Puppy theft
There was a building in front of Milles.
He had not expected to find a building in the restricted area but there was one, as shiny as a brand new construction. There was something fishy going around here.
Not to mention, the electric fence around the house that made it secure, Milles would have taken it as another building in the academy campus.
"Can you check around for locks and security systems inside the building? Also, scan inside for biological lifeform and their placement inside the building" the place gave Milles the creep and in a bad way.
The place looked abandoned as well. But unlike the system study building, this one had a debilitated abandoned look to it. In actuality, this building was much more crowded than it led you to believe.
[Pulling up the map. Creating 3d objects]
Milles waited for the map to load up on his secure phone and cursed his luck. The device was not good enough to operate the neural system to its full capacity but it was better than nothing.
The map showed the placement of too many biological signatures inside the building, most of them clustered around the right part of the building.
There was no way there were that many humans in a single place. There had to be plants or something else there that was causing this reaction.
There were a few other spots inside the facility which likely meant humans but Milles was not that worried. He had packed his tools in his bag after all.
"Pull up the blueprints of this building. I want to know the location of all the available ports here" the neural system did as Milles asked and highlighted a few places on the map.
The nearest one was not so far away from his current location and was even on the outskirts of the fence.
So that was the first place Milles decided to hit up.
There were only two human signatures inside the building and Milles knew he could make it work.
The doors were operated by biometric signals and maintained by the neural system. They were ridiculously easy to break through and Milles passed through the opening without any problem.
Once he came out on the other side of the building, he was on the other side of the fence as well. That was one obstacle out of the way for him.
But there were still too many people here for Milles to feel comfortable. He needed a distraction for the people to worry about.
"Can you turn off all the energy being diverted toward this place?" there was a static noise before Milles got a response.
[Cutting energy supply and going on back-up supply in the region would mean disconnecting from the neural system. Would Professor Milles still like to process]
This would make things difficult but it was a necessary evil. And the disconnect would not hold on to forever.
"Cut the supply off for half-an-hour. Then you can reconnect and lead me back out" There was s surge in magic around Milles before he felt the power going off.
The inside of the building was bathed in darkness before the emergency light booted itself. There was just enough light in there to see your footsteps and Milles could hear footsteps heading his way.
He instantly plastered himself against the wall and waited for the people to pass.
"There is no support. We cannot connect to the neural system and check for the fault as well. What should we do now?" the panicked guards passed Milles's location and it was finally safe to move once again.
His phone no longer had the map active but Milles still had the screenshot of the map. He decided to follow along and keep himself in the shadow.
The door was locked shut when he finally reached the room he was supposed to and he instantly ported his phone into the panel.
It took some time but he managed to hack inside. The security here was decent enough even without the neural system and Milles felt his heart pound as he opened the door.
Hundred of eyes made him the center of attraction as he entered the room.
Walls were lined with cages containing canine animals in them and something in the back of Milles's mind registered it as an experimental facility.
There was an unnatural glow in the animal's eyes that could only be achieved with the help of magic. These animals were no longer normal and it showed up in their DNA.
"When will the power come back on? I need to record my findings of another failed batch" Milles pushed himself into the darkness as the voice reached him.
He watched as a person in a white scientific coat passed his location and all the eyes moved to the scientist instead. Unlike the curiosity before, there was fear in their eyes as they looked at the scientist before.
"Poor animals, doomed to die in a few days since you all failed to bind with the neural system. And it even caused a loss of fertility in you all. Only one kit among hundreds of you? I'm disappointed really" Milles felt his heart hurt for those poor animals.
The scientist moved toward a cage and picked up something fluffy and small from it. Milles watched as the wolf inside the cage growled but did nothing else as her pup was picked up.
"Since you all have proven to be a failure, it's time I try something different. This mutt was born with the neural transplants in his blood so I'm sure he will be a great test subject. We will begin once you all die in a week" the scientist gloated as he held the pup away from him.
Milles felt like he had to react, to save the pup but he could not afford to blow his cover.
He felt bad that he could do nothing for the pleading eyes looking his way but maybe he could save the pup? He had nowhere to keep it but anything would be better than this hellhole of a place.
"I hid this pup's existence from the rest of my peers and I see that it was the right choice. Now now, hold still puppy or I shall no be held responsible for my next actions" the scientist complained and Milles could not watch any longer.
He would get only one chance at this without the neural system and he had to make sure he did this right.
He slowly walked toward the cage that held the pup's mother and waited for the right time. The scientist turned his back to the cage and Milles knew it was the right time to act.
The cage opened just as the scientist turned over.
"Who are you? What are you doing here? Guards, come quick -" the scientist did not get to finish his sentence before the female wolf was on him, her claws tearing through his flesh.
Milles felt bile rise in his throat but he controlled himself. It was not the first time he had seen someone die at an animal's hand but it was one of the most brutal ones.
He could feel the satisfaction of the other animals around him as well and it made him feel just a little better.
He wanted to open the cages and release the other animals as well but his legs refused to move.
The female wolf was in front of him, her bloody snoot holding his pup. Milles felt his heart skip in fear of the huge creature.
Was this it? His end at the hand of an angry wolf? Had he made a mistake?
But whatever he expected did not come to pass. Instead, the female wolf passed the bloodied pup into his arms and nudged him with her snout.
"You want me to take him with me? What about you? Should I open your cages as well?" Milles asked and then felt foolish. The wolf likely did not understand his words at all.
But the wolf just made a gesture that said 'forget it,' and jumped back into her cage. The rest of the animals settled into their cages as well, content to be there.
They had no intention of leaving this place.
"So, what am I to do? Raise a wolf pup in your place? Won't it be better for you to do it yourself in the wilderness?" Milles asked but the female wolf was beyond caring at that point.
She just pawed at the lock on her cage and settled down once Milles bolted it shut.
His phone rang with an alarm that Milles had set. He only had about 10 minutes to get out before the neural system came back on.
He had to leave now but he felt bad. He had to leave all these animals behind to their death.
The pup in his arm snuffed but did not protest when Milles held him tighter.
And then they were off, running away from the facility and away from the dead scientist and doomed animals inside the facility.
"Sorry pup, but please stay put in the bag" the neural system was coming back and Milles knew he was about to get caught in the restricted area.
[Neural system back on. Connection established]
"Clean me of this blood. Hurry up and do it" Milles felt the magic and the headache that came with it…
…just in time as well. There was a shadow tailing him now.