On the Run

12 - The Potential Program

The elevator creaked and screeched as it descended into the dimly lit shaft. Mia stood in the centre, keeping her eyes peeled, remaining wary of anything and everything. She could feel the temperature dipping sharply, a harsh and brisk cold was beginning to surround and bite at her skin.

Mia pulled out her phone from her pocket and switched it on, only to find that she had no service whatsoever. Cursing under her breath, she slid the phone back where she got it from just as the elevator came to a screeching halt, lurching Mia down onto the cold metallic floor.

She hurried back up and dashed over to the wall, pulling her head back as the doors slid open, allowing a flood of bright light to burst in. She blinked a few times and then slowly began moving over to the doors, remaining silent and alert. She stepped out from the elevator, glancing down both corridors to see that there was no one about; but she could hear eerie echoing cries that seemed to be muffled and far away from where she was.

A deafening alarm blared for several seconds, frightening Mia. She dashed for cover, finding an open small closet-like room that was filled with various medical instruments. The sound of men talking quickly filled up the deserted corridor and within a few seconds, a swarm of guards piled into the corridor. Some of them stood outside of doors with their large guns on display, others seemed to patrol the area. Mia also caught sight of a handful of scientists that moved from room to room, while some of them stood around and talked quietly. She tried to listen in on two people that walked by, but she couldn't hear anything of use.

Two minutes passed by and the corridor was still plagued with armed soldiers and scientists that were bouncing around quickly. Mia sighed before closing the closet door quietly.

"There's no way I'm getting out of here with them out there," Mia muttered to herself as she paced the room, her mind whirring while she tried to think of an escape plan.

She thought about possibly fighting her way out, but even with her skills as a trained operative she wouldn't be able to make it out alive. And if she did, Orabella would easily connect the dots and figure out that she, Lorenzo and Daniela were all close by.

Mia turned to the shelves and carts surrounding her where she saw a collection of nurse's outfits. She tried not to think about why Orabella would need nurses, but she knew the reason wasn't going to be easy to digest. Rushing over to the discarded clothes, she quickly slid on the nurse's outfit, grabbed one of the lab coats and fiddled with her hair so that it could mask some of her facial features.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled open the closet door and walked out, holding a clipboard she also found in the closet. She walked confidently down the corridor, pretending to be looking over whatever was on the sheet of paper when it actually started to grasp her attention completely.

She read through it, noting that Project Vindicta had been mentioned, but not explained in any further detail. But that's not what got her immediate attention. There was something mentioned called the Potential Program. The paragraph she was reading briefly said something about a group of selected individuals who were taken for the program. Mia re-read the information a few times, making sure it'd stick in her head for when she met up with Lorenzo and Daniela.

The familiar screeching sound of the elevator caused her to look back up; she saw ahead of her a new group of soldiers emerging from the lift with a few ordinary civilians, each of them carrying a bag or two. Mia decided to take the window of opportunity and she quickly made her way through the chaotic hallway, heading straight for the elevator.

She managed to swiftly ditch the clipboard on one of the many carts laying about in the hallway just before slid into the elevator moments before the doors screeched close again. There was a slight rumble and the elevator shuddered, but once Mia felt the elevator ascending, she let out a relieving breath before she started taking off her temporary disguise.