Revealed: Prologue
#22 of Hidden (Series)
Of course later tonight means anytime after 12.
Here is the prologue to the sequel of Hidden.
Revealed: Prologue
Plans
The screen showed a German shepherd that was on two legs holding up an old man in a lab coat by his head. The old man was crying out pleas for mercies and was kicking about since only his toes touched the ground. His arms were waving about and blood was flying since the man's hands were nowhere to be seen. They were in a lab, complete with beakers and test tubes, it was clean minus the blood in the corner the dog and the scientist occupied.
The back of another dog's head was visible, its fur was golden and it had its ears down and was looking at the other two. Nothing else of that dog could be seen and soon it was out of picture as the screen zoomed in closer on the German shepherd and the scientist. The German shepherd's growling could be heard now, it was slowly rising and the pleas grew with it. The dog only looked into the man's eyes, not paying attention to anything else. The dog's fur was entirely bloody and had chunks of gore hanging in small bits here and there. The blood was beginning to smear on the doctor's face painting him in death.
The dog's growling was now clearly audible and drowned out the man's crying. It was slowly changing more into a snarl one would hear if they were attacked by a feral dog defending a bone.
*Crack*
Everything on screen went silent and the body of the scientist went limp. His head was deformed now. Bits of broken bone was trying to break the skin and get out under the pressure of the dogs paw, but couldn't. The scientists head wobbled like gelatin as the dog released his grip and the body fell to the floor in a heap. Some blood began to trickle out of the scientist's nose and eyes which were still open, gazing at the screen. The dog turned around, looking down. His body seemed to relax. His shoulders were slumped and his arms dangled by his side.
"Cap?" A deep voice could be heard somewhere from the room. It was concerned and fearful.
"It's over Crane... It's finally over." The shepherd walked out of screen without looking up. His tail wagged slowly as he did so.
The screen flashed and went dark. The room the screen was in was lavish. It had dark wooden walls that were adorned with priceless art and pelts of animals that had been extinct for centuries. The screen was sitting over a stone fireplace that looked as if it had never been used. It had in fact been used the previous day, but had been expertly cleaned immediately after use. On the ceiling was a crystal chandelier that lit up the room is a brilliant orange glow as each of its electronic lights shined like new. A massive Ottoman style rug sat in the center of the room and upon it was a silver coffee table and two leather club chairs that were at the corner of the table and facing slightly inward.
Both seats were occupied. One with a middle aged man in silk suit that fit his body tight enough to compliment his shape without revealing its slightly plump nature. His black hair was short, but long enough to sway a bit every time he moved his head. His features weren't very flattering, his ancestry was filled with obese people and despite his best efforts, it showed on his face. His cheeks were slightly pudgy and the making of a second chin was clearly visible and it infuriated the man. Though he did no let anyone know how much it bothered him.
He sat with a cup of tea in his hands and one leg crossed over the other to act as a makeshift table to support his cup. He stirred the tea with a spoon before taking a small sip of it. A bit of moisture was left on his lips and he quickly dabbed it away with the handkerchief that was in his breast pocket. He leaned forward and set the cup and spoon down on the table before leaning back into the chair with his arms folded and resting on his chest.
A man in a white tuxedo quickly and silently came into the room through a door that was positioned in the back corner where no one would care to look and retrieved the cup and spoon before leaving. The man in the suit waited for the servant to leave the room before he even looked at the other person who sat patiently in the other chair.
The person was a woman. She wore an elegant blue dress. Unlike the man in the suit, she was naturally beautiful, no enhancement surgeries was needed. She had a nearly symmetrical face, it was sleek and round, coming at a steep angle to her chin. She did not wear any makeup other than some pink lipstick that was only a tad darker than her lips. She kept her hair long, it ran straight and true down her neck and off the back of the chair. She held a small hand bag on her lap and did not pay the other man any attention. She liked to play hard to get despite having no interest in the other man, it was merely a ploy to get others to be more agreeable to any conditions she may set forward.
"Miss Josten?" The man said in a heavy Russian accent. "Would you care for some tea, of even some wine?" He leaned on the armrest that was closest to the woman. "I have a fabulous bottle from 2134, which was a very good year. The first year Mars got natural rainfall in fact." He smiled. "The grapevines flourished and the harvest was bountiful. Everyone got drunk from it, but my family kept a few thousand bottles and have them in maintained perfect conditions so it would not go bad. Even after so long, there are many bottle left. Would you care for a taste?" He tried his best to keep calm. He had sent out an invitation to J&H in the hope that an easy deal could be struck that would help him recover from his losses. He never expected someone from one of the founding families to come in person.
"No thank you." She said flatly, still not looking at him. She was thinking about what had happened on the screen. She was fascinated by how the dogs on the screen spoke and acted like people. She knew all about Dr. Ruse, but only of his continued failures to produce results over the years. Now she had seen that he had succeeded in producing a hybrid that walked and talked like a human and not one of those foul beasts that had ravaged the Eurasia the month before. Her father would definitely be interested in seeing the footage that this Russian had. He was a fool, she knew that. He had tried to buy the research by providing money and the necessary logistics, including the resources to build those bombs. The surprise on his face when he learned that the doctor turned the plutonium, meant for reactors into bombs that decimated NATO, would have been priceless. Now he was here trying to make a deal to ensure nothing would be traced back to him, in exchange for the research Dr. Ruse provided him.
The Russian began unconsciously tapping his foot. The atmosphere in the room wasn't hostile, but not friendly either. The woman had an aura about her. Whenever she or even anyone in her family walked into a room, everyone noticed. "Perhaps some champagne?" He was desperately trying to get something out of her. Ever since she sat down, she barely moved, only spoke when she felt like it and mostly ignored him. He was trying his best, but it seemed as if it wasn't enough. A bit of sweat was forming on his brow and he felt like a furnace.
A thin smile spread across Miss Josten's face when she noticed the sweat. 'Good.' She thought, the more uncomfortable he was, the easier it would be to manipulate him into doing whatever she wanted. She would toy with him for a bit longer, she knew she could. He would never dare to ask her to leave, J&H was the most powerful company in the solar system for good reason; it didn't take bullshit kindly.
"Uhh... Miss. Josten?" He blustered a bit. A servant walked by, him causing him to jump. The servant ignored him and placed a plate with some hors d'oeuvres on the coffee table and like before left without a word. He reached out nervously for one of the snacks, but stopped just short when Miss Josten looked at him. His hand was shaking from being extended out and a drop of sweat was running down his arms from his pits. His fine silk shirt would be ruined soon, but that wasn't on his mind at all.
Miss Josten watched him closely, relishing in his suffering. It was too easy to manipulate men like him, confident in their money and nothing else. The faint smell of his sweat reached her nose and she decided that he was ready to receive and offer. Without taking her eyes off of him, she opened her hand bag and pullout out a folded piece of paper and set it on the table. The man's eyes followed her every movement.
He looked nervously at her and then the paper. His hand which felt as if lead weight were attached veered away from the hors d'oeuvres and picked up the paper. He carefully brought it back to himself and began to open it, handling the printer paper as if it was one of the priceless paintings on his wall. With it open, he began to read its contents and without another word he looked up at Miss Josten horrified. His mouth gaped open, his hands shaking again and more sweat staining the leather of his chair.
"Is there a problem?" She said with a bit of amusement. It was the exact look she imagined he would have when he read her deal. Everything was going according to plan. The Russian would accept it, there was no doubt in her mind, he just needed a bit more prodding.
"Miss Josten." He pleaded. "These terms are entirely in your favor, there is nothing here for me." He shook the paper at her, getting a bit mad, but he watched his tone. "I will be ruined by this, I will lose everything."
"You won't go to jail though." She reminded him. "You will still be free to walk about and do as you please without the threat of being arrested for the murder of... how many people?" She tapped her chin with her index finger. "1.2 million military personnel from 37 different countries and 4.5 million civilians from 97 different countries." She watched him squirm at those numbers how his mouth slowly closed, his eyes going back to the paper to reconsider the deal.
"Perhaps, I was a bit hasty to disregard this." He said with a nervous chuckle. "I want to keep my liquor collection." He stated proudly.
Miss Josten rolled her eyes. 'Russians.' She almost said it out loud. She reached out her hand at him and put the friendliest smile on her face that she could muster. "Deal."
"Deal." He took her hand and gave it one firm shake. She grimaced a bit when his sweaty palms touched hers.
"I will have the new papers sent over immediately." She wiped her hands on a napkin she pulled from her bag. The man was smiling at her, she knew it was fake, she had plenty of practice herself to recognize a fake smile. He probably already regretted the decision, but at least he had his vodka. She wouldn't have been surprised if he drunk himself to death the night he signed the contract. Why wait until then she decided. "Some of that wine would be nice right about now."
He jumped at the opportunity to drown out some of his worry in alcohol. "Of course." He waved his hand at the servant door and immediately, the servant came out with a bottle of wine and two glasses on a silver platter.
'I will need to see about hiring him after this.' Miss Josten thought.
The servant put the bottle and glasses down and took the hors d'oeuvres and left.
The Russian took the bottle eagerly and opened it. The cork flew off somewhere behind him, but the servant would be back and would take care of it. He gingerly took a glass and filled it up half way. He handed it to Miss Josten who took it with a nod. He then poured himself half a glass and set the bottle down. He picked it up and raised it in a toast. "T... To Soviet Russia." A typical Russian toast. He had almost called her a bitch right there.
"To J&H." Miss Josten and the Russian clinked their glasses and took a drink.
The Russian thought about how much money he could get back if he sold all of his liquor and Miss Josten thought about how pleased her father would be when she got him the research. Both decided that the deal was not bad in the end.