The Sketch Survivors: The Enemy Among Us

Trespassers

"Proud followers of Lint Corp," Gordon Gulley tipped his brimmed hat to his audience, a sea of stationary corporate members staring at him as though deceased. "I am remorseful to inform you of our recent misstep in western Iminentia."

Renyrocrattus clung to a balcony overlooking the announcement, undetected by her targets. As a spy for the Revolutes, she had infiltrated this meeting, and having left before the use of the Pure Light Amulet, she was desperate for tidings, beneficial ones at that. She was mightily relieved to know that the Revolutes had enjoyed a minor victory.

Gulley continued in a mesmerizing tone. "We have secured an circle of Gauntletes to surround their sector of Fort Whal. Our scouts have exulted over the absence of their leader, the warlord Grammor."
Some of the barely human heads in the audience nodded in a very unnatural manner. Renyrocrattus cringed from her high-lying viewpoint as Gulley spoke. "All evidence of a Revolution will perish under my new Sketch code. First, before any action is taken, we will begin a mass-production of Iminentia with our remaining power, so more Gauntletes, more troops and more of our signature Lint Corp force will enter Iminentia to eliminate the defenders of the Wall. In the meantime, our Polygmius division will drug some more Un-Characters as a sign of success, and begin distributing the soylent in the Congregation. One by one, an army of superhuman soldiers will be born with which we can do whatever bidding needs be done."

Renyrocrattus was stunned. How could Gulley just spoil the secrets of Operation Polygmius when he practically knew a Revolute spy was within his vicinity? A terrifying truth dawned on her, and Gulley's words rang alarmingly in her mind. But she still did not make a sound.

"Then, once our goal is achieved, the Armorillion will be drained of its life, setting free all of its contents into our Wasedip, and the Sketch experiment will be complete. We will tear down the Grids and set up the Sketch Facility as a home for other projects. If Polygmius fails, which is extremely debatable, the Armorillion detonation date will be set to the default setting, September 1, 2101. Un-Characters will be deported to North America."

"But what about now?" one corporate member in the audience blankly asked. "There are a dozen Un-Characters piling up at Smith's Cross, and yet we refuse them entrance. What are we going to do about this? Olympia must occur as we have planned!"

Gulley responded harshly. "No new Un-Character steps foot this Facility while a rampant Revolution lives."

Suddenly, sirens began to blare, and Renyrocrattus had to cover her ears with her hands to avoid having her eardrums blasted. Fear crept up her spine, even more so as she witnessed Gulley coolly order, "Emergency procedure, everyone." All of the members slowly equipped brownish gas masks, and exited the room in single file, all but Gulley eerily walking with the same pace and the same coordinated appearance. They were so strange, the door looked to shut automatically.

A torrent of smoke struck her nose, and Renyrocrattus coughed violently, failing to be heard as all Lint Corp members had evacuated the room. Alarms still screaming, she tried to give herself some hope by thinking, It's only smoke... I've faced this many times before and come out the other end. 

Renyrocrattus groped the walls as the smoke rose higher, finally placing her hand on a doorknob belonging to the same door through which she had entered this announcement center. It led to a gray, concrete corridor; equal to most other corridors in the Sketch Facility. Beyond this door there was no smoke, only clear air to be penetrated by the bullet fire high above it.

Renyrocrattus placed her eyes on the announcement center for the final time before abandoning it. Moments later, it would only be smoke as well.