Chapter 23: Buried Secrets (Part 1)

The answer I gave didn't sound like a clear one but everyone knew of my past now. It was no secret and all of us went silent from the shock. Lar'ja's hands tightened their grip on my shoulders but I couldn't see his face so I had no idea if he was angry or worried.

"Are you sure?" McKenna spoke out to me, wanting an answer but waited patiently for me.

"Yes. I'm sure of it. It's all coming together."

This isn't happening! Why are we back here again? Is it fate? Or something else? Why? Why!?

Everyone was just staring at me, waiting for what I was going to do next but nothing came. I was just frozen in shock and disbelief. Everything that I've tried to avoid and forget. All those memories . . . All the torture . . . and here I was, being drawn back to the very place I swore I would never return to. Then the trembling of my hands began and I tightened the muscles in there so that I could stop it but it wasn't working.

I noticed Lar'ja was moving his hand towards my face and that is when I realized . . . I was crying. A single tear had escaped from me and Lar'ja moved to wipe it away, carefully gliding his finger along my skin. The comfort of him near me made me relax and my hands stopped trembling but I remembered the fight we had earlier. So I moved my face away from him and ripped from his grip. I took a few steps away and wrapped my arms around myself, avoiding his gaze. Even with the mask on, he would see through me and I wouldn't be able to resist him.

Seeing my rejection, he backs off slowly until there was a good distance between us. McKenna interrupted us and came between me and Lar'ja, facing in my direction.

"Anya . . . I know that this is hard for you but the weapon is in there. If you want, you can—"

"No. I can't run forever. I'm going in too."

I knew he would suggest for me to stay behind but I wasn't a child in need of a babysitter. I was a grown woman and not the scared, little girl I was ten years ago. Letting out a huge sigh, I walked away and into the direction of the building.

"Are we going in or not?"

I put some assertion into my words, hoping that they wouldn't try and stop me but McKenna catches up with me. Both of us walking to the entrance with everyone else following behind. Rory comes walking to my side and holds my hand into his while we moved forward. I looked down and he smiled with his cute face and I returned it again. I'll never get tired of this. But then, I caught one little glimpse of Lar'ja who was at the very back and saying nothing. I kind of felt guilty for turning away from him like that. In truth, I knew he wanted to give me some comfort but there's was no turning back now. I can't change the past like a magician in storybooks. This was reality and I needed to face it.

Once we made it to the doors, McKenna and Nebraska get to work and begun slamming their bodies on the doors in the hope that they would move but they barely made any progress and it was frustrating

"Shit. It won't budge."

"Just keep pushing."

Again and again, they use all of their combined strength but nothing. We were running out of time and I really believed that we weren't going to make it. Then, Lar'ja grunts in frustration, passing by all of us until he gets to where McKenna and Nebraska are. With a quick tug, he moves both of them out of the way and kicks it hard. The doors swung violently and McKenna, Nebraska, and everyone else stopped to look at him with amazement.

"Show off."

I chuckled a bit when Nebraska said that. I hope that hurts your pride and ego now. Not such a strong man you think you are.

Lar'ja just snorts and walks through. McKenna notions with his head to come inside but everyone kept their guns out, waiting if someone was inside ready to ambush us. So far, it wasn't the case since it was deadly quiet. I saw A'kib following behind but I decided to keep him here until we got back.

"A'kib. Look at what I got."

His puppy eyes came through and he began to wag his stubbed tail, which I found very cute. In my hand, I just held a rock that I picked up from the ground. He might not appreciate this but I needed him to stay.

"Fetch!"

I threw the rock very far and he quickly raced for it. There we go. Just stay here until we come back.

When all of us got in, McKenna and Nebraska seal the doors behind us just in case and we found ourselves in some sort of lobby.

Everything inside it was rotting away. The floors had cracks in them while the wall paintings were becoming dull in color although it was only white. Everything was covered in dirt and the room had a gloomy mood to it. In the center of the room, several couches and chairs occupied the space along with an administration desk that stood in front of them but all covered in webs and dust, making it look like no one had used them in years. The phones were very old and thrown down onto the ground in pieces. Papers were spread everywhere behind it and the chairs were torn and knocked over on their sides.

This place had been abandoned for some time but I had no idea when. It definitely wasn't like this when I escaped so I assumed this building was abandoned sometime afterward.

Everyone else looked around the room for anything. Coyle and Baxley were sticking together but they just stared at an old painting on the wall. I rolled my eyes at them. Nettles and Brackett moved towards the back of the room, checking out a door that was blocked by rubble. McKenna stayed near the desk along with me, Rory, and Lar'ja.

"Let's look around for a doorway or something. We need to push forward."

McKenna breaks off from our little group, going over to where Brackett and Nettles were about the blocked path. Rory drifts off to the desk and sits on the chair that he picked up off the floor. Lar'ja stayed with him and so I decided to look around a little more and headed to the nearby wall on the side of the room.

I never was in this room but the familiarity of it was still there. The white walls and hard, cold floors . . . I began to remember my past again. All those years of misery that I've endured were the worst thing I've ever known but the image of my mother came into my mind. Her warm and beautiful smile was soothing and I smiled a little, thinking of the times I've spent with her.

I traced the wall with my hand, feeling its rigged edges all over. I did this for a while and moved my hand further to my side until a tiny bump catches my attention. It felt like it was out of place and didn't belong there. But then I traced around it and found another one. Determined to find out, I began to wipe off the dirt and it revealed a strange panel attached to the wall. I've never seen anything like that and my curiosity was getting the better of me.

As soon as I pressed on the bump I found earlier, a strange humming sound erupted and I jumped back in fright. A bright, red light shined in the middle of it and then another light shines on the wall above my head. Then I realized that this was another door. A hidden one.

Everyone must have seen what was going on and all came running towards me but stop only a few feet away.

"Anya, what's happening?"

I could hear it was Brackett that was calling out to me but I kept my back to them. I was so focused on what was going on.

"I'm not sure. It might be a hidden door or something."

And then, an unnatural voice calls out from the panel and startled, I stepped back a bit until I was standing in the middle of red light on the above wall.

"Permission for authorization into Lab Facility. Hold for DNA scan."

So this is a door to some lab facility. But it wants a DNA scan. I doubt it will let me in.

I expected that it would reject me. In this place, I was just a lab rat so I would figure that they wouldn't give authorization to someone like me. If they did, I could have escaped the front door a long time ago. I huffed in submission, waiting for it to reject at any moment. The red light shines a beam that targets the middle of my chest. I rolled my eyes and was losing patience. Just tell me now.

"DNA scan complete. Permission granted. Welcome to Stargazer."

My whole body jolts in surprise. I couldn't believe that it just accepted me like that. There was no way that it recognized me like that. I haven't been in this facility for ten years but it still works and has allowed me entrance.

Right on cue, the red light disappears and a groaning sound of metal echoes out as the doors begun to open slowly until it stops, revealing a hallway just like the ones I remembered. Still, in shock, I turned slowly around and saw everyone with the same expression as me. It became uncomfortable silent until Brackett breaks it.

"Did it just . . . let you in?"

I nodded. "I guess . . . but it shouldn't have. I've never had access like this ever."

She lifts her shoulders a bit. The shock was gone from her face and instead was filled with wonder. I saw that Brackett wanted to say more until big macho McKenna had enough.

"It doesn't matter. All we know is that we have clearance now. Let's get in before it changes its mind."

I didn't like his attitude at that moment but he was right. We had to keep moving. I turned towards the open doors, catching a glimpse of Lar'ja who stood there motionless. I wasn't certain if he was shocked too. His mask prevented me from clearly seeing his emotions. I brushed it off and began to move forward. Taking the lead and going into the hallway as everyone else followed suit.

Now, I was getting into familiar territory. Although more wore out after years of neglect, the hallway was just like before. Rows of rooms on each side but had broken doors and cracked windows instead and then I noticed that the lab equipment that was once stored in them were gone. Like someone emptied out. Probably Stargazer fuckers. No doubt.

It was endless and I expected as much. The day I escaped, it was like a maze that my mother and I couldn't escape from but a lot of chaos was happening at that time so I didn't pay attention to it much. All of us just stayed in the middle, inspecting every corner and room. The sound of guns cocking behind was making feel uneasy but it was better to have something than go into an abandoned building with nothing.

At the end of the hallway, there was another door with the same panel from the lobby. I stood before it and waited as it performed the same grueling task.

"DNA scan complete. Permission granted. Welcome to Project Ironclad."

Wait . . . what?

But this time, it changed the last words from 'Stargazer' to 'Project Ironclad'. The project that I was involved in and I became quite frightened, knowing that I was getting dangerously deeper into this. But I had no choice. I was already in and deep inside, I believed that I would find the answers I was looking for.

The doors opened just like before and I was expecting another hallway. It was but my heart dropped in horror and I heard gasps behind me that sounded like it was coming from Brackett and somewhat Rory. What we found was something out a horror movie.

Littering the floors were corpses and they were everywhere. What made it worse was that they looked like they had been rotting away for a long time. Too long in my opinion. And it reminded me of a battle zone from old times. The smell was horrendous and I forced myself to keep from vomiting. I couldn't say the same for Nettles as I saw him spill all of his stomach contents on the ruined floor.

"What the fuck happened here?"

McKenna sounded just as terrified as I was and there was no mistaking it in his voice. Brackett walked a little past me as I stood there and kneeled down by one of the corpses nearby. She inspects it and after some time, stands back up.

"These bodies were scientists. They have the badge, lab coat, and everything but they must have been decomposing her for a while.

"How long?"

"Ten years, give or take."

Ten years . . . around the same time that I escaped. I did recall that while I was running, we ran into a hallway with blood and bodies everywhere. Is this what I saw?

"How did they die? It can't be from natural causes."

Brackett tensed a bit before answering McKenna.

"From what I could gather, they sustained bullet wounds to the head. All of them have it. Someone massacred them."

I stood motionless, unable to move a single part of my body. People murdered where I used to be? Massacred? Soon, an emotion called fear crept in. Then the trembling began and I couldn't stop it. My breathing was becoming strained and I wrapped my arms around myself and began to dig my nails into my shoulders. I tried to use the pain to help me snap out of this. It was no use.

Then the scent of sweet rain engulfs me as Lar'ja's hands fold around me. I gasped a little, enjoying his warmth and scent that pushed the fear and trembling away. When I was calm enough to look back at him, he looked down at me with his cold mask but somehow, I can see his eyes again and they conveyed a sense of worry. He was a complicated being like me. One minute he would not care and then the next, he showed more emotion than any person I've know.

We didn't say anything but our eyes did the talking and I nodded to him that I was okay. I reluctantly pulled away from him and he lets his hands fall. I cleared my throat as I spoke out.

"Let's keep going."

We all kept going through the hallway, seeing more corpses as we got closer to the end of it. Lar'ja stayed close to my side and I was glad, even if he was a bastard sometimes.

Finally, the end was in front of us but this time, the door appeared to be blasted open. Shattered pieces of it stuck out of the walls and there was nothing left of a door, to be honest. To me, it looked like someone was trying to get in this room by force.

What the fuck happened here?

Cautious of what I will find, I carefully made my way through the scattered pieces, weaving in and out until I was cleared. But then, Hell had presented something that I thought I would lose my sanity for right then and there.

It was the same room that my mother had led me to during my escape ten years ago. How could I forget something like this? The dome shape of it was a confirmation. I walked slowly into it and caught a glimpse of the metal panel on the side that laid on the floor and then the air vent that was near. This is it. This is where it happened.

I walked further into the room with everyone following behind until my foot stepped on something hard but uneven. I looked down to see what it was and I immediately jumped and backed away from it. I stepped on a decomposing hand that was spread out on the floor and followed to where it was connected, only to find another corpse that was in a position of trying to crawl away from something. The frozen expression on its face showed that this person was trying desperately to escape. But then, I saw some sort of tag that was hanging off the lab coat and I bravely reached for it and pulled it off. When I read the tag, my heart sank.

"Oh my god . . ."

"Anya, what is it?"

I struggled to get my words out while I felt Lar'ja coming to my side while Rory on the other. I knew this person. It was him.

"Anya . . ."

This time, Rory called to me with uneasiness in his voice.

"It's . . . Ted. Dr. Ted Brady."

"Hold on. The scientist that was with you as a child?"

McKenna asked and I could only nod as a reply. It was definitely Ted. One of the men who worked with my mother and often visited me. I wasn't as close to him as my mother but he was a friend to me and never harmed me. I thought that he had survived this but his body was rotting away here.

"What happened to you?"

I tried looking for an answer on his body and sure enough, I found a bullet wound in the middle of his back and also behind his head. No doubt that someone had shot him while he was down. I dropped the name tag on the floor and searched around, finding another body just next to Ted's. I already knew that it was Harry who always came with Ted to see me and my mother. Both had the same wounds and both had rotted her for ten years.

This is fucked up . . .

And then, I looked forward and there was another body that was lying face up on the floor. It had a smaller frame than Ted and Harry so I assumed it was a female. For some reason, I dreaded every step I took as I got closer to it. Eventually, I kneeled down by the body's side and took a closer inspection of it. A necklace with a gold pattern design of a bird caught my eye and lightly touched it with the tip of my fingers and then . . . I remembered.

This necklace was always worn by the very person I trusted and loved. I only saw it a few times but the memory if it was vivid. At the sudden realization, I knew who it was.

It was my mother . . .

She was here all this time. For a long while, I suspected that Stargazer may have done something to her but there was always the hope that somehow, she survived and was out in the world somewhere. But she was here . . . rotting away like she was garbage. I abandoned her like this. I did this to her!

I couldn't hold back the tears as sorrow flowed through my chest and throughout my body. I clasped my hands together over my mouth and I let out a mournful cry. Lar'ja had come to my side, kneeling down to my height and without hesitation, pulled me into his warm embrace. I pressed my head into his chest, crying so loud that McKenna, Brackett, and the rest of the boys circled around me as if to shield me but all they did was watch. Rory had come to dit on Lar'ja's lap so he could hug my being from behind. They didn't say anything but I spoke out despite my hoarse voice.

"My . . . mother . . . She's . . . I did this . . ."

I closed my eyes and cried again. Lar'ja tightened his hold on me along with Rory. They both tried their best to make me feel safe. No one really said anything as I could hear only breaths from everyone. After some time, I managed to get calm enough to slowly push myself from Lar'ja's chest but he didn't let go of me. I sniffed a bit and began to wipe the tears from my eyes.

"Anya."

I looked up to him and wondered what he was thinking right then and there. But his body tenses as if he didn't want to let me go. I wanted to stay in his arms but we still had a job to do. I got up slowly, pulling his arms away from me so that I could stand up. He came up as well, watching me intently as I rubbed my eyes a bit. I looked around me and everyone watched me intently. Rory had let go of me for a while but he stayed close to my side.

"It's alright everyone. I'm fine. I just needed to calm down."

"Are you sure?"

I looked back at Rory and gave him the best smile that I could, patting his head as well. I turned towards Lar'ja.

"We need to find the weapon. Are we close?"

He looks down at his gauntlet and presses more buttons on it.

"Yes, we are. It looks like it's coming from over there."

Lar'ja points to another door that was across the room. However, it has a much different design than the recent ones and looked like it was made of heavy duty material. Moving away, I strolled over to it and was glad that it had a panel since I was imagining how much force it would take if we had to pry it open by ourselves.

I looked back and everyone, including Lar'ja, nodded in unison. Guns were cocked and everyone was good to go. That was my cue to do my job. I stepped in front of it and the DNA scanner activated. Like before, it recognized me and the doors opened. When it did, this room was different than the rest. Instead of more hallways, there were whole panels that had too many buttons for me to count with multiple screens above them. It looked like a supercomputer for me.

"I know this. It looks like this is the control room."

While Brackett began working on that, I noticed a door that was next to the panels but this one was built like a safe but had a small panel as well. Lar'ja comes to my side as I observed it.

"The weapon is in there."

I stared at him and nodded. I rushed over to it and pressed on it but nothing happened. I was confused and tried again but then the unusual voice shouted out.

"Access denied. Require number code and DNA scan."

"A code now? Seriously?"

I had no time for this and I attempted to pry it open with my hands but it was going nowhere.

"Guys. Come help me with this."

"You got it."

McKenna comes quickly along with Nebraska while Coyle, Baxley, and Nettles keep guard at the door. With all our combined strength, we pulled together each side of the doors but again, it wasn't budging despite having Yautja strength with me.

"Anya, let me try."

Lar'ja gently pushes my shoulder so I was out of the way and everyone else did the same. Just like before, he kicks it hard but it was another disappointment. This door was built to not let anyone in without that code.

"Great. Now, what do we do?"

"I don't know but we need access. Do you know where the code could be?"

I shook my head in disappointment. "I haven't been in this facility in years. Not to mention the fact that I had no idea this room existed. Sure I had the DNA scan for this but a code? No fucking idea."

"Fucking Stargazer. Always have to make this difficult."

For once, I had to agree with Nebraska. Stargazer was becoming a pain in the ass with all these codes and what not. But again, they love to play with their little toys, whether it be inanimate or alive.

"Why don't we just see if the panels can give us something. It's worth a try."

There's one thing that I had learned from Stargazer is that they love to keep their information tucked away in some little area and they seem to love huge computers and what not. All of us walked over to Brackett who was getting more agitated by the minute. I can only guess that she wasn't getting much success.

"Something wrong?"

"I'm trying to get access to some files and I think one of them has the code you're talking about."

But then she stops and her eyes perked up when she pulls up a particular file that had the word 'Authorized Personnel Only. Top Priority' on it.

"Ohhh . . . this is interesting."

"Come on Brackett. What is it?"

I said to her with an annoyed tone so she would understand. It was starting to get annoyed by her little antics of indicating that she found something but then doesn't tell you but I should know better. Scientists love to do that as if it was their own habit.

"Sorry. Was caught in the work. This file has information regarding Project Ironclad and it mentions you several times actually. I think that we might find some answers for you."

I perked up at that suggestion. That definitely interested me. If there was information on me, on my mother and just maybe . . . we can find out what happened here and why they killed everyone, including my mother. I would do whatever it takes to get it. I watched as she began to scroll around so many files that I've lost count but then she groans in frustration.

"Fuck. Looks like they deleted most of the data when they abandoned this facility. The rest is corrupted or missing. It will take weeks to get it restored."

I groaned again and dropped my head down low. I didn't need any more of this bullshit. We were so close and yet it's still out of our reach.

"I can do it."

All of us turned towards Rory who came over to my side and just looked like it was no big idea. Brackett laughed a bit before speaking out to him.

"That's nice of you but it's not easy."

"I can. I've been doing stuff like this at home all the time. It's fun."

The look on Rory's face was priceless. He just acts like it's nothing for him. I saw McKenna cross his hands like he was acting like a father who caught his kid in trouble.

"Didn't I tell you to stop with all the hacking and everything?"

Rory just shrugged it like it wasn't a big deal. Did he really have no idea that something like that was illegal?

"I know Dad but I was bored when you were gone and I found it entertaining. Besides, it might prove useful in this situation. Anay needs these files so she can finally be free to know the truth. Please . . ."

Wow . . . The way he talked sounded like a grown man rather than a ten-year-old boy. But she was proud of him at that moment. I patted his head and looks up at me with a smile. I decided to vouch for him.

"He's right. If he can get the information, then let him try. He already knows how to read Yautja language so why not?"

I gave Brackett a warning look so that if she tried something else to dissuade this, I wanted to be the first to fight back. After some time, Brackett relents, taking in a slow, deep breath into her lungs.

"Fine. Go ahead."

Rory's face perks up and I chuckled in response, He takes off before I could say anything else to him. I watched as he started to fiddle with the controls, enjoying that he can finally be of some use to us. I hanged back as Rory did his work until finally, the panels light up green.

"We're in. Guess they forgot that there was a backup system. But it's strange."

"What's strange?" Brackett comments.

"From what I'm seeing, it looks like someone was trying to delete everything in a hurry. Like they were trying to hide it."

It made no sense to me. Stargazer was very organized and ruthless even though I didn't want to admit it. Some mistake like this is uncanny to their nature. And they seemed interested in me when they found out I was alive. So why this? I was getting more questions than answers.

"Alright. Project Ironclad files . . . and . . . here we go!"

Rory turns on the screens on top and a whole load of data pulls up. I had no clue what each meant but I trusted Rory and that he would figure this out. He's a very smart boy after all.

"There's lots of video recordings in this. Some dating back almost twenty-five years ago and others around five to ten years. Some documents but can't get them to show. Lots of corruption but . . . they all mention you, Anya."

"Really?" I had a feeling that there was come documents about me but upon looking at the screen, there were too many. Like they were micromanaging me all this time. Well, hello! They kept giving you tests and such. You idiot . . .

I shook at that thought and leaned over Rory so I could get a look at what he was seeing.

"Can you play the video recordings from here?"

"Yes, I can. I can start with the earliest one and—"

"Wait."

We all stopped what we were doing and all looked at Lar'ja. He somehow had moved to where I was without anyone noticing him. But I gave a look of confusion and surprise when he stopped us.

"What's wrong?"

He came closer to me but at a slow pace until he was at my side as if any sudden movements would scare me. I could feel fear and worry coming from him as he paced a little in his spot. I turned to face him and wondered what he meant.

"Are you alright with this?"

"What do you mean?"

"This. Everything about this. You're going into something too deep and I'm not sure you can take it."

The shock came onto to me like a bucket of cold water. It sounded like he didn't believe me. He wasn't the one who didn't know what kind of creature he was. He wasn't the one who was tortured all their life. He wasn't the one who lost everyone he loved simply because he survived. I needed to know. I want to know!

"You don't get to make that decision. This is my life we're talking about. Not yours."

His whole body twitched and I could see his fists tightening so hard that a small trickle of blood dropped onto the ground. I wasn't sure if he was angry or terrified.

"You can't do this. You mustn't."

He was holding himself back but it didn't help. In fact, it only made me all the angrier.

"I will do whatever I feel is right. I will find out whether you like it or not!"

All of a sudden, he falls apart, shocked by my words as if I electrocuted him somehow. His fists were gone and his breath came labored. For an instant, I could see everyone was in shock at what was playing in front of them. I ignored it for my sanity.

I turned back towards Rory and he just wore a face of concern. Not what I was expecting but I was on a mission and I will know the truth about everything. About what happened here and who killed my mother. And also . . . for myself.

"Play the videos, Rory."

He looked around a bit towards everyone to see if any would protest but I heard nothing. Eventually, he tapped some code on the panels and the first recording began to play.

Little did I know that after this, I would soon regret my decision.

Hi Readers!

Sorry about the little delay. Passed out on my desk and woke up with a massive headache so it didn't help that I had to go to class with it. Urg!

But that doesn't mean I'm not going to keep my promise of updating the stories. I'm really enjoying all the support from every one of you and it keeps me going. So, this part of the story I had to split cause it was getting too long. I get the feeling that the most important parts of the stories need two chapters for it. So here is Part 1 and "Buried Secrets (Part 2)" will be posted either tonight (since I got a whole weekend off) or sometime tomorrow.

But for now, it looks like Anya is going to get the answers she seeks about herself and everything about Project Ironclad. But will she find something that will tear herself apart? Will she be able to handle it or go mad?

Find out when Part 2 comes tonight or tomorrow so stay tuned.

I really thank you all for being patient with me. Enjoy! :))