Viral Evolution (Book 1): Retrovirus Read online

  Laughing a little as he slowly leans in and up while slightly shaking his head before looking toward the perspex door with monkey behind.

  "C.J, she appears.."

  As he voices this to himself, and with a dreadful fright for Mike as he is taken off guard by C.J, who stands right in front of him with condensation appearing on the perspex door. As he looks to her, with enlarged pupils, black red irises and breathing aggressively against the other side of the door.

  With an instant shiver from Mike while looking into her, the infected monkey then lunges toward him to defend her domain from the intruder and hitting the door between them.

  This action from C.J sends Mike stumbling back in horror with the monkey lunging again before appearing to stare straight through him.

  "Fuck Me!"

  Mike in the process, crashes backward into the other cages, dropping his clipboard and pen which also sets off most of the animals in the adjacent area.

  The monkey stops, stares looking down over Mike in an aggressive stance with an almost savage look in her eyes and it appears to Mike the monkey knowingly waits for she cannot penetrate through the barrier between.

  Breathing a sigh of relief while looking up to her with his eyes fixated on the monkey, he voices while checking the sex momentarily before he later questions.

  "Ooh you, scared the crap out of me you bitch! Where did you come from?!"

  He regains his composure, bends down to pick up his clipboard, then pen to check on the other animals with another look at the monkey who is still watching over him with Mike sighing and voicing to himself.

  "Man, it’s going to be a long night!"

  John sits in his office chair while on the phone to his wife Sue, looks up from his desk toward the main lab door with a slight frown listening and thinking he’d just heard something from the lab before eventually shrugging it off as he hears Sue voicing over the phone.

  "Bring a bottle of red home too.. John, John hello, come back to me?!"

  "Sorry I’m here, thought I heard something. A bottle, sounds like you have news." Sue appearing somewhat chirpy over the phone replies.

  "Yes, I do."

  "Nice one, I will and looking forward to hearing it."

  "Okay, well, I’ll see you soon."

  "See you soon love."

  "Love you too John. Bye."

  "Bye."

  John puts the phone down to look further into the test papers, however soon gets together his things then heads through to the lab walking toward Mike to say goodbye before he leaves.

  CHAPTER 5

  Home Time For John

  Mike who is now sitting at his work station with his back facing John who voices across the room.

  "You’ll be all good tonight then Mike? Just monitor if you like. We’re pretty much just waiting on the results due tomorrow.

  Mike however, appears somewhat vacant with John raising his voice to get the attention.

  "Yo Mike!"

  Mike appears to jump from John voicing out loud before he swivels in his chair and turning to John.

  "Yeah sorry boss."

  John looks to Mike in a concerned manner. "You okay?"

  "I’m alright, just looking forward to another exhilarating night."

  "Yeah I know, they’re not the best, especially here alone. Just monitor tonight and we’ll wait for tomorrow's results."

  "Okay. Say hello to Sue and the kids for me yeah."

  "Will do, see you in the morning."

  "Cool, till then."

  John goes to leave the room out the main laboratory door, but then coming to realize he’s left his keys on his desk.

  "Ah forgot my keys, I’ll go through the office."

  Mike acknowledges John and smiles at his boss upon leaving the room. John then enters his office, scoops his keys off his desk and makes one more pass at the file sitting on his desk.

  He goes to open it, holds still with the file slightly open before staring ahead.

  "Tomorrow, it can wait."

  As he closes down the file with his hand spread on top of the classified stamped manila folder before turning toward the secure exit of his office, he moves over swiping his key card and leaving the room into the corridor.

  John heads up toward the elevators acknowledging and passing a security officer along the way. An elevator comes to his floor with the door opening on the first. As the doors open John moves in turning to watch them close.

  While standing in the lift heading up toward the ground floor from the third lower level, John takes a long breath appearing to calm himself.

  Watching the counter close in on G, he tries to wash work thoughts away to prepare for spending time with the wife, his two teenage sons of 16, 14 and his 12 year daughter.

  By shaking his head then blowing out with the lift doors beginning to open at ground level for two fellow scientists waiting to go down to their lab on the same floor.

  The male scientist in his late twenties of average build with clean cut brown hair and a slightly higher tone than most asks John.

  "Ooh late again was he?"

  John responds by nodding his head then looking to them both before asking. "Are you still on 12 hour shifts?

  The second male scientist of above average height with dark brown hair, who stands tall showing confidence and also appears to work out responds.

  "Till they fill the position, only two hours to go."

  The first scientist moves on to mention to John.

  "You know John, covering for him will only get you into trouble."

  The second scientist nods his head to agree with John in thought before replying.

  "I know, he had to take the subway today for the car is gone."

  "Oh, I’m guessing she left then."

  "She did. I had some work to catch up on today anyway, but at least he showed up. Sam and Kev both called in sick this morning and Hamish is off again tonight."

  The two scientists move into the lift together with the first mentioning as he walks in while facing John.

  "Is it something you’re brewing in that lab of yours?"

  "I’m not sure what the story is, but it appears something got at them."

  The second scientist pushes the lift button to head down to their floor before looking back to John mentioning.

  "Although Sam and Kev have been spotted eating in the canteen together when on shift, so who knows?!"

  The second scientist now stirring the pot with John, moments later looks into his partners eyes who then returns.

  "Ooh yes they have too now there’s a thought, ah young love, I’ll never forget those first moments."

  John looks toward the direction of the canteen pondering the thought, before turning back to the gay couple as the doors of the elevator slowly close leaving John to stand briefly acknowledging the stir with a smile.

  "See you tomorrow guys."

  John with a smile begins to turn as the elevator doors glide across.

  "Bye."

  "Thanks john, we will."

  The scientist teasing a little with Mike’s lateness still in mind. "See you bright and early."

  John heads from outside the lift shaking his head a little at the first scientists last comment as he then walks through the main foyer, past the security desk and out the front doors toward his parked car a hundred meters or so away in his parking spot of the car park.

  The early evening sun streams across his face as he soaks up the warmth from it’s final rays as he approaches the car.

  As he moves in closer he disables the alarm for the doors to unlock then opens to slide in and sink into the drivers seat with a relaxing comfort knowing he’ll be home soon then reminding himself.

  "The bottle of red."

  John starts the car before reversing out of the park, then glancing at the facility through the rear view mirror before heading off out past the main entrance toward the gates to meet secu
rity who acknowledge on approach and open the gate.

  John now driving, leans toward his car stereo system and pushes play to hear the drum and bass sound he is so fond of.

  Before long though however, he feels the traffic is very heavy for the time of day and changing his mind to the local radio broadcast to listen for any information on the delays.

  John voices toward the stereo, changing it over to the radio station before looking back ahead.

  "Sorry guys, I want to hear what the hold up is around here."

  He adjusts the volume of the radio, with John then coming to a halt becoming caught in traffic as he notices ahead the signals are out with an officer directing the slow moving motion of commuters.

  Turning left instead when the officer directs his line of vehicles to move forward, deciding to take an alternate route to bypass the jam.

  However further on he comes across the same problem at the next main intersection.

  "This is ridiculous!"

  As he looks, pondering which direction to take next after the intersection, he soon hears the D.J announcing the state of the traffic upon completion of the advert.

  "Crazy traffic out there again people and we’re getting multiple reports coming through of the continued delays."

  John looks through the windscreen and down through traffic as the DJ continues.

  "But what can you expect with the city transport services staff mostly on strike looking for that pay increase. They may just get it going by what the current week has dealt us and they’re not going back to work until Monday!"

  The Co-Host appears to somewhat cut in as John continues to look ahead.

  "I think you’d get home faster if you just left your car parked up and walked?!"

  As the D.J’s appear to laugh at the situation, John sighs voicing over the two "Great." although looks to the radio.

  "True that, and I’d be going around the city if I lived on the other side."

  John reaches in toward turning the radio off as the D.J continues. "Good luck anyway wherever you’re going and.."

  Upon turning off the radio, he then reaches for his mobile from in his bag thinking to text Sue of his whereabouts, but decides not to.

  He places his phone into the dash console in time for the officer at the intersection to wave the cars ahead of him forward.

  John takes the next side street to go around the city as suggested by the D.J and soon pulling in toward a liquor store he notices along the way for the bottle of red then parking on the side of the street before exiting the vehicle.

  John enters the store with the bells chiming together on his entrance. He moves up to the red wine section and searches for a familiar red. Within a small selection he decides on a bottle of his and Sues liking before motioning away.

  On route toward the counter acknowledging the staff member before catching a news update on the TV to the left behind the counter of developments in genetically modified and engineered organisms as he places the bottle on the counter.

  The staff member of Middle Eastern descent while serving, catches Johns attention which is mostly fixated on the TV and voices.

  "Messing with nature, it’ not right."

  John's gaze is pulled from the TV toward the staff member who is placing the bottle in a thin brown paper bag, as John then responds with not much more than a muffled.

  "Hmph."

  John upon noticing the bottle in the bag reaches into his pocket and places a $20 dollar note on the counter which the staff member picks off to gather change while further voicing his opinion.

  "G.M.O’s, the authorities should do what’s right and put a stop to it. It’s not God's work, man is playing God, and I don’t really think they know what they’re doing?!"

  John thinking of what the man had just said, with his own career choice and future decisions to make coming to mind responds.

  "Keeping everything in balance is the key I guess?!

  "The key?! I wish they’d throw theirs away and be done with it."

  Acknowledging and respecting the staff members view, John slightly raises the bottle in appreciation.

  "Thanks, and have a good night."

  John goes to turn and walk out with bottle in hand glancing once more time at the TV as he moves in the direction of the door.

  "You too Sir, thank you and come again!"

  John turns back slightly, acknowledging the politely spoken last words from the staff member with a smile as he carries on toward the door. Pulling it open with the bells chiming once more on his departure leaving the staff member to watch the rest of the report.

  John continues heading toward his awaiting parked car on the side of the street to drive home.

  CHAPTER 6

  Family Time

  John makes it home pulling up the drive, with his family patiently waiting inside ready and well overdue for their dinner. John's son Danny, a good looking young man at 16 of athletic slim build with straight dark brown hair who cares for his family and those around him comes out of the house to the side of the car as John gets out.

  "Hey Dad."

  "Danny, how was your day?"

  "It went really well!"

  "Nice one. So, did you ask her out on a date?"

  "Yep!"

  "Good for you son! I guess you want your pocket money then?"

  "Yes please, thanks, and could I have an advance too?!"

  John grins at Danny on his request.

  "Of course you can! You must be taking her somewhere flash then?"

  "I want to take her out on the town."

  John looks sideways at his son, knowing he’s far too young to go to any bars.

  "Into the city?"

  "We might catch a movie or something."

  "Do you want a lift in when I get home?"

  "Nah it should be okay, we’ll probably take the bus straight after school, but thanks anyway."

  "Anytime, and call me if you want picking up afterward."

  "Okay, we’ll see how we go."

  "So, the motorbike is on hold for now then?"

  "I think it always has been. I don’t think Mum will ever let me have one?!"

  "You might be right there Son."

  The two make their way inside with John letting Danny go in first, as he proudly moves indoors after his son.

  Charlotte an attractive girl of 12 years old with olive complexion and soft light brown hair with a heart of gold like her mother meets them on entrance giving her Dad a hug.

  "Hey Dad, glad you’re home!"

  "It’s nice to be home."

  "We’ve got dinner ready."

  Moments later they both walk into the kitchen together with John asking Charlotte on approach toward Sue.

  "Did you help your mum?"

  An attractive women Sue, closing in on her late thirties with a curvy athletic figure, holding herself well standing with confidence and having a soft olive complexion while loving her family dearly hears John on their entrance.

  "Yes, a big help, and even done the salad."

  "Nice!"

  Sue smile's as does Charlotte who then goes to take out of the fridge with Sue meeting John giving him a kiss on arrival.

  John responds then places his phone, keys and the bottle of wine on the bench.

  Sue shouts through to the living room toward their younger son Sean, who is busy watching Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon".

  "Dinners ready!"

  Sean engrossed in the moves being displayed by the martial arts expert Bruce Lee, appears to not hear his mother's call.

  Danny however peers around the corner to get his younger brothers attention.

  "Yo Bruce, dinners up!"

  The fairly good looking young teen Sean at 14 of athletic build, with dark brown hair like his older brother, growing stronger and more sure of himself with each passing day turns to his brother with a smile.

  He then quickly gets to hi
s feet, breaking out a few moves in the process before pausing the DVD and heading toward the dining room acting out a few more.

  "Yeah. Ya, ya ya!"

  Sean moves at a quick pace excitedly toward the dining room table for dinner.

  "Took you ages to get home today Dad."

  "It did, the traffic was bad, and I had to take the back route."

  "It’s all over the news.."

  "Yeah, I heard it on the radio. What was your news?"

  "The hold ups are being caused by the.."

  John laughs a little while interrupting Sue. "No, your news."

  Sue realizing with a little giggle soon responds.

  "Oh, I got the job!"

  "The nursing position?"

  Sue with a grin from ear to ear replies with "Yes."

  "Well done, that is cause for celebration! When do you start?"

  "They’re short staffed, I can start on Monday if I want to."

  "Are you going to?"

  "Thinking I will, might make a good impression?!"

  John moves in and gives Sue a kiss on the forehead before telling her. "Proud of you love."

  John then motions back to sit down at the table, but soon turns for the bottle of red on the bench while also remembering and voices.

  "Ooh the red! Oh yeah, and Mike says hi!"

  Sue upon hearing John responds.

  "Oh nice, hope he’s doing okay."

  John moves up to the cupboard removing two glasses for Sue and himself as he thinks for a brief moment.

  "Yeah, he’ll get there."

  Sue nods her head slightly while looking over to the direction of John who is taking a corkscrew out of the draw, where he proceeds to open the bottle, taking the glasses and bottle to the table and pours each other a wine.

  As the family begin or continue helping themselves to dinner, John’s cell phone begins to ring with John saying to Charlotte who has begun to get up from her seat to retrieve it.