Chapter Eleven: Complications

"Fate wafts us from the pygmies' shore:

We swim beneath the epic skies: 

A Rome and Carthage war once more,

And wider empires are the prize;

Where the beaked galleys clashed, lo, these

Our iron dragons of the seas!

High o'er the cloudy battle sweep

The wingèd chariots in their flight. 

The steely creatures of the deep

Cleave the dark waters' ancient night.

Below, above, in wave, in air

New worlds for conquest everywhere.

More terrible than spear or sword

Those stars that burst with fiery breath: 

More loud the battle cries are poured

Along a hundred leagues of death.

So do they fight. How have ye warred,

Defeated Armies of the Lord?

This is the Dark Immortal's hour;

His victory, whoever fail;

His prophets have not lost their power;

Cæsar and Attila prevail.

These are your legions still, proud ghosts,

These myriad embattled hosts.

How wanes Thine empire, Prince of Peace!

With the fleet circling of the suns

The ancient gods their power increase.

Lo, how Thine own anointed ones

Do pour upon the warring bands

The devil's blessings from their hands.

Who dreamed a dream 'mid outcasts born

Could overbrow the pride of kings?

They pour on Christ the ancient scorn.

His Dove its gold and silver wings

Has spread.  Perhaps it nests in flame

In outcasts who abjure His name.

Choose ye your rightful gods, nor pay

Lip reverence that the heart denies,O Nations! 

Is not Zeus to-day,

The thunderer from the epic skies,

More than the Prince of Peace? Is Thor

Not nobler for a world at war?

They fit the dreams of power we hold,

Those gods whose names are with us still. 

Men in their image made of old

The high companions of their will.

Who seek an airy empire's pride,

Would they pray to the Crucified?

O outcast Christ, it was too soon

For flags of battle to be furled

While life was yet at the hot noon.

Come in the twilight of the world:

Its kings may greet Thee without scorn

And crown Thee then without a thorn."

- "Gods of War" by George William Russel (aka A.E.)

Dieter cringed as he heard the Baron's laugh outside of his office.

Had he finally lose his marbles?

The Baron had been acting very strangely these last few days, often withdrawn, sometimes muttering to himself without even realizing.

Stepping forward, he knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Opening the door, Dieter uncertainly peered inside.

"Is everything okay, Baron?" the bodyguard asked.

"Everything is fine," Konrad assured as he sat at his desk. "Why?"

"I was curious," he replied. "I heard you laughing outside."

The aristocrat nodded. "I see," he said. "I was watching some funny videos on YouTube. Stand-up comedians. Would you like to see?"

'Perhaps he is going nuts,' Dieter thought darkly.

"No thank you," he replied. "With all due respect, sir, shouldn't you be working?"

Konrad frowned. "I had read an article in the newspaper about how laughter decreases stress hormones, lowers blood pressure, increases muscle flexion as well as immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies. I just thought that..."

He trailed off.

"I get it," Dieter said with a nod.

"It's been so long, Dieter, since I last felt human. Since I laughed," Konrad said lowly as he reclined back into his chair. "I look around and think back to the days when I was a boy, when I was able to enjoy the great outdoors and go places with friends. How I would go see a concert, play or a movie, or even just stop to get some ice cream." His eyes gleamed wistfully. "I still remember the smell of the ice cream parlor."

Looking over his shoulder at the various pictures on the wall behind him, right next to graduate certificates, Konrad gestured to the various famous celebrities that were featured.

"I remember being at those parties, mingling and laughing with friends, enjoying a good wine..." he trailed off for a moment, his eyes losing their light. "Now it all seems like nothing more than a dream. Sometimes I wonder if those moments actually had happened, or if it had all been a dream."

Dieter shook his head. "Talk about depressing," he said. "You really need to stop thinking about the past, Baron. It's really unhealthy."

The aristocrat said nothing as he broodily stared down at his desk. The phone beeped on his desk. Konrad reached down and pressed the speaker. "Ja?"

"You have a call from David Kellog," ARIA said impassively.

"Thank you, ARIA," Konrad said. "Put him through."

"Hello?"

"Guten Tag, David."

"Ah, Mr. Chairman. I'm just calling to remind you of Gupte's presentation in half an hour."

"I haven't forgotten," Konrad said bluntly. "I'll see you and the other Board members online."

Hanging up, he checked himself, then rolled out from his office.

"I have to go and get ready," Konrad said. "Gupte will be presenting her secret project."

"Why not stay here for it?" Dieter asked.

Konrad raised his fingers, shushing him as he nervously glanced back to the speaker.

"Oh come on!" Dieter said. "ARIA's just a junkie machine. Don't be ridiculous."

"Even so, Dieter," Konrad said quietly, "I never felt comfortable speaking around it. I keep getting the feeling like the bloody thing is listening in on me."

"You're being paranoid, Baron," Dieter said.

"Well thank you for your support and confidence," the aristocrat said sarcastically, "now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to prepare for."

As the Baron rolled out and departed down the hallway, Dieter shook his head and sighed.

* * *

The screen flickered on.

"Ah! Welcome, Mr. Chairman," David said, frowning at the monitor. "Your camera is still not registering."

"I'm well aware, thank you," Konrad said.

"Alright, alright," David said, his hands raised in placation.

"Is everyone here?"

"Yes," David confirmed. "Before we begin-"

He stopped as loud, sultry moaning played over the speakers.

"Oh baby! Oh yes! Oh yes! Yes!"

Konrad blinked bemusedly.

"Oh for Heaven's sakes," David said irritably, ripping off his spectacles.

Two Board members chuckled, the others glancing around startled and puzzled. Two others looked away in embarrassment while another looked uncomfortable.

"Who is that?!" David demanded. "I'll say again, who is doing that?!"

A young man, an intern, sheepishly smiled, rubbing the back of his head.

"I'm so sorry about that, Mr. Kellog. It's my son's cellphone," he explained embarrassedly. "My own is currently being charged so I had to borrow his."

"Well turn it off!"

The man hastily shut it off.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself," David scolded. "This is a business meeting."

"I-I'm very sorry, sir."

"Get out."

"But-"

"I said get out!"

Flustered, the man hurried out of the room, his head lowered in shame. Once he departed, David looked around at everyone.

"I am so sorry that you all had to witness that, ladies and gentlemen," he said as he shuffled his papers. "Now, back to what I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. I want everyone to make sure your cellular devices are turned off. Everything discussed here in this room is highly confidential and isn't to be disclosed to anyone outside this room. Personnel with Level Nine clearance are the only ones allowed."

Once everyone finished, he resumed.

"Before we turn over to Dr. Gupte, there are a few items that need to be reviewed. Item One concerns some good news regarding the Meyers case. As you all may know, the Meyers family had attempted to sue us for a six-digit figure due to supposedly faulty hardware, but, thankfully, the court has decided in our favor in our uncovering their previous attempts at fraud with other companies. Sterling work by our attorneys over at the firm 'Wiesel, Dieb und Maden'. Big round of applause for them!"

Konrad clapped alongside the others onscreen.

"Item Two concerns your energy project, Mr. Chairman," David said. "Can you give an update on its status?"

The aristocrat cleared his throat.

"The project is in its early stages, but results are promising," he said. "Much testing still has to be done in order to ensure that it is safe. With that said, however, we have made some enormous strides with Project Fulgore, especially in its weaponry."

"Really?" David said keenly. "Do tell."

"Ah, ah, ah!" Konrad said coyly. "Not until it is finished."

"Very well," David said. "Moving on, I will now pass the floor to Dr. Gupte. Doctor, if you please."

Konrad watched on the screen as Gupte stood up before the Board.

"Thank you, Mr. Kellog," she said as she started to hand out some sheets. "Please pass these along while I submit the files containing my proposal to those present online."

Konrad waited as she opened up a laptop and sent the file. Opening it up, he peered at the proposal's title.

"Project..."Rip...tor"?" David said as he phonetically sounded it out.

"Ja," Gupte nodded. "Project RIPTOR. Acronym for 'Retrovirally Infected Predator'."

Konrad froze.

"What is it?" Sacket asked curiously.

"Before I answer that, I want to ask you all a simple question," Gupte said. "Does anyone know what a chimaera is?"

"Ja, it's a monster from Greek mythology that was part lion, part snake and part goat," Konrad said.

"That is correct," Gupte said. "In the context of genetics, however, a chimera is a single organism composed of cells from two or more separate organisms. No doubt many of you have heard about geneticists such as J. Craig Venter wanting to create pigs with human organs or humanized mice. Or how in 2007 scientists created sheep that were fifteen percent human, or the Chinese researchers in 2011 that genetically modified cows to produce milk that is akin to human breast milk."

"Yes, yes, we're all familiar with them," David said impatiently. "What does this have to do with Project RIPTOR?"

"A lot actually. Several months ago, I came upon a newly discovered strain of retrovirus, labelled in my notes as SW-G1-28," Gupte said. "Before I could investigate it fully, an incident had occurred; one of the animal handlers had forgotten to secure one of the cages containing live cobras, and as a result, one of them escaped and consumed mice infected with this retrovirus."

People murmured amongst themselves as she showed them pictures via projector.

"Roughly an hour after consumption, the subject started to change, expanding in size and had consumed the others, even going so far as to develop forearms. Two weeks later, it developed a pair of legs. A month later, it became bipedal."

The Board members gasped as Gupte showed them the latest photo.

"My God," one breathed.

"Look at the size of that thing!"

David stared at the screen.

"Why the hell weren't we informed of this sooner?!" he demanded.

Gupte wiped her glasses. "I needed to investigate further in order to determine the potential hazard it represented," she answered.

"Is it dangerous?"

"Very."

"Am I crazy or do parts of it look human?" Sacket asked.

The doctor nodded. "Indeed, it does," she said. "The retrovirus has inserted human DNA into its genetic code and has modified it considerably."

"Human?" David repeated, puzzled. "Why would it have human DNA?"

Konrad stared at the screen in alarm.

"A working theory I have is that human contamination had occurred when the mice were being handled," Gupte said.

The explanation seemed to satisfy the Board members, causing Konrad to quietly sigh in relief.

"Were the mice already infected with this thing, or did you infect them yourself?"

"The former," Gupte answered before moving on. "Following its mutation, RIPTOR developed several new traits. Not only is it highly adaptable, able to resist freezing cold temperature and extreme heat, but it can spit highly concentrated venom. It also has immense strength, agility, a remarkably high intelligence, and possesses considerable regenerative capabilities unlike anything I've ever seen. Even more, it can reproduce asexually."

People looked around and chattered nervously.

"How do we know any of this is real?" David demanded. "How do we know this isn't some sort of joke?"

Without saying a word, Gupte bent down and picked up a bag. As she opened it up, Konrad grimly watched as she placed five leathery eggs on the table.

"You may examine them, if you wish," she said. "Just be very careful with them."

Konrad stared at the scene as people passed the eggs around, poking and feeling them. One or two hesitated while another downright refused to touch them.

David quietly regarded the eggs. "...Did the Chairman know about this?"

Gupte shook her head. "Nein."

"It was awfully risky to have kept this a secret," David said sternly. "It's a wonder no one had gotten hurt or killed if it's as dangerous as you had suggested."

"Have there been any incidents?" Sacket asked.

"It tried to escape several times, but thankfully no one has gotten hurt," she answered.

"Is it infectious?"

"Tests with other animals reveals that it is through scratches from its claws. I'm currently looking into developing an antidote for it."

"And what of SW-G1-28?" Konrad asked. "I thought I heard something about a patent."

"It is true," Gupte confirmed. "I have applied for a patent and hope to make a new cell line using it."

"I don't like this," David said. "This has litigation written all over it."

"Mindful of the potential harm RIPTOR may have, ladies and gentlemen," Gupte said, "you have to consider the benefits of this discovery. Think about it for a second - the first ever reptilian/human chimera, a creature that has newly formed, never-before-seen proteins in its venom, with a genetic code that has the potential to revolutionize modern medicine and allow for unprecedented advances in cross-species genetics! Money can be made from this."

"Even so," David said, "there would still be the issue of what to do with this thing. After all, it is an animal that needs to be fed and looked after."

"Perhaps we could breed it and sell it as part of a lineup for genetically modified pets," one of the Board members suggested. "There is a market for such, after all. Even more, if we were to alter traits of the animal's young during their development, perhaps give them different colors, different color patterns, different appearances, different sizes, different behaviors, we could attract a wider audience. What person wouldn't want to design their very own dinosaur? And that's not even thinking about food, clothing and accessories options and merchandizing possibilities."

David nodded.

"That could potentially work," he replied.

Gupte gave them both an incredulous stare.

"Surely you two aren't serious!" She exclaimed.

"We most certainly are."

"Mr. Kellog, this is a dangerous animal, not a poodle!"

"And presumably it's possible to domesticate it, if not alter its genetics and its offspring so that they wouldn't be infectious," David said.

"Well, ja, but-"

"Why settle for just the pet market?" one of the Board members interrupted.

"And what do you have in mind, Ms. Chambers?" David asked.

Tilting her head in thought, Chambers ran her fingers along her chin.

"Taking into consideration some of the military applications of it, I can see this animal as being extremely valuable, especially to DARPA," she said.

David hesitated.

"You have got to be joking," he said.

"Making money isn't a laughing matter," she said.

"Ms. Chambers," David said slowly, "how can this animal possibly be utilized?"

"By going places that your combat androids couldn't," Chambers said in a matter-of-fact manner. "It is common knowledge that the maintenance work and upkeep for them is a nightmare to deal with, especially in harsh terrain. If this animal is as intelligent and as adaptable as Gupte suggests, then it will be the perfect answer to our problems. No sand or damp would disable or short circuit it, nor will it freeze up and lock into place when it suddenly becomes too cold. Plus, it is self-sustaining. Even if it gets killed, it can infect the enemy and create more like it."

David raised his eyes up the moment she said that.

"And how will it exactly know who or what is an enemy?" he said. "What will prevent it from eating civilians?"

"A combination of training, conditioning and shock collars," Chambers answered. "Condition the animal to recognize certain sounds, words or frequencies that will give it the order to attack or to halt. Perhaps even train it to follow commands, to work with a squad or platoon of soldiers or track targets."

'This cannot be happening,' Konrad thought with mounting worry.

Gupte did NOT just go behind his back to reveal this monstrosity before the Board, and Chambers was NOT proposing this travesty of an idea. But no matter how hard he tried denying, there wasn't any escape from what was happening.

David sat quietly at the table. Lifting his head up in contemplation, Konrad saw gears moving around in his head.

"I think it is a horrible idea," he said.

'Bless you, David,'  Konrad thought. He may be a sycophantic blowhard, but at least he had sense.

"However," he continued, "it might not be that much of a stretch to imagine that some government will eventually decide to use this animal and its ilk for military purposes, so we should look into that as a potential avenue to explore. All in all, I think this could be a potential rainmaker."

'I stand corrected,'  Konrad bitterly thought.

"Should we consider the idea of taking SW-G1-28 and applying it to other species?" One of the Board members asked.

Konrad opened his mouth to protest when David spoke, "One step at a time, Mr. Meyers. For now we have to deal with this creature first, although that could be a topic to discuss at our next meeting."

He then looked around. "All those in favor?"

Konrad watched as all of the Board members raised their hands in the air.

"All those against?"

None voted.

"What say you, Mr. Chairman?" David said expectantly.

The aristocrat sighed.

* * *

When Jurgen entered the Baron's room, he saw the aristocrat seated on his bed.

"Your supper is almost ready, Herr Baron," he said.

Konrad made no indication of having heard him. His eyes cast down, he broodily stared into nothingness, his face troubled.

"What's wrong?" the butler asked.

"I found out what Gupte's project is," Konrad replied.

"What is it?"

He sighed. "She's revealed the creature to the Board members," he said. "'Project RIPTOR', she calls it."

"'RIPTOR?'"

"Ja," Konrad said. "The 'Retrovirally Infected Predator'. Not only does the Board love it, but they want to sell and breed it as a pet, among other things."

Jurgen stared at him. "That's insane."

He shrugged. "Tell me about it."

"I hope you voted against it."

Konrad said nothing.

"Herr Baron," Jurgen said slowly, "please tell me that you haven't voted in favor of this madness."

Konrad shook his head. "I ended up using all of Dieter's suggestions for containment with regards for potential military applications," he replied.

The butler just stood there.

"Why?" he asked.

Konrad pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I didn't exactly have much choice," he answered.

"Of course you did!" Jurgen said. "You are majority shareholder! You could have just said "no" and ended it."

"But either way, I would still be stuck with the damn thing, Jurgen!" Konrad retorted as he pulled his hand away. "Even if I just let it rot in that cell, it's still going to be there, and if the failed attempts on it were any indication, it isn't going to die anytime soon!"

"So the best thing to do is to market and sell it?!"

"I didn't have a choice!" Konrad said. "I know it is a mistake. A horrible mistake...but Jurgen, I didn't have a choice."

"Keep telling yourself that, Herr Baron," Jurgen said, "and maybe someday you'll start to believe it. I'm going to check up on your dinner. It should be ready in about an hour."

Konrad's stomach sunk as the butler departed. It wasn't just the flatness in his voice that bothered him, but also the look of disappointment that he gave. The worst part of it was that Konrad couldn't blame him - it was deserved, and rightly so. Konrad had let Jurgen down.

'Why didn't I just say no?'  he thought.

He was the majority shareholder - his vote had the most impact. Whatever decision he made, he had power.

'I can fix this,'  Konrad thought.

Taking out his cellphone, he dialed David's number and waited as it rang. He was going to put things right and end this before it even began.

Several minutes passed. When the answering machine came on, the aristocrat hung up cursing before redialing the number. By the fifth try, he finally got through.

"Hello?"

"David! It's Baron Von Sabrewulf," Konrad said.

"Ah, Mr. Chairman! How are you?"

"I'm fine," Konrad answered. "About Gupte's project-"

"Yes, fabulous, isn't it?" David laughed, cutting him off. "I had just finished talking with some very important people, including some of our contacts at DARPA, and they absolutely love the idea!"

The aristocrat's heart sank. "They do?"

"Yes. They're all very excited about it."

"I see."

"What was it that you wanted to say?"

Konrad opened his mouth to say something, but stopped.

"Mr. Chairman?"

"...It's nothing," he said. "Sorry to have bothered you."

Hanging up the phone, Konrad stared dejectedly to the floor.

Not only had he made the dumbest mistake in the history of stupid mistakes, but the damage has already been done. There was nothing he could do to stop it.

Getting up from the bed, he positioned himself into his wheelchair.

'I think it's time to pay a little visit to the good doctor,'  he thought bitterly.

* * *

Gupte wasn't surprised to see Konrad upon opening the door.

"Something you want, Herr Baron?" she asked.

Konrad rolled inside, then hastily shut the door behind him.

"How dare you," he said lowly. "How dare you go behind my back about this?! And how dare you put a patent on my cells!"

"You seem displeased," Gupte said dryly.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" Konrad roared. "You think you have the authority to do whatever you want?!"

"You are one to talk."

"I own this company!" Konrad snapped. "It is my legal right! Whatever I say goes!"

"And what about RIPTOR's?!" she demanded. "What about its rights?! You are content to just torture and murder it before live audiences on that disgusting program of yours!"

"Because it is a liability! You've seen for yourself how difficult it is to kill, let alone contain!"

"I don't regret my actions, Herr Baron. If revealing RIPTOR to the Board will spare it from the cruelty and suffering you inflict onto it, thereby preventing it from being part of that foul tournament of yours and keep it safe, then it was worth it."

"Don't be so smug, you sanctimonious bitch!" Konrad spat.

Gupte gave a shocked expression, looking like she had been slapped.

"You think you've won?" Konrad said. "Guess again. That animal will die, Gupte. I don't care how, I don't care how many times I'll have to try, but it will die. Even if I have to force it into the tournament over and over again, I will not stop until I'm certain that thing has stopped breathing. And as for your patent-"

"You can't do anything!" Gupte taunted. "We both know that. You can huff and puff all you want, but with the Board's eyes on the project there is nothing you can do!"

"We'll see about that." He scoffed at her. "You call me cruel," Konrad said. "How ironic, especially considering what you are doing is exponentially worse! Ja, I want it dead. Ja, I may have contributed to its...suffering. But you! Because of you, the Board wants to patent it, package it, and weaponize it! Not only that, but they also want to breed more of it! You aren't ensuring its safety, Gupte - you've just multiplied its sufferings tenfold!"

Gupte clenched her jaw angrily.

"Because of you, Gupte, not only will it and its brood be shot, stabbed, blown up, incinerated, beaten, humiliated and exposed to every known horror on the battlefield, with billions watching, but you will also contribute to even further suffering to humanity! Lives will be ruined as family members are devoured before their children's frightened eyes, assuming they themselves survive long enough to avoid being either food or turned. Assuming that the children themselves aren't the ones devouring them."

The office was quiet, the two figures staring at each other, the air thick and heavy.

"Ja, what I'm doing is cruel," Konrad said, "but don't you even pretend for a moment that you are some infallible saint!"

"Don't you dare pin this on me, Herr Baron!" Gupte said sternly. "I wanted to use the creature for medicine, for the good of humanity! It was you who approved its use as a weapon! So when you see all those bodies on TV in the future, remember that it was YOUR doing, not mine! Now, if you're done wasting my time, Herr Baron, I have work to do!"

Konrad's eyes narrowed. "If you ever pull a stunt like this again," he said, his voice low, "I'll-"

"You'll what, Herr Baron?" the scientist interrupted. "The reality, Herr Baron, is that you need me more than I need you, so before you even say anything else, if I were you, I'd think long and hard, otherwise you'll do something that you will regret."

Turning around, Konrad angrily rolled toward the door.

"This isn't over, Gupte!" He growled over his shoulder. "Not by a long shot."

As he left her office, Konrad felt her gaze burn into his back.

* * *

Jurgen heard the Baron in his room, humming a tune drunkenly.

'Drunk himself into a stupor again,'  he thought with displeasure.

Inhaling deeply, he let out a sigh, steeling himself for whatever awaited. Dealing with the Baron in this state was like a game of Russian roulette - one never knew what to expect when he had too much to drink. Sometimes he'd be incredibly merry, even goofy. Often the aristocrat would just be moody and suffer severe bouts of depression. There were times, however, when the drink would bring out the worst in him; the Baron would be volatile, quick to anger, even violent, hurling insults and whatever object he could get his hands on. While he himself never lashed out using his fists, thankfully, Konrad can be an absolute nightmare.

Raising up his hand, he knocked on the door.

"Come in," Konrad slurred.

Opening the door, Jurgen saw the Baron seated on his bed, holding up a glass of wine. Beside him were four empty bottles.

"Ah, Jurgen!" Konrad said cheerfully. "Come in, come in!"

'Well,' Jurgen thought, 'at least he's in a good mood.'

For now. He never let his guard down, though - when the Baron drank it's never certain how long this show of amiability would last before reverting to something else.

The butler slowly approached, keeping his eyes locked on him.

"Would you like a drink?" Konrad drunkenly offered, spilling some on himself.

"Nein, thank you, Herr Baron," he refused.

The aristocrat grunted, wiping himself clumsily with his forearm, then took a huge gulp.

"What are you doing?" Jurgen asked.

"Drinking!" Konrad said. "Can't you see?"

The lupine figure's shoulders slumped.

"I don't know, Jurgen," Konrad said. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm destined for failure. The only one that seems to be succeeding around here is Spinal, and he's chained up in the attic!"

Jurgen stared at him as he took another long sip.

"I think it's time you put that away, Herr Baron," he said. "Supper is ready."

"Well," Konrad belched, "bring it up, bring it up! I can still eat it."

"Are you sure?"

"Certainly!"

Leaving the room, Jurgen went down to the kitchen and prepared his meal. When he got back, he found the Baron sprawled out on the bed, snoring loudly. Sighing, he placed the tray on a nearby counter and went over to the bed, taking away the bottle and glass cups. Grabbing hold of the blanket, Jurgen carefully tucked the Baron in, making sure as not to disturb him, then took the glasses and tray of food and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

The next day, Konrad was in the attic massaging his temples while Dieter and several researchers dressed in lab coats holding clipboards set up cameras around Spinal.

"Are the cameras ready?" he asked.

"Yes sir," one of the researchers said.

"Good."

Pulling his hand away, he took out the mask from his cloak pocket and waited as the bodyguard nervously untied Spinal. Once he finished, Dieter quickly backed away.

"Okay, cameras are rolling, sir," a researcher said. "Subject: Spinal. Height: 5'6. Weight: 120 pounds. Age-"

"Can we get on, please!" Konrad said in exasperation. "I don't want to spend all day up here."

The researcher nodded.

"Sorry, sir," he said. "Transformation Test, Take One."

Konrad held up the mask in his right hand. "Rise."

Obeying, the skeleton stood in front of everyone.

"Do you have your stopwatch ready, Dieter?" Konrad asked.

"Yes, Baron," the bodyguard replied as he held it up.

"When I give the signal, I want you to time its transformation."

"Understood, sir."

"Now," Konrad said slowly. "Transform!"

Spinal uselessly stood there, clacking his mandible.

"Transform!"

The skeleton remained still.

"Why isn't he following orders?" Konrad said aloud.

"Perhaps it needs fuel to do it?" One of the researchers suggested.

The aristocrat hesitated. He opened his mouth to protest, but as he did so, he stopped, realizing that he didn't have any choice.

"Fine," he said. "Crumple up a piece of paper and toss it at him."

"Shouldn't we try something heavier?" Another researcher queried.

"Believe me," Konrad said lowly, "it will be enough."

Watching as one of the researchers crumpled a sheet into a ball, he braced himself as the paper ball was thrown. When it impacted the shield, Konrad strained himself as Spinal absorbed the ball's kinetic energy, watching as a green skull appeared over its head.

People murmured at the sight.

"Stopwatch ready, Dieter?"

"Yes sir."

"Now," Konrad said through gritted teeth, focusing all of his will into the mask, "transform!"

There came a great flash, and suddenly the creature changed. It now looked exactly like Dieter, only paler.

Everyone stared, oohing and awing. Even Dieter was amazed, his mouth dropped to the floor.

"Incredible!"

Konrad looked over at the bodyguard. "Time?"

Shaking himself from his daze, Dieter checked the stop watch.

"Three seconds," he called.

"Three seconds?!" one of the researchers said incredulously. "Impossible!"

"That's what it says," Dieter replied.

"Stay focused," Konrad interrupted. "We need to see how long the transformation can last for."

A female researcher approached the duplicate, reaching out with her hand and touched its face and clothes.

"It looks and feels real," she said in amazement. "Real...yet different."

"What do you mean?" Konrad asked.

"The skin feels cold and clammy," the woman answered. "The clothing...I don't even know how to describe it."

The duplicate gave no reaction as her hand felt its features.

As she continued examining it, tracing her hand along its face, its cheek came off in her hand, causing her to shriek and retreat back as maggots poured from the ugly wound. The duplicate seized up and started to rot.

"Transform back!" Konrad demanded.

A green fiery haze consumed the duplicate, burning away its flesh. Spinal returned back to normal, standing there as if nothing had happened.

"For God's sakes, someone clean this up!" Konrad ordered, then watched as the various personnel stomped on maggots and gathered up the mess, putting them into plastic sample bags and spraying the floor with cleaning supplies.

Once they were finished, the aristocrat looked over to Dieter.

"Were you able to record how long it was able to maintain its form for?" he asked.

"Five minutes, forty seconds," the bodyguard answered.

"It's incredible, Herr Baron," one of the researchers said. "I've never seen anything like it!"

"None of us have," a colleague retorted.

"We need to conduct further tests on it!"

"I couldn't agree more," Konrad said. "How do we get its transformation to last longer?"

One of the scientists shrugged. "I imagine it would need to replenish its energy supply," he said hypothetically. "Perhaps by giving it more?"

Dieter cast a worried glance over at Konrad.

"Is that really a good idea, sir?" he asked. "You strain yourself just from it being-"

"I know, Dieter," Konrad replied. "Let us continue."

"Are you sure, Baron?"

He nodded, then held up the mask.

"Do it," Konrad said. "This time, try throwing two more paper balls at it."

As the researchers scrunched up more pieces of paper, Konrad turned his eyes over to Spinal, watching him carefully.

When the paper balls struck the shield, Spinal let out a fearsome roar as Konrad doubled over, groaning in pain.

"Baron!" Dieter cried.

"I'm fine," the aristocrat grunted as he steadied himself, trembling as he concentrated as more his will into the artifact. "I'm fine."

Spinal's form trembled as it tried rebelling, straining furiously. Konrad could practically feel its own will trying to resist and overcome his own.

"Transform!" He said through gritted teeth.

Spinal roared back angrily.

"I said transform!"

The skeleton disappeared in a flash. In its place, a copy of one of the researchers appeared.

"Jesus," Dieter said.

"It looks exactly like you, Karl!" One of the researchers said to a colleague.

Focusing his will through the artifact, Konrad decided to try something.

"I'm a little teapot, short and stout," the duplicate sang. "Here's my handle and here is my spout."

Jaws dropped as it started hopping around on one foot and danced.

"Baron, are you doing this?" Dieter chuckled.

"Ja," he answered, then gestured to the researchers. "Take some samples while it's still in this state."

He watched as everyone poked, prodded and swabbed the duplicate, drawing blood, taking skin and hair samples and putting them all into containers. Once they finished, they moved away just as Konrad glanced back to Dieter.

"Time?"

"Ten minutes," the bodyguard answered.

As he said that, one of the duplicate's ears fell off.

"Revert back."

Once it finished, one of the researchers quickly grabbed the ear and put into a container.

"Okay, we got the last sample."

Konrad stared at the skeleton.

"Let's see how far it can go."

* * *

As the day drew on, it became apparent that Spinal's shape-shifting abilities had no limits. Men, women, children, animals - whatever was imagined it could become instantly. Even some of the more outlandish forms that Konrad had in his head became physically manifested into corporeal form. But with this continued usage came a heavy toll; Konrad became mentally exhausted as he tried restraining the little bastard.

"I think that will be all for now," Konrad said as he held up the mask. "Return back to the table."

Scowling, Spinal stomped back and obeyed, lying back down as Dieter and the others tied it down. Once it was secured, Konrad's arm dropped.

"Are you okay, Baron?" Dieter asked.

"Ja," Konrad said with a slow nod. "Just a little tired."

Stumbling, he nearly collapsed forward. Dieter rushed over and placed his arm over his neck.

"Give me some help over here!" The bodyguard yelled.

Five researchers helped Dieter as they steadied the Baron. "Let's get you out of here, sir. You need to get some rest."

As Konrad was guided carefully to the ladder, he glanced over his shoulder back at Spinal's smiling visage.

* * *

"NEIN!" Konrad yelled as he shot up from the bed.

Glancing around with wild frightened eyes, he searched around him as he flicked on a lamp.

Once he was satisfied that nothing was in the room with him, Konrad rested his head against the headboard.

His latest dream was by far the worst he's ever had, not only because of its content but also because of how remarkably lucid it all was.

Shuddering, the Baron tried to shift his attention away from it.

He couldn't go back to sleep, not after that horrible experience. Getting up from the bed, Konrad looked around the room, searching through cupboard and shelves.

"Where did I put my laptop?" he muttered.

A few minutes later, Konrad found it in one of the drawers. Grabbing it, he took it to the bed and quietly plugged it in. Settling comfortably down with his back resting against a pillow and the headboard, Konrad clicked onto Google and went straight to YouTube. Typing into the search engine, he waited as the page loaded. Once the video by Harry Coswell appeared, Konrad clicked on it and played it again.

* * *

When morning came, Jurgen entered Konrad's room with a tray of breakfast.

"You're up early, Herr Baron," the butler commented.

"I've been up all night," Konrad replied, not looking up from his laptop.

"Another bad dream?" Jurgen asked.

Konrad nodded.

Jurgen sighed as he approached the Baron.

"Put the tray on the table beside me," the latter said.

Obeying, the butler gave him a curious glance.

"Reading something interesting?" he asked.

"I've been watching videos on YouTube and looking up information," Konrad replied.

"About what, Herr Baron?"

"Harry Coswell," he answered.

"Coswell?" Jurgen repeated. "Is that the one you described as a crackpot?"

"Indeed," Konrad answered.

"Why this sudden interest in Coswell?"

Lifting his eyes from the monitor to meet the butler's, Jurgen saw the tiredness in them, all veiny and drooping.

"I wanted to get in contact with him to see what else he knew," he said.

"Did he say anything?" Jurgen asked.

"I wasn't able to get hold of him, unfortunately," the Baron replied. "Apparently he had died shortly after making that YouTube video about Spinal months ago."

"Oh dear. How did it happen?"

"Police say he committed suicide," he answered. "I've been thinking about some of the stuff that he's been talking about. For instance, how Spinal was some sort of tether."

He had a troubled expression.

"What is it?" Jurgen asked concernedly.

"Have you ever wondered why on the day it appeared there was chanting and yet since then we haven't heard anything else?" Konrad asked.

The butler nodded.

"I have," he said. "Why? What are you thinking?"

Konrad shifted uncomfortably on the bed.

"I dreamt of him last night," he recalled. "It all started with me opening my eyes."

* * *

Konrad found himself on a checkered tiled floor that was suspended in the air, with thick clouds passing around him, the wind pressing against his form. 

Looking over the edge, he saw no bottom or ground, just an empty stretch of sky that extended into infinity. 

Raising his head to the sky itself, he saw no stars or moon, just clouds that moved far too quickly for his liking. 

The air thick and discolored with a yellowish haze like chalk or charcoal, he looked around on the floating platform, then stopped upon finding that he wasn't alone; ten silhouetted figures stood before him, watching. 

Opening his mouth, Konrad called to them, but for whatever reason he couldn't hear his own voice. 

Trying again, he started to yell. 

Nothing. 

No matter what he said, no matter how loud or how hard he tried, nothing came out. 

Frustrated, Konrad looked to see if the figures themselves had heard him, but nothing indicated that anything he said registered. Taking a couple steps forward, Konrad squinted his eyes through the thick yellow haze. He could just vaguely make out their outlines.

Three men and one woman.

Peering through the chalky haze, he tried making out the rest of their features, but it was difficult. Looking around to the rest, Konrad was startled at the sight of them.

RIPTOR was on the platform, uncaged and unchained, coiled up in serpentine fashion on the floor. Beside it stood Ferris, who stared directly at Konrad with hate-filled eyes as he continued to burn. Eagle was there, looking pale and dead, while Homo Glacies stoically watched him.

As the wind howled in this bizarrely desolate space, Konrad heard a familiar insane laugh behind him. Turning around, he saw Spinal standing close to the edge with cutlass and shield in hand, laughing to himself. 

As he continued to cackle, a sound joined with his, causing Konrad to tremble furiously. It sounded like a voice, an impossibly deep, heavy, powerful baritone that rumbled through Konrad's own person and sounded like it had belonged to something outlandishly gargantuan, echoing into the wind.

Following the direction from where the laugh came, Konrad and the others turned around and stared into the empty void ahead of them.

Rising up to a titanic height was an enormous tan-colored gargoyle, a thing that looked like a man born from a bat with a pair of enormous leathery wings on its back and tusks that jutted out from its lower lip. On its powerfully built humanoid torso was a concave head with a strong pronounced chin, a short nose, a pair of long pointed ears and a receding forehead, giving it a vaguely tiger-like countenance. Staring down at the figures beneath him with its horrible yellow lantern-like eyes, the creature pointed at them in mockery and laughed.

To its left, another horror appeared, a massive ogre-like being with a club and a horned, split head with a pulsating brain. Its stomach horribly distended and bloated with gas, its skin rotting with exposed bone, the second obscenity joined its compatriots in its laughter, its cyclopean heads laughing and gurgling in conjunction with the others.

Clasping his hands to his ears to block out the cacophonous noise, Konrad watched as another horror appeared to the gargoyle's right, a massive humanoid creature with rotting skin, a featureless spiked studded ball for a head with long simian-like arms, one of them wrapped in chains and carrying a giant meat hook in its left hand. Vertebrate-like pieces of rusted metal jutted out from its back and a great spiked ring was wrapped around its torso.

Turning around to face Spinal, a fourth creature appeared, a towering humanoid figure with a mouthless, tentacled octopus-like face, numerous eyes and a pair of long mastodon-like tusks. At the sight of this newest apparition, Konrad opened his mouth to scream, but as he did so, the sound died down in his throat as it drew closer. Reaching out with its enormous hand, Konrad watched as it leaned in toward him.

* * *

When he finished, Jurgen stared at the Baron.

"I can see why you stayed up all night," he said flatly. "That sounds absolutely terrifying."

"It was," Konrad nodded. "And it still is when I think about it."

"Obviously your studies of the skeleton had influenced your dreams-"

"It's more than that," Konrad interrupted, his features hard and grim. "Do you suppose, Jurgen...that...we were... meant to find Spinal?"

"What makes you say that, Herr Baron?"

He tapped his index finger on the monitor.

"I've been viewing some videos of the tournament," Konrad said. "Watching them, the one thing that struck me was how riled up the audiences were, how they all seemed to revel in it. That was when it occurred to me."

"What, Herr Baron?" Jurgen asked.

Konrad looked up at him. "Have you ever heard of Dionysus?"

The butler shook his head.

"Dionysus," Konrad began, "was the Greek god of the grape-harvest, wine and wine-making."

"A deity after your own heart," Jurgen interjected.

Konrad grunted in acknowledgement before continuing on, "He was also, among other things, the god of theater, religious ecstasy, ritual madness and epiphany. For the Greeks, theater wasn't just some luxury - it was a ritual in honor of the deity. Suppose, Jurgen, that the reason why Spinal came to the arena was to hijack the tournament itself in order to make it into some kind of ritual? A violent ritual made for violent gods from other worlds, designed to further tether our own to theirs, or perhaps to put events into motion that in turn would allow for these beings to eventually come into our world?"

The butler quietly digested this.

"But if that's true," Jurgen said slowly, "why hadn't there been any more chanting when you had Spinal fight Gupte's animal?"

"Because there wasn't any audience present to power up this engine," Konrad said.

"Does that mean you'll be cancelling the program?"

Konrad shook his head regretfully.

"I'm afraid we're well past that point, Jurgen," he replied. "The damage has been done. Not only has Spinal successfully activated...whatever this is, but thanks to the Internet and social media, this thing has become self-sustaining. Think about it, Jurgen - millions of people are watching the video and replaying it over and over again every day. They're practically powering it themselves!"

"So what are you going to do?" Jurgen asked fearfully.

"Isn't it obvious?" Konrad asked. "I'm going to beat them at their own game. I'm going to keep trying to destroy Spinal before its influence becomes even stronger. Somewhere out there must be something that can kill this goddamn thing. I'm not going to wait around for the day to arrive when those powers that he's apart of shows up on our doorstep. I will find a way to end this madness."