Greetings from SeekerMeeker.
Alright, the story is going to finish its "introduction arc" soon.
I hope that either this chapter, or the next, will conclude it, so that the next phase of the story will begin.
Thank you for your patience, and let's go.
Note: this chapter is rough, but I hope that I have nailed the contents. I am going to come back to revise and edit it.
Chapter 7: Phone Mo
April 3, 201X
10:00 AM
A secret Archon Corporation research complex in northern Nevada
"And we've been doing nothing," Dipper remarked. "But just chilling."
"But it's so fun!" Mabel declared, playing on a video game console. "And Pacifica, I am NOT going to lose!"
"Suit yourself," Pacifica calmly said, accepting the challenge. "And you're one riot."
"Pacifica!" Mabel roared, struggling. "How are you so good with this?!"
"I've played this before," Pacifica said. "My dad has gotten me into this, not because I like, which I do, but because he wants the prize money and all."
Once again, the trio were inside of another room. This time, they were separated from all others. Apparently, the people inside of the compound not only put them back into their buses, but also took them to an apparent residential part of the complex. Here, they were allowed to indulge in the materialistic dreams of the world.
However, Dipper, Mabel, and Pacifica were suspicious.
Dipper himself stared out the window, watching the entire scene unfold. All three already saw what was going on: another four buses were unloading, this time teenage boys and girls. They were all either middle school or high school, based on their appearance and uniforms.
"And what does this card do?" Dipper asked, holding it out.
"Whoever this Isaac is," Mabel said, glued to the flat screen. "He sure is nice! He wants to help us!"
"But why?" Pacifica asked. "I am wondering why he's so guilt-stricken, and now he's taking advantage of the fact that he has met me."
"He seems to know you," Dipper said. "Based on what you said."
An hour ago, Pacifica and the twins were escorted into that same room, where they settled down to wait. Pacifica kept her word, and told the twins. She told them everything that she knew: the Chestnut Guard, the strange person named Isaac, and the card that he gave.
"This is mysterious," Dipper added, looking at the card.
It looked like a security card, but all-white with two red stripes on the larger sides. A single blue square was situated rather like the camera lens of the smartphone.
"This looks familiar," Dipper wondered, while the girls kept playing on their console. "Hmm..."
He looked around.
"You said that there aren't any cameras?" he asked Pacifica.
"He only said about the gates," she replied. "I think that they are here. I don't think they'll forget about us."
"Unless..."
Dipper then stretched out his arms, feigning exhaustion. He then catapulted himself into a cozy sofa, burying his face and hands into a very soft cushion.
"What's that guy doing?" a security guard whispered, squinting his eyes.
"He's napping," the other one said.
"But he's been going in circles," the first guard said. "And suddenly, he's popped down on it!"
"Look at the others," the second guard said, pointing at the other screens. "College students are still kids at heart. That's why they are called 'college kids' with good reasons."
"Point taken," he replied. "Well, I guess I am over-analyzing things."
"Don't worry," the second guard said. "We'll get them soon."
"But don't forget," the first guard said, his eyes glued to the screen with the trio. "Those three are our prime targets. Mutants from college? Impossible!"
"This is interesting," the second guard remarked. "We know that Mutants are found only in those between the ages of 13 and 17, never 18. This is the first time ever that three 18-year-olds are found as Mutants."
"You look a little convincing," Pacifica replied, pretending to not notice.
"I had to," Dipper said, his voice muffled. "I need to do something with my smartphone."
He looked at his phone, scrolling down and clicking buttons very rapidly.
"Aha!" he declared. "Done!"
He moved around, as if he was still asleep. In reality, he was moving to let his phone slide into his pants, so that nobody could notice it.
Pacifica looked behind.
"I can tell that you're hiding something," she remarked. "But you do look like you're sleeping. How did you do that?"
"One of the secrets we learned," Mabel said. "I taught him how to feign sleep."
"Why?"
"In case we have a situation like this," Dipper said, yawning (obviously faking it). "OK, now I start."
He then walked around, as if bored. However, he stopped and leaned on a wall, and tapped on a part of the wall with cables and wires. He rubbed that part of the wall with the left pocket, which held his phone.
Beep-beep-beep.
Click-click.
"Using your brain and high-tech?" Pacifica asked, as Dipper came and sat down with them.
"I want to see if this works," Dipper said, pressing specific buttons. "And...got it!"
"...and he's doing things with his phone," a voice echoed.
"Don't worry about him," another voice resonated. "We're here to watch them three."
"Hacked into their security system?" Pacifica asked, mildly surprised. "Why didn't you do that sooner?"
"Had to hide myself," Dipper said. "And I can trace only their audio."
"Jackal," one of the guards said, the one who was suspicious of the trio. "You seem awfully nonchalant about this. These three are the key to our success!"
"You mean the Archon's success," Jackal replied. "Coyote, they will need-hold on. Someone's coming to their door. Turn off."
Click.
"Oh," Dipper noted. "I guess they turn off whenever somebody's coming in?"
"Who's coming?" Mabel asked, as she and Pacifica continued to play. Like Dipper, they were feigning innocence, in order to avoid attention.
Knock-knock.
"Who's there?" Dipper asked, getting up. He then quickly gave the card back to Pacifica, who pocketed it.
"This is the room for you five," one of the guards spoke. "We have food and everything to keep you occupied. We'll let you all tour this area."
"This sounds cool!" one of them boomed.
"Yay!"
"Free food!"
"I am hungry!"
"Wow," Dipper said aloud to his friends. "Teenage drama, right?"
"Agreed," both girls admitted.
"It was fun to be teen!" Mabel said.
"We are still college kids," Pacifica said. "But we have to be on our best beha-waugh!"
The double door slammed open, causing the trio to jump. Five teenagers swarmed in, and were quick to take advantage of what was inside.
"Video games!"
"Food!"
"Awesome!"
"Teenage life," Dipper said. "Wow, it feels so long ago..."
10 minutes later...
"Now that we've settled down," Dipper said. "Who are you?"
Dipper sat down on a brown sofa, next to an average-sized teenager. Mabel and Pacifica continued to play their game, but joined by two of the teens. The last two, however, were relishing the food.
"You're good at this!" one of them roared, as she struggled with the control. "Man, you adults are so good at this!"
Dipper and the teen looked at the situation. Four people were playing on the console. Mabel and Pacifica were on a sofa, with Mabel on the right. On the left side of the sofa was an average-size teenager, clad in her school's uniform. However, she had ginger hair, tied in a ponytail with a blue scrunchie. She had a yellow polka-dot bow on top. All five teens wore the same uniform T-shirt: a bluish shirt with the "SJS" logo on it.
On the right of the sofa, however, was an unusual teen.
"College kids," Pacifica replied, as she focused on the game. "And you're tall for your age."
"I get that a lot," the teen replied, gritting her teeth due to focus.
Pacifica chuckled. That teen was clearly the tallest of the five, and was also the only one with dark skin. She had a very messy hairdo, a mass of brown, curly hair that surprised even Pacifica.
"Wow," Mabel spoke. "Fancy afro!"
She patted her on the head, causing the dark-skinned teen to stare at her.
"Uh...thank you?" she replied.
"Sorry about her behavior," Pacifica replied. "She's like this."
"And yes!" Mabel declared. "You must be a basketball player!"
"She's Thai," Pacifica replied.
"Thai-eh?" Mabel asked innocently. "Oh."
The Thai girl giggled.
"I get that a lot," she admitted. "Being tall and with dark skin? Don't worry."
"I am not being racist," Mabel said, waving her hands furiously.
"No-no," the dark-skinned teen said. "But anyway, you sure are great at this game!"
"You too!" Mabel replied.
"So anyway," Dipper said. "So, who-"
"AND I AM MABEL!" Mabel suddenly yelled, catching other people's attention.
"Wow!" the dark-skinned girl spoke. "Well, I am Anna."
"Welcome Anna!" Mabel replied audibly. "And here's my friends Dipper and Pacifica."
"Focus!" Pacifica groaned.
"Yeah," the boy next to Dipper said. "I guess we're still kids at heart."
"True," Dipper admitted, and chuckled. "So yeah, that's Mabel, my twin sister."
"Your sister?" the boy asked. "Wow."
"Are you?" Dipper asked.
"No-no," the boy replied, shaking his head. "We're brother and sister, but not twins. By the way, I am Twig."
"Twig?" Dipper asked. "That's...an unusual name."
"Says the boy whose name is Dipper," Twig replied.
"Point taken," Dipper admitted.
The teenager named Twig did resemble his sister, down to having a similar orange hair color. However, his hair was lighter in color, and he wore a green knit cap over it. He also wore a moss green jacket, black shorts, and brown shoes that seemed to be velcro.
"Hey," Twig said. "I like your hat."
"Ah thanks," he replied, taking it off. "Curious? You can wear it."
"Huh?"
Before Twig knew it, he got the blue-and-white hat from Dipper. Curiosity overcame him, so he took off his green hat, and put it on.
"Oh wow," he admitted. "This feels...nice."
"OK..." Dipper said with a sweatdrop. Now, he realized that without his hat, he felt...weird.
"I like this hat," Twig admitted.
"May I have it back?" Dipper asked. "I feel weird without it."
As he got it back, the rest of the group were doing their business. Mabel and Pacifica played alongside Anna on the right, and Twig's sister on the left.
"Molly!" Anna cried. "Careful! Don't just smash into enemies recklessly!"
"That's my style!" Molly declared. "Mwahahahaha!"
"Molly is Molly," the last girl replied, munching on some meatballs.
That girl was the only one who wore a hoodie. She appeared to be somewhat of a goth, due to her violet hoodie with pink drawstrings. She had whitish hair that hid her right eye. She wore a plaid skirt and black high top shoes.
"Say," Dipper said. "I think we haven't formally introduced ourselves."
"Don't worry," Twig said. "It's great to have a sudden field trip, and enjoy fun stuff during school."
"Point taken," Dipper admitted. "So, who are your friends?"
"Anna, Molly, Haddie, and Broadie," Twig said, pointing at them with an open hand (not a finger).
Anna was the tallest, and the only one with dark skin. Molly was Twig's sister; due to their similarities, Dipper could not help but notice both reminding him of himself and Mabel. Haddie was the girl with the hoodie, while Broadie was the last boy. Depending on where he was, Broadie looked either about the same height as his friends, or the shortest of the five. Broadie wore a vest and a bowtie, so that he looked the most formally dressed of the five.
"Hey," Dipper began. "Do you mind-huh?"
Twig took out a tablet computer, using it as a notepad. Dipper looked, and realized that it was darkened, so that the only way to read was to get real close. He scooched over, and read:
I HAVE A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS PLACE. WE ALL AGREE THAT THERE IS MORE TO THIS.
BUT FOR SOME REASON, MY GUTS TELL ME THAT WE FIVE ARE GOOD.
HOW ABOUT YOU THREE?
Twig silently gave the tablet to Dipper, who wrote back on it:
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
I HAVE A FEELING THAT THIS FIELD TRIP IS NO MERE TRIP. I KNOW THAT ARCHON IS A VERY ELITE COMPANY.
HOW ELITE? Twig wrote.
EVEN HARVARD ALUMNAE CANNOT ENTER IT, Dipper wrote. MY FRIEND PACIFICA ADMITTED THAT SHE WENT TO HARVARD, BUT EVEN SHE COULD NOT ENTER IT.
"Pizza ordered!" a voice boomed, and two butlers entered, carrying a giant box of pizza.
"Pizza!" all eight people declared, as they swarmed over it.
Each person ate a slice, but Dipper noticed something:
The butlers jumped a little away from the food tables.
"Wait a second," Dipper began. "Sir, what did-augh!"
Dipper shook and convulsed. He lost his balance, and fell down, holding his stomach. Mabel and Pacifica also fell down, holding their stomachs.
"Dipper!" Twig yelled. "You alright?!"
"Mabel! Pacifica!" Anna roared. "What's going on?!"
"Hungry!" Mabel suddenly cried, holding her stomach. "Hungry!"
"Hungry?!" the teens gasped.
"Mabel!" Twig cried. "But we've been nonstop! Why are you hungry?!"
Pacifica gasped, as she suddenly grabbed the arm of the nearest person, who was Anna.
"Here," was all she managed to moan, before convulsing again.
"Huh?" Anna asked, looking at what Pacifica gave her.
"Hide it!" Pacifica managed to tell her, who obliged and pocketed the card.
Dipper tried to focus, but the hunger pangs clouded his thinking. All he could see were what his friends also saw: a strange cloud of gas suddenly filled the room, and all five teens went down. Before he lost consciousness, he noticed a strange group of men come in, with suits different from that of the Chestnut Guard.
"Target neutralized," one of the men declared. "E-Force, let's roll."
Let's...roll? he pondered, before his mind went black.
Alright, this is the FIRST official introduction of the "Phone Mo Gang"!
Who are they? Well, you will find out later!
This chapter also concludes the "introduction arc."
Let me know how I am writing, and thank you.
Sincere Seeker.