The Facility

Novel Genetics Corp

Malate, Manila

March 20, 2992

2310H

"Damn those JanRobs!"

Ethan rubs his head and sighs in incredulity as he walks through the bare corridors of the facility. He thrusts a cart hauling an old mop and a bucket of water with cleaning chemicals.

"They should be fixing those goddamn janitor robots as soon as possible. If I should know that those robots will malfunction. Maybe Mike's dozing again in his duty!"

Ethan uttered as he clenches his teeth and strongly mops the floor. His eyes were wide and his sharp look almost penetrated the metal floor. He decided to put his earphone on and plays music as a distraction.

He begins to sing along when Your Man by Josh Turner starts playing. He swishes and proms, making the mop as his romping partner.

After the cleaning, Ethan caught in awe that his duty was done already.

" It's past 12 am already? Well, everything's fast if you don't look at the time as always."

He smirks while strolling through the empty corridor then back to the supply room where his locker is located. After he changed his clothes, he shuts down all the flues and went his way up via elevator located just 2 corridors away.

There he saw a foreigner scientist on the elevator. He could confide, he was donning the yellow bands. Yellow bands are for those who work at the labs itself. He wears blue as he and others are hardly the "support" employees. He notices that he's scuffing his head so much that it's blundering his hairstyle. He keeps nudging every button and anxiously peeking around as if someone was attempting to slay him before he gets into the elevator.

"Hey man, you're new?"

Ethan abruptly emerges in the corner. His uniform was still on, but the upper part of it is wrapped in his waist. His left hand was in his shoulders and his satchel in the back, while his other hand is in the pocket. He has an unlit cigarette in his mouth and he's cracking his neck, indicating that he has a rough shift today.

"Yeah, I'm not from here, I was the student scholar of Dr. Mendez.

The man said to him, as he mended his hairstyle and scrub his sweat. He shifts his posture and adjusts his eyeglasses. His voice was still shuddering but Ethan can tell he's not anxious anymore.

"I'm Peter Tal, from Novel University in America."

Peter suddenly raise his hands for a handshake. Ethan gets his right hand out of the pocket, shake his hand, and lights his cigarettes.

"I see, what are you doing on this floor by the way?"

Ethan said as he blows the smoke in a barren space away from Peter's face.

"I was gawking for the cleaning detergent because the Janrobs in the office starts to malfunction and make a mess. My officemates informed me about the storage room in Level 37B. Now, I got lost. Good thing there are still people down here"

Peter said to Ethan. His voice wasn't precarious at all. His face brightens and his body stance relaxed.

"Yeah, I know. It's Mike"

Ethan twirled his head in humiliation. He thumps another smoke and goes to the elevator screen, pushing the exact buttons to call it.

" He didn't reset the systems for those Janrobs. It's okay now. I've arranged them correctly this time."

He didn't glance at Peter as he was occupied with the controls. But he senses his gape slithering the shit out of him.

"That's a relief. I'm going home actually, but I can't infer the technicality of the elevator"

Peter sigh in comfort. He gleams a little bit and scrutinizes Ethan while he's huddling the controls.

"I'm going home as well, might as well join me in."

A screen in the left part of the elevator begins to play a video about the company. He doesn't bother to look at it and starts striding towards the garbage bin available. He finishes his cigarette for one last time before he swerved it, killing its ember then tosses it inside the bin while in his back. Peter gapes at it. And the cigarette went faultlessly inside the bin.

"You play Basketball?"

Peter smilingly asked Ethan as he caught in total amazement when the cigarette falls right inside the bin.

Ethan shook his head. And leans on the wall.

"Nah. Ummmm but I do in my Playstation XX23A if that would count"

"Damn, that's the current Playstation released on 2990 right?"

Peter exclaimed and lunges out of enthusiasm. His eyes become broad as well as his smile. He looks like a kid receiving his first toy.

Ethan then moves towards the screen. The beeping of the buttons as they were being lightly pushed filled the ghost-quite foyers once again. He goes back to the wall, leaning towards it without seeing the footage.

"How long is this video and what is it that they were saying? You don't seem to mind about it? "

Peter asked Ethan then he also moves towards the screen, his face bussed the monitor, curiosity surge out of his body and he's eager to examine every detail.

"I know it precisely, the brand of the company, it's chronology, the AI Lady whom in resemblance to the owner's daughter and the automated voice commands."

Ethan gets his back off the wall after a minute or two and then struts at the monitor screen. A scanner materialized on the screen and he calls Peter.

He and Peter then position their hand on the monitor, mechanical ticks plays in a succession of harmony as the small red light dances in their hands, scanning their chip number entrenched in their right wrist and the elevator open up.

"Saan and iyong destinasyon?"

(where's your destination?)

The AI coldly articulated qualms on the screen. The AI looks like a 10-year-old female. She dresses up nicely as if she was going to church and she carrying a doll in her hands.

"Pangunahing Daanan, Ikatlong Sektor ng Gusali Arroyo " Ethan replies back.

(Main Gate, Sector 3, Arroyo Building)

"Ang iyong utos ay naintindihan, manatiling nakaupo sa inyong upuan"

(command confirmed, please stay in your seats)

As soon as they got up the elevator they both perched in front of each other. Peter evaluates on the technicality of the commands, attempting to comprehend the words the AI and Ethan recently uttered. As soon as the elevator closes, it transits right away to their left, then down, then up, reaching a small shaft below, imperiling the Testing Center Field. After nearly 6 mins of an elevator ride, the two stood up and get out.

"Thank you so much, Mr..??"

"Ethan, Ethan Reyes"

"Mr. Ethan. I am in debt to you. I'll treat you something decent tomorrow"

Peter said to Ethan, he was bowing forward, his hands clasp jointly, his eyes were broad and he snickers.

"No, it's fine. If you need anything, just notify me. I'll add you on the contact list."

Ethan then positions his wristwatch and placing it to Peter's, then 3 seconds blurbing starts, transmitting each other's contacts. He then walks out of the gate without looking back.

"Be sure to keep that in mind!" Peter said.

Ethan ruffles at him. After the two separated, Ethan starts sauntering home. His legs are noodles. The muscles in his arms and hands are wailing in pain. His eyes feel heavy and his stomach agonizing from hunger. His house was not too distant from the facility but he decided to walk in the back gates to buy some Lugaw before leaving. As he was on his way to the back gate, he saw a commotion down below.

He saw 3 minor trucks of the company, some lightings in the vicinity, the security officers with some personnel wearing full combat gear was there, the highest scientists in terms of positions to the company, and the other medical personnel. He saw 4 body bags being taken out of the truck. Whoever was in those bags are alive, he knows because whoever was in those bags inside of those bags were still moving hysterically like they want to get out of it. Some medical personnel injects something to them and suddenly they hush out. The security personnel escorts the body bag inside with the doctors to follow.

"That was Dr. Mendez and Dr. Timmets. What was that? What's inside the bags?

Ethan says to himself while carefully hides from the bushes, not compelling any sound but his heart was racing. He's fretting and his eyes were not flickering.

He was about to silently flee from his hiding area when his phone hysterically rang.

Ethan swiftly turns off his mobile phone, his face displays hardship while he's speculating on what to do next. He was fidgeting so hard it makes him stiffened in the spot.

" Who was there? Reveal yourself! " said one of the security personnel

" OH crap! What the hell do I do??

Ethan utters in panic, his heart was whizzing. He breaths have heavily. His adrenaline starts kicking in his body. The only thing in his mind right now is how to get out of this dilemma.

Then somebody yanked him out of the bushes.

"Who the fuck was that!"

The soldiers are now coming nigher, they have their firearms pointed out in the source of the clatter. Then suddenly a man smears his back in his surprise.

"Don't talk, run! Follow me now!!!"

Ethan, with his fight or flight impulses now in effect, runs along with the Mysterious Man, dodging the tazer bullets as the soldiers shoot at them

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Will Ethan survive and avoid getting Caught? Who is the Mysterious Man? Follow on the next Chapter of Year 3000