The Halls Are Alive

by Madame Pomme

G.E.A.R has taken everything from everyone of us. Be it a home, a friend, a family, or a neighbor, they have taken them away. We are done with hiding, done with waiting for the friends who will never return to us. So we are making a stand. We are the Abnormals, and G.E.A.R better watch out, because we're coming for them. [Superhuman AU]

3. Chapter Three

The master list.

"I want subjects 187 and 134 brought to the test chambers immediately."

"Yes, sir."

"Make sure at least three men are guarding the area at all times."

"Yes, sir."

-Linebreak-

Arthur's eyes slid across the page so quickly that many would find it impossible to take in any of the words. He wasn't so much reading the document as much as just skimming.

'Subject 113, Natalya Arlovskaya, ghosts'

'Subject 134, Kiku Honda, enhanced reflexes'

'Subject 152, Lilli Zwingli, healing'

'Subject 187, Feliks Łukasiewicz, resurrection'

'Subject 209 'ESCAPED', Erzsébet Héderváry, conjuration'

'Subject 226, Eduard von Bock, technological projection'

Many many more numbers were listed, from 63 to 511, along with names and brief, one word descriptions of what Arthur assumed were their powers.

Numbers, names, abilities.

'Assumed dangerous, this breed of superhumans are thought to of developed extra genes during meiosis. These genes manifest differently in every one of them. Whatever causes it, society has taken to calling them the Abnormals. Many of them seem disturbed. Tests are being performed to see exactly what causes this abnormality and how it becomes such powers.'

The page was signed off with,

'Genetic Experimentation and Analytical Research,

Department of Experimentation,

Assistant Director of Experiments,

Lisa DiVaulderbilt'

Arthur was almost offended. Dangerous? Disturbed? But of course, he had to remember that people will hate things that they don't understand. It was embedded in society.

Number, names, abilities.

He knew he had stumbled across a goldmine of information. This list...it was obviously not meant for anyone outside of G.E.A.R to see. Arthur assumed it was a master list of every prisoner that had ever been in their facility. Some of them had 'deceased' or 'moved' next to their numbers. He scrolled and scrolled. Number after number. Name after name.

There was a 'Raivis', an 'Antonio', a 'Yao', a 'Roderich', a 'Berwald', an 'Emil'. There was 111, 96, 432, 385, 220, and 335. There was teleportation, enchantment, plant manipulation, transformation, and imperviablility.

Numbers, names, abilities.

But no where did it say they were being held. No buildings or compounds or cities were listed anywhere on the document.

That's what he had hoped for.

Something that would tell him where to strike. That would tell him where the prisons were instead of having to scout for them. Instead of wandering blindly, searching for a compound to break into.

'Subject 469 'ESCAPED', Matthew Williams, invisibility'

There was a note below this one.

'Due to over-experimentation, the subject's invisibility has become somewhat permanent. The degree at which 469's invisibility acts is known to fluctuate.'

Poor boy. He was the first they rescued. He was the first to join their cause. Matthew helped infiltrate the other two compounds, to free the other two inmates. He's been a great help to their efforts.

Arthur kept looking.

Numbers, names, abilities.

Over and over and over again.

'126-

447-

501-

Lukas-

Toris-

Ivan-

Immortality-

Gills-

Persuasion-

379-

Michelle-

109-

Soporific-'

Numbers, names, abilities.

-Linebreak-

"The subjects have been moved, sir."

"Thank you, Dr. DiVaulderbilt. See to it that they are sedated and prepared for testing."

"Right away, sir"