"Of course not," he returned, wrapping his left arm around her waist. "Still," he peered up at the towering Chronos building in the snow. "There are so many things that I want to do to them."

"And you think I don't share these ambitions of yours?" she chuckled, obviously not as offended as she professed to be. "I am willing to take risks, my counterpart, provided that I stand to gain something from them. However, the only thing this risk of yours promises is loss."

"Very well, I'll return to the safehouse with you. It is getting rather cold."

Again she chuckled with that husky voice. "I'm certain that we will find some way to keep each other warm."

Grinning lecherously, he gave her a squeeze with his left arm. "That's certain to make me walk faster."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Aptom, still a little shaken from seeing Yukari disappear right before his eyes but still fed up with the way Sho still hadn't made up his mind to fight, made his way through the falling snow. There wasn't much of it, and he didn't really feel the cold, but it was pretty and he wanted to take a little time to enjoy it. Still, the fact was that Sho was overdue for a good shaking-up.

The way the kid had been moping around lately, Aptom was really looking forward to delivering it. He now stood just outside the balcony, watching as Sho moped. And moped. And moped some more.

Giving the snow-covered branch in front of him a good kick, Aptom watched as Sho jerked his head in the direction of the sound. He seemed to settle down when he thought that it was only some snow falling, but then he saw Aptom sitting in the tree. Turning and leaping out of the tree just before Sho dove off the balcony, Aptom heard the kid call his Guyver.

This was going to be seriously fun.

Running and leaping with Guyver I now on his tail, Aptom laughed to himself. Now all he had to do was lead Sho somewhere nice and secluded, somewhere that Chronos wouldn't interrupt their fun, and then he could merrily beat some sense into the little Guyver boy.

Leaping over a shot from the Head Beam, one that still nearly seared his feet, Aptom started bounding from rooftop to rooftop. Going back to ground when he saw a good place to carry out his plans, Aptom leapt over a low wall - low for him, anyway - and made his way into the abandoned factory that was going to be his battlefield. There were so many shadows to play with in a place like this; terrain that could be put to good use, and hiding places where he could shapeshift into one of his other forms without being seen.

When he was trying to knock some sense into Sho by making him fight against what he thought were Chronos-produced Zoanoids, not being seen was a good thing.

Once Sho had put himself fully inside Aptom's little funhouse, Aptom fired the bio-lasers he'd picked up from Zektor. The Hyper Zoanoid had given him a rather lovely parting gift back in Relic Point: his own leg.

Now that Sho stood in front of him, all five of him in varying forms, Aptom decided that it was time to commence the beating. Firing a stream of bio-napalm from "Darzerb's" mouth, Aptom unleashed a pair of "Gaster's" missiles. When Sho called the Gigantic, Aptom was gratified for a moment, before he decided that it was time to move on to stage two.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Shizu, despite the fact that she really hadn't anything to do that would help, had decided to go with Master Agito and Mistress Akane to their base in America. Mistress had seemed stressed ever since Yukari had disappeared, stressed and rather irritable at times. Shizu could understand why her Mistress felt that way, since she herself worried about what was happening to Yukari, at least when she forgot to remind herself that Chronos couldn't harm a Guyver.

Master and Mistress would rescue Yukari, and then everything would be fine; she should really finish her knitting.

When the call went out for the Thunderbolts to be prepared for a possible skirmish, Shizu wondered what was going on. That was when Mistress Akane came into her room.

"Agito has launched an attack on Chronos Headquarters," Mistress Akane said calmly. "I thought you would like to know. That is why we're currently on combat alert; there is a possibility that reprisals will be directed here."

"Why aren't you out there fighting with him?"

"It was mutually decided that I would be of more use here, to deal with any Zoanoids that try to attack this place while he's away."

"Oh, that makes sense," Shizu said, as she returned to her knitting. "Mistress Akane?"

"Yes?"

"Have you heard anything from Yukari, or even about her?"

"No."

And that was all she heard, since Mistress Akane left after saying that. Sighing, Shizu reminded herself again that Chronos could not - COULD NOT! COULD NOT! - be doing anything to harm Yukari. Yukari was a Guyver; like Sho, As if Master and Mistress, and Chronos didn't have the strength to harm a Guyver. She should really finish Yukari's jacket for her.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

As Aptom continued to test Sho's limits, by blasting him around and shocking him with "Elegen's" tentacles, he continued to subtly maneuver the kid; then he had to jump out of the way as they Guyver's sonic blasts tore into the roof of the building and collapsed part of it. Aptom chuckled to himself, even as "Zektor" led the rest of "Team Five" out of the building and around the corner. It was time to see just how far Sho's resolve would carry him.

Time to see if he was really ready to go out and fight Chronos, or if he needed a bit more beating.

The way he stopped, staring dumbstruck at "Imakarum", wasn't an encouraging sign.

"Well now, Sho, do you see something you recognize?" Aptom asked, mimicking Imakarum's voice.

"It-it can't be you... Mr. Murakami, you're still alive?"

"Indeed I am, Sho," Aptom said, pretty sure that he wasn't lying on the Zoalord's behalf. His kind were damn hard to kill, and that wasn't even mentioning the fact that his Zoabitch counterpart was still out there. "But that description isn't going to apply to you for much longer!"

"Team Five" fired a massed attack on Sho, causing the Gigantic Guyver to go rolling, knocked off his feet by the concussion. It also brought down a bit more of the factory on them, spreading a cloud of dust over the floor where they were battling. Of course, having a cloud of dust meant Aptom, or rather "Imakarum" and "Team Five" could stride dramatically out of it, and so that was what he did.

"What do you intend to do now, Sho? Weren't you the one-"

"You-you're not Mr. Murakami," Sho said, pointing a shaky finger at him. "I want to know who you really are, and-" Sho fell to his knees. "No- not now!"

The armor of the Gigantic peeled off, reassembling behind Sho as an empty shell of itself, and then falling back further as the cocoon closed around it. Aptom had the feeling that he hadn't done that on purpose. Especially with the way he was looking at the spot where the cocoon had disappeared from.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

The blood samples that had been taken from Yukari Fukamachi, on his orders, showed a great deal of promise. As she was, Yukari would have made an excellent Zoanoid; some improvements would be needed before the girl would be suitable for processing into a Zoalord, however. That was why he himself was working on a synthetic virus.

The virus would overwrite her genetic code, preparing the young woman to become a Zoalord within Chronos' ranks. Lord Alkanphel had discussed this course of action with him, along with the temporary measures that he wanted put into place while he hibernated.

"Dr. Balkus!"

"What is it?" he asked, turning to regard his Zoanoid aide.

"We're under attack, sir!"

"What?!"

The main screen activated, displaying a figure that resembled a distorted version of Guyver III.

"Greetings, gentlemen," the apparition said in Agito Makishima's voice. "Allow me to introduce myself; I am Gigantic Dark. This is not the first time that we have met, Dr. Balkus."

"I should think not, Guyver III. Or, more precisely, Agito Makishima!"

"Ah, has the great Dr. Balkus figured out my identity at last?"

"I have suspected that you were the one behind these attacks for a very long time. With the reports of the destruction in Yokohama, and the appearance of the Zeus' Thunderbolts faction, I knew that the black Gigantic had to be either you or that accursed counterpart of yours. Now, what have you come here for?"

"I have come to wipe Chronos off the face of the Earth! I will begin with your proud Arizona base, and then I will move on to the rest of Chronos!"

"Do you really think that you can destroy a facility this size? Does your hubris truly know no bounds, Makishima?!"

"Destroying this base will be easy, with the Gigantic at my command! I will descend to the lowest level of your precious base, and then I will fire the Gigasmasher straight up! With all of the knowledge at your disposal, Balkus, it should be easy for you to figure out what would happen to this place. I'll see you in the basement when the carnage starts, Balkus."

Dr. Balkus gave orders to his Zoanoids in the lover levels to sound the attack alarms, and to prepare Yukari Fukamachi for rapid transport. Handing the container with the virus, as well as a backup in case of unforeseen complications, to his Zoanoid aide Dr. Balkus directed the Gustav-type to transform and make use of the high-speed elevator. The acceleration of that particular elevator would have severely damaged a human's body, even a Zoanoid in human form would have suffered some minor injuries using it.

It was dangerous to use; and as such reserved for the most pressing of emergencies. It was also the fastest way to get to the lab where Yukari Fukamachi was being prepared to undergo processing into the most powerful and hence highest-ranked type of Zoaform in Chronos' hierarchy.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

When they'd gotten word, through the Zoanoids stationed in the laboratory with them, of the attack on this base Dr. Michelle Walters had taken over the responsibility of seeing her people and their project evacuated from the base. The transport tank, filled with amniotic fluid and outfitted with respirator attachments to ensure that a proper oxygen mix was maintained, had already been filled with its cargo in preparation for the evacuation.

Four Razell-types, her little brother among them, were loading the tank onto the maglev sled. This was what was going to take them to one of the way-stations outside of Flagstaff, and from there to one of the smaller processing plants out in the desert. It was far enough from civilization that the Guyver attacking them was not likely to know about it. Still, Michelle knew that she herself would have to stay behind, both to operate the hidden doors that would seal off the escape tunnel, and to detonate this entire laboratory if the Guyver attacking them showed any signs of discovering it.

It wouldn't do to have any of the remaining Guyvers discovering what was being done to their compatriot, after all.

Tory wouldn't like it, the fact that she had to stay behind and operate the door controls and potentially risk her life, but he would understand. Tory was a good kid, but he understood that sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the cause.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Well, now that you've lost the Gigantic - and that was really pathetic, I've got to say - what are you going to do now, Sho?!" Aptom laughed. "Do you even know why you lost the Gigantic to Agito? Because you're a soft-headed, weak-willed little idiot!"

Aptom shed the forms he'd been wearing, merging all of them back into his main body and restoring himself to his "normal" form.

"Aptom, it's you!" Sho stared at him in obvious shock. "But why? Why did you do all of this?!"

"You can ask me that?! After I've had to put up with your stupid whining? After the way I have to keep covering your ass so you don't end up getting it blown off?! I've had it with watching you wallowing in self-pity while Chronos runs rampant! And if I have to beat the weakness right out of you, then that's what I'm going to do!"

"Aptom, I-"

"I don't want to hear it!" Aptom body-slammed the Guyver, lashing him with electrified tentacles and driving him back across the floor of the factory. "What do you think you're fighting for here, Sho? Your friends? Is that why you were going to let your 'old friend' Murakami kill you?! Idiot! What do you think they're going to do to Yukari now that they have her?! Or do you even care about that?"

"I-"

"What, did you forget already that she couldn't fight her Murakami, either?" Aptom hissed in disgust. "That's why they took her, you know. She's as weak as you are!"

"You don't know anything," Sho said, still obviously winded from his earlier fight. "Nothing. You don't know anything about Mr. Murakami and the others; what they mean to us."

"Yeah?" Aptom sneered. "Well, I don't really care to know, either. I'd rather not know what you four had; because here's the truth you've been overlooking: you'd rather see people you know would stand by you in a heartbeat die, than kill someone who used to be one of your friends. Even if he did make it really clear that he wasn't your friend anymore; even though he told you flat-out that he was going to kill you. I'd rather not know what you guys were like when you were all on the same side, because then I might become as pathetic as you are now!"

"That's not true."

"Oh, but it is," Aptom snarled. "But I don't care so much about that. Because this isn't about me right now; this is about you," grabbing the Guyver-boy by his throat, Aptom hoisted him into the air. "This is about what you did to my comrades when you fought them! For their memory, I can't just let you die this easily. And not at Chronos' hands, either!" hurling Sho at the wall hard enough that he left a crater where he impacted, Aptom took a breath. "It'd be so easy to kill you in this condition; but I won't. Killing a weakling like you wouldn't let Somlum and Dymu rest. So I'll hold off on that; for a while at least."

With those as parting words, Aptom turned and left. Left Sho sitting in a heap where he'd thrown him.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

+Yukari?+

She twitched, hearing something but not hearing it. Not really.

Struggling to open her eyes - her entire body felt heavy, slow and sluggish - Yukari peered up at what looked like the inside of some sort of box. There was a window in the top of the box, near her head, but what she saw through that window didn't make very much sense. The ceiling seemed to be scrolling by her, almost like the credits at the end of a movie.

That thought was funny enough that Yukari laughed for a second, causing bubbles to float up from her mouth.

+No. I think I'm in a box. Oh, wait, now someone's opening the box. It's a bug,+ Yukari laughed. +There's a bug opening the box.+

+Yukari! You have to listen to me! That's one of Chronos' Zoanoids! Call the Guyver! You have to get out of there!+

+The Guyver?+ Yukari tried to think, tried to focus, but the more she fought, the more she became aware of the occluding fog in her mind.

It hadn't been all that noticeable at first, she'd just felt really calm and happy for some reason. But now, now that she was trying to think; trying to summon the clarity of mind to call her Guyver, Yukari found that it was impossible for her to concentrate on any one thing long enough. Calling the Guyver took a great deal of concentration; concentration that she couldn't draw up.

Something was dipped into the water, some kind of... pipe? It bumped against her neck, then something poked into her skin. Yukari felt as if something had pinched her - stung her, really - and then her body started to feel heavy and sluggish again.

The bug, the Zoanoid, standing over her slowly blurred and faded until she couldn't see anything at all.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

As the walls and Zoanoid defenders of Chronos' Arizona Headquarters fell like dead wheat before him, Agito laughed. Did Balkus really think that these weakling insects would have any chance of stopping him now that he had the power of the Gigantic? Did Balkus think he was dealing with Fukamachi, even now?

Still, though they had no way of standing against his power, the legions of Zoanoids throwing themselves at him were beginning to become an annoyance. So Agito decided that it was time to rid himself of them. Slamming a Gravity Punch into the floor below him, Agito smashed into and then through the heavy, reinforced alloys beneath his feet.

There were only a few more levels between himself and the basement of Chronos' massive Arizona base. Maybe after I've destroyed this place down to its foundations, I'll use the remains to furnish one of my own bases. Some of these alloys could be smelted to make more weapons, or used for repairs. Agito was not so foolish as to think that he could build one of his Thunderbolt bases on the wreckage of Chronos Arizona without that base being destroyed.

Besides, using the materials that had been so painstakingly assembled, refined and shaped to suit Chronos' needs for the repairs and matenance of his own facilities would be quite enjoyable. More Zoanoids came at him, bearing down from all directions like the walls of a collapsing building, and Agito made short work of them with his Vibration Blades. The new feature that he had discovered, the one that allowed his blades to stretch like elastic and provided them with the flexibility of whips, was a very useful attribute.

Agito crossed his arms, unleashing all six of his Vibration Blades in their elastic form. The Zoanoids who had come to replace the ones he'd killed also died, and Agito began charging the Gigantic's Pressure Cannon. Firing into a group of Zoanoids who'd been stupid enough to try to attack him head-on, Agito blew through the wall and found a storage room.

"Transport containers," he mused aloud. "These could be useful to me."

There was a moment for him to rest, a moment where none of Chronos Arizona's Zoanoids were attacking him, and Agito took that moment to start gathering up the transport containers in front of him. He didn't really need anything else, but it had been rather enjoyable hearing that sheer terror in Balkus' voice when he made his announcement. Let the old fool wonder what it is I'm planning, Agito chuckled as he flew away with his cargo. It will just make it all the more satisfying when I spring my latest surprise on him. I really must find a way to thank Hayami for giving me the means to accomplish my goal.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Once the container with Yukari Fukamachi had been returned to Chronos' Arizona Headquarters, in the absence of the threat of destruction by the Dark Gigantic's Gigasmasher, Dr. Balkus and the remainder of the Council were meeting to discuss repairs and strategy. Although Dr. Balkus would have been far more interested in continuing his improvements to the girl who had been Guyver I. But, as always, Chronos business came first.

"I am at fault for this disaster," Lord Shin spoke, his quiet voice filled with regret. "If I had been at my post in Washington state, then I would have been able to aid you in this battle."

"It was probably a good thing you weren't," Dr. Balkus said. "If you had lost your life fighting that battle, then Lord Alkanphel would have been greatly displeased."

"Still, it was very audacious of the Guyver to try and enter our main headquarters, even with the power of that Gigantic armor at his disposal," Lord Luggnagg said.

"Regardless, we should not allow the Dark Guyver to escape unscathed when he has attacked Chronos in such a brash way. We should strike back as soon as we are able."

"Do not be so impetuous, Jabir! Luggnagg! We have no orders; I would suggest that you remain silent!"

"Perhaps the idea has some merit," Imakarum spoke, turning to look toward Lords Luggnagg and Jabir. "We would appear rather weak if we failed to retaliate against Makishima."

"I would suggest that you hold your tongue, Mirabilis," Dr. Balkus hissed. "You of all of us should know that we cannot act without the approval of Alkanphel!"

"I have been given orders by our Lord to see that we act in the best interests of Chronos," Imakarum said calmly, but Dr. Balkus could sense that he was rather annoyed.

"Now, now," Lord Jabir said. "There is no need to squabble over such a thing. None of us would ever think of attacking the Gigantic without orders."

"Indeed. We would not want to suffer the same fate as the unfortunate Lady Mirabilis," Lord Luggnagg stated.

"Speaking of such, how is that lovely counterpart of yours doing? Have you seen her lately?" Lord Jabir asked.

"Lady Hikari is injured, but she is recovering," Imakarum said. "I'm not entirely certain when she will be able to rejoin us, but when she returns she will return to us at full strength."

"What I am more interested in is why the Dark Gigantic did not simply destroy our Arizona Headquarters when he had the chance," Lord Kablarl stated. "With the power of his Gigantic armor, he could have easily reduced this place to a crater. If, indeed, that had been his purpose?"

Dr. Balkus grumbled slightly. He knew the reports; that Makishima had been spotted leaving the Arizona facility with a stolen transport container in his possession. Dr. Balkus had his own suspicions about just what had been inside that particular container, but until a thorough inventory of their losses had been completed, he was not going to mention them.

"I rather doubt that it was," Imakarum stated flatly. "Otherwise, none of the base would have been left standing; and we would have likely lost Lord Hamilcal as well."

"Indeed," Dr. Balkus said, nodding. "If there is nothing further to discuss; I will return to my laboratory. I still have a number of experiments to see to."

"We will take care of things here, Lord Hamilcal," Imakarum stated, inclining his head.

Dr. Balkus nodded and left the Celestial Hall. With Yukari Fukamachi back in his hands, and the attack by that accursed Gigantic Dark, it was all the more urgent that he finish at least the preliminary stages of the girl's processing. With the improvements that Alkanphel had planned, she would make a useful asset to Chronos.

The doors of the elevator slid open in front of him, then closed as he stepped inside and hit the button that would take him up the few levels that separated Dr. Balkus from his personal laboratory. The laboratory itself was in one of the least damaged sections of the facility; there would most likely be only a few of the janitorial staff working to clear the debris out of the room. Once he had arrived back in his laboratory, Dr. Balkus found that Yukari Fukamachi had already been placed on an operating table and fully restrained.

She had doubtless also been sedated again, a fact that Dr. Balkus ascertained from the slow and steady rate of her breathing. Injecting the virus; which Gustav had returned to him once the threat of annihilation had been discovered to be merely a ruse. Oh, it had been a rather clever ruse, perpetrated by someone with extensive experience in performing such things, but Dr. Balkus still wished that he had seen through it.

Still, that was in the past. What he was doing now would help to ensure that Chronos would suffer far less setbacks in the future. He would forge Yukari Fukamachi into a weapon capable of destroying the Guyvers and protecting the interests of Chronos.

She would become Chronos' sword and Alkanphel's shield; even as her compatriot Lady Mirabilis had been. Dr. Balkus was not known as the greatest of Chronos' scientists without good reason, after all.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

The snow was beautiful, a blanket of pure white that stretched over the ground as far as she could see. It also gave Master and Mistress' footfalls a delightful crunching sound. But none of them were here to sightsee. They were here to meet with one of the soldiers who fought under their command to help free the world from Chronos.

"Good morning, Sir, Ma'am," the tall, blond man in glasses greeted as he came walking up to them through the snow. "And who is this?"

"My name is Shizu," she said, bowing her head politely. "Pleased to meet you, sir."

He nodded to her, then turned back to speak with Master and Mistress. "We've managed to find ourselves a suitable location," he said, as they crested the rise in front of them and came into sight of a large warehouse. "This place used to be a military transport hangar; of course, Chronos closed it down after they finalized their control. No one wanted to purchase it, so we could acquire it rather easily."

"Good work," Mistress Akane said. "What is this place operating as currently?"

"Our cover is that this place is a sawmill. However, since logging is for the most part discouraged, people will not be expecting us to be turning out wood products."

"That will make things rather convenient for us," Master Agito commented, taking in the sheer size of the building that they were inside. "We would be able to accommodate at least twenty processing-tanks in this place."

"Yes," Mistress Akane said. "Of course, we will perhaps need to manufacture a few token wood products; in the event that any suspicion were to be cast on this facility."

"That can easily be taken care of, Ma'am. We have also taken the liberty of ordering the parts to build the tanks. And the amniotic fluid will be easy for us to acquire."

"Good," Master Agito said, nodding once. "Incidentally, how is our guest behaving himself?"

"Rather well, now that he knows we have the vaccine necessary to sustain him," the soldier paused for a moment. "He also expressed an interest in speaking to both Shizu and miss Akane."

"Indeed?" Mistress Akane raised an eyebrow.

"Very well; I am certain I know what he wants to speak to Shizu about," Master Agito said, and Shizu had a feeling that she knew, too. She had volunteered for it, after all. "Akane, if you would accompany us?"

"Of course," Mistress said, following her and Master Agito as they left.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

The driving wind and rain lashed the temple, his temple, as Sayuri slept inside. Masaki had brought word that Luggnagg, Jabir and Kablarl had expressed an interest, and some rather pronounced enthusiasm, in attacking the Gigantic Guyver. He had told Masaki to give them permission on his behalf to do so, but also to watch them. Hamilcal may indeed have had a valid reason to suspect their motives.

It seems that a storm is coming, Alkanphel mused. After Masaki had told him of the attack on Chronos' Arizona plant, the one that had been conducted by that traitorous Zeus utilizing the Gigantic armor, Alkanphel knew that it was all the more urgent for him to restore Sayuri to full health so that she could take her place within the Council again.

As the stone doors parted before him and he entered his inner sanctum, Alkanphel gazed upon his life-pod where Sayuri slept and recovered from her wounds. Return to me soon, Sayuri. I would not think to replace you with Masaki. My pod will heal you; however, the damage to your Zoacrystal will take longer to repair than that which was done to your body.

Sighing, Alkanphel looked once again at Sayuri's damaged Zoacrystal. Two months from this day, I will be forced to hibernate again. I wonder if you will be restored to me before that happens. Alkanphel smiled slightly, as he recalled the reports that Hamilcal had given him. You might find someone familiar waiting for you when you revive, Sayuri. I am certain that you will enjoy her company.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Deep within the Arizona headquarters of Chronos, within a processing-tank that had more elaborate equipment and monitoring devices attached to it, a lithe figure floated suspended in an amniotic-bath. The figure was the color of new grass, at least on most of its body. There was a large, helmet-like growth on the figure's head that was colored a much darker green, the back of which had started to sprout a pair of tentacles.

They were currently nothing more than stubs, but the genetic profiles for their growth had already been established. The eyes of the figure suspended in the tank started to pull themselves open slowly and laboriously, revealing pale yellow 'whites', yellow irises, and catlike black pupils. The fluid in the tank started to drain, and the green figure tilted its head back to look at the surface of the liquid as it fell ever closer to the bottom of the tank.

As the fluid in the tank drained out, the lithe green figure sank slowly to the bottom. At first, it seemed almost as if the figure would be able to stand on its feet, then gravity took over and the green figure sank slowly to its knees. Once the tank had been emptied of all its amniotic fluid, the subject inside was left lying on the bottom of the tank, looking for all the world like a doll that had been tossed aside once the owner had finished playing with it. The subject in the processing-tank was merely an enhanced Zoanoid, with slightly more than the level of sophistication that a Hyper Zoanoid possessed.

All of that was about to be changed, however.

Dr. Balkus strode forward as the body of the tank retracted into the floor. Lifting the enhanced-Zoanoid out of its resting-place, just as it had started to try sitting up, the Zoalord scientist carried it to an operating table and strapped it down. Fixing its head into place with a pair of clamps, Dr. Balkus removed a serrated scalpel – almost a small saw – from the tray of medical instruments he had set out for himself. Slicing into the forehead of the subject strapped to the table, Dr. Balkus used his telepathic powers to subdue it when it started to struggle.

The claws had not grown in yet, and the subject had none of the energy-manipulation abilities that it would possess once its processing had been completed. It would have been dangerous to any lesser Zoaform, but fortunately not to him. He was Chronos' foremost telepath, aside from Lord Alkanphel of course, and as such this subject would submit to his will.