As Simon pulled the shuttle around the gargantuan exterior of the Government Research Compound a long sigh escaped his tired form.


    “Already…” He muttered to himself as he caught sight of the mass bunches of people congregating at each entrance to the building. A mix of civilian and government personnel, this congregation sparked to life when they caught sight of the Justice Sector shuttle floating down from above, flying past the packed steps that lead to the main entrance of the building. With a sigh, he maneuvered the shuttle around the sides of the building searching for a side door or loading zone not completely packed. Yet every new door found revealed a new bunch of spectators clamoring for a glimpse of the shuttle’s cargo.


    The news of Lab 458’s acquisition of high-class prisoners had spread like wildfire as soon as the council had made their deliberation. All items on the council’s agenda were matters of public knowledge. Dr. Lewis had managed to pull enough strings to keep the details about Simon’s meeting private up till it started. As soon as the council chamber’s doors were sealed and Simon started his presentation, however, the whole of the world knew that Lab 458 was clamoring to claim the high-class detainees.


    Simultaneously as soon as the world learned of this knowledge they scoffed in mocking. Most didn’t know what Lab 458 even did, its popularity long since faded, and so just assumed the matter would quickly be tabled as the public at large demanded for justice to be carried out against the detainees (now quickly labeled terrorists in the larger public eye). Those who knew of Lab 458 scoffed in pity, figuring this was the last desperate attempt of a dying lab that’d lost its spark to drum up PR. A stunt meant to draw attention and stave off the threat of defunding for a year or two more.


    None expected the council’s deliberation to take long, nor did they expect the verdict to come out as anything less than an unequivocal refusal. When the meeting and deliberations combined had taken well over an hour, people began to become curious but still no one doubted the outcome. Thus, when the final verdict of the council’s meeting was broadcast live, the world was floored.


    Researchers in the Government Research Compound could hardly believe a rinky-dink operation like Lab 458 had been allowed custody of such famous prisoners. They began to question what it was about the two detainees that made them so special, so worthwhile to the decades-long project Lab 458 had been stuck twiddling their thumbs on.


    The larger public meanwhile was outraged, infuriated that the terrorists would be allowed to escape with a punishment as loose as “Government Test Subject”. Those who’d been caught in the destructive path carved by the two, directly or indirectly, spearheaded the growing movement calling for harsher punishment to be leveled on the pair. This moment was demanding nothing short of internment at intensive labor camps, horrific body disfigurement, or even death in extreme cases.


    Though some Labs chewed through test subjects with ease, subjecting them to horrific fates that the growing populace movement could only dream of inflicting on the pair of terrorists, the problem came in the fact they knew nothing about Lab 458. It had never, in its long lifespan, utilized its rights as a Government Research Lab to request a human test subject. This meant no one could be quite sure what treatment or experiments the pair would undergo. This lack of knowledge also sat unwell with the scientific community housed in the Government Research Compound, who found they had no precedent with which to compare these new, highly notorious, test subjects too.


    All this combined had led to the shitstorm awaiting Simon as he circled the building, searching for an entrance not teaming with angry civilians eager to argue with him or inquisitive researchers trying to force their way onto the project now the spotlight was shining on it. Honestly, he couldn’t tell which was more annoying. He might have liked talking to the other researchers if they were interested in hiring, but no. They just wanted Lab 458’s data for free, an idea that turned Simon’s stomach and nearly made him puke.


    Finally finding a place to park, Simon pulled into a small loading zone tucked into the corner of the building. The cover of the freshly risen night sky helped to hide it away from prying eyes, and so under cover of darkness, the surly intern unloaded the transport''s cargo.


    <hr>


    Both Alice and Jake felt somewhat disorientated now from the process of being transported away from the prison. The almost nauseating sensation of flying in the dark as the shuttle swerved wildly, all the while finding themselves strapped down helpless to do anything, had left them disoriented. Now, as they flew rapidly through the halls of some random building with distorted whispers and blinding lights shooting past, their condition only seemed to worsen.


    Still though, as their transport plates rounded another corner at speeds that felt much too fast to the helpless duo, their distorted minds couldn’t stop circling the last words of the intern. Someone else knew they weren’t from this dimension, someone who was looking to talk. Some hope grew in the two that maybe, just maybe, they could avoid tortuous experimentation and dissection.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    All that would depend on their meeting with Simon’s boss. Depend on what kind of deal they could strike, or if they could answer his questions well enough. Nervousness about the prospect grew in abundance within the two, after all, they barely understood what was happening themselves, but still, they’d have to find someway to broker the deal. It was the only hope they had left.


    “Ah, your back! That’s them right?” The pair suddenly heard a new voice, dripping with excitement and quickly approaching their prone forms.


    “No…” They heard Simon say, voice dripping with sarcasm, “I just thought ‘screw it, I like the look of these two instead.’”


    “Yes, yes, very clever. I can see them clearly now that’s definitely them. Go lock the door to the lab. You''re alone, no one from the Justice Sector came?”


    “They tried to when they brought the shuttle around. I told them we were doing ‘top secret, state-of-the-art work’ and couldn’t bring outsiders in. They tried to argue a bit, but they bought it easily enough. I mean, why else would the council give us these two.”


    “Well…” The mystery voice said as a loud series of clicks rang out, echoing around the duo''s prone forms, “All goes well that won’t be a lie… might get some of our budget back.”


    “Good!” They heard Simon say, his voice growing closer and closer till he stood next to the two directly in their immobile field of view, “Then you can finally pay me. I expect a raise for dealing with this crap. What should we do next, sir?”


    “Go ahead and release them.”


    “…You sure?” Simon asked, sending the pair a look of doubt, fear clear in his gaze as he locked eyes momentarily with Jake.


    “No point keeping them locked up, you have everything they own in a plastic box. Any weapon they had would be in there as well.”


    “That’s true, but Dr. Lewis we don’t know where these two came from! They could be mutated, stronger or faster than us to a degree where…”


    “Mutated to a degree where keeping them locked up won’t matter. Release them and get those gags off, please! What good are they to us if we can’t even hold a conversation?”


    Still looking a little apprehensive, Simon tapped a series of buttons on each of the two prison transport plates, and immediately the metallic coils restraining the duo fell away, falling limp and lifeless to the floor. Reaching up, the two began desperately pulling at the gags stuck tight to their face, making very little progress till Simon, even more unsettled now than before, clicked two small buttons on the underside near their chins. The winding binds of the gag retracted, allowing the two to yank the metallic vice away from their faces.


    Sat upright atop the floating plate, the duo let out a series of gag-like coughs as they struggled for air. Simon stepped back, looking alarmed as he glanced toward Dr. Lewis. Dr. Lewis didn’t look particularly surprised at all to see this display.


    “Please,” He said to the two, a small kind smile stretching across his face, “Take your time. When you''re ready, I’d love it if the three of us could start with a little chat. Simon, where did you park the shuttle again?”


    “Random loading bay?” Simon said with a shrug, tone clearly asking why that mattered at all.


    “Go ahead and move it, return it to the Justice Sector as soon as possible. It would be best to keep them from having an excuse to come snooping around here, wouldn’t you agree?”


    “But Dr. Lewis is that really such a…” Simon protested before being cut off.


    “It’ll be fine. Lock the door to the lab on your way out, we don’t want any… curious gawkers making their way in do we?”


    Simon stood for a minute, staring at Dr. Lewis in disbelief before he let out an exasperated sigh. Turning around he reached the door to the lab, glancing over his shoulder to the still struggling convicts, before quickly unlocking the door and slipping outside. Once stood outside in the hall, his key card engaging the magnetic locks once more and sending the whole of Lab 458 into lockdown. A smile spread across his face. Deep and almost sinister looking.


    The convicts seemed to have bought the act. Never once had they tried to resist as he released their bindings, never once had they looked at Dr. Lewis with any sort of outwards hostility. Only curiosity. That was good. That meant there stood a chance they could come to trust him in a way they couldn’t Simon. He saw the looks of hostile intent and panicked distrust that flared up whenever he crossed their field of view.


    He supposed he couldn’t blame them, but still, it complicated their work. Now though, they sat locked with the head researcher ready to spill their secrets. Smiling to himself, Simon strolled away down the halls whistling to himself as he retraced his steps back toward the transport shuttle. Torture could have worked too, of course, but then the results weren’t nearly as trustworthy. They only had one shot at this, they only had the one source of information.


    Dr. Lewis had suggested this little play to grant them the best chance at earning the convict''s trust. So far, it seemed to be working. That wasn’t to say their wasn’t the chance Simon wouldn’t return to find Dr. Lewis murdered, but that wouldn’t be so bad. Sudden promotion from unpaid intern to Head Researcher could never be a bad thing after all.


    <hr>


    “Are you feeling better now?” Dr. Lewis asked the pair, a kindly smile playing across his face as he did his best to keep his body language unassuming and non-threatening. Slouched over, he let his greyed hair stand out and wore baggy clothes several sizes too big for him that hung too loose on his frame. All this was in an attempt to hide the gun holstered at his waist and distract from the lean muscle that still rippled across his elder frame. While he may want to look helpless, he was by no means incapable of defending himself.


    “What…” The male convict began to ask, pulling himself up on unstable feet and rubbing his throat. “What is it you want from us?”


    “Please…” He said, stepping arms spread wide, “Let’s eat something while we talk! You must have been locked away for hours now, yes? You must be hungry! I can ask you my questions while we eat. We have plenty of time after all…”