The Dream Mine

A Promising Development

The doors to the test chamber swung wide open as Mr. William Roper walked in, coffee in hand, and wearing his usual beige business suit.

Once the team of scientists recognized who it was, they returned to their work. Typing on keyboards and eyeing over diagnostic reading and such.

William Roper is a 62 year old, retired entrepreneur who, with his immense wealth, was single-handedly funding the STRA, the Search for Trans-dimensional Resources Association. All the technology, the staff, even the mine they bought and used as their laboratory was being funded by him and him only. He had gray, balding hair and a full scruffy beard of the same color.

Mr. Roper's shoes clacked against the steel floor as he approached a skinny bald man in a white lab coat.

The man looked up from his computer. "Ah, Mr. Roper, um. How is your morning?"

Mr. Roper smiled at the pleasantry, "Oh, it's going swell, Dr. Brennan! Tell me, have we had any readings from the poor lad we sent through the other day?"

"Um, no sir. No vital signs at all." Dr. Brennan frowned slightly.

Mr. Roper's smile turned into a scowl, "Damn! You don't think they'd be dying instantly, would they? I'd think their hearts would continue to beat, they'd continue to respirate, at least for a second!"

"Well sir," Dr. Brennan started, "we can only get the signal the trackers give off from the portal itself, and the signal might be getting lost on the way back through, it could take weeks even months to-"

"Mr. Roper! Dr. Edgar wants you to see him in the conference room..." One of the numerous facility guards said as he barged in through the chamber entrance.

Mr. Roper flailed his free arm in frustration, "God dammit! What does he want now?"

The guard shrugged, "I don't know, sir. He didn't say."

"Well, then," Mr. Roper turned towards Dr. Brennan, "I'm going to see what the old grouch wants. Be sure to let me know immediately if you see anything!"

"Will do, sir!" Dr. Brennan waved as Mr. Roper left the room with the guard.

...

The sound of two pairs of footsteps, clicking and clacking, resonated through the brightly lit halls of the Dream Mine.

Roper looked through the small windows on the doors decorating the hallways. Teams of researches browsing their computers, calculating formulas, perusing statistics. He even saw an instructor giving a lecture to newcomers of the organization. It'll be nice to see new faces. Roper thought.

"You know," Roper broke the silence, "It's astounding, really. We're doing ground breaking research, here. The very entirety of man kind is depending on us!" the guard watched Roper as he rambled on, "How does it feel to be part of this, young man?"

"Um, it's pretty cool, man." Roper frowned, "Is that all? It's 'pretty cool'? Do you have any idea of the work we're doing here? The importance of our task? I'll have you know that-"

"Oh, were here!" the intimidated man interrupted, Roper turned away from the source of his annoyance to see that, yes, they had arrived at the conference room.

Breathing a deep sigh, Roper gave one last glare at the monstrously arrogant security guard before unlocking the door, and stepping into the room.

The conference room was dimly lit, barely illuminating the large round table. The table was surrounded by multiple chairs, but only one of them was occupied.

Roper raised his arm in a welcoming manner, "Hey, Jeremy!"

Dr. Jeremy Edgar only held a flat face, "Don't call me that." he responded.

Jeremy Edgar was quite young, for his brilliant scientific mind. He was only 36 years old. With a full head of light brown hair, which Roper envied, and very light stubble on the tip of his chin

"Oh, come now, Dr. Edgar, can't we skip the formalities? We've known each other for almost a decade!" Roper pleaded.

"Sit." Dr. Edgar pointed to the arm chair right across from him.

Roper hesitantly pulled the chair out from under the table and sat in it. "So, uh. What is it you called me down for, Dr. Edgar?"

Dr. Edgar's eyebrows instantly furrowed, "You know damn well why I brought you down here!"

Roper recoiled slightly, "Um, Doctor?"

Dr. Edgar slightly shook his head, "I heard about what you did two days ago. You sent another kid through?!"

"Oh, ho ho ho," Roper laughed, which made Dr. Edgar frown even harder,  "Yeah, another stupid kid busted in and saw the device. I thought, well, you see, We haven't gotten any readings from the, other subjects we sent through, so-"

"So, WHAT?" Dr. Edgar yelled, "If you keep pulling this shit Roper, we could become compromised."

Roper scoffed, "Gah, you're being too paranoid..."

"Am I William? People are already suspicious of what's up here, if word got around that multiple people have gone missing in the area we'll have more, and more people snooping around! It is especially not worth it if you keep sending kids through and we don't get any results!"

A quiet grew beneath the two for a short time.

Roper sighed, "I see your point, Doctor. It won't happen again I assure you."

A phone started to ring in Roper's front pocket. Dr. Edgar said nothing as he crossed his arms and sunk into his chair.

Roper mouthed "I'm sorry." as he reached into his pocket and raised the cell phone to his ear.

"What is it? I was in the middle of something!... Oh? Oh really?"

Dr. Edgar lifted his eyes from the floor to Roper.

"Oh, yes this is marvelous! I'll inform the good doctor right now!" Roper placed the phone back in his pocket as he smiled proudly at Dr. Edgar.

"Well? What is it?" Dr. Edgar asked impatiently.

"We've got a reading, a good one. The young women we sent in last month survived for at least two weeks. atmosphere is roughly 17.6% oxygen, and she consumed water at some point in the two week period."

"Hmph." Dr. Edgar seemed impressed. "Well, you better get an exploration team ready."

"Oh, right away, Doctor!" Roper said excitedly as he left for the door.

"Wait." Roper stopped as he opened the door.

"Yes, Doctor?"

"Roper, would we be able to locate the kids you tracked once we got to the other side?"

"Hmm." Roper contemplated, "Yes, we should from what the doctors down in the test chamber have told me."

"You're going to have to find them, and kill them." Dr. Edgar took on a look of sorrow.

Mr. Roper nodded, "Duly noted." before he left the room and took off down the hallway.

Dr. Edgar sat in his chair for an extra few minutes as he said to himself, "Well, isn't this quite the promising development?"