Him.
Every day was the same. Unfocused eyes and dulled thoughts.
He hadn't the thought of fighting. Not anymore.
Slumped against the wall, he waited for an end he didn't care to see.
Her.
Claire was apprehensive as the van drove along the road.
Its pace was too slow, she thought. Biting into her lip, her thoughts were only of days long passed.
"Claire?" Her co-worker and driver asked.
Snapping back into the present moment and all that entailed, Claire shook her head.
"Yes?" She made sure to sound assured, and hoped the lie stuck.
"Are you alright?" He asked. "You've been quiet for a while now".
"I…" She searched for the words.
"It's a long drive" he continued, noting her silence. "I need someone to amuse me," he added, smiling.
After mulling it over, she returned the expression. "Alright," she replied, glad for the distraction.
She turned towards the window thoughtfully. I'll be there soon.
—
The van pulled into the entrance. It was hidden by a vast woods, but others from their organization had opened a path. Claire hazarded a step onto ground more solid than her resolution.
They received the intel two days ago: a mostly abandoned lab from Tricell. One of the researchers watching the place was recently caught for various crimes, and relented on its location. Claire had hoped that it had been from guilt or genuine compassion for the subjects, but it was of course just so that his 'work wasn't wasted'.
Sick. People were just 'work'. Is it all to show off?
She figured it was best not to dwell on it. Through her years at TerraSave and before, she had met many unhinged individuals. Thinking too much about the situations and justifications that carried them through their actions made her question her own sanity.
She had been specially contacted when he detailed each of his experiments. One was of a boy with red hair and transformations.
It couldn't be, she cautioned herself. He was already… Still, she couldn't stop the hope from pooling around her feet, growing through the rest of her body the more she thought about it. It threatened to spill over.
She had volunteered to be one of the first on the scene. She had to be. Other vehicles were already there, their occupants readying their weapons.
They also enlisted the military for this operation, as anything involving Tricell spelled danger. Every possible safeguard must be explored, lest the whole thing turn out to be a trap.
Claire grimaced. Or set off a trap that makes the whole place blow. She didn't doubt it for a second. Organizations like this tended to view such methods as 'insurance', keeping others from taking their secrets.
She spoke to other members. Technicians had hacked into the systems, disabling anything suspect, but making sure to leave all doors operational. A group had already gone in to scout, and so far, so good. They handed her and her team masks to protect them from airborne contagions.
The next unit entered, yet the integrity of the building remained. Perhaps the researcher hadn't been lying when he said he was the primary caretaker here.
It was then that they signaled her. She immediately fastened the mask.
They had found several subjects, all in terrible condition. Her feet moved before the thought truly sunk in.
I have to see him. Holding her gun securely, she entered the main entrance with a few coworkers.