An Undisclosed Location.

[Narrator]

"Well, if you get hungry, you can't eat the rabbit." Delilah remarked, sounding amused "Whatever shall you do?" she smirked, tossing Amanda in and locking the door.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan stirred barely, reaching a hand to Amanda before falling unconscious.

[Amanda Weinrich]

Amanda took care of Stan as best she could, trying to get him to drink some water, and making him as comfortable as she could, given the spartan nature of the cells. Eventually, she fell into a light doze, Stan's head resting in her lap.

[Narrator]

(((((((((((Sept 27th, Early Morning)))))))))))

"Time to go." Cain said, walking into the cell and picking up Stan.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan hissed and swiped at the intruder, baring his fangs.

"Leave me. Let me be!"

[Narrator]

"Calm down, kitten." Cain said, picking Stan up easily "Its time to finish up your transformation. Don't worry though" he added, smiling nastily "When its done we'll bring you back here. I hear that your juicebox likes it rough."

[Stan Bowen]

"Amanda.." Stan shouted as he was dragged away, a horrible look on his face.

[Amanda Weinrich]

"Stan.....fight them! Stay strong!" Amanda called out, unable to form the desire to escape, and not sure why that was.

[Stan Bowen]

"Amanda.. Run!" Stan pleaded, as his head was pulled away from the door.

[Narrator]

Cain, unaffected by the desperate scene he'd just witnessed, carried Stan in and strapped him down to a examination table.

"Greetings, Dr. Bowen." a man said, as he emerged from the shadows.

[Stan Bowen]

Stan struggled against his restraints, trying to get a look at the person addressing him.

[Narrator]

Stan would be unable to get a look at the man who was coming up behind him "You may call me...the Progenitor" the man continued "Or Sire, if you prefer. I'm the one responsible for the current alterations to your physiology."

[Stan Bowen]

Despite his overreaching weakness and imminent descent into blood hunger, Stan managed to put up a defiant face.

"You.. you'd best let Amanda, myself, and anyone else you have kidnapped go free. Right now."

[Narrator]

"We'll let you go free, never fear, Dr. Bowen." the Progenitor said, resting his hands on the side of Stan's face "Now, let me ask you a question.....how much do you care for the tasty little human that is occupying your cell?"

[Stan Bowen]

Stan frowned.

"I care for her more then you will ever be able to drive out of me, you twisted, sick freak."

[Narrator]

"Good." The Progenitor said, smiling at Stan "I think you misunderstand......I'm pleased that you are fond of her. You see, I'm going to make you an offer. You see, I've reached a point in my research where someone with your knowledge of mutant genetics would be invaluable. Now, if you continue to fight the change, it is quite possible that your mind will not survive the transformation. Normally, this would be trivial, but in your case, I need your mind intact. Now, if you will allow me to complete the transformation, I promise to leave the fair Amanda unharmed."

[Stan Bowen]

Stan answered quickly.

"Let her go, first. Then we'll talk about getting me to cooperate willingly."

[Narrator]

"I think you fail to understand the nature of my offer. She won't be harmed, but she stays here. Of course......if that is unacceptable, I do have a counter-offer. You see, if you do not cooperate, I'm still going to change you. And then, once you have changed, I'll put you back in the cell, starving, your mind broken with a tasty, delicious human, who, thanks to some minor alterations to her mind, won't shift and won't fight you. Somehow, I don't think you'll like that quite as much."

[Stan Bowen]

Stan gritted his teeth- the choice was a horrendous one.

For a moment, his mind wandered to the last time a person he deeply cared about was placed in Harm's way because of him..

He struggled another few moments before defeat washed over him.

[Narrator]

"Excellent." The Progenitor said, running a thumb over Stan's cheek "Now, this will hurt quite a lot, but once I'm done I promise that you will feel much, much better."

[Stan Bowen]

"Just.. just tell me why. Why are you doing this? Why are you creating Monsters and terrorizing my school? What can you possibly gain?"

[Narrator]

"The world. Dr. Bowen. I want to gain the world."

[Stan Bowen]

Stan looked on in incredulity, after a moment.

"Well, in that case, flip the switch," Stan said, smirking weakly. "Now that I know there is no way you're going to win."

[Narrator]

"You misunderstand." The Progenitor continued "You see, right now, mutations are....organic. Sloppy. Lines don't breed true. Powerful parents throw children that are the next best thing to flatscans. I can change all that. Give mutants a identity, a uniformity that they would otherwise lack. Make us into something that the mere humans will respect and fear."

[Stan Bowen]

Despite his condition, Stan bristled at the human slur.

"So, in addition to the fact that you are going about your paradigm shift is such a public, terrorist way, You are going to commit the genetic equivalent of razing a rain forest to build a wheat farm. Do you realize what you are bringing down upon yourself? And not just from the X-Men?"

[Narrator]

"Oh, thats right....you enjoy bestiality." The Progenitor said with a sneer "But I suggest you calm down, I'm about to begin."

[Stan Bowen]

Stan's eyes furrowed.

"Thinking of humans as animals to be exploited. You are just like any number of megalomaniacs I've put down in my lifetime. What makes you so special? Your name?"

[Narrator]

"My power, and the fact that you are going to help me." The Progenitor sneered "Unless, of course, you want to devour that delightful little morsel back in your cell."

[Stan Bowen]

Stan's eye's flashed in anger at the threat to Amanda.

"I'm not good or powerful enough to keep the walls from crashing down around you. Look deep down- you know how this is going to end."

[Narrator]

"I know that I need a scientist of your caliber to bring my dreams to fruition. Now, for both of our sakes, I hope that you will cooperate. It is so distressing when people don't cooperate."

[Stan Bowen]

Stan struggled weakly, before settling down sadly.

"You know that you will fail. THe X-Men, the Avengers, The Queen's Guard.. Someone will stop you. But If I am assured Amanda Will not be harmed..."

[Narrator]

"The X-men, the Avengers and the Queen's Guard will be lining up to have me refine their mutations." The Progenitor sneered "And don't worry. As long as you cooperate, the delicious Dr. Weinrich is quite safe."

[Stan Bowen]

Stan Closed his eyes tightly, praying someone would burst through the door, before slowly nodding.

"Damn you.. Yes. I'll cooperate."

[Narrator]

"Good." the Progenitor said, smiling "Very, very good."