The following day Yiana, Hexa and Quixe are all at the entrance of the laboratory. 003's eyes widened even though she knew the location beforehand. Before 008 could ask the slightly frightened woman anything, 006 glares at him and shakes her head.
They head into the building, their steps light to cover their presence. The research center was eerily quiet. With dissolved human beings inside capsules, shattered broken glass and windows, the establishment looked dreadful. The hallways were covered in blood, and small mutated material envelopped the forgotten lab, decorated by flickering lights.
Yiana scans her surroundings, the scene almost looks the same compared to the days she has been here. Back then, she was trapped inside an experimental capsule equipped with multiple tubes and wires attached to her. Scattered guards and scientists shrouded her, lights flashed over her and multiple windows neatly arranged and covered with binds in order was present. Now, this place is desolate.
003 jolts as she hurries her pace to catch up with them while both of the two other members give her a suspecting look. The laboratory is suddenly surrounded by hydrochloric acid but that won't be a problem. 006 summons three shields, one of her abilities: shield summoning, to protect all of them from the liquid as they fasten their search for the core of the mutated sentient building. Once they have it destroyed, the building gets unstable and collapses, leaving behind a pile of dead mutated material.
"You're unusually quiet, 003. Why?" Quixe finally asks curiously .
"This is the lab that I helped 003 and her brother, 002, escape from." 006 replies in her stead.
"No further elaboration?" He prods.
"We were basically used as an experiment," Yiana explains, her voice a bit sour.
"Got it," is all he says, not pushing further.
Hexa suddenly stops. Footprints were present near the exit. Fresh and not theirs.
"This wasn't mentioned in the report from the Explorers Unit," the white and black haired girl notes.
"Which means it's recent," 008 remarks, eyes narrowing.
"It's the same shoe size as you, 006." 003 comments.
Their leader contemplates, there is a slim chance that this belonged to her sister. If so, that would prove her existence.
~
The assignment done, the trio heads into their headquarters.
"I'll be rotting in my room," Quixe says with a lazy salute, already off.
This young man is part of the Experimental Cure Testing Unit. Codename 008 with black hair ending fading with grey, he is 23 years old.
"I'll be drawing," Yiana nods as she also heads to her respective room.
Her codename is 003 and she is in the same unit as 008. White hair accompanied by bangs and by green strands at the end, they're attached in two loops on her back. She is also 22 years old.
Meanwhile, Hexa opens the Chat screen via the piece of technology on her wrist as she senses a buzz coming from it. A notification.
Chat:
000: 006, we're done with investigating the transfigured suburb.
009: We're going to send you the details when we get back.
006: Noted, be careful.
Later in the evening, she checks the report sent by Ivaline and Xyne.
[Task investigation–Explorers Unit
Location: XXXX
Member(s) dispatched: 000, 009
Nothing unusual happened. Everything is in accordance with what we know. Or it it?]
"Very helpful," Hexa mutters, issuing a new assignment.
Assignment #132
Objective: Stop the spread of the mutated area.
Location: XXXX
Member(s) dispatched: 005, 008