CHAPTER LXXXX
It would be inaccurate to say the GIW headquarters was ever "closed". There were lulls in personnel activity and presence, especially in the ungodly early hours of the morning. But what was lacking in quantity was made up for two fold in quality. Those rather eccentric Agents and Operatives, some who were rumored to have supernatural stamina and senses, patrolled the halls and equipment. A tardigrade couldn't pass through the expansive building undetected. But those infinitesimally small creatures were nowhere near as surreptitious as the scantily clad ghost woman who prowled the hallowed halls.
Like a shadow, Lydia passed by, over, under, and often through any obstacle in her path. Her target soon came in to view. A massive door, colored with the steel gray and bright yellow stripes that usually accompanied some sort of hazardous material, was locked shut from several directions. Lydia furrowed her brow. Sending an invisible bat tattoo scout, she quickly learned that it was shielded from ghosts even more securely than it was from humans. Lydia bit back a growl as footsteps echoed from around the corner. She hovered closer to the wall as a tall man wearing a janitor's uniform came into view. Trailing him were two Guys in White agents.
"I'm really sorry to have to bother you guys this late – er, early," the janitor apologized, "but the boss man wants this place spick-and-span for inspection."
"S'no problem, Frank," one of the Agents replied while stifling a yawn. "Just page us when you're finished in there so we can lockdown."
"Will do," the man, Frank, affirmed as he pulled a key card from the lanyard around his neck.
The two agents did the same and each one went over to a panel that jutted ever so slightly from the wall. Frank held his key in front of the circular protrusion that was located in the center of the door's locking mechanism. Each man held his key up to the black scan screens and waited while the computer system confirmed them. Roughly one second later, a light blue energy barrier flickered and died. A red trip laser system appeared from thin air before dissipating as well. The sounds of heavy machinery reverberated from within the security doors. Crisscrossing bars and a plethora of gears and clasps could be seen moving in conjunction with each other. Finally, with a gentle hiss, the two doors slowly slid away from each other. A transparent white mist billowed from the dark room beyond, which was barely illuminated by dim green lights.
To Lydia's curiosity, the doors stopped their retreat only a fraction of what they were capable of exposing. The result was a gap wide enough for a single person to pass through. Perhaps that was for the best.
"Thanks guys," Frank said as he slid his key back onto its clasp and wheeled his cart full of high tech cleaning supplies inside. "I appreciate it."
"Sure thing. See you in three hours."
The two agents turned and walked away. Frank whistled as he made his way past the huge doors, which were easily three meters thick. Lydia floated silently in behind him. Frank made his way over to the control consoles and began to work. Lydia was almost too stunned to finish her own job; almost too stunned to remain invisible.
Lining the walls were dozens of tanks, all of them identical in height and width. They were filled with a green ectoplasmic substance, which explained the glow that could faintly be seen from outside. But it was what the green liquid surrounded that kept Lydia in place. Each tank held a ghost. Some were familiar, others looked strange, almost otherworldly. The ghosts were held in suspended animation, various tubes and wires could be seen emerging from the noses, mouths, ears and other openings that some of the odder specimens contained. What really captivated the Tattoo Ghost was the energy given off by these prisoners. It was a unified life force, an ectoplasmic reading too strong to be measured in terms of power. Each conscious mind, sentient and non-sentient, was fused together as one, crying out for a common desire; to be free. It was almost overwhelming.
But the ghosts Lydia recognized were ones from myth. She only knew them by pictures or descriptions; horrible creatures of destruction inconceivable to ghost or human kind. Some of those present were even rumored to work for the Pariah Dark himself during his reign of terror. Perhaps there was a good reason why some of them were incarcerated. But it raised the question; how did the humans capture so many of them? Especially the more powerful specimens?
Pushing those thoughts aside, and doing her best to ignore the singular cry for help, Lydia located the ghost her employer had addressed as "Proximus". She had heard of this one's escapades during his human life. Elliot, the eighteen year old had been presumed killed by Phantom when, in actuality, he had been mortally wounded. From what she was able to piece together, the repair process had gone horribly wrong and Elliot had almost died thanks to a swarm of ravenous ghost planarians. Using Phantom's DNA, the GIW had brought him back to life.
But Elliot had never actually died. He was the first living being in existence to have made the transition from human to ghost without having to enter the state of nonbeing first. Somehow, Lydia doubted that he would care about that very much if at all. To his left floated Technus, whose binary body had solidified into a crude humanoid form. To his left was Desiree. The grievous injuries sustained during her battle with Phantom were healed, for the most part. Horrible scars still lined her body, but it did little to detract from her ethereal beauty. Lydia grinned at the memories she shared with her good friend before the dark times began.
Floating over to the genie ghost's cage first, Lydia reached an intangible hand through the Plexiglas and passed it through Desiree's head. The genie ghost's eyes fluttered open, and Lydia pulled her through the cage as her old friend began to pull through.
"Lydia," Desiree whispered, trembling as the Tattoo Ghost held her, "where am I? What has happened?"
"Shh," Lydia looked around to make sure the janitor had not heard. "There is no time. Leave here. You must go-"
Lydia realized that there was nowhere to go. How was she supposed to smuggle three ghosts who could barely float out of this horrible place?
"Eble mi povas esti de helpo?"
Lydia spun around and gasped at the giant monster that loomed over her. She did not understand what the ghost had said, but she heard the word "help" somewhere in his sentence.
"Your aid would be greatly appreciated," Desiree spoke softly. "Please, hurry, I must find my husband."
Wulf nodded and tore a slit through the air to the Ghost Zone. Desire, with help from Lydia, slid through the portal and disappeared.
"Will she be alright in there?" Lydia asked.
Wulf nodded, not bothering to speak to someone who couldn't understand him.
Lydia moved to Technus' tank and removed him, leaving out the gentle touch she had provided to Desiree. Realizing that he was naked, the green ghost covered his private area with an opaque square of binary and dove through the portal without a word. Lydia couldn't help but giggle. Wulf sighed.
Finally, Lydia freed Proximus from his containment. He recovered from the stasis faster than the other two, due in no small part to Phantom's regenerative DNA.
"What is this?" he said in a hushed voice, apparently understanding the situation. "What's going on?"
"We're getting you out of here," Lydia answered. "Go through the portal, quickly!"
Proximus scowled at Lydia. "I don't take orders from you," he growled. "I don't take orders from anyone. Not anymore!"
Wulf stepped from the shadows and bared his teeth, emitting a low, threatening growl. Proximus didn't seem to be affected. He stumbled past Lydia and Wulf and made his way for the door.
Wulf leapt in front of him, blocking Elliot's path. The boy's eyes glowed red and he swung his fist at the giant ghost. Wulf grabbed the fist and held an extended claw up to his face.
"Let go of me!" Proximus shouted. The "E" sound of the last word trailed off in a high-pitched cry, causing Wulf to stagger back, howling and clutching his ears. Lydia was further away, but still felt the pain. She winced as the sonic vibration rattled her skull.
"Hey! What the hell is going on over-"
Lydia wasted no time in sending a snake tattoo at the janitor. It shot from her outstretched hand like a missile, stabbing through his torso and pinning him to a wall like a fly on display at an exhibit.
"Y-you killed him!" Elliot shouted in shock. "You killed that man!"
Lydia summoned the snake tattoo and sent it after the boy. He was blocking her only escape.
"You're not going to kill anyone ever again!" Elliot took a deep breath and let an earsplitting shriek tear out of his mouth.
The cry rose in pitch until Lydia was writhing on the floor, clawing at her bleeding ears, trying to remain conscious. Her snake tattoo disintegrated, but did not reappear on her arm. The tattoo had been erased; permanently. She felt her other tattoos begin to lose stability and cried out in pain. Each tattoo was a part of her, and Proximus was killing those parts.
The sonic wail was abruptly cut off as Wulf dug his claws into Proximus' back, piercing his lungs. With Phantom's regenerative DNA pumping through his veins, it would only delay his continued assault. Wulf seemed to get the hint. He violently yanked his paw from the boy's back and backhanded him across the head. Elliot cart wheeled through the air and slammed into the wall, coming to a rest on the dead body of the janitor.
The lupine specter jogged over to Lydia and gingerly tossed her body over his shoulder. He tore open another portal and leapt through it. Once they were safely in the Ghost Zone with the portal closed behind them, Wulf unslung Lydia from his shoulder.
"Tio devus havi iri pli bona," Wulf muttered.
Lydia cocked an eyebrow at her companion as he absently dug in his hoodie for something. She gasped as he retrieved the red orb her employer had arranged to acquire.
"Tio estas via," A large boulder passed by next to them, "Kaj tio estas mian. Adiau, Lydia."
Wulf flew over to the passing rock and set down on top of it. He waved as the boulder carried him out of sight. Lydia blankly waved back before turning her attention to the orb. Frederick was going to be very pleased.
To Be Continued
A/N: Delays, delays, delays. What can I say? You got a new chapter, albeit a short one; I got to see Iron Man, which is the best comic book movie adaptation so far. Probably one of my favorite movies too. Go see it.
That wraps this segment up. Thank God, too, because I really didn't have an exit strategy… And I found out what's going down next chapter. It hit me in the face like someone splashed me with cold water after I got out of the hot tub with Jessica Alba. If that ever happened, I'd probably kill the person. Seriously, I hate the cold. Federal prison wouldn't mean a thing next to strangling some jackhole for splashing me with cold water after getting out of a hot tub with Jessica Alba. But I digress. You should like the next chapter. I delve into some really controversial crap, but pull it all together for the finale.
And the movie Hancock looks really good too. If the trailer is any indication, the Fresh Prince has done it again.
Thanks to all my reviewers, especially Fulcon, BBQ Burgler, Thunderstorm101, Jiece18, darkness over day, Silverline Scimitar, MissMeliss4251, darkbunny92, Bubski, and Coppa-Cola.
I AM IRON MAN!