Shadow Taking Over

20- Anti

She didn't like it, but Ace's plan was happening. The idea of being split up didn't sound brilliant, but he clearly had his own separate objective to complete. Eve lagged slightly behind the scientist and his guard as they led her through the facility. It was massive. Every corridor connected to another whole wing of who knows what. She thought, it must have taken years to build such a place. Not to mention the costliness of it all. As they walked around, there were groups of scientists and guards traveling about. They were too inside their own heads to take notice to her. How many staff members were there?

The scientist, whose name she learned to be Phillips, was talking a mile a minute at her. Mostly know-it-all ramblings that she didn't understand. He figured that she was in the know of everything going on here so he spoke in a specific code. At this rate, she wouldn't find out anything of use to Talia and Ace.

Something caught her eye. They passed the large window of a lab. She stopped to take a peek. At least five people in lab coats and guards were inside. The scientists busied themselves with stowing items and files into brown boxes. Eve took a closer look at the table in the center of the group. There were six metal clamps attached to it. A woman was wiping it down with a used red rag- the color of blood. Her eyes widened in realization. Someone had been on that table, strapped down and tested on. Just like she was a few months ago. She subconsciously brought her hands around her biceps to cover herself. A hand came down onto her shoulder. Eve jumped and turned to attention. Phillips was staring at her, smiling. It was not a pleasant smile to look at.

"That," Phillips gestured through the window, "Was what we had been working on for three years. We were developing a way to track the Antis through the previous 'Creator,'" he rolled his eyes at the term. "Until Lance suddenly pulled the plug on it a few months ago. All those man hours wasted."

Eve didn't know what an Anti was, but this man thought she knew. She had to be careful which questions to ask, and which questions to keep to herself. "Previous Creator? What happened to this one?"

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his bald head. "Wouldn't we like to know? She just up and disappeared one day. Just between us, the reason Lance doesn't want to talk about it is because he was involved with her. They had a couple kids too- two girls."

Her heart rate started to quicken. No, he couldn't mean..

"Which actually leads us to our newest project. Follow me," Phillips instructed with pep in his step.

Eve wanted to know what was inside those files they were packing away. She needed to stop him fast without drawing too much suspicion. "Uh- sir wait." He turned and eyed her in question. "Lance instructed me to retrieve those files for him."

The scientist blinked at her. "Whatever would he do with them? He already knows the content of those files."

From the corner of her eye, she noticed the guard's hand move to the rifle. Eve panicked. " I dunno," she spat out rapidly. She squeezed her eyes shut and took in a gulp of air to relax. "Look, I'm not going to question his orders. I'll just tell him you didn't allow me access."

"No no! That's quite alright," he chuckled nervously. His finger hooked into his shirt collar to tug at it. "Why don't you head right in."

Nodding, Eve left the guard and Phillips outside. They watched her through the window inquisitively. The others in the room ignored her presence. Eve had to pivot to avoid them. Drones, they were. She felt like she had intruded on an ant hill.  After a pause to eye the labeled boxes they were stacking, one called to her. She didn't understand why, but deep down she knew she had to get that box in particular. Eve scooted past the workers to grab ahold of it. To avoid burning it up, she tucked the box under her armpit. Phillips appeared at the doorway, opening it for her. She stepped out briskly, for she felt like there were spirits in the room. Her skin crawled.

"Well, if you're finished then. Let us move on," Phillips announced.

Eve did not say a word the entire rest of the tour.

Meanwhile, Ace was enjoying himself. He shut the closet door behind him, in which he had left the guard that accompanied him unconscious. In fear of being reprimanded, the guard would surely hide the embarrassing fact of her knock out. Ace strolled down the hall, eyeing the rooms he passed. None of them caught his eye until he reached the end. On a silver plaque beside the door were the names of both Dr Roberts. This was Talia's parent's office. He would have peeked through the window, but it was covered by a black sheet. So, Ace instead broke in the old fashion way of kicking the lock until it gave way. The door whined as it opened for him.

His eyes scanned around. There were classic signs of a struggle that had happened years ago. Objects were strewn about the once orderly room. Framed photos and awards had fallen from their positions and shattered on the ground. He approached one of the frames, picking it up gingerly. It was a family portrait of a bright eyed little girl at the park with her mother and father. Ace chuckled softly at Talia's little braids and wide smile. She had her mother's eyes. He pocketed the photo. On the wall above the photo, there was a spray of blood. Ace solemnly continued his search.

Five minutes passed and he finally found the files he needed from the scattered bits of paper. He gathered it along with some extra papers of  scientific significance into a thick vanilla folder. Just in time as well. Voices and stepping caught his ear from the cracked open doorway. Ace secured the folder in a flap within his overcoat and crept to the door. Poking his head out just enough, he saw that it was Eve with her small posy. He stepped out behind them after they passed his door, making sure that it appeared as though he had just walked up.

"There you are," he said loudly to grab their attention.

Phillips had been mouthing off but silenced in alarm. All three of them turned to face Ace. He grinned casually, his eyes focusing more so on Eve than the rest. "I trust she didn't cause you too much trouble."

"Quite," Phillips responded, adding, "Where is your escort?"

Hurried footsteps came from behind Ace. It was his escort, jogging to catch up to the group. She straightened up, giving Ace a hard glare through her mask. Before she could open her mouth to speak, Ace chuckled.

"There you are. Sorry, I ran ahead. I saw some slackers lounging in the hall. Doctor,  you really need to keep a firmer grip on your staff. Unless they're always that lazy.."

Alarmed at the criticism, Phillips speedily answered. "No, no. That is strictly against how I run things here. They will be met with punishment, I can guarantee."

"Good," Ace curtly nodded. "I'll be escorting myself out now. Come along, Ms Jones."

It took Eve a moment to realize Ace was speaking to her. By then, he had already started walking down the hall. She hurried to catch up to him.