Estylwen

The Dark Beyond

New post is up! :>

The Dark Beyond

HiveMind Underwater Research Facility, Abandoned Maintenance Rails

@Lexisheeps, @WhiteAngel25

---

"I'll get that off of you, 3, I promise."

Subject #3 tried her best to hold back terrified tears as she sat strapped in her seat, a second collar affixed to her neck. This new one had a digital timer displayed.

02:39

And it was counting down rapidly, beeping. A high-impact bomb, designed to explode everything in a nearby radius. Subject #3 stared up at Stella, then glanced at Nick and the group with him. "You shouldn't be here. It's dangerous. It's- it's- please-"

A deep voice from within the shadows. "No, they're in exactly the right place."

Emerging from the shadows was a ring of 10 or so armed security drones, covered in reinforced white metal, automated pistols loaded and raised menacingly, surrounding them from all sides. If anyone so much as moved an inch, they would immediately open fire, not to be taken lightly. From directly behind Subject #3 emerged the AI prototype, the Beast, its red eye wide and glowing. From the glow, it projected a hologram that took the form of a smiling, sinister-looking Von Galloes. He was outlined in red, the hologram framing him in dark, menacing hues.

He approached Stella, standing beside her as she stared at the bomb device. "Come now, sweetheart. This is child's play for a perfect solider such as yourself."

The hologram made his smile all the colder as he leaned in close, looming over Stella. "After all the drills, all the training I had him do to you, you're going to stand here and tell me you don't know how to disarm a simple bomb? Come now, don't you recognize the technology, my dear?"

He eyed her gleefully, relishing the look on her face. "Don't be shy. Show everyone what I made you for..."

He looked at the timer on Subject #3's neck and chuckled darkly.

01:19

He took a step away, the projection shifting as Von Galloes walked to stand in front of Thierry, chest to chest. "So, how do you like the modifications I made to your pet? Satisfying, no? When he tried to kill you, I mean."

His eyes glinted menacingly. "Shame. You didn't even make it to the depths of my facility. And now you're moments from death."

He paced the ground as if in deep thought before raising his hand, pretending like an idea had come to him. "Say, if you beg for my forgiveness now, I'll stop the countdown and let you all live, hm? How's that."

What Nick and Stella would notice, along the right side of the room, was that the wall had been replastered over recently, and looked weak. A simple blow would knock it down, and reveal something else underneath it. If they somehow dealt with the drones and knocked down the wall, they would uncover one of the most significant secrets of this underwater facility. A simple door rusted beyond time, caked and warped. A rune would be carved deeply into the stained metal, recognized only by those who knew about the ancient societies revolving around dark energy. A mark of The Ethereum.

The Dark Beyond

That has been in my mind for the past few days. There's still lots to see. :)

The Dark Beyond

@Lexisheeps Fire post! I will have a response up tomorrow. :)
Epic round, folks.

Iris Ascendis

@Psyker Landshark Sorry to hear you're not feeling good, hope you get better soon. :c

The Dark Beyond

Loving the posts so far. No rush, @Lexisheeps, I'm looking forward to it. :)

The Dark Beyond

It really is. New post is up! :)

The Dark Beyond

Hivemind Underwater Research Facility, Contained Lab and Hallway

@Lexisheeps, @WhiteAngel25

---

Stella's operation went off without a hitch. The security officer was knocked out cold, tied in the closet. Even if he were to wake up, it would be a long time before he was found. The security drones that had accompanied the nurse waited outside, falling for Stella's disguise and letting her pass as she entered the observation room of the contained lab. It was soon after that skirmishes broke out in the hallways, and the security drones were destroyed, along with several guards. Included in the death toll was the doctor, though it was clear his death was more of a personal matter.

"Just another rat," Von Galloes thought coldly as he and his men moved through the hallways. His AR vision was wired into the security feeds of HiveMind, and he selectively unmuted the audio when he saw what could be considered a real pleasant surprise. It appeared The Louvre had a few choice words for him as they attempted to free his precious Subject #4. Even brought a few friends along. He recognized the one from the Egyptian museum. Vons Galloes also saw the Ghost in the system, one of the two simulation room escapists who thought it funny to hide in the dusty corners of his home.

His eyes hovered on her features as he observed the feed, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes before his cold voice cut the air. "Now, where is the other one...?"

As he entered the briefing room on the second deck of the HiveMind facility, technicians and security personnel dashing to and fro, a single AI prototype - the Beast, curled at his feet, dragging behind it a struggling Subject #3. Its white metallic tentacles swirled around its singular red eye, one limb extending out to produce a testing device.

"Mission success, Director Galllo-ES. Subject #3 contained. DNA s-AM-ples collected. MAT-ch acquir-ED." It stated, its voice robotic and devoid of compassion as Subject #3 struggled in its grasp.

"Match, you say." Von Galloes said, a cruel grin flickering across his face as he took the device. "So I was right all along."

He smirked, his mind racing with all imaginable twisted and unspeakable things he could do now with this information. The look on their face when they finally realized. The look on Thierry's face when he turned another ally into a mindless enemy, their will suffocated by Von's own.

Speaking of which, he had to note Subject #4 performance was impressive. Every struggle and attack on Thierry that the director observed through the security feed was met with an earnest and cruel nod of approval from Von Galloes. His precious tool was doing exactly what it was told. And it would do so much more.

He looked at the Beast dismissively, his voice stern and exacting. "Now, I need you to follow my instructions exactly."

"Yes, s-IR?"

---

Red lights flashed against white walls as a siren wailed through the halls of the underwater facility.

A pre-recorded voice blared over the loudspeaker.

"Attention. Evacuate immediately. All personnel are required to evacuate immediately."

Blast shield doors were closing shut on most route accesses, blocking off the majority of the facility. The only path that was laid out for the group was the same path Stella had taken to reach Nick initially - through the hallways to the ducts, and into the abandoned area of the facility. However, the path to the submarine - the group's escape - was ridden with monsters.

All of the test experiments and prototype beasts that were currently locked up under a dark energy merging program were free, roaming the halls. Half-starved, mad, and pre-programmed to be killing machines, these large beasts stood in the way of the group's way back to the ducts.

Looking in front of them, barreling down the hallway, were three bear-like beings, 10 feet tall at full height, roaring and dripping dark energy plasma with every stomping footfall. One locked eyes with Thierry, and aimed its huge teeth straight for the man's throat. It would take more than a couple of bullets to put down these behemoths.

And, at the end of the escape route, if the group managed to make it there in one piece, Von Galloes had one more surprise waiting for them. Subject #3, tied to a chair in front of the garage where the submarine was held in the abandoned area of the facility. There was a blanket draped over her, obscuring something. Her mouth gagged. And the ominous sound of beeping...

The Dark Beyond

Another fire round. The pace is amazing. I will have a post up tomorrow, very excited.

Iris Ascendis

Thank you!

I did some minor time-skipping in my post. I'm quite excited for the next day to start.