Journey Into The Aftermath |✔

Chapter twenty five: Sea of Revelations

Much like before, Eric's team had settled in to the new office that they had to admit was extraordinary. It wasn't that North Wind Laboratories wasn't up-to-date, it was that this one seemed to be pushed incredibly far into the future. Eric couldn't determine where the ceiling was as it seemed to have been lifted stories upon stories high. Long production lines of robotic arms and machines fulfilled their duties, making equipment and other things Eric didn't bother familiarize himself with as he found it hard to really orient himself with his surroundings.

The magical green-yellow stone was laying under every microscope and was being studied to an intensity no one could comprehend. This was around the clock and unlike before, hundreds of scientists were hustling back and forth in this lab maximizing every penny out of their paycheck to figure out just what the hell this rock is.

Another thing that was different was the team itself. Nick was gone. Lance was back and forth in deciding if he was even going to work anymore. Eric and Joana's relationship was on and off because of time devoted to uncovering the stone's mysteries. Even when Joana would catch him in a utility closet every so often, she could tell not a hundred percent of him was in there with her. And she was not about to give herself to someone who's mind wasn't even in the same room.

When Lance did come, he worked diligently and never really did much communicating. Since they were the original members of the covert team, they operated different sections of the other scientists for their unique set of skills. Joana worked the molecular biological physics department while Eric had a whole other section of rock and earth researchers to keep his attention busy so all three of them never really get to interact.

Well, the only time they can ever really talk is when they have a meeting in one of the many meeting offices around the campus.

"We need Dr. Vault back in order to make real headway on this project." Eric shouted, frustrated. They sat around a small circular table in a meeting room. "Will someone ask Melinda what the hell happened to him?"

"I really doubt that's the best idea," Lance secretly smirked. "Besides there's a thousand Nicks out there; we don't need just the one."

"Well Nick would certainly know what he's doing," Joana chimed in. "These guys work exactly like the machines; it's like if I don't tell them to set the hyformatine  confibulator to six thousand-HR1, then they'll do the whole study without the correct configuration and set us back a couple of weeks."

"Well it looks like he's not going to be available." Lance stated.

"Neither are you lately." Eric shot at him, but in a respective manor.

He shifted positions in his leather chair. "You know my niece is sick." he lied.

"Yes, I know, you told me," he said. "What did you say his diagnosis was again?"

"TK one-eighty," he stated. " The 'Sunkiss disease'."

"Yah, I heard they still can't make a vaccine for that kind of brain-triggered disease," Joana sighed. "I'm so sorry for him."

Their faces contorted with sadness.

Pity: check Lance thought to himself.

"I must go with you to see him one day," Eric said softly. "To send my condolences, of course."

This staggered Lance, but he didn't show it. Lucky for him, he was quick on his feet. "Yeah, especially for when Melinda betrays us and we are rather dead or might as well be."