Richard, Ashley and Peter

Floor J – Project Genesis – U8443-D Equipment Lab

Richard somehow managed to shut the Laboratory door, and it had been fifteen minutes since he had collapsed behind the door. His hands were still shaking with this little excitement. His face was sullen. He watched a horde of the crazy people running after the armored Hailey before closing the door. "I hope you can reach safety, little girl. I did all I can do to help you. In these circumstances" he muttered, looking over the side of the glass wall that stood between him and the "little idiots". Just to put Hailey a little more at ease, giving these changed people names that aren't exactly scary. He tried to make them a little less scary. He had learned this during his years in the research field. To solve a problem, it was easier to first make it acceptable.

He shrugged, "With that little girl gone. I have one less problem to solve." Just as he tries to find a way to survive a bit longer his Cranial Implant successfully rebooted. " Emmy are you there? "As one of the administrative directors of the Otawa Complex. Corporation gave him a little advantage over the others. It was a kind of reward for his dedication to the Triad. One of the experimental Communications Implants was placed inside his ear. But after the event, it stopped working.

# Yes Administrator Stone, I'm here.

He stood up and said, "Report!"

# Director it has been 9 hours since the connection to the outside of the Otawan complex has been cut and the Emmy system took over control.

# Complex's infrastructure in a heavily damaged state

Richard frowned, "Oh, simplify, don't give me all the details. Since I don't have much time here. Tell me what happened, why it happened, what you're doing to fix it."

# Due to the island's connectivity and infrastructure problems. The Emmy system is unable to obtain any information outside of the complex. There was an explosion 9 hours ago, probable location Dougan Complex.

"Damn Dougan bastards did this huh. Director Jordan always complained about this side of them. Impatient and too eager to achieve. Overreaching is a bad thing. Too bad they learned this by hard way huh.. Jordan urged them to go slower on that project. Whatever that project it was."

# According to the calculations on the Explosions strength. Dougan complex is no more. The highest probability reason is, that their arc reactor exploded. It took down the main AI Adams Infrastructure too

"What?????. This place was built to stand against nuclear war. How come one arc-reactor explosion took down two complex sites.

# Currently it's not possible to answer that question, Director Stone.

"So whatever Dougan did with that precious secret Project, They created something bigger than anyone could have imagined, and it blew up in our face. What are you doing to fix this problem?"

# Otawa Complex drone system offline due to Radioactive wave that similar effect with Higher Electro-Magnetic Pulse.

# Protocol "Protect the light" activated as no automated systems or personnel are available to make the repairs needed by the complex and the arc-reactor status remains unclear

"So according to your assessment, we reached the no-turning point. It's a pity. Is it irreparable?"

# Protocols are very clear about this. All the research data had to be moved by employees to the safest location.

"Understandable Then who did you assign?

# Since the protocol was activated there were 5 failed attempts. Currently, it's on 6th attempt

# Latest candidate for the protocol is "Harry Kowalski" a Dougan Complex Employee

"Wow, that's ironic. They destroyed us and now one of them saving our precious data. So how's the sixth attempt going on?"

# Harry Kowalski met with Otawa Complex Employee Elizabeth Cunningham. She is one of the researchers on the carapace armor project. But he started to exhibit signs of some mutation.

"Sign of some mutation huh.. " he looked behind the glass wall " We have a lot of mutated ones around. Who cares one more. If you still support him then it's good enough for me. A mutant and he's on our side. He met with the researcher of that armor Hailey wore? Fate is a weird thing" he looked his hands still trembling. "Did I get too old before I noticed that" he gave a long sigh as he tried to get up "Say Emmy when this glass wall will break" pointed to the glass wall next to him

# The glass wall on the right is solid and has no problems at the moment. The problem is that the other wall is on the verge of a break. If the pressure continues for another fifteen minutes, it will break.

Richard moved to the nearest chair and tried to get comfortable "Okay tell me about this guy; Harry was it? What kind of mutations are we talking about"

Floor J – J4 Materials Lab 9 Hours ago

It was the first day of Peter's promotion, after much effort, he had become one of the senior researchers in the materials lab. Although he is glad that his hard work is recognized by the management. The increase in responsibilities and the fact that he had to work much harder than before had worn him out from day one. Although he did not have a problem with working, the fact that the time he devoted to his hobbies would decrease a little bothered him. At least he could spend more time with Ashley in the lab. It was the only thing that made the workload a little more bearable for him.

While they started their work as usual. Categorizing new samples checking still running tests on different materials and creating new tests for the new material samples they got from some other labs. Peter decided to ask Ashley out on this day to celebrate his promotion.

While Peter became one of her superiors, he wasn't her immediate superior, he didn't think it would be a problem. There were many couples in the research complex, perhaps not many managers and subordinates, but this was his first day, so probably no one would complain about it, he approached Ashley to whisper his intention. It was commonplace for them, nothing they hadn't done before.

One more step and he'd be close enough to whisper to Ashley. But he couldn't take that step. He saw some people start frantically running down the hall to the nearest elevators or stairs. Before he knew what was happening, he heard the muffled sound of an explosion, then the ground started shaking.

All the lights suddenly went out. It was just one moment, but at that moment, he felt something else, like a small electric shock. When the emergency lights are on. Those around him and those in the corridor began to fall to the ground. Some people started trembling where they were, some started screaming holding their heads.

He and Ashley were standing there, watching all these happening around them. At the next moment, the other ones who still standing with them in the lab started acting weirdly. One of them just grabbed the nearest person to him and bashed his head on the table, he kept bashing till other guy stopped struggling to get free

Later he noticed that guy was Arnold. Usually one of the peaceful guys in the lab. When Arnold noticed both of them standing only a few meters away he started moving towards them. Peter in any other circumstances would stay out of the trouble but because of Ashley, He moved in to stop Arnold who became aggressive. He was afraid something would happen to Ashley too.

When Peter moved to hold or stop Arnold. He realized how Arnold had managed to bang the other man's head on the table. Arnold had more power than he should have. He was trying to bite Peter while Peter was still trying to communicate with him. After a bitter struggle, Peter managed to get Arnold to the door of the laboratory. He was bitten and hit on the head several times. Peter shouted, "Ashley I'm going to try to kick him out of the lab. You have to help me to close the door"

Ashley was still in shock and could not understand what was happening around her. When you hear Peter shout, she. She was more frightened. Peter thought Ashley understood him and forced all his remaining strength to push Arnold out the door. He smiled when he saw Ashley coming toward them. He thought that at least they would fight together and manage to do something about it. He was about to push Arnold away, but Arnold grabbed him and they nested together outside.

When he managed to somehow free himself from Arnold, he stood up and tried to enter the lab. He stepped back and tried to control the movements of both Arnold and the others. He slammed his back hard as he thought he was going to walk through the door. He looked behind him to see what had happened and saw that the door was closed. He and Ashley made eye contact when he looked through the window of the door.

She screamed as Arnold and a few others jumped on Peter and dragged him away. Peter didn't try to get away or do anything else, just stared into her eyes. She saw him for the last time, disbelieving, heartbroken, with a disappointed look in his eyes.

Floor J – J4 Materials Lab - Present time

Hailey had never run like this in her life, or so in recent years. she couldn't remember, she wasn't even sure she wanted to remember. She looked up as she tried to get air into her lungs and to see if she had managed to get into a safe place. The ones who pursued her managed to reach where she was, she heard their footsteps outside.

When Hailey managed to raise her head, she saw...