MARLOW #3
Despite my family's reservations and my dad's constant insistence that I was a perfectly healthy alpha who shouldn't complain about anything, I eventually ended up here anyway.
"So?" Dr. Lee asks. "Are you willing to accept this match with Rupert?"
I shrug. "Yeah. I am."
Dr. Lee stretches his lips into that file-folder smile of his and gestures toward the examination table.
"Excellent. In that case, let's do an examination and see what condition your uterus is in. We already have your bloodwork and hormone panels since you submitted those earlier, but I'd prefer to do the ultrasound now."
"Sure."
Without commenting, I lie back on the exam table and unbutton my jeans enough to give him access to my lower abdomen.
Dr. Lee takes a seat beside me and presses the cold ultrasound probe against my stomach.
For a while he studies the screen in silence, making notes, taking measurements, clicking through images. A vertical crease gradually forms between his brows.
The silence drags on as he keeps staring at the monitor.
I already know what he's looking at. I'm a veterinarian, but I've scanned myself plenty of times, so I just wait for him to say it.
"Did you know your uterus has a rather unusual shape?"
"Yeah."
There's not much else to say.
"I see. It's still within what I'd call an expanded range of normal, but it's definitely not something I encounter very often."
I'm aware that my uterus looks more like a cat's uterus than a human one. Cats have bicornuate uteruses.
Everybody in ABO society is born with a uterus, but only omegas experience its development during puberty. Betas and alphas are left with a small vestigial uterus. Mine is also tiny, but the shape… that’s another story.
Dr. Lee writes something down but doesn't comment further on the shape.
"Our facility uses several innovative fertility activation methods. You'll be undergoing hormone-based inhalant therapy. You'll also receive hormone patches and tablets containing the appropriate blockers."
He glances at a chart before continuing.
"You'll be receiving specialized injections as well. Their purpose is to stimulate your endocrine system and encourage omega-typical hormonal activity."
He slides a small paper bag full of pills across the table toward me.
I take the bag, almost opening my mouth to ask what it is, but I notice the information packet attached to it and decide to study it later.
"Great. Okay… so when do I meet Rupert?"
"He'll be arriving in two days, which gives you some time to get settled and familiarize yourself with the facility."
Dr. Lee sets the ultrasound probe aside and stands. I sit up and fasten my jeans.
"So, ready for a grand tour?"
I grab my unfortunate collection of suitcases and follow him out of the office.
◆◆◆
As we walk, the doctor makes a few small, offhand comments about the living conditions within the facility.
It turns out that the vast majority of the staff are housed in the rear section of the building.
Only a handful of people commute, mostly the security guards and kitchen staff.
Aside from that, life inside the facility is fairly isolated from the outside world, and those who choose to work here are generally making a long-term commitment.
Loaded down with luggage, I eventually reach the elevator.
If I thought we were heading to the upper floors, I was very wrong.
The elevator starts descending.
"Level minus two?"
"That's right. The residential sector AA where the vectors and varias live is located down there."
"Why is that?" I ask, feeling slightly uneasy.
"Because we carefully control the air our participants are exposed to.
If they lived above ground, their exposure to a hormone-based inhalant would be significantly reduced.
Down here we can adjust the atmosphere throughout the day and deliver different compound blends at specific times.
Everything is designed to stimulate the endocrine systems of the varias. "
I frown.
"Doesn't that affect the… what do you call them? Vectors?"
Dr. Lee smiles broadly.
"Vectors receive medications that suppress their response to the compound along with standard blockers."
The elevator stops, but instead of stepping out, I turn toward the doctor.
"I don't get it. If this is supposed to be a hormonal awakening, why are you using blockers?"
Dr. Lee lets out a small sigh.
"Because we don't need additional hormones coming from your bodies as alphas. They're not useful to us in this environment."
"That explanation makes me even more confused."
A mysterious smile appears on his face.
"The substances that are stimulating you will come from Mr. Fenn Drax, the individual who serves as the foundation of our research program. His hormones and pheromones are very unusual and exceptionally potent. The natural hormones of both vectors and varias would only interfere with the process."
I stare at him for a moment.
The elevator starts beeping as the doors try to close, but Dr. Lee catches them with one hand, and they slide open again.
"You probably know what would happen if a large group of alphas were placed together in a confined space with their natural hormones fully active. You'd see competition, aggression, territorial behavior. Your bodies are generally wired to challenge one another, not engage in reproduction."
I blink. "Oh. Right."
Now I feel kind of stupid for not thinking of that sooner.
Too many alphas in one place, and they start trying to prove who’s on top. Their testosterone would rise, and here they don’t need it. Here they are saturating them with mutant hormones…
A sudden surge of hope hits me.
Maybe this actually makes sense?
Dr. Lee apparently has no interest in spending any more time standing around in the elevator with me, because the second the doors open wider, he steps out and starts making little hurry-up gestures.
We find ourselves in a long, wide, brightly lit corridor.
A giant SECTOR AA sign looms on the wall directly ahead.
Several pairs of alphas are walking through the hall. Quite a few of them glance my way with open curiosity.
Dr. Lee, however, seems to spot someone else.
"Oh, Caspian, there you are. I've been looking for you."
A short beta with curly brown hair and large light-brown eyes heads toward us.
"Dr. Lee, always a pleasure to see you!"
He smiles genuinely before giving me a small wave.
"This is Marlow Nolan, our newest participant," Dr. Lee says. "I'm taking him to his room, and I could use your help."
I notice several pairs turning to look at the three of us. Maybe they're listening in, their gaze full of interest.
The corridor widens into something that almost resembles a promenade. There are benches along the walls, and clusters of plants have been placed everywhere, probably to make people forget we're living underground and to create some illusion of a natural environment.
"Nice to meet you!" the beta says brightly. "I'm one of the activity coordinators. Basically, we keep you guys entertained, because life in a facility like this can get boring as hell."
He pulls a face that I think is supposed to be funny and follows it up with a wink.
I answer with my polite-fake smile.
"Uh… hey."
"I'd be happy to show you around. Since we’re here anyway…" Caspian points down the promenade. "At the far end you'll find the main cafeteria—"
"Let's allow Marlow to put his suitcases down first, and then you can give him the tour."
Dr. Lee cuts in, his lips tightening slightly.
"Oh, right. Sure, sure. I'll walk with you guys. Hey, do you want me to take one of those suitcases? You're carrying half your life over there."
"Thanks, but I'm good," I say automatically, because I'm still regarded as an alpha. People expect us to be the strong ones, and I’ve spent enough years playing the role to understand what’s imposed on me, even if something inside me felt off, I kept going along with it just for the sake of peace, so they wouldn’t look at me like some weirdo who buys colorful nesting pillows just to cheer himself up.
In fact, I have twenty small pillows packed tightly in those suitcases…
"Let's keep moving," Dr. Lee says, sounding like there are about a hundred places he'd rather be right now than escorting me around the facility. It’s obvious he stays with us only out of politeness.
We head deeper into the residential section, passing groups of men along the way. Every single one of them stares at me. With only fifty participants in the entire program, I guess any newcomer is automatically a major event.
"Oh, hey Juan!" Caspian cheerfully waves at one person and then another. "Hey, Pedro!" he calls out, along with greetings to several others as we pass. Everyone responds with friendly smiles. Apparently, he’s well liked around here.
Eventually we reach a branching section of corridors and turn into a long hallway lined with pairs of doors.
As we walk, I notice more hallways splitting off in different directions. They twist left and right like some giant maze stretching beneath the facility.
Above us, the ventilation system hums quietly. Large ducts and heavy vents are built directly into the walls.
That's probably how they pump all those hormones and pheromones through the place.
Dr. Lee stops at a door marked 26 and unlocks it.
I step inside, with Caspian following right behind us, and immediately feel relieved.
It's not just a room. It's basically an apartment.
You walk into a living area first, then there's a bedroom, a bathroom, and a small kitchenette.
Everything is clean, modern, and tastefully furnished, though a little minimalist. There are no actual windows, which makes sense considering we're underground, but large glass panels cover entire sections of the walls.
Behind them, someone has installed LED displays that mimic daylight well enough to create the illusion of windows.
"This feels a little claustrophobic," I admit. "Living underground and all. Are we actually allowed to leave the facility?"