Stepping around the shorter man, he grinned inwardly after having successfully ruffled his feathers. Closing his eyes and striding forward, he ignored the man’s retort but paused when he called him by his code name, Blackjack. Turning to size up the shorter man, Troy began trying to place where he could have met this masked individual. The look of confusion on his face was partially hidden beneath his eye mask but when the other man asked if he got his message, Troy smiled. “Oh, Pulse…it’s you. I didn’t recognize you without your serial killer’s mask on.” He said with a smirk and letting his lids drop lazily. “I was wondering when I’d bump into you.” He said coolly, but it was a lie. He had actually forgotten all about meeting Pulse and the Architect, he was too busy enjoying himself at the party. It was one of those rare opportunities where he could forget who he was and be someone else for a while.
Troy listened as Finn reminded him that he didn’t know what the Architect looked like and the fact that everyone was wearing a mask, wasn’t help the situation. Before he could respond, the shorter of the two had started following someone and motioned for him to follow. “Hey! Wait up!” Troy called as he trailed behind Finn, his eyes darting around the area for possible trouble. “What’s the hurry…where are we going?” But his questions fell on deaf ears. Once they reached the elevator doors, Finn breathed the words ‘Mikey’ in a frustrated tone. Troy could only assume it was the name of the person who had entered the elevator moments before them.
“Looks like we missed….” But before he could finish his comment, he was inturrupted by Pulse pulling the elevator cabin back up the shaft by use of his magnetic powers. The strained sound of manipulated metal made it obvious what the other was doing and Troy looked around to make sure there was no one in the immediate area that could discern what was happening. Fortunately for them, any passerby’s were just out of earshot. As the bell rang and the doors opened, he huffed with a slight smirk. “Well that was a neat trick.” He remarked, sounding somewhat impressed. Once they were inside, he leaned back against the wall, folding his arms across his chest and his legs at the ankles. He saw that the number two was illuminated and mused. “…and down the rabbit hole we go…”
When Finn informed him that they were following his partner and not the Architect, Troy rolled his eyes. “Ugh…not that psycho who killed all those people at the bank. You know, you’ve really got to keep better company.” He taunted, while pressing a gloved finger to his chin and leaning his head to the side.
The shorter of the two furrowed his brow. Even though his brother technically did murder several of the thugs from the heist, he just couldn't allow anyone to call him a psycho. Michael had made his mistakes but it was all in the sake of self preservation. Behind the metallic painted mask, it was easy to hide his obvious reaction to Blackjack's remark.
"I don't think you're any better, so far I just know you're an assassin for hire." Pulse replied without turning his attention from the elevator doors.
Troy breathed a small laugh and absently tugged on one of the rabbit ears attached to the headband he was wearing. "Sounds like I hit a nerve. I wonder just what kind of 'partners' the two of you are...?'
There was a soft 'ding' and the familiar feeling of he elevator coming to an abrupt stop just before the reflective steel doors slid apart. Level Two was a zig-zag hallway made of frosted plastic with back lit lighting. There were several white doors with square port-holes and the layout was more reminiscent of a high-tech medical facility than a lab's basement. It was eerily quiet and obvious that the facility was closed for the weekend. The hallway was about ten feet wide and Finn took a semi-confident step forward.
The white rabbit stepped out of the elevator after Finn and didn't seem as cautious as the other super but once he took a good look around, his demeanor changed almost completely. The atmosphere reminded him of the SXM facility where he had been raised as a test subject for most of his life, so it was almost like stepping back in time. "So now what?" He asked while keeping his eyes and ears peeled.
"Well -- I didn't really think this far." He said, not wanting to call out 'Mikey!' in fear that it would alert whatever security was patrolling.
Troy didn't bother with a witty comeback this time, instead he stared blankly ahead, as if frozen in time but if Finn followed his gaze, he would see there was nothing there but empty space. Shaking his head, he looked at Finn breifly before walking towards the nearest door, unconcerned with whatever security might be set up. "I don't like this place...facilities like these usually have secrets someone wants to keep hidden." He said while absently peering into the nearest porthole to see if there was anything inside.
The room behind the porthole was surprisingly advanced, the door sliding from the floor up as soon as Troy stepped near enough. The room was average in size, about equal to a studio apartment and lined with scientific equipment that Finn couldn't begin to understand. Small robotic arms that moved within large glass containers to precisely turn over petri dishes at all hours of the night. There was a wide glass tube, brightly lit with artificial light, containing a tube of blue liquid that bubbled without stopping. On the opposite wall, see-through computers with touch screens sat in three varying sizes along the seamless white architecture. Two rolling chairs sat empty beneath research tables, with two examination chairs on the far side of the room. A pair of massive movable lights sat above each reclining chair that reminded Finn of a terrifying dentist.
When the door rose, granting them access to the room behind it, it startled Troy at first but then he simply walked inside. He took note of all the high tech robotics and what looked like chemical experiments around the room. It was so cold and sterile inside, it reminded him too much of his first home. His nerves told him that they should leave as soon as possible but the curious part of him wanted to know what the hell this place was and if it had anything to do with the SXM. Much like a 5 year old would behave, he wandered around the room to get a better look its the contents. Dropping to his haunches near the tube of bubbling blue liquid, he peered curiously at it, then tapped the tube gently with a gloved finger. He was going to ask Finn what they were looking at but it seemed like Finn read his mind.
"Level Two: Advanced Genetics Research and Experimentation Center." Finn read out loud off of a sign etched into one of the plexiglass wall panels. "Guess that explains what's on this floor."
"Yeah...but what exactly are they experimenting on...?" Troy asked as he moved further inward, not really expecting an answer. Glancing to the side, he saw the two reclining chairs that Finn identified with the dentist and he quickly answered his own question. "Humans apparently..." He said with disgust.
Taking a few steps behind Troy, the shorter super decided to try and not make as many mistakes this time. Using his powers to pop open a metal container on the research table, Finn reached inside and took out a pair of medical examination gloves. Putting them on, he wished he had the foresight to wipe his fingerprint from the elevator button- hopefully someone else would get the chance to smudge it.
"Might as well take a look." Finn said, approaching the largest of the touch screen computers that instantly sprang to life. Several windows filled the screen with different forms, documents, charts and photographs. Feeling as though he plunged into The Minority Report, he began looking through files he could barely comprehend, wondering if there was a way to figure out what his brother was after.
Standing over Finn's shoulder, Troy watched as window upon window popped up, most of which he didn't understand, except the occasional disturbing photo. "What did I tell you...the perfect place for keeping secrets. Well, is there anything good in there?"
Finn shrugged his shoulders and half-peered through files and half paid attention to the sound of any footsteps in the hall. While easily standing over Pulse's shoulder and scanning the different files that flashed across the screen, something familiar suddenly caught Troy's eye.
"Wait what was that!?" He asked with urgency. "Go back a little bit, a little bit more...stop, right there!" The file they were looking at had information on an experiment that took place over twenty years ago with a division called SXM. It explained how after dozens of failures they were finally able to achieve the results they desired, by creating a human with heightened senses that surpassed those of a normal human being.
The subject was kept in captivity and trained to become a living weapon. The test subject's name was Troy Evans but the code name it was given was "Number 5". A small video clip popped up of him as a teenager in a small training room scenario which showed him successfully taking down several armed men and clearing a dangerous obstacle course. There was also information on the subjects progress and the type of disciplinary actions taken to keep him obedient, some of which were very severe.
'Patient Number Five?' Finn thought,
"Well, I'll let you take the helm." He said, noting the other super's intent search into such a specific area. Troy knew it could help unlock his past and the experiments done on him. Taking over for Finn, he delved deeper into the files and seemed transfixed on the documents they were looking at, opperating the touchscreen computer like a pro.
Of particular importance to him was the fact that the SXM division was illegally funded by the former incarnation of Genetico, known as Chemtech, and how after Genetico acquired Chemtech, Genetico continued to fund the program. He tried searching for information on the biological parents of the subject but they all lead to a dead end. However, he was able to find information on several of the original scientists who worked on the project and one of the SXM hubs. He could only assume that the information he sought as well as the lead scientist, Dr. Martin Wade, was housed there also.
The name of a file appeared while looking into scientists related to the projects and SXM itself. Augustus Yelner, a high-ranking scientist at Beacon was also noted as a leading scientist at some of SXM's earliest projects. A specialist in Cosmic energy's effect on the human body, he left the program at an unlisted date. In fact, most of the file on Yelner had been redacted by Beacon and Genetico themself. His current project was just...
Across the room, Finn stood next to the large dentist-lights hanging above the reclining examination chairs. There wasn't a single paper file or document in the room, but the screen on an adjustable arm next to the chair still had windows open from the day's work.
"I guess they've got some patients here as well." Finn said loud enough for Troy. "Think it's the same kind of stuff as-"
The shorter super was cut off by a 'thud' resonating from the hall. He turned his attention to Blackjack, who was closer to the door and had more experience in these kinds of situations.
This was the opportunity he had been waiting most of his life for, to find information on SXM. Who would have known it would happen by chance? Unfortunately, he didn’t come prepared to save the information he stumbled upon, so there was nothing he could download it to. Additionally, he didn’t want to e-mail it to an address that could possibly be traced back to him. The only thing left to do was commit the information to memory. Although the rabbit was busy tapping and scrolling, he was still able to multitask and turned to look at Finn when he announced a new discovery. While trying to retain the newfound knowledge, his concentration was broken by the approaching sound of heavy footsteps, footsteps that sounded oddly familiar. He paused and slowly returned Finn's gaze. Raising a slender finger to his lips, he gave the signal for them to remain silent.
After quickly shutting down the computer, he stood without making a sound. Maneuvering around the equipment in the room, he stopped in a spot that gave him a glimpse of what was coming. He used the reflection in a glass holding tube across from him to spy on the newcomer and what he saw was an armored hulk headed in their direction. He recognized the individual as The Executioner but had no idea what he was doing there. Reaching for his weapon, he frowned when there was nothing there but a pocket watch. He could suddenly hear Papo’s warning from earlier in the back of his mind, about how this whole thing could possibly be a trap and that he would be walking into it practically defenseless. Troy sighed and mumbled to himself. “Ugh, don’t you get tired of being right all the time?” Well, he did say he would have to improvise and that’s exactly what he was going to do. If needed, he managed to conceal a few, pebble like, red explosives; similar gray smoke bombs and a miniature spade shaped knife inside the rabbits tail attached to his rear. Honestly, even if he did have his pistols, they wouldn’t be much of a match for the walking behemoth.
Turning to Finn, he spoke in a hushed voice. “Remember my friend from the armored truck heist the other day? Well it looks like he’s here too. Let's go say Hello.” He said impishly. "Besides, we're sitting ducks if he decides to go all Bazooka Joe on us in this little room..." Soon the door opened and Troy moved into the hallway. He turned to face The Executioner and smiled. He probably wouldn't recognize him as Blackjack, considering he was wearing bunny ears and an eye mask but he didn't intend on keeping his identity a secret. "Well, well, well. Look at what the cat drug in...I hope you're not here to try and blow me up again." He said while reaching up and twirling a gloved finger around one of the rabbit ears atop his head.