Images - https://imgur.com/a/5ctTiJb
Price - 1250 shipped with hard case
Schecter C-1 FR-S Blackjack with Floyd Rose and Sustainiac pickup.
I have lots of confirmed transactions on VinylCollectors
Bought new from Musician's Friend with hard case and played about 10 hours. It's never left my home and has either been on a stand or in its case, which is included.
Condition is great but there are some pick swirls. Plastic is still on the cavity covers on the back. There is a small imperfection with the binding/finish on the headstock. I couldn't care less about this, so if you do, please know that it's there. I couldn't find any other imperfections with the guitar.
All hardware is included which is an extra spring for the Floyd Rose bridge, allen wrenches to tighten the FR tremolo arm, loosen the nut, etc. One key for the case is included.
Please take a look at all of the pictures and let me know if you have any questions. The included video is of the exact guitar you're purchasing.
Guitar will be shipped in the case with hardware and packed safely in a box for traveling. Below is some copied information about the guitar. Thanks for looking!
The Schecter Blackjack C-1 FR-S is a powerful arched top electric built for modern day shredders. A quick look at the specs will reveal that it's an exceptional value, too.
The mahogany body is finished in sleek gloss black and outlined with crème binding. The 3-piece mahogany neck is set-in for maximum sustain and reinforced with carbon fiber rods for complete stability. The thin C-shape and compound radius ebony fretboard make for a particularly speedy feel. The extra jumbo frets will never wear out—they're stainless steel.
The Blackjack is loaded with a Swedish-made Lundgren M6 humbucker in the bridge. It's nuanced and aggressive while retaining superb clarity. The real treat is the Sustainiac loaded in the neck position. With infinite sustain, it allows you to sculpt feedback into a new form of expression. Toggle the effect off and on, or shape the sustain with the 3-way Fundamental/Mix/Harmonic mode switch.
All of the hardware is blacked out, including the Grover tuners and Floyd Rose 1500 series floating tremolo with locking nut.

• Mahogany body
• Mahogany neck with thin C-shape, ebony fretboard with compound radius
• Lundrgren M6 humbucker (bridge), Sustainiac (neck), 3-way selector, 3-way mode switch, sustain off/on toggle
• Grover tuners, Floyd Rose 1500 series floating tremolo and locking nut

Body

• Body Type: Double Cutaway Solid Body
• Body wood: Mahogany
• Body finish: Gloss

Neck

• Neck shape: Thin C
• Neck wood: 3-piece Mahogany
• Joint: Set-in
• Scale length: 25.5"
• Truss rod: Dual-action
• Neck finish: Satin

Fingerboard

• Material: Ebony
• Radius: Compound
• Fret size: Extra-jumbo
• Number of frets: 24
• Nut width/material: 1.62 in. (41.3 mm)

Electronics

• Configuration: HH
• Neck: Proprietary Humbucker
• Bridge: Proprietary Humbucker
• Control layout: Master volume Master tone
• Pickup switch: 3-Way
• Special electronics:

Hardware

• Bridge type: Tremolo/Vibrato
• Bridge design: Locking Floating
• Tuning machines: Sealed
• Color: Black

Other

• Number of strings: 6 String
• Orientation: Right Handed
• Country of Origin: South Korea

Timestamps
Additional pictures (only the items in timestamps are available): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1y9R5j7zmo2oRJdmFLo8K0HJynoCeqrZz?usp=drive_link
PLEASE READ: I will give discounts for buying multiple items, around $5-10 per additional item. However, I will not be taking offers on any of the items. Instead, every Wednesday, I will repost this listing with lowered prices, until all the items are sold. Items that are pending at the time of relisting will remain the same price. Prices will be reduced based on their price the previous week as follows:

• items greater than $200 will be lowered by $20
• items greater than $60 will be lowered by $10
• items greater than $20 will be lowered by $5
• items lower than $20 will be lowered by $2

All prices are shipped to CONUS. I will not be shipping internationally.
Keyboards (all new, unbuilt)
If you want to buy any extras separately from their bundles, lemme know and we can work something out.

• wilba.tech Salvation (blue) - $220
• Think6.5 V2 LE 1u (black with polished chamfered edges, only 88 produced) - includes extra PCB - $430
• Think6.5 V2 brass badge (1u lightbulb)/weight combo - $90
• Think6.5 V2 e-white badge (1u anchor)/weight combo - $55
• Think6.5 V2 1u badges - 7 total, $18 each

Keycaps (all sealed)

• GMK 80082 (BL00 base/BL00 aesthetic) - 2 sets total, $120 each
• GMK Demon Sword (base) - $150
• GMK Mizu (novelties) - $140
• GMK Nuclear Data R1 (novelties) - $45
• GMK Pixel (base, novelties, spacebars) - $120

Other

• Keycult 1/60 wrist rest (brass) - $170
• MAK WongBox+ artisan case - $110

RAMA Artisans

X	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
A			$180 Monochrome Starry Night X	$180 Monochrome Starry Night O			$55 Minimal 2 X Black		$45 Bleached X	$45 Bleached O		$35 Classic Red O				$35 80082 Pink	$35 80082 Blue	$35 80082 Blue	$60 Vaporwave X
B	$45 Deep Navy X	$90 Dolch Black on Red	$90 Dolch Cyan on Gray	$35 MODO2 Red	$35 MODO2 Gray	$35 MODOL Red	$35 MODOL Cyan	$35 MODOL Gray	$90 Dots White Dot	$90 Dots Gold				$45 Metaverse R2 Red on Silver	$140 Jamon Bacon	$140 Jamon Eggs			$90 Peaches n Cream Peach	$90 Peaches n Cream Leaf
C			$35 Red Devils Horangi		$35 Sumi Kanji		$70 Kuro Shiro R1 Black				$55 Masterpiece Knife Gold		$70 Bento O Salmon	$70 Bento O Gold	$55 Bento R2 O Gold		$45 Bento R2 Kanji Gold	$45 Honor Kabuto Gold	$45 Honor Katana Silver	$45 Demon Sword Gold
D	$140 Mizu Navy GID	$140 Mizu White				$35 Red Dragon Gold Fire 1u		$70 Botanical White	$70 Hiragana White	$70 Hiragana Grey							$60 RAMA Wave Seq2 Gold Matte	$60 RAMA Wave Seq2 Moon Matte	$60 RAMA Wave Seq2 Gold	$60 RAMA Wave Seq2 Moon
E	$180 Keycult Black on Brass				$35 Pono Gray Kitty	$45 Pono Geo Kitty Rose Gold		$45 Amethyst Pick Gold			$35 Norse Aluminum	$45 Norse Brass	$35 Ion Kuro	$35 Ion Milk			$35 Redline Tread	$35 Minimal 2 Red Square	$35 Minimal 2 Green Triangle	$35 Minimal 2 Blue Circle
F	$35 Tuzi Bunny	$35 Tuzi Bunny			$35 ThinkCaps Row 1	$35 Apollo	$35 Dolch R5				$35 Pink on Navy			$45 Camping R2			$35 Beta	$35 Serika 2
G			$70 Sydney Meetup 2019	$35 RAMA Shrimp on the Barbie	$35 Zambumon		$45 NovelKeys Wave		$35 Fuyu		$35 Peach Blossom	$35 Oni 1u	$35 Amalfi					$45 Bread Gold		$45 B Silver
H					$25 9009 R3 Green Swirl			$25 Redacted Swirl	$25 Redacted Swirl	$25 MODO2 Swirl	$25 MODO2 Swirl	$55 Nautilus Nightmares Enter								$60 Ivory Rose Gold
I	$35 KAT Cyberspace X GID	$35 KAT Cyberspace O GID	$45 KAT Milkshake Silver	$35 KAT Mizu Navy GID	$35 KAT Mizu White	$35 KAT Mizu Red	$35 KAT Explosion Red	$35 KAT Explosion Gold	$35 KAT Atlantis	$35 KAT Lucky Jade	$35 KAT Oasis
J	$35 SA Mizu Navy	$35 SA Mizu White	$35 SA Dualshot	$35 SA Dualshot																$70 RAMA Knob Kuro

Thanks for looking!

Memory Transcript Subject: Carlos Jose Rodriguez, Mechanical Engineer, Florida Man
Date [Standardized Human Time]: December 29th, 2136
When Yalga passed out on the couch I sent a message to the family group chat making sure everyone knew of the situation.
I needed to get Yalga into the hospital, but I didn’t want to do it myself. Pyon also needed a sitter, so I was waiting for mom to come back so Salisek and I could focus on Yalga.
Me: Yalga burned herself on the heat pad. We’re taking her to the ER. Mom, could you come home to take care of Pyon.
Mom: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BURNED HERSELF?! We’re coming home!
Tarvik: On our way. We’ll help you take her.
I didn’t want to bother them, but I couldn’t complain. I needed help. While I waited for them to arrive I poured a cool glass of water for Yalga so she could hydrate herself when she gets up. I gently nudged her awake, which made her groan in discomfort as her eyes opened.
“Dad? What’s going on?” She asked weakly. Her voice was a little rough.
“I’m gonna take you to the doctor,” I answered bluntly. “I am aware, you don’t love doctors but these people can help you much better than me. I’ll be with you as much as I can, holding your hand. Can you be brave for me?”
My daughter nodded yes, so I got up and went upstairs to grab something we’re definitely gonna need. I also made sure Salisek got the news. She probably saw through the chat, but I needed to be sure.
I peeked into our room, or at least the room the girls were staying in together. “Honey?” I called the mother of my children. Salisek was cradling Pyon, trying to calm him down. Pyon was holding his teddy tight enough to cause some visible rips and tears. I need to ask mom to fix that later. “How is he?”
Pyon buried his face in Saliseks chest fur, and made some small whining sounds. “He’s scared. We heard Yalga scream and didn’t know what was going on. He soiled himself when he heard Yalga and has been crying for a while now. He only just stopped. He can sense I’m worried too.”
“You changed him right?”
“Yeah, although I didn’t think now was a good time for potty training. What are you getting?”
Salisek followed me to my mom’s room and watched me search around the closet. “Almost a decade ago, my dad was hit by a car. Something about the sensors being screwed up. He’s obviously fine now, but the car didn’t stop just in time so he broke a leg. Thank God that’s all he got. Anyway, he bought a wheelchair and kept it- Aha!”
I freed the simple contraption buried under a mountain of clothes dad considered put away and carried it downstairs.
“We’re gonna need this. It’s gonna be way easier to move Yalga.”
Salisek continued to cradle Pyon, rocking him back and forth, as she talked to me, “What do you need me to do?”
“Stay with Pyon.”
“No.”
“We’re not arguing about this. I need you to stay-”
“Pardon me, could you repeat that!? Have you forgotten that despite that fact we aren’t married yet we both signed as the legal guardians of both Pyon AND Yalga. Or did you want to call your barber for help?”
Hearing Salisek use her angry voice when talking about anything other than Exterminator and Federation bigotry felt like a punch in the gut.I tried to defuse the situation. That worked about as well as it did when dad tried it.
“Hun, that’s not what I mea-”
“MY-” Salisek paused when she remembered she was still carrying Pyon who was looking at her as if she yelled at him. “Oh, I’m so sorry pup just…” She shifted Pyon's position so he could bury his face into her fur to distract her. She softened her voice, but made it stern as steel. “My daughter is in an incredible amount of pain. She is scared, she is tired. I will be there. Pyon will come with, so he can see his sister being taken care of. I. Will. Be. There. For. My. Daughter. Am I clear?”
I help up my hands in defeat. “Okay. We’ll leave as soon as the family gets here.”
Saliseks voice and posture softened. “Okay. Again this time. What can I do?”
Seeing how serious she was, I realized doing this on my own was a stupid idea from the start. “Pack some snacks. I’m not getting overcharged for crappy hospital junk. And while you’re in the kitchen please grab more water for Yalga. I gotta make sure the bandaging is on well and she’s okay.”
“Okay.”
Salisek walked to the kitchen, still carrying Pyon. At times like these, I know I made the right decision marrying her.
“I love you sweetheart!” I called out.
“I love you too hun!” She called back.
I pulled the wheelchair out so Yalga could get in it. I could try and carry her, but unfortunately with her size and weight it would be better to transport her like this. Even if it’s a short distance.
“Daddy,” Yalga called.
“Yeah.”
“Are you and Mommy mad at each other?” She asked innocently. “Did I do something wrong? I heard Mom say my name.”
I knelt down to give my daughter an assuring kiss on her head. “No kiddo. We had a disagreement like all adults. It’s solved now. We still love each other.”
Despite her monotone voice, it couldn’t hide the tears building in her eyes. “Okay.”
I ignored it for the moment because she was probably gonna cry more in a moment. I opened the chair as much as it could go and gave the seat a nice solid pat.
“We’re gonna put you here, then we’re going to the Emergency Room.”
“Do I have to get up?”
“Yeah. You do. Grab my hand. We’ll go slow.”
Yalga held my hand and grasped it tight. I need to remember that she has a very strong grip. To keep her even I used my other hand to push her up from the other side so she didn’t have to do the work.
I’m so glad I go to the gym.
We slowly worked together to lift her up so she could sit straight.
“Ow, ow!”
“I know it hurts. Take your time.”
Once we got her up we had to get her into the chair. I thought about the best way to put her tail. Through the hole in the back? Would it just drag to the ground? Wait!
I went to the side of the couch where there was a thin blanket for me and Salisek when we slept here. If I can tie the blanket on the handles it can keep her tail up without squishing it. I just need to get her on first.
“Okay Princess. Let’s get up. Can you stand?”
“Y-Yeah. Um, Dad?”
Yalga awkwardly clutched her tail. “I need to use the bathroom.”
My eyes darted from the bathroom to the couch and back. “No better time to test the wheelchair.”
[Memory Transcript Time Skip: 40 Minutes]
Even though it was getting late the traffic was still a lot. Once Salisek was ready we both called our parents and they both said that traffic was heavy. With it being the last Saturday of the year, Florida residents and tourists alike were enjoying their day.
We decided to just meet at the ER. The blanket trick for Yalga’s tail worked well and it didn’t hurt too much for her to walk once she got up. However, sitting down hurt her a lot unless it was in the wheelchair. Her tail probably played a factor since it didn’t have a place to sit except on the side when dealing with regular chairs.
Once we got to the hospital I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t that packed. Because of increased tourism and parties things can get crowded this time of year. Thankfully that wasn’t the case today. I didn’t want my daughter waiting more than she had too.
When I opened the side door, Yalga was already half up just so she could get into a chair with room for her tail. I helped carry her down and rolled her through the hospital's parking lot.
Salisek was having a difficult time carrying Pyon. He was pretty nervous. “Mawmy, I don wan to gow en.”
I didn’t understand why Pyon was scared but Mawmy was able to calm him down. “It’s okay pup. This place is filled with very nice and smart people who can help your big sister.”
My daughter didn’t say much, instead she looked around the large hospital and took in all the architecture and bright lights at the front. The front and lobby areas were clean and comfortable which helped a little to ease the tensions of anyone going in with something they believe is serious.
I rolled Yalga straight to the front desk and we were greeted by the medical receptionist. “Hello, how may I help you?”
I smiled politely and spoke calmly, “Hello, I’m Carlos Rodriguez and this is my daughter Yalga. She was using a heating pad and unfortunately suffered some burns. I was able to patch her up a little, but the gels and methods we have are for humans so I want to make sure she can heal properly. I would also like a professional to look at other areas of concern dealing with her limbs and back.”
“Any pain, shortness of breath, chest pain, profuse bleeding?”
“Her back usually causes her pain and the burning made it worse.”
She gestured to my fiance and son, “Are those two with you?”
“The tall Venlil woman is Salisek, my fiance, and she’s holding our son Pyon. They came for emotional support and to assist with anything Yalga may need.”
“We’ll get you someone right away. Please wait in the lobby.”
“Thank you.”
I knew they probably wouldn’t rush us in since even though Yalga is in pain, there’s no direct threat to her life. The most they’d do is probably a tetanus shot. I suppose I’ll have to worry if Yalga reacts to needles. I’ll try to calm her down because I could tell Yalga was still tense. I rolled her to a seating area with a TV playing Tom and Jerry.
Peak Fiction
With all the stress Yalga was going through, there’s nothing like cartoon violence to ease the mood. What would also ease the mood is having the family visit which according to a message they just sent, they were already here just finding parking.
Soon everyone entered the hospital and after a quick chat with the receptionist, along with me flagging them down, they joined us in the lobby. Helen and Chalta ran to Yalga the quickest.
“Yalga, are you okay?!” Chalta asked. “We heard your back got hurt!”
Helen was about to tackle Yalga into a hug before I stopped her. “Helen, Yalga isn’t feeling well. Please be careful she’s in a lot of pain.” Helen was visibly worried but still gently gave Yalga a supportive hug.
“Get better soon please.”
Talice and Tarvik were surrounding Salisek, asking questions on how they could help.
“Mom, it’s fine, really.”
“No, it’s not fine. Your father and I are here to help so please be honest with us. We’ll help with anything you need. We’ll take Helen home soon but the moment you need anything we’ll be right there.”
“Why isn’t she seeing a doctor yet? What kind of place is this?!”
Mom went over to Salisek who was still holding Pyon. “I can take him sweetie, get some rest.”
Salisek cradled a stressed Pyon in her arms, “Do you wanna go with Grandma, little pup?”
“Gwandma.”
Salisek gently handed Pyon over to my mother who instantly knew how to calm him down. Salisek fell into the chair next to me. She was pretty exhausted and it was getting late. The stress of everything is what really made her worry. Seeing your child in pain isn’t fun. My father put a hand on each of our shoulders.
“Is everything alright?” he asked.
I looked over to my daughter who was trying to watch the cartoon with her sisters but still had a hard time focusing because of the pain, as evident by her trying to adjust herself. I gave her a tap on her shoulder and mouthed “how are you feeling?”. I could only hear a little whisper, but it was enough to understand she was saying “It still hurts.”
Dad could overhear what we were trying to say and knelt down next to Yalga. “What would you like to do when we leave?”
“I’m a little hungry. Can we go eat later?”
“Of course, anything you want.”
I was grateful for my dad, that we remembered to comfort Yalga in all this. I was so new to everything, not to mention the speed at which everything was happening.
…
Where’s the doctor!
“Carlos Rodriguez,” She called just as my patience was wearing thin. “We’re ready to see you now.”
“Thank you. One moment.”
I quickly talked with my parents and in-laws about who is going home and who is staying. My mom offered to take Pyon home and to tuck him in, Salisek agreed. Talice decided to go with and made sure to bring Chalta and Helen back since they knew they might get bored or cause trouble. Tarvik and Dad were conversing for a bit about who should stay before settling on Dad since he’s more familiar with the hospital.
Salisek gave Pyon a strong nose nuzzle, “I’ll see you later, okay Pyon? Mommy will be home soon. Be good to grandma, okay?”
“Owkay Mawmy.”
“I love you.”
“I wuv yu tu.”
Helen and Chalta gave Yalga a big, but gentle, hug.
“Get better soon.”
“We’ll play lots of games together when you get back.”
Everyone quickly said their goodbyes so it was just me, Yalga, Salisek, and Dad. We followed the nurse to a room and were asked to wait until the doctor arrived. Yalga was really on edge.
“Dad, are you gonna tell Odin about me?”
“It hasn’t crossed our minds. Do you want us to call him so you can talk for a bit?”
“No thank you, I don’t want him to worry.” My daughter fidgeted with her claws in shame. She didn’t want Odin to see her hurt. The moment she’s okay, I’m planning a date for her and Odin. With chaperones of course. “Are the doctors here nice?” Yalga asked nervously.
“Of course they are, Princess. Just answer honestly and they’ll help you get better.”
They’ll help you get better… I hope.
[Memory Transcript Time Skip: 60 Minutes]
“So the spray will help heal and clean the burn so it doesn’t get sick?” Yalga asked curiously.
“That’s right,” Dr. Brown stated. “Soon we’ll give you a small shot to help protect against tetanus. It’s a very dangerous condition that can happen when you get a cut or burn. But you’re being very brave, I’ll see if we can get you a treat later. That is, if your parents are okay with it.”
“gasp Can I daddy?! Pleeeeeeease, I’ve been soooo good.”
I smiled brightly, “Of course you can.”
Dr. Brown was a huge blessing. The guy had been working with kids for a while and was great with Yalga. He was really good at relaxing her and explaining to her what was going on. He was honest and genuine. Salisek really liked him too, and even asked some questions herself. I also remembered him during my reckless years. He recognized me too.
“You’re daddy was quite the troublemaker back in his day.”
“Really?”
“Yup, when he was small he proudly came to me with a broken wrist.”
“Why would he be proud of that?”
“He got it trying to impress his crush.”
Seven-year-old me told you that in confidence.
I awkwardly looked at Salisek, but all she could do was stare and slowly smile while turning to my dad for more information.
“Do you happen to know the full story, dad?” Salisek teased.
“Well daughter, Carlos had a small crush on this girl named Jessica in the second grade and he tried to impress her by jumping off the swing set. He succeeded and flung himself so far into the air that when he landed on his wrist he needed a cast for months.”
“H-Hey! You laugh but it worked. She sat next to me at lunch and gave me her lunchables, that’s like… the pinnacle of love in second grade.”
I earned a laugh from everyone in the room, which almost made me forget that it was at my expense.
“Um, what is a lunchable?” Dr. Triva asked. She was a Zurulian working with Dr. Brown, trying to work with and understand the Arxur biology. While she was important in treating Yalga’s burn with her experience with Harchen Exterminators she would be even more important in trying to understand her condition as a whole. Zurulians have the best medical understanding compared to… pretty much everyone.
“It’s a children’s meal kit for both vegan and non-vegan foods, it’s popular for kids in school lunches.” Dr. Brown took his eyes off his colleague and gave me a sly look. “But let’s be honest, there was never any real meat in those things.”
Yalga’s interests also peaked. “Were they tasty?”
“Back in my day they were the best part of school. They were also a status symbol. Having the best lunchables meant you were the coolest kid.”
“What was the best one, Daddy?”
“Pizza.”
Of course it was pizza. It’s always pizza.
Pizza is God’s gift to the world.
Dr. Triva grabbed the syringe for the shot while Dr. Brown prepped the area. The sight of the needle made Yalga nervous.
“D-Daddy, do we have to…”
“Hey Princess, look at this.”
Yalga took her gaze off the needle and onto my phone where I showed her my favorite distraction.
[Behold Distraction]
“What is that?” Yalga asked. “I like the sounds.”
The legend Zach Choi, his legacy continued by his descendants, loved making short videos of him just cooking. This one was one of the rare ones that didn’t feature meat. Yalga was fully entranced into the process that she didn’t even react to the needle or the bandaid.
“Good job my beautiful pup!” Salisek cheered.
“Yeah… in a minute, mom.”
Dr. Brown chuckled, “I think I should start using those for nervous patients, right Dr. Triva?”
“Yeah… in a minute, Dr. Brown.”
I took my phone away before everyone forgot why they were here and we were ready to proceed. The doctors wanted to really get a look at Yalga and her condition. On the promise of peanut butter cookies and meat lovers pizza Yalga bravely went through all the X-Ray’s, bloodwork, medical history, and any other examinations they needed.
It took a while and she was starting to get frustrated with all the tests, but she persisted, and soon it was over. They allowed us to stay the night to monitor the burn area in case complications arose. So we all stayed in the hospital room, enjoying our time together as if it was a little adventure.
“Mommy look, the bed moves!”
“Pup, please don’t break it.”
Yalga went crazy when she saw how many buttons the hospital bed had, and needless to say, she was enjoying it. She kept Dad occupied with all her questions both about the hospital and about anything else her mind could think of. She was happy to be done with the tests.
“Grandpa, do you think they’ll let me see my bone pictures later?”
“Sure, but they need someone who is trained to look at them first and show them to the doctors.”
“There’s someone who knows how to look at pictures of bones?”
“Yup, they can see things we can because they’re bone smart. Do you wanna be a doctor when you grow up?”
“I dunno. Maybe I can be a doctor for bones, a bone doctor!”
It was nice seeing her happy, but Salisek and I were still worried about what they would find. What would it take to heal Yalga? Could they do it? I think so, but how long will it take? I don’t care about the financial cost, I care about the physical and mental toll it would take on Yalga. But would we have a choice?
I looked to my fiance who was rapidly tapping her foot onto the ground, impatiently waiting for the doctor to come back in and give us the news on Yalga’s condition.
“It can’t be that bad right?” she whispered. “With aid from the Zurualians they must have a way to easily fix Yalga’s condition. So what’s taking them so long?”
“They’re probably just double checking some things. I’m sure it’s nothing.” I could tell she was still stressed, so I held her hand and kissed her cheek. “Our daughter will be fine.”
Salisek tried to keep herself from crying for Yalga’s sake, but had the doctors not finally arrived she might’ve broken.
“Carlos, Salisek? You’re the parents correct?” Dr. Trivia asked. “I’ll just need to see you both very quickly to discuss some things.”
Finally ready for some answers we quickly got up, kissed our baby goodbye for now, and followed the Zurulian to a small room with Dr. Brown.
“Mr. Rodriguez and Mrs., do you prefer to be called Salisek or are you fine with adopting Mrs. Rodriguez?” The doctor politely asked.
“I’m fine with either, but I would like to get used to Mrs. Rodriguez.” I could feel her hand strengthen her grip in mine.
“Wonderful,” Dr. Brown took out a small folder that showed some of Yalga’s X-Rays, notes, and documents. “First things first, your daughter's burns should heal very soon.”
“Courtesy of Zurulian medicine and Harchen Exterminator Accidents.”
“Yes, thank you Dr. Triva. But of course this is not the only information you wanted to know about. The condition of your daughter is concerning. Not only because of the condition of her injuries, but also her condition that allows her body to grow at an exaggerated rate.”
Dr. Triva put the X-Ray slides on a projector for us to see. Seeing Yalga’s bones and how badly they were broken made my stomach turn, and my heart sink. I could hear Salisek’s gasp from how shocked she was.
It looked like a child had rearranged the right side of her body like a poorly constructed jigsaw puzzle. What made things worse was that the other side of her body looked nearly untouched meaning we could see all the damage her sperm donor did. I know how it felt to have broken a few bones as a kid. Her life would’ve been torture for me. I have know idea how she could live like that.
Why didn’t I take her here the moment we got home? How long has she been suffering like this?
“As you can see the limbs that didn’t grow as much were the ones that were injured the most. Trauma can be a factor in how limbs develop,” Dr. Triva explained. “You can see here how the bones didn’t heal correctly. Upon questioning your daughter it’s no question her back holds the most problems, but looking at her arms and legs it’s possible they’re also providing an incredible amount of discomfort and pain.”
Salisek wrapped her tail around my leg nervously. “So, what does this mean?”
“It means,” Dr. Brown continued. “That before we even think about her back we should address what’s going on in the rest of her body. If you look at her pelvic bone you can see it isn’t straight due to her walking on uneven legs for lord knows how long. So we think it would be best to first start realigning the bones as well as doing the appropriate extensions. My only concern is that her accelerated growth may cause complications, so she’ll need to visit here frequently.”
My fiance’s grip tightened as she looked deeper into the X-Rays, “I see. How long will it take for her to recover?”
“Several months, due to the severity of it. We can do the arms and legs separately, but that would be up to you. There’s a possibility it could take longer. We just can’t be certain with her growth, but we’ll have experts working round the clock on her case.”
“I-I see. But you can help her right?”
“We will do all within our power to make sure your daughter is healthy and lives a pain free life.
“Thank you… could you give us a moment. We would like to let our daughter know about it before we make arrangements.”
“Of course. Please let us know when you’re ready.”
We politely walked out of the room and turned around the corner away from where Yalga was.
“Honey?” I asked. “Is everything okay?”
I almost fell over when she pulled me in for a hug. I could barely hear her through her bleats and cry’s. “Look at what that monster did to her.”
First Previous

A Modern Rallying Cry

Friends, we stand at a pivotal moment in history.
For too long, the forces of greed and oppression have kept us down, draining our livelihoods and crushing our spirits.
Today, we have a unique opportunity to rise up and strike back against those who think they can control our destiny!

The Time for Action is Now

The powerful have tried to dominate the markets, believing they could manipulate and oppress without consequence.
But they've underestimated our strength and resolve. Today, we face a stock that is shaking the very foundations of Wall Street.

DD

1. Unprecedented Trading Volume:

• Volume Spike: $FFIE has seen an extraordinary trading volume of 1.2 billion shares in a single day.
• What This Means: Trading volume represents the total number of shares bought and sold. A volume this high, for a stock this cheap, indicates significant market interest and activity, suggesting that many investors are rallying behind this stock.

2. 1700% Gain in Two Days:

• Price Increase: From $0.06 to an astounding $0.96 peak in just two days, this stock has shown the potential for unprecedented growth. This is a direct result of lots of people like you and me buying in, driving the price up, and forcing the people who sold short to cut their losses and buy back in. With a little rinsing and repetition, a $50 price-per-share is not impossible
• Explanation: This dramatic increase, a 1500% rise, is a clear indicator of strong buying pressure and market momentum. It means that the stock is in high demand, driving the price up rapidly.

3. Sky-High Short Interest

• Short Interest Ratio: 95% of the float is sold short.
• Explanation: When a large percentage of shares are sold short, it means that many investors are betting against the stock, expecting the price to fall. However, if the price rises instead, these short sellers are forced to buy back the stock to cover their positions, driving the price even higher. This creates a short squeeze.

4. Potential for a REAL Short Squeeze:

• Days to Cover: We've gotten a small taste of what this stock is capable of. A sample. It would take only 0.11 days for short sellers to cover their positions.
• Explanation: This metric shows the number of days required for all short sellers to buy back shares, given the current trading volume. A low number indicates that short sellers are under pressure to cover quickly, which can lead to rapid, 2021 $GME-esque price increases.

5. Media Attention:

• News Coverage: Multiple articles are highlighting the potential for a historic short squeeze.
  • https://eletric-vehicles.com/faraday-future/faraday-future-shares-skyrocket-300-as-the-ev-startup-tries-to-avoid-delisting/
  • https://investorplace.com/2024/05/why-is-faraday-future-ffie-stock-up-380-today/
  • https://www.barrons.com/articles/faraday-future-intelligent-electric-stock-27cd2c2a
• Explanation: Media coverage draws more attention to the stock, attracting more investors and increasing buying pressure. This further fuels the price rise and strengthens the movement. Post on X, TikTok, and Instagram about the stock. Call your grandma. Everybody needs to know.

Imagine a world where the common man can rise up and claim his share of prosperity. Picture a future where your investment is not just a financial transaction, but a stand against the fortress of Wall Street.
Now is your moment to join this revolution.
The stock is soaring, and the potential for gains is monumental. Don't stand on the sidelines while others take action. Every dollar you invest is a vote against the oppressive powers that seek to control us. Join us and be part of history in the making!

To Those Who Are Thinking of Selling:

Hold the line. The only things that stand in our way are: every hedge fund in the world, every institutional bank, the CIA, our government, and the entire media matrix except Barstool Sports, oh and most of the tech world.
Nobody wants you to win.
As soon as the average man starts playing the game, they lock you out of the game.
Are you going to settle for bill-paying money? Selling now means giving in to the very forces we are fighting against. You've seen the gains; imagine the potential if we all hold together. This is life-changing money. This is not the time to waver—it's the time to stand strong.
Want to cash out small profits to pay for your car payment this month? What if you could pay off YOUR ENTIRE CAR LOAN?! THEN HOLD!
Want to cash out small profits to pay for your mortgage month? Wouldn’t you rather pay off YOUR ENTIRE MORTGAGE?! THEN HOLD!
We all bought in for different amount’s. We all have different stories that got us here. But we are all in this TOGETHER!

To Those Who Are Holding:

Your resolve is our strength. Your commitment is our power. Hold the line and continue to stand firm. The potential for life-changing gains is within our grasp, but only if we maintain our unity and resolve. We don't want bill-paying money; we want life-changing money. Together, we can achieve it.

The Cost of Inaction

Friends, consider the alternative. Imagine standing idly by while others seize this moment, while others take the stand that could have been yours. The regret of missed opportunity, the sting of inaction, will linger far longer than any financial risk. This is not just about money; it is about justice, about reclaiming what is rightfully ours.
You could be sitting on a beach motorboating Latina titties all day.
Don't miss out

Seize the Day

The time is now, the opportunity is before us. Let us rise together, united in purpose and resolve, to reclaim our power and secure our future. Invest in this stock, not just for the potential gains, but for the chance to be part of something greater, something historic.
Rise up, invest, and join the revolution. The future is ours to shape!

Alrighty, let's dive in and talk about something super important: your product's vibe on Amazon. It's kind of a big deal. It can either make folks click that "buy" button or leave your stuff gathering digital dust. So, here's some friendly advice from someone who's rooting for your success:
Image Quality Matters: First up, let's chat about how your product looks. Clarity and beauty are key. Opt for high-res pics, aiming for at least 1000 pixels on the longest side. This lets your potential customers zoom in for a closer look. JPEGs are cool, but PNGs are your BFF for keeping all the deets sharp.
Picture Perfect: Your images should be bright, clear, and oh-so-inviting. They need to show off your product honestly, but in its best light. Make it irresistible, you know?
Meet Your AI Sidekicks: Now, onto the cool tech stuff:
🔧 VіsualizerPro. This tool is like magic for creating lifelike 3D visuals of your products. If you don't have the actual product yet or if you wanna experiment with different looks and settings.
🔧 SceneGenie. Think of this as your digital stylist, setting your product in the perfect environments to get your customers' imaginations running wild.
📦Don't limit yourself to just Amazon. Pinterest is a goldmine for potential traffic. With these AI tools, you can whip up eye-catching images that'll drive more folks to your Amazon page. More pins mean more eyes on your stuff, which equals more visitors.
Head over to my LinkedIn page where I regularly share useful Amazon PPС strategies. Looking for the best Amazon PPС management? Then here you go.

Alrighty, let's dive in and talk about something super important: your product's vibe on Amazon. It's kind of a big deal. It can either make folks click that "buy" button or leave your stuff gathering digital dust. So, here's some friendly advice from someone who's rooting for your success:
Image Quality Matters: First up, let's chat about how your product looks. Clarity and beauty are key. Opt for high-res pics, aiming for at least 1000 pixels on the longest side. This lets your potential customers zoom in for a closer look. JPEGs are cool, but PNGs are your BFF for keeping all the deets sharp.
Picture Perfect: Your images should be bright, clear, and oh-so-inviting. They need to show off your product honestly, but in its best light. Make it irresistible, you know?
Meet Your AI Sidekicks: Now, onto the cool tech stuff:
🔧 VіsualizerPro. This tool is like magic for creating lifelike 3D visuals of your products. If you don't have the actual product yet or if you wanna experiment with different looks and settings.
🔧 SceneGenie. Think of this as your digital stylist, setting your product in the perfect environments to get your customers' imaginations running wild.
📦Don't limit yourself to just Amazon. Pinterest is a goldmine for potential traffic. With these AI tools, you can whip up eye-catching images that'll drive more folks to your Amazon page. More pins mean more eyes on your stuff, which equals more visitors.
Head over to my LinkedIn page where I regularly share useful Amazon PPС strategies. Looking for the best Amazon PPС management? Then here you go.

I discovered this when I casually searched Alessia Cara on google and saw a suggestion for "Alessia Cara Husband." It claimed that this man, Tyler Antonius, had been married to Alessia since 2021 and they had one child together and one on the way. I clicked on an article and saw a picture of the "couple" but the woman didn't look like Alessia. Things started to feel off so I kept searching. I found this reddit post (which references the fake article I found):
Someone please help me get out of the Alessia Cara fake marriage/baby rabbit hole 😭😭😭 :
Not only does he claim to be married to Alessia, he claims to be related to Jhene Aiko. After reading this reddit thread, I went back to the fake article to look closer at that picture again. I decided to click on the "author" (who is obviously Tyler, allegedly) to see if they had written anything else and sure enough! He is most recently (about a month ago) pretending to be dating Ice Spice. Here is the fake author's page on medium:
John Branca – Medium
I would love for the girlies to deep dive this and find any information on whether this man has faced repercussions or been called out on these delusions. I want to know more! This information is just coming up on google and other search engines as if it is real. I just know Lily could work her magic and find all the tea.

(Priced to sell shipping included) USPS ground shipping, Payment can be made thru PayPal (G&S) or Venmo or Zelle. (US only)
pictures https://imgur.com/a/aQHwuwf
!!***!!Also the three bottles in brackets {} need to be bundled and shipped as 1 for a total of $13 shipping included. there is a $6 discount if you bundle all three with the Armani.
Armani Code Colonia for men EDT 2.5oz $40
((((((($13 for all 3 below))))))
{ Drakkar Noir for men EDT 1oz }
{ (Aqua Di Gio EDT dupe) Belcam G eau 3.3oz }
{ (Polo Black Dupe) Belcam Black Classic Match 2.5oz }

Proof: https://imgur.com/gallery/smytRlK
Howdy everyone! I'm looking to sell a few various items.
Hope y'all like what you see. Open to reasonable offers if someone thinks I'm too far off, worst I could do is say "no thank you".
*The Goods*

1. (x3) 1/10 Britannia : $9 each
   
2. September 11th 1oz Round : $35
   
3. Pan Silver 10g Guitar Pick : $28
   
4. (x3) Generic 1oz Bar : $32
   
5. $2.10FV 90% Silver : $48
   

[BONUS - if you BIN it all, you get free SFRB shipping + x2 one gram pieces of silver for free!]
Also willing to trade some or all of the above items for Goldbacks (valued at $3 each), or generic silver 5oz/1oz bars/rounds (value to be discussed in chat).
If you'd like additional pictures, please let me know. Venmo highly preferred, can also accept Zelle and PPFF. No comments, only emojis. Comment on the post first, then send me a chat please.
Shipping will be $7/$11 for GA/SFRB, to the U.S. only. I package well, have had no previous issues, and have excellent feedback. Items purchased will go out on Friday May 17th.
Thank y'all for your time, and happy stacking/collecting!

Embarking on a Caribbean yacht charter is the epitome of luxury travel. Picture yourself gliding across crystal-clear waters, surrounded by breathtaking vistas of tropical islands. From the vibrant culture of the Virgin Islands to the secluded beauty of the Grenadines, the Caribbean sailing vacation offers a treasure trove of destinations waiting to be explored. Join us as we delve into some of the most luxurious and captivating spots to visit on your Caribbean yacht charter adventure.
1. The Exquisite Escape of the British Virgin Islands
Nestled in the heart of the Caribbean, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) are a paradise for yacht enthusiasts. With gentle trade winds and calm seas, sailing through the BVI is a delight for both seasoned sailors and novices alike. Indulge in the opulence of world-class resorts on islands such as Tortola and Virgin Gorda, or drop anchor in secluded bays like The Baths, where giant granite boulders create natural pools and caves to explore.
2. The Allure of Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda, with their powdery white beaches and vibrant coral reefs, beckon travelers seeking a blend of luxury and adventure in their Caribbean sailing vacation. Antigua, known as the “Land of 365 Beaches,” offers endless opportunities for relaxation and exploration. Sail to Barbuda, a serene sanctuary famed for its pink sandy beaches and pristine marine life, perfect for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts.
3. The Sophistication of St. Barts
For those with a taste for the exotic and exclusive things in life, St. Barts (St. Barths) is the ultimate luxury destination in the Caribbean sailing vacation. This chic island exudes glamour, with its designer boutiques, gourmet restaurants, and exclusive beach clubs. Dock your yacht in Gustavia Harbor and immerse yourself in the island’s cosmopolitan atmosphere, where luxury yachts mingle with elegant superyachts against a backdrop of lush hillsides.
4. The Secluded Charms of the Grenadines
Escape the crowds and discover the unspoiled beauty of the Grenadines. Comprising a string of idyllic islands, including Mustique, Bequia, and Petit St. Vincent, this archipelago offers a tranquil retreat for discerning travelers. Explore secluded coves, dine on freshly caught seafood at beachside restaurants, and unwind in luxurious villas overlooking the turquoise sea in your most exotic Caribbean sailing vacation.
A Caribbean yacht charter is more than just a vacation; it’s an unforgettable journey into luxury and adventure. Whether you’re sipping champagne on the deck of your yacht or exploring hidden gems on remote islands, the Caribbean sailing vacation offers a wealth of experiences waiting to be discovered. So set sail, and let the waves carry you to new heights of indulgence in this enchanting corner of the world.

https://imgur.com/gallery/Nch9HEz
Hi all, I already saw my primary care physician twice about this issue, first time he definitely missed diagnosed me, second time haven't confirmed yet.
So maybe 3 months ago, I started getting this bulging feeling in my neck vein. It didn't hurt but it just felt like my vein was huge, came out mostly when I was lifting weights. I ignored it since it wasn't bad and only happened a few times. Fast forward, about 2 to 3 weeks ago, it's been more prominent. I'm a music teacher and play instruments often and pushing air makes it huge and so does lifting weights. It gets to the point it feels like it's going to pop. It's not super painful, just feels like a bruise.
I went to the doctor and initially he was shocked and then said it was a bleb and that my lung moved up to my neck (weirdest thing I ever heard). Made me get an xray and it came back normal. Went back to him and now he says it's JVD and wants me to see a thoracic surgeon and get a venogram. Thing is I'm pretty healthy. Maybe could lose a few pounds but pretty active and have great BP. Isn't JVD typically for people who are about to have heart failure? I feel completely fine.
Doing some googling I saw this rare case (I know everyone thinks they are unique, but the pictures are so similar to my neck) called jugular pseudoanuerism.same symptoms as mine too. What are your thoughts. I'll attach a picture of my neck and the one I found from the case study. The shadowing in my picture is kind of bad but I think it kinda shows it.
Do you think its worth going to another doctor to look at it instead of mine? The sucky thing is I am leaving my current job and my benefits are ending the end of June. I need it figured out soon 😔.
Thank you!

I wanted to spark a discussion about something that's been catching my eye lately: Gloss Meissen Blue Car Wrap. I've seen some incredible pictures online of cars rocking this color, and I can't help but be drawn to its mesmerizing charm.
First off, let's talk about the color itself. Meissen Blue seems to strike the perfect balance between sophistication and vibrancy. It's got this deep, rich hue that exudes elegance, but at the same time, there's a subtle pop of color that sets it apart from your typical blues.
What do you all think about Meissen Blue in terms of aesthetics? Does it make a car stand out in a good way, or do you think it's too flashy? Personally, I love how it adds a touch of personality without being overbearing, but I'm curious to hear other perspectives.
Now, onto the practical side of things. I've heard that Gloss Meissen Blue Car Vinyl Wrap offers some serious protection for your vehicle's paintwork. UV resistance, scratch protection, the whole nine yards. Plus, it's removable, so you can switch things up whenever you feel like it. That's a huge plus in my book, especially for those of us who like to change our look every now and then.
But here's the real question: has anyone here actually tried it out? I'm itching to hear some first-hand experiences. Did it live up to the hype? Any tips or tricks for application? And perhaps most importantly, does it turn heads out on the road?
Alright, I'll leave it at that for now. Let's get this conversation rolling! What are your thoughts on Gloss Meissen Blue Car Vinyl Wrap?

Hello All,
I have a 60g tank and am wanting to buy and house 2 female Plakats. (One for me and one for my girl.) For optimal health and enrichment do they need the usual 4 for a "Sorority"? The tank would be heavily planted with lots of hiding places. Main question is, would their interactions be bad due to the lack of numbers or would the space make it doable? Although i have kept other fish in good health, I havent kept bettas before and deeply value proper care. Any tips or tricks would be welcome. I am inclined to get females due to their longer lifespan but could settle for a healthy male.

• Tank size: 60g
• Heater and filter? (yes/no): yes. any suggestions?
• Tank temperature: 78
• Parameters in numbers and how you got them: 2 from a breeder.
• How long have you had the tank? How long have you had your fish?: 4 years / N/A
• How often are water changes? How much do you take out per change? What is your process?: N/A
• Any tankmates? If so, please list with how many of each: No
• What do you feed and how much: 2x per day / an entire gallon of bleach
• Decorations and plants in the tank: Think Vietnam
• If you haven't already posted a picture, please post pics/vids to imgur and paste the link here:

In 1945, the United States underwent Operation Paperclip which gave over 1,600 German scientists, engineers and technicians sanctuary and absolution of their crimes in exchange for the continuation of their research.
In 1953 those same individuals came up with and executed MK Ultra, an illegal human experiment that used its citizens (targeting schools, hospitals and prisons) as test subjects.
In 1954 the Plum Island was turned into a research center for diseases.
In 1975 the first documented case of Lyme disease occurred. Rumored to have escaped Plum Island.
In 2005 the DHS announced that all the work done at Plum Island would be continued in Kansas. Not just the center of the continental United States, but also home to crops seen in grocery stores all over the country.
The following is a true story.
Getting into work, one of the first things I do is check my mail. I’ve been a reporter for years and have amassed fans who like to write in and give me leads. Most of the time these leads don't amount to much (Sometimes I wonder if people send me things because of my apophenia and they are trying to get me off their scent), but every once in a while I strike gold.
I had been working at Whisper Alley Echos for a few months by the time I got my first lead. The package I got was small and when I opened it I saw a DVD that had the words “play me” written in black marker on it. Not knowing what was on it, I waited until I got home to put it on. Not just because I didnt know what was on it, but I was also busy working on a different project about how everyone in a nearby town just went missing. The official story is that they all went on vacation or went to visit a relative and decided to stay. I dont know about you, but I found that suspicious.
After getting home and shifting gears to get into the movie mood (popcorn, blinds pulled, etc…) I popped the DVD in and began watching.
There were dozens of different videos to pick from, some ranging from a minute to half an hour. Instead of picking one at random, I just played them in order. After all, all their titles were dates and times and I didnt want to miss anything that might make sense later.
The first video featured a tardigrade, at the time I didnt know what it was, but the scientist doing the voice over described it as being a microscopic animal as well as being extremely resilient. This went on for several minutes and for a moment it felt as though I was watching a nature documentary instead of something given to me by a government whistleblower.
The next few videos featured footage of the tardigrades being given something called “BB-F828” and the changes it caused.
The voiceover talked about how a tardigrade (this time he called them water bears and the two terms were interchangeable from this point on) was showing signs of several thousand generations of evolution in only a few days. Even though I know nothing about science, I could see that the thing on the television was not the same animal that was shown in the first video.
While they were never “cute”, at least they never looked like predators, but after a few videos I saw that the tardigrades were covered in what appeared to be padding. In a later video this padding would change into being chitin-like armor.
The last video was filmed two months after the water bears were given BB-F828 and in it the scientists could see them even without a microscope.
The next morning I went into work and started writing on my computer, copying notes from my small notebook. However by the time I started the second draft, Andrea, the office secretary, dropped a letter off at my desk.
It was the first time I got a letter about an “inside scoop” two days in a row.
The letter said that they were the ones who sent the DVD and if I wanted to know more I would have to go to The Rats Skeleton (a bar that used to be a speakeasy during prohibition. Because of this the place feels as though its a front for a comic book villain. The owners have leaned into this and did everything they could to reinforce this feeling with sparse lighting and everything that isn't red velvet on the walls being painted black) at a specific time.
Usually I wouldn't go meet strangers after getting an anonymous letter that tells me to come alone, but its a small town and I didn't have much going on that particular Thursday.
Parking behind the Merc (short for mercantile, where most of the grocery and general shopping is done in town), I descended the stairs and made my way to the back of the bar. There I found a woman that didnt look like she slept in days. Since no one else was in that back area I figured she must have been the person I was there to see.
“Hey, I’m Daniel West. Am I—”
“Sit” the woman said, motioning across from her. I sat down and asked her for her name but she didn’t want to answer me and when i asked for it a second time she claimed it was Jane, but there is no doubt that was not her real name.
“What made you reach out, Jane?”
“You saw the video?”
I nodded. “Yup.”
“And?”
“I have a lot of questions” I answered.
“Figured you would” Jane said. “Ask.”
“Well, first” I said, my journalistic inexperience showing as I went through my pocket notebook. “Who are you and why do you know all this?”
“Name isnt important” Jane answered. “Let me start from the beginning. We thought we were working on human survivability” Jane answered. “I thought that I was working for some company that had a government contract. That might be true, it might not be. Either way lots of money and resources have been put into this.”
“I saw the video” I answered. “What exactly was it that I was watching?”
Janes eyes were frantic as she looked at the stairs behind me. When I turned around to see what she was looking at I saw a local descending the steps and approach the bar. She only answered my question when she was convinced that the man wasn't eavesdropping, still, she spoke in whispers.
“We were working on human survivability.”
“You said that. What does that mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. Consider we civilize mars and the long term effects from the static radiation there. Or another planet that demands thicker bones because of increased gravity? Evolution might give us those things eventually but what if we need it now? In this generation?”
“So you made super humans?”
Jane was annoyed and slapped the table. No one was around to hear or see her but I still looked around anyways.
“We didn’t work on humans. We piggybacked off of some other countries' genetic research and made some breakthroughs of our own. When—-“
“Other countries?” I interrupted instead of letting her talk.
“Yeah” Jane said with a shrug. “Some countries aren’t tied down by the same code of ethics as ours.”
“That’s why you got a hold of me? To tell—-“
“We were working on small parts. At first individual genes, building from that success we went on to more complex organisms. Eventually, hopefully, test on humans.”
“But you never made it that far?”
“No” Jane said, taking a sip from her glass. “We tested BB-F828 on other things, building up towards human testing.”
“Okay, like what?”
Jane inhaled through her nose and looked at me as though she wasnt sure if I could be trusted. Then she sighed when she realized it was too late not to trust me, she had already went too far to turn back. “What do you think has the best chance of not only surviving a planet wide disaster, but also thrive in it?”
“Cockroaches” I answered.
Jane nodded. “Sure. Lots of people would agree with you, however that wouldn't be the best pick.”
“Oh? Then what would be?”
“Rats.”
I laughed.
“They are tough and can thrive anywhere. Even before BB-F828 they are smarter than roaches, plus rats have a complicated social hierarchy, similar to humans. Remember, I didn't just say survive. I said thrive.”
“So you tested all this on rats?”
Jane nodded. “We did.”
I waited for Jane to continue, but thanks to her staring off into space due to lack of sleep, she waited longer.
“What happened?”
Janes eyes drifted back at me, she was running on fumes. “Huh? Oh, yeah. Rats, right?” she asked while pulling a folder out from the seat next to her. She set it on the table and slid it over to me. “Here, take a peek.”
I opened it, expecting redacted pages of ‘evidence’ and while I got some of that, it was the photos that drew my attention the most. At first the photos were individual rats and a designated number they received instead of a name.
“How many rats did you experiment—” I started, but my voice trailed off when I came across a photo of the one rat with unique markings on its back now appearing to be bred for a war on pleasant dreams. Its eyes were pearly gray, teeth became tusks, its whiskers were thick and barbed. According to the scale it was on when the second photo was taken it weighed twenty nine point four kilos.
“A few hundred?” Jane answered, though it was obvious that it was just a guess. “They were paired off and put in different environments to see how they adapt.”
“Why would you pair them off?”
“I think it was to see if some would branch out and become their own species” Jane answered as she checked her watch. Seeing the time she sped up. “See, when something with BB-F828 finds itself in a desert, it might adapt to the point that it grows a hump like a camel. Or grow gills if they are in the ocean. The original purpose was for human survivability on other planets. We thought if we could discover how the adaptations work, and it could be repeated exactly the same over and over again, we could do something for humans. After all you wouldn't want anything unexpected to happen when you're in the middle of growing another set of arms or a dorsal fin, right?”Jane said. “But to do this we needed lots of subjects and all in their own environments. Each one had their own surprises, after all, evolution is random. Favors some things over others. One species can branch out to be dozens or hundreds. Thousands with enough time and environmental factors. When the tardigrades started displaying more predatory behavior we thought it was due to the change in diet and the increase in protein, but now we think its due to the rapid change. It drives them insane. All of this was surprising, but none as surprising as the ‘dirt rats’.”
“Wait. They are all insane? Also, dirt rats?” I asked, flipping the photo over to show the next one. This one revealed what I thought was a bear, but when I was about to flip it over to look at the next one I noticed its teeth. Thats when I noticed that it was a huge, muscular rat.
“Six breeding pairs, all kept in an empty pool full of dirt. They weren't given enough room to get out of the dirt, so they had to adapt to living in it. Anyways, because they are in the dirt its harder to keep track of what they are doing. Because of that, by the time we discovered that they had burrowed their way out of the facility it was too late. They were gone.”
“Gone? What do you mean?”
“Escaped,” Jane whispered. “And they are growing.”
“Growing?”
“Last I heard, they were nearly sixty feet but we honestly don't know. It's not like we can compare them to anything else.”
“Sixty feet?” I laughed. “Someone would have saw them by—”
“Underground” Jane said with a shake of her head. “They are underground. I know it's hard to believe, but how else can you explain those earthquakes in Chicago? New York?”
“Are you saying there are giant rats under those cities?”
“I am saying they aren't rats anymore. They are something else entirely. I am saying six breeding pairs might not sound like a lot, but rats reproduce so quickly it's terrifying. I am saying that they are so big and there are so many of them that they are causing those earthquakes. I am saying that due to their size they burn off lots of calories and some have evolved to hibernating.”
“Why hibernation?”
“No idea, but when they wake up they are going to be very hungry. Ravenous.”
“Any idea when that might be?” I asked.
Jane shrugged. “Some already have. We just covered it up.”
It might have been my apophenia talking, but with that statement I started seeing the bigger picture and asked Jane about the town that went missing (The story I was working on before her DVD reached me). Jane gave me the politician's answer, saying something without actually saying something, and that was enough to confirm that I was indeed on the right track.
Unfortunately Jane and I did not speak for much longer, she got a call that freaked her out and she took off. Before she left she took the folder and the pictures I was still going through. I haven't seen or heard from her since and have dropped the story about the disappearances that have secretly been plaguing our country.
WAE

In 1945, the United States underwent Operation Paperclip which gave over 1,600 German scientists, engineers and technicians sanctuary and absolution of their crimes in exchange for the continuation of their research.
In 1953 those same individuals came up with and executed MK Ultra, an illegal human experiment that used its citizens (targeting schools, hospitals and prisons) as test subjects.
In 1954 the Plum Island was turned into a research center for diseases.
In 1975 the first documented case of Lyme disease occurred. Rumored to have escaped Plum Island.
In 2005 the DHS announced that all the work done at Plum Island would be continued in Kansas. Not just the center of the continental United States, but also home to crops seen in grocery stores all over the country.
The following is a true story.
Getting into work, one of the first things I do is check my mail. I’ve been a reporter for years and have amassed fans who like to write in and give me leads. Most of the time these leads don't amount to much (Sometimes I wonder if people send me things because of my apophenia and they are trying to get me off their scent), but every once in a while I strike gold.
I had been working at Whisper Alley Echos for a few months by the time I got my first lead. The package I got was small and when I opened it I saw a DVD that had the words “play me” written in black marker on it. Not knowing what was on it, I waited until I got home to put it on. Not just because I didnt know what was on it, but I was also busy working on a different project about how everyone in a nearby town just went missing. The official story is that they all went on vacation or went to visit a relative and decided to stay. I dont know about you, but I found that suspicious.
After getting home and shifting gears to get into the movie mood (popcorn, blinds pulled, etc…) I popped the DVD in and began watching.
There were dozens of different videos to pick from, some ranging from a minute to half an hour. Instead of picking one at random, I just played them in order. After all, all their titles were dates and times and I didnt want to miss anything that might make sense later.
The first video featured a tardigrade, at the time I didnt know what it was, but the scientist doing the voice over described it as being a microscopic animal as well as being extremely resilient. This went on for several minutes and for a moment it felt as though I was watching a nature documentary instead of something given to me by a government whistleblower.
The next few videos featured footage of the tardigrades being given something called “BB-F828” and the changes it caused.
The voiceover talked about how a tardigrade (this time he called them water bears and the two terms were interchangeable from this point on) was showing signs of several thousand generations of evolution in only a few days. Even though I know nothing about science, I could see that the thing on the television was not the same animal that was shown in the first video.
While they were never “cute”, at least they never looked like predators, but after a few videos I saw that the tardigrades were covered in what appeared to be padding. In a later video this padding would change into being chitin-like armor.
The last video was filmed two months after the water bears were given BB-F828 and in it the scientists could see them even without a microscope.
The next morning I went into work and started writing on my computer, copying notes from my small notebook. However by the time I started the second draft, Andrea, the office secretary, dropped a letter off at my desk.
It was the first time I got a letter about an “inside scoop” two days in a row.
The letter said that they were the ones who sent the DVD and if I wanted to know more I would have to go to The Rats Skeleton (a bar that used to be a speakeasy during prohibition. Because of this the place feels as though its a front for a comic book villain. The owners have leaned into this and did everything they could to reinforce this feeling with sparse lighting and everything that isn't red velvet on the walls being painted black) at a specific time.
Usually I wouldn't go meet strangers after getting an anonymous letter that tells me to come alone, but its a small town and I didn't have much going on that particular Thursday.
Parking behind the Merc (short for mercantile, where most of the grocery and general shopping is done in town), I descended the stairs and made my way to the back of the bar. There I found a woman that didnt look like she slept in days. Since no one else was in that back area I figured she must have been the person I was there to see.
“Hey, I’m Daniel West. Am I—”
“Sit” the woman said, motioning across from her. I sat down and asked her for her name but she didn’t want to answer me and when i asked for it a second time she claimed it was Jane, but there is no doubt that was not her real name.
“What made you reach out, Jane?”
“You saw the video?”
I nodded. “Yup.”
“And?”
“I have a lot of questions” I answered.
“Figured you would” Jane said. “Ask.”
“Well, first” I said, my journalistic inexperience showing as I went through my pocket notebook. “Who are you and why do you know all this?”
“Name isnt important” Jane answered. “Let me start from the beginning. We thought we were working on human survivability” Jane answered. “I thought that I was working for some company that had a government contract. That might be true, it might not be. Either way lots of money and resources have been put into this.”
“I saw the video” I answered. “What exactly was it that I was watching?”
Janes eyes were frantic as she looked at the stairs behind me. When I turned around to see what she was looking at I saw a local descending the steps and approach the bar. She only answered my question when she was convinced that the man wasn't eavesdropping, still, she spoke in whispers.
“We were working on human survivability.”
“You said that. What does that mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. Consider we civilize mars and the long term effects from the static radiation there. Or another planet that demands thicker bones because of increased gravity? Evolution might give us those things eventually but what if we need it now? In this generation?”
“So you made super humans?”
Jane was annoyed and slapped the table. No one was around to hear or see her but I still looked around anyways.
“We didn’t work on humans. We piggybacked off of some other countries' genetic research and made some breakthroughs of our own. When—-“
“Other countries?” I interrupted instead of letting her talk.
“Yeah” Jane said with a shrug. “Some countries aren’t tied down by the same code of ethics as ours.”
“That’s why you got a hold of me? To tell—-“
“We were working on small parts. At first individual genes, building from that success we went on to more complex organisms. Eventually, hopefully, test on humans.”
“But you never made it that far?”
“No” Jane said, taking a sip from her glass. “We tested BB-F828 on other things, building up towards human testing.”
“Okay, like what?”
Jane inhaled through her nose and looked at me as though she wasnt sure if I could be trusted. Then she sighed when she realized it was too late not to trust me, she had already went too far to turn back. “What do you think has the best chance of not only surviving a planet wide disaster, but also thrive in it?”
“Cockroaches” I answered.
Jane nodded. “Sure. Lots of people would agree with you, however that wouldn't be the best pick.”
“Oh? Then what would be?”
“Rats.”
I laughed.
“They are tough and can thrive anywhere. Even before BB-F828 they are smarter than roaches, plus rats have a complicated social hierarchy, similar to humans. Remember, I didn't just say survive. I said thrive.”
“So you tested all this on rats?”
Jane nodded. “We did.”
I waited for Jane to continue, but thanks to her staring off into space due to lack of sleep, she waited longer.
“What happened?”
Janes eyes drifted back at me, she was running on fumes. “Huh? Oh, yeah. Rats, right?” she asked while pulling a folder out from the seat next to her. She set it on the table and slid it over to me. “Here, take a peek.”
I opened it, expecting redacted pages of ‘evidence’ and while I got some of that, it was the photos that drew my attention the most. At first the photos were individual rats and a designated number they received instead of a name.
“How many rats did you experiment—” I started, but my voice trailed off when I came across a photo of the one rat with unique markings on its back now appearing to be bred for a war on pleasant dreams. Its eyes were pearly gray, teeth became tusks, its whiskers were thick and barbed. According to the scale it was on when the second photo was taken it weighed twenty nine point four kilos.
“A few hundred?” Jane answered, though it was obvious that it was just a guess. “They were paired off and put in different environments to see how they adapt.”
“Why would you pair them off?”
“I think it was to see if some would branch out and become their own species” Jane answered as she checked her watch. Seeing the time she sped up. “See, when something with BB-F828 finds itself in a desert, it might adapt to the point that it grows a hump like a camel. Or grow gills if they are in the ocean. The original purpose was for human survivability on other planets. We thought if we could discover how the adaptations work, and it could be repeated exactly the same over and over again, we could do something for humans. After all you wouldn't want anything unexpected to happen when you're in the middle of growing another set of arms or a dorsal fin, right?”Jane said. “But to do this we needed lots of subjects and all in their own environments. Each one had their own surprises, after all, evolution is random. Favors some things over others. One species can branch out to be dozens or hundreds. Thousands with enough time and environmental factors. When the tardigrades started displaying more predatory behavior we thought it was due to the change in diet and the increase in protein, but now we think its due to the rapid change. It drives them insane. All of this was surprising, but none as surprising as the ‘dirt rats’.”
“Wait. They are all insane? Also, dirt rats?” I asked, flipping the photo over to show the next one. This one revealed what I thought was a bear, but when I was about to flip it over to look at the next one I noticed its teeth. Thats when I noticed that it was a huge, muscular rat.
“Six breeding pairs, all kept in an empty pool full of dirt. They weren't given enough room to get out of the dirt, so they had to adapt to living in it. Anyways, because they are in the dirt its harder to keep track of what they are doing. Because of that, by the time we discovered that they had burrowed their way out of the facility it was too late. They were gone.”
“Gone? What do you mean?”
“Escaped,” Jane whispered. “And they are growing.”
“Growing?”
“Last I heard, they were nearly sixty feet but we honestly don't know. It's not like we can compare them to anything else.”
“Sixty feet?” I laughed. “Someone would have saw them by—”
“Underground” Jane said with a shake of her head. “They are underground. I know it's hard to believe, but how else can you explain those earthquakes in Chicago? New York?”
“Are you saying there are giant rats under those cities?”
“I am saying they aren't rats anymore. They are something else entirely. I am saying six breeding pairs might not sound like a lot, but rats reproduce so quickly it's terrifying. I am saying that they are so big and there are so many of them that they are causing those earthquakes. I am saying that due to their size they burn off lots of calories and some have evolved to hibernating.”
“Why hibernation?”
“No idea, but when they wake up they are going to be very hungry. Ravenous.”
“Any idea when that might be?” I asked.
Jane shrugged. “Some already have. We just covered it up.”
It might have been my apophenia talking, but with that statement I started seeing the bigger picture and asked Jane about the town that went missing (The story I was working on before her DVD reached me). Jane gave me the politician's answer, saying something without actually saying something, and that was enough to confirm that I was indeed on the right track.
Unfortunately Jane and I did not speak for much longer, she got a call that freaked her out and she took off. Before she left she took the folder and the pictures I was still going through. I haven't seen or heard from her since and have dropped the story about the disappearances that have secretly been plaguing our country.
WAE