Chapter 11 – A mysterious dweller

- “Who are you, people?” a voice came from the entrance of the room.
Vince, Christina and Pete, all simultaneously jumped from their skin and turned around.
A mysterious guy stood in the doorway. He looked like he was badly injured as he was barely standing up. He wore really old clothes and had a band tied around his whole face, except for the eyes.
- “We’re sorry…” Vince began but got interrupted by that man:
- “Don’t be. I haven’t had visitors here in ages.”
- “Who are you?” Christina asked the man.
The man slowly began walking up to them. They walked up to him too. He then sat down on the floor and began talking:
- “My name is Robert Cran, and I am responsible for this mess. You see…”
- “Wait, you invented this machine?” Vincent asked.
- “Yes. That’s right.”
- “What went wrong?”
- “Ahh, let me explain everything. We were working on a machine that will boost the human intelligence. By tweaking the brainwaves slightly can help the human IQ rise. Of course it won’t make you know more; it would’ve only improved the way you used your knowledge. However it looks like we didn’t get the results we’ve desired.”
- “So why hasn’t it worked on you? Or are you lying right now?” Christina asked.
- “I don’t know why it hasn’t worked on me. It grasped my mind a bit in the beginning, but it left me quickly.”
- “So, you’re immune to it?” Vince asked.
- “Lying is not an infection. Maybe my brain is somehow adapted to it. Afterall, it’s a bit of a mess, since I’ve been a test subject for many neurological experiments when I first began my science career.”
- “You got that right.” Pete insulted.
- “Pete! Be quiet.” Christina snapped at him.
- “No it’s OK. I know I’m crazy. Maybe that’s why my research didn’t work out.” Robert said.
- “Hey now. The greatest minds are also the craziest.” Vince said to him.
- “Well, is there any way we can fix this now?” Christina asked.
- “Doubt it. It needs years of designing a device that can reverse the effect. And you definitely can’t do it without the equipment we have here.”
- “Can I ask a question?” Pete barged in again.
- “Sure.”
- “Were you even given permission to conduct your experiment? Because I didn’t hear anything about it.”
- “Yes we have been. But only if we conduct it on a minor scale. The thing is… the machine went berserk. We were only gonna test it on the people in a room, but the machine took effect on several miles-worth of area.”
- “Science projects.” Pete shook his head and then turned away to go keep looking for stuff.
- “So, would you help us fix this? I am determined to change things back.” Vince said.
- “Ah sure. You can have all the documents I’ve managed to save. As for me, I am not in a condition to do anything. I’m sorry.” Robert explained.
- “Thanks.”
Robert got up and went to the tiny 6th floor where he stayed most of the time and brought all of the sketches and other important documents concerning the device. Vince thanked him, and him together with Christina and Pete took off.
- “Strange guy.” Pete said.
- “You’ve been kinda mean to him.” Christina brought up.
- “Yeah well, it’s because idiots like him make me angry. Their little science projects ruin other people’s lives.”
- “I’m sorry.” Vince said.
- “You haven’t done anything.” Pete looked at him strangely.
- “Yeah, but I am one of those people with little science projects that go wrong.”
- “Well at least you’re someone who is willing to help us. I mean, you very well could’ve been working on a machine to get you out of here.” Pete admitted.
- “That is true, but I won’t leave, and I am saying the truth.”