Year: 2002

July 20th

"Cheers, everyone!" I heard someone shout lively above the rest.

The champagne bottle would open suddenly with a pop as the pressured cork flew clear across the room filled with faces. The kitchen table stood surrounded by a cluttered assortment of scientists, all shapes, and sizes. Right here in the Prime Exocore Research and Development team's break room the smartest minds in all the world pulled together and united under one roof. It was a beautiful thing to see.

Here stood a collective crew of the globe's most brilliant men and women. Ochigi Ryoji was the head director of the research and development team. While his colleague, Luke Stradus, was his second in command and right-hand man. Diane Ryoji, despite being the creator of Prime Exocore had been currently managing the Cloning Facilities and finally, Anthony Zells, ex-US Marine, was the chief officer of the Prime Exocore security corps.

And me? Where do I fit into the grand puzzle that is the Prime Exocore staff? Well... I'm the custodian. My name's Jon.

"Jon, can you make sure you give a nice mopping in here? Some of the others have been complaining about the mud being tracked into the building. Understandable, with all the rain we've been getting around here lately." Diane's voice instructed me. She was beautiful, with long bright brown hair, and a slender chin and a curvy figure. She was way out of her husband's league i can tell you that. She had bright green eyes, pretty pale skin,  and a smile that could part the red sea. 

I nodded, giving her the biggest smile I could muster. I didn't mind her telling me to do stuff like that. I mean, it was my job after all.

"Don't badger the guy about doing shit like that." Luke's large palm swatted at my back as he offered me a friendly pat. His heavy cologne always made my stomach turn. For some reason, it seemed like he always put too much on.

“He’ll get to it. Surely he doesn't need you to remind him." Luke said as he sparked a lighter and held it to the blunt end of his cigar. The smoke quickly created a fogged film around the room. That didn't take long. My eyes trailed haphazardly over to the No-Smoking sign stuck clear as day on the wall. Seems fitting that Luke would ignore that kind of thing, made sense he was that type of guy. A big buff dude with perfect blonde hair and perfect teeth. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, the entitled type.

“You guys, leave Jon alone. He has enough on his plate and so do we. We just made the biggest medical mark in history! The plague that's struck China has left the country completely crippled. As mysterious as the epidemic was, we've worked hard to come up with a proper cure for the illness." Ochigi stated.

His long and slender form pretty much spoke for itself. If there was a definition for dork in the dictionary, it'd probably be a picture of Ochigi. Ochigi was a huge nerd. He sported his starch white lab coat, as usual, his coffee brown hair was slicked back, and the stubble that prickled on his chin seemed itchier than it actually appeared to be. A pair of glasses sat dutifully edged on the bridge of his nose. Handsome fellow though.

"Cure? A flimsy word for it." Luke declared matter-of-factly.

Diane took immediate notice of Luke's disposition. His response would show a great level of disdain that seemed to burn across his countenance.

"We've already tested it on fifteen people, Luke. It works. It is a cure." Diane would wrap her arms around Ochigi's waist after telling Luke off. Her lips pressed themselves against's Ochigi's in a reassuring gesture.

"Always coming to his rescue." Luke spat. Jealousy became clear and evident as it scorched itself a green flame within the pooling brown of his chestnut glare.

I guess it would be best for me to give you the run-down of what happened between those three. Before the switch in the occupational hierarchy, Ochigi had been Luke's second four years prior. Around this same time, Diane was dealing with the unfortunate struggles of getting the Prime Exocore cloning facilities off the ground. Luke had been doing his best to assist her for quite some time by openly running the company so she could focus on her work. However, he just didn't have the correct know-how to get the ball rolling.

It wasn't until Ochigi came along that things began to take a turn for the better. Within a month's time, Ochigi had done more to aid Diane than Luke could have ever dreamed too. Together, Diane and Ochigi were able to strike a monumental breakthrough, and the first human clone brought into existence. From her own DNA, Diane had made it possible. It was a huge hit! The UN was all over it. They made offers no one in their right mind would have turned down and bribes you wouldn't believe. They did anything they could do to get their filthy hands on that formula. But no, Diane had better plans for it. The bright young woman refused to let something so precious sink lowly into the bloodthirsty bellies of greedy countries hungry for power and war. She knew that if it fell into the wrong hands, it was over. She never folded, even when they offered her more money than you could think humanly possible. Nope, she didn’t take it at all. It was thanks to Ochigi for his brilliance and encouragement. It was thanks to Diane for her strong will and determination. It was because of her that Prime Exocore finally got the proper funds it needed to start off on the right foot and become something much more.

Anyways, Ochigi and Diane grew really close within that small window of time and well? They fell in love, gotten married even. Luke didn't too much like that. In fact, he was downright furious about losing a catch like Diane to Ochigi. I don't think he's ever really gotten over the loss. He makes sure to make slick remarks at every chance he could slide one in. I guess it doesn't help that two years ago Ochigi also bested him by formulating the elusive cure for the common cold. And not long after, Ochigi was promoted to Head Director of Prime Exocore. Leaving Luke fuming as he stood motionlessly, forever stuck in second place. Stuck second to Ochigi--Again.

A few hours passed after their little celebration and this is when my story takes an unexpected turn for the worst. Though, it wasn't like I had much of a story, to begin with. My father raised me in New York by himself while he ran his own small traveling custodian service for a bunch of bigwig companies around the city. It was a laborious gig, but it paid decent enough. It was his bread and butter.

When Diane began forming PEC (Prime Exocore) She hired my father's company to come clean up the facility. At first, she couldn't even pay us. So we cleaned for free, my dad had a pretty big soft spot for her. Always told me that she reminded him of my late sister. However as expected, the pay rate had been far greater than what custodians typically made once PEC took off with the cloning thing. Sadly dear old dad would pass before he had the chance to really work here. God rest his soul. Despite everything over the past four years, I can say that I've had a pretty good life. The PEC base is on what they call an Artificial Island made of some type of... hm. Well, I honestly couldn't tell you. I mean, I'm no scientist. It's made out of some kind of artificial land mass that you can grow within a month's time or something like that. I've heard you can grow the stuff to resemble the size of a small state, honestly.

Now, were stationed somewhere outside of the west coast of America. We are pretty far out at sea. I'd say we were probably closer to Japan at this point. Considering how many Japanese workers we've accumulated here.

☯ ☯

Ochigi approached me that day, I didn't think much of it. But when I heard him say...

"Hey, Jon. Got a minute?"

I should have turned him away. I should have told him to fuck off! But no, I was an idiot. A fool. So. Damn. Stupid.

"Oh, Mr. Ryoji. What can I do for you? Did I forget to take your trash bin from out the office again?"

Ochigi's hearty laughter erupted from the pit of his chest.

"No, not at all. It's not about that. I, um, actually, I have a request."

I looked him square in the darkness of his eyes. I could tell that what he was asking me was not an easy thing to do.

"Sure, fire away. What's up?" I questioned.

Ochigi paced before taking a seat and pulling his chair up. His hands folded together before speaking.

"I'm sure you've heard that my wife and I are planning an expedition to Antarctica," I nodded. "Well, we need another guy to come with us and my wife says that you are one of the most trustworthy guys that we have. So, I was wondering... if you'd be interested in coming with us."

I responded swiftly. "Wait, sir. I don't have any training. I'm just a custodian. I can't possibly be of much help to you out in the field."

Ochigi smirked and responded to me with more confidence than he probably should have had. "And you think I'm military trained? It's easy really. My wife and I do these types of things all the time."

I put my mop down, crossing my arms as I stared at him. A lump in my throat bulged up and down as the thought circled through my head a million times a minute.

“What about Mr. Stradus, sir.“ I retorted. “Doesn’t he usually accompany you on these types of things?“

Ochigi sighed. “ Well, yeah. But, he’s been, well, he’s had a lot on his mind lately.” Ochigi said. “Look we can pay you, good money too.”

“I already make good money, Mr. Ryoji. “ I stated, my tone now standoff-ish.

“It’s just one job, Jon. I promise. What could go wrong?“ Ochigi said, crossing his arms.

He seemed so sure of himself. So, knowing. So intelligent, proud, and courageous. But he was a damned fool. And so was I.

“Alright… “ I spoke in a false confidence as my voice carefully collapsed in on itself. “I suppose if it’s alright with you and the Misses.“

“Oh, she’s ecstatic!” Ochigi exclaimed back to me in excitement. “I’ll go let her know right now.“

“Wait, sir. When are we going to leave!?“ I shouted back at him.

But it was too late. Ochigi had been rushing down the hall, only halting his stride, slightly, to turn around and say. “First thing in the morning! Make sure you pack something to keep you warm!“

I watched as he ran down the stairs, rushing towards the brightly lit hallways of the PEC facility. The heavy double doors swung back and forth and the sound that it made as it did was so much louder than it would have been any other time. Probably because the corridor had been totally consumed by silence. Funny how we don’t appreciate the small things, like silence. It’d be the last time I’d get to experience it.