Griffin and Karen remained a bit frazzled from their experiment gone wrong in their lab a few weeks back, still suffering from lingering side effects after testing their newly made compound on themselves. They went from a night of intense pleasure and euphoric enthusiasm to one of disappointment after realizing what they had actually made.

They had been working together for years, but their experiments always seem to end in disaster. They had a knack for failure, and over their last failed experiments, have begun to add an extra element of shock and awe to their scientific catastrophes.

One such shocking by-product was them unintentionally making headlines after being caught disposing of the vials from their failed experiment down a well that they thought was abandoned and isolated outside of town.

As it turns out, the well was one of the two freshwater sources supplying a small town nearby. The two were luckily spotted by someone passing by who got very suspicious and notified plant staff and police. The caller reported seeing a woman dressed in a lab coat, heels, and a face shield; and an even weirder man wearing a jacket with a bra underneath and a water gun tucked in it like a holster, both dumping something from a box down the well.

According to reports, minutes after receiving the call the plant foreman issued an immediate shutdown and coordinated with the police to retrieve what they thought were all the vials, and got a better description of the culprits to issue an order for an arrest. The couple did not make it too hard for the police to track them down as they were heard in nearby bushes giving into nature and to their side effects.

The couple was swiftly arrested and slapped with multiple charges which included incorrect disposal of hazardous waste, indecent exposure in a public setting, and trying to bribe an officer of the law. The last was another miscalculation by the two after they told the officers they could watch if they promised not to arrest them, and maybe even join in if they played their cards right.

After a brief interrogation in which the couple spilled their guts like a rice truck with a hole in the bottom, they were thrown in jail for a week but later released due to “insufficient evidence”.

The couple was released and charges dropped after they were found innocent due to the fact they did not dispose of the vials in the well with the intention to cause harm, and also because the check paid to the chief of police by Karen’s dad in the amount of $100,000 had cleared. And so justice was served.

What now?

Their reputation had been through the grinder and they were left wondering what to do and where to go next. They did not have it in them to face their colleagues at the Bogato university after their names were plastered across El Espectador with the headline “Shocking Scene of Immoral Immortality: Scientists Discovered Illegally Dumping Vials and Caught in the Act of Intimacy Just Moments Later!”

Karen: “Oh my goodness Griffin, what have we done? We’re never gonna be able to face any of our colleagues at the University ever again, not after what happened! I can’t believe they caught us in the bushes like that. What were we thinking?”

Griffin: Lifting his head up from his bowl of frosted flakes responded “Well, at the time I was thinking that I don’t see nothing wrong, with a little bump and grinding.” He said, with a cheeky look on his face

Karen: (stares at Griffin with a look of assault and battery in her eyes)

Griffin: “Ok, got it. Too soon for jokes, I’ll try again in an hour. Let’s figure this thing out.”

“Look, It was all a misunderstanding. We just wanted to dispose of the vials from our experiment and thought nobody would ever find out about it. How were we to know that Well was still in use, they should have a sign or something.”

Karen: “There was one. I saw it when the cops walked us back to the well in Cuffs. A little sign to the back of the well”

Griffin: “Well, they should talk to their sign guy. This is clearly a case of improper signage.

Karen: “Yeah, that’s for sure! But now our names are all over the newspapers and people are talking about us. Our reputation here is ruined”

Griffin: “Yes, our rep has definitely taken a hit on this one. But even Isaac Newton and Galileo after their embarrassing arrests and failed experiments both ended up becoming respected scientists in their field. We will do the same”

No sooner after Griffin said this, Karen yelped

Karen: “HOLY SHIT!”

Griffin: “What?” He said curiously to Karen.

Karen: “HOLY SHIT! HO LEE SHIT!” She kept shouting with a look of disbelief on her face reading a letter she just opened.

Griffin: “What is it Karen?”

Karen: “HO…” Griffin snatches the letter from her mid holy shit.

Griffin: “For fucks sake, give me that”

Starts reading the letter and was struck with the same verbal affliction that got Karen.

“HOLY SHIT!”

Karen: “I told you!”

Griffin: “This is incredible Karen! Suspiciously perfect timing, but incredible.

Karen: “See, I knew my meditative prayer to God Enki would work”

Griffin: (Looking over the letter, while obviously ignoring what she just said)

Karen: “So we’re taking the offer, right Griffin?”

Griffin: “I mean, we should at least try. It’s a little outside of the expertise. But based on what this letter says, we would just be picking up where another team left off and completing the experiment. It is on genetic engineering, which is right up our alley.”

Let’s go for it…

They were both stunned at this unexpected but welcomd surprise. A mysterious billionaire benefactor, Jim Hung-lo, had sent them an invitation to his private island to lead a team conducting an experimental treatment on his beloved pet tiger Tony, who was showing signs of aging and rapid deterioration.

Karen looked at Griffin with an expression that could only be described as excitement mixed with trepidation; this experiment was high risk; if something went wrong there would be serious consequences. But if successful it could allow them access to resources they’d never dreamed possible. With that thought in mind they began their preparations for the experimental treatment on Tony the tiger.

Griffin and Karen stepped off the private jet trying their best not to be overcome by nerves. Only 48 hours ago their world was folding in on itself, and now they were on a private island about to conduct a once in a lifetime experiment in what they expect will be a state of the laboratory.

As they made their way down the runway, they were met by a team of assistants who greeted them warmly and led them to a waiting golf cart. They climbed in, and the cart took off, winding its way through the lush jungle and over hills, until they finally arrived at the main mansion.

As they approached the mansion, Griffin and Karen couldn’t help but gawk at the stunning architecture. The building was a mix of Victorian gothic and modern elements, and it was like nothing they had ever seen before. The walls were made of dark stone, and the roof was adorned with intricate gargoyles. But despite its old-fashioned appearance, the mansion was equipped with all the latest technology, from advanced security systems to cutting-edge research facilities.

Once inside, the couple was led to their laboratory, which was located in a separate building near the main mansion. The laboratory was a dream come true for Griffin and Karen, who were both avid researchers and scientists. It was packed with the latest equipment and technologies, and they were amazed by the sheer amount of resources at their disposal.

“This is incredible,” Karen said, her eyes wide with wonder. “I’ve never seen a lab like this before.”

“Me neither,” Griffin agreed, running his hand over a sleek piece of equipment. “I can’t wait to start working.”

As they explored their new workspace, Griffin and Karen were filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation. They knew that they were embarking on an incredible journey, and they were eager to get started. They had the best equipment, the best facilities, and the best funding, and they were determined to make the most of this opportunity.

And so, with a sense of excitement and determination, Griffin and Karen got to work, eager to make their mark on the world of science and make their billionaire benefactor proud. They were determined to succeed, no matter what obstacles lay in their way.

Two weeks and a minute

The first stage went exactly according to plan and they were ecstatic; Tony seemed responsive to the new formula they were testing out on him! They injected Tony with the experimental serum and waited anxiously as he began to show signs of improvement. Within a week his fur grew back shinier than ever before, and looked to be back to full health walking around his cage only 13 days from they day they arrived and started the experiment.

“You know Karen, I can’t believe how successfully this experiment has gone so far and how quickly we’re seeing results. In two minutes, we would have now been here exactly two weeks. Tony looks amazing and Mr Hung-lo is looking full of excitement.”

Griffin said, with a tone of pride in his voice

“I can’t believe it either. I’m so excited! After we are finished monitoring his vitals over the next two weeks to make sure everything is fine, we will have our lives back, $10 million dollars in our back account and a powerful new Ally.”

“I could just scr….”

Day 14 and one Minute… there was an almighty roar coming from inside Tony’s cage – when Griffin opened up one side hesitantly he found himself face-to-face with what appeared to be some kind of primal beast: “What did you do?” shouted Karen frantically but all Griffin could manage was “…I don’t know”.

Griffin and Karen stood in shock as they watched Tony, the once majestic and magnificent tiger, transformed into a monster before their eyes. The once beautiful fur had disappeared, leaving behind a giant, hairless beast. Its eyes were wild, and its roar echoed throughout the lab.

“What have we done?” Karen whispered, her voice trembling.

“I don’t know,” Griffin replied, his eyes never leaving the tiger. “But we have to find a way to reverse this. We can’t let this creature roam free.”

Just then, there was a loud crash as Tony broke through the glass of its enclosure. The couple ran for cover as the beast rampaged through the lab, destroying everything in its path.

Griffin and Karen huddled behind a lab table, their hearts pounding. They could hear Tony’s roar getting closer and closer, and they knew they were running out of time.

Just then, the door to the lab burst open, and Jim Hung-lo, the billionaire benefactor, entered excitedly. “I wanted to surprise you two, I deposited yo”… He stopped dead in his track looking terrified.

“What have you done to my tiger?” he yelled, his eyes wide with fear.

Griffin and Karen looked at each other, unsure of how to respond. They had never seen the billionaire this upset, and they didn’t know what to do.

“We- we were trying to heal him,” Griffin stammered. “But something went wrong. The treatment didn’t work as we intended.”

“Well, you better figure out a way to fix it, before it’s too late,” the billionaire warned, as he backed away from the rampaging tiger’s cage.

Griffin and Karen nodded, and set to work, their minds racing as they tried to find a solution to the problem. They knew that time was running out, and that they had to find a way to reverse the effects of the treatment before Tony caused any more damage.

But as they worked, they realized that the solution was not going to come easy. They had never faced a challenge like this before, and they were quickly running out of options.

Despite the odds, Griffin and Karen refused to give up. They were determined to save Tony, and restore him to his former self. They worked day and night, refusing to rest until they found a cure.

To be continued…

Look out for part 2 coming soon!

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» Read Experiment 1: The Immortal Elixir