Shattered Innocence

Infiltrating the Shadows

I followed Mikhail quietly, and he didn't break the silence either. He seemed nervous about my presence, flicking his fingers against his leg as we rose in the elevator. All the while, my mind went back to what almost happened, what I almost did. I almost kissed the doctor. What a fucking idiot. He was obviously embarrassed after. He was only trying to be polite and professional, and I cried, raged, tried to shoot him, and then almost kissed him. I'm a mess. Poor man, no wonder he didn't want to come with us.

Feeling the need to fill the silence and escape my self-destructive thoughts, I glanced at Mikhail. "Where's Yuri?" I asked. "Stabbing stuff," he muttered, eyeing me before looking away. "I'm sorry. Next time, I will let them know you would prefer for him to escort you."

With that, he stepped out of the doors when they opened, and I tipped my head back and groaned. I was so rusty at conversation and being around other people, I was fucking this up. Great. Just great. Even though I knew they didn't have to like me, for some reason, it felt important, especially if what they said was true, because it meant they were the only other ones in this world who knew what it was like to grow up the way I did. I was pushing them away by almost kissing and attacking them. I was surprised I wasn't terminated like the other kids since it was clear I wasn't as capable as these men here who had adapted to this world. Not only that, but they were actively using the training and strength my father gave us to make the world a better place while I just ran and hid.

Sighing, I followed Mikhail as he led me through what they called the command floor. I analyzed the huge screens that covered the back wall, showing this base as well as my old house. Scientists and soldiers were working everywhere, but Mikhail headed right to a set of metal stairs on the left that led up to a glass room overlooking it all. He opened the door without knocking and stepped inside, holding it for me without looking at me. Great.

Inside, there was a giant rectangular table, a fridge, and a kettle on the counter at the back. The dark-wood table was surrounded by chairs, only two of which were in use. Zack sat in one, and in the other was a man in full military dress, with grey hair and sharp, cold blue eyes. It was clear he was a commander of some sort. Just who were these people?

"Please sit, Nora," Zack offered, sounding friendly enough. I stepped inside, and Mikhail shut the door harder than necessary, leaving me with them. Before Zack was some water, and the other man had a mug.

"A drink?" Zack asked as he stood. "I don't suppose you have whiskey," I joked before sitting, automatically propping my heels on the table, but the commander glared at me, so I slowly put them down and crossed my arms. "Water will be fine, thank you." I remembered my manners, even though they irritated me, and Zack moved around as I glared at the military man. I refused to be intimidated. He eventually looked away, and I wanted to whoop in pleasure, but I refrained and smirked instead.

Zack placed a glass of water before me and sat. "Nora, this is General Smith."

"Of course it is," I muttered, making his eyes narrow further until he was basically just squinting. "I've been poked and prodded, and I followed you into a hole in the ground, so tell me everything now," I demanded.

"Do not make demands, girl. You are only here because they believe you can help. We voted against this—"

"Well, whoopty fucking doo. I'm here because you obviously need me, so shut your trap and let the person actually in charge talk." I looked at Zack then to see him trying to hide his smile behind his hand. He coughed as the general stood. "You deal with this. Get her in line or it's all your asses," he barked and stormed past me.

Zack sighed. "He really is in charge. This is his operation, and his team was the one that found out about the other experiments. We were brought in as... consultants because we know Dr. Davis's ways, his type, and, well, we are stronger and more capable than his soldiers."

"Then I'm here for you, not him." I shrugged and put my feet back on the table. "And I'm running out of patience."

"Of course, well, you know the basics. Your father had an unidentified partner, and we know he's still running experiments—not on kids but soldiers. We have to stop him. The government didn't know about his involvement or that he was conducting these studies, but they do now, and they want to put a stop to it—"

"I'm betting it's to save their own asses," I scoffed, and he smiled sadly. "Oh, come on! If it gets out that one of their scientists knew he was experimenting on kids? Bad press."

"You're not wrong. They are doing this for their own reasons, the same as we are. We believe the best place to start is at the house where his main research was. Maybe there are hints regarding other locations or who his partner was. We have only found three additional old research facilities other than where we were kept, but they were all abandoned years ago. We are at a dead end, and that's why we need you."

"Why? Go to the old house and look," I muttered, feeling both annoyed and scared at the thought of going back there.

"Nora, he left the house to you. It's yours." I flinched at that, thinking of Ana. Why me? But more than that, it meant he did it as one last kick in the teeth. Here, have the place where I abused and experimented on you for years. The dick.

"Not only is it illegal for us to go in, which, yes, we would do to stop this, but we couldn't find his lab. We tried." I stilled at his words, going cold. "What?"

"It's there; we know that. You were a kid when you left, but I'm betting you remember the way in and out of it. It's clearly hidden, like this place, and we could spend years searching and never find it. We need you to get us in, Nora. Help us stop this and stop others from enduring what we did."

I got up and started to pace. Fury and terror filled me at just the thought of going back to that place. I vowed I'd never go back, ever, yet he's asking me to voluntarily go there. It doesn't matter that my father is dead. It matters that ghosts and memories still haunt that place.

"Fuck!" I snarled, smashing my fists to the table. "Even from beyond the grave, he's fucking me over."

"I'm so sorry, Nora. I wish we didn't have to involve you, but we do. We would leave you in peace—"

"I have never known peace," I muttered and closed my eyes. "I can't remember," I croaked.

"Try harder," he implored. "Calm down and focus. You don't even need to go there if you can show us on maps—"

"I can't. I'm sorry. I blocked so much of that place out. I would either be drugged through vents in my room and wake up down there or be blindfolded."

"Oh," he muttered, obviously disappointed, and for some reason, I hated letting him down, which is why the next bit spilled out. "I only saw it once. I can remember pieces, but not enough to direct you. I'm sorry."

He stood. "Don't be, we can work with that."

"We can?" I asked, eyebrow arched.

"Yes, come." He offered me his arm, but I ignored it, and he still smiled as he opened the door. "But first, you should rest. We will work on this tomorrow. It's been a long day, and I imagine you are eager to sleep."

Not really, I want to get this over with, but it doesn't seem to be up for discussion. Zack spotted Mikhail at the bottom of the stairs, working on a computer. "Mikhail," he called, and Mikhail lifted his head, meeting my eyes before he looked at Zack. "Can you escort Nora to the spare room near ours?" Zack looked at me then, not waiting for an answer, and I saw Mikhail sigh. "Rest, and we will begin tomorrow. You're safe here, Nora."

With that, Zack disappeared down the stairs where Mikhail is now waiting for me. "Come," is all he says. Great.