Jazz thought her breathing was too loud before. It was too quiet for her in this infinite white corridor. The silence was far too heavy and unsettling to assume it was normal. Jazz was far too afraid to utter a single peep for unknown reasons and settled deep within her mind. It was as if breaking the silence would have dire consequences.
The GiW agent she followed behind was equally silent and stiff. He never spoke a word to her nor acknowledged her presence. His posture was stoic, and his movements robotic.
Jazz honestly wondered if a single color could absorb sound in a room. It would be an exciting experiment to work on. But, right now, she could hardly make out the faint buzz from the bright lights above.
She knew they weren't going to the 'visitor's lounge.' There wouldn't ever be one in a place like this. GiW Headquarters was a cover for its being a secret facility. It was dubious whether the government sanctioned this or not. Realistically, they could be one thing or the other. There was no way to tell unless Jazz took a deep dive. Which she had no plans on doing. She was afraid of what she would find there.
She and Dan needed to find a way to either distract the agent or find someplace secluded to knock him out. Not kill, or seriously maim, it wasn't Jazz's style, and she'd stop Dan from doing so in any way.
The hallway was so long and empty. The GiW agents must have guts of steel and a sharp mind to not get lost in this place. Jazz already felt so lost in here. They either had a photographic memory, or their glasses had a hud screen with a map installed. It wasn't impossible with the technology society had now.
Jazz decided the latter was more likely, and she needed to get one. She felt a weight on her shoulder, and she looked down to see the bag slowly sliding down her arm. Jazz grit her teeth and heaved it back up. Her hands were firmly on the strap, and the bag pressed close to her body.
It wasn't just heavy. It had… certain sensitive objects inside. Objects that she'd preferably keep out of sight. Jazz wasn't sure if there would be any sensors to detect foreign objects or if she would be subject to a body search, including her bag.
Once she confirmed that she'd safely secured the bag on her, Jazz took the chance to peer past the agent. Of course, there wouldn't be anything in front of them. But she still wanted to check. If they could hide the front entrance in plain sight, it wasn't far off for them to do the same inside.
All there was to it was an eerily empty hallway. Despite the dark glasses she was given, Jazz saw nothing of importance whatsoever. Then, a howling silence came over them. Jazz couldn't help but feel unnerved by it. The buzzing lights had long since faded out, the footsteps no longer registered in her ears.
The sense of unease came from the assumption that something would be around the corner. Whatever that may be.
Jazz made a minuscule motion to discreetly speak to Dan when an arm jutted out in front of her. The agent came to a stop, and she stopped right behind him. She stumbled slightly and almost bumped into him.
Once she regained her balance, Jazz turned her head to the sight of a small group of individuals marching down the corridor in the opposite direction. They all moved in an oddly structured formation, a misshapen v-shape around a singular man in the middle of it.
The air shifted and Jazz, by instinct, knew Dan was right behind her. She motioned her hand, and it stopped. Right now, it wasn't the time to blow their cover.
On the other hand, Dan grumbled quietly but remained where he was. With the thought that Jazz would only get in his way if he tried anything now, Dan focused on the group of people making their way down the hall.
They were all dressed meticulously in uniform, he noted. Dan rolled his eyes, not that they mattered - he was most interested in the man in the middle of the formation.
Unlike the others, this human had an entirely different setup. He was dressed as though he was marching into battle. Complete with pieces of armor, a white trench coat, and oddly, portions of his body had straps tightened on them.
Dan had to think the most peculiar aspect of the man was the fact that he didn't wear dark glasses. Instead, complimented with strawberry blonde hair were a set of dull, dead amber eyes. Unfocused yet sharp at the same time.
He walked in a slow, casual manner. Like he was simply going about his day, which he technically was. Yet, the motions had an infectious, giddy feeling to them. The faintest of a smile played on the man's face.
Dan hardly bothered with facial expressions, even when they were the only thing that told the entire story. At this moment, however, there was something all too unsettling about that man's smile. It was too playful, something that reminded Dan too much of himself.
For a brief moment, Dan dared to make eye contact. No one else except for Jazz could see him, right? He stared into the amber eyes, then he blinked. It was like staring into the abyss. There was just something not right about this guy.
Once Dan blinked and looked at the amber eyes again, those eyes stared back. Dan had to control himself as a faint ripple of shock went through him. He couldn't tear his gaze away as they made eye contact.
Dan craned his neck as the group passed him, partly out of curiosity and unease. The amber-eyed man broke contact without much care that he had somehow seen a ghost right there in the corridor.
The howling silence was much more preferable than the unsettling man that just passed by.
Dan looked down at Jazz. She, too, stared down the corridor. She fidgeted nervously, and her entire body was tense.
The GiW agent that stopped her turned to her with barely noticeable concern. He folded his arms behind his back. His face and neck were sweaty. Perhaps that amber-eyed man had more…presence in the facility than it seemed. It had to be something if even a low-ranked agent was afraid of him.
"Did you make eye contact?"
"I- what?" She stumbled. Her face flushed in embarrassment.
"Did you make eye contact?" The agent seemed particularly urgent with this question.
"No, I didn't," Jazz felt a weight lifted off her chest once she said that. A thought passed, and she wondered if he'd been explicitly instructed to ask that question if any outsiders came into contact with that amber-eyed man. Because while she didn't make eye contact with him, Jazz felt his eyes on her.
He made her feel so gross. Her skin crawled just by the thought of him.
The agent didn't say any more. He merely nodded in acknowledgment. He turned to keep walking when Jazz jumped at the chance to ask him a question.
"Wait, um…" Jazz trailed once she realized she didn't know his name.
The agent stopped at her voice, brows raised in surprise. He turned back to her once again.
"Operative D. Did you need something, miss?"
"Y-yes." Jazz started timidly. "I…need to go use the ladies' restroom."
Jazz could feel it with the silence disrupted, she knew Dan could feel it. An uncomfortable sensation bubbled under the surface.
"That shouldn't be a problem," D said, again with that enunciated voice. He turned away. Jazz observed as he put his hand to his glasses and tapped on them. She sucked in her breath. It was either now or never.
Jazz motioned her hand behind her, and moments later, Dan was close next to her. His presence was the only thing that kept her from freaking out. He had a rather protective streak for her.
"Did you see that?" Jazz whispered to him. She looked pointedly at Operative D.
"Yes." Dan nodded, his ears twitched with interest.
"Want to bet those glasses have a map installed in them?" Jazz gestured her head. Her red hair whipped around gently with the motions. "We need to get them."
"Not a problem," Dan sneered. It showcased his sharp fangs. It was incredible how his entire demeanor changed by switching facial expressions.
"No killing or maiming," Jazz said the instant she saw that expression, "just knock him out. I think he's quite harmless."
Dan stared at her for a moment or two. Then, a contemplative silence surrounded him. He finally sighed and folded his arms.
"Fine, ruin my fun, Jazz." His eyes stared into hers.
Jazz went to retort, but a question from Operative D silenced her.
"Are you ok, miss?" D asked, his body leaning forwards. It was obvious he was interested about her presence a little too much.
"Oh…um…yes, I talk to myself when I get nervous." Jazz wildly motioned her arms as though she wasn't talking to an invisible person.
"I see. Come with me," D said simply. He stood up straight. "The restrooms are just ahead."
"Smooth," Dan whispered to her.
"Don't," she grumbled. How in the world did Dan ever keep Danny's attitude?
As they made a quick trek down the hall, Jazz had to ask, "Who was that?"
Who could blame her? That man sent the most unsettling chills down her back, and they had barely even looked at each other. It was a hungry, predatory kind of look she felt.
D stopped stiffly. "As much of an asset as he is to us, absolutely no one is to acknowledge his presence."
The robotic tone made Jazz rethink about asking more. Perhaps it was better that way.
As Operative D said, the restrooms weren't that far ahead. Jazz already spotted them by the color of the signs on the wall. It was probably the most she would ever see any sort of vibrancy in the facility.
D took position near the ladies' restroom. "You go and do your business. I'll be waiting right out here."
"Thank you." Jazz had a smile creep onto her face. Then a pang went through her chest. Jazz felt terrible that they needed to knock him out to get what they wanted. She kept D within her peripheral vision as she pretended to go through the doors. Jazz caught the door with her foot to keep it from closing entirely. She peered from behind it to watch.
D stood straight and still, much like a professional. He only shifted around now and then to ease the weight off of his feet. The occasional whistle would flow past his lips, something to fill the void. Then, right behind D, a dark silhouette appeared. A pair of red eyes pierced the shadows cast by the walls. They glared down at the lone man.
Gradually Dan's complete form unveiled itself. The invisibility was stripped away like a layer of wallpaper. Dan had a smirk as he pondered what to do to knock D out cold. Since he wasn't allowed to kill or maim, he had to think of something less exciting.
A thoughtful expression appeared as Dan's hand glowed green. It crackled quietly with ecto-energy. The energy flowed through him as he tightly fisted his hand. Dan pulled his arm back to aim a direct hit behind D's head. A few seconds passed, ensuring he had a perfect view of his target. In an instant, there was a loud crack as the strong fist made an impact on a human skull. A dull thud followed it.
Dan smiled faintly in amusement once his fist made contact with the soft surface. He watched the body unceremoniously fall over. Human bodies made pretty good rag dolls once they were knocked over.
Jazz grimaced at the sound of a human body falling. A tingle of phantom pain blazed in her body, and her muscles tensed up. The sound of flesh smacking against the ground echoed in her ears. She was used to hearing ghosts get tossed around, but it was different when it was a human. It had an intimate impact if Jazz were to be honest. They were human, just as she was. It was an eerie reminder of her mortality.
Slowly, Jazz emerged from behind the door. Her movements were shaky and slightly uneven. Even her breath shuddered.
Dan's amusement changed to indifference as the ecto-energy fizzled away from his hand. He stared down at the unconscious body, his form imposed over it in the shadows.
Dan looked up to greet Jazz when he saw her face. His face morphed into a frown.
"What?" Dan said irritably. "He's not dead."
"I know." Jazz swallowed thickly. "It's…never mind that."
Carefully kneeled, Jazz made quick work of removing D's glasses. She gently pulled her own and placed the new pair on her nose. Immediately a hud screen popped into existence.
Jazz tapped on the rims, and a map appeared. A white dot indicated where she was currently on the screen.
"Well?" Dan interrupted her impatiently.
"I got it. It works," Jazz answered him just as impatiently. "We need to find some kind of control room, and we can track down Kai from there."
Several more taps later, the screen highlighted a room not far from her location. Jazz smiled lightly. It seemed like things were beginning to look up for her and Dan.
Since they were alone in a secluded corner, Jazz felt it was safe enough to let go of her bag. She let it slide down her arm and land with a light thunk on the floor. The objects inside clattered quietly. Jazz unzipped the bag and took out a pair of black gloves. She gracefully slipped them on before reaching back into it and retrieving a small, metal briefcase.
Dan eyed the case in curiosity.
Jazz unclipped the clasps and flipped the lid open. Strapped inside was the sleek, compact form of a handgun. Dan stared incredulously, eyebrow raised. His sister wasn't the type to handle weapons unless it was a blunt one. She rarely handled guns.
She held it delicately while she reached back in and picked up a gun holster. Jazz exhaled softly. She set the gun down and put her hands to work clipping the holster around her waist. Once that was done, she went back to the bag once more. After some feeling around, her fingers brushed the metal cases of the gun magazines.
Jazz closed her hand around a couple of them and held them tightly as she pulled her hand out. Her other hand searched for the gun. Her fingers twitched in discomfort. A jolt surged through her when her hand finally found the handle.
Quickly and without a word, Jazz slipped the magazine into the gun's body. She hit the bottom of it and heard a satisfactory click. Then she inserted the weapon into its holster, eager to forget about its existence.
Several minutes passed before Dan made the first move. "Jazz, where did you…?"
"Not now, Dan," Jazz sighed, her brows creased in frustration. "I'll tell you later."
She stood up and swung the empty bag back over her shoulder. Then, avoiding eye contact with Dan, Jazz asked, "Can you make me invisible? So I can guide us to the control room."
Dan remained silent but obliged her request. His hand held her shoulder, and an odd buzz went through them. Then, both of their forms faded from view. Jazz stood still and shook the feeling off. She'd probably never get used to the sensation of turning invisible. It wasn't natural to do so.
The palpable silence returned to echo in their ears while they began to navigate their way through the corridor.
Somehow, the halls seemed a lot shorter when you had a map. Even better if it was a holographic one that was in your line of sight at all times.
In no time, Jazz spotted a door with lettered indents that read 'control room.' She stopped and placed her hands on her hips with thoughts of how to open them. But unfortunately, there were no visible keyholes or electronic scanners to grant her access.
The door was of the sliding kind, so they couldn't just force their way in. Behind her, Dan frowned with his eyes looking all over. Humans made things way too complicated for themselves.
His eyes eventually focused on Jazz, and he chuckled in amusement at her huffing and puffing at the door. But then, an idea came to him, and because he felt like it, Dan put his hand on Jazz's back and lightly pushed her.
Her body lurched forwards, the visitor ID card he had forgotten was around her neck, flipped forwards. It comically slapped against the door.
A few seconds later, an automated voice unexpectedly sounded, "Visitor ID…access granted."
A hissing sound filled their ears, and the door smoothly slid open. It unveiled a dark room with an expansive monitor display and an extensive control module.
"Well…I was going to tell you off," Jazz said awkwardly with a shrug. "But thanks for the help."
She flashed him a smile, to which Dan didn't know what to think. All he did was give her a light push.
"How the hell does a visitor ID let you into the control room?" Dan grumbled, his hand gesturing at the room.
It was strangely pleasant when he followed Jazz inside. It was large, dark, and the blue glow contrasted nicely with it. At the very least, Dan could take his dark glasses off to ease his eyes.
He spotted Jazz at the control module. Her body bent over to look closer at the buttons and panels. The chirping and whirs didn't faze her whatsoever. Her mind only focused on finding out where Kai was being kept.
"Tucker would sure be helpful here," Jazz muttered, her hands flew over the keyboards.
An odd feeling formed in his chest at the thought of the blue ghost. Dan found it a little strange how he…longed for Kai's presence. He shook away the sentiment. He would deal with it later.
Jazz made a slight sound. In turn, Dan's head whipped in her direction. She hovered over a panel and tapped on it.
The blue hue from the screens shifted to a stark white one. The duo glanced up at the monitor before they stepped back in shock.
Dan especially had a faint surge of fury go through him. Out of instinct, his hands curled up into tight fists. He cared little for the pain from the nails digging into his skin. Neon green filled the room as ecto-energy pooled into his hands, his muscles tense from the energy surge. His face did that familiar tug of it becoming a snarl. A deep growl rumbled within his throat.
Jazz was too taken aback to speak. Fear and anger sparked inside her. Her heart began to beat rapidly. Her hand twitched anxiously on the gun holster.
"Is that…?" Jazz finally managed to get her mouth working.
"It's him," Dan said bluntly.
"Let's see..." Jazz murmured. She tapped her glasses again. A connection was made between the glasses and the monitor with a beep. With the press of a button, a new room highlighted itself on the holographic map. "Got it. We need to be quick and careful. They're keeping him down in the lab…some kind of cell."
No response, Jazz turned around hesitantly.
"Dan? What are you…?" She asked.
"Move aside, Jazz." Dan brushed past her, he gave her a firm push and she stumbled.
Hand still glowing, he looked down at the control module. Anger ignited inside him. He raised his hand. A small boom echoed in the control room when Dan's hand, boosted by ecto-energy, punched into the board. Electricity buzzed and crackled as he grabbed a handful of wires and ripped them out.
A strange hum sounded throughout the room and presumably the entire facility. Then, there was a buzz, and the lights flickered out before it was all plunged into total darkness. Jazz stood still in the dark. Her heart thundered against her chest. A cold sweat came over her. She had to hug her arms around her.
She stared at Dan, who dropped the bundle of torn wires and began to walk away. Her brain took a moment or two to register before she did a light jog to catch up to him.
"Dan…" she said quietly, unsure of what to say. The fear was there, that anything could potentially anger him.
He didn't acknowledge her. His back remained turned. His posture was stiff, his footsteps sounded considerably heavier.
"What was that?" Jazz asked forcefully.
"That's for me to know," Dan said, a soft hiss slipped into his tone.
He turned to her suddenly, eyes eerily glowing. The pupils became small slits. His mouth morphed into a wide grin while highlighting his fangs.
"Shall we?" He extended his arm out to the darkness.