Rubberwerks 2: Part One

The phone rang on Linda Fordham's desk. It was the head of the monitoring team, saying that they were ready to start the test. The test. The thing they had been working on for months. Ever since the discovery of the abandoned installation in the jungle, and the figures coated in some kind of living black rubber marched into a small village, the world had changed.

Fordham was isolated, a single researcher near the site of the experiment. It would be safer that way. less risk of contamination. Fordham, the understanding went, would be an acceptable sacrifice. She would take the first step, the plunge, into the unknown. This was her baby, as it were, the project she would bring to completion. She organized, she planned, she orchestrated until all the pieces were in place. And soon the subjects would arrive in their mock city, and the true nature of the experiment would be revealed.

Fordham looked out the window. It was nighttime, and she could see the lights of the town, a bright smudge on the horizon. They would arrive tomorrow, the test subjects. They would enter the simulation, and she would be there to observe them. Like watching ants in an ant farm, she would watch them scurry about their lives, unaware of the true purpose of their presence here.

The first time they encountered the creatures, the result of the latex goo in the metal containers, the initial thought had been for them to be destroyed. But Fordham knew better. These were potential next steps in the evolution of humanity. The latex had fused with its hosts, made of them something completely new. And Fordham knew what was happening.

The latex would find the next step.

She began to assemble her team. Her team of researchers, her team of scientists. The company running the show was still a mystery to her, but Fordham knew the team assembled were some of the finest minds available in the fields of biology and human engineering. This was based on her recommendations, her need to be at the vanguard of this project that could change the course of human evolution forever. 

More, there were members of the team who were experts in the manipulation of the human psyche. What the creatures were, what became of the humans once the sentient rubber took hold, could not be described as human any longer. But she needed someone on staff to attempt to divine the minds of these things. Did they simply want to convert and assimilate? Was there some deeper strategy in their actions? Or were they as they appeared? Creatures of lust and carnal hunger?

The town was sealed, and Fordham alone would be able to observe through cameras placed everywhere in the town. A town they created for just this purpose. The people would live their lives, unaware of what was happening in the background. She would watch them from afar, and provide gentle nudges where needed. They had to come into contact with the rubber on their own. And what became of them after... that would be the basis for her study. An attempt to understand the creatures. Possibly even communicate with them. 

But for now, it was simply observation.

And if things got out of hand? She would burn the place to the ground. She could not allow the creatures to escape, not without first knowing their intentions. Or else what happened in that town in the jungle... That was a tragedy. She would not allow such a thing to happen again.

Fordham stared at the monitors. The town was empty for now. A set waiting for its actors. 

Jenny Cook stood in the input line, wondering what she had gotten herself into. Now here she was, standing in line with Tatum, her companion, at what seemed to be some kind of processing facility. What had started as a kind of vacation was beginning to feel like something frightening and a sick anxiety settled in the pit of her stomach. The whole thing was a crazy idea, picking up their lives and moving to some simulated town in the middle of nowhere, not even in their home country, all so that they could cash a big check and create the life for themselves they talked about. Now, though, it was starting to feel like they had signed away more than three months of their lives. Jenny was beginning to think that no amount of money was worth leaving friends and family behind and placing their fates in the hands of some corporation, no matter how good the money was.

But the money is very, very good, she had to remind herself. 

Behind her, Tatum jangled keys in his pocket, a nervous habit that drove her slightly crazy. Personnel in white hazmat suits guided the pair of them through detectors and scanning machines, some of which she could only begin to divine the purpose of. They were shuffled through these stations, and Jenny had to remind herself that, outside the walls, there was a vast jungle of uncommon beauty. Inside, there was only cinder block and bright LED lights overhead.

The air was thick with a sterile smell, like a hospital, and the sound of clanging machinery echoed through the hallways. They walked past unmarked doors, through long hallways with single-file lines, and then finally into a brightly lit white room with a few chairs and a desk. 

At the desk, they were greeted by a balding man in a white lab coat. He asked them a few questions, mostly related to their medical history, but Jenny couldn’t make out the details. All she knew was that they would be given a job in this new town under a dome, and that they would be together.

Jenny couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. She looked around the room, searching for any clues as to where they were going. The balding man handed them each a packet of papers to sign, explaining that it was just a standard employment contract. But as she read through the pages, Jenny began to feel uneasy. There were clauses about non-disclosure, confidentiality, and waivers of liability. 

Tatum signed the papers without a second thought, but Jenny hesitated. She wanted to ask questions, to know more about what they were getting themselves into. But the balding man just smiled and reassured her that everything would be explained once they arrived at the town.

Jenny reluctantly signed the papers and handed them back to the balding man. He nodded, pleased, and handed them each a keycard. "Welcome to the team," he said, before leading them through a door and into a long hallway.

Jenny took a deep breath and followed Tatum. They were led past the scanners and small rooms with square windows fixed in the doorways and finally to another, wider space in the facility. Maybe it was the sight of actual color again, rather than the sterile white, but Jenny felt the knot in her stomach loosen at the sight of blue walls, a vending machine showcasing snacks and sodas, even a pinball machine. The chairs were deep and inviting and some kind of classical music played softly overhead, sinking down from overhead speakers. Instead of the harsh LED lights, this room was lit by lamps, and a golden glow lit the space.

"You'll have some time while we make sure there's no contraband in your bags. After that, you'll be taken to your new home. For the next few months anyway."

They watched him walk away after a short bow, and a door closed behind him. Jenny thought she heard the door lock, and that knot in her belly tightened again. 

"This is weird right?" she asked, settling in a chair angled with the one Tatum chose. 

Tatum shrugged, his eyes glued to the pinball machine. "We signed up for this, Jen. We knew it wasn't going to be a walk in the park."

Jenny sighed and leaned back in her chair, feeling the cool metal press against her skin. "I know, but I didn't think it would be like this. It's like we're in some kind of government facility or something."

Tatum leaned over and squeezed her hand, offering a reassuring smile. "It'll be fine. We have each other, and we're going to be making a ton of money. Just think about that."

Jenny cracked a small smile at his words, but the anxiety still lingered. She couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched, monitored every second of the day. The thought made her skin crawl.

As they waited for their bags to be cleared, Jenny couldn't help but think back to the contract they had just signed. Something about it didn't sit right with her. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was a sense of unease that lingered.

Suddenly, the door swung open and two men in hazmat suits entered the room, wheeling in two large suitcases and a duffel bag, overstuffed with Tatum's assortment of casual clothes. 

"Come with us, " one said. "You're clear."

Jenny's breath caught in her throat as they stepped outside. The sky was a vibrant shade of blue, and a warm breeze played with her blond hair. She could hear the sound of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the wind, and some kind of hum that might have been insects. It was a stark contrast to the sterile environment they had just left.

Before them lay a small town, nestled in the heart of a jungle. Buildings made of stone and wood lined the streets, neat and orderly. It was like stepping back in time, to a simpler era. The only thing that separated it from a neighborhood ripped form the 1950s was the plastic dome that separated it from the jungle and the facility on the other side. They stopped at a door fixed at the side of the dome. A keycard reader glowed beside the door.

"Just swipe," one of the techs in the hazmat suits said, making the gesture with his hand. 

Jenny did, and there was whoosh as the air pressure shifted. 

"Have a nice stay," said the other tech. he might have meant to sound warm, but the words came out as ominous.

As they walked through the town, Jenny couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. Everything was clean, but nothing moved. It was as if they stepped into a picture, where life was frozen, a world that existed in a held breath. 

As they neared their new home, Jenny's unease returned. They chose for their job a coffee shop, called Common Brew, and they would live in the apartment above. It was a cozy, two-bedroom place, very charming if the pictures were accurate. But first they had to enter their new business. Their keycard opened the door to this, too, and suddenly they were out of the sunlight and in the cool of the shop. 

There was a long counter and state-of-the-art machines to grind and brew coffee. There were display cases for pastries and sandwiches, and tables and chairs for customers to sit and enjoy their food and drinks. 

But as they made their way upstairs to their new apartment, the feeling of unease returned. There was something off about this place, something that made her skin crawl. She shook it off and smiled at Tatum as they reached the second floor.

Their apartment was just as cozy as the shop below. Two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a bathroom. It was small, but it felt like home. They unpacked their bags and settled in, with Tatum putting on some music to drown out the silence of the empty town.

As they sat on the couch, Jenny couldn't help but feel like they were being watched. She looked around the room, searching for any signs of something out of the ordinary.