Light trigger warning on this chapter

. . .

Far East Branch Headquarters - Lab Room

The steady hum of machinery drifted through the laboratory where a group of scientists were busy rearranging instruments and medical equipment. Near the center of the room, a pair of the researchers encircled the operating table where a sedated Reaper lay sleeping. The scientist's lab coat billowed behind him as he secured the final restraint and gathered his tools.

Dr. Sakaki stood behind a computer, observing her vitals through the screen. So far everything had gone according to plan. The doctor had sent Shun to retrieve the New Type from the Mess Hall and waited patiently behind a vending machine for her arrival. He had been forewarned that she detested men of science and would be impossible to coerce into any form of medical examination. According to her companion, even her cognitive conditioning wasn't enough to get her onto an operating table. It was the only order she refused to obey.

When he heard her feet padding down the hall, he readied his device. Reaper walked silently down the hallway towards Sakaki's office. She was unfamiliar with the layout of the Den and had no idea that the one of the rooms towards the back also served as a laboratory. Patiently, he awaited her approach. Just a little closer…

As she rounded the corner, he slipped behind her and placed the injector into her arm. He had been warned previously to avoid her neck area as her scarf tended to cause interference. His fingers pressed down on the button, activating the device and injecting enough sedative to bring down an Ogretail. Her eye widened momentarily before sliding shut and she collapsed into the arms of her assailant. After confirming that she was completely unconscious, she had been transported into the lab room and restrained on the table.

"Dr. Sakaki, on your orders, sir."

"Proceed."

The researcher injected a needle into the crook of her arm and twisted the phial. Within moments, the container quickly filled with crimson. He removed the phial and sealed it before connecting a second, then a third. As he worked, his eyes scanned over the New Type sleeping peacefully on the table. To restrain her in such a way seemed more than excessive, but both Sakaki and the Director himself had been very clear on the matter. Shaking his head, he turned to place the phials in a sealed cabinet before returning to Dr. Sakaki. Distracted by his task, he didn't notice Reaper's hand twitch, or her eyelid beginning to move.

. . .

Far East Branch Headquarters

Why were there so many stairs?!

Upon reaching the lift, Ichiro had rapidly pressed the button, to avail. When the lift hadn't appeared fast enough, he had bolted for the stairs. Having looped back to the stairwell, he had regrouped with Lindow who had left shortly after his own departure. He hadn't time to explain the situation and the Corporal hadn't asked him to. In mutual understanding, the pair had run up the stairs, taking two at a time.

As Ichiro rounded a corner to the next flight, he collided with another God Eater at full speed. He stumbled back, startled by the impact and tumbled into Lindow who had been following close behind.

Rubbing his head, Soma regained his balance.

"What the hell?! Watch where you're going!" He shouted at his teammate, eyes blazing with fury. He had just cooled off from his earlier outburst, only to have his fuse lit again merely moments later. The other God Eater, however, was undeterred by his flaring temper.

"Soma, where is Dr. Sakaki's laboratory?"

"…What? Why?!"

"Soma!"

He blinked at the volume of his voice. He had never seen Hamasaki so angry. In truth, he had never seen him angry at all. His clenched fists were trembling at his side and his eyes held a look of dread. Behind him, his team leader was watching, a similar look of concern on his face. He wasn't sure what was going on, but both men were obviously distressed.

"Come on." Turning, he ran up the stairs towards Sakaki's office with the two trailing behind him.

. . .

Far East Branch Headquarters - Lab Room

Sakaki counted the phials in the cabinet and nodded in enthusiastic approval. "Excellent." That should be more than enough. Now, let's get our New Type back to her -"

"…Dr.?"

He turned around at the call of one of his researchers. The man was leaning over the lab table, carefully observing their sedated patient… their previously sedated patient. On the table, Reaper's eye was beginning to open. Sakaki's own eyes widened in a rare display as Reaper slowly came to her senses. How was this possible? He had given her enough tranquilizer to last at least a few hours.

…Where…

The white walls began to materialize as her mind returned to consciousness. The last thing she remembered was walking down the hallway. Someone had grabbed her and then… nothing. A soft groaned escaped her lips as she raised her hand to rub the sand from her eye. At least, she tried to. The table shook as Reaper tugged against the restraints holding her arms to the table. Concerned, she attempted to lift her leg only to meet the same result. She was tied down.

Her mind snapped into alertness as panic set in. She was restrained. The cool familiar surface of a lab table pressed against her back and her eye was facing upwards the ceiling. Someone was there… A man's unfamiliar face came into focus, leaning over her. He watched as her blue orb drifted towards… his lab coat.

"Get back!" Sakaki shouted not a moment too soon. The scientist leapt back as Reaper jerked against her restraints. The table quaked from the force and the straps whined in protest as she yanked against them again and again. Fully awake, she erupted in a fit of hysteria. Her body flailed wildly on the table, desperate to break free.

"Put her down!"

She heard one of the man shout somewhere to her right. From her left a second scientist responded, a tranquilizer in hand. He placed the device against her neck against her scarf and pulled the trigger.

A loud crack resounded, bouncing off of the walls of the room.

"Wha…" In his hands was the now broken device. The spring load dangled helplessly and the needle lay shattered against the fabric of her scarf. When his eye lifted to meet her own, he saw an enraged one staring back at him with pure venom. Horrified, he stumbled backwards away from the New Type. Her expression was nothing short of murderous.

Sakaki pressed his back against the wall. The straps stretched dangerously against her as she pulled with all of her strength. One of his scientists tried to reinforce her restraints with a second strap… his decision proved to be a fatal mistake. As he leaned down, Reaper pulled with all of might. The restraint gave way, snapping in two and freeing her arm. He had no time to respond before swung her fist against the side of his head. The force sent him off of his feet, smashing into the wall and shattering the cabinets behind him.

The rest of the scientists backed away from her as they eyed their unmoving colleague. Paylor pressed as close to the wall as he could and gazed at the broken strap dangling from the table. He didn't want to imagine what would happen when she broke the other one.

. . .

Far East Branch Headquarters

The trio raced down the hallway as quickly as they could. A loud crash sounded from down the hallway and Ichiro felt his heart stop. His legs burned as he pushed his muscles to their limit. They were almost out of time.

Soma pushed forward, using his Oracle cells to push himself to superhuman speed. He passed his companions and rushed for the office door. Almost…

Bang!

He charged through the office and burst into the laboratory, throwing the door from its hinges.

. . .

Far East Branch Headquarters - Lab Room

Soma stared in utter disbelief at the display. Every researcher in the room, including Sakaki, was huddled defensively against the wall, cowering from an enraged Reaper. She had broken from one of her restraints and with her hand free, was quickly working on the other one. In her eye he saw the same predatory intent he had seen in the training room, but this time it was different. It was wild and violent. He was frozen in place for a moment, stunned at the sight.

In his moment of hesitation, Reaper broke free. She ripped the other strap from the table, freeing her upper half and sitting up.

He felt a small rush of air to his side as Ichiro entered the room at full speed. Without a second thought, he leapt from the ground. Reaper fell back onto the table with a thump as her companion landed on top of her, holding her arms. He could not let her escape this room. It took nearly every ounce of his strength to hold her still as she resisted him with all of her might.

"Whoa…" Lindow muttered as he entered behind Ichiro and looked at the horrendous state of the room. Scientists cowered in fear with the exception of one, who lay still on the floor in a pile of splintered rubble. Hamasaki was visibly struggling, trying to restrain the rampaging God Eater. His arrival brought Soma to his senses and the two ran to his aid, holding her arms. Even with the three of them, she was still violently shaking the table… until she stopped.

Ichiro watched as she fell dangerously still beneath him. Her body had ceased all movement, save the rapid movement of her chest. It wasn't a surrender but a pause, like the calm before a storm.

Reaper was no longer with them. Her mind was somewhere far away in a different lab room, in a different time. The men surrounding her were ones she recognized, but not the ones in the room with her. They were men from a time long past, but she could clearly see their faces. Their evil, heartless faces… their lecherous grins… her arms held helplessly against the table as he lay on top of her.

Ichiro saw her eye refocus. It trained on him with a look of abject terror. He had only a moment to react.

He released her arm and clapped his hand over her mouth, silencing the deafening scream beneath. "Lindow!" He rounded on him, eyeing his jacket.

Of course. During all of the commotion the Corporal had completely forgotten his secret weapon. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out the recorder. He had only moments to hit the button. Without the three of them holding her, she had been given an opening. She summoned all of her strength, tore her arms free, and grabbed Ichiro by the collar before hurling him off of her. As he connected with the wall, the song began to play.

Lindow backed away as she redirected her aggression on him, swiping at him with her right hand. A thin red line appeared on his cheek as her nails grazed the skin. Unlike the last time he had used it, the music's effects seemed weaker. Her movements were slowing, but her eyes were defiant as she resisted. Frustrated, Reaper shifted her attention to her legs and ripped apart the final restraints.

His form was nothing more than a blue blur as Soma darted around the table. Not a moment too soon, he intercepted her charge, catching the New Type in midair as she leapt from the table towards their leader. The force sent both them crashing to the ground, knocking over yet another table and sending more utensils flying.

Beneath her, Soma was at a disadvantage as she pinned him to the ground. She glared furiously at him, raising her hand to strike him. Reacting he caught her fist in his hand, flinching at the force of the blow. Her raw strength was alarmingly inconsistent with her size. Meeting her with a glare of his own, he noticed something strange. In her eye, he didn't see the rage that had filled it seconds before. Instead, it was filled with pain. She wasn't angry… she was afraid.

The familiar sight sent his mind reeling. In his mind, the woman before him changed. Her face was much younger, but very much the same and her eyes held so much pain. Above him, Reaper stared back at him, her own mind returning to a similar time. As the song ended, her movements finally ceased. Watching Soma, she had finally stopped resisting.

"Reaper… that's enough." Ichiro called her name weakly as he rose shakily to his feet.

At the sound of her name, Soma watched as her pupils dilated, shrank, and dulled. Her pain melted away as she returned to her robotic state. Her fist opened and fell limply to her side and she shifted her offensive stance to a passive one, calmly sitting on his lap. As sense of déjà vu washed over him at the familiar position.

With the commotion finally over, the scientists began to move. They gave the now quiet God Eater a wide berth as they set about gathering their supplies and checking on their still unmoving colleague. Sakaki frowned as he watched the situation unfold. One of the researches knelt down and placed his fingers on the man's neck. After a few moments, he rose to his feet, shaking his head.

Ichiro sighed. He had been too late. Part of him was relieved. While the loss of their colleague was a tragedy, the situation could have been far, far worse. Had they not arrived when they did there was no telling what more havoc Reaper would have wrought. After slaughtering everyone in the room, it's likely she would have escaped. He shuddered at the thought of a raving Reaper running loose through the Den.

With the excitement over, Soma lay on the ground forgotten. His temper flared as he became keenly aware, once again, that a young woman was casually straddling him. How had they managed to end up like this again? He glared at his Corporal who was trying, and failing, to hide his amusement.

"Get. Off. Me."