Whisper

Chapter 7

Ever since that day, Mateo had been instructed to take Clarise out to the courtyard after her breakfast. It's only been 3 days but every morning Clarise had taken the same path to the fountain, sitting on the wall and putting her feet in the water for a while. This time had also extended and she had shorter appointments with Dr. Kadea.

Instead the cameras were solely focused on the pair, especially Clarise's face. Recording every blink she did and every little word she said.

Mateo had always remained professional, standing beside her and watching her closely. He was a bit weirded out by the sudden change in schedule, but he does what he is told and just walks her around the courtyard. It's almost like when his dogs want to go to the park, but he didn't really want to compare her to his dogs.

"It's really cloudy today," Mateo began, drifting his eyes upwards to see the grey gloomy clouds just hovering over them. "Do you think it's going to rain?"

She turned to fully face him so he could read her lips.

It's going to rain in an hour.

"Well we'll be inside before then," Mateo had gotten used to her answers. He knew she could 'predict the future,' it was on her file, but actually experiencing her 'predictions' was something else.

Clarise could tell he wanted to say something else, so respectfully she waited instead of just asking herself and answering for him. But he didn't say anything, so she didn't pry.

It's not like they would have much time to talk anyways.

Almost on cue the facility's emergency light shot on. Despite it being the daytime, it was quite dark outside so the lights tinted the area red. Mateo gripped onto his rifle, scanning the area.

Loud sirens pierced their ears with the automated message blaring right over it on repeat.

"Attention: Projects have escaped their containment areas. This is a Code Red. Everyone is urged to go into lockdown."

The doors that lead to the courtyard had automatically locked, meant to keep whatever was inside - inside. But the windows of the hallways that faced the courtyard were still open and visible, several guards and scientists running around in a frantically strategic way.

Suddenly Mateo's walkie-talkie came alive, "Alaveraz come in. Do you read me?"

"England?" Mateo quickly picked up his radio, "This is Alaveraz, over."

"Alaveraz is your project with you? Over."

"Yeah, we're in the courtyard. Over."

"Got it, make your way to an exit, get your project out o-" He was suddenly cut off, not responding as Mateo attempted to call out to him.

"What's going on?" Mateo looked to Clarise for answers, which she looked back with wide eyes

Project Magma has escaped.

"How? I thought they prepped for this."

They both watched as the wing that held Project Magma had a fire slowly spreading through it.  Every wing had halls leading to the courtyard, although only few projects were allowed to enter the area.

The fire system activated as the hallways began to pour waterfalls down onto the security guards that were swarming the area. A few carried fire extinguishers, but most held their guns straight and ready. But they were armed with non-lethal bullets. Lower level security didn't even have guns.

When it came to the facility, the people are replaceable, the Projects are not.

Is everything as I've predicted?

Yes.

They asked her every little detail of what would happen today. First, Project Magma's escape. Then he freed Project Raptor who managed to slip her way into the facility's generator room, destroying the power that went into the security system and containment areas. Project Golem was next, taking advantage of his newly powerless door and breaking it down. Project Weaver was the same, breaking down her door and slipping through. Project Magma took most of the attention of the security away from the rest. Thus began the downfall of Facility 0601.

It's too bad that the scientists forgot to ask her where will Project Magma escape to, because emerging out of a fading fire was a young man, his body lava-red before slowly turning into a normal flesh-tone. His clothes were intact, but quickly getting soaking wet as he came up to one of the windows, placing both hands on the glass.

"What is he doing?" Mateo pointed his gun in that direction, moving his eyes to look at Clarise who remained sitting on the fountain's wall.

He's going to melt the glass.

Just as she said that the glass where his hands were began to turn bright red, quickly melting away the dense glass.

Project Magma was just 5 years older than Clarise, and unlike her, he hated being at the facility. Perhaps it's because he joined the facility when he was 15, unlike Clarise who had came when she was 8, so he had already a grasp of freedom and a normal life.

Project Magma is a young man leaning on the more average height,  and was also a bit lean himself. He wasn't as built as Mateo, but definitely was not frail in appearance. He was super pale as well, nearly glowing as he stepped out into the natural lighting. If it truly was sunny, he'd probably look like a figure of pure light. He had blonde hair as well, a dirty blond that borderlines brunette with eyes that also borderlines brown, one could say his eye color is hazel.

Quickly glancing behind him, he stepped through the newly formed hole in the glass. Scanning the courtyard, he almost didn't see the pair until he saw the gun pointed right at him.

Mateo, put the gun down.

Mateo wasn't looking at Clarise, instead he was looking at Project Magma who looked like a bull, ready to charge, and Mateo was the one holding the red flag.

Project Magma's skin quickly became a glowing red, his features basically melting away, only his clothes remained intact. Letting out some sort of war cry, he began charging forward, basically absorbing the bullets Mateo shot at him. His bare feet left burned marks on the stone pathway, the unlucky plants that stood in his way caught fire.

"Clarise get behind me!" He stepped a bit forward, ready to fight what was essentially walking lava. He was racking his brain for what to do. These rubber bullets were doing jack and the tranquilizers they gave him surely wouldn't work either. His handgun held real bullets, but it's not like that's going to do much in this situation.

He was told to prioritize Clarise over everything. For her project seemed more essential than others, but what was he suppose to do?

Mateo look at me.

A voice echoed in his head. It was Clarise. But when he turned to look at her she was not looking back, instead she was staring at Project Magma with wide eyes. Her face had blanched and her form was shaking out of fear.

"Clarise?" Mateo looked behind him to see Project Magma lunge forward,  going for Mateo's rifle. Quickly unhooking it from his harness, the rifle began to melt in Project Magma's hands, and now the trio simply watch it turn into liquid.

What should we do now?

Grab Mateo's left hand, run to the far left side of the courtyard.

Almost like she was autopilot, Clarise slipped off the wall, grabbing Mateo's hand and began to run just as she instructed. Forgetting her slipper's behind, the small stones and sticks that had fallen onto the pathway was cutting up the bottom of her feet.

With no experience of running or really doing any exercise at all, Clarise's lungs quickly began to burn. Her legs already feeling like they are about to give way, but the adrenaline kept her going.

She had to make sure both of them made it out alive.