Page 28 of Brax

The pain for Ines was the worst it had ever been. Just the effort of throwing the homemade bombs into the office had nearly crippled her. She made sure there was enough time that everyone could run out of the building. She didn’t want them all to die. She just wanted them to understand how desperate she was.

Twice today, she’d soiled herself, unable to get to the bathroom in time. Whatever was happening inside her body was accelerating.

She’d spent nearly her entire miserable life researching how to return what was taken from her. She wasn’t even sure that it would actually work, but the studies she’d conducted on albino mice and rabbits showed that if the right things were placed back in the body, it would at least slow the disease process.

Of course, that didn’t really help her a whole lot. Her body was so disfigured, so twisted and wrecked, there was nothing that would make it right again.

All she wanted to do was to have pain-free days and perhaps continue working in a lab where they wouldn’t bother her. Was that too much to ask?

“Apparently so,” she muttered to herself.

Years ago, she’d begun purchasing laboratory equipment for herself to have in her home. She’d spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of her own money to ensure that whatever happened, she would be able to continue her research.

Looking at her situation now, she wished she’d paid more attention to compounding pain medications. Then, she’d be able to formulate her own drugs. Unfortunately, that wasn’t her forte, nor was it wise. Ordering those types of things on the internet inevitably brought the authorities to your door.

Remembering the day that she went to the school in Maine, she couldn’t help but be filled with anger.

Thirty-five years ago…

“Hello, Ines,” smiled Dr. Rubenstein.

“Dr. Rubenstein, it’s such a pleasure to meet you. Am I the only one here?” she asked.

“For the time being,” he smiled. “The school is a new concept, and we’re only just getting things started here.”

He walked around her, looking at her intensely. Up and down her body, then staring at her face.

“Dr. Rubenstein?”

“I’m sorry,” he laughed. “I knew that you were brilliant, but I didn’t realize how lovely you are.”

“Oh. Y-yes,” she stammered.

“Don’t worry, young lady. I have no interest in anything other than my work. Let me show you to the facilities and your room.”

They toured the buildings only seeing three other people. It would be months before the first students arrived, some just infants. Ines couldn’t figure it all out, but there was always a believable explanation.

In truth, she didn’t really care. She had a state-of-the-art lab and was working on her passion. Genetics.

“Ines? May I see you in my office?” said Dr. Rubenstein.

“Yes, sir.”

She quickly stood and followed him into a glassed-in office. She wasn’t nervous. Everyone could see them speaking to one another. He took a seat on the opposite side of the desk and began speaking.

“This work is very important to me, Ines. You’re a brilliant, beautiful young woman, and I’d like permission to look at your own genetics.”

“Mine?” she asked, shocked.

“Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t I?” he smiled.

“I-I don’t know. Are you wanting DNA?”

“Yes,” he said slowly. “DNA is part of it. I would want to do blood samples, tissue, all of it.”

“Gosh, I’m not sure,” she frowned. “I mean, I love the research, but actually having someone research me is a little scary. I don’t like needles. Ironic, isn’t it?”

“A bit,” he smiled. “I’ll tell you what. We could plan it for four times a year, and we’ll do it under anesthesia. Nothing big. Just something local. What do you think?”

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