Alexis
850 Words
Darren Ark walked into his home slightly frustrated and a little tired. He was wealthy enough for a respectable scientist. He'd gotten half of the inheritance from his father, after his death. The other half went to his younger sister who disappeared as soon as she got the money. Darren, or 'Dark' as Angela called him, was interested in science. He wanted to change the world. He, like other scientists, started with little experiments, eventually though he realized he wanted to make a much larger impact. He hadn't been able find a breakthrough in his most important experiment, much to his frustration.
Dark sat on a chair in his living room. He was worn out from working all day. He rarely ever got tired, but he had spent the past few weeks working tirelessly on his his top secret experiment.
"Rhonda! " He barked as the hired help came rushing towards him,
"Sir? "
"I need a beer." He said. He watched Rhonda run out of the living room to get his drink. Dark tried to close his eyes. He didn't have enough time for relaxation and he knew it. He needed results. He opened his eyes as he heard Rhonda walking towards him, with the drink. He took the beer and dismissed her. As she walked off she heard the sound of the doorbell and made her way to open the door.
"Who is it? " Dark yelled.
"It's Alexis." Rhonda replied.
"Let her in." He said as got up from his chair.
Dark and Alexis had been friends for years. They had dated for a while but maintained their friendship even after they broke up. Alexis was intrigued by the prospects of Dark's most recent experiment.
Dark walked towards the door to greet his friend. Alexis stepped forward,
"You look pathetic." She said bluntly.
"Of course. I haven't been getting much sleep lately. " He replied. "I wasn't expecting you. " He added.
"Sorry to drop by unannounced, Schmidt called. He told me the government decided to pull the plug on your project. " She explained.
"Well, it's always a pleasure to see you. " He replied.
"They can't really stop the project, can they? "
"Why don't you enjoy a drink with me. " He said, intentionally choosing to ignore her question. He led her into the living room and ordered the help, Rhonda, to get her a drink.
"This place hasn't changed at all since i was last here. "
"I suppose it hasn't " Dark said indifferently after which he gulped down his beer hurriedly.
"Tell me about the project. "
"Don't worry about that. Why don't we reminisce about old times." Dark replied evasively. Alexis frowned.
"Darren Ark! " She called him by his full name which was something she only did when she was serious. "I have invested a lot in this project. Don't keep me in the dark. " She said angrily.
"Relax, Alexis. The truth is they decided to fund someone else's project instead. "
"What about your project?"
"It shall continue. " Dark assured her. "You should remember that you're not the only one who's invested in this project. I've invested my time, my energy, my resources...i will not let anyone stop this work! "
"It's good to know your resolve is stronger than ever. " Alexis said with a smile on her face.
"You should know that the experiment is more dangerous than ever. There have been more casualties. " Dark said as he watched Alexis's face for any hint of concern, but she had a nonchalant expression.
"That's quite unfortunate. " she said coldly. If she felt guilty or troubled, she refused to show it. "Their families shall be well compensated when this is all over. After all, it's for the greater good of mankind. "
Dark was pleased with her response. "While the government has decided to pull the plug on my project and focus instead on the works of a young scientist, Max Henderson, i will ensure that our project will still go on smoothly. "
"So, what are you going to do about this Max Henderson guy?" Alexis asked.
"There is nothing to do. " Dark said, staring at his empty bottle of beer.
"I know you hired a private investigator. Whatever it is you're planning, you'd better let me in on it now. "
Dark smiled crookedly and said "The situation with Max Henderson made me angry. Nevertheless i intend to have dinner with him tomorrow. "
"Don't tell me you intend to kill that poor young man simply because he stood in your way. "
"Of course not! "Dark said with feigned surprise. "He's a bright young scientist. I have better plans for him. "
Alexis looked puzzled. "You can't possibly be thinking about telling him about your experiment. "
"You misunderstand me my dear. I don't intend to tell him about my experiment. I won't kill him either. I mean, why waste a precious human life..." Dark said, flashing his brilliant white teeth, "...When you can turn it into something better. "
- Writer
