*As the centrifuge spun, Holly peered intently at the petri dish of cancer cells underneath the microscope. The number of cells had not receded as expected. In fact, it appeared that compound #211-alpha was actually serving as a catalyst to accelerate the rate of cancer growth. Grumbling under her breath, she went to the next dish. The same thing. A blur of grumbling as the dishes went by rapidly, but never sloppily. Holly was meticulous at her work. In fact, some of the technicians had commented about the fact she may have OCD, for she was always checking things. If it wasn't a double check of the results, it was the temperature of the autoclave, or the incubator, or any of a million items she kept on an internal list. Holly was also what some of the technicians would call a 'Lab Nazi'. No personal effects were allowed in the lab, no beverages, no jewelry. As a result, such items were lined up outside the lab door just as they would be in a college-level chemistry lab. Holly also insisted that items outside the door be reasonably neat. The first offense was a warning, second offense, two-day suspension, the third, termination. Ms. Napier had faith in Holly's work which is why she allowed her to rule her domain with an iron fist.

Damn. *She looked at the stacks of Petri dishes that had all been marked with her shorthand for failure in black grease pen. The stacks were perfectly lined up, perfectly taped, even the markings were identical. Holly worked fast, but never with haste.*

~Seriously...I've heard rumors that she killed Bob.~

Who did I kill? *The whispering technicians looked back as if expecting to see the devil himself. Finding only Holly, they relaxed.*

~Not you, Ms. Thompson.~

Then who? I don't have all day to play guessing games.

~The technicians glanced at each other, and then the female spoke.*

/Ms. Napier, ma'am./

*Brow raised, Holly sighed audibly, indicating her distaste with this particular line of conversation.* Yes, I've heard similar things about Ms. Napier as long as I've worked here at Biogene. But nobody's ever given me any actual proof that she's gotten a speeding ticket, let alone murdered anyone. Do either of you have any proof?

~N-No...we don't.~

Then, I would suggest you quit gossiping about the boss, and try to get some work done, if you value your jobs.

*Without another word, they returned to work, and Holly walked off. She just never understood where people got such crazy ideas..*

*As the technicians continued to work, Holly retreated to her office. Even her office was immaculate. A place for everything, and everything in it's place was fact. Pulling a yellow legal pad from one of her desk drawers, she began to write out the next steps for continuing the compound 211-alpha. This failure would undoubtedly lead them toward a successful cure for cancer,s o she must continue, no matter how frustrating it would be. So absorbed was she by the detailed work she was doing, that time itself ran away from her. The only thing that broke her reverie was a shout from the next room.*

~Hold him!~ *A girl's scream pierced the air, and Holly stood with a start. She willed herself to creep closer to the door, when all she wanted to do was hide in the corner. Opening the door only a crack, the sight before her was shocking. Three men clothed in black were standing in the lab. The female technician was laying slumped at the table, as if she'd fallen asleep while working. Blood oozed from the male's lip as his body lay against the wall on its side.*

~Beta, move her over with the other one.~ *Beta tilted his head to the side, and slapped the girl's ass, chuckling lewdly.* -Can I break off a piece first? She won't be needin it where she's going...-

~Not unless you want to join her.~ *Beta froze in place briefly before shaking his head no, lifting her body and placing it beside the other one. The third man laughed.*

~It's not funny, Gamma. Get this place cleaned up.~ *Gamma nodded, and went about repositioning items in the lab as if nothing had been changed from when they entered. Each spot was leaned meticulously. The smell of the cleaning solution was recognizable immediately to Holly as a result of her germaphobe ex. It was an industrial cleanser of the type used by those who cleaned former crime scenes professionally. each item of trash dumped, the floor swept twice. After the room had been cleaned, the trash bags themselves were removed, and replaced. As they finished cleaning, Holly pulled the door closed so that they would fail to notice it had opened. When that was finished, Beta and Gamma lifted the unconscious bodies of the male and female technicians as easily as one would carry a small child.*

~Take them to Black Lotus.~ *The men nodded, then left. The third man gave a quick check of the lab to make sure everything was done, grabbed the trash bags and followed suit out the door. After they exited, Holly closed the door behind her and locked it. Involuntarily, she began to shake, and her legs could no longer support her thin frame. The lack of support caused her to slide the door, head finally resting on her knees, arms wrapped around them. The blood rushing through her ears made her deaf to the world, and her voice was a dry whisper as it echoed through the stillness.* What in the hell is going on?

*As the two technicians were taken to Black Lotus, the third man waited. Fifteen minutes later, his watch beeped once. Leaving the bags where they sat, he re-entered the lab. He knew that someone was watching, of course. One doesn't rise to head Biogene's secret police, the alpha, without being very observant, especially of dissension in the ranks. A check of the lab confirmed what he had suspected, she was still in the office. His rubber-soled shoes made no sound, and seconds later he stood before the door of the office, master key in hand. The key slipped smoothly into the lock, a flick of the wrist, and the door opened. Holly's head whipped around and when she saw the man, she scrabbled forward.*

*However, he was fast, and grabbed her by the hair. In spite of the pain, Holly continued to struggle forward. His laugh was like wind rustling over dead leaves.* ~Must we do this every time, Holly?~

*Now confusion clouded her features. But, she stopped pulling and turned her head backward. She didn't know this man, and she had an excellent memory for faces.* I-I don't know who you are...but I saw what you did to my techs.

~You say that every time, Holly, and it's still cute.~ *Before she could respond, he was on her, pressing himself tightly to his back as one arm cut over her chest and the other covered her nose and mouth with a cloth. As the smell of chloroform filled her mouth and lungs, Holly struggled. But, his grip was like iron and she couldn't move. Her legs were useless, since he was pressed against her so tightly.* ~5...4...3...2...1. Night Holly..~

*Night was the last word she heard before her eyes fluttered closed and she sagged against her captor. Lying her gently on the office floor, the man withdrew a length of rubber tubing, a syringe and a vial. He pulled up Holly's sleeve, tying the rubber around her upper arm tightly. Uncapping the syringe, natural suction drew the faintly blue liquid upward until it was full. Moments later, the blue fluid was traveling into Holly's arm. She would wake up in twenty minutes with only trace memories that could be confused with a bad dream.*

*He'd questioned Ms. Napier once about why they didn't just cart Holly off to Black Lotus like everyone else.*

|Because I say so. Because she's a brilliant mind in the field of anti-cancer drugs who brings Biogene a -lot- of money. But, the most important reason is -because I say so-.| *She'd looked away from him then as he attempted to swallow the massive lump that had grown in his throat.* ~Of course, Ms. Napier.~

*If anything, Holly herself was an experiment. Eventually, the drug they used on her would be perfect, creating perfect memory erasure, a biochemical Neuralyzer. Alpha traced a finger along Holly's jawbone. Then, and only then, would she be his.*