Unethical Practices

Prologue

Just another naive, fresh face. That was the first impression she got when the new guy on the team entered the lab. 'New' was relative, seeing as he had already been working for months, but this was their first encounter in person.

Despite the bright light in the sterile room, the man didn't seem to notice her as he looked around at the various lab equipment. She cleared her throat to get his attention, and then frowned as he gave her a surprised look.

"You're late."

The man jumped and looked down at the floor sheepishly.

"Sorry, I-I didn't know someone was waiting for me. Who are you?"

"I'm your new boss. Nadia Pembroke. You may address me as 'Dr Pembroke' or 'Chief'."

"Reymond Sharpe. But my friends call me Rey."

"Well then, Reymond, I trust you've read up on anything you need to know?"

"Y-yes, of course, Chief. There's some things I don't quite understand though..."

Chief cut him off with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Either you understand enough that it would be easier to just show you the important parts of the lab, or your presence here is just a waste of both of our time. I hope for your sake it's the former."

She motioned towards a heavy security door in the back, with a keycard scanner next to it. As he swiped his card, she moved to stand behind him, making sure that she followed him through the airlock into the inner lab. He tried not to look at her as she did, but it was obvious he felt uncomfortable with her invading his space.

The lights of the inner lab flickered on when they entered, glaring harshly against the white, clean surfaces of the various cylinders standing in neat rows. Without waiting for Rey, Chief rounded him and stood in the middle of the room. With raised arms, looking almost like she was having a revelation, she turned on the spot.

"Welcome. This is where the future is happening."

Rey looked around at the tubes with a dawning realisation.

"Is this what I think it is?"

"Open up and see for yourself."

Hesitantly, he pressed a button next to the nearest cylinder, and waited as it gave a loud hiss while sliding open to reveal a glass tank inside. Floating unconsciously in its bubbling fluids was a creature of some kind. A mass of tentacles made up its lower body, and long, clawed limbs were growing out of the chest and back. It was difficult to see if it was just the lighting, or if the fluid inside the vat was making it look off, but the skin seemed to be a sickly yellowy green. The man swallowed hard.

"If what I read is correct... did this... did all of the ones in the vats... were they human?" he asked in a shaky voice.

"That is a complete misunderstanding of the science behind this."

"Thank goodness, that's a relief."

Chief scoffed at this.

"To someone like you? Hardly. The misunderstanding isn't 'human'. It's 'were'."