you doing!! Put her down! NOW!!" the woman angrily said.

The child turned her head slightly and saw the one person she truly trusted and cared about in this place. Karen. The little girl let out a whimper reaching out her small arms for Karen.

"Mz. Dean, I was only doing what the Doc said...he wants her fer some tests...." Greasepit protested, oil dripping down his hand onto the child's head.

Wearing a white lab coat Karen circled the brute. Her gray eyes cold. Her once pure midnight hair was streaked with gray. She was a far cry from the young woman that at first held the little girl two years before.

"I don’t care what he said! PUT HER DOWN! NOW!" her voice was ice, hands clenched.

Greasepit dropped the child, who quickly ran behind Karen. She hugged Karen's leg wrappings her white tail around Karen’s leg. Little shoulders jerked with tiny sobs as she closed her eyes tightly.

"The Doc ain’t gonna like this..." Greasepit half threaten, half whined, knowing that somehow HE'D be the one that got in trouble.

The child held on tighter, at the same time holding her locket tight in one hand. Karen folded her arms and scowled. Showing that she didn't give a damn if Carbuncle liked it or not.

"I don’t care particular care what he dose and dose not like. Now get out of here or do I have to tell him how you’ve been treated is favorite test subject!!" she growled.

"No, sir --I mean ma’am---I mean Mz. Dean..." He ran off down a passage way, hoping to be spared from Karen Dean’s wrath.

Karen bent slightly and picked up the trembling child. She loved her almost as much as if she’d been her own. She took the child back into her room and sat her own the bed. Rocking the little girl gently, stroking her back comfortingly.

"You okay, Zoey?" Karen asked. She had given the little girl the name of Zoey. The name meant life, and Karen had thought it appropriate. She felt it wasn’t right to call her Prototype 01; so she name her Zoey…Zoey Davidson to be exact.

Karen had found out several years ago whose DNA Carbuncle had used to create Zoey; and had made sure Zoey knew her parents as best as possible. Zoey’s locket for example contained a picture of her parents.

Zoey nodded a little, then curled up next to Karen, her tail wrapped around Karen's arm. She opened her locket and looked longingly at the picture.

"You were very brave, little one. Standing up to him like that." Karen told her, brushing strains of brown and white hair from Zoey’s face. "You...."

Zoey cut her off. "Why won’t they come?" she whispered, a solitary tear ran down her furry cheek. "Why won’t Mommy an’ Daddy come, Karen? Said they come."

Karen turned her face from the child in guilt. Zoey lay down on her bed, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Karen pulled Zoey’s cover over her stroking her hair. She sat there with the little girl until she looked like she was asleep. She kissed the little girl good-night and began to leave the room.

"They come soon?" Zoey asked again.

Karen closed her eyes in pain. In her mind’s eye she could see Zoey’s parents or at the pictures she’d seen. She also remembered her promise to Zoey that they would come for her. Karen opened her eyes and looked at the mouse child staring back through sleepy green eyes.

"They will, baby. I promise, they will."

Karen turned off the light and closed the door. It locked soundlessly behind her. Zoey looked into the darkness, hugging her teddy close. She hated the dark, it was scary and lonely. But she dared not tell anyone that. The Doc would use it against her in those awful tests. A shiver ran through the small two year old, as she pulled her blanket tightly around her. Was she bad? Was that why all this happened to her? She must have been really bad for her mommy and daddy to leave her here….why wouldn't they come….why…..

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Not all children were free to be children on this day. One child in particular was anything but carefree, or free for that matter.

Far below the Limburger Tower in a hidden lab, in a small room a little girl with deep green eyes was strapped to a table. Several pairs of cold eyes watched her through the one way mirror that was on the far wall. Dozens of wires were attached all over the girl, delivering electronic pulses through her. Electrocuting her, torturing her and all in the name of science. Tears streamed down her dirt covered furry cheeks, leaving paths of white as they fell. She cried out in pain and terror, two things that were very familiar to her. More than any child should be familiar with.

The silent observers on the other side of the glass, watching with apathetic expressions. All that is, but one. Dr. Karen Dean watched with horror the torment these ‘doctors’ were putting Zoey through. She covered her mouth with a hand to keep herself from throwing up. Wondering not for the first time why she didn't have the courage to save Zoey herself.

One of the observers was a man Karen didn't know and she didn’t know what was worse his looks or his smell. He was writing something down on a clipboard with every scream and whimper the child made. He frowned and turned to the person controlling the electronic pluses; a young lab tech named Elise.

"We’re not getting the results we want, increase the voltage by two," he ordered evenly.

The woman looked at him in disbelief, as did Karen.

"But, sir," Elise protested. "We’re already over the safe about of voltage!! Anymore might kill her--"

"Do as you’re told or I’ll find someone else to do it!!" He ordered his voice the same even and cold. Elise looked at Karen in desperation.

"Doctor—with all do respect…Elise is right! Killing the child won’t get you your results any quicker!" Karen interjected.

He glared at her for several minutes, then smiled. "That’s your opinion, Dr. Dean. If you have a problem with the experiment or how I’m handling it, take it up with Doctor Carbuncle." He turned backed to Elise. "Well what are you waiting, increase the voltage or I'll strap YOU to the table next!"

"Y-yes S-sir," Elise said quickly, stammering in fear as she turned the dial.

The scream that came for Zoey was heartbreaking, wailing cries of anguish. Karen spun around on her heels and left the room, not able to take anymore.

Her fists tightened in fury as she walked to Dr. Kurbunkle office. There was no way that monster was going to get away with doing that to Zoey. She couldn't believe the Doctor would put such a…a….THING in charge of the experiments! She couldn't believe she let this go on, that she didn't do something to save the child. How weak was she? Karen closed her eyes briefly, that was probably why she'd been hired, because she was easily scared and timid. Most of the employees in the lab seemed to live in fear of the Doctors, and all of them to weak willed to give up the money that the job paid to leave.

They were all cruel monsters, worse than Hitler on a bad day. But she was worse because of the fact she did nothing to stop what she knew was wrong. She stood there and watched a baby be tortured. Karen Dean felt she was no better than those that hurt her.

When she reached the office of the "good" doctor , she stopped dead in her tracks. The door was cracked open and voice drifted out from inside. Karen could just hear what they were saying and put her ear closer to the opening. Her heart froze as she listened.

"So, Doctor...when will your little…..experiment….be ready for shipment?" The revolting man she knew as her boss, Lawrence Limburger said, his voice slightly muffled through the door.

"Within a week your over ripeness. She will make the perfect gift to Lord Caberna." The Doctor hissed, Karen could just imagine the horrible smile on his face as he spoke.

Limburger laughed, sending chills down Karen's spine. "Yes she will won’t she. He says he’s looking forward to having his ‘scientist’ do some work on her. " The fish laughed again. "And from what I hear he has quite a who should I say it… fondness… for young children…"

"I doubt they will get more out of her than I was, your cheeseyness. I did create her." Karbuncle hissed more conserved that someone else would be experimenting on his creation.

"If it pleases him you'll make as many as he likes and keep quite about it. This might be my way of keeping him off my back about those drated mice!" Limburger informed the doctor.

The two laughed and Karen backed away from the door, feeling like she was going to pass out. How did she ever get mixed up in this? Why hadn't she taken Zoey as a infant and ran?

Shaking herself, Karen focused on protecting Zoey at the present. She took a deep breath, more because she didn't want to have to breath in that room to long than anything else, and knocked on the door. Without waiting for a answer she barged into the room.

"Karen – how many times have I told you…" the Doctor started.

"I’m sorry, sir. But it’s Doctor Hamburg – I’m afraid if he put in more voltage in to her – it’ll kill her! But he won’t listen…" Karen said hurriedly, trying to sound meek and scared of him like she normal was.

The Doctor stood and glanced at Limburger. "We can’t have him killing her now can we. Don’t worry Karen I’ll set it right – why don’t you go home for the evening." He cooed at her, leering a her in a way that made Karen sick. He turned to Limburger. " Would you care to join me, sir?"

"Yes, yes…..let us go Doctor…"

The two left the room leaving Karen standing alone. She stood there for several long moments, her fists clenching shaking. She had to do something.

Karen walked slowly out to the parking lot of the tower and got into her car. She sat behind the wheel for several moments, taking deep sobbing breaths before she started the car. There had to be something she could do. But what?

She couldn’t break the child out of there alone, it was to dangerous now. But who could help her? Who would help her?

Karen stopped at a light in front of an elementary school. Her windows were down and she listened to the children and parents talking as she waited for the light to turn green. A little girl stopped on the sidewalk right beside her car, she had to be all of 4 years old. She struggled with a knot in her shoelace for a while then looked up at her mother, who was standing right beside her.

"Mommy, could you help me?"

The light turned and Karen drove on. The words of that innocent little girl echoing in her head. 'Mommy, could you help me…' A bittersweet smile crossed her lips. She knew just who could help her save Zoey. The person she should have told the moment she knew Zoey's parentage. One of the only people that might be able to help her. Well there was one more, but she couldn't ask him. No she couldn't involve him into this if she wanted Zoey to go to her parents.

Race wouldn't be happy when he found out what she was doing, but as much as she loved him, this was all partly her fault so she had to be the one of fix it. She couldn't let him pay the price for her mistakes, a innocent child already had.

to be continued..