Intern at S.T.A.R. Labs

Dismayed, Enthralled, Exasperated, Zealous, Nonplussed, Unsettled, Taken aback, Stunned. It was a mix of some or all of the emotions as Adrian just walked out after having the longest conversation he ever had with his "hero", his idol, his dream, DR. Harrison Richard Wells. Feeling internal conflict as the thoughts emerged and battled out to form a coherent and logical response. 'Is he just super passionate about that' 'Does the grey office signify a grey mentality' 'Is he doing this for power, glory or to give peace and help others' ' Is he trying to tie some message with that art' ' What did he wish to convey about the rebel angels, not accepting the roles assigned by nature? Accepting change? But is it actual change when you just accept your destiny?' ' Is his goal to help the world or change it' ' Does he like Back to the future 2 more than the first movie'. He walked unconsciously like a dead zombie while besides him walked Mrs, Powel who didn't seem as shooketh.

" Well theres no point in arguing with him, so I'll attend the gala alone, you don't have to, unless you want to." Mrs. Powel asked as they walked. Her voice was softer than usual due to the sudden increase in responsibility.

" Yeah, sure." Adrian replies in a low voice almost as if he just woke up.

" Yes? So you will – I see, hmm". Mrs.Powel Looked at his face, his eyes staring at the floor with no clear direction in his walk. She realized he is in shock and not in a state to make decisions , but she was desperate."Yes meaning you'll be there at the gala?" She asked knowing full well his response.

" Yeah sure". Adrian responded again like a robot zombie.

"Great, wear a suit, you know what ill bring an extra just in case."

"Yeah sure".

" I'll text you the details , be here tomorrow by 6PM. We'll drive to the venue from here."

"Yeah sure"

"Great. Um … thanks Adrian."

"Yeah sure.". MRs. Powel walks away after leaving Adrian outside of the fabrication department. Adrian walks in slowly towards his desk.

" Aww did mommy come to drop you off" Harold trying to mock Adrian.

"Yeah." Adr4ian said in a low voice as he sat down.

" You know people usually retort back when they are teased. Or at least react." Harold immediately flipping back to normal after seeing his reaction.

"Yeah." Adrian not processing a word that was said and just starts his computer.

" Blimey, someone's had their top floor vacant." Harold scoffed and went back to work. His gaze tilting every few minutes as he worries about his neighbour . Seeing him just scrolling through company terms and conditions was a bit unnerving but couldn't think of anything to say to him. After half an hour had passed another visitor walks in towards the two.

" Hi , are you two busy I have a favour to ask". Asked the clutzy girl in a labcoat, carrying some electronic device in her hands.

" Yeah sure" Adrian responds without looking up.

" Don't mind him he's … not completely here yet." Harold responds worryingly.

" Is he intoxicated? Youd get sent home if you are." Sarah whispers to the two.

" On love maybe. Anyway what brings you here love?" Harold asks Sarah , speaking clear and smooth like a gentleman.

" Ooh, why aren't you this nice during lunch break" Sarah being the naïve girl assuming he was flirting.

" That would be because I'm working at the moment and have to interact with with annoying people. What do you want missy?" Harold peppering in ther insults.

" Yeah , so this things is broken can you fix it, I tried reading the manual but .. not exactly my expertise". She said as she dropped the zombiefied corpse of an appliance barely recognisable by any human.

" Yeah sure". To Harold's surprise Adrian responded to the request before him, thinking he was back to his senses he asked him.

" Guess the upstairs neighbours are back, what happened Adrian?" Harold awaited a response only to be met with.

" Yeah okay" . A cold response by Adrian. At least the words changed a bit.

" Baby steps I guess". Harold says as he lays back in his chair and gets back to work.

" Is he ok? Or did he incur some neurological damage?" Sarah worried about handing him work.

" Don't know luv, but whatever it is , it hit him hard. Hopefully this gift you bought should help cause nothing I said got him reacting." Harold talking directly to Sarah while barely looking up from his monitor. Sarah walks and pulls a chair next to Harold.

" You know I've never had a real patient. Especially not someone with a neurological symptom." Sarah's eyes glowed in an every way.

" Aren't you on the pharmacy side, why would you handle patients anyway?"

" Yeah but we still do medical school where we learn about the whole body, only after that we go into specialized fields. So don you think I could do some tests on him?"

" No. Don't go experimenting on people in my department."

" C'mon big man, it'll just be some minor stuff, I won't even bring a needle near him.".

" Hmm, still no."

" Please please please please please please please –"

" Fine fine! If I say yes you'll stop bothering me?"

" Yes"

" Just try not to get him injured."

" Sir yes sir." Sarah gleefully salutes Harold and runs off, probably to grab stuff for her experiments. Another minute passes as the only noises that could be heard were from Adrian's hand working.

" Done." Adrian said as his word broke the silence. He slides the device out of his arms to the side.

" Already, that was quick, real quick. Huh." Harold surprised by seeing something that actually looks like a 21st century machine probably something similar to a centrifuge he figured.

" More. More. More." The words sounded even more robotic than before as Adrian kept clasping his hands open and shut, demanding something to be fixed.

" Something to fix, uhh. Wait, just a sec. Here fix this computer mouse." Harold pulled out an old mouse from his drawer.

He pulls his chair closer and watches Adrian to observe his process. Adrian's hands wave over the mouse a few times seemingly doing nothing. He stops and slowly tilts his head like a doll and stares at Harold, blankly.

" Alright sorry, I'll give you some space." Harold said going back to work. Another minute passes by.

" Done. I need more. More." Adrian says in a robotic voice with a smidge of humanity.

" Oh surely you didn't finish that quick. It's probably not fixed then." Harold mocking him to get some more emotion out.

Adrian grabs the mouse and stares at Harold. His arm moves swiftly in a clean swing as he hands the mouse.

" Lets check how your good your 'work' is." Harold takes the mouse and plugs it in. To his surprise it actually works. He was sure it was an LED issue which would require part replacement. Adrian somehow fixed it with just his tool kit.

" More. Give me more , please." . Harold paused for a second. The word please meant humility, baby took another step. Harold gets up from his chair.

" Everyone take 5. Gather around the table". He shouted to the whole of fabrication floor.

Sarah walking excitedly across the hallway with bunch of boxes, medicine vials, tablet packs and a cage of rats. Who knows what kind of Frankenstein experiments she had in mind. She walks in the fabrication department to see a crowd gathered at their table. She walks closer to see what's happening.

" This is the old soldering station I first used when I was hired. It's been dead for 2 years, I tried replacing the fuse , wires even the heating coil, nothing worked." Says one the employees as she hands the black box to Adrian. Adrian looks up .

" Alright everyone turns around ". Harold waves his hands like a conductor, as he turns he notices Sarah and walks up to her.

" You too Sarah."

" What's happening, why the sudden crowd?" Sarah asked as she reluctantly turned her back.

" Good news bad news. Good news for everyone, he's somehow fixing everyone's broken tech."

" Cool, so when can I jump in for my experiments."

" There's the bad news".

" DONE! WHO'S NEXT. WOHOO". Adrian smiles and plays air drums with screwdrivers as he rejoices over another device fixed.

" No."

" Yes."

" Nooo."

" Yes. I noticed some difference in his speech when he fixed your thing so I gave him another thing to fix. That lead to another and by now he seems fine". Sarah calmly places her stuff on a desk next to her ,turns and starts lightly punching Harold's shoulder.

" Why couldn't you wait until after my experiments." Sarah definitely not acting like a child who just missed her rollercoaster ride.

" Ow, ow, ow, stop. We couldn't exactly send him home like that, plus everyone else is happy. It's a win win."

" Everyone except me. Humph. We'll I guess him smiling is better than him being a sad robot." Sarah being accepting

" Gosh we sound like his geezers." Harold said with hands on his hip.

" We are his superiors here. It's the duty of the old to look after the young." Probably the most mature Sarah has ever sounded.

The day went on with 20 devices being fixed in total. Everyone got off work happier than the morning. Adrian enjoyed his limelight after he came to his senses after device 7. As he travelled back home he felt satisfied with his work, finally. All was good except he couldn't shake the feeling he forgot something.

' Oh shit, I forgot to submit that order form to the pipeline engineers. Oh well they also deserve a little break.' Adrian relaxed again thinking there was nothing else of importance he had forgotten. Nothing at all.

As he walked the stairs of his apartment complex he comes by his elderly neighbour. Without any words exchanged she opens her apartment door for him , welcoming him in.

" Spaghetti pasta today, hope you like it." Her voice , elderly but warm. Adrian thinks of the boxes he brought up for her today and contemplates, should he reject her offer as that feels too kind of her… although it wouldn't be very polite to refuse her request for dinner.

" I can already smell it, seems delicious". He said as He shamelessly walks in her apartment. They sit down to eat and talk about how their day was. Adrian tells her everything that happened today, him fixing everyone's things making them happy, the talk with Dr. Wells in the morning and also what happened in the week.

" Wow, it's nice to see kids being so active these days and having so many stories to tell." Mrs. Campbell said as she put some more spaghetti in his plate.

" No please Mrs. Campbell I'm full."

" Oh shush you. Young folk should eat plenty . So what's your plans for tomorrow." She asked eagerly.

" Nothing much. Just gonna drop by S.T.A.R. Labs and go to a gala with Mrs. Powel." Adrian said nonchalantly as he ate another bite.

" That lass you have the hots for. Things are developing fast I see."

" Yeah –" Adrian stopped chewing and dropped his fork.

" I forgot. I forgot. I FORGOT!!". Adrian gets up panicking.

" Calm down sweety, we can figure it out. What did you forget?" Mrs. Campbell trying to calm him down.

" Shit shit shit. Okay breathe . Breathe. You got this , you're great at solving problems. Just think , you can do this." He stood there silently for a moment.

" Nope, I don't got this. Who can I call, Mrs. Powel is an older woman who would understand what she needs. Hmmm."

He looked at Mrs. Campbell and then it clicked to him.

" Yes, Ralph. Of course . I'll call him" He gets to calling Ralph.

Meanwhile Ralph was sitting in his office applying ice packs to his wounds suddenly receiving a call.

" Hello Ralph Dibney , Private Eye. How can I help you".

" Ralph I need your help. I have a date tomorrow!!".

" I'll be there tomorrow by 8 AM, chill out for now."

Ralph hangs up the phone with a satisfied smile .