The Head of the Super Heroes Creators (SHC), leaned in his chair having a cup of coffee in his large technological advanced office. He was keeping himself busy by watching an animation movie on TV. "This is what I call peace of mind", he said, feeling quite a good moment.
Fun time would come to an abrupt end though when an employee barged into his office without knocking on the door. He held a laptop in his palm trotting towards the Head, who hurriedly changed the channel to a news channel to save himself from embarrassment.
"Why didn't you knock before walking into my office?", he cautioned the employee.
The employee got baffled by the question, glimpsing at the door and then back at him. "But you cautioned me last week for knocking. You said the knock irritates you", he gaped at the Head.
Knowing quite well it was what he said, he quickly changed the topic. "What brings you into my office then?", he asked.
The young man kept the laptop on his glass table in front of him so he could view what was on the screen. "With the help of our time traveling system, a super villain will be brought to existence by roughly a month later in Munich, Germany" , he informed the Head, showing him the location and date on the screen.
The Head was not really bothered by the news. He gestured for a mechanism that floated in air, bearing a cup of coffee to come to him. He collected the cup of coffee, replacing it with an empty cup before he gestured for the mechanism to go away. "I'll have to make sure a Super Creature is formed there in Munich", he said in between two sips of coffee. A scientist barged into the office and trotted over to him looking desperate. "I think I need to be electrifying my door", mumbled the Head.
"Sir. Heard about the super villain coming into existence in Munich in about a month's time", the scientist said, feeling so enthusiastic.
The Head stared at him with a cunning smile, knowing very well the scientist was trying to offer himself for the job of creating a Super Creature. "There's someone - or something -", he giggled, "I know that's capable of doing this job already living in Munich", he said.
"But Sir...Ratboy's creator wasn't living in Nigeria but you gave him the job still", the scientist scorned.
"I don't know anyone in Nigeria at the moment except for Mr Robinson and Ratboy himself", explained the Head.
Out of anger, the scientist exclaimed;"Damn it!" He quickly covered how mouth, realizing he had to pay a fine after he had used a swear word. He looked up and saw the Head with an already outstretched hand to receive the fine. He reluctantly gave the Head some money, who then put it in his breast pocket.
"I'll use this money and get myself some candy", said the Head with a simper, much to the disappointment of the scientist. The Head then heaved a sigh.
"So what's the plan Sir?", asked the employee with the laptop.
"Make plans for my flight to Munich tomorrow. I'll be heading to Munich to go pay an old friend a visit", he instructed, smirking at the scientist.
"I'll plan on that right away", the employee bowed his head slightly, picked up his laptop and trotted out of his office.
"Sir...", the scientist was about to give out a niggle but the Head raised up his hand, signalling to him to keep quiet.
"Try and understand me please. You're so important to me here, I must confess. Letting you go stay in Munich will be a big loss to me", he explained calmly.
The scientist felt a lot better after hearing what the Head revealed to him. He just stood at a place swinging his hands back and forth childishly.
* * *
The next two days as planned, the Head of SHC landed in Munich. As he walked down the plane, holding just a backpack, he admired the beauty of Munich's airport. "A lot of renovation since I last came here", he said inwardly.
A group of three men in black suits awaited him at the airport. He was informed he was going to be picked up by three men on black suits earlier. As he approached them, the men looked at the picture of a man they were given and realized he was the exact man - the one they were sent to pick up at the airport.
"Let's welcome him boys", one of them said. He was the driver amongst them.
"Welcome Sir", they all greeted with a bow. The driver hurriedly hopped into the car and turned on the ignition.
The other two both opened the door for the Head of SHC to get into the car at the same time, but one at the left side and the other at the right. The Head gazed at both of them in confusion and asked;"Should I go through the left or the right?"
"Sir take the right", said the one at the right.
"No Sir. Take the left", said the other.
He gazed at them flatly and shook his head in disappointment, heaving a sigh. He rather went to open the door of the passenger's seat in front and got into the car. The two men began pointing fingers at each other, blaming each other for what happened without saying a word while they gradually went into the car. They drove out of their parking space and out of the airport.
Within a few minutes, they arrived at a large science laboratory and drove into its beautifully decorated premises, with a touch of nature. They parked somewhere at the parking lot. Four of them stepped down from the car. The driver offered to hold the backpack for the Head of SHC but he kindly refused with a smile.
They went into the building and the three led him to where he was going to meet who he came to visit. Along the way, he was welcomed by so many employees and he returned a wave of the hand to their greetings. He was led into a very cold personal laboratory. The men gave him a lab coat to put on and left him in the lab to meet his friend. He put on the lab coat and kept his bag on a nearby chair, looking for his friend.
His friend then suddenly walked out of a smaller room in the laboratory and was so happy to see him. They had their signature handshake and hugged each other warmly. "It's been such a long time Stuart", said the SHC Head.
"Thought we were never gonna see again", his friend replied. His friend was indeed not a human! He was actually an ant of human size that could talk and had the intelligence of a human. His name was Mr Stuart, as was written on his customized lab coat that he wore.
"How have you been Carter?", he asked the Head of SHC.
"I've been doing quite well, saving the world as much as I can", he replied.
"Yeah", Stuart giggled, "Have a seat!", he offered Mr Carter and made him sit down, while he continued with his experiment.
"What are you working on?", Carter asked, staring at the experimental setup curiously. The setup was a rat held captive by a hand-like clamp. Stuart sucked up a little amount of the bluish substance in his volumetric flask with a dropper and poured it on the rat in drops which kept on struggling to escape from the clamp.
"I'm tryna produce a substance that will increase the density of the skin of an animal significantly so it won't easily sustain injury, especially through cuts", Stuart explained.
"Woah!", Carter exclaimed in amazement, "So how's the experiment going?", he asked.
"I've already failed in six attempts...I'm trying it out the seventh time", said Stuart. Carter nodded his head, watching his friend continue with the experiment diligently.
Stuart brought out a small pen knife from a pocket on his lab coat. He used it on where he had poured the liquid on, on the rat's body but unfortunately, just as the previous attempts, blood flowed out of the rat's body. The rat squeaked in pain and struggled to escape but to no avail.
"It didn't work again", said Carter, looking at Stuart to see his reaction.
The failed attempt did not seem to bother Stuart. "I know I'm gonna get it right one day", he smiled faintly, believing in himself. He kept the pen knife on the experiment counter and switched his focus to his friend, Carter.
"So what's wrong Carter ?", he gestured, "You only visit people when you have something extremely important to inform them, especially me that ain't got a cell phone", he said.
"Me?", Carter with a comical surprised smile, "I also visit my friends for the fun of seeing them right?"
Stuart gazed at him with an expression that showed he was telling a blatant lie. "So you saying you have nothing to tell me? You left the States to come visit me here in Munich for the fun of visiting me?"
"But seriously...how do you cope without a cell phone? I always have to call your company's line whenever I have something to tell you", said Carter, making sure he avoided answering Stuart's question.
"What does an ant like me need a cell phone for? Because I talk? I'm human size and got human intelligence? Nah! You can always call my company's line", he answered casually. After a short while of no one talking, Stuart asked again;"Carter, you sure there's no problem? You only came to see me for the fun of just seeing me?"
Carter heaved a sigh and decided to tell him anyways, not beating about the bush. He supported himself on the big experimental counter with his elbows on it and resting his head on his palms. "Here it goes...", he began.