Chapter 5:
Back at the lab
Phoenix, Benji and Max walked down the dimly lighted hallway towards the lab, and as they got closer Phoenix began to get chills. She should have thought about what she had said about returning to the one place that she feared the most. From the time that the steel door had slammed shut behind them she feared for her life. She wondered what would happen if someone at the lab noticed her? The lab door was not even a few feet away when she stopped moving.
"What are you doing?" Benji asked.
"I am having second thoughts about this." Phoenix replied.
"What are you…" Benji started to yell but Max cut in.
"Phoenix it's alright I'll protect you I swear." Max said softly.
For some reason she believed him and for a moment all the fear of the lab had left her as she started walking again ever so slowly towards the cold steel door. Once again the fear returned to her just as they reached the door. Knowing it would be too late to turn back she joined up with the other two as they walked through the door.
Phoenix's eyes instantly shut because of how bright it was, and as she slowly opened them they adjusted and by the time she had them fully opened she could see again. The lab was huge and was filled with wandering dogs and humans. They walked to the other side of the lab to a bunch of lockers that were marked "Security". Phoenix thought that they would stop there but they continued onward toward another door marked "New Development's".
"This is where we are going." Max whispered to Phoenix.
"Stay behind us and we will go through the final part of this little mission by getting the finished Prototype." Benji added.
"Alright." Phoenix replied.
"We will inject you with it, but we do not know what will happen so be on your guard, and be ready for anything." Benji said.
"Yes we don't need any trouble while we are here." Max agreed.
They all entered the "New Developments" lab but unlike the regular lab no one was there. It was completely empty, and on a shelf was a vial of purple liquid.
"Is that what we are after?" Phoenix asked nodding to the small vial.
"No the one we are after is white and gold." Benji said sarcastically.
Rolling his eyes Max said "Yes that purple filled vial is what we are looking for."
"There is only one way to get it." Benji said.
"Climb?" Max asked.
"No we have to pull the shelf down." Benji answered.
"What? But won't it break?" Phoenix asked.
"Not if you catch it." Max said.
"Okay let's do this." Benji said as he ran towards the back of the shelf.
Max followed him and then got on the left side while Benji got on the right side. Then they both pushed, down came the shelf along with the prple vial and all the other liquid filled vials. For some reason time seemed to slow down as the shelf fell to the floor making a loud crashing sound. The purple vial was in midair and was heading in Phoenix's direction. She jumped up to catch it, but it went throught the side of her muzzle and hit the floor.
"Nooo." Max, and Benji barked and time seemed to be back to normal. Both Max, and Benji ran towards Phoenix who was now starting to cry.
"It's not your fault." Max said trying to calm her down.
"How isn't it my fault?" Phoenix asked.
"It's okay." Benji said examining the vial.
"No it's not." Phoenix replied.
"I mean the vial is alright." Benji said.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Max asked.
"Come look at the vial it's got nothing but a scratch." Benji said. Max and Phoenix ran over to where Benji was standing.
"Wow!" Max exclaimed. "It survived the fall." He added.
Just then several security guards busted down the door.
"Run." Max barked to the others. Both Benji and Phoenix ran for the exit while Max picked up the vial with his teeth. Before Phoenix went through the door that led once again to freedom, she turned and looked for Max. She couldn't see him and she was about to turn and run when something ran past her.
"Hurry up." Max and Benji barked, but as Phoenix turned towards the door it slammed shut.
"All entrances locked." Said a computerized voice.
Phoenix looked directly at the security guards and all fell white.
"What's going on?" she asked but no one answered. "Am I dead?" she questioned. She thought that she had to be dead because the scenery around her was black.
"No you're not dead." Said a voice.
"Who's there?" Phoenix growled.
"It is no one to worry about at least not right now." The voice replied.
"What do you want?" Phoenix asked.
"I bring you information." The voice said.
"What kind of information?" Phoenix asked.
"I bring you information about your family and your descision to help this stranger." The voice said as a picture of Max appeared in the darkness.
"Okay what is this information?" Phoenix asked.
The voice hesitated but answered "Your mom and dad are about to face the biggest decision in their life but you, you have chosen to help a stranger that almost cost you your life."
"Yea so." Phoenix replied.
"If you continue to help him then you will not regret it. However if you don't help him then one of your family will be seriously be injured and might possibly die this time." The voice answered.
"Wait, what?!" Phoenix asked, but she could tell that the voice was no longer around. As she blinked her eyes the scene changed and she was back at the lab. The security guards were surrounding her. The sirens have stopped wailing, and she couldn't see not lights bouncing off the walls.
"Run." She thought, but her legs didn't want to move.
"Hurry." She heard someone say and she turned around and ran. She wondered what happened. She remembered that the door had closed but now it was wide open again. She ran through the door just as it closed, and caught up with Benji and Max. "This day didn't turn out the way I thought it would." Phoenix thought to herself.