Chapter 2
The moment the elevator doors slid open the tension in your shoulders dissipated as you laid eyes on the familiar face that greeted you.
Officer Fig stood there, a lanky older man with a mane of white hair that framed his lean face. Though time had etched its tale upon his features, there was an unmistakable vitality in the way he carried himself. This was only your second encounter with him; the first had been during a secured video chat at the basic training academy.
As you approached, you fell into parade rest before Officer Fig, feeling somewhat self-conscious about the formality of the posture in civilian clothes. But there was no way you'd risk leaving a bad impression.
Officer Fig chortled and patted your head affectionately, as if you were a wayward grandchild, before handing you a glowing tablet.
"Now, now, my dear, there's no need for all that formality," he said, his voice warm and crackling like a cozy fire. "Around here, we only stand on ceremony when there's an incident or we're trying to impress the higher-ups." He gestured toward the tablet. "This will be your lifeline during your shift. It'll keep you connected with the other guards and provide access to all sorts of useful information. Your fingerprints will log you in, but it'll log you out if it's unused for a full minute—annoying, but an important security measure. Just remember not to bother the scientists. They have important work to do, and we don't want to get in their way."
Feeling slightly overwhelmed, you responded, "That's a lot to digest right off the bat, Sir."
"Your performance at the academy was exceptional, so I have no doubt you'll catch on quickly," Officer Fig reassured you, folding his hands behind his back and offering a kind smile. "We only hire the best here, and you standing before me proves that you're the best. It's almost a shame that we never see any action in this laboratory. Your combatives expertise would certainly come in handy, given the glowing recommendations from your training instructors."
"Hah, I wish they'd shared those recommendations with me during training. I recall all of them being quite brutal, Sir." You laughed along with Officer Fig.
"Enough of this 'sir' business. Just call me Fig, like everyone else. Well, unless you're dressed down. You know how it goes." He pointed to the map on the tablet's screen. "Your first shift starts early tomorrow, and you're expected at the armory. That's where you'll be assigned your gear, weapon number, and locker access code—all the essentials before your training begins at zero-five-hundred. I suggest you spend the rest of your time before then exploring the facility and getting to know the other guards."
Nodding in gratitude, you replied, "Thank you, Officer Fig. What about accommodations? I was told to only bring myself and my access card...?"
"It's my pleasure, my dear," he replied, leaning in to tap a finger on a highlighted square on your map. "That's your assigned bunk. I believe you have a room to yourself, seeing as there aren't many females around here." Anxiety prickled at the nape of your neck at the revelation that there were few women in the facility. Gaining the respect of a new team was always a daunting task. "Your clothing, toiletries, and other necessities are already set up in your room. If anything is missing, you can make a request at requisitions—they're usually quite accommodating. Now, if that's all, I'll leave you to it!"
"Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow?" you called out, but Officer Fig had already toddled away to chat with a stout guard on the other side of the hall. Guiltily, you wondered why Fig hadn't been made to retire yet when a swift kick could break the man in half, but it wasn't your place to judge. "Okay then..."
With the tablet in hand, you began exploring, eyes trained on the screen as you walked. You marveled at the little arrow moving in sync with your steps, marking your progress through the facility. You'd been told that once the facility vault locked, there would be no service or communication with the outside world. No Wi-Fi had been a given, so you were surprised to see the navigation on the tablet.
"Agh!" you shrieked, narrowly avoiding a collision with a slender figure before you.
"Whoa there!" the woman exclaimed. Her round brown eyes and freckled face transformed from shock to a warm smile that crinkled her eyes. She extended a hand, grabbing your arm as if to steady you. "That was close! I'm Anne, Anne Sallow. It's a pleasure."
"So sorry, I should have been watching the hall instead of the tablet. I'm the new g—"
"I know! I heard we have a new girl arriving and I've been waiting around to get a look at you. There are so few women here, and all the others are at least a decade older than us. I can't tell you how excited I was to find out you were on your way down today." Words burst out her mouth rapid fire like she has far too much in her head to wait for a response from you. Overwhelmed, but pleased to be greeted by a smiling face, you reach out to shake hands but end up in a firm embrace instead.
A spark of camaraderie flickered within you and your arms circled her back in return. "Nice to meet you, Anne. I was so worried I'd be surrounded by surly men all day. I hope our guard duties align and we have shifts together."
Anne's eyes twinkled with mischief as she pulled away from the impromptu embrace. "A fellow guard, huh? It's about time we got some more female representation in this man-cave!"
You chuckled in agreement. "You're telling me! It's a bit of a sausage fest down here, isn't it?" Until Anne, you hadn't seen a single female walking the halls, she was certainly a welcome sight.
Anne laughed, tossing her head back. "You have no idea. So, have you had a chance to explore the place yet?"
"Not really," you admitted, showing Anne the tablet with the highlighted GPS map. “I’m about five steps into my solo tour.”
"Ah, the never-ending maze," Anne mused, glancing at the tablet. "Well, lucky for you, I've been here long enough to know this place like the back of my hand, I’ll show you all the in’s and out’s. Want a tour?"
You grinned, grateful for the offer. "I'd love that, thanks!"
As the two of you strolled through the underground facility, Anne maintained a playful banter that put you at ease in your new environment. Laughter echoed through the halls, with Anne regaling you with anecdotes from her experiences in the facility.
"One time, Gareth—ugh, Dr. Weasley, you'll see him around; he's the only mad scientist with a wild mop of red hair—accidentally released a swarm of genetically modified mosquitoes in the cafeteria! Nobody expected it since we mainly work with pharmaceuticals down here, so nobody was prepared! We are still wondering how he came into the means of making them, what with all of the facility imports being strictly controlled…" Anne stifled a giggle. "You've never seen so many scientists run for their lives! My brother tried to catch them with an empty coffee cup, while our friend Ominis ignored the mosquitoes in favor of repeatedly whacking Gareth with his cane. The guards had their weapons out, taking aim at swarms while old officer Fig yelled for them to stand down in a pitiful attempt at an intimidating voice. It was beautiful chaos, as spectacular as it was horrifying!"
"No way! What happened to the mosquitoes?"
Anne smirked, leaning in conspiratorially. "They were eventually corralled by the lab techs, but rumor has it some still linger around, waiting for their next unsuspecting victim." You jumped as she poked you in the side.
Another bout of laughter echoed in the hall, and your newfound friendship blossomed with each step.
"Just wait until your first lab explosion. It's pretty commonplace for one of u -ugh- the scientists, to blow something up and come running out of the lab with smoking hair and burnt eyebrows."
"You sure they're not making bombs in there?" You snorted with laughter. "Ever get your brows burnt off, Anne?"
"Certainly not, but I do keep a stock of brow pencils in different shades just for such events."
"Pfft. I hope you'll be merciful if I ever come to you lacking eyebrows."
"Of course." The two of you shared a smile before Anne pointed out another room of note.
As you and Anne meandered through the halls like old friends, the uniformed security guards cast sidelong glances and furrowed brows in your direction as they passed. You couldn't pinpoint the reason for the mounting tension and decided to ignore it; you were new and had yet to earn your place. It was the way of things, and familiar as far as being the new went. Just because Anne was uncommonly gracious and eager to befriend you didn't mean the rest of the facility guards would follow.
"Why do I feel like I'm constantly being judged?" You turned and whispered to Anne as you passed a pair of openly glaring men.
Anne shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting away from the guards. "Don't worry about it. Just keep your head up and ignore them."
You take her advice, focusing on your conversation with Anne as your eyes wondered everywhere but the faces of the people you passed. You hadn’t really paid attention before, but the advanced tek surrounding you reminded you more of a scifi movie than something in real life, with the holographic projectors and neon lit screens built into the walls, projecting data and random information. Exotic climbing plants hung from the ceiling in rows of precariously mounted modern planters, dangling down in coils of leaves mere feet above your head. Everything was stark white, chrome, or glass. Cold and overly clean with minimalist decor and no comfort in mind. It reminded you of the main building in the movie Men in Black. It was disorienting to say the least.
Your confusion only grew as subtle acts of hostility from your new colleagues continued—a shoulder bump here, a scowl there. It was clear you weren't in their good graces, especially since they had to go out of their way in such a wide hall to bump you.
In the midst of this strained atmosphere, hushed voices seeped through the air vents, snatches of conversation carried by the lab's artificial breeze. "...guards gone missing... no idea how they got out..."
"Did you hear that?" You stilled, turning to Anne. She stopped beside you, an intent expression twisting her soft features.
"No, what?"
"Whispering from the vents? Something about missing guards; I didn't catch much, I wasn't trying to pry…"
"Oh, don't worry; it's not a secret or anything. We've had about three guards go missing over the past six months or so…"
"Jeez, I'm sorry. Friends of yours?"
"Uh, no." She gnawed her lip and mumbled, "I can't really recall their names."
"Oh." The confession surprised you. Fig had mentioned there being no more than 25 men in the entire security team. Anne must be pretty terrible with names if she couldn't remember them.
She cast you a side-eyed glance that reeked of guilt before you turned your eyes to the guarded expressions of your peers.
"Anne, did I do something wrong?" You asked, your voice trembling with uncertainty. "I don't understand why everyone's treating me like this. I expected some tension, but… I don't know. Are they always like this to new people or is it because we are women?"
Anne hesitated, her gaze darting around the room as if searching for an escape. She seemed reluctant to address the topic, her fingers fidgeting and her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Um, well," Anne stammered, her eyes avoiding your probing stare. "Sometimes, people just need time to warm up to newcomers. Don't take it personally."
You frowned, unconvinced by Anne's explanation. You couldn't shake the feeling that there was something your newfound friend was hiding. For now, you chose to focus on acclimating to your new environment and hoped that eventually, the other guards would come around.
Just like basic training, you had to prove yourself.
As you strolled alongside Anne, navigating the labyrinthine hallways, she paused suddenly. Her eyes darted toward a door made of heavy metal, painted in red and yellow stripes, with the word 'RESTRICTED' etched onto it in bold red letters. While the hallway was littered with similar doors, it was Anne's fixation on this one that drew your attention.
"Hey, I'll be right back, okay? I need to grab us some snacks," she explained, her tone apologetic. "Sorry, but you don't have clearance for this room."
Though you found it peculiar, considering you both should have the same clearance and room access, you decided not to dwell on it and simply nodded. "No problem, I'll wait here."
Anne pulled a lanyard from beneath her tee shirt, grabbing the card dangling from the end and swiping it over the door's access panel. The panel beeped, and the screen lit up with 'ACCESS GRANTED' in bold green letters before the heavy bolts decorating the door shifted.
With practiced ease, Anne yanked the heavy door open and disappeared into the restricted area, leaving it cracked. Silently, you put your back to the door and acted as lookout for your new friend.
As minutes passed without any passersby, your shoulders relaxed. Leaning against the wall, you lost yourself in thought, only to be interrupted by hushed, passionate voices from down the hall. Driven by curiosity, you inched closer, careful not to be seen.
Two strangers cast long shadows on the floor, facing each other in the fluorescent-lit corridor. Their voices trembled with intensity as they argued.
"Sebastian, you know as well as I do that these experiments have gone too far," a scathing accented voice hissed, the hands of his shadow gesticulating wildly across the polished marble floor.
"You must see the progress we've made..." The other male voice, deeper but strained, replied, "I understand your worries, but the corporation has given us the green light. We can't just stop now."
Their conversation, peppered with cryptic references to ominous experiments, hinted at lurking dangers. As your heart pounded wildly in your chest, you held your breath, knowing you shouldn't have overheard this exchange. Biting your lip, you took silent, cautious steps backward until you returned to Anne's door.
"Ahhh!" You shrieked as the heavy door banged open, throwing your shoulder into the nearby wall to make yourself less of a target.
Anne reemerged, arms laden with an assortment of snacks. She flashed a sheepish grin as she approached you. Blushing, you righted yourself, your wide eyes flickering between Anne's face and the direction of the heated discussion. Torn between curiosity and caution, you wanted to mention the argument but decided against it as Anne beamed at you.
"Sorry for the wait," Anne said cheerfully, juggling her precariously stacked Debbie Cakes to one arm and offering you a candy bar. "I may have gotten a bit carried away with the snack selection."
"No problem," you replied, accepting the candy bar with a small smile. "Thanks, Anne."
"Any time."
As you resumed exploring the seemingly endless underground laboratory, your mind raced with questions and concerns.
"Hey, Anne."
"Yeah?" She asked as she struggled not to drop a stack of snacks. You reached over and plucked half her burden, toting the snack boxes with both arms as you considered your words.
"Not that I don't appreciate the tour, but—"
"It's massive, I know. I was just about to suggest a break." Anne sighed in relief, her brown ponytail flicking behind her as she threw a freckled grin your way. "How do you feel about classic Disney movies?"
The walk to Anne's room was swift, with her huffing filling the halls as you moved. Soon, you reached her surprisingly spacious and well-appointed room. A large flatscreen TV adorned one wall, while a luxurious queen bed stood invitingly in the center of the space. If you weren't pursuing a friendship with Anne, you would have been rushing to your own room right about now.
"You've got quite the setup here," you remarked, raising an eyebrow. "I was worried the rooms would be... well, Brattleby hinted they'd be less than accommodating, but this is nice."
Anne shrugged, a playful smirk dancing on her lips. "Well, maybe it's because I've been here longer. Seniority has its perks, you know. I hope your room is just as nice, if not nicer."
You smiled in response and made yourself comfortable. Soon, laughter and jokes filled the air as the two of you settled down to watch a Disney movie, enjoying the chance to indulge in something girly for a change.
"It's so nice to watch this kind of stuff," Anne sighed contentedly. "My twin brother and best friend- who work here too by the way- never want to join in. They're all about action and explosions... well, Sebastian is," The name tickled your mind, but you couldn't quite place it. "Ominis prefers audiobooks to movies, what with his condition..."
"I can't wait to meet them," you commented, eager to make new friends after all the drama of the day.
Anne hesitated, her smile faltering. "Yeah, we'll see. Maybe sometime soon," she replied evasively, her eyes darting away as she focused on the screen.
As you watched the nostalgic scenes of The Little Mermaid unfolded, the camaraderie and laughter shared provided a welcome balm for your troubled minds even as the weight of the day's secrets hung in the air, an unspoken puzzle that begged to be unraveled.