[center][color=gray][h1]The Awakening[/h1][/color][/center]

Thierry had made his way back out of the pharmacy as Nick busied himself mocking Galloes. Checking and checking again. Rechecking. And again. His map verses the map on the wall. But it didn't seem to matter how many times he followed the room layouts or hallways. Not a damn thing lined up. Odd. His map didn't line up with this map... until he realized his own sleepless error. He turned the map right side up with a sigh. Even stranger, only certain parts of the map lined up now, [b]"Dammit."[/b] He groaned out of frustration. They needed to get to the submarines if they were going to get out of this godforsaken facility. The sounds of scuffling in the pharmacy didn't cause Thierry to look up from his map, despite [i]things[/i]. If he couldn't figure out how to get to a dock, he saw no point in fighting. So he fumbled around in the darkness, squinting for what felt like an eternity.

[b]"There here!"[/b] Nick came bursting out of the pharmacy, disarming himself in the process.

[b]"What? Who?"[/b] Thierry questioned, still ignoring the situation for the map.

Out of breath, Nick inhaled deeply while panting, [b]"The... [i]Hollow[/i]."[/b]

The frantic mentioning of the Shadow people [i]did [/i]cause Thierry to look up to Nick, who was currently pulling him away from the map. He was honestly stunned. Here? In the HiveMind converted facility? How? There were so many things they didn't know about this dangerous race of humanoids. The Louvre and fellow societies in on the knowledge couldn't even agree on a nickname for them, yes, but [i]here[/i]? Were they formed from the Dark Energy rather than purely light as previously thought? So many thoughts. Many unanswered questions, from one of Nick's previously dangerous runs, danced along Thierry's mind. One such thought put a chill down his spine. Hair stood on the back of his neck. 

And then the loudspeaker interrupted what seemed to be Nick starting to explain where he was dragging him too, [b]"I'm so very sorry Thierry, but I warned you... that [i]my hands are tied[/i]."[/b]

Thierry tensed up, making sure to be bathed in the blinking red emergency lighting,[b] "Mister ...[i]Cress[/i]?"[/b] He breathed wide eyed, looking to Nick, who stayed within the safety of the emergency lighting as well.

[b]"Well... Thierry,"[/b] The loud speaker picked up Mr. Cress' somber tone perfectly, [b]"I'm just an old fool taking orders. Just as [i]you [/i]would."[/b]

[b]"We need to get to floor C1." [/b]Nick stated hurriedly, [b]"I don't know why, but we just do."[/b]

[b]"We..."[/b] Thierry started, still visibly stunned with Mr. Cress being involved like this, [b]"W-we've worked together for [i]25 [/i]years."[/b]

[b]"[i]27[/i]. And that is probably the biggest reason why Sabrina filed for divorce. Your oversight of time management is horrendous, old [i]friend[/i]."[/b]

It was a low blow indeed, but Thierry didn't deny validation to the comment. The silence of the hallway was just as off putting as the silence between Nick and Thierry before Thierry finally mumbled to himself, [b][i]"Oh my god[/i], what [i]am [/i]I doing with my life?"[/b] Thierry looked to Nick seriously, [b]"My son is [i]older [/i]than you are."[/b]

This wasn't new information, but Nick felt that, for whatever reason, Thierry was taking this fact harder than he had previously. Like maybe because they'd been so close to death over the last 24 hours, that things just... clicked all of a sudden. Nick crossed his arms, he didn't know what to say, what to do. So he chose the option that he was most familiar with; absolutely [i]nothing[/i]. He did know that he wanted to get to C1 and find the black door with the number 6425 labeled on it. With or without Thierry. But he stood there silently frozen. Watching a man, a mentor, a father... everything [i]but [/i]his husband... shatter. [i][b]Leave him numb, leave him crushed.[/b][/i] The somber song that Aaron used to like to play on repeat danced around in his head, [b][i]I'll stay here as long as you let me...[/i][/b]

It seemed as though Mr. Cress wasn't alone and Von Galloes was with him. What side was Cress really on? What was this old fool up to? Surely he was working for HiveMind with how he spoke to Thierry. Or was he sent to spy on HiveMind with direct orders not to tell Thierry? Nick felt in over his head. So many questions, so little time. But they needed to move and now. These shadow people, these creepy humanoid things were known by the Louvre to have the ability to affect a person's emotions and Nick had already been committed once because of them... and he didn't fail to remember the chip recently put in his head. He made the mental note that for whatever reason, Galloes was really trying to fuck around with his sense of reality, but as it hadn't worked on him yet, Thierry's now as well. What was it with this guy and simulations?

Laughter echoed in the halls, a rather exuberant voice spoke to them as they made their way to C1. The pair stayed within the blinking lighting as much as possible, both silently listening to the man's words with as much clarity the loudspeakers gave as possible. While Thierry felt incredibly disgusted by his recent life decisions, Nick was starting to feel incredibly alone. And from the sounds of laughter over the loudspeaker, HiveMind was well aware of their increasing upper hand of the two of them, and potentially over The Louvre.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/kxNfNal.jpg[/img][/center]

[b]"Right."[/b] Ramses didn't seem to want to argue with Stella as he pulled his hazmat suit on, but felt compelled to do so anyways, [b]"But have you seen Dragon [i]backstab [/i]his employees? Because I've seen The Louvre do this."[/b]

[b]"What are you on about?"[/b] Aaron finally snapped at the man. His usual chipper demeanor had been replaced with a serious one as he pulled his own suit on, [b]"We get it. You've been burned."[/b]

[b]"The fact that you're unconcerned with Thierry having a way to get out of here [i]safely [/i]is alarming."[/b] Ramses had risen his voice just a tiny bit, but wasn't completely yelling.

[b]"Like we've never been deep in the shit before. [i]C'mon[/i]."[/b] Aaron eye rolled as he walked out with the girls. Their safety from Ramses seemed more important currently than anything else, [b]"Hey, this must be the main ruins. Would you just look at this place! It's like a weird underground Chernobyl."[/b] He paused then screamed as he saw her hunched over in pain, [b]"[i]Stella[/i]!"[/b]

Despite the beautifully hued dragon now being awake, Aaron failed to arm himself. His suit was bulky and hard to maneuver in. It was the most he could do to stay out of harms way. He looked back, but Ramses hadn't followed. He mumbled to himself, [b]"Shit. Something's really wrong."[/b] Then approached Nova, [b]"This suit is too big on me, I can hardly move. Are you okay at least?"[/b]

And that's when he saw it. Aaron's face contorted from slight annoyance due to the awakened dragon, to absolute terror, [b]"[i]That's[/i] what his problem is."[/b] He looked to Stella who was still hunched over, then to Nova, who was capable. But then his eyes fell on #3. The girl looked way too young, but more importantly, too [i]innocent[/i], to be involved in all of this. He spoke hurriedly, avoiding the dragon's rather slow temper tantrum the best he could, [b]"We need to move, [i]now[/i]. The dragon is the [i]least [/i]of our problems."[/b]

He pointed towards the door they'd just came out of, double checking that the [i]Hallow [/i]was still peering out. It was. Aaron shuddered as he eyed the eerily deformed figure, [b]"Do you [i]see [/i]it? Look closely! It's a shadow, but it's not any of ours. The lighting around us versus it's stance."[/b] The more he stared at the shadowy figure, the more creeped out... the more nauseous he felt. Clearly remembering the last run in with these... [i]things [/i]he and Nick had, [b]"Shit. Ramses is still back there."[/b] He groaned. Where the hell was his brother? He so desperately wanted that [i]guns blazing with glory[/i] attitude he usually sported.

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZjsE6NoFrE[/youtube][/center]