11. Chapter 11
Chapter eleven
Alex
It had been two weeks since Alex had come to PGC, and he dreaded meeting with Dr. Bruno after their recent reintroduction. In the exam room, he sat in his underwear and a flimsy medical gown. Bruno was not the gentleman Alex remembered and owed a debt of gratitude to. He aimed to get through his medical assessment as soon as possible and get out of Dodge without starting an argument.
Dr. Donalds entered the room and introduced herself. “Good morning, Dr. Lieth. I’m Dr. Donalds, and I’m here to take your vitals.”
“Good morning, doctor. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Alex guessed she was around thirty, and this was probably her first or second job directly out of medical school. He could tell she was nervous as she hesitated in taking his blood pressure and temperature. Was this just her demeanor, or was it the fact she was touching a “god” that gave her pause? Alex decided he didn’t care because she had kind eyes, and they made him feel comfortable.
“So, tell me, doctor, is the patient going to live?”
Dr. Donalds laughed. “You’re as fit as a fiddle, darlin’,” she said in a Southern twang.
“You have a charming accent and a gentle touch. The gentlemen of Boston better be prepared.”
“The gents of this city will have to go without––but my wife will think that’s a real knee-slapper.”
“Excellent, another member of the rainbow community. We need more these days. Maybe we should do a recruitment drive and plan an enormous event for Pride month?”
“If the creek doesn’t rise, Charlotte and I will be there with bells on!” said Dr. Donalds as she winked at Alex.
“Excuse me for interrupting your party planning, Dr. Donalds, but I need time alone with the patient,” said Dr. Bruno curtly as he stepped into the exam room.
“Yes, Dr. Bruno. Pardon me for my manners today.”
“Is that only limited to today?” said Dr. Bruno.
“No, sir. My apologies.” With that, Dr. Donalds scampered out of the room like a frightened child.
What an asshole.
“We were just making small talk,” said Alex.
“She doesn’t get paid for small talk, Mr. Lieth.”
Maybe she got paid for having a kind bedside manner.
“Good day, Mr. Bruno.” Alex knew not referring to him by the proper title would get under Bruno’s skin, and he enjoyed the free entertainment.
“You’ll refer to me as Dr. Bruno.”
“Well isn’t that a coincidence, Dr. Bruno? You can call me Dr. Lieth.”
“Oh yes. Doctorates in twentieth-century literature and anthropology. They’ll be useful in saving the world.”
They might not save the world, but at least Alex had learned manners in boarding school. He had been correct in his reassessment of Dr. Bruno during the board meeting. There was barely enough room in the room for Dr. Bruno’s ego. If Alex was going to get out of the examination without a significant argument, he knew he’d have to stop needling Bruno and take a more deferential tone. What in the world had so changed the kind man he used to look forward to seeing?
“You never know, good doctor––the world can be saved by many disciplines. I can see from your diplomas on the wall you achieved your medical degree from Ruprecht Karl’s university in Heidelberg. I spent a year in a boarding school near there.”
“I know, Dr. Lieth. I’ve been following your biological and medical assessments since before you were born. I know more about your health than you know about yourself.”
“I see. So, you were on the science team responsible for my creation?”
“Yes. There were several hundred failed attempts before you. You were specimen number 1021.”
Ditta indicated as much on his birthday. In a way, this saddened Alex. From what she told him, she took each setback hard. From the pictures on the wall, Alex deduced Bruno had worked with Ditta for decades––nearly fifty years, if Alex recalled correctly.
“Ditta was extraordinary,” said Bruno. “I miss her both personally and professionally.”
The momentary vulnerability from Dr. Bruno struck Alex. Maybe under the cold, pragmatic German exterior, he did have a heart. Could it be Ebenezer Scrooge was human after all? Alex was not surprised when Dr. Bruno quickly put his defenses back up and continued his monologue.
Bruno stated he had agreed with Ditta on many things over the years, but he didn’t agree that Alex was ready to assume her place in the universe. He vehemently opposed handing over the reins of existence to an “infant” in terms of life experiences, and with no prior preparation. Alex conceded that he agreed with Bruno and was ill-prepared to be thrust into godhood. He didn’t want the responsibility and felt at sea without a life preserver.
What concerned Bruno most was that while the board knew Ditta’s powers and influence, Alex was an unknown anomaly or––to put it less kindly––a freak of nature. Alex had no qualms about being viewed as such. He understood what concerned Bruno was that neither he, nor Alex himself, fully understood the limits of his abilities. Alex felt Bruno looking at him like Dr. Frankenstein viewed his creation: with beauty and disgust. Bruno quickly corrected Alex that he regarded him with a mixture of fascination and caution.
Bruno went on to explain that the wild card in Alex’s creation was ichor. Scientifically, the team worked blind and stumbled through the dark with the supernatural elements of his origins. Ditta had become paranoid over the millennia and kept the scientific team entirely in the dark about the influence or properties of ichor. She never let the team test the substance, and kept all samples tightly hidden. Bruno explained Ditta was concerned about the potential damage to humanity if ichor fell into the wrong hands. Bruno had no clue about ichor’s origins, the substance’s abilities, or the long-term consequences of exposure.
Alex now completely understood why Bruno viewed him with such trepidation, and thanked him for being honest. He agreed that he had no idea what he could do, and it deeply scared him.
“I’m told you’ve had two events of late,” said Dr. Bruno.
Alex nodded yes. “Sunday after Ditta’s passing, and two weeks ago at the university.”
“Were there any triggers?”
“I’m not sure if they’re triggers, but a severe headache was involved in each incident.”
“And after the headache?” said Bruno.
“A buildup of energy in my body and a release of an intense wave of energy.”
Dr. Bruno stepped back and tilted his head. “You omitted blowing up a tavern…”
“That was only some glasses and mirrors, nothing like the other events. There was no wave of energy. Besides, the décor needed updating.”
Bruno didn't respond to Alex’s attempt at humor.
“Intriguing,” said Dr. Bruno, “the first time took down the power grid on the Eastern Seaboard and the second only half of Boston. I guess that’s progress.”
Alex smirked at Dr. Bruno’s attempt at levity.
“Hoko will work with you on controlling your abilities, but it sounds like the last two events involved telepathy in hearing the thoughts of others, plus the telekinesis you demonstrated in the bar. The largest episode was probably an aftershock from your ascension.”
Alex sat silently, trying to process Dr. Bruno’s information.
Dr. Bruno placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder; it startled him to see an act of compassion that reminded him of the man he once knew. He took the opportunity to give Dr. Bruno his long-overdue thanks.
“I don’t know if you remember, good doctor, but the last time we saw each other at boarding school in Europe, you saved me from a terrible situation––and I never had the opportunity to thank you.”
Dr. Bruno looked confused. “Your memory is much better than mine. What did I allegedly do?”
“After the Jesuit boarding school discovered I was gay, they forced me into daily conversion therapy for months. It only stopped after I told you about it on your last visit. It was one of the worst experiences in my life, and I sincerely thank you for your help in escaping the situation.”
“What makes you think I helped in any way?” asked Bruno.
“Because the day after your visit for my annual physical, Ditta moved me to another boarding school in the States. I owe you, and I won’t forget it,” said Alex.
Dr. Bruno appeared stunned by Alex’s statement, as he stepped back and furrowed his brow.
“I think it’s best to leave the painful memories in the past. Let’s focus on the present.”
Alex nodded in agreement as Dr. Bruno quickly moved on to his next task––establishing some baseline measures of Alex’s functioning. Dr. Bruno pulled a small black box from his lab coat pocket and quietly held it close to Alex’s body. He slowly moved the device along every body part, before making notes. He explained after Alex had asked that the device was an EMF detector which identified the strength of electromagnetic fields. Bruno was only slightly concerned Alex was emitting an unusually high-level EMF field––it wasn’t dangerous to Alex, or other humans, but posed a risk to electronics around him. Bruno stressed that Alex would need to have repeated monitoring upon every visit. He advised Alex to keep wearing his biometric watch so he could analyze the real-time data and revise Alex’s baseline level of biological functioning as needed.
Bruno then asked Alex to hold out his right arm. He pulled a needle from his lab coat and removed the protective cap. Alex was hesitant, but complied. Bruno explained that Ditta could not have standard medical tests in her human form due to her impenetrable skin. In the next test, he prepared Alex to attempt to give him a shot of saline, to see if he had the same physical limits. Dr. Bruno held Alex’s right arm as he tried administering the shot. He pushed harder and harder until the needle broke. Bruno pulled out a second needle and obtained the same results.
“Your skin may also be impervious to damage,” said Bruno as he pulled a metal tray with several instruments sealed in hygienic plastic coverings to his side. He peeled the cover back to reveal a surgical scalpel.
“OK, Dr. Bruno, what do you intend to do with that?” asked Alex.
Bruno stated he would attempt to make a small mark on Alex’s arm after swabbing it with alcohol, small enough to draw a few drops of blood.
“Hold up, Bruno. Needles are one thing, but incisions…”
“For god’s sake, man up,” said Bruno. He explained that throughout Alex’s life, he was given increasing doses of ichor. Alex’s last dose was the maximum available, so any injuries should be moot. Bruno offered for Alex to hold the instrument and make the nick if it would make him feel better. Alex shook his head and looked away from his arm.
Bruno opened an alcohol pad and carefully cleaned the area of Alex’s forearm where he intended to mark his mark. He offered to either give Alex a countdown so that he could close his eyes, or use the surprise method. Alex said, “Just do it.”
His dread was interrupted by the sound of metal clinking on the floor. Bruno placed his hand on Alex’s shoulder once more and told him he could open his eyes, since the scalpel had broken. Bruno appeared satisfied that the experiment showed Alex’s skin was functionally impenetrable.
“Color me confused,” said Alex.
Bruno cautioned that invulnerability complicates things. If Alex were to sustain severe trauma causing internal injuries, there would be no way to treat him. Also, as a result, there was no way of determining whether his muscles, tissues, and bones could be damaged. Alex conceded that would be a problem and wondered if other diagnostic tests would be helpful. Bruno stated MRIs and CTs would not be safe with the EMP field Alex was emitting, and could damage the diagnostic equipment or else cause an explosion due to massive feedback. Even with his non-scientific doctorates, Alex grasped explosions would be a lousy outcome. Bruno cautioned him not to walk away with the perception that he could not be injured––exposure to massive levels of lethal radiation was probably the most significant risk to his safety.
“The only objective measure of your internal biological functions will be to gather saliva, urine, and fecal samples.”
“OK, Dr. Bruno. This conversation just got awkward.”
“Awkward or not, Dr. Lieth, I’ll need saliva and urine samples before you leave today, and a fecal sample on your next visit.”
“It’s a date!”
“Is everything a joke to you?” said Bruno, shaking his head.
“I think I’ve earned a little humor with everything that’s happened to me over the past two weeks. On a serious note, though, I do have a few questions. You mentioned genetics and cloning earlier. Were there other male test subjects?”
“No. You were the only male offspring.”
“How did that happen?” asked Alex.
“Ditta, for decades, insisted only a female vessel could control and wield the Eros force. But after so many failed attempts, she became desperate. Most test subjects didn’t survive through the gestational phase, and only a handful survived infancy.”
“Not that I don’t mind being special, but I’m not sure how I can be male if I’m a clone of Ditta. Where did the Y-chromosome come from?”
“The genetic material for your X-chromosome and Y-chromosome was extracted from a hair sample Ditta provided.”
“So, I’m not an exact clone of Ditta?”
“Not exactly––you’re slightly different, but still the same,” said Bruno.
“Do you care to make an educated guess?” said Alex.
“I’m a scientist, I don’t guess. Some things are just unknown.”
“So, what in someone’s DNA makes them a god?”
“That would be the ‘god’ gene. Only you and Ditta have it. Two of them, to be exact.”
Alex raised one eyebrow. “Interesting. What does this god gene do?”
“Everything that makes you divine. Never seen it before, will probably never see it again,” said Bruno.
“Speaking of miracles of science,” said Alex, “it has come to my attention that an inoculation exists, making the board immune to Ditta’s––or my––assumed abilities. Is this the case?”
Bruno took off his glasses and crossed his arms. “Yes, every board member and employee working at PGC receives inoculations. Ditta insisted on this provision to ensure the staff couldn’t be manipulated by her or by outside cosmic forces seeking to harm her or the rest of the board. She’d become paranoid over the decades we worked together. But tell me, how did you come to learn about the inoculations?”
“I have my sources. Thank you for your time today, Dr. Bruno. I look forward to working with you.”
Dr. Bruno nodded and left the room abruptly. After supplying saliva and urine samples, Alex left the medical wing and met Galen waiting in the lobby.
“Can I ask you a question, Galen?”
“Suppose, mate.”
“How long have you known Dr. Bruno?”
“Since starting PGC. Don’t know him personally. Been to weekly meetings where he’s present. Why ya ask?”
“I don’t like the way he treats people, and especially how he treats his staff.”
“We have a sayin’ in New Zealand that applies to him. He’s ‘spitting the dummy.’”
“What does that mean?”
“Always having a tantrum or hissy fit.”
Alex laughed so hard he snorted.
“Ya right, mate?”
“Yes I am, Galen. I must admit your saying perfectly surmises how he acts towards others.”
“Security staff avoid him at all costs. His security designation is ‘the Muppet.’”
“Oh, now I’m dying to know the meaning of that.”
“An incompetent idiot.”
“Thank you for explaining. I was thinking more about Jim Henson. What’s my security designation, if I dare ask?”
“Not sure I should say, mate.”
“It’s insulting to leave your boss hanging, Galen.” Alex could see from the look on Galen’s flushed cheeks that he was embarrassed.
“If ya must know, yur codename is ‘the Unicorn.’”
Alex laughed. “A magical, mythical stallion. It could be worse, and I’ve certainly been called worse names. How does one get assigned a codename? Is there an office pool, or can the subject select their codename?”
Galen didn’t respond.
“I take your silence as yes on the office pool.”
“Yu’re the boss, mate. Ya can pick any codename if ya like. Limo is prepared and ready to go.”
“OK, let’s go. The Unicorn has left the building!”
“Already regretting sharing that,” Galen said, shaking his head in disapproval.