Agent Winston: (Walks into interrogation room after keeping the suspect isolated for twenty two and a half hours) Tell me about this project you were working on.
Doctor Adams: I— I don’t—
Agent Winston: The letters ‘NDA’ don’t mean a thing to me or the people I work for. Tell me what I want to know about Project Breadbowl, now.
Doctor Adams: Wait, how did you hear about that?
Agent Winston: Doctor Adams. I am at my limit. You are going to give me what I want, now. And do you know why? Because my copy of International Human Rights Law and the Geneva Convention has gone unread beside my toilet for years and the answers you can provide me are more important than your well being. Do you understand?
Doctor Adams: Okay. Uh? What do you want to know about it? You already kn–
Agent Winston: Everything.
Doctor Adams: Alright. Originally the project was to alter vegetables and fruits so they could grow just about anywhere, ending world hunger. Our first success was with BR18-F. Also known as corn. But this stuff grew four feet overnight in the cracks of the concrete floor. We should have treated this as a red flag, instead we considered it a success.
Agent Winston: Why?
Doctor Adams: Why what? Why was it a red flag? Because by noon it was ready for harvesting.
Agent Winston: So congratulations are in order?
Doctor Adams: No. Not at all.
Agent Winston: Did you not accomplish what you set out to do?
Doctor Adams: You don't understand. It isn't that simple.
Agent Winston: Explain it like I’m about to get out of the elevator on a different floor than you. Quickly.
Doctor Adams: Corn was only the first that escaped containment. Strawberries, lemons and tomatoes were next. Wherever these plants went they quickly suffocated the local fauna.
Agent Winston: Is that why you set fire to the multi million dollar facility and the surrounding area?
Doctor Adams: Yes! Well, partially. None of it should be allowed to survive.
Agent Winston: Partially? Explain.
Doctor Adams: Animals who eat the affected fruits and veggies are also affected.
Agent Winston: How so?
Doctor Adams: Changes are small at first and results vary, but they are irreversible.
Agent Winston: What changes have you witnessed?
Doctor Adams: (Inhales deeply) I saw a Canadian goose nearly as big as a biplane. It was growing too fast for its skin to keep up. Under its torn flesh was exposed bones and muscle.
Agent Winston: Sounds like a bad way to go.
Doctor Adams: Go? It was still alive. Suffering, but it was alive. Security tried putting it out of its misery but it kept regenerating.
Agent Winston: Was that the only animal affected?
Doctor Adams: No. We documented a bunch of animals that were affected. Some of those changes were brought on by eating the infected animals and not directly eating the plants themselves.
Agent Winston: What animals and what changes occurred?
Doctor Adams: Mice. Deer. Bear. Wolves. Whatever animal lives in that part of Canada was most likely affected.
Agent Winston: And what changes happened to them? Similar?
Doctor Adams: Sometimes. We had mice who sort of melted into each other, transforming into some decaying mass made of fat, pus and blood. Crows with something that I would call “nipple talons” and deer who attack humans with jaws that dislocate. No matter what changes happened and no matter what animal was affected, they were always aggressive.
Agent Winston: What happened to the bear and the wolves?
Doctor Adams: The bear was atomized before it could breach the fence but the wolves were more cunning and were the reason we ran to the roof in the first place.
Agent Winston: When did you set everything on fire? Shortly after that?
Doctor Adams: Yeah. Once I reached the roof and the wolves were locked inside I took the opportunity and did what I had to do.
Agent Winston: What you had to do?
Doctor Adams: Fuck the job. This was about right and wrong. The natural order of things. I might have done some bad things in my day, but this is another level. If this got out it would mean the end of the world.
Agent Winston: Have you documented any humans that have been affected?
Doctor Adams: No. No, of course not. My entire staff and I took all the necessary precautions. Why?
Agent Winston: (Pulls out a file and hands it to Doctor Adams) Take a look.
Doctor Adams: (Opens the file, thumbs through the photos and skims the reports) Oh God. When was this?
Agent Winston: Ever since you were brought here. Which is why we kept you waiting. We had to be sure you weren't affected.
Doctor Adams: Is this person still suffering?
Agent Winston: Yes.
Doctor Adams: Why?
Agent Winston: Two reasons. First is because killing her is harder than it should be, thanks to your work. The second is because it'll give you incentive to help us.
Doctor Adams: Wait, what? Incentive?
Agent Winston: Do you not recognize her? Look harder.
Doctor Adams: Oh God. Oh you motherfu—
Agent Winston: We are going to need you to replicate your experiments and continue your research. This time proper precautions will be put into place. Don't worry about your former employer either, they think you died in the fire.
Doctor Adams: Oh God. What about my wife and kids? Do they think that too?
Agent Winston: They too think you died in a wildfire you created. Lots of people do. In fact if anyone knew you were alive they would blame you for the air quality as of late. Then you would be hauled off to jail for the rest of your life. That is until someone with nothing to lose kills you in the lunch line for a little extra money in the canteen.
Doctor Adams: No. Just… can I talk to them?
Agent Winston: Doctor Adams… I assure you that if you make any attempts to reach out to them, not only will you suffer for it, but they will too. With one phone call I can place subsonic dishes and electric disrupting field rods across from their house while bombarding them with subliminal messages. In a year your precious daughter will become a drug addict, your son into a murderer and your wife into a whore. Don’t fuck with me, doctor.
Doctor Adams: What I did was a necessary evil. If I didn't set everything on—
Agent Winston: The world would have ended. You said that in your email before going through with it. But the thing is, I don't care about that. All I care about is your research. Now, we can either get it from you or we can piece it together from what we can recover from the site. Only one way ends well for you.
Doctor Adams: I see. So what do I do now?
Agent Winston: Now? Well, assuming you agree, we move you to a new facility. I think my superiors want you working on bobbit worms. After a successful trial period, you will be given a top secret security clearance.
Doctor Adams: You expect me to… what? What happens if I say no?
Agent Winston: With everyone sifting through the wreckage, we will have results even if you don't play ball. I get results either way. Your well being isn't at all a factor.