Credit where credit is due.

Dr. Featherstone returned to her apartment, the two miniature men tucked safely away in her bag. She chuckled to herself, reveling in the sense of cosmic karma that would put the fate of the man who was usurping her ideas as his own into her hands. It was so fitting and it felt good to now hold the much larger upper hand.

Setting her purse down on the kitchen table, she took Hans and Clayton out, placing them on the bare wooden table before placing her purse of the counter. Returning, she sat down in a chair directly near the two little men.

“I suppose you are pleased with yourself, to see a man of my superior qualifications brought low before you,” Hans said, tone haughty.

“Throughout the breadth of this project, you’ve been prancing around like a show pony, taking all the credit for the research, how the hell am I supposed to feel?” she demanded.

Nonplused by her apparent emotion, he replied, “You should be grateful that someone of my stature was willing to flesh out your clumsy research, otherwise you would still be toiling away in some second rate research lab in anonymity.”

Olivia snorted, restraining the impulse to curl her fist up and pound the tiny doctor into a greasy red stain on the kitchen table.

Clayton started drifting away from Hans, desperately wishing to be anywhere else at the moment.

“You pompous ass!” she said, chuckling in disbelief.

“My efforts have taken you from scientific obscurity to the very cusp of history. If the GCR is successful, the whole world will know you played a role. Is your ego so fragile, too in need of preening, you must be lauded as the one who was able to cure mankind’s greatest disease?” he said, waving a tiny hand dismissively in her direction.

She nodded. “At first, that’s what I told myself, credit was irrelevant as long as I was able to help people. But watching you mug and revel for anyone who will listen for what is not yours is infuriating. The way you kept me dancing from foot to foot, threatening to co-opt the entire project,” she snapped.

“Perhaps if you were more astute in your sequencing work, I would not now be in this predicament, that and the stupid boy who should not have been in the lab. The GCR failed to differentiate between malignant tissue and healthy tissue, obviously the credit for this ineptitude is all yours,” he said with a half chuckle.

Olivia frowned, ire rising. “I could step on you, squish you like the little insignificant bug you are and there would be nothing left. Instead of maintaining your arrogant demeanor, you should on the ground kissing my feet, or better yet my ass,” she said with a laugh.

“You are deluded Olivia. Without me there is no hope of repairing the GCR,” he countered.

She chuckled. “I’m not the one who needs the GCR, you are.”

He frowned.

“Consider for a moment, if the GCR never works again, I will continue on with my career, exploring other opportunity, you, you smug little shit will still be this size. You might want to consider being just a little more humble in your demeanor!” she snapped.

“I agree with her,” Clayton said, speaking for the first time.

She shook her head and pointed a finger at Clayton, “Don’t you start. This whole time you knew he was using my research to promote himself and you said fuck all.”

He averted his gaze and turned his head.

“That’s right, don’t think I’ve forgotten,” she said, nodding.

“I was worried about the funding,” he said softly.

“Now you should worry about me,” she advised.

Clayton nodded obediently. She smiled. Seeing him obsequious actually made her feel somewhat powerful. She had never really taken stock of him, focusing more on her work, but he was not an unattractive man.

“So what are we to do then?” asked Hans, tone a little less arrogant.

“We will continue to attempt to fix the GCR,” she said instructed.

Hans nodded.

“I will keep you here at my place in the interim until there is a possibility of being able to restore you. Because this unusual circumstance is unprecedented, moving forward I may have to try and run some of the test trials on you both,” she advised, wanting them to be aware of such.

“What of the dummkopf who started all of this, surely some trials should be run on him as well,” Hans suggested.

“He could not be found at the house, but I have instructed Sophie to keep me apprised of any developments regarding him,” Olivia replied. “We must use all resources we have at our disposal if we are to go forward.”

She spent some time setting up a suitable habitat out of linens and such to get the two men situated in the second bedroom of her apartment she used primarily as an office before logging into Hans’ computer.

She spent several hours reviewing the information on Dr. Brauer’s private drive. The more she read, the more she felt her temperature rise. He had carefully sanitized much of her information, going so far as to plagiarize specific articles of hers word for word and create a database of them under his own name. Knowing if she read much more, she would like seize the little doctor in her hand and crush him, she fired off some directive emails to Dr. Sommers and shut the computer down.

As she completed her evening routine while preparing for bed, her mind kept drifting back to Clayton. A smile crossed her as she rolled onto her side and slipped a hand between her thighs.

Hans and Clayton

After the lights went down, and Olivia had left them for the night, Hans came over to sit down by Clayton.

“You know she is quite mad with power?” Hans asked.

Clayton frowned. “What do you mean?” he inquired.

“Could you not hear it in the tone of her voice, she wants revenge. She feels she has been slighted and wants public recognition for this project, you and I are secondary considerations,” Hans said.

Clayton sat up. “Are you kidding me? You took her research and made it your own, sure she’s pissed,” he said. “I would be too. She was absolutely right, I knew what you were doing and I did nothing and that’s something she and I are going to have to resolve, but I hardly think she has become drunk with power. Maybe that’s a 1930’s German thing,” he lashed back.

“No, you misunderstand, it’s more than that, I do not think she will try to restore us. I think she will try to use us to help repair the GCR then she will get rid of us,” Hans whispered subversively. “Dispose of us.”

Clayton laughed. “The she’ll also have to get rid of Sophie, her boyfriend, Grace, and all of the other loose ends. Are you seriously trying to tell me you she is capable of murdering at least five people?”

Hans snorted. “Are you telling me you think she is doing this out of some philanthropic need to improve humanity’s condition, that somewhere deep inside her motives are not so pure?”

“I’m pretty sure altruism was one of the primary motivating factors she became a doctor in the first place,” Clayton answered.

“I am only trying to warn you of what the power is doing to her,” Hans replied. “You are still young and naïve in many ways.”

Clayton snorted, “I’m twenty six. I’ve been around.”

“I am concerned about you. I started to notice it with Grace, you were beginning to exhibit classical signs of Stockholm syndrome,” he accused.

“This isn’t a hostage situation, these people are trying to help us,” Clayton defended.

Hans raised his right index finger and touched it to the side of his head, “If you think you are not a hostage, ask to go free, ask to be placed in the custody of another, maybe your sister, then tell this isn’t a hostage situation.”

Clayton laid back and rolled over, his back to the doctor. “I’m not listening to any more of this bullshit.”

Hans chuckled softly to himself. “If we are both to survive this, we will have need to develop reliable allies. If I can get to my computer, I may be able to get some information out that will benefit us.”

“Go to sleep,” urged Clayton, irritated by the doctor.

“Yes, sleep, but do not forget what I have said,” Hans reminded.

Theo

Sleeping inside the boot was difficult, the strong smell of leather pervasive, every time he moved, his stepped on leg would protest, unleashing a fresh wave of agony. Watching the rising sun illuminate the room beyond the leather confines of the boot, he knew morning was blooming, bringing a new day. Sitting up, he looked at his left leg. Ugly purple bruises started just above the knee and botched his skin all the way to his foot. He touched it gingerly, palpating the muscles but it wasn’t too bad. He wiggled his toes but there was only minor discomfort. Rolling onto his hands and knees, he tried to stand, using the inside sole of the boot to support himself. His twisted ankle ached a little, but his purplish leg positively throbbed when he put weight on it. He took a cautious step, wincing at the pain, but able to remain upright. Slowly, he made his way to the end of the boot, checking the vast room beyond. He could hear Hannah’s breathing, deep and even and knew she was still soundly asleep. Looking across the distant space between where he stood and the door, he knew in the condition he was, there was no way to dash across it quickly. Plus, he didn’t want to risk getting only halfway there and have Hannah wake up and accidently step on him again. Letting out a long breath, he looked left and right and decided to take the long way around, staying as close to the baseboards as possible, plus he could use them to steady himself. The process was long and hard, by the time he was at the half way mark, his trampled leg was burning, muscles threatening to quit. At the three quarter mark, he had no choice but to rest, sitting with his back to the wall and stretching his legs out, massaging the more injured of the two.

Hannah’s breathing changed and suddenly she sat up in bed, legs swinging off the edge of the bed. She reached both arms over her head, stretching and yawning, magnificent breasts pulled upward. Even tussled in her morning state, he had to admit she was absolutely beautiful, but he had experienced her hunger, her need and she now seemed some dread goddess to be feared, rather than adored. He remained absolutely still, eyes locked onto her as she continued to stretch. Getting up off the bed, she padded across the room plucked her housecoat from a hook on the back of the door and put it on before leaving the room.

He let out his breath. Time, he knew, was rapidly running out. He pushed himself back up onto his feet, ignoring the pain as he pressed onward. Pausing at the frame of Hannah’s door, he looked both ways before hustling across the open doorway. Still navigating along the baseboards, he paused under the long hallway table when he heard the toilet flush. The sound of the sink came on for moment then Hannah appeared in the hall, like some mythical Titaness, feet pounding against the floor as she passed him by. Once she was back in her room, he crossed the opening of the bathroom door threshold and finally arrived at Sophie’s door. He paused a moment to catch his wind, grateful for the old fashioned doors leaving enough space he could crawl under. Lying down, he peered under the door into Sophie’s room, hoping she wasn’t moving about or set to open the door when he was about to try and slip under it. Everything was quiet. The fit was tight, but he was able to pull himself under.

What would he tell Sophie? How might he explain what had happened with Hannah? Would she assign some of the blame on him? Did he actually encourage Hannah by touching her? She was probably drunk, what excuse did he have? He felt conflicted.

Huddling against the wall, he navigated around her room toward the desk. He could hear her beginning to stir. She sat up must the same as Hannah, pushing the blankets off herself and dangling her legs over the side. He waved his arms over his head, trying to get her attention.

Sophie

Out of the corner of her eye, she picked up the motion. Turning to look, it took a moment for her mind to register it was Theo trying to catch her attention.

“Oh my God, Theo!” she exclaimed, rushing over and dropping to all fours near him. He took a couple of steps to the side, limping. She reached in and carefully lifted him up. Gentle as she was, his leg still killed and he winced at the touch. “You’re hurt,” she said, eyes wide with concern.

“It’s nothing a little time won’t heal,” he answered, smiling.

“What happened?” she asked, walking across the room and setting him tenderly down on the rumpled sheets of her bed before climbing onto the bed herself.

“I decided to go exploring and wound up hurting my leg, and couldn’t make it back until now,” he explained, mostly the truth, but with some glaring omissions.

“You have got to be careful,” she said.

He nodded his head.

“Dr. Featherstone was here last night, she took Dr. Brauer and Clayton. She probably would have taken you too if you had been here. Maybe it was luck you weren’t here,” she said.

He nodded. “She’s the stone cold bitch doctor right?”

Sophie nodded. “Are you hungry?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

“I’ll go make us some breakfast,” she said. “You get some rest,” she climbed off the bed and wrapped her housecoat around her before leaving the room.

Downstairs, Hannah was in the kitchen, hovering over the toaster.

“Sorry if we disturbed you last night,” Sophie offered as she walked in.

Hannah shook her head, “I was dead to the world after I got home last night. Oh, I borrowed your blue dress again, the sexy one, but it didn’t pan out for me.”

Sophie smiled and nodded, then frowned. “Did you get it from my room?” she asked.

Hannah nodded, removing the bagel from the toaster. “I’m pretty sure I put it back, but I don’t remember too much, the details are a little fuzzy” she said with a chuckle. Setting the bagel on her plate, she used a knife and spread cream cheese on it.

Sophie smiled, “Are you done with the toaster?” she asked, taking the half loaf of bread out of the breadbox.

Hannah nodded, moving her plate over to the table and sitting down. Hannah laughed around a mouthful of bagel, “I had the craziest dream last night,” she said.

“Oh?” asked Sophie, dropping two slices of toast into the toaster and depressing the handles.

“It’s hazy, but I think I jumped your boyfriend,” she said.

Sophie laughed but her eyes remained serious, “Really?” she said.

“I know he hasn’t been around for the last few days, but, I don’t know, it was just a dream,” she said, taking another bite.

“Just a dream,” Sophie agreed, flicking the handle on the toaster up, the bread barely browned. Taking the bread out, she smeared a little of the cream cheese on both slices before putting the knife in the sink.

Carrying the plate up to her room, a thundercloud looming on her face. She paused at the door to compose herself.

Smiling as she entered the room, she climbed onto the bed and set the plate down, tearing him off a little piece with some of the cream cheese.

“So you never mentioned how you hurt your leg, did you fall?” she asked, taking a bite of toast.

He shook his head, sensing he was heading into dangerous territory. “Hannah stepped on it, I don’t think she saw me, she seemed pretty tipsy,” he said, taking a bite of his barely toasted bread.

She nodded, “Oh? Anything else go on between you and Hannah?” she asked.

He let out a long sigh. “She came in yesterday afternoon and got a dress from your closet. When she left she clicked off the light. I kept myself busy until it got dark then I curled up. When the door opened again I thought it was you, but it was Hannah and when she turned on the light she saw me. She came over picked me up and took me back to her room, acting all moony, then she passed out. I climbed down from her bed but when I dropped I twisted my ankle. Next thing I know, she’s getting up, doesn’t see me and steps on my leg. There was no way I could make it back so I hid under her bed,” he explained.

“And that’s it?” she asked, setting her bread back on the plate and crossing her arms.

He nodded.

“So why didn’t you tell me that in the first place?” she inquired.

“I thought you might be upset, you know, after the last time,” he said.

She nodded. “I have to go in to the lab today,” she said.

“Okay,” he acknowledged.

“I’ll be taking you with me,” she stated, a humorless smile on her pretty face.

“Great,” he said, “It’ll be good to spend some time together.”

Grace and I were up pretty late looking for you, so I still need a shower, but we’ll go after that,” she explained.

He nodded.