6 Phase one

Quintin lied down on his stomach, Cleopatra told him he needed to be in good physical shape, otherwise he might not survive the prosedure, so he decided to start exercising, his weak arms only gave him five, with effort.

"Only five?" Naomi asked sitting next to him on the floor of the bus.

"What did you expect from a sewer rat?" he said out of breath. Naomi gave him a slap "Stop calling yourself that"

"Why? its the truth" he said rolling over onto his back "Lets try sit-ups" he tried one but his legs kept lifting up. Naomi came over and pinned his feet down "Try now"

he lifted, came up and managed one, now face to face with her, he realised how beautiful her blue eyes really was "Why do you pay attention to me like this? Is it because Cleopatra told you to?"

She smiled "No"

Quintin fell back and hit his head.

"Youre supposed to go down slowly" she scolded him.

"its rather difficult in my case"

"Try again" She said. He heaved untill he managed a second, in her face again, she was still smiling.

"So you pay attention because?"

"I kind of like you"

He laughed going back and forgot not to go quickly, he banged his head hard "ow"

"Pay attention!" she said getting up and stuffed a pillow under his head. He drew up his third attempt, but failed and dropped, breathless.

Naomi sighed "Guess we can't expect too much now"

"Yup" he said and looked at her, her smile not gone, but smaller.

"What?"

"Get up, we'll be arriving soon"

The bus veered off road and drove for about 10 minutes on a gravel road, untill it came to a halt infront of an old run down building, it was rather large, the limengreen paint was peeling, it looked nothing like a lab where important scientific experiments are taking place.

"Its... its a..." Quintin said climbing off.

"Its not meant to look impressive Quintin" Cleopatra said "Remember, it needs to draw as little attention as possible, its even regestered as an old farm"

He nodded halfheartedly and headed in.

"You must be Quintin!?" A loud short black haired man approached him quickly "I am doctor Ezbar, its such a pleasure to meet you, please, if you dont mind, i would like to see you alone" He asked looking at Cleopatra, she nodded.

"Ill get my girls settled"

Ezbar led Quintin down a long hallway, it looked better inside than outside, almost like a hospital. He suddenly ducked into a office, Quintin actually struggled to keep up.

"If Miss Cleopatra havent told you yet, what you are doing here, its valiant. I'm not saying this because your life is at risk, im saying this because no one else would do it"

Quintin felt that familiar shrill up his spine "Whell, explain this process to me doc, i heard i need to be in good physical shape to survive it"

"Physical shape? well, not necessarily, you need to be healthy"

Quintin chuckled "Oh shit"

"Why do you say that?"

Quintin lifted his shirt exposing his skinny body, but Ezbar smiled.

"Just because you're mellfed doesn't mean youre unheathy, well do some tests to make sure, for now, we need to do some paperwork, if you dont mind?"

"Sure doc"

Ezbar layed a few papers infront of him "These are agreements, its to say that you volunteered for these tests, and we weren't forcing you"

Quintin picked up the pen and held it ready.

"Remember son, your life is not in danger, and you can back out if you want to, but, it took us a while to find someone willing like you" Ezbar reassured.

Quintin smiled and sighned the paper, bringing a smile to Ezbar's face.

"Thankyou son, can we start right away?"

"Yes we may, under one condition, i want to see Naomi once a day" He said thinking of her words in the bus, somehow, Naomi also got his attention.

Ezbar looked confused "She have a special spot in your heart?"

"No, well, im not sure, for five years ive been deprived of human contact alot, and she's the first one to really... pay attention"

Ezbar nodded "I would like you to focus on this program son, the quicker you can finish phase one, we can do phase two, and phase three will be the final phase"

"Ok, then only for a short time a day, under your sercumstances"

"Ill agree with that" Ezbar stood up "Follow me"

Quintin was led deeper into the labs "So what's phase one?"

Ezbar gave a quick chuckle "Though Miss Cleopatra told you you need to be physically fit, phase one really is the phase where we build you up to the needed strength a normal human would need to posess in order to safely become a werewolf"

"Shit, that could take years!"

"Not necessarily, you se thats why you had to sign the papers, because phase one is also experimental, the serum im going to use on you is similar to werewolf venom, only its not going to change you, it imolements the muscle growth a werewolf goes through during a shift, but im not going to force it"

Quintin swallowed hard as they entered a ward room.

"Jump up here" Ezbar said patting a hospital bed "Because your melfed body is weak, im going to administer the serum through a drip, this way it wil slowly enter your bloodstream, easing into your system. An injection would be too much for you to handle"

"Makes sense" Quintin said holding out his arm.

"Now, when a human is injured or sick, its always told to rest, the best regeneration of wounds and illnesses in the human body happens when the brain shuts down the digestive organs during sleep, thus focusing more energy into the healing process, and, the serum will have maximum effect then as well. Ten hours of sleep max, when you're sleeping you'll be on the serum, if youre awake we test the results"

Quintin nodded wincing at the needle going into his arm.

"Good boy. now try to sleep, i will watch you all through the process, and you will wake up again, i promise"

The lights went out, and the door shut, total darkness. A warmth came over Quintin, he rather enjoyed it, any warm bed was a good bed, he shut his eyes and fell asleep.

***

Naomi stood infront of him again, again in that night dress. At first he didnt watch her closely, as he wasnt interested due to his backround, but now, it was a different story he watched her with new eyes, she slowly lifted her arms to the straps of the night dress, then started slipping them off, slowly, her shoulders exposed now, she shifted her eyes to him, a seductive smile on her face.

"Good morning Quintin!" Ezbar loudly said switching the lights on, cutting his dream short.

"What? but i just went to sleep?" Quintin asked squinting, it was such a nice dream.

"Actually, you were sleeping for ten hours hours straight"

"Ten hours!?"

"Yup, lets see if there was any progress, lift your shirt"

Quintin obeyed, both men gasped, he wasnt skinny anymore, he looked like a person with a normal physique.

"Wha? what happened!?" Quintin yelled.

"It worked, thats what happened son! this is fantastic results, but now we must test if the changes will allow you to peform better, but first, breakfast"

Quintin felt strangely good walking to the mess hall, he had energy, he could feel there was strength in his legs. During breakfast he and Ezbar sat alone, nobody was even moving around, it was only Chantell, the cook.

"Where is everyone?" Quintin asked listening to the silence.

"Still sleeping" Chantell said joining them "Ezbar asked me to be up at specific times in order to prepare you food"

Quintin nodded "So hows Naomi doing?"

She frowned "Strange of you to ask, she also asked every hour on the hour about you, it seems she found a liking in you"

"Im not saying i like her, or i do like her, but im curious about her more than anything"

"Curious?"

Quintin smiled waving a hand "Never mind, just tell her i... well i..."

"You miss her?" Chantell smiled. Quintin felt his face go red.

"Send her a message atleast Chantell, tell her i can allow Quintin to see her once a day, i dont want to interrupt the process too much" Ezbar said getting up "Lets go son, we have to continue"

Quintin got up and left with Ezbar.

The day went by with tests being done, Quintin was told to do the basics, Push ups, sit-ups, jogging and so forth, all round he was doing better than the day before, and at the end of the day, was placed on the bed again, with te drip in his arm.

***

The day after that proved significant results, Quintin's muscle structure was larger now, both he and Ezbar couldn't really beleive it, but to Ezbar, it was the most successful two days in his career. Deciding he needed to study this a little more before continuing, he gave Quintin an hour with Naomi in a room where he could watch them on cctv.

Quintin sat patiently waiting for her when she barged in. Quintin flew up surprized "Naomi!?"

"You asshole! you could have waited for me a little yesterday! i came in a few minutes after you left!" she said, anger on her face.

"I... i uh? Im sorry?"

"Good" She sat down across the table from him, Naomi noticed a diffrence in him, his body filled the clothes up more, his cheekbones didn't stick out as it did "You look different"

"I feel different, i have more energy thats for sure"

She smiled "Lift up your shirt"

Quintin returned the smile "No"

"What? why not?"

"Thats a surprise for later, first i want to ask why you wanted to see me?"

"Weren't you the one who wanted to see me?" She taunted.

"Yes, but you said Cleopatra isn't ordering you to take care of me anymore? so why continue?"

She sighed and crossed her arms "Its because you, are you, thats all"

"Huh?"

She laughed "You're funny, straight forward, and unlike any other guest i entertained for Cleopatra, youre the first one who didn't take full advantage of me. Usually guests try to get my clothes off as soon as they could, its disgusting"

"Yeah, that sounds fiendish, but still, i was no were near anything any woman would ever take to bed, yet you insisted"

"And you still refused"

"Well, yes"

"And thats why i started liking you. But now you must stop being so in confident, and open up a little"

"Open up how?"

"Have you ever slept with a girl before?"

"No, im twenty now, it gives you an idea of what happened right?"

"Wait? so you were fifteen when your parents died?"

"Yip"

"So why didnt you go back home to your house?"

"i did, but the werewolves found me there, and i had to flee"

Naomi felt like a monster, sitting as a werewolf infront of him.

"Dont look so sad Naomi, some of the best life lessons are learnt in the hardest of ways"

"What life lessons could you have learnt, when you're entire life was ruined, by someone like me?" She said sadly.

"Enjoy the little things..." He was thinking now "Being scared isn't living, if youre scared you can't enjoy life. Notice a good deed even if its minute... stuff like that, i even made a friend, or it was more a pet"

"A pet?"

"it was a rat, i called him Jimmy, shared my food with him if i had any, but unlike a dog he didn't stick around alot, thats why id rather say friend, not pet"

Naomi laughed, she realised liking this man seemed obvious now, he really as a good person. A knock came then Ezbar entered.

"Sorry to disturb, but time's up"

"Seriously doc!? we barely had half an hour!?"

"Sorry son, thats all i can offer for today, maybe at te end of the week you'll have more time" he said and sat down "Before we go, id like Naomi to hear this aswell, Phase two involves going to Angola"

"What!?" Both Quintin and Naomi said together.

"But you cant go with him Naomi, for two obvious reasons, one, you might attract your pack, and two, Quintin will be aided by humans on a full moon"

"What am i supposed to do there?" Quintin asked.

"In order to continue to phase three, you need the blood of a werehyena, in its were form"

Silence fell over the two infront of him.

"A... were... Hyena?" Quintin asked.

"Yes, native to Africa the Diphiri clan are Werehyenas, and the reason i want their blood is for their bite force. A normal hyena can bite through bone, but a werehyena can bite through steel. But werehyenas are slow compared to werewolves, now your new wolf form will have the speed of a werewolf along with the bite force of a werehyena"

Naomi flew up and slammed the table with both hands "Are you crazy!? How will he get the blood!? ask them politely!? Incase you dont know Ezbar werehyenas are dirty, slobbering backstabbers! they don't play fair, they don't follow rules, and above all! they kill without mercy!"

"I figured as much Naomi, thats why I've made arangements for him to go with a military escort. With that his chances are better, all the military have to do is wound one long enough for Quintin to get some blood, even if the soldiers get killed, it will be a valid sacrifice"

Naomi folded her arms, she was still furious

"I dont like it aswell doc, ive never heard of werehyenas, and the way Naomi described them, i dont think any human stand a chance, i mean, Cleopatra said that a tank can't hit werewolves, and i recon its the same with werehyenas"

"it is, but if i know this military i have in mind, they wont go down without a fight"

"They can be the most highly trained men in the world Ezbar, nothing can prepare them for this!" Naomi yelled storming out of the room, leaving the two men in silence.

"I had worried about this son, she's attached to you" Ezbar stood up.

"And i to her doc, please tell me it will go well" Quintin asked following him.

"I can't promise anything, all i can do is prepare you as much as possable"

"How?"

"Your exercise schedule will be intensified, ill be increasing the dosage of the serum, and above that, ill be bringing in a marshal arts instructor to teach you how to fight"

On paper it sounded good, but Quintin still couldn't help being worried about this plan, he just came on good terms with Naomi, now he heard he might be embarking on an expedition that could kill him.