Laboratory 287
"Stella," I called out, pressing the buzzer beside her office door.
No response.
Where has she gone off to?
"Come on," I said to Coope as we headed to the elevator. The arena was huge, even with 1,345 employees of all species employed, it was always rare to find someone in your path.
Perhaps Tania would know. She is always with Stella, since she is her nursing assistant.
The door slid shut when we stepped into the elevator. I pressed the "2" floor button. The elevator buzzed as it descended from the fourth floor to the second.
That was where the medical bay was. That's where Tania would be.
Coope was right behind me as I made my way to the medical clinic. The interior was just like the Axiom spacecraft we used for larger missions.
There were large white curtains covering the floor-to-ceiling glass. The smell of Kleenex hit my nose. The scent almost made me hazy before I shook my head.
The white marbled floor was polished enough to reflect Coope and me. The white walls with a blue strip going along the surface added to the lack of warmth.
Among the large room, there was a small human sitting by her desk. She wore a white lab coat, her wavy brown hair tied in a bun.
Tania Chaudhry.
"Tania?"
I called out, stepping into the office.
Her head lifted off her computer screen towards me.
"Oh hey Agile, what brings you here?"
I walked towards her, Coope coming to a halt behind me.
"I am looking for Stella."
"Oh," her face scrunched up. "She is in her laboratory. She has been stuck there for a few days now."
"Oh, I didn't know. I just came back from a mission."
"What kind of mission?"
She asked, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. A single lock of hair drifted from the hair claw and fell in front of her face.
"Nothing major. Just a minor tribal dispute."
"Oh. Interesting."
I didn't respond. What was interesting about dealing with simple-minded parents who are willing to sell their children for marriage?
"I should go find Stella now."
"Alright. No need to be—"
She cleared her throat before shutting her mouth. For good.
I turned around, signalling Coope to follow me out of the med bay.
The door slid open to the laboratory occupied by Stella. There were a few unknown species strapped to the platform.
Tall—humanoid creature with a dark bluish colour and massive crystals jutting from its left arm.
Is this the threat mentioned in Clematis City?
I took a step forward, inching closer to the creature dissected on the raised platform. Before I could inspect it further, Stella called out for me from the right.
"Agile, wait!"
My steps came to a halt next to the platform as I turned to look at her. There stood Stella, surrounded by piles of papers.
"Stella."
I turned, heading towards her.
"Agile, when did you return?"
"An hour ago."
"Oh, I didn't check the Starcheck**. I've been busy with this…"
She said, gesturing to the papers filled with drawing and dissecting the creature laid on the platform.
I stared at her for too long before nodding. Her hair was a mess, oily—not from washing. And eyebags under her eyes.
Three undergrad degrees and still unable to follow proper hygiene.
"Why did you come looking for me?"
"Aureolo told me Hornet had gone away? Where?"
"He is travelling somewhere. He didn't tell me but he will be back shortly."
"Alright."
I looked back towards the creature. Taking a closer look at it while Coope stood in the corner, observing quietly like he usually did.
Blue liquid strained the platform. The sliced insides were thick(the inside is also the hard stuff like crystal found on its arm).
From the way it was sliced, this was not the work of Earth protector.
Clean, precise with immense strength. Earth protectors didn't possess it. Even GOU members with the sole exception of Hornet Mask could do so. ZK members would never help any matters involving Earth.
Did an AVA member do this?
Stella returned back to her work but not before—
"Oh—that reminds me, Hornet left you and Coven a message."
"A message?"
I repeated, turning to look back at her. She had already ducked behind the mess on the long table.
Hornet left in a hurry without telling anyone of his whereabouts and now a message…
What could it be about?
Without looking up at me, she added, "Make sure to check it."
The only way to find out is to hear the message.
"Alright."
Once out of the lab Stella had been cooped in, I took a pause in the hallway and pulled out the transceiver.
The screen glowed yellow—Standard Mission classification within arena protocol.
Standard Mission: Guarding Laboratory 287
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