.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The coming storm cast a gloomy backdrop upon the entire area, darkening the already dull colored industrial buildings around them. It all seemed to become a black-and-white movie. And amidst all this, a small lot that stood like an island held at its center, a tall silver tower surrounded by smaller domed structures, gradually sloping downward towards the end of the lot itself. Not much in terms on importance on the outside, it was a protective shell from attacks and a beacon for the U.N to locate the facility.
In one of the open walkways that sloped out from one of the outer buildings, Elana sat back against the wall the ledge was adjacent to at both sides of the stairway downward, her legs dangling carelessly. Her eyes out to the coast a distance away, mind lost in silent ponderings. She expected Kyosato to eventually look for her in her apartment a couple levels underground, but it was one of those days she just needed to go outside on those rare times the industrial sites didn't operate, so the air was clear for a couple days. There were many times like these back in El Salvador, where she could sit alone and think whenever she had a vacation from college. What she thought about during all those times, were the mistakes and flaws she found herself making in life. All those opportunities she could have taken that extra step, made things much easier for her own existence. But she did not, which really pushed her more than she needed to during college. Now, it seemed to be the same thing here, except that the grounds were different.
"Gehirin seems to be an approaching a dangerously close point to taking over most research."
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. I don't know though, they'll be pulling in more scientists which the U.N need in preparation against those terrorists, y'know?"
Peeking around the corner of her "quiet place", Elana spied two scientists taking their break, smoking their cigarettes to relieve the tension in their acheing muscles. It was becoming common to see smokers these days than it was a couple years ago, with all the problems of terrorists interfering with the progress of peace, it was becoming stressful for all those trying to support the tranquility in the world. She withdrew and laid back against the cold steel once more, gathering her lab coat about her to keep the cold breeze from chilling her skin. Elana continued to listen.
"Although we have reached a critical point in cybernetics, I doubt they're going to use them for peace."
"Of course not, its all for war. Everything that says otherwise is just some conspiracy to make the media think otherwise."
"Hah!," a scientist scoffed, "Time to bring out the ol' 'Conspiracy Theory' books from college, don'tcha think?"
The other scientist laughed, "Yeah, well some things just don't change. Heck, Gehirin might as well be behind the terrorist attacks and they just want easier access to our technology."
"Quite possible. Going back to theories again?"
"Got those books from college handy?"
"Sure, its back over at---" the exchange faded down the corridor parallel to where she sat, the elevator down is where the passage led and that is where the conversation trailed off to.
Elana placed her bare hands on the cold steel and looked up to where her small rectangular enclave ended a dozen feet above, where the continuing curve of the building that disappeared backwards beyond the fog. Pushing herself up, pulling her feet under her, she stood up shifting her focus down to the distance beyond the ledge below, where it just dropped a few feet before curving out to finally intersect with the stairs alongside it at ground level. She could easily fall those few feet, maybe knock herself unconscious before being mangled along the slope towards the end. Dusting herself off, she turned away and headed towards the elevator. Morbid thoughts are not to be wasted on someone who could do so much better! She was naïve.
---
.
He hurled the "Conspiracy Theories of the UN" book out his office window.
"Bullshit!"
A knock at the door interrupted his meeting with the young german woman.
"Come in!," Saul threw his hands up in defeat, sitting himself back down on his brown leather seat, looking down at the open file that was of the potential sites designated in the Dead Sea Scrolls for the location of the supposed "Angels". There were some papers under he sifted through, pictures of some possible locations and of the people who plan to excavate there. He was becoming hard-pressed to give Gehirn the finger, through all the pressure they were putting him through to issue out his resources in finding these things. He knew the dangers of finding these Angels, but it was not his job to question authority.
His receptionist came in, clothed in a conservative blue and white suit. She had in her hand, a manila folder, which she gingerly handed to Saul.
"Mr. Weisnberg," she pointed to the folder, "These are the blueprints for the conversion to the new facility commissioned by the United Nations."
"More like a command from SEELE, damnit!," he tried to silently mutter as he recieved the file.
The receptionist had no reaction to the familiar complaints, "SEELE is a new conglomerate. You cannot expect something commissioned at short-term by the UN to be capable of having higher authority." And at the moment she finished her speech, she started for the door.
"Who made you boss?," Saul yelled at her as she left. Turning his attention down to the young Doctor Sohryu, he turned the folder over to her then nodded. "Take this, your research will be noted, but in the mean time, tend to these. There is no time to waste at this point concerning what you believe about the project or not. You are dismissed."
She looked on innocently, nodding in silence before departing, the folder tucked under her left arm. Saul did not mean to be hard on the girl, but he found potential in her that may even be beyond his own during youth. There was this hint of destiny, a feeling of pride that this woman would hold some key into the success of himself and the world. Pride. That was something that pushed from the grave, a sin he hoped to put down. In the mean time, Saul sat idly in his seat, looking over the assorted papers that composed the supposed Cybernetic Augmentation Research Plan. Of course, the UN already had a department like that, but not as focused as Doctor Sohyru planned.
---
.
In the quiet hall, furnished with a few black leather couches along titanium walls, dotted straight along the hall with half-sphere light fixtures, the place seemed pretty empty considering how many occupants there were in this residential unit. Over the course of an hour, Kyosato had already turned side-to-side a few times in one of the couches, situated conveniently before Elana's apartment door. It was not like him to have the initiative to go looking for her, but it became a habit and he often wondered if he was invading her space. These thoughts often plagued him, despite the fact that there was enough support from others to put the thoughts at rest, yet stubbornly he clung to them. Busy with his Future Sciences Magazine, reading an article on String Theory, Kyosato did manage to withdraw himself from those insecure thoughts.
"Kyosato?" she called from down the hall.
He lowered the magazine and sat upward, first seeing the shady silhouette of a shapely figure. On the surface of his thoughts, Kyosato could easily think of naughty things, but inside himself, where he fought against reality, he felt nothing more than amusement. By the time his eyes changed from close to far distances, a feeling of distant dread tugged at him from some past thought. When the truth of his feelings presented itself, it came to no surprise that it was Elana's presence that drew up his past uncertainties, overlapping to present him with a unique sensation. But Kyosato seemed comfortable with it, making him wonder if he learned to like this sense.
Elana nodded to him, "How long have you been waiting?"
"Not too long, I just came down a few minutes ago," he lied, rolling up his magazine and fitting it in his left jean pocket.
She was not that shallow, Elana knew he was only being polite and she felt a little bad for Kyosato. Ever since High School, Elana knew he liked her, he had always been introverted in a group of friends that were so extroverted. In a way, he reminded her a little of herself, that certain introverted part. In the final year of High School, though, she had pretty much abandoned most of that introversion, ever since her boyfriend came to her life. Elana had to sigh, because she knew Kyosato had known about her boyfriend during that final year in High School. At least they still managed to be friends at this point, despite the same small talk she and Kyosato always had.
Drawing out, then fingering some keycards, she held out a silver tab and slid it over the scanner panel of her apartment door. A green light flickered on for a few seconds, followed by a soft beep. The silver apartment door pulled itself aside, blinding Kyosaro for a moment as the light poured out and around Elana's form. As his eyes adjusted to the glare, it seemed that Elana had already walked into the small kitchen to the immediate left of her apartment. The living room sported enough light to eliminate all shadows created by the scant amount of furnishings. A couple green plants at the corners, contrasting the white light from a couple lamp-stands. Everything in this place of hers had some shade of white, although stayed off of dark and gray colors.
"You seem preoccupied," Elana remarked, preparing a pair of fruit beverages for them.
Kyosato continued to look about the room. His mind relaxed through each selection of items he chose to look at, all clear and painfully holy in aura. There was a Bible in one of her two bookshelves, the spine's text lettered in gold, and the only book with a black cover, which made it stand out greatly. He felt a bit guilty at that point. Looking away, he hoped to avoid that feeling of regret, but it stayed with him. Long ago, he had renounced his Faith, because of he felt unworthy of it. Those that called themselves of the Faith, yet contradicted what they were with actions and remarks, disgusted him. Only a few of his friends long ago, held true to the principles of the Faith he abandoned.
"Kyosato?"
He was shocked back into his proper senses, looking at the pinkish smoothie offered to him, he nodded and took it into both of his hands. Putting the rim to his lips, he sipped a bit of the cold strawberry-flavored drink. Nodding to Elana with a smile, he was pleased with the pleasant sweetness of the drink that accentuated the aura of the entire place.
The door behind him finally shut. It seemed pretty late, maybe a glitch in the door's programming, but nonetheless it drew his attention. He thought someone else had come, but finding a closed door instead, his mind left it alone. Kyosato heard Elana giggling.
"What?," Kyosato asked in meek curiousity, watching her reach for something in her clear glass cupboard above the sink.
Drawing out a black and silver rectangular box, the size of a fist, Elana raised it to her eyes, leveling it to Kyosato. A small lens that revealed itself to him as a flash went off, registered too late for a proper reaction, sealing his fate to her amusement and future mockery.
Putting the camera aside on the breakfast-table just a bit beyond the sink, opening to the living room, Elana shook her head, easing from her revelry, "You got a strawberry moustache."
Bolting for the restroom, likewise white in decor, Kyosato looked at himself in the mirror and cocked and eyebrow at the meager looking pink foam that barely lined the top of his upper lip. He questioned the significance of being alarmed by all this, also questioning how this could be of any amusement to Elana. Walking back out, he found her on the phone with someone.
"Yes Sir," she acknowledged to the reciever in her cellular phone.
He took another sip of his smoothie before asking her, "Who is it?"
She held her fingers to the reciever, "Its Lieutenant Robins, he's issued warning of Terrorist encroachment on the-"
She let her fingers go, "Yes Sir, Kyosato and I will head to Terminal Beta in a few minutes." Then again, she addressed Kyosato with the reciever closed off, "He's ordered a meeting of the Scientists. The U.N has sent an extra strike-force to secure the building, although I don't think there's enough time before we get a bullet shoved up our asses."
A piercing sound that seemed like a loud hiss, followed by a thunderous roar that shook the apartment, caused both friends to address the door which rattled a bit from whatever occured outside.
"Too late to second guess this..." Kyosato said as they exchanged looks of shock.
---
.
Even as one of the lightly-equipped, black suit wearing operatives, she felt a bit uncomfortable with the whole bombing, but she had direct orders from Lucifer to commence the agenda. Along with three other women of similar attire, she charged into the gray clouds blurring regular sight. She slowly maneuvered across chunks of debris, ignoring the number of corpses that either were made by the explosion in that spot or from the caving-in of certain rooms from it. Safely tucked away from any stench of sulfur or carrion, the masks equipped on all four of the women, also sported goggles that was able to pierce gas emmanations and pinpoint with infrared detection.
"Report," came the garbled, deep voice. Lucifer.
"This region seems to be clear. Shall we proceed to Terminal Theta?," she reasoned.
"Take Sealiah with you, Sariel," Lucifer said to her, then shut off communications.
Motioning for two of the operatives to take the route to the Recreation Sector, Sariel motioned the remaining operative to join her in continuing toward the main lift that would allow them access to Terminal Theta. Their plan was to make a hit-and-run against the U.N, helping whatever was planned toward the annihilation of SEELE. And deep at the core of this complex, Terminal Theta held a certain item crucial toward attracting the U.N's attention multiple folds.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The coming storm cast a gloomy backdrop upon the entire area, darkening the already dull colored industrial buildings around them. It all seemed to become a black-and-white movie. And amidst all this, a small lot that stood like an island held at its center, a tall silver tower surrounded by smaller domed structures, gradually sloping downward towards the end of the lot itself. Not much in terms on importance on the outside, it was a protective shell from attacks and a beacon for the U.N to locate the facility.
In one of the open walkways that sloped out from one of the outer buildings, Elana sat back against the wall the ledge was adjacent to at both sides of the stairway downward, her legs dangling carelessly. Her eyes out to the coast a distance away, mind lost in silent ponderings. She expected Kyosato to eventually look for her in her apartment a couple levels underground, but it was one of those days she just needed to go outside on those rare times the industrial sites didn't operate, so the air was clear for a couple days. There were many times like these back in El Salvador, where she could sit alone and think whenever she had a vacation from college. What she thought about during all those times, were the mistakes and flaws she found herself making in life. All those opportunities she could have taken that extra step, made things much easier for her own existence. But she did not, which really pushed her more than she needed to during college. Now, it seemed to be the same thing here, except that the grounds were different.
"Gehirin seems to be an approaching a dangerously close point to taking over most research."
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. I don't know though, they'll be pulling in more scientists which the U.N need in preparation against those terrorists, y'know?"
Peeking around the corner of her "quiet place", Elana spied two scientists taking their break, smoking their cigarettes to relieve the tension in their acheing muscles. It was becoming common to see smokers these days than it was a couple years ago, with all the problems of terrorists interfering with the progress of peace, it was becoming stressful for all those trying to support the tranquility in the world. She withdrew and laid back against the cold steel once more, gathering her lab coat about her to keep the cold breeze from chilling her skin. Elana continued to listen.
"Although we have reached a critical point in cybernetics, I doubt they're going to use them for peace."
"Of course not, its all for war. Everything that says otherwise is just some conspiracy to make the media think otherwise."
"Hah!," a scientist scoffed, "Time to bring out the ol' 'Conspiracy Theory' books from college, don'tcha think?"
The other scientist laughed, "Yeah, well some things just don't change. Heck, Gehirin might as well be behind the terrorist attacks and they just want easier access to our technology."
"Quite possible. Going back to theories again?"
"Got those books from college handy?"
"Sure, its back over at---" the exchange faded down the corridor parallel to where she sat, the elevator down is where the passage led and that is where the conversation trailed off to.
Elana placed her bare hands on the cold steel and looked up to where her small rectangular enclave ended a dozen feet above, where the continuing curve of the building that disappeared backwards beyond the fog. Pushing herself up, pulling her feet under her, she stood up shifting her focus down to the distance beyond the ledge below, where it just dropped a few feet before curving out to finally intersect with the stairs alongside it at ground level. She could easily fall those few feet, maybe knock herself unconscious before being mangled along the slope towards the end. Dusting herself off, she turned away and headed towards the elevator. Morbid thoughts are not to be wasted on someone who could do so much better! She was naïve.
---
.
He hurled the "Conspiracy Theories of the UN" book out his office window.
"Bullshit!"
A knock at the door interrupted his meeting with the young german woman.
"Come in!," Saul threw his hands up in defeat, sitting himself back down on his brown leather seat, looking down at the open file that was of the potential sites designated in the Dead Sea Scrolls for the location of the supposed "Angels". There were some papers under he sifted through, pictures of some possible locations and of the people who plan to excavate there. He was becoming hard-pressed to give Gehirn the finger, through all the pressure they were putting him through to issue out his resources in finding these things. He knew the dangers of finding these Angels, but it was not his job to question authority.
His receptionist came in, clothed in a conservative blue and white suit. She had in her hand, a manila folder, which she gingerly handed to Saul.
"Mr. Weisnberg," she pointed to the folder, "These are the blueprints for the conversion to the new facility commissioned by the United Nations."
"More like a command from SEELE, damnit!," he tried to silently mutter as he recieved the file.
The receptionist had no reaction to the familiar complaints, "SEELE is a new conglomerate. You cannot expect something commissioned at short-term by the UN to be capable of having higher authority." And at the moment she finished her speech, she started for the door.
"Who made you boss?," Saul yelled at her as she left. Turning his attention down to the young Doctor Sohryu, he turned the folder over to her then nodded. "Take this, your research will be noted, but in the mean time, tend to these. There is no time to waste at this point concerning what you believe about the project or not. You are dismissed."
She looked on innocently, nodding in silence before departing, the folder tucked under her left arm. Saul did not mean to be hard on the girl, but he found potential in her that may even be beyond his own during youth. There was this hint of destiny, a feeling of pride that this woman would hold some key into the success of himself and the world. Pride. That was something that pushed from the grave, a sin he hoped to put down. In the mean time, Saul sat idly in his seat, looking over the assorted papers that composed the supposed Cybernetic Augmentation Research Plan. Of course, the UN already had a department like that, but not as focused as Doctor Sohyru planned.
---
.
In the quiet hall, furnished with a few black leather couches along titanium walls, dotted straight along the hall with half-sphere light fixtures, the place seemed pretty empty considering how many occupants there were in this residential unit. Over the course of an hour, Kyosato had already turned side-to-side a few times in one of the couches, situated conveniently before Elana's apartment door. It was not like him to have the initiative to go looking for her, but it became a habit and he often wondered if he was invading her space. These thoughts often plagued him, despite the fact that there was enough support from others to put the thoughts at rest, yet stubbornly he clung to them. Busy with his Future Sciences Magazine, reading an article on String Theory, Kyosato did manage to withdraw himself from those insecure thoughts.
"Kyosato?" she called from down the hall.
He lowered the magazine and sat upward, first seeing the shady silhouette of a shapely figure. On the surface of his thoughts, Kyosato could easily think of naughty things, but inside himself, where he fought against reality, he felt nothing more than amusement. By the time his eyes changed from close to far distances, a feeling of distant dread tugged at him from some past thought. When the truth of his feelings presented itself, it came to no surprise that it was Elana's presence that drew up his past uncertainties, overlapping to present him with a unique sensation. But Kyosato seemed comfortable with it, making him wonder if he learned to like this sense.
Elana nodded to him, "How long have you been waiting?"
"Not too long, I just came down a few minutes ago," he lied, rolling up his magazine and fitting it in his left jean pocket.
She was not that shallow, Elana knew he was only being polite and she felt a little bad for Kyosato. Ever since High School, Elana knew he liked her, he had always been introverted in a group of friends that were so extroverted. In a way, he reminded her a little of herself, that certain introverted part. In the final year of High School, though, she had pretty much abandoned most of that introversion, ever since her boyfriend came to her life. Elana had to sigh, because she knew Kyosato had known about her boyfriend during that final year in High School. At least they still managed to be friends at this point, despite the same small talk she and Kyosato always had.
Drawing out, then fingering some keycards, she held out a silver tab and slid it over the scanner panel of her apartment door. A green light flickered on for a few seconds, followed by a soft beep. The silver apartment door pulled itself aside, blinding Kyosaro for a moment as the light poured out and around Elana's form. As his eyes adjusted to the glare, it seemed that Elana had already walked into the small kitchen to the immediate left of her apartment. The living room sported enough light to eliminate all shadows created by the scant amount of furnishings. A couple green plants at the corners, contrasting the white light from a couple lamp-stands. Everything in this place of hers had some shade of white, although stayed off of dark and gray colors.
"You seem preoccupied," Elana remarked, preparing a pair of fruit beverages for them.
Kyosato continued to look about the room. His mind relaxed through each selection of items he chose to look at, all clear and painfully holy in aura. There was a Bible in one of her two bookshelves, the spine's text lettered in gold, and the only book with a black cover, which made it stand out greatly. He felt a bit guilty at that point. Looking away, he hoped to avoid that feeling of regret, but it stayed with him. Long ago, he had renounced his Faith, because of he felt unworthy of it. Those that called themselves of the Faith, yet contradicted what they were with actions and remarks, disgusted him. Only a few of his friends long ago, held true to the principles of the Faith he abandoned.
"Kyosato?"
He was shocked back into his proper senses, looking at the pinkish smoothie offered to him, he nodded and took it into both of his hands. Putting the rim to his lips, he sipped a bit of the cold strawberry-flavored drink. Nodding to Elana with a smile, he was pleased with the pleasant sweetness of the drink that accentuated the aura of the entire place.
The door behind him finally shut. It seemed pretty late, maybe a glitch in the door's programming, but nonetheless it drew his attention. He thought someone else had come, but finding a closed door instead, his mind left it alone. Kyosato heard Elana giggling.
"What?," Kyosato asked in meek curiousity, watching her reach for something in her clear glass cupboard above the sink.
Drawing out a black and silver rectangular box, the size of a fist, Elana raised it to her eyes, leveling it to Kyosato. A small lens that revealed itself to him as a flash went off, registered too late for a proper reaction, sealing his fate to her amusement and future mockery.
Putting the camera aside on the breakfast-table just a bit beyond the sink, opening to the living room, Elana shook her head, easing from her revelry, "You got a strawberry moustache."
Bolting for the restroom, likewise white in decor, Kyosato looked at himself in the mirror and cocked and eyebrow at the meager looking pink foam that barely lined the top of his upper lip. He questioned the significance of being alarmed by all this, also questioning how this could be of any amusement to Elana. Walking back out, he found her on the phone with someone.
"Yes Sir," she acknowledged to the reciever in her cellular phone.
He took another sip of his smoothie before asking her, "Who is it?"
She held her fingers to the reciever, "Its Lieutenant Robins, he's issued warning of Terrorist encroachment on the-"
She let her fingers go, "Yes Sir, Kyosato and I will head to Terminal Beta in a few minutes." Then again, she addressed Kyosato with the reciever closed off, "He's ordered a meeting of the Scientists. The U.N has sent an extra strike-force to secure the building, although I don't think there's enough time before we get a bullet shoved up our asses."
A piercing sound that seemed like a loud hiss, followed by a thunderous roar that shook the apartment, caused both friends to address the door which rattled a bit from whatever occured outside.
"Too late to second guess this..." Kyosato said as they exchanged looks of shock.
---
.
Even as one of the lightly-equipped, black suit wearing operatives, she felt a bit uncomfortable with the whole bombing, but she had direct orders from Lucifer to commence the agenda. Along with three other women of similar attire, she charged into the gray clouds blurring regular sight. She slowly maneuvered across chunks of debris, ignoring the number of corpses that either were made by the explosion in that spot or from the caving-in of certain rooms from it. Safely tucked away from any stench of sulfur or carrion, the masks equipped on all four of the women, also sported goggles that was able to pierce gas emmanations and pinpoint with infrared detection.
"Report," came the garbled, deep voice. Lucifer.
"This region seems to be clear. Shall we proceed to Terminal Theta?," she reasoned.
"Take Sealiah with you, Sariel," Lucifer said to her, then shut off communications.
Motioning for two of the operatives to take the route to the Recreation Sector, Sariel motioned the remaining operative to join her in continuing toward the main lift that would allow them access to Terminal Theta. Their plan was to make a hit-and-run against the U.N, helping whatever was planned toward the annihilation of SEELE. And deep at the core of this complex, Terminal Theta held a certain item crucial toward attracting the U.N's attention multiple folds.