Ingenium

Paul Kaypek sits at his desk in his office, writing up some emails. He has had to be careful for the past few days. He wants to walk around with a wide grin on his face and skip through the corridors at the thought of cheating the government, with the fake device. Though he doesn't, and instead acts miserable, playing to presumptions by his fellow colleagues and students.

  Everyone believes him...well, mostly everyone.

  A strong knock is heard at his door. Paul continues to type away, with his back facing the door and he calls out, ''come in!''

  The door opens and closes. The figure inside Paul's office waits silently. Paul typing away senses a bad taste in the air and comes to a pause.

  ''Dr Paul Kaypek, may I have a few moments with you?'' an unpleasant voice says, ringing in Paul's ears. One he hoped he wouldn't ever have to hear again. Paul swivels in his chair and looks up at the man he expected he would see. The tall man with the short black hair, looking more spindly than on his last visit.

  ''Ah.'' Paul gets to his feet and holds out his hand, trying to be as polite and fake as possible. ''I don't think I quite caught your name when we last met.'' Paul's hand waits for the tall man's spindly arm to react to the gesture, but it stays by his side.

  ''I'd like to quickly cut to the chase and drop these formalities, Paul.'' Paul retracts his hand to his waist.

  ''That device you gave us, seemed just like the real deal. It wasn't until we looked inside to guarantee its authenticity, that we came into some...issues, shall we say?''

  ''Why are you looking into Ingenium? I thought you came here to destroy it!'' Paul barks back at the tall man's obnoxiousness.

  The tall man laughs. ''You gave us a placebo, Dr Paul, do you know how many years that will land you in the nearest prison from here?'' he finishes with a smirk.

  ''Why don't I ask you the same question? I know full well there's no possible way you can know that, no possible way...unless you tried to activate Ingenium yourself? Something as valuable as Ingenium, you wouldn't just want to throw to the dogs. You're trying to continue my research...this whole faculties hard earnt years of work. You're trying to do without us. Illegally against a government order!'' Paul looks infuriated. His face raged with pure hatred at the man standing in front of him.

  The tall man stands there with his devilish grin taking up the right side of his face. ''Please, Paul. What's any governments main interest in?'' the tall man asks.

  Paul snaps back, ''themselves!''

  ''No! Close, mind you, but how does a government ensure its status and influence? Hmm...fear, Paul...fear and control. Which is why your little science project, Ingenium, has ever so titillated our government's collective curiosity. True, some people weren't happy with this technology, but a little false bomb scare added to the media and we had Ingenium right in our grasps. Safely out of sight from the common man's nosy view,'' he ends.

  Paul's face is still enraged, but his thoughts have become muddled. He doesn't understand why he's being told all this sensitive information.

  ''Why are you telling me this?''

  ''We would prefer to continue your research of Ingenium in a much better suited environment than a University laboratory. How would you and your team like the idea of coming to one of our highly sophisticatedly equipped and efficient laboratories?'' The tall man looks eagerly into Paul's eyes.

  Paul's mind wanders awhile, the idea to be fully funded and to continue his work on Ingenium does attract him. Though under what conditions and to what ulterior motive the government has for Ingenium is worrying.

  ''And if I refuse?'' Paul's curiosity takes the better of him.

  Paul notices the tall man's grin as if it's touching the side of his head. ''As we began this conversation, Dr Paul. I'll give you an idea though. Your favourite newspaper tomorrow will have the headlines of something similar to, 'Dr Paul Kaypek, head inventor of Ingenium, in custody for deceit and forgery.'' The tall man adds in hand gestures, as though he's plastering the very words in front of Paul's eyes.

  ''Also Dr Paul, your colleague Karl was kind enough to inform us of his worries, that you'd given us a slightly different Ingenium. Apparently, he was so worried for you he didn't want to see you end up in jail...so, Dr Paul...where is Ingenium?''

  *