The men stared at the giant man. Vin stood on the catwalk with his stethoscope hearing the loud and healthy heartbeat. He looked up at Alex. “You’re twelve feet ten inches. Your heart rate is good. You’re growing a little taller than expected, but I don’t see any issues. Your age is now twenty human years. Everything is as it ought to be, Alex,” Vin said, knowing there was a crowd of government people behind him. “You can go find your Emma. I’m finished for now,” Vin said, looking up and giving Alex a wink. Vin wanted the president and his secret service to hear all this.
Alex then crawled under the catwalk, passing the secret service and the president, giving them a friendly smile. The president looked up at the shirtless Alex. “You’re Alexander Anderson, founder of Anderson Corporation,” the president said.
“The one and only,” Alex said.
“I heard that you and your wife went on a long vacation,” said the stunned man.
“Sort of,” Alex answered the six foot man. He grinned to himself at the thought of standing above one of the most important men in the free world.
“That explains the new venture?”
“Came up with it after my wife got struck down by the virus,” Alex said as he slipped on his tunic. “Oh, I’m sorry about my appearance. I don’t usually dress like this when I’m meeting important people.”
“That’s understandable, Mr. Anderson,” was all the president could say. He stared at the powerfully tall giant before him with his mouth agape. Alex ignored the eyes upon him as he went out the hangar door.
“Mr. Anderson is the biggest one on record and he’s still growing. He’s as healthy as ten horses and can easily lift over a half a ton, but Mr. Anderson doesn’t like to show off,” Vin said, from his place on the catwalk. “In fact, Mr. Anderson is a kind and gentle soul that I’m grateful to call my friend. So what brings you here, Mr. President?” Vin said to the man shaking off his shock.
Alex decided it was best to let Vin do his job, so he decided to go for a walk to find Emma. He didn’t like the little men with their rifles watching him, but he smiles as he passes them by all the same. They just gave the giant dirty looks, but Alex didn’t really care. It was best to appear nonthreatening to the little humans.
He found Emma under a shade tree. A soldier by the name of Quinn entertained his wife. Quinn was a good kind man in his late twenties and at the moment relieved of his duties. He was the only officer that spoke to the giants. He shirked his duties at times when he knew he wasn’t being watched just to chat with them. He felt like an old friend to all four of the giants. Alex knew when Quinn was off duty. No camouflage, protective gear and rifle. The soldier has been told time and again not to speak to the giants, but that never stopped the fascinated Quinn.
Alex reached his mind out to Quinn. His telepathy wasn’t as strong as Steve’s but he could still hear a human’s thoughts once in a while if he concentrated hard enough. Quinn was thinking about his thirtieth birthday in a couple of days. He was open to the virus affecting him. In fact, he welcomed the change. Quinn had seen enough battles and kills. He was ready to leave the army but he couldn’t, he had nowhere else to go, no home, and no family, absolutely nothing. This made Alex sad so he quickly shut his powers down.
Emma laughed that musical laugh of hers. Quinn told her a joke. Emma smiled down at him. Then Quinn spotted Alex among the branches of the trees. He smiles up at the giant. “Good to see you, Mr. Anderson,” Quinn said in a southern accent. “How’s the weather up there,” Quinn joked.
“Same as it is down there,” Alex said with a smile. “How’s our favorite toy soldier today? Saw your friends; they really do need to smile once in a while.”
“Tell me about it,” Quinn responded.
Quinn’s rifle lay on the ground. Alex and Emma didn’t dare touch it. They knew it was loaded with bullets powerful enough to take down a fully grown elephant. Both of them shudder at the thought. Alex seemed amaze at how small a weapon like a rifle looked to him now. If it were any other soldier but Quinn’s rifle, he could see something ‘accidently’ happening to it, but Alex didn’t want Private James Quinn to be reprimanded or worse, transferred.
Alex and Emma knew about the treatment the others were getting at the other ‘clinics.’ Alpha Clinic as the government dubbed it was the most humane. The nightmares came every night from giants and giantesses all over the country. The giants can all communicate from long distances with dreams being the more powerful form. Dreams of others being chained to walls and tortured. Skin and other samples taken roughly without any bedside manner. Some clinics even had techs wearing bio suits with masks. Alex, Emma, Steve and Ally knew that it could be worse.
“Quinn, you should be resuming your position and watch over us,” Alex said to the soldier, picking up the tiny weapon and handing it to him. “The important guest is here and I don’t want you getting into trouble.”
“Okay, Mr. Anderson,” Quinn said, putting his helmet back on and taking his rifle from a hand that could easily cover over half his torso. Quinn then went to other side of the clearing and held his stance. Quinn didn’t feel it was right he had to do this; the Andersons to him were good kind people, even if they both looked like they came from Mt. Olympus. In fact, all the giants here at the complex looked better than all the movie stars in Hollywood. Quinn was amazed that they even gave a hick like him the time of day, but then again, the big people seemed much more different than the average man. Kinder and much gentler than all the people Quinn has ever encountered in his twenty-nine years. He wondered if all the other giants looked the same way.
Emma gave Quinn a small smile and Quinn turned his lips up slightly. Then Emma went to talking to her loving husband. She felt smaller around him then she did before the change, but she didn’t care.
“Vin says I’m going to be taller than expected. I don’t think we’re finished growing yet,” Alex said as he put a stray lock behind her ear.
“I grew another two inches this week. I’m growing slower than when this all started, but the growth came as a surprise to Vin,” Emma said. I hope it doesn’t hurt the baby.
I have a feeling it won’t. That’s my son or daughter in there. They’re going to be survivors, like us. “He thought you were finished. I know I feel like I’m going to explode one of these days,” Alex said. Emma hugged him. The conversation they had mentally mattered to the giantess. Alex rubbed her stomach. “We’ll be alright, baby,” he whispered in her ear. Vin is coming with our guest. We have to keep ourselves together if we want to get out of here.
“As you can see, I give my charges full freedom to come and go as they please. I feel it is important for my patients to have some time outside. Although your military is making it quite difficult for them to have their freedom,” Vin said, pointing to Quinn.
“What about escape?” The president asked.
“Ask the Andersons yourself about how they feel being here,” Vin said, pointed up at the two giants.
“My apologies, I didn’t see you there, Mr. Anderson,” the president said as he looked up at the two giants. The woman took him by surprise. She stood smaller than the male, but still towered over him. They both looked to be in their early twenties and glowed with a healthiness you don’t see in the healthiest of people.
“That’s alright, Mr. President. I would like you to meet my wife Emma,” Alex said, still standing. He felt no need to crouch down to the important man’s level like he would Vin, Robin, or even Quinn. Alex wanted the man to feel a little intimidated by his size.
“Please to meet you, sir,” Emma said as she bent over and extended her hand out to the man. The president stared at the large feminine hand. He wasn’t sure how he was going to shake the hand. It was larger than a serving tray. Emma blushed and pulled her hand away. “I forget,” she mumbles and feeling ashamed.
Emma didn’t like being reminded of her new size and after her checkup this morning, she hasn’t been happy to learn that she is only going to get bigger. Seems what was supposed to be twice their height will now be three times that. Their physiology changed. Their adult bodies decided they had a little more growing to do. Alex told her instead of being close to thirteen feet; he is going to be close to twenty. This frightened her.
“It’s quite alright, Mrs. Anderson. I’d like you to answer my question honestly,” the president said to the bashful giantess. He looked up at the large couple. She had on what looked like a blue sundress while he wore an outfit that resembles hospital scrubs. Both outfits were baggy on their large frames. Underneath those clothes were well toned bodies that didn’t need a workout ever. The president truly was intimidated by the two giants. The female seemed rather docile, but the male seemed protective. “Do you like it here?” he finally asked.
“Well, Vin has been great to us and I understand the need to be studied, but I want to go back to my life. I miss my old friends and my family. Of course, I won’t be able to go to the grocery store or mall, but I don’t care. I just want my freedom,” Emma said. Tears formed in her eyes.
The president could see that despite their size, the giant people had no intentions to harm. Emma Anderson wept in her husband’s arms. “I don’t like that we have to be watched every moment of everyday,” Alex said to the demure man. “We have no intentions of hurting those who are trying to help. We already know that there is no cure.”
“I went against the wishes of the higher ups and gave my patients private sleeping quarters. They wanted me to have cameras on them at all times. I didn’t feel that was right. The Andersons and the others are still citizens of this country. They deserve better treatment than this,” Vin said and pointed over to the two army men that relieved Quinn.
One of the men had an elephant tranquilizer while the other had a rifle. The men gave Alex and Emma a menacing stare. They were trying in impress the president with their bravery, but needless to say, he wasn’t impressed.
“I wish you could see the other facilities before coming here. The conditions are deplorable of the ones I’ve visited. The treatment is terrible. One clinic I saw them using cattle prods for no reason. These giants are not animals, they were once like us and they still are in a way. They’ve just became something more. Something more than the human race as a whole can be,” Vin said.
“How old are you, Dr. Gunderson?” the president asked.
“I’m thirty- eight, sir. I know my time is running out. By the end of the month the virus will have hit eighty percent of the world’s population of people in their thirties and forties. The Andersons were the very first people affected by this. They are starting into the final phase according to our studies. I wasn’t lying to Mr. Anderson earlier about his condition. He and the others have started another phase of growth. A phase that will make them three times their original heights. This data is recent and only I and a few others I trust know this. You are the first government official I have reported this to. I don’t want them bureaucrats to pass their laws without the facts. Not a one has made any attempt to talk to these people. If they had, they would see that they are harmless. I think we can learn a lot from people like the Andersons,” Vin said, defending his friends. Vin wanted this resolved before his day came.
The president looked thoughtful. The Andersons both gave him a small but sad smile. Alex then looked down at Emma. She fell into his arms. Alex just held her close, taking in her sweet scent. The president could see their love for one another. He could also see intellect in their eyes that you don’t see in the smartest human beings. Then he noticed that Mr. Anderson looked as though he was stretching but the giant never moved.
“Did he just grow?” the president asked Vin.
“Yes. Sometimes they do that. They grow so quickly,” Vin said. Vin looked up at Alex and smiled. “I’m going to need another measurement.”
“What’s new,” Alex said. Then he had a pained looked in his eyes and pulled away from Emma. Emma had the same pained and sickly look in her eyes. She felt a shiver through her body. She looked to Alex and he was feeling the same thing.
“How are you feeling?” Vin asked, looking to his friends.
“Strange. Very hungry and kind of sick,” Emma answered.
“Exhausted all the sudden,” Alex answered as he double over. Emma did the same.
“Can you lie down?” Vin asked
Alex and Emma both lay down in the clearing. Vin got his stethoscope and checked their heart rates. The sound of drums thumped in his ears. Their skin felt hot.
“Dr. Gunderson,” the president said in a shocked voice.
“What?” Vin said to the president. Just then Vin sees what had shocked the man. Vin went to where the president was standing. They watched as the two giant form expanded. Instead of an inch or two, this time it was feet. Alex and Emma held each other’s hand. Emma gave Alex a sad look as they felt their bodies go through the final change. Emma began to cry as her dress tightened. Alex felt his shirt rip across his chest. The straps on Emma dress broke when at last the sensation passed.
They both sat up. Hunger pangs ate at their stomachs. Vin made a call on his cell.
“McAllister. We’re out in the clearing behind Alpha One. I need two large drums of shakes for the Andersons. I need them stat. Please do this as discreetly as possible,” Vin said into the phone. Alex and Emma’s stomachs sounded like two wild beast.
“I’m so hungry,” Emma moaned as she got her bearings.
“Substance is on its way,” Vin said. The two military guys put their guns at the ready. “Tell them idiots to stand down,” Vin shouted at the president.
Vin felt like a Ken doll standing next to the sitting giants. “I feel wiped out,” Alex moaned.
“Lay down if you have to, Alex,” Vin said.
“No. I feel alright. Just fatigued and hungry,” Alex said, looking down at Vin. Even though he was sitting, he knew his view to the world had changed dramatically.
“Alex,” Emma said in a quiet tone. He looked to her and saw the sadness in her eyes.
“It’s going to be alright,” Alex said, trying to soothe her.
“They look so much smaller,” she sobbed.
“I know,” Alex said pulling what was left of his shirt off.
“We are so huge,” she sobbed again.
“I know, but it’s over. We’re done,” Alex said, knowing this to be true. His inner thoughts and instincts told him.