Project 863 - The Mystery

~Chapter 45~

Bailey, Sam, and Woods all sat in the car driving to the location of where the Spire was Sam explained to Subject 4 everything that happened and how they are going towards the Spire while talking about what they should do if B27, Matthias, and River are there as they talked about what the Spire would look like. When they get to the location they were able to see the huge Spire while Sam pulled over as they saw Matthias's car, indicating that they were there they got confused about where they were before they got out of the car as Sam took the camera from Bailey as they saw the Spire being surprised about it as everyone continued the path looking at it as they talked for a moment before seeing a place as they went down towards the Spire as Woods began to speak. "They are underground. They've gotta be underground, there's nothing around this thing. This, they didn't- I don't know." Woods spoke as the winds picked up for them before Sam spoke as she held the camera. "Do you think that the Spire is underground? I mean it's a good-" Sam began as Woods cut her off before he gestured over to the big invention. "I think this is the Spire. I think the control area or whatever they are doing hopefully is under there, not somewhere else." Woods explained as they continued walking towards it. 

They go towards the latch and they looked at it while thinking of a plan to do as they all stood there Woods began to open the latch slightly before explaining how it wasn't locked as he closed it before discussing who should go down as Woods began to open the latch quietly before he spoke. "You guys stay here, I'm going down," Woods explained to them as both Sam and Bailey protested as Sam spoke. "I'm sorry but you cannot be the one to go down there. This is not a situation where we can allow for a temper. You're going to hurt Matt and or River, tell me you wouldn't." Sam spoke looking at him as Woods looked at her before he spoke. "I'm not... going to hurt them," Woods spoke as Sam shook her head before she looked at him as she spoke. "Woods, I don't think you should go down... I think I should. I can be quiet, worst-case scenario I can just run back up. Bailey, I'm sorry but you can't go down there you heard what Syphus said, what if he turns on the Spire while you're down there and you're trapped. I feel like I'm the only option." Sam explained as Woods gave in as he looked at her before he spoke. 

"Just scream as loud as you can if you need us," Woods explained to Sam as she nodded looking at him before she went to put the camera down as Sam began to speak. "I think I'll be okay. I don't want to be too sappy here but, I'm grateful that you guys are here and that we've been down this road together. I hope this all goes okay." Sam spoke as she hugged Bailey and Woods before going down the latch she took the camera from Bailey before climbing down. When she got down, she heard typing noises as she was able to see Matthias/Nelson typing on the computer while B27 stood on his left and River/Nelson standing on his right as he typed before Matthias/Nelson looked at Benjamin as he spoke. "Ben, I think we're ready. Why don't you go up to the surface and see if Subject 4 has solved the code." Matthias began as River/Nelson noticed that someone had come down to them as she turned in the direction of where Sam was before she spoke. "Also deal with her." River/Nelson spoke as Ben turned in the direction of Sam as he went after her. 

Sam began to quickly climb up the ladder as she got help from Woods to get out they ran away trying to get away before seeing that Ben was coming up they all looked at him before Ben began to speak. "We're out of cream in the break room. Would you prefer regular... or vanilla?" Ben asked them as they all stood there in silence for a few moments before Sam spoke. "Peppermint," Sam told him as he went into his coat pocket before pulling out a notepad as he wrote down something while looking at them before he spoke. "Order confirmed," Ben responded to them as he put his notepad in his jacket pocket again before going back into the latch as he climbed down, closing the lid with him as they all stood there confused before Sam decided to go back down there as she climbed back down there, making sure to not get caught again. When she got down there, Matthias/Nelson had been standing up as he looked at Benjamin. "Well?" Matthias/Nelson asked him as Benjamin took the note he wrote before he spoke. "They found two codes. Peppermint and Hazelnut." Benjamin responded, handing the note to River/Nelson as she took it from him looking at it for a brief moment before handing it to Matthias/Nelson as he looked at it himself before he spoke. 

"Hazelnut. What a good friend." Matthias/Nelson spoke as he nodded to the female beside him as she went over to the computer typing in the code before Matthias/Nelson looked at the screen as he spoke. "Are you ready?" Matthias/Nelson asked both of them as Benjamin responded to him. "We own the future," Ben responded to him as Matthias/Nelson shook his head before he spoke. "No, I own the future." Matthias/Nelson spoke as River/Nelson pressed a few buttons before turning on the machine as she moved over to stand near Ben Matthias/Nelson looked at the screen before seeing a count down. "What? No! Passive Mode Initiation Protocol. No. No. No. No. No. Why isn't it responding?!" Matthias/Nelson spoke loudly before he looked at Ben as he spoke. "You switched the codes on me didn't you." Matthias/Nelson said looking at him frustratingly before he grabbed a hold of Benjamin as he began to yell. "You think this even matters?! I've accounted for everything! Every backstabber! Every betrayal! Every counter move!" Matthias/Nelson yelled as River had been able to break free from Nelson's command for a brief moment as she quickly grabbed Matthias/Nelson's arm before she spoke. "Let him go he did nothing wrong!" River spoke looking at him as he looked at her with an angry glare. 

When she had done that, it caused Matthias/Nelson to push her to the ground as he kept his hold on Benjamin before he yelled again. "I am one step ahead! When he comes he will see I am the absolute!" Matthias/Nelson yelled as River looked up at him in pain as she watched Nelson disappear letting Matthias take over once more as he backed up into the corner. "What? Where am I?" Matthias asked confused as Sam came over to them as she spoke. "You guys, I think this all worked," Sam spoke as River looked at her confused before Sam brought them up to where they were. "You're in the S.P.I.R.E. I think the antidote worked, I think you're both okay." Sam explained helping the two up as Matthias looked at Benjamin before he spoke. "Ben," Matthias spoke looking at him as Benjamin in front of them was confused as well as he spoke. "What the hell? Where am I?" He asked confused as Matthias went to hug him which made the phantom surprised as he spoke. "Are you serious?" Ben asked as everyone began to leave the underground area, first with Sam climbing out as Matthias came out first, getting help from the others as he got out. 

Once River had been able to climb out she got help from Bailey as River moved to sit on the ground feeling tired and weak as she noticed Woods holding onto Matthias as they watched Ben climb out but he ended up falling as his apparatus fell off his face as Woods went to get Ben but Matthias had stopped him as he spoke. "He's good," Matthias explained to him as Woods nodded before Benjamin looked up at them as he spoke. "I'm so sorry, to all of you. Please forgive me." Ben spoke looking at them as Matthias nodded before he responded to him. "It's over. You're free now. You know, it can be over with you. But we could use your help, he's not gone." Matthias explained looking at him as Benjamin was now standing before he spoke. "There are so many things that I must atone for, Matthias, I may see you all again down the road but only time will tell," Benjamin explained as he handed his apparatus to Matthias as he began to head up the hill as River sat there before Matthias looked at her as he kneeled. 

"It's over?" Woods asked looking at Matthias as River chuckled slightly as she sat there. "Is it ever?" River asked as Matthias nodded agreeing with her as Woods spoke once more. "The Spire is not going off, right?" Woods asked which made Matthias shake his head as he began to speak but ended up getting hugged by Woods as River smiled looking at this as she spoke. "Wish I knew where my phone was, would have been an amazing photo," River spoke which made Matthias chuckle as he looked at her before hugging her as Woods went to hug Bailey as Matthias spoke. "He's not gone yet," Matthias spoke as he and River had been standing before Matthias had to kneel back down which caused the others to panic for a moment as River decided to sit down, not wanting to pass out anything as Matthias began again. "He's not gone yet." Matthias started as River nodded looking at him before she continued with what Matthias was saying. "For now... we're good." River spoke looking at them as Matthias nodded before he spoke. "Let's go," Matthias spoke as he went to stand up getting help from Woods Bailey went to help River as they all slowly left the Spire.