The next chapter is here early! I've been sick so I've had a bit of time to write. I also notice that I spelled Curdun Cay wrong in the last chapter and I apologize for that but I was having trouble fixing it soooo, it's fixed in this chapter from here on out. Sorry about that. Anyway, this is where things start to get interesting so please, READ AND REVIEW! I would greatly appreciate it! I would love to know if anyone is enjoying this because I certainly enjoy writing this! Thank you. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own ISS or any of it's official characters. I am not making money from this, so forth and so on. However, I do have some OC's in here (I know how much people love those, but bare with me) that I do own. Thank you.
Chapter 3 ~ Haunted
"They must have gone somewhere."
Delsin Rowe 360 around in what looked to be an old corridor. Eugene Sims and himself had been exploring the abandoned Curdun Cay for what seemed like ten minutes now, only to turn up empty handed. There was no way Delsin imagined that vehicle too.
"Maybe they were just...passing through?" Eugene offered.
The older boy made a face, "Passing through? Passing through to where? This is pretty high up on the mountains if you can remember correctly, Eugene."
The younger boy shook his head in hesitant agreement, "I try not to think about it. Thanks."
Suddenly, there was a rumbling from beneath their feet. It started to shake the floor beneath them and then the whole building. Panic set in both of their faces as they tried to hold onto the nearest wall but just as fast as it had come, it was soon gone. Delsin's features immediately lit up, "Ohhh hohoho, there is definitely something going down, man!" He steadied himself while asking, "Do you recall what's on the lower levels of this prison?"
Eugene had his hand to his chest. He absolutely did not like what was going on here. "Cells?"
Delsin narrowed his eyes, "Well that's a no brainer, I mean something else. Something not normally in prisons."
"Conduits?" Eugene smirked which only provoked an annoyed look from Delsin. After chuckling at himself for a second the younger boy added, "There was an arena of sorts...and a whole wing devoted to testing labs."
"An arena? Seriously? Was Augustine holding her own gladiatorial games?"
"More like training for a war." Eugene shuddered.
Delsin nodded his head, "Okay, okay. So there has to be a way down. I haven't seen any stairs..." he surveyed the area again. He took a few more steps to the end of the room peering round a corner. "Bingo!"
"What is it?" Eugene caught up to him.
"Elevator." Delsin walked over to it and placed his hands on the doors. "Looks like it still works too. Pretty odd for a run down building, wouldn't you say? Still warm."
The younger boy placed a hand to the doors now as well. It was warm beneath his finger tips. A dread started to fill his insides. He quickly removed his hand, "This isn't good."
"You're telling me, but someone has been using this and we need to find out who." Delsin waved a finger over the down button before pressing it.
"Delsin, don't-" but it was too late. The elevator came to life, roaring as it made it's way to their floor. It dinged when it had reached them and opened rather stiffly, but no one was inside. Eugene stepped far away from it. "Delsin this is not good, not good. I don't think we should be doing this alone."
The older boy placed a hand on one side of the open doors so it wouldn't close back up on them. "But we're not. We have each other. Anything the DUPs are going to throw our way, I'm sure we can handle. We have before."
"How do you know it even has anything to with the D.U.P. though?" Eugene countered.
Delsin looked confused, "What makes you say that? Who else could it be?"
Eugene looked uneasy, "Not sure...just a feeling."
Delsin considered it for a second, then said, "Well, then I guess that gives us more reason to check it out."
"You don't need to be a hero, Delsin."
"I already am." The older boy offered a final glare as he entered the elevator. His mind was made up. It was always made up. He didn't choose this life but it certainly chose him and there was no point in running anymore. He gestured for Eugene to follow. "You coming?"
The nerdy boy shook his head defeated but entered the elevator anyway. What real choice did he have? He'd be a coward if he stayed behind and he didn't want to be a coward anymore. He also couldn't let his friend get hurt. Protecting the weak, wasn't that his vow? And right now, Delsin was pretty vulnerable.
When the elevator came to a halt, both boys felt their hearts drop to their feet. Niether knew what laid beyond this door. Delsin inhaled a large breath then let it out slowly. "You ready?"
Eugene nodded, his body shaking a little bit.
A harsh light entered the lift as the doors creaked open. Delsin and Eugene had to shield their eyes with their arms for a moment before they could adjust. The bright lights, they could see as their eyes came into focus, came from light fixtures to a ceiling. The elevator had opened up to a long, white washed hallway. This part of Curdun Cay certainly did not look abandon.
Delsin was the first to step out but Eugene latched a hand to his forearm, "Delsin! This isn't right. This isn't right at all!" he warned.
The older boy stared down the eeiry hallway. "It's kind of spooky, huh?"
He tried to take a few steps further but the younger boy tightened his grip. "This is a bad idea. Bad, bad, bad."
Delsin turned to him, saying sternly, "Eugene, let go."
"But, Delsin!" he pleaded.
"Eugene." Brown eyes glowered at him.
Reluctantly, he let go and Delsin started walking forward. Eugene's legs were shaking. He couldn't control it. Something was terribly off about this place. It was nothing like he remembered. He let one foot venture outside of the doors, scanning the surrounding walls. The white wash was almost suffocating. Stepping completely out, he tried to steady himself by branching his arms out beside him. His stomach turned violently.
"Delsin." he called weakly. "Delsin!"
The older boy turned slightly, "What is it, Eugene?"
"M-Maybe we should wait for Fetch? Or gather more reinforcements?"
Delsin began walking forward again. "It's just us, Eugene."
He continued his exploration of the bleak hallway. As far as he could tell, there were three doors before the hall split. Trying the first one's handle proved to be futile. "Locked." he murmured to himself. He looked to the next door that was only several feet away and then the one after it. "Eugene," he looked back a the nerdy boy slinking slowly behind him. "Try the next door and I'll try the one after it. This will go faster if we are both putting in the effort."
Eugene only nodded because he feared if he spoke, he'd vomit everywhere. Each boy grabbing a handle had readied themselves to twist until a sound of foot steps and muffled voices came their way. Eyes wide, Delsin turned the knob. Locked. He looked over at Eugene who had completely frozen in place. "Eugene?" No response. "Eugene!" He rushed over to him as the sounds became louder. Grabbing the younger boy by the arm he twisted the knob only for him to discover the door was actually unlocked. Wasting no time, he pulled them both in before two men in black jumpsuits and boots rounded the corner.
Pressed against the inside of the door, Delsin could hear the men as they passed. They didn't appear to go on about anything interesting other than mentioning that a few subjects had still been showing some odd readings. It didn't seem too concerning to them, though.
"Subjects?" Delsin mouthed to Eugene who was still frozen in place. His mouth fixed open as he tried to control his erratic breathing.
When it sounded like the men had taken the elevator out, Delsin began to whisper. "Sounds like they're still doing tests here." He turned the door handle to open it but Eugene protested.
Placing his hand on Delsin's, he begged, "Delsin, please! Let's just go!"
The older boy shook off his hand and continued to open the door. "There are innocent people here being experimented on. I may not know for what or why, but when it was you, didn't you hope someone would save you?"
Eugene gulped, "I-I guess..."
"Then we should at least check it out. I'll tell you what, if things get too hairy we'll book it out of here. So you'll keep your eye on a quick escape while I'll see if I can find these 'subjects'. Deal?" Delsin extended his hand for a shake. The younger boy weakly returned the hand shake. "Good. Stay close to me."
The two emerged from the room and made their way to the end of the hallway. There hadn't been any signs to indicated which hall led to where but judging from the sound of where the two men had come from, Delsin was going to bet left. Slowly they treaded lightly down this way. It was another hall but shorter with only two doors this time. There was not a soul to be seen.
Forging forward, they tried the two doors they passed. Both were of course locked. Edging to the corner, Delsin was careful to peak around. Empty. However, there were several doors here and the hall opened up to what looked to be a reception area. Eugene tugged on his plaid shirt.
"Delsin, cameras" he whispered.
The older boy drew his focus to the two cameras blinking on either side of the hall. He whispered back to Eugene, "Do you got this or do you want me to do it?"
"I-I think I can manage." The younger boy squeaked. He stepped in front of Delsin so he could get a better view. He memorized where the cameras were then with a flick of his hand he drained the two in seconds, shutting them down. "Now let's hurry. This place is being kept secret for a reason. Which means someone has to be watching."
"Alright." Delsin smirked.
Their pace picked up a little as they approached the first two doors. They had little windows in them so you could see who was older boy glimpsed into one but there was nobody in it. He walked to the other one, no one. Walking faster he checked the next three. Empty.
"Does this seem strange to you?" He had faced Eugene.
"The whole thing is strange, Delsin! I told you!"
Delsin paused for second to think. The two men mentioned subjects so there were definitely people here. "Where are the labs, Eugene?"
"Why?"
"Because I don't think they would keep these 'subjects' in such an obvious place. They must be testing on them twenty-four seven."
The younger boy made a face, "I don't like the sound of that..."
"Neither do I, that's why I need to know where the labs are." Delsin emphizied.
Eugene let out a long sigh, "Well," he took a step into the middle of the reception area. "I don't rememeber much of this but that was because I was usually drugged up coming through here."
"Sooo, I'm going to assume this is the level with the labs?"
"Yeah."
Delsin nodded, "Then we have to be close."
"Unfortunately."
Delsin stepped in front of Eugene, "Listen, I know this isn't exactly fun for you, but somebody needs our help and damn it man, we can't let the D.U.P. keep getting away with this shit!"
The nerdy boy scrunched his face, "I know."
Delsin rested his hands on Eugene's shoulders. "Thank you."
"Can't be a coward forever, I guess." Eugene kicked his own feet around.
The older boy smiled and patted Eugene on the back. Then the two continued their search through out the floor. It seemed like the place was purposely set up like a maze. Room after room after room. Two cameras for each hall. This place was huge!
Suddenly, as they rounded a corner, more DUPs came out of large, revolving doors. Three this time. They all looked a bit flustered as one shouted, "There's been a breach!"
Both boys bodies froze.
"Camera's have been going out one by one in Section A and B!" another exclaimed.
"We need to get over there. Dr. Knoll is heading to security to check on the issue. This building needs to go into lock down until we find the intruder!" The first ordered.
Eugene grabbed Delsin's plaid shirt again. "Lock down?!" he squeaked.
Delsin pushed the younger boy away and appeared out from the corner. "Hey!"
The three assumed D.U.P. men instantly looked in his direction. "HEY!" they shouted as they raised their guns.
However, they were a little too late. Delsin subdued them with smoke and Eugene acted quickly and took out the camera that had caught them. "Delsin, we need to move!"
The older boy nodded in agreement and pushed open the double doors the D.U.P. had just come out of. He was stopped in his tracks when he realized what this room opened up to, the lab. And not just any lab, this lab was ginormous. There was all kinds of crazy, huge machines hanging from the ceilings and chairs to strap you down in underneath. It was the stuff of science fiction nightmares.
"Th-this is the lab?" Delsin had trouble forming words.
Eugene was shaking again, "Definitely new and improved. We need to get the hell out of here, Delsin or we'll be next!"
"Right, right. Let's just-" his brown eyes caught site of a cluster of human sized glass containers in the middle of the room. "-Do you see that?" He pointed at them.
Eugene's eyes followed and he shook his head furiously, "No, no, no, no, no! Let's get OUT of here!"
"This might be where the subjects are..." Delsin started to navigate his way toward them.
"That's great! Now we know where they are. Let's go find them some help! DELSIN!"
Eugene's attempts to redirect his friend were useless. Delsin had already found himself circling around the tubes. His hand touched the glass of each one as he passed. They were cold and empty. What kind of sick things were they testing in here? This was way more than what Augustine had originally intended. They were creating something here.
"Delsin! Come on! I hear people coming!"
As the older boy came around the other side of the tubes, he stopped dead in his tracks. His breath hitched and he took a step back. "No way..." he drew out, breathlessly.
Before him, in a container, was a human female. An oxygen mask was attached to her pale face as her chest heaved ever so softly. She was alive. Delsin inched closer for a further examination. Her hair appeared as pale as her skin inside the tube of blue liquid. She had a diamond shaped face and small lips. Her nose was on the small side as well. If he had to guess, she looked to be about seventeen.
His hand laid flat against the glass as he called out, "Eugene!" but Eugene never responded. "Eugene?!" He tore his eyes away from the girl to see Eugene struggling against multiple D.U.P. officers.
"Shit." He cursed under his breath. Then he looked back at the female in the tube only to be greeted by ocean blue eyes. Her eyes. Delsin gasped and before he could make another move her right hand reached out, touching his against the glass. A spark seemed to ignite between their fingers. It was like electricity coarsing through Delsin's body. The next thing he knew glass was shattering and he was sent flying backwards toward the ground. Then, everything went black.