It was after 6:30pm, Dan Flatt stood nervously watching the employee entrance of the clinic where he'd been earlier the same day. It felt like a life time before. Finally, Matt Dorman emerged from the clinic walking toward the parking lot. Dan started moving to intercept him, and called out, "Hey, Matt, how's it hanging?"
"Uh, oh. Dan, isn't it? Sorry you didn't get selected for the study. I was just heading home it was a long day--."
"Hey, I was just headed to Clancy's up the street. Want to unwind with a beer? My treat."
Matt paused, he was a grad student and didn't like to pass up anything free, but he wasn't sure.
"I can't get you the job, you know. So, why do you want to buy me a drink?"
"Don't worry. I'm not selling any pyramid schemes, I'm thinking about graduate school, and wanted to ask you about it. Your research into Molecular Elasticity sounds cool, and I wanted to get an idea of how you got into that field. Besides, you seem like a nice guy, and no I'm not gay. I've got a girlfriend, Jenny," he flashed her picture from his wallet which Rene had returned with his credit cards and a few bucks. "It's still happy hour at Clancy's so there should be free eats, too."
"ok, one drink, and I'll tell you about grad school." Matt was pleased to be asked to mentor a peer.
Rene skated back and forth on the sidewalk across the street. He stopped and smiled as the two turned and walked toward Clancy's. He looked both ways and crossed the street. He started boarding in the parking lot. His plan was coming together. Soon Matt would return to be run down by Rene on his skateboard. He was sure Dan would slip Matt the vial of formula in his beer. Rene had painted the picture of Dan spending the rest of his life as Matt's lab rat, if he told the scientist what had happened. Only if Matt was a victim too, could Dan count on his help to restore Dan fully to humanity. If he followed orders, Rene assured him that he would help Dan. Rene did a wheelie, and bided his time.