"Guinea Pigs" for the PicFic Tuesday Challenge 2/28

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

The prompt:

A shirtless Solo and Kuryakin struggled against their bindings as their arms and upper bodies were tightly strapped to stainless steel medical tables that had been tilted upwards, allowing the agents to observe what was going on.

Across from them was another stainless table, this with with bizarre looking creatures held in place, looking like something out of the prehistoric Paleozoic era to the Russian.

Needles had been inserted into whatever they were and were being drained of what presumably was their blood...blue blood.

He’d never seen anything like it.

“What are they?” He whispered to Solo.

“Atlantic horseshoe crabs.”

“I have never seen a crab like those before.”

“They’re not actually crabs. If I recall my college biology they’re called chelicerates. It’s a classification that includes spiders, scorpions and mites. They’re actually about 500 million years old.

“They look like huge trilobites,” Illya said.

“Actually horseshoe crabs are more closely related to the extinct trilobites than to any living creature.”

“Napoleon I am truly impressed. Now why is their...what I assume is blood...blue?”

“Good question, you’ve got me there tovarisch. I’ve heard the term blue blood, but that always referred a person of noble birth.”

A lab technician working nearby was listening in on their conversation.

“You know for two men who are about to be experimented on with this stuff, you’re awfully calm.”

“And what exactly are you going to do with that ‘stuff’?” Napoleon asked.

“Oh once we’ve added our special formula we’re going to inject it into the both of you. We’ll see if you can survive, then we’ll harvest your blood…”

“See if we survive?” Illya swallowed hard.

“Just so you know the horseshoe crab’s blood is bright blue, because it’s copper-based hemocyanin whereas invertebrates have iron based hemoglobin. Instead of white blood cells to fight infection, many invertebrates have amebocytes, and the Limulus polyphemus here have evolved to such a peak of refinement that they are of enormous medical value.”

“Horseshoe crab amebocytes coagulate around as little as one part in a trillion of bacterial contamination. Even better, the reaction takes 45 minutes, not two days as with mammalian equivalents. Coagulan, the chemical that makes this possible, can be used in testing medical...well enough of that! THRUSH however, has found another use for the Coagulant.”

“And that is?” Solo asked.

“Oh that would spoil the surprise Mr. Solo. You’ll find out soon enough if...Mr. Kuryakin survives, and if not then it’ll be your turn.”

It was unusual that a Thrushie wasn’t running off at the mouth about their latest scheme, and both agents found that odd.

The tech prepared a syringe, drawing from a small vial of clear liquid, then he added some of the blue blood to it.

“All right Mr. Kuryakin, this’ll only pinch. I can’t promise what you’ll feel after that, or if you’ll live.”

“Oh that is so comforting,” Illya retorted.

The man stood between the two tables and just as the needle was jabbed into Kuryakin’s arm, Napoleon lifted his left foot and slammed against the back of the man’s head.

He went flying to the floor unconscious, but the syringe remained in Illya’s arm. Solo wriggled his right hand free and undid his restraints.

“Please remove the needle first?” Illya said.

“Got it!” Napoleon quickly placed it in a nearby case and put it safely in his pocket. UNCLE would want a sample.

He undid Kuryakin’s bindings and as they prepared to leave, Illya halted.

“Wait, there is something to be done.” He took a lit bunsen burner and using a lab coat as tinder, he set the lab ablaze. The horseshoe crabs had been drained of their life’s blood and were dead so there was no reason to try to free the poor creatures.

He and Napoleon grabbed the unconscious tech and dragged him to safety outdoors, and there they watched as the small structure went up in flames.

There was a car parked nearby, with the keys still in the ignition. It most likely belonged to the tech who was apparently the only person working at this remote lab. There were no guards as the goons who’d captured Solo and Kuryakin felt the agents were safely and securely bound to the medical tables. They left to get dinner...

After finding a pair of jumper cables in the trunk, the UNCLE agents bound their prisoner and headed out.  They’d been captured in the town of Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania, and realized once they found a main road that they were still in the vicinity. From there the drive to headquarters would take about two and a half hours.

The tech, once awake remained silent.

“I wonder what they were planning on using this for,” Napoleon drew the box containing the syringe from his pocket. He pointed it towards the Thrushie.

“Research and development will tell us soon enough, but I am sure it is for something nefarious.”

“Oh let’s just try it on our friend here Illya,” Napoleon smiled.

“No, please?  If you fools must know, we were trying to develop a vaccine.”

“Vaccine for what?” Solo asked.

“Tsk, the common cold. Too many of our people are always getting sick and the Council wanted us to develop a vaccine as a preventative.”

Both Solo and Kuryakin’s eyebrows raised upon hearing that…

“A cure for the common cold you say?” Napoleon grinned as he looked at his partner, who was prone to getting them.”

“Do not look at me. I am no guinea pig my friend.”

“I would never think that tovarisch,” Napoleon winked.

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

UNCLE's lucky not as many of its opponents were as knowledgeable and original as this lot. The last twist was excellent, too. Also, I'm sure Napoleon appreciated being the one to inform Illya.

(Poor crabs. I hope the survivors all came down with severe flu.)

edit: and I hope things are better today.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I was thinking of you when I had IK burn the place down, so I made sure the horseshoe crabs were already dead, thanks to the villainous Thrushie! "D

And thank you, unfortunately things (not that bad) went wrong today too. Can't wait for summer and things blooming and flowering. Even life isn't better, at least it'll look prettier and be warmer....sigh.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Hugs and best wishes! (And the bit about the crabs appreciated.)

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! And thanks!

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Always bizarre our Thrushies are ;) I'm glad our 'shirtless' agents got away with a clean bill of health. I wonder if they've found their shirts yet :D

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Afraid those shirts went up in a blaze, better that than the boys.

Thanks for the comment!

[ssclassof56.livejournal.com]

Hmm. A cure for the common cold would be an attractive bargaining chip for Thrush. They might have conquered the world with that alone. :)

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Now that very true! Thanks for reading and commenting!

[pfrye.livejournal.com]

I thought those looked like horseshoe crabs......but wasn't sure if they were or not. Very good. Hope your day is better today.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

I wasn't sure if everyone would know what they were. I grew up seeing them at the beach all the time.

The day was...problematic. But thanks. and thanks for the comment on the story. Glad you liked it.

[lindafishes8.livejournal.com]

Well, that which doesn't kill you will cure you, or something like that. Good thing Napoleon was quick with his feet. Horseshoe crabs blood being blue is just weird! I liked your story and the prompt. Good job all the way around. ;D

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

You're close...'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger,' still your version was very apropos.

If anything this prompt made us learn something knew. Who'a thunk that there were living creatures out there that have 'blue blood' -copper based. Others with blue blood... members of the crustacean family such as crabs, crayfish, lobsters and shrimps, also have blue, copper-based blood as well as some mollusks, spiders and scorpions. Holy cow.

Hey didn't Mr. Spock have copper based blood? Though Bones McCoy always referred to him as green blooded. Copper oxidizes green when exposed to air...hmmm.

Glad you enjoyed this strange little story. Thanks for the comment!

Have you ever seen a horseshoe crab. I grew up seeing them...they're pretty creepy.