I wanted to leap into action as soon as I saw my dad being dragged away, but the others stopped me.
- They're on high alert, there's no way to catch them by surprise - Sebastian whispered to me. Indeed, the two scientists were constantly looking around, fearing capture. Under the man's lab coat was a pistol. Indeed, I had a rifle with me, but I had no idea how to use it. It was likely that I'd shoot myself by acccident.
The next time I looked at the entrance to the restricted sector, the scientists and dad were gone. We chose to be stealthy and quietly snuck through the door. We left Harold behind, as he probably wouldn't help us much, as he wasn't in the mood to get up.
The walls of the restricted sector were made of a darker metal than the labs on the surface. This sector was underground, with stairs leading us downwards. The first corridor we reached had glass panes on the sides. Behind them were several chambers, most of them empty and overtaken by the flora from above. It seemed like they were abandoned, which was definitely strange. The two scientists were nowhere to be seen.
We split our forces, with Claudius and me exploring the right part of the sector, while Amber and Sebastian took care of the left.
As we continued our search for dad, it turned out that the restricted sector was home to failed experiments. One of the chambers housed gray plants that, apparently, didn't grow properly. Another was the home of a disgustingly huge centipede.
It was blue with countless yellow legs and two long antennae on its head. Each section of its body was abnormaly large, as if they were balloons inflated by too much air. As we passed by its chamber, it turned to us and walked over to the window, as if it hoped for us to free it. Unfortunately for it, we weren't here to liberate failed experiments. Moreover, this experiment was deemed a failure for a reason, even if we didn't know it. The scientists must have locked it up in here because it was dangerous.
After our brief encounter with the centipede, we didn't see anything in the chambers besides decaying plants. More importantly, we couldn't find my father.
The next area was a massive room fully overtaken by fungi. There was a catwalk leading to the other side, but it collapsed under the weight of roots growing on it. Thus, this room was a dead end. Whilst trying to find another way, we heard our translators beeping. We connected them with the other members of our team for smooth communication.
- We found 'em - Amber notified us.
- Where? - I asked.
- Come back to the entrance and take our path. After passing through the next hallway, turn to the right twice until you reach a parallel corridor. You'll recognise it, because its overgrown by vegetation. Once you pass through it, we'll be on your left - Amber explained.
- Your dad is bound by ropes and we can't untie them. We'll need Claudius and his tools - Sebastian added.
- Okay, we're coming - Claudius ended the call.
We quickly went back to the entrance and followed the hallway, as Amber said. We turned to the right, as there was a chamber with bioengineered arachnids on the opposite side. We then found the overgrown corridor and passed through it. It wasn't long before Amber and Sebastian became visible. Ahead of them was a chamber with my dad.
After making sure that the scientists were gone, Claudius came over and, under my supervision, started undoing the ties bounding Anthony. Above us, a green gas was sprayed through a vent we didn't notice. It was probably toxic and we didn't have out hazmat suits, so we had no protection against it. Claudius and I ended up dragging Anthony out of the chamber, with his legs still bound by rope.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuVfeiFMQo
We managed to escape and close the metal door into the chamber right as the gas filled it. The scientists wanted to dispose of Anthony, but why?
- We need to go, follow me! - Anthony instructed us and we complied.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZ6Rt1FPI9
It seems like the scientists had some allies in the restricted sector, as armed Chinese guards suddenly emerged out of the vegetation. Luckily, they didn't see us yet, so as long as we're sneaky and hide, we should be fine.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOC7ILogA6f
Anthony led us to the overgrown room that Claudius and I visited before. A part of the wall was gone, leaving a hole we didn't notice earlier. Anthony swiftly jumped off the catwalk and the fungal mat cushioned his fall. We followed him into the hole. The enemy guards didn't reach the room for now, which bought us precious time.
Going through the hole, we had to navigate the foundations of the restricted sector and, as it turned out, the whole biodome. Lim Yazhu and his crew built the biodome above a crater which they deepened with excavators and created a grid of pillars to hold up the massive facility.
- Why did the guards want you dead? - I caught up to my dad. I knew that he was a member of the Agency, but I sensed that there was something more at play.
- They aren't guards, they're Chinese agents. Me and my allies were trying to peer into experiments hidden from the public eye for months. China deployed its counterintelligence to fight us. It's a fierce game of spies in here - Anthony said - Most of my allies were uncovered or vanished in unkown circumstances, but I still remain, along with some scattered American agents in different parts of the dome. Most of the enemy agents are busy hunting us down now, so we need to move. After all, a moving target... - he started started.
- ...is harder to hit that a stationary one - I finished the sentence for him, as we've been told about it by Einstein in the academy. Anthony grinned.11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiWHrdsnBW
Unfortunately, the enemy agents found a way into the foundation and we had to come back into the restricted sector. As the enemy agents started closing in on us, with their laser blasters ready to aim, we found a wide vent that we crawled into. One of the agents fired, almost hitting the vent's grate. That was really close.
Walking through ventilation shafts made a lot of noise and we knew that it wouldn't be long before we're noticed, so our only option was to crawl quickly. Passing through the vents, we caught a glimpse of the two scientists.
The woman was carrying a test tube with a strange substance while the man stood by a peculiar setup. It seemed like they mixed the stolen chemical with another thing, for an unknown reason. The duo heard our movements and decided to run. With the agents hot on our tail, we busted out of the vents, hoping to capture the scientists and use them as leverage against the Chinese spies.
- Go, you dummy! - the woman exclaimed and the translator translated.
After a brief moment, we ended up being chased while chasing. The two scientists were ahead of us, with the agents behind us, trying to shoot. Along the way, we passed by the centipede. One of the agents accidentally shot through the glass and freed the creature, which was long enough to act as a barricade. Now we only had to catch the scientists. Luck seemed to be on our side, as the scientists reached a dead end: the exit airlock.
As we got closer, another airlock closed behind us and we had to undergo ANOTHER decontamination shower. Interestingly, the water revealed something unexpected.
After hearing the woman, she sounded a bit familiar, but I couldn't find the match. However, the water washed away the hair dye and unveiled the truth.
The woman was in fact a girl of our age. A girl we didn't want to meet ever again.
Dawn Baker.
ns216.73.216.33da2
and then Add to home screen.