Dimension shuffler

Chapter 8: Obsession and Revelation: Part 1

Preparations were complete.

The heroes outfitted themselves with weapons and gear, ready for what could be a perilous raid.

Drez and Melody stayed behind to provide hacking and tactical support from behind. Paz sheathed Florence and took control of B.I.K.E. Stephen had practiced his elemental abilities and Chico wore her new forcefield circlet.

On the way to the point, an issue that had been pestering Stephen since day one came to rise. "Hey, Paz?"

"Yeah? Shoot." She responded.

"When we met, you mentioned something about portals, what was that exactly?"

"Those portals, the ones you can create, show up every time that monster appears."

"Benson."

"Yep. Those UNIT troops try to fend it off but it keeps coming back."

"What does UNIT stand for anyway?"

"Quote-un-quote 'peace.' Their name means nothing if that's what you meant. They're hapless nobodies who think they're helping but they just get in the way."

"Sounds familiar." Stephen gave her a glare."

"Can it! At least we don't get normal people killed. They recruit anybody and everybody who's willing to hold a gun. In times that nobody wants to, they use fear. They claim that if something isn't done, lives will be at stake. But, with how little they train these victims, people die anyway. The knights I grew up with had order, compassion and honour. UNIT have guns and a name, nothing more."

Chico piped up from the back, "We're here."

Before them was a large laboratory. It was rusted and half-buried in sand. A large hole served as an entrance to the hallways of flickering lights and sparking appliances. Glass chambers were lined along the sides to which Chico shivered at the mere sight.

"You OK?" Paz asked Chico, sounding more compassionate than usual.

"I-I... I..." She started.

"You can stay out here if you like. We'll come and get you if anything happens. Stay out of sight and stay quiet. Don't come venturing in after us though. We don't want you lost."

Chico nodded and sat down behind B.I.K.E.

"The way is safe. I can't find any traps, just faulty electronics." Drez contacted them over comm-links.

Stephen and Paz stepped inside and were enveloped within the darkness.

The way was visible. Just. Stephen dared not start a fire to help visibility in case there were flammable chemicals nearby. The lab was obviously wrecked by a large creature. The whole thing was tilted.

Venturing further in, a pattern began to form and was confirmed when they came across a small table in what appeared to be a break room. The sheets on the table were still in a neat pile and the soil in a nearby plant pot was still damp. This place was too well kept to be abandoned.

Reading through the notes, it was clear what had transpired.

Chico and Benson were once test subjects here with Chico 'volunteering' and Benson being created. Before research could be completed, an accident occurred and Chico vanished. A short while later, Benson became violent broke out, destroying the lab in the process. What came next was confusing.

Field notes, as they were called, dated as early as the previous week. They detailed a new subject  that would continue 'Project: Power.' Things were startling however when the most recent notes, dated yesterday, that explained how this new subject was falling into the author's grasp and they would soon be theirs. Another project, 'Project: Birdie,' had apparently begun.

Stephen began flicking through the notes trying to find out more about this new test subject and if there were any more notes on Chico. Paz meanwhile stopped looking at the pages and instead looked around.

"Get down!" Paz dived and tackled Stephen to the ground. Milliseconds later, a gunshot could be heard and two small darts, filled with a yellow liquid struck the wall in-front of where they were standing. "Ack." Paz gripped her neck and found another of the darts had hit her. "Aw sh..." She began to grow limp and her breathing became heavier.

"Are you OK?" Stephen worried.

"Do I... look OK... to you?" She responded. She didn't appear to have the strength to force out her regular level of aggression. She quickly fell unconscious.

Assessing his situation, there seemed like no feasible way out. These darts had to be shot from a rifle meaning the sniper was probably still there. Dragging Paz out would leave them vulnerable. There were no other entrances to the room so he could have waited until the sniper left. It was too risky, either he revealed he was conscious or whatever was injected into Paz could have disastrous sideaffects if left untreated. Remembering his comm-links, he contacted Drez.

"Drez. We're pinned down. Paz is unconscious and there's a sniper outside the room we're in." The signal was interrupted by static before an unfamiliar voice spoke.

"Naughty, naughty. You're not getting help that easy. I may have missed my intended target but you're not going anywhere."

"Who is this?"

"You'll find out soon enough." The voice chuckled.

Whoever was doing this wasn't going to take Stephen without a fight. Preparing a few shurikens, Stephen rushed to the door and threw them in a quick flurry before shortly receiving a sharp pain and falling unconscious.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours later, Paz awoke. Something was off. Rushing outside, one thing became apparent to her.

Stephen and Chico were gone.