61 Prologue 2 (1/2)
”The most traveled areas of Cinalia are fought over by the Savages, the scavengers, and the...rest of the animals that have survived. The Savages are resilient but seem to avoid the more frigid regions of the country. Most exhibit abnormal strength, speed, and healing abilities- clear advantages in the current climate. With Charles's current standing with the Savages, no group can step within Washington City without his say so. It gives us protection.”
”The rest of Project 5S.Q are scattered among that group. They don't come back for scraps? No break-ins have occurred, no unusual deaths have been reported. Currently, it seems everything has been going swell until this radio broadcast popped up.” Royal's laid-back position in her chair reveals close-fitting black jeans. She crosses her legs, the blank look on her face is disconcerting as her gaze moves from Mitchell to Adams and back. Adams appears to be transfixed by the data on his display screen. 'Or is that what I should believe?'
”The rest believe ExplorerTech to be a graveyard. Charles is loyal. We give him and his people supplies and continue to enhance him when needed. He has not given up our position in all of sixteen years, he can be trusted,” Dr. Lee regains Royal's attention.
”But not the other?” Royal uncrosses her legs and pushes back on her chair to rise. She picks up her information packet and notepad.
The scientists remain silent.
”I'll need you to contact Mr. Williams and find out what he might know about Sia Chen. What's being muttered up and down the grapevine out there?” Royal pushes in her chair and leans against the backrest until the elbow rests collide with the side of the conference table. ”Is there a reason you haven't requested an aerial retrieval?”
”The last air retrieval unit dispatched resulted in the death of several assets whose presence have been sorely missed,” Dr. Adams timidly speaks up and glances at one of the empty chairs at the other end of the conference table.
”We won't be making a mistake like that this far into the operation,” Dr. Lee adds.
Dr. Royal grabs hold of the cold metal doorknob, turns the curved handle downward, and yanks the door open. She aligns herself with the heavy door and leans back against it before looking back at her new colleague. 'Shall we?'
Dr. Lee sighs and examines each of his subordinates. The other doctors rise from their seats, but Dr. Lee shakes his head as he stands, ”I'll take it from here.”
Dr. Plum releases a loud sigh of relief as she collapses back in her chair, her coworkers exchange a glance while Dr. Lee exits the room with the new employee right on his heels. The moment the door shuts behind them, Dr. Royal begins speaking again. ”How long until we renew contact with Shrell's Syndicate?”
The hallways are wide, and cement is the key element in the decor. The smooth cement walls are identical if one ignored the strip of color that bisects each wall, a clear indicator of which part of the underground facility a person is in. A number is engraved into the wall and highlighted in black beside each door they pass, and no sound emits from any of them, no matter how close you stand to the entrance. No keypads or locks are needed on this floor. The extensive security on the upper levels makes entering this floor without the proper clearance an impossibility.
”The agents have not shown up at any of the well-known outposts,” He leads the consultant down an empty hallway without looking back to see if she is following, her steps are almost silent compared to his own, but her voice is loud and confident right behind his right shoulder.
”You said they were notified of our success in waking the subject and retrieving the information they needed?” She looks up at the back of his head as he navigates them through the halls. She doesn't pay any mind to which turns they take, this transfer was a long time coming and she'd had time to memorize the most important areas of their blueprints, especially the room they were approaching.
”Yes.”
”I don't think this is the course we should be taking. How long before they arrive, and we have to display our findings to those freaks? They aren't blind, Doctor. They'll understand that we have nothing.”
”It'll break. They all do.”
”It hasn't. Its limits might be beyond our reach. The other subjects aren't sufficient comparisons for a creature of his stature. Evolutionary, its people have withstood events that we can only guess at. An Underling wouldn't expire under the same conditions as a human, why would it succumb to the same level of torture?”
”When was the last time you reviewed the subject's condition?” Dr. Lee stops walking and looks down at the notepad in her hand.
”Not as of yet, but I can't imagine it's much different from its comatose readings. It didn't exhibit many signs of life even after it was first transferred here.”