Room 204 in the Akron Holiday Inn was occupied by Alyssa Blake of Enterprise International. She'd arrived at the same time as the Automobile Makers' convention but she hadn't left her room in three days, no room service, but when the maids bravely entered to clean the sheets she is gone. She had caused more of a stir than the entire convention.
Alyssa exited the shower, drying her black hair. Strewn across the small hotel table was a pile of photographs, and papers on top of a large blueprint that covered the entire table like a modern art table cloth. Alyssa slipped her underwear on and sat at the table with her tea. The plans of the Reed Manor laid before her under a pile of information about its owner.
Reed Manor was an elegant French style chateau set in the rolling countryside outside of Akron Ohio. It was a strange sight between farm fields and barns stood a six story French chateau. It was the home of Fredrick Reed, President, Founder, and CEO of Reed Pharmaceuticals, a company which had burst into the Fortune 500 like a lit match in a drum of gunpowder, within ten years of being founded it was the 4th largest pharmaceutical company in the US. Fredrick Reed built his private escape not in warm Hawaii or the posh New England coast but outside of his childhood home of Akron.
Fredrick Reed was a strange man, a millionaire head of an entire pharmaceuticals corporation and he dropped out of college after two years majoring in art history. Now only four years later he builds a castle and shuts himself up inside of it. There were a lot of pieces that had interested Enterprise International about this man that is where Alyssa came in.
Normally they would have never bothered to investigate such a man, he becomes a multi-millionaire, builds some childhood fantasy and shuts himself away in it. He has the money, he can be as crazy as he wants but there were strange questions. Five months ago German police raided a small warehouse in Munich and found a clandestine cloning lab that was reproducing organs but the organs were misshapen, like they were mistakes or somebody was trying to cross breed humans with elephants. The cloning had been tied to a group of shady medical wholesalers who sold Russian drug knock offs in Europe and dabbled in the extremely hush-hush world of human trafficking for research purposes. It wasn't that hard to make a few people in the vast expanse of Russia disappear, it took only a few Euros to make sure the lost where forgotten. When cornered with the possibility of being sent to Russia for trial on the kidnapping and human smuggling charges they quickly started singing like pretty birds.
They're entire business was serving one company, which was a dummy company, nothing but a post office box in Zurich. There the paper trail disappeared within a maze of shell companies and an endless list of aliases, a normal government intelligence or law enforcement organization would get lost shortly after entering, but Enterprise International was different. It took all five months of an army of forensic accountants never seeing the light of day but they had a name, Fredrick Reed.

Alyssa finished her tea when her cell phone started to ring. She leaned back in her chair and plucked her cell phone from the pile of her belongings on the dresser. She looked at the number as it flashed on her phone, it was finally Reed. Alyssa smiled and flipped the phone open, " Hello" she said in her warmest friendliest voice.
" Ms Blake" said a thin high pitched voice, " I've decided to accept your request for an interview, my car is waiting outside and it will take to you make chateau."
" I'll be done in a moment" said Alyssa, " and thank you Mr Reed, this will be a pleasure."
" I look forward to seeing you" said Fredrick before hanging up.
Alyssa leapt to her feet, it had taken two days of calling and getting shuttled between representatives and spokesmen, toadies all of them but finally her patience had paid off. Alyssa got up and hit 1 on her speed dial. She listened as the signal was sent from one scrambler to another, the first sounding like the standard number is not in service message. Finally after two minutes of listening to varying tones of static she heard a friendly voice, " Hey Lyssa what's up?"
" I got myself an audience with head cheese" said Alyssa, " tell big boss I'll settle the outstanding bill by dawn."
" Good" said Charity Loeb on the other end, " we'll be waiting for the big news."
Alyssa hung up with her best friend, partner, and tech geek who was also employed by Enterprise International. Alyssa plucked her holstered Sig Pro off the dresser and strapped it high on her thigh. She took her dress off the hanger and slipped it on. She would have preferred to wear pants but Charity was right, Fredrick was 35 and every bit of information they had on him said he wasn't a winner with the ladies. Alyssa looked at herself in the mirror, in this dress with the nice high slit in the skirt and low cut back, he'll spend the entire conversation starting at her chest and it would make him sloppy. Alyssa took her Celtic style cross out and gave her good luck charm a quick kiss before letting it slip inside her dress. She pushed her cell phone, keys, and pack of gum into her hand band. She picked up the little digital recorder and looked at herself in the mirror, " This Alyssa Blake, investigative reporter off to interview the famous recluse Fredrick Reed" she said, with a big smirk.

A big black Mercedes was waiting out front for her. The chauffeur was a creepy looking guy, built like solid granite squeezed into a black chauffeur's uniform. " Ms Blake" he said.
" That's me" said Alyssa.
" Please we must leave, it is a long drive" he said.
He opened the door for her and she climbed into the back of the Mercedes. She sat on the cold leather as the chauffeur started driving. " So what it is it like working for Mr Reed?" asked Alyssa.
The chauffeur started at her through the rear view mirror with his dull light blue eyes, but said nothing. An awkward silence hung heavy in the Mercedes for the entire 45 minute drive.

The Mercedes pulled up to the front of the massive chateau. The moonlight illuminated the hulking chateau along with the two lit windows of the chateau made the grey building look like a hulking beast. Alyssa looked at the gargoyles that festooned the roof each more hideous than the last, all leering down at her like they all could see down her dress. Alyssa smiled at the chauffeur and walked up the stairs towards the front door. Before she could press the bell the door opened and another hulking block of granite opened the door. His black suit was an off the rack one, his big 45 pressing clearly against the jacket. " Ms Alyssa Blake here to speak with Mr Reed" said Alyssa.
The goon nodded, and swept his huge arm back motioning for her to enter. Alyssa walked into the grand foyer. The foyer was filled with armour, even suits of armour that guarded the four doorways in the room. " Hello" said a woman dressed as a maid, " I'm to take you to Mr Reed. He will meet with you in his study upstairs. Please follow me."
The maid led Alyssa up the red carpeted stairs to the second floor where more armour guarded each door. She led Alyssa through the left door and down a long hallway filled with more artwork, all originals. This place was a respectable art museum, if not a tasteful one. Fredrick's art looked more at home in a Motel 6 than a chateau. He probably had more walls than knowledge of art. In the middle of the hallway was a pair of finely carved oak doors that were partly open. " He is waiting inside" she said.
Alyssa walked into the study, large bookcases covered the walls, the books that filled the cases were a wide variety of subjects from biochemistry to bound collections of comic books. A large fireplace had a crackling fire in it, which was strange for the middle of June. Sitting at a huge ornately carved oak desk was Fredrick Reed.
He was pale, thin boned, a large hawk nose, with dark piercing eyes. " I'm Alyssa Blake of European Biomedical Monthly" said Alyssa.
" Welcome" said Fredrick, " I, as you know, am Fredrick Blake."
" Of course" said Alyssa, " I am very thankful for your offer of this interview."
" Oh when I saw the picture my associate sent me, I knew I couldn't say no" said Fredrick, a smile parting his thin, almost non-existent lips, show his teeth, " I know a good women when I see one. It is all in the legs, rest of a woman science can perfect but we have no way of making legs as perfect as yours."
Alyssa smiled, no wonder he lives alone. " I would love to discuss your health regime later" said Fredrick, " now let's get this interview started."
Alyssa set down her recorder and started the interview. Alyssa had practiced this interview over and over, she wasn't an expert with biochemistry. She was very pleased with herself that this time through she managed to pronounce every ridiculously long word correctly this time. The interview was going smoothly, the recorder was secretly hacking into Fredrick's computer and was copying everything on the hard drive. She knew Fredrick had absolutely no clue what was going on, his eyes hadn't left her chest the entire interview. Alyssa saw the little green light appear on the side of her recorder, it was finished copying. Alyssa quickly changed the standard boring science babble to direct questioning about the discovery of the cloning lab and a possible link with Reed Pharmaceuticals. This had the intended effect, Fredrick became extremely agitated, he fired of lots of back talk and company policy all the while nervously twitching in his seat. " This interview is over" he said, " it is late and I have work to do in the morning."
" Certainly, sorry to have upset you" said Alyssa.
Alyssa got up and left the study. She paused for a moment to slip her recorder into her purse as she heard Fredrick pick up his phone. Guess leaving would take a little more finesse than first planned. Alyssa made sure that the recorder was safe in her purse, no sense in that being broken after she spent twenty minutes letting Fredrick ogle her. Alyssa casually followed the maid back down the hall. The maid led her down the stairs towards the door.
Alyssa was on the third step from the bottom when the chauffeur and the butler stepped forward, their big 45s in their hands. " Come with us" said the butler, " don't make it hard on yourself."
" Oh boys" said Alyssa, " you wouldn't want to hurt little me, would you?"
The butler stepped forward and leveled his pistol at her head. Alyssa kicked the pistol from the butler's hand and before the butler could react she had planted her other high heeled foot into the side of his head. She grabbed his cheap red and white stripped tie and shoved hard. The butler crashed into the tile floor with a hard thud. Alyssa leapt off the butler and kicked the legs out from underneath the chauffeur. She quickly gathered up the pair's guns and ejected the magazines into her purse. " Now boys, you should learn it is not polite to pull guns on guests" she said.
Alyssa ejected the rounds from the chambers and tossed the guns away. She turned to the maid who was cowering against the railing of the stairs. " Get out of here" she said, " there is going to be trouble here."
The maid nodded and nearly sprinted out the front door for safety. Alyssa drew her Sig Pro out from its holster under her dress and chambered a round. Guess she was going to have another interview with the good Mr Reed.

Alyssa gently pushed the study door open and saw Fredrick sitting at his desk. He looked up in shock, " You need better thugs" said Alyssa, " now I'm going to ask you a second series of questions, and you will answer them."
Fredrick started laughing and stood up, " You think you can stop me?" he asked, " my dear I won't be wowed by your body nor am I scared of your gun."
One of the bookcases suddenly swung open and Alyssa's sapphire blue eyes got big. Inside the opening created by the bookcase was a monster inside a glass tube filled with blue water, eight feet tall, milky white skin, muscles bulging everywhere as blue veins crisscrossed the body. " As a boy I was fascinated by the movie Frankenstein, to create life where no life exist" said Fredrick, " my father thought I was a fool, said that no son of his would waste his life chasing such a foolish dream."
Alyssa pointed her gun at Fredrick, " What the hell is that?" she asked.
" My creation, my Adam, not bad for a boy and his chemistry set" said Fredrick, his mouth in a full smile showing all his white teeth, " like Dr Frankenstein, I found out that using larger parts made everything so much easier. I had been dying to try him out, now I have the perfect opportunity. Farewell Ms Blake, I hope your death isn't too painful."
Fredrick pressed a button and there was a loud hiss of escaping air as Alyssa watched the water in the tube slowly began to drain. Alyssa looked back towards Fredrick but the weasel had disappeared, probably through another secret passage. Alyssa started for the door, but before she took even one step there was a low growl. She cautiously looked over her shoulder, it was awake.
Inside the tube, the huge hulking beast had its eyes open, they were blue like the water that was now drained down to his waist and they were looking straight at Alyssa. At first he didn't move, just looked at her, the eyes slowly blinking was the only sign of life. Alyssa hoped that Fredrick was full of himself thinking it would live. Then it moved, smashing his giant fists into the side of the tube making cracks spider all across the tube. She didn't want to hang around to see if he could actually break out of that tube. She ran for the door and flung it open and sprinted down the hall. She hadn't gone two steps when her left heel snapped and she tumbled to the floor. Alyssa roughly hit the carpeted floor with a thud just in time to heard the tube shatter and the creature give off a low growl. Alyssa listened as the creature began to sniff the air, he could smell her. Alyssa kicked her shoes off, last time she ever wore heels on an assignment. She slid her purse through an open door, she couldn't let that recorder get destroyed. She was barely able to get on her feet when both doors of the study were smashed open and he lumbered out.
Alyssa leveled her Sig Pro at his thigh, and squeezed the trigger. The 357 calibre round hit him squarely in the thigh, a wet thud echoing through the hallway. The creature stopped and looked down at his leg, the bullet hadn't penetrated the muscle. Alyssa raised her gun up and aimed for his head. He suddenly dashed at her, his massive fist swinging for her head. Alyssa was barely able to duck the huge fist and roll out of the way before his fist smashed into the wall, punching a deep hole through one of the cheap paintings. Alyssa spun around and fired three rounds into the upper back of the creature. Again the bullets didn't penetrate the muscle. The creature spun around, the pictures still on his fist. He flung the ruined picture at Alyssa. She gracefully dodged the picture but he was dashing at her again before she could react. He drove his shoulder into Alyssa, all the air rushing from her lungs as she shot down the hall.
Alyssa hit the floor and flopped over twice like a rag doll. She'd lost her gun, she was lucky she still had her senses. She took a deep breath, luckily nothing was broken yet. The creature walked over and lifted his massive foot to crush her. Alyssa pushed off the floor and kicked the creature hard in his chest. He stumbled back only a step or two before grabbing Alyssa by her dress. She was flung hard into the wall, she felt one of her rubs crack as she hit the wall. She ducked another punch from the creature and rolled over her pistol. She knelt and aimed carefully as the creature struggled to free his hand from the wall. She pulled the trigger and watched as the bullet hit the creature directly in the ear. The creature let off a loud and fearsome howl and wrenched his fist from the wall. Alyssa got up, she would have to find heavier artillery to stop this guy.

Alyssa ran as fast as she could, the creature fast on her heels. She feinted to run down the stairs, thankfully the creature wasn't all that smart. He leapt over the railing and crashed into the stairs. Alyssa sprint to the other wing of the chateau and into the first open door. She closed the door and locked the flimsy lock. She knew it wouldn't hold but needed a second to catch her breath. Alyssa looked around the room, nice entertainment room. She looked at the setup, and smirked. Frankenstein was made with electricity, maybe this guy can be unmade with it.
Alyssa picked up the ottoman from in front of the plush leather chair and hurled it into the 105 inch HDTV. She pulled out enough wires, and ran for the door. Charity taught her this trick, she use to hook it up to a battery to keep her brother out of her room but Alyssa would need a little more kick. She gently wrapped the wire around the brass door handle and slipped the opposite end of the wire into the wall socket. She listened as the creature lumbered down the hallway, Alyssa made it a point to take several deep breaths in the hopes of him hearing her.
The creature grabbed the handle and the lights all suddenly went out. A pained howl echoed through the chateau followed by a heavy smell of burned flesh. Alyssa heard a heavy thump echo in the hallway but knew she couldn't celebrate yet. It was too easy, her mind was warning her the fight wasn't over yet. Alyssa ejected her clip and looked at the remaining 7 rounds. She kissed her lucky Sig Pro, and started for the door. She kicked the wire out, not like it mattered, she probably blew every circuit in the house. Alyssa touched the melted handle, it was still hot. She used the wire to open the door and saw the smoking body of the creature laying on the floor. Alyssa leveled her gun at the creature.
He sprung up at her, his eyes wild with rage. Alyssa pulled the trigger, the bullet slammed into his left eye. The creature jerked backwards and collapsed on the floor. Alyssa fired two more rounds into his head, she didn't want him getting back up. Alyssa looked down the hall where she had tossed her purse when the fight started. She gently walked down the hall, her ribs were burning with each step. She pushed the door open and saw her little red purse and picked it up. She popped the clasp open and looked at the recorder, still in one piece. She plucked out her cell phone and hit 1 on the speed dial.
" How was it?" asked Charity.
" Like the late, late movie" said Alyssa, " I found out why the cloned organs were huge."
" Why?" asked Charity.
" Reed was made some sort of monster from various human parts" said Alyssa.
" Where is he?" asked Charity.
" He ran for it" said Alyssa, " he won't get far. I have all the information we need."
" You sound hurt" said Charity.
" I'll be fine" said Alyssa, " that guy hit hard."
" We'll have a car to meet you out front in a few minutes" said Charity, " the boss wants to talk."
" Sure" said Alyssa, picking up her broken high heel, " I'll be out front."
Alyssa hung up and walked downstairs. Like clockwork a car was waiting with two passengers in the back. One was Charity, the other was Emma Fairfax. Emma Fairfax was one of the head agents of Enterprise International and Alyssa's boss. " So" said Emma.
" Reed used cloned organs to make an eight foot tall monster" said Alyssa, picking at the frayed top of her dress, " I assume the kidnapped Russians were the basis for his experiment. I got the contents of his hard drive here."
Alyssa took out her recorder and handed it to Charity. " He won't get far" said Emma, " excellent job Alyssa, you performed well even under the most unusual circumstances."
Alyssa leaned back, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.