(Team Fortress 2 Soundtrack: Rocket Jump Waltz)
"- We don't even have to fight each other again... deal?" There was a long silence. Perhaps, a really dead one. Like a soulless body on a cemetery to be the exact description.
Sitting across the Nurse in silence, Soldier thought of it for a moment. A long moment. She doesn't know who this Nurse is. What her intentions are, and who she even works for. But taking a cautious response to this, Soldier slowly began. "BEFORE YOU ATTACKED, YOU SAID YOU WERE THERE FOR THE CHILDREN. WHAT DID YOU WANT WITH THEM?" Soldier demanded almost immediately, surprising the Nurse by her sudden outburst.
For what seemed to have taken like a whole minute of reluctant silence, the Nurse gave a very reluctant reply. "It is a part of my job..." "WHAT JOB, MAGGOT? TELL ME WHAT JOB. NOW!" Soldier impatiently demanded. This made the Nurse cursing quietly before giving a response. "I am an operative of a unit called the Last Hope. We were formed of highly trained assassins that are trained for extreme combat efficiency, while also sharing and maintaining the experiences and abilities of medicine and medical treatment etc. Rescuing hostages, and refugees is a part of my job other than being trained over and over to combat the Skullgirl."
Soldier listened very carefully at every word that she was told. But then afterward, she asked. "SO YOU FIGHT THE SKULLGIRL, HUH? TELL ME. WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?" The Nurse sighs at this, but otherwise, replied. "I work for a secret organization called the Anti-Skullgirl labs, or the ASG. It is a secret scientific organization that focuses on various researches about the Skullgirl and the entity that results into the Skullgirl itself - The Skull Heart. Other researches performed are likely conducted on..." The Nurse paused. She didn't looked Soldier in the eyes, but not that she could see Soldier's eyes due to her helmet, but rather studied Soldier's body language. Soldier only showed impatience, and eagerness to know more in demand. The Nurse sighed before forcing herself to continue. "Unfortunate sacrifices are a necessity to be made in the ASG... The labs researches may be flawed, but some of them turn out fruitful. Perhaps the opposing sides of Lab 0 and Lab 8 are the perfect descriptions for my statement."
"WHAT DIFFERENTIATES THESE TWO LABS?" Soldier demanded once more. Much like to the Nurse's displeasure of telling, she impatiently waited for the Nurse to reply. "There are multiple labs forming the ASG organization. Most commonly known are Lab 0 for it's successful, yet... Extreme scientific methods under Lab 0's head director, Brain Drain. The second mostly known lab is Lab 8. Similar scientific researches and methods to Lab 0, but not brutal and more empathetic. Putting them simply as the laughing stock of the entirety of ASG."
Soldier pondered for a long moment. The Nurse looked patient enough, but considering that she needed to respond the sooner the better - Soldier decided to ask one final question. "WHAT RESEARCHES HAVE YOU CONDUCTED ON, AND TO WHO?"
This surprises the Nurse. But after letting out a little sigh, she replied. "We conduct experiments on the rescued civilians, hostages and refugees... You do not, want to know. But since you've already asked... I did said that unfortunate sacrifices are a necessity in the ASG. Our goals and intentions are aimed for the greater good of New Meridian, but in order to achieve it - We have to resolve into extreme measures. We don't usually abduct civilians on the streets, unless they're high profiled Medici clan targets, we do. But the rest that we conduct experiments on are the ones we rescue. Most likely, we would separate the most capable ones with promising capabilities before turning them over to Lab 0 for scientific experimentation. The left overs are tossed out and onto Lab 8, under it's head director, Dr. Avian. Basically, they stood more as an orphanage for the unfortunate. And to finally put an answer to your question - The ASG converts most of our rescued civilians into living weapons. Augmented from the huge variety of scientific researches, mainly into weapons themselves, the ASG fully takes responsibility for the safety and care of all its units, experimented or not. Much to Lab 8's favor... - While all subjected units into living weapons are trained regularly to combat the Skullgirl. This is what the ASG prepares for every seven years."
Soldier's eyes widened. Flashing the anger on her eyes hidden by her oversized helmet. This Anti-Skullgirl group... Experiments on the people they rescue... Perhaps they make no difference with the Medic in her team. But these bunch of maggots in this ASG have a moral goal, despite their extreme ways to meet their goal. Unlike the Medic, who Soldier labels as a delusional, selfish, and filthy former Nazi that only cares for his team when he needed test subjects for experiments. Soldier will remember that, and why she always wanted to strangle the Medic sometimes... But speaking of a goal... Soldier too, has one. And she shares the same goal with the ASG and that is to take down the Skullgirl, to put an end on the menace here on this strange city that is not America - But that doesn't mean she trusts this Nurse, and this ASG. But considering... "ALL RIGHT. DEAL - BUT I'M NOT SIGNING ANYTHING."
The Nurse stared at Soldier in surprise. "Well... That... Wasn't as hard as I was expecting..." The Nurse said a little quietly.
"I WANT TO SEE BOTH LABS YOU JUST TOLD ME. SO THAT I'M AWARE WHICH SIDE I WILL CHOOSE." Soldier quickly said, in a rather firm tone. Making the Nurse sigh out of irritation.
"All right... Fine... But what about your companion? The tall Wizard..?" This question struck Soldier back about Merasmus. She clearly forgot about the Wizard, but considering that he was more into seeking help from the Nazi Princess of the Umbrella Nazis - Soldier will have to argue with Merasmus after she gets her way first with this Anti-Skullgirl labs to hunt down and fight this Skullgirl...
...
The location was undisclosed. Soldier didn't know where exactly she currently was right now with this Nurse, who reluctantly led her to this secret place. Much likely a bugger facility. Soldier met various scientists of any kind of specie. Human, and whatnot.
"This is the Anti-Skullgirl labs. I'll have to introduce you to my superior. Brain Drain..." The Nurse finally said as she led Soldier to another part of the facility and into another one.
"I WANT TO SEE LAB 8 FIRST. WHY AREN'T YOU TAKING ME THERE?" Soldier protested. The Nurse rolled her single red eye before giving a response. "I will take you there after I introduce you to Brain Drain -Much to my displease of seeing him- You may prove your worth as a recruit for the ASG labs. Then, we can see which lab you will be assigned to."
Soldier liked that. A very straightforward procedure, unlike signing up enlistment papers, which she hates to admit, she's terrible at.
They stopped on the end of a hallway, leading into a larger room, or what appears to be an operating room, blocked by a pair of doors, but looking through the windows, Soldier could see a patient laying on an operating table. She couldn't make out whether it was a man or a woman due to the white sheet covering the patient entirely, and the only thing Soldier could make of was that the patient was a bit shorter. "Wait here. I'll have to make a full report to Brain Drain - He, doesn't like failed reports, but considering that you're here... It might change his mind into testing your capabilities for recruitment to make up for for the failed operation." The Nurse suddenly said before stepping into the doors, but before she made her entrance inside, she turned back to Soldier and added. "And don't go anywhere."
Soldier only rolled her eyes beneath her helmet without responding. Leaning against the wall, Soldier tried her best to wait patiently while eating herself ponder for a moment in silence. She still needed to deal with Merasmus for seeking out help to that Nazi Princess, and even if Merasmus is stuck with those rescued hostages, that's exactly what the Wizard would do next. Soldier can't trust Nazis. But she can't trust this secret group either, which makes her situation only more complicated than already being stuck in this strange non-American place.
"RRRAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!" Soldier was startled by a loud scream. It came from inside the room -And almost sounding like an agonized one... Soldier stood in silence, then waited to hear for another scream. Nothing. She waited again. But she heard nothing once more.
Soldier was sure that she heard that scream from inside. Deciding to give up, Soldier's attention was caught when she noticed an old man wearing a lab coat, and presumably in his late 50s passing by from the eastern hallway, and on the way to the same direction Soldier and the Nurse came from, from which, the old man noticed her. "Hello there. Are you a new ASG unit here on Lab 0?" The man greeted with a friendly smile along with a question.
"NEGATIVE. I AM ONLY HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SKULLGIRL. I HAVE NO INTENTION TO JOIN THIS SECRET GROUP, BUT I PLAN TO WORK AS AN ASSET." Soldier replied. True to her words, it surprises the old man.
"Ah. I see... Well, I sure hope that the scientists here on this division do not take interest on performing such experiments on you then. The ASG rarely contracts assets to work for them, most usually, our units are-" "YES. I WAS TOLD BY YOUR NURSE. YOU EXPERIMENT ON YOUR RESCUED REFUGEES." Soldier interrupted the old man, who was surprisingly taken back, but otherwise gave a small nod. "That is... True. Very... And this Nurse that you speak of is none other than the surviving member of Last Hope. Valentine."
Soldier raised an eyebrow. "VALENTINE? YOU MEAN, THAT SCANT NURSE?" "Yes. But that is a code name for the members of Last Hope. Her real name is Valerie. She is the last remaining member of her unit that was wiped out from their first and last encounter with the Skullgirl just a month ago, unfortunately."
This took Soldier's interest to a whole new level as she quickly took her opportunity to ask. "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SKULLGIRL?" "The current Skullgirl you mean? Well... Other than she's a much younger incarnation - Based on our current Intel, she has some... Attachments to the Medici mafia. Something like a feud goal against the mafia clan, if I guess right."
Soldier thought about the words carefully. Just like what the newspaper she read had said and like the news in the tv that she heard... "By the way, who is your employer, might I ask?" Soldier heard the old man, scientist ask. "I AM BEING COMMENDED TO THE DIRECTOR ON THIS LAB." "Brain Drain? Hmm... That's a... Quite interesting thought... Rarely does Lab 0 contract mercenaries or assassins... But it's not that I'm one to judge. It's not my place when I am on this side of the facility."
"WHAT LAB ARE YOU FROM?" Soldier asked shortly by the time the old scientist finished. "I am from Lab 8, the head director, Dr. Avian." "YOUR LAB TAKES IN POOR REFUGEES LIKE AN ORPHANAGE?" Soldier quickly interrupted and the old scientist, Dr. Avian nods. "Yes, that is very much likely true. But we do share the same methods to Lab 0, but in our ways on Lab 8, we do not go beyond the boundaries of extreme experimentation. We usually prioritize the well being of our units as the opposite to Lab 0 here."
Soldier glanced at the door to the room before turning her attention to Dr. Avain. "I WANT TO SEE LAB 8. I AM INTERESTED TO SEE IT MORE THAN THIS LAB." Dr. Avain chuckled softly before giving a nod. "It would be my pleasure to tour you to our Lab. Right this way Miss..?" SOLDIER. I AM SOLDIER." Soldier responded. Rather proudly as she was led by Dr. Avain to Lab 8.