C3 In this corner ... Dr. X ... an evil master mind.

Dr. X finishes his little tirade ... or more like hissy fit if you were to ask the others ... and quickly reaffixes his bio-hazard suit's head piece, which he basically ripped off out of infuriated spite. He dismisses the guards ... not willing to allow them entry into the sterilized lab ... sending them off, along with the janitor.

Once they're out of view, Dr. X walks over and pushes another big, red, shiny button affixed to the wall ... because again, who doesn't love pushing those tempting big, red, shiny buttons ... and in an instant, several sprinkler-like devices strategically positioned along the ceiling above the corridor begin emitting the same type of steam-like vapor infused with sterilizing and decontaminating agents used in the decontamination chamber; and the corridor quickly begins to fill up with the cleansing mist.

Dr. X huffs, "This won't be as effective as it would have been if done in the decontamination chamber, but it will suffice in a pinch, I suppose."

A few minutes pass ... and once the steam-like vapor dissipates, Dr. X has his lab assistants wheel the gurney transporting 'the package' into the sterilized lab. They roll the gurney up alongside the counter which has a long row of vials containing Dr. X's experimental 'vaccine'.

One of the lab assistants takes 'the package's' report file, which had been placed in a clear vinyl pouch at the foot of the gurney ... while another lab assistant glances over at the long row of vials containing the ethically questionable serum; and a sudden worrisome expression overtakes his countenance. The now troubled lab assistant ... who seems to be having second thoughts about the doctor's insidious plan ... forces himself to muster up enough courage to meekly ask...

"Pardon me, Dr. X ... but ... are you sure we should be doing this? I mean ... are we really going through with this?"

Dr. X ... who already has a syringe in his hand; and is heading over to the counter to fill it with one of the vials of serum ... affirms without any hesitation...

"Of course, we're going through with this ... I've spent more than half my life planning and toiling over this; and now that it's about to take fruition, I'm certainly not going to back off now."

The doctor inserts the needle into the top of one of the vials and slowly draws the plunger back, filling the syringe with the serum. He continues...

"Luckily, once the Covid-19 virus reared its ugly head and went rampant ... spreading the pandemic globally like an out-of-control wildfire ... the CDC had no choice but to ease up on its restrictions and stringencies; allowing pharmaceutical companies and researchers like myself more freedom to..." Dr. X makes air quotes with his index and middle fingers, "create vaccines for virus."

Dr. X starts walking around the counter, heading over to 'the package'...

"And, what turned out to be even more fortunate for me; after the first round of vaccines rolled out of production and were administered among the populations ... a continuous series of more and more complex strains of the virus started popping up; providing me with even more time to develop my creation, here..."

A nefariously sinister smirk stretches across the doctor's thinly narrow, pale lips...

"A serum which in theory, after roughly twenty-eight days, or so, will break down and turn the injected person's brain into basically 'a fresh, lump of gray clay ready to be molded and sculpted into whatever I wish it to become' ... the perfect mind-alternating drug; one which will allow me to control these newly transformed zombie-like, mindless slaves."

The troubled lab assistant ... who's having more doubts seep into his gradually growing, guilty conscience; especially after hearing Dr. X nonchalantly talk about turning people into 'zombie-like, mindless slaves' for him to control ... displays a leery expression as he dubiously looks to the doctor; and hesitantly asks, in a meek manner...

"But ... what about the signs of mutation in several of the various types of single cells selected during the initial petri dish trials? Aren't you worried about what the effects could be once the drug is introduced into the complex, multi-celled structure of the human physiology?" He pauses briefly before adding...

"What if the cells mutate beyond the irrevocable point, where they could no longer be considered to be even human anymore? ... I mean ... what if they're transformed into some horribly deformed, creature-like abnormality?"

Dr. X remains momentarily silent, looking as if he's ponderously contemplating his assistant's concerns. Then suddenly, that nefariously sinister smirk of his remerges across those thinly narrow, pale lips; and he quips in a blasé manner...

"It's as they say ... you need to break a few eggs to make an omelet. I'm in search of total subservience, not aesthetics."

Hearing this, the lab assistant immediately appears taken aback; displaying a partially agape mouth. After a few seconds of being rendered speechless, he begins to utter...

"But, what if..."

He's curtly cut off by the doctor...

"Enough of this ... there's no turning back now, even if I wanted to."

Dr. X stands beside 'the package' ... who remains strapped down to the gurney ... then brusquely pulls up 'the package's' shirt sleeve and forcefully jabs the needle into the hard and striated triceps' of the muscular upper arm. He then squeezes down on the plunger, injecting all of the syringe's contents into 'the package'.

Dr. X hears 'the package' ... still donning that heavy leather mouth guard ... angrily mutter...

"That stings, butt-munch! Take it easy will you ... are you intentionally trying to hurt me, or what?"

Dr. X smirks; then leans down closer to 'the package's' ear...

"Now don't tell that a big, strong, behemoth of a brute like yourself can possibly be hurt by such a small needle; huh? I hope not ... because that was just the first shot, my friend."

The doctor reaches over and picks up another vial from the counter. He refills the syringe ... then, in the same manner as the last injection, thrust the needle into the upper arm's flesh.

Again ... 'the package' winces; and angrily mutters...

"You're dead meat if I get my hands on you; you butt-munch prick!"

"Quit your whining, you big baby..." the doctor abruptly yanks the needle out from 'the package's' triceps ... which is slowly turning a shade of blush-red, "I got you a reprieve from a death's sentence and pulled you off of Death Row to allow you the chance to make history. So, stop all your belly-aching."

Dr. X turns around and grabs another vial of the counter ... while the troubled lab assistant goes over to the lab assistant who took 'the package's' report file; and is currently perusing through it. The troubled assistant whispers aloud to the other one...

"Hey ... what do you think about all this? Do you really think it's okay to be injecting this guy with that drug? I mean, even if he's a death row inmate; does he really deserve to be treated to a fate like this?"

Still looking down at the pages while flipping through his file; the other assistant tells the troubled one...

"I really wouldn't waste my time worrying about that sick piece of shit ... that bastard plungered over a dozen people to death; and then chewed the fingernails off of their fingers."

"Wait ... 'plungered' them to death? Don't you mean bludgeoned, not plungered?"

"No; I mean plungered. ... He smashed a plunger over his victims' mouths and nose and kept on brutally pumping the plunger until he literally plungered out the organs through their mouths and nostrils."

The troubled ... and now utterly stunned ... assistant exclaims, "Jesus Christ ... what the hell!"

Still flipping through the pages, while conveying a stoic expression; that assistant replies with an indifferent tone...

"I know; right. So, there's no point in shedding any tears over whatever happens to that shithole."

Dr. X finishes injecting the fourth vial into 'the package', then meanders over to where his lab assistants are huddled. He utters aloud; with a hint of wanton, vengeful retribution evident in his inflection...

"If this trial run proves to be even remotely successful; the next group of subjects I administer the drug to will be those ignoramus guards and that janitor ... and whoever was responsible for installing that fucking back door!"

One of the lab assistants quips among his peers...

"Personally, I don't care who Doc gives that drug to; as long as it isn't any of us..."

A subtle look of trepidation suddenly creeps across the assistant's face; and he sheepishly asks the doctor...

"Excuse me Doc ... but just so we know ... you aren't planning on using that drug on any of us; right?"

A sudden uneasy silence befalls the lab, as the assistants nervously look at the doctor; anxiously awaiting his response with bated breath. Shortly ... Dr. X displays a small grin; and ambiguously answers...

"Probably not ... you're all my assistants whom I selected, after all. I've footed the bill for your school tuitions; so, you're all in my debt. ... Plus, you all majored in biochemistry, while having minored in minion-ism. You already do whatever I tell you to do; so, as long as you keep doing that, there's no need in giving you the drug to turn you into mindless slaves..."

His grin becomes bigger, as he condescendingly teases...

"Seeing how you already are."

Almost in unison, the previously nervous lab assistants let out brief, relieved chuckles. Then one Dr. X's lab assistants asks him...

"Just out of curiosity, Doc ... while formulating this drug, you've been telling everyone funding your work that it will cure people infected by the Covid-19 virus. Is there any truth to that?"

"Of course; there is..." Dr. X once again displays that nefariously sinister smirk upon his thinly narrow, pale lips, " after all, what good would a bunch of sick slaves be to me?"