Chapter 3: Dark Education
Wallace J. Whitehall Institute, City of Kronos
10:00 am
The Wallace J. Whitehall Institute was a large 500 stories high-building in the large metropolitan city of Kronos, Atlas's number one scientific research center. It was known for it's advancements in medical and aura research, but Donnic and his team were here for the singular purpose of investigating the mysterious money transfers and the shipments the group had been sending out. Their suspicions were that the institute was aligned with Inquisitor, and they had been carrying out experiments for his sinister plans. They had piggybacked a volunteer program, in which Evan went to work in the I.T department with Anna, the chief officer, while Desmond investigated the shipping docks, but Andrea and Donnic ended up working in the maintenance department with Norman, Anna's father.
" Why did my brother and Desmond get the better jobs?" Andrea said with annoyance.
" Welcome to my world kid." Norman said.
" Where are we are working this time?" Donnic asked.
" Sub-Level 6." Norman responded.
" There's more floors below the building?" Andrea asked.
" Yeah, over 57." Norman explained.
" Where do you get the money for that?" Donnic asked with surprise in his voice.
" Corporate backers and the military, everyone's been scrambling for the best stuff in the wake of these Inquisitor attacks." Norman said.
" There's been more than one attack?" Andrea said.
" Yeah, the most recent one was at the Balthor Library during the electoral debates." Norman said.
" I heard about that, 20 people were confirmed missing, the majority being girls." Donnic said.
The elevator stopped on the floor they were supposed to clean, in which Donnic discovered a room door that had been open for a while...
" Why's this door open?" Donnic asked.
" What? No door on this floor is supposed to be open." Norman said.
" Why is it labeled Nursery?" Andrea pointed out.
Donnic and Andrea slipped into the room while Norman answered his communicator from his daughter. They discovered several babies in large metal canisters, with oxygen masks over their mouths, and their skin was covered in darkened veins and their eyes were blackened with blood-red irises. The sight of these kids had appalled the duo, but they decided to investigate the table covered in papers and found something that horrified Donnic...
" Um, Andrea?" Donnic said.
" What is it, man?" Andrea said.
" These documents, they're appalling." Donnic said in shock.
" Well, what do they say?" Andrea demanded.
" These kids, are human-Grimm hybrids." Donnic said.
" Wait, what?!" Andrea said.
Andrea immediately grabbed hold of the papers that Donnic was holding, in which it turned out to be genetics charts showing a blending of human and Grimm DNA. It also shown that the kids were being relocated to a location referred to only one location: SANCTUARY.
" What's Sanctuary?" Andrea asked.
" Kids, we've got a problem." Norman said.
" What's up Norman?" Donnic asked.
" This floor we're on...doesn't exist." Norman said in horror.
The kids were surprised at the fact that they were on wasn't on any of the blueprints of the building. Their problems were about to get worse as a serrated blade exploded through Norman's chest, spurting blood all over them both, in which Scythe appeared behind him as his body dropped to the floor...
" Who the hell are you?" The kids demanded as they drew their weapons.
" Just the one who would silence everyone who gets too close." Scythe remarked.
" You're the one who killed Roth?" Donnic asked.
" Of course, it's my assignment to take out those getting close to finding out my master's plan." Scythe said.
The kids attacked her, and she spilled the fight out into the hall like Scythe herself was conducting the battle so the hybrids wouldn't be harmed. Donnic destroyed a steam valve, distracting Scythe long enough for them to run away since Scythe was too dangerous. They crossed paths with Evan and Anna on the stairwell...
" Why are you guys running?" Evan asked.
" Crazy cyborg chick just murdered old Norman, and is now trying to murder us." Donnic said.
" A cyborg girl murdered my Dad?" Anna asked, horrified at Donnic's statement.
"Yeah, long story, why are you two running?" Andrea asked.
" Oh, security's trying to kill us." Evan explained.
Two security officers appeared and fired at them, forcing them to escape through an exit and lead them to flee through the shipping area where they regrouped with Desmond, who had just knocked out two hostile security officers. They escaped out one of the loading bay doors, but were surrounded by a group of soldiers with a tank...
" Stay where you are!" The Lieutenant ordered.
" Oh crap." Donnic said.
" Language." Evan said.
One of the soldiers walked and set something metallic down on the ground, and it began to project the image of Korvac in his high-tech battle armor with his face concealed by the tactical helmet...
" Well, looks like we got ourselves a bunch of wannabe heroes." Korvac said.
" We're more the gallant rogue types." Donnic responded before being punched in the arm by Andrea.
" Silence, I will not have a bunch of kids interfering with my master's plans." Korvac said angrily.
" You mean the hybrids? The persons who are a combination of Human and Grimm DNA?!" Andrea responded in the same tone, shocking the other three in their little group.
" Yes, they are his children, and they are going to be a part of this world, whether its by peace or force." Korvac said.
" I'm pretty sure the world is not going to agree with that belief." Donnic said.
" Why do you think he has the second largest standing military force to that of Atlas?" Korvac explained.
" Wait, what?" Evan said.
" If we are to make his children part of this world by force, we will slaughter anyone who disagrees." Korvac said.
" Now that is crazy." Donnic said.
" Don't worry, you won't live to see it. Kill them all." Korvac ordered his lieutenant before terminating his transmission.
" Yes sir." The Lieutenant said, raising his rifle.
Donnic and his team had their weapons at the ready, while Anna simply carried a hand-held sidearm, which was a Picus 45. millimeter pistol. But their battle was prevented due to the arrival of Aletian assault airships that decimated the soldiers and destroyed the tank, and deployed two Aletian guardsmen who approached the group...
" Are you Team D.E.A.D?" The Lead guard asked.
" Yes, who's asking?" Donnic inquired.
" Try General Ironwood." The other said.
" Well then lead the way, we have quite a story to fill him in on." Donnic said.
While the five of them hopped aboard the airship to go speak with General Ironwood, Scythe made contact with Bennett, who was actually a high-ranking official in the Aletian high command and an agent of inquisitor...
" Bennett." Scythe said.
" What is it, Scythe?" Bennett asked.
" The kids know about the children, they're on their way to Ironwood right now." Scythe said.
" Damn it, I'll have our agents aboard Ironwood's frigate subdue them." Bennett said.
" Okay." Scythe said.
This chapter concludes with General Ironwood acquiring Team D.E.A.D from an ambush set by Korvac, and Bennett is revealed to be a spy for Inquisitor in the Aletian Central Command. Norman and Anna are based of Oz and Lilith from Exo Zombies due to their positions in the Institute. Korvac is a ruthless military commander for Inquisitor and inspired by the Arkham Knight due to his ruthless military command style that is the equivalent of the Knight himself. The next chapter introduces a meeting between General Ironwood and Team D.E.A.D and the ambush suggested by Bennett himself, and Donnic learns the horrific way about how the hybrids are born and what happens to the person who gives birth to them...
WAIT AND SEE.