The road gleamed, sticky and black. Alex could tell that the heat of the desert had caused the asphalt to melt and re-form many times. It seemed as though the road had not been cared for in many years, the constant melting and cooling making it uneven, and cracked. Still, Alex seemed to glide over the rough desert road in his Buick Riviera.
The beating sun was almost too much for Alex, who was a native of Colorado and was not accustomed to the dry, itchy heat that seemed to never subside. Even the air conditioner, which was cranked all the way up, seemed to be winded and struggling.
No, Alexander Edgecomb was no desert nomad. He was from the mountains, where there wasn't sand blowing and steaming asphalt and sputtering air conditioners. He missed home. But this was his last chance at getting a decent job, desert be damned.
Alex had bounced around from lab to lab in Colorado, working first as a lab tech while working his way through college. Then, he somehow managed to graduate at the top of his class. Now, with a masters in nanotechnology, he realized just how much of a lie the American dream is.
Unable to find a solid job anywhere, Alex had found himself working tech support for an insurance company in Denver. He had almost given up hope on his degree ever landing him a decent job when, quite suddenly, a woman came to his workplace to speak with him.
Her name was Gloria Arnett. She wore a lady's suit and had her blond hair cut short. She had an air of feminine power about her. She had a "business proposition" for Alex. She said that if he came and worked for her in Nevada for two years, with all of his living expenses paid, he would be given a permanent job with her lab and a generous starting salary.
~~
Looking over the bland office he had been forced to work at, he nodded almost instantly and shook her hand. When he asked what he would be doing, he was told that he would be overlooking the production of a new type of technology at a lab called "The Hive". He was not given any details, only directions, a time frame in which to arrive in, and two hundred dollars in gas money.
Now, Alex wondered why he had so readily accepted when he didn't know what he was supposed to be doing in the first place. Looking down at his speedometer, Alex's eyes widened and he touched the brake gently. He had been driving over ninety miles per hour. After looking around foolishly to see if there were any police units to stop him in the middle of the desert, he noticed a flat, windowless, white building ahead. The road had gone from sticky asphalt to a dusty path without him noticing.
"Guess this is it." he spoke under the noise of the air conditioner. He pulled out of the dirt and onto an extremely smooth cement parking lot. There were no other vehicles parked in the lot. The only thing Alex noticed was that the markings of a helipad were painted in one corner. Alex parked at the opposite corner.
Taking a drink from a bottle of water in the passenger's seat, Alex got out of his Riviera and locked the door. Then, he thought he heard the rumble of an engine in the distance.
~~
Concept: You are new a test subject or staff member recruited by Gloria Arnett to work at The Hive. You are capable of altering your body and genetic code to do extraordinary things. From pyrokinesis to artificial vampirism, anything is possible.
While we have all played the generic "I'm a test subject imprisoned in a lab and being experimented on by mean, abusive doctors and guarded by mean, abusive guards" RP, this would be different. For starters: You're no prisoner. Though you are under contract not to leave the project prematurely. The scientists and guards are there for your benefit and may even be befriended.
It would be a lie, however, to say that there are not dangers at The Hive. Underhanded staff and violent test subjects are a persisting problem. There's also a grand conspiracy-like feel to it all. You're so well taken care of and can become so powerful, so what's the catch? You may have to simply find out on your own. The mystery behind the organization running The Hive, as well as its government connections (or lack thereof in some cases) leave much to be pondered.
This would be an advanced RP, and would require a bit of commitment as I would like at least one post every two days. That post should be two to three decent paragraphs and should be high quality where possible. This RP would be very character-driven and would rely heavily on the players influencing what happens.
Any interest?
