The Conversion Bureau: Gentek's Solution

He stood outside waiting, the sun beating down on him with its relentless heat, shade almost in reach, but he remained still and at his post. It didn't help with the regulation black uniform and tri-optics, he questioned the fact he had to wear it though, they weren't actually bringing the virus and they were far away enough from the border to not worry about the PER. At the same time he understood the brass’s worry.

This news conference was to host one of the few people on the planet who knew enough about the virus to de-weaponize it and keep the human race from being assimilated or outright dying off. Well one of the people who had a clue as to what they were doing and had another solution to magical radiation that WASN’T being ponified.

So he was stuck here holding his rifle, waiting for a helicopter already twenty minutes late, while the sun kept beating down. The good news was that he finally visited the White House, though he hadn't… actually gone inside. Sighing through his gasmask he shuffled from one foot to another. Another thing was at least he wasn't the only one, for all throughout the White House, inside and out, there were his brothers in arms patrolling the grounds, eyes alert for anybody that would sabotage the event. He was just the only one to wait directly at the spot where the helicopter was supposed to land.

Finally though, after an eternity he heard the familiar whine of a helicopter in the distance, looking in that direction, sharing his eyes from the sun he could see it. Smiling under his mask he gripped his rifle firmly and walked a bit closer to the landing spot, nothing more than a spot of grass.

Approaching its landing, he could see the proud symbol of Blackwatch on the side, a star overhead the top of a trident in a simple black and white coloring. In the cockpit he could see the pilot waving down at him. Catching his hint he let his gun hang from its doing and proceeded to wave it down, holding his hands up in a stop we it hovered right above the ground.

Grabbing the rifle once more he approached the helicopter as the doors slid open and two men dressed in his same attire jumped out, their rifles sweeping the area around them. He paid them no mind and stood in front of the helicopter, waiting for the man in a white labcoat to disembark. The man in question just watched him with a blank expression, eyes peeking over the edges of his glasses frames as the two Blackwatch soldiers finished their sweep.

At their gesture he stood up from his seated position and jumped out of the helicopter, two more Blackwatch members following him. The man in question was pale a sign of him working too much in the labs, in his late thirties, and eyes that spoke of a disdain for everything he saw in front of him. Then his voice was direct and void of emotion. “I take it you’re here to take me to the press?”

“Correct, if you’ll just follow me Dr. Mercer.” Nodding Mercer trailed after him as the soldier turned around and march around the White House, the four guards that had accompanied him on the helicopter forming a tight square around him. He curled his lips but nothing more, he’d rather have a bunch of gun-happy soldiers around him now then deal with one of those fanatics that had been all over the city lately.

So they marched, the grass being crushed under their feet as dozens of Blackwatch soldiers patrolled the area around them, heads on a swivel alert for anything. But other than dozens of Blackwatch roaming around and one helicopter flying overhead the trip was uneventful, until they turned the corner around the front, where a stage had been built on the front lawn and a tangible army of reporters gathered around the bottom stage, a few of them even being ponies, a couple of pegasi hovering in the air with cameras and other hopping up and down to try and get a view. All the while a man wearing a suit was talking to them, which was audible from their position just by the way the man used his voice.

“Yes, yes I understand why most people aren’t taking the serum. They’re afraid it will change them, which if you look at it scientifically makes sense, what with the different organs and chemistry levels. But I can assure you that we have the makings of a solution that does not require anybody else to take the serum.”

As soon as he stopped talking the army of reporters filled the silence, before one of their voices managed to rise above the crowd. “Then explain this miracle cure Dr. McMullen, you can’t just say you think you have something then not explain it!”

Mercer chuckled as they closed the distance, now only a few feet away from the edge of the stage, McMullen looked over at him and smiled. “Ah well here’s my lead member of the Project, Dr. Mercer! Just let him explain and I'm sure you'll all be appreciative." McMullen nodded to him as he stepped away from the podium and waited for him to finish walking. They both gave each other a small grin as Mercer walked past and up to the podium.

Tapping on one of the dozens of microphones in front of him he cleared his throat. "So you're all wondering about what McMullen has been talking about? Then allow me to explain. As he's stated my name is Alex Mercer, head of Gentek's Anti-Conversion Project, which is in essence just a different way of the ponies' serum that doesn't include the ponification."

Leaning onto the podium he continued. "Our version of the serum though isn't based on magic, nanomachines or even anti-bodies. Instead it's based on a man-made virus that’s proven itself adept at altering genetic code and producing stable results.”

"A few years ago I joined Gentek, and two and a half years ago they put me to work on the virus, weaponize it to battle certain genes that are prevalent to certain races. In layman's terms that means for the past two years I've been working on a virus designed to kill off all genetic diseases and eventually even cancer in the long-run."

One of the reporters interrupted. "So your version of a cure is a virus? Aren't viruses harmful to humans?"

Mercer held up one of his hands as if to silence the man. "Normally, yes. However, that's only the case with natural viruses, ones that's only purpose is reproduction. However, we are capable of controlling the virus, and manipulate it to our own ends, such that it only does what we want."

The army of reporters started yelling over each other in an effort to have him answer their questions. Mercer watched them all with a smile before pointing at one lady in the crowd. "You what's your question?"

"Has this virus of yours been exposed to Magical Radiation at all yet?"

He nodded. "It's been exposed to levels that are hundred times more lethal to humans, without any ill effects at all. If anything the virus seemed to take to the Radiation and reproduced faster than normal."

The woman continued, briefly looking down to check her notepad. "How close are you to mass-producing this for everyone? Can we expect the conversion bureaus to shut down soon or will we have to wait a few months?"

"I'm afraid we are still running tests on which strains of the virus are safer for humans and are still adaptable to the Magical Radiation. But you can be confident in the fact that those closest to the Radiation will receive the virus before others. I also can't say upon whether or not how much will be mass-produced that question would be better directed to Dr. McMullen."

At that the man in question re-approached the podium and gently pushed Mercer aside. "I'm afraid that he doesn't have any more time for questions, he should be in the lab working on this and I dragged him out so that I could have him re-assure you all that Gentek is in fact coming to a cure for this Magical Radiation." He discreetly gave Mercer a shooing gesture from behind the podium.

Mercer gave a nod and began walking off of the stage, despite the protests of the reporters, the four Blackwatch members resuming their earlier formation around him. "Now now people, I am a scientist myself and it's my company. I'm sure whatever questions you had for Dr. Mercer I can answer. Ah yes you the purple pony with the blue spiky hair-do!"

Mercer paid him no mind as he stepped off the stage and began walking to the helicopter, when a familiar voice called to him, somehow managing to be heard above the speakers. “ALEX!!” He stopped at the voice and looked to the crowd, a familiar face shoving it’s way through it.

“Dana?” He asked incredulously, as the Blackwatch guards around him raised their rifles. He grabbed the closest guard’s rifle and shoved it down, as she broke free from the crowd. He growled at all of them, “Don’t shoot you damn idiots, that’s my sister.”

Walking past the guards he smiled as his sister ran the rest of distance between them and skidded to a stop in front of him, a goofy grin present on her face. Taking a few deep breaths in and out she stared at him, almost as if she couldn’t believe he was there. Mercer was the first to say anything, taking in her appearance, it being a grey hoodie, spiked up hair and a skirt for some reason. “You’ve grown since I’ve last seen you Dana, how have you been?”

His smile was broken by her backhand as she glared at him. “You jackass! How have I been? You left me for almost five years and haven’t so much as called me! I had to track you down just so I could see my brother again!”

Rubbing the cheek she just slapped he sheepishly looked at his feet. “Well, I had to focus on my studies in college, and then Gentech hired me right afterwards, and one thing lead to another…” Alex said trailing off, unable to really come up with a good excuse.

She just crossed her arms and kept giving him that look. “Ahuh.”

One of the guards moved closer. "We don't have time for this Dr. Mercer, we have a schedule to keep to."

Mercer spared a glance at the guard before looking back at Dana. "Perhaps it'd be better if we talk about how we've both been doing these past few years back at my place in a week? I’m sure I will be able to clear some time.”."

"And how do I know you're not just going to disappear again?"

He grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a reassuring smile. "Look just come by 420 E 54th St apt 310 in a week and we'll talk, I know these goons well enough to know they won't let you come with me."

Dana looked away, pursing her lips as she considered it. "Swear you won't disappear again?"

"I swear, now I gotta go sis' you know in charge of saving humanity as we know it." He gave one last smile before turning around and started his walk back to the helicopter.

"If you disappear again Alex, I swear I'm going to kick your ass!"