District - 17: Reunification

Pandemonium Part Two

IT WAS NIGHTFALL NOW and in the Inoculation Room Cube Nox huddled around the large see-through table. Zaida came around them wearing white nitrile gloves and had Ryder flip the overhead light on, Dang held the button and the table ascended. On it all of them could view the cadaver of something laying there covered in black, gelatinous ooze. Its skin seemed to mesh with the fluid; Alessia couldn't help but stare in wonder.
 
"It's black," Ryder said.
 
"Vantablack," Alessia corrected.
  
"What you're staring at is a malevolent silhouette." Ryder and Najrina looked puzzled, but the rest were in awe. Dang continued, "These are the results of improper and impure experimental abuse on live hosts."
  
Jaketta stepped forward extending her hand.
  
"I'm not so sure about that," Najrina said. Jaketta pulled back in response and held a rictus expression toward her peer.

Zaida glowered at her and shook her head. "This isn't a game!" She had performed great lab work and wasn't about to risk one of the registrants giving themselves an early death.

Dang started thinking about Froy. Up until his hospitalization he had been flying below the radar, keeping his head down and never staying at his flat too long for anyone to notice. He was somewhat good at clearing his trail but not that good, evident at the sudden ambush and assassination attempt. When she had gone to check up on him under the alias of a concerned family friend she found the bastard high off painkillers and giggling to himself. Did he not realize he had the top part of his member shot clean off?

Regardless, she asked him what she needed to and kept the conversation rather short, concise and to the point. He told her about the location of the laboratory — deep below Metro 11— and why he was on the run to begin with.
  
This fanatic had done some irreparable damage back in his homecountry and then fled here to continue his work unimpeded and unabated. A complete moron, he hadn't thought that whoever wanted him dead could also create connections across international borders. So much for being street smart as much as book smart. She had felt the urge to cover his face with a pillow but it would be too risky, so she came to the next best conclusion. Whoever was after him was still out there, all she had to do was leave him to fend for himself. Eventually nature would take its course. She left the hospital with her head held high and a feeling of pride.

Now, Dang stood there with an empty feeling in her chest. This was going to be difficult and unfortunately she wouldn't be able to go along with them. She explained the course of events that would transpire. "Meanwhile, I'll provide overwatch remotely from the Tower."
  
Alessia whipped her head around, "What?!"
  
"I intended on accompanying you but it would be best I stay and conduct observation."
  
"She's correct," Zaida agreed. "If Dang stays she can keep a better eye on the situation as it unfolds. We'll have floaters hovering down there so we'll be able to see everything. Or, she will." Zaida hadn't realized she was subtly supporting Dang's argument; she bit her lip in frustration.
  
"You're my Cube, my responsibility. Anything happens I'll be there, I promise."
  
"Right," Zaida said, "moving on, I know I don't need to be a reminder but do not touch any part of this. It's in a contained state and safe to breathe around but its decomposition has been found to be extremely toxic. The skin now is akin to that of mercury." She shot Jaketta another glance. "From the way this organism responds it has an excited version of regeneration; where it takes you all maybe a few minutes to heal up wounds thanks to your Bloodtech, it seems it only takes a matter of seconds for these to regenerate."
  
Zaida made an incision with the elongated thermal scalpel and demonstrated her findings. The wound around the cadaver instantly meshed back together. Dang stared at in wonder. Back in Höllsten none of these things displayed this capability but then she thought about it again: her and Annagrazia had overdone it so it made sense that physical damage on that scale would leave no room for regeneration. Perhaps this one was hit by a stray bolt of lightning, heavy debris or damage not sufficient enough to render it expired.
  
"You think we're going to find something like this tonight?" Ryder asked.
  
"The chances aren't zero," Dang said stepping back. "You'll have each other and I'll guide you through it."
  
He nodded, crossing his massive forearms over his chest. Ryder was never one to question things, he coldly accepted her word as fact. I'm ready.
  
Zaida gestured at her and Dang produced five syringe guns with safety caps and pouches, then handed them to each. "Once you've come across it you'll use these so we can have the collected samples we need. Afterwards, you burn it all to the ground. This place will have never existed and we can finally put the abstract solution to rest."
  
Each of them agreed in unison.
  
"Get dressed, get ready. You leave sooner than you think."
  
Dang went over the mental notes she made from the binder full of folders she pilfered from Froy's flat. She memorized the layout but knew to keep it nearby in case her mind decided to space out. She had been up for nearly twenty-four hours now with only four hours of sleep in between and was starting to feel it. Don't work when you're tired, it's never worth it, that's how mistakes are made. Maybe it was best she stayed behind.