Project Z-1664: Chapter Three

They got back into the car, and Elfy started up the engine. Hartby sat in the back again, but this time left his PDA off. Elfy smiled. "So, do you think we should believe these guys? It all sounds a little more than far-fetched. I mean, the whole superhuman project thing, if I hadn't seen it- her with my own eyes..." She sighed. Hartby shrugged, and said he'd have a word with the Chief when he got back to the station. He couldn't fully believe it either. This morning he'd simply assumed that the 'solution' to the NYPD's employment issues was merely a pay rise or some kind of teenager-influencing television advert, like the recent ones for the Army. Now he was involved in what he knew would be a mess of moral dilemmas and media carnage.
The rest of the journey was quiet as both he and Elfy were lost in their own thoughts.

Greg and Samuel were now in the lift, going back down to BS6. Samuel stood with his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the floor. Greg glanced at him. "Sir, are you sure you're ok? I'm so sorry the meeting went like that. It won't happen again." Samuel frowned, his teeth clenched. "Just refill the watercooler in my office. I was beginning to forget what proper water tasted like. And don't disturb me, I've got something to do."
The lift opened, and Samuel walked on ahead towards the tank room. Greg was going to hurry after him, but decided against it.
Once in the tank room, Samuel took a phone out of his pocket and started dialing. 

When Hartby and Elfy got back to the station, Elfy was needed to help identify some recently seized drugs so Hartby headed back to his office. He just got to his door when he heard someone shouting his name. Realising it was a familiar voice, he turned. A teenage boy with scruffy red hair wearing an equally scruffy-looking suit was running towards him, notebook in hand. It was Peter Wickleby.
Hartby smiled wearily. He'd had enough reporters for one day. "Sorry kid, I've got some very important work to do-" Peter was nodding. "It's okay Sergeant, I've only got one quick question. What is your view on human testing in laboratories, for or against?"
Hartby froze. "What? Why?" he asked. Peter looked confused. "Haven't you heard? Z labs have just announced that their latest project is an experiment on a human! Everyone is going crazy about it!" he explained.
Hartby couldn't believe it, they'd been there less than an hour ago. Peter went on. "They're going to have a conference with the President about it tomorrow morning, and reveal their project on a live, international television broadcast afterwards, it's all been organised by the head of the project, Samuel Hal." He gave a challenging smile. "Now I gave you info, you owe me an answer for the press!" He started scribbling on the notepad before Hartby even spoke. Hartby snatched the pen. "Now look here, I knew about the conference and the broadcast, I just remembered something important. I'll tell you what the project actually is as long as you don't slander me or the NYPD for it, alright?" Peter nodded eagerly.
"The project is going to be the first superhero to join the Force. Enough info for you?"
Peter looked doubtful. "Um, thanks. I think." he said in a sarcastic tone. Hartby patted him on the back. "See you around, Wickleby!" he chuckled, and went into his office and locked the door. He checked his watch. Five o'clock. I've got to get some sense into Hal's head, he thought.

Greg burst into Samuel's office thinking exactly the same thing. He looked around frantically, but his boss wasn't there. Of course, he realised, he'll be staring at Z1664. He ran as fast as the smooth tiled floor would allow without him slipping, to the tank room. He proved his ID at the door, and rushed inside. Sure enough, Samuel stood by the still clear tank, gazing at the girl. "Mr. Hal, with all due respect, what do you think you're doing?! You're going to present her to the world tomorrow?! But she's simply not ready! She still has so much to learn, and there are so many tests to-"
He was stopped by the deadly glare that Samuel gave him. He turned back to the tank.
"Greg, two things made me do this. One is what that 'Elfy' girl said about giving her a chance to be normal. And the other was the water. The cool, clear water. You see, because of this project, I haven’t been above ground in months. I haven’t tasted real, pure water for so long, and I even forgot how it tasted. But when I had some today, it reminded me that even though I'm set in my ways, change is good. Very good. You can't do the same things all the time. Before long, you'll forget everything else! And what the girl said was true. Z1664 has the right to live as any other human, though she may not be entirely human herself. I should introduce her to the world, so that the people can get used to her and she to them. She'd learn more from the Academy and being around other people than she would from a machine. She needs social skills too! Yes, yes, I want her to be social. I now realise what I did was wrong. I don't want to rob her of her life. I don't want that at all."
"But sir, she hasn't even been outside yet!" Greg protested.
Samuel turned to Greg and smiled genuinely, for the first time in many years. He snapped his fingers.
He turned to the panel of scientists that was assembling behind them. "Commence the drainage procedure and prepare to disconnect her." he said in the calmest of tones. The scientists started mumbling among themselves. "NOW." he stated firmly, and they quickly went to work.

It was only once Hartby had ran outside, gotten into his car and started the engine that he realised he had no idea where the Z labs actually were. He thought about his chances of finding his way there once he was on the freeway, but decided that he wasn't going to try that as he was on a time limit. He killed the engine and ran back into the station.
After interrogating many of the officers as to Elfy's whereabouts, he found that she was apparently in the canteen. Sure enough, when he got there he spotted her using one of the vending machines. Shoving his way through a crowd of younger officers, he got to her just as she was about to leave. She had a can of juice in one hand and a chocolate bar in the other. "Hey, it's you again. I would've thought you'd had enough of me today, but I seem to underestimate my great personality!" she giggled. She saw how serious his face was, and stopped. "What's wrong? You look kinda tired." she asked. He shook his head, and spoke in a low voice. "I'm fine, but we need to make a trip back to Z-labs. Samuel Hal is going to present that 'project' of his to the world tomorrow." Elfy's eyes widened. "What? Why? How?!" she spluttered. "No time for questions, we've got to go now!" he hissed. Elfy nodded, and they both ran out of the canteen.

After a few minutes, the tank's machinery lit up, and a noise indicated that the tank was being drained. The green liquid swirled away and the girl's body hung limply, supported only by the machinery. The tank was no longer lit, so the main room lights were switched on, and a dull orange glow now flooded the room. A group of about five of scientists gathered around the tank, and after a moments hesitation, Samuel ordered it to be opened. The machine hissed as steam escaped from the locking mechanism, and the glass descended into the floor. The scientists started taking various needles and electrode patches from the girl's body and limbs, and one of the scientists ordered a bed to be brought. A few minutes later, after being dried down and clothed, the girl was lying in a trolley bed and the scientists were studying her. Samuel came to her side and took her hand. "How long until she awakens?" he asked softly. One of the scientists holding a clipboard leafed through it, studying some figures. "Should be about an hour, sir" he stated.

Parking in the same space they'd used before, Hartby and Elfy got out of the car and ran to the lab entrance. The sun was starting to set, and the glass front of the building was glittering in the amber light. They rushed inside and Hartby stopped as he realised that they wouldn't get in without an appointment.
The same receptionist who'd helped them before recognised them, stood up and went to greet them. "Oh, Sergeant, you're back already? Can I help you?" she asked. Hartby raised an eyebrow at the calm of the office. Surely Samuel had told his own administration staff that he was releasing the project? Now that he thought about it, it was certainly too quiet. This kind of revelation should have been exploited by the press by now, somehow he doubted they were going to wait until tomorrow. He looked around. "Have there been any reporters around here today?" he asked. The receptionist shook her head. "Reporters? Sorry, I haven't seen any." she said. She looked confused. Hartby and Elfy exchanged surprised glances. "I just need to have a word with my , er, assistant for a minute." said Hartby. The receptionist nodded, and they went and stood beside the elevator. Elfy turned to him. "He hasn't told anyone here yet? That's crazy! I mean, how can you keep an international broadcast secret from your own secretaries and receptionist? I told you he was a weirdo." she whispered. He nodded. "I wonder if they even know about the project…" he mumbled. "So how do we stop this?" asked Elfy. "Easy," Hartby sighed wearily, "we don't."

Samuel, Greg and a team of the scientists were on the third floor in the residential area. This was an area of separate apartments, which were primarily used for long term working scientists who needed to constantly check on their experiments. Both Samuel and Greg had a large apartment to themselves, though Samuel hadn't been using his lately, as he'd been staying downstairs in BS6 in a temporary suite next to his office. They took the girl to a large room which Samuel himself had picked, and they gently laid her on the bed. Samuel sat in a chair next to the bed. "Now we wait, Greg. The rest of you..." he turned to the scientists, "...make sure you put the equipment away safely and properly." He smiled. This was going to be the longest hour of his life, but he knew it was going to be more than worth the wait.

Elfy was infuriated. "You mean you're just going to stand here and do absolutely nothing?! Have you lost your mind? The world will go crazy if they hear about this!" she yelled. The receptionist looked away. Hartby saw this and realised. "You already know about the experiment and the broadcast, don't you?" he asked. The woman looked at the floor and mumbled something about being told a few hours ago. Hartby nodded, and faced Elfy again. "There's nothing we can do, Elfy. It's his experiment, his company. We have to go along with it, just like his employees. We have no choice..."
Elfy put her hands on her hips. "So you figured you'd tell me about this broadcast and make me rush you all the way here for no reason, eh? We'll see." With that, she turned on her heel and got in the elevator. She pushed a button and the doors slid shut before he could stop her. He banged his fist on the steel, and yelled for her to stop, but the elevator took off without him. He cursed through clenched teeth.
When Elfy made up her mind, rules were broken. Among other things.

The elevator stopped at the third floor, and Elfy got out. She looked around, surprised that there were no security guards to be seen. Her eyes widened as she saw the lush decor here, the elaborately gilded furniture and walls, and the ceiling was a continuing mural of the sky, with many shades of blue and dotted with fluffy white clouds.  She heard voices around the corner, so she went towards them. A man wearing a lab coat and carrying a clipboard walked past, too busy leafing through it and muttering to himself to notice her. She turned the corner and was in another corridor, where there was one open door, light leaking through it. Having no sense of fear or hesitation, she went to the door and looked in.
The room was very bright and cheerful. Its main colour theme seemed to be pink; the walls were pink, the floor, the furniture… and there were a few toy-boxes stacked in the corner. Elfy knew that it was a little girl’s room, and realised it must have at some point belonged to the girl in the tank. There was a massive lush bed, and a chair had been placed next to it. Sitting in the chair, obviously in intense deep thought, was Samuel. He rested his head on his hands, staring at the wall opposite him. It seemed he hadn’t even noticed Elfy’s presence. She glanced around the room for a few moments more, then coughed to catch his attention.
Samuel blinked, sighed sadly, then turned his head to her, as if he had known she was there.
“Um, hi.” She mumbled, giving a little wave. “I’m sorry for, uh, upsetting you earlier…”
“It’s alright.” he said, his face blank and uninterested.
“Well…um, I heard you were going to- OHMYGOD, is that her?!” Elfy yelled in disbelief, seeing the girl in the bed.  Samuel stood up so quickly that Elfy stumbled back a bit. “Please keep quiet!” he hissed. Elfy clasped her hands over her mouth and nodded apologetically.  He sat down again, checking the girl. “She’s going to awaken soon. About twenty minutes. I hope.” he said, checking his watch.  Elfy nodded. “I see…then we’re already too late? You’re going to show her to the world tomorrow no matter what?” she asked. He looked her straight in the eyes. “She starts her new life tomorrow. I will release information about her tomorrow, she will go outside when she is ready.” he sighed. Elfy smiled, and put her hand on his. It was still cold, but less than it had been in the underground. “You made a good choice. She’ll appreciate having her own decision.”
Samuel nodded. “I hope so. Now please, leave us. We will contact you tomorrow.” He nodded towards the door. Elfy went to the door, and just as she got there, he spoke again. “Thank you. On her behalf as well as mine.”
Elfy turned, smiled, and left.