I've always wondered how many people were actually reading this and if all the hits on the stats just belong to me...anyway. This whole multi-arc fic will, hopefully, be just random little joke chapters. Eventually, it'll escalate to a much larger story
Stahn blinked for a while, "So…you sent that email to Jade?" Genius nodded in reply, "So…what do you expect to pay us?"
Genius paused, "Well…I don't know. I was hoping that Jade would help cover that."
"Alright then," Luke exclaimed, "Team, let's go home!"
Genius ran in front of the man, "No! Please don't! What if my sister gets killed?"
"I'm sorry…Genius." Leon interrupted, "As much as I hate to agree with Luke, it's the truth. We don't have enough money to pay our rent. We can't spend our time working for free." Knocking the breath out of him, Stahn smacked him on the back playfully, "What!"
"Come on, Leon!" Stahn shouted, "He's just a kid and this is for the good of the people!"
Luke rolled his eyes, "No wonder Jade phoned us! He knew we would cave in and work for free. Well…I'm not falling for Jade's tricks!" Stomping towards the door, Luke grabbed the knob, "Let's go!"
Tiny hands grabbed onto Luke's coat, "No! Please? My sister might die!" The small child cried. Tears built up in his eyes, "Please?"
"Tears don't work on me kid!"
"Luke," The calm voice of Veigue sliced through the air, "Can't you see this child is suffering? As Claire mentioned in her ninth interview, helping those in need is its own reward…are you going to turn down this child?"
"But Veigue," Leon retorted, "We don't have the time! We don't have the money!"
"Then let's make time for this!" Veigue exclaimed.
"I'm with Veigue!" Stahn added in, fire burning in his eyes, "We'll help Raine for the good of the people!"
With a hiss, Luke caved in, "Fine, fine, fine! It's not like we have anything better to do. Raine might actually be hot…and have huge melons." Luke muttered under his breath.
In response to the three, Leon slapped his palm against his forehead, "I'm surrounded by idiots."
"Aha!" Jade exclaimed in excitement, clapping his hands together, "So, you've decided to take the offer even though you are aware you'll be paid nothing?"
Leon sighed in annoyance, "Don't rub it in."
Jade chuckled and looked through his closet, "Alright then, I'm glad you came over to my place first. I'll get you the proper uniforms."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait," Luke interrupted, "Uniforms? They aren't tacky, are they?"
Jade continued sorting through his closet, "No, no, not at all!"
"Alright, they're tacky." Luke muttered to the others.
Four uniforms of different assorted colours were pulled out by Jade.
"What the…" Luke picked up the uniform, "They look just like your clothes!"
"What do you expect?" Jade replied calmly, "I do work at the research lab."
Leon, being the shortest of the four, examined the clothes thoroughly, "You wouldn't happen to have a smaller size, would you?"
"Of course not,"
Leon sighed in annoyance once again, "Great…"
Stahn gave a large grin and examined the clothes thoroughly, "This might be the fanciest thing I'll ever put on!"
"You have low standards." Luke hissed as he snatched the crimson uniform, "This is mine." With that, he walked into the bathroom, shutting the door tightly in the process.
Without any words or gestures, Veigue merely took the black uniform and began changing in the room. Whistling in excitement as he did so, he donned the brown uniform and examined himself in the mirror.
"Fanciest clothes I've ever been in," He mentioned with a large grin.
Leon growled as he rolled up the long sleeves of his navy blue uniform that covered his hands, "Damn this."
With a sigh, Luke walked out of the bathroom, "I'm burning these after I'm done with them."
"Well, looks like you're all enjoying your gifts." Jade muttered in calm yet sarcastic voice, "The only people allowed in the lab are scientists such as Raine and I or lab assistants. The chairman, also known as Luke's father, does not like stray people wandering in. I shall register you all as lab assistants." Turning to his computer, he began the registration.
"So, Jade," Stahn leaned in forward, "How is this Raine person like?"
"She's a nice woman. She talks with people very often but then there are times where she'll wander off by herself and others are too busy to follow her."
"Does she have large melons?"
Ignoring Luke, Jade continued, "I promised her a high position because of her hard work but she always turns it down."
Veigue stroked his chin and thought to himself, "Perhaps…she is being threatened?"
"What?" Jade exclaimed, "By whom? Everyone in the lab is like family and no foreign people are allowed in."
"Or perhaps it is all a façade?" Veigue muttered again in his calm, sultry voice, "Maybe there is someone harassing her in the shadows? Maybe it is someone after her work?"
Stahn scratched his head, "What is 'Vague' talking about?"
Jade gave him a shrug and produced several name tags, "You can find out when you protect her. Don't make yourself a nuisance or they'll kick you out." He began handing out the name tags, each of them had their names etched into the card, "Keep hold of these at all times."
Leon took the card and clipped it to the flap of his coat, "Don't make ourselves nuisances, huh? We're going to get kicked out for sure…"
It wasn't a long walk to the lab. Jade, being the captain of the science team and all, lived close to the lab. They first entered a nicely decorated hospital.
"What?" Luke snorted as he crossed his arms, "Your lab is just a hospital? You made it sound so interesting!"
Jade gave a chuckle and walked into a stray office, "It is just a front." Walking up to the computer, he typed in a quick code on the keyboard. As soon as he pressed the enter key, the bookcase before them shifted over, "And here we go."
"Whoa! It's like the matrix!" Stahn exclaimed in excitement as he followed Jade down the passage.
"What's with all the secrecy?" Leon asked with suspicion dripping from his voice.
There was a long pause as they walked down the passage. Jade then turned his head and gave them a smile, "You'll keep this a secret, right?" The four nodded, "Alright, you see, we're researched advanced stem cell research, cell replication, flesh and cellular enhancement, and applying magic to living beings."
Stahn gasped in surprise, "Wow! That's amazing!"
"So in other words," Leon muttered with a hiss, "You're experimenting with humans?"
"Don't say it like that." Jade replied with a smile, "We're doing this for the greater good. Ah, we're here!" His hand clasped around a doorknob. Twisting it, he swung open the door revealing the laboratory.
It was utterly magnificent. Leon immediately realized what all those tax dollars were for when he saw this technological wonder. It was like walking into a different time far in the future.
"Don't be too loud." Jade alerted the team, "Raine will be at the stem cell research branch. Just move left of here and follow the signs." Giving them a nod, he split up from the team and walked into his own district.
"Alright," Leon huddled the team together, "Stay quiet and try not to look out of place."
"Yeah, yeah," Luke murmured as he began walking.
As they walked, other scientists began giving them confused glances.
Stahn leaned down to Leon, unintentionally breathing into his face, "Hey Leon, I don't think our disguises are working."
"Don't worry. As long as we have these name tags, we should be safe." His hand immediately clasped around Stahn's face, "Now stop breathing on me."
Veigue examined everywhere carefully, "Hey, how do we tell which one's Raine?"
"That's easy!" Luke replied, "She's…um…"
"Please get me a coffee." A strong, female voice commanded to her assistant.
"Yes, Miss Sage!" A shy, shrill female voice shouted. From behind tall large containment tubes, Philia ran out, stumbling as she did.
In mid-stumble, Philia saw Stahn and his team, "Eh? Stahn? Why are you here?"
Taking a moment to recognize this girl, Stahn pondered for a while, "Dr. Philia?"
"Yeah," Philia replied quietly, "I didn't think you were into science."
"I thought you were a doctor." Stahn replied, "Why are you here?"
"Ahem," Veigue cleared his throat quietly, "Stahn, remember our mission?"
Stahn nodded, "Yeah, I just haven't seen Dr. Philia in a long time. She was the one that nursed me back to health when I was in the hospital."
Philia giggled at his expression, "Don't worry. It was nothing."
Stahn turned back to Philia, "So, why are you working here?"
"Oh! A doctor is just my cover. I'm actually a scientist here." She examined the team carefully, "I don't think I've ever seen any of you before…"
Stahn cleared his throat, "Ah, we're here on a bodyguard mission."
"Stahn!" Leon shouted as he pulled said man back, "Don't go telling everyone!"
"It's just Philia! Besides, she could help us find Raine."
"Miss Sage?" Philia butted in, "I work under her." She pointed over to a bluish haired woman, "She's right there." She gasped, "Oh! I have to get her coffee! I'll see you later, Stahn!"
Luke gave a scoff and held his hands on his hips as he looked at Raine, "She's not that hot after all!"
"Luke," Leon hissed, "That's not the point here. Now, we have to blend in."
The four waited for a while.
"Um…" Stahn murmured, "Leon, how do we do that?"
To anyone who might be reading, this "arc" will probably have two more chapters. Please review!
