To Hell & Back

A communicator was on a desk. I ran over to pick it up and it rested on a sticky note with a smug smiley face. Fear coursed through my daughter's voice as she spoke,

"Lily?! Please tell me you're home!"

"I-I don't know where I am-"

Then there was a muffled shout on her end.

"YES!"

Lily was silent and whispered, "Someone's here."

"Look," I said urgently as I continued to investigate my surroundings, "describe your surroundings. Think rationally-" then I cussed at the sight of Camilius plugged into the machines.

"I-I think the other person went to sleep..."

"Lily, don't you dare move from where you are!"

I heard her open a door and stammer,

"Oh-"

"Lily..." I growled.

"a picture of Mr. Camilius."

I cussed and rubbed my temple.

"Lily," I shook my head almost sobbing.

"How the hell did I get here?! The last I remember was Kidman talking about how you were going to complain about all the soda I drank!"

My fatherly instinct kicked and made my eye twitch to that confession.

"Lily," I explained grimly, "the Beacon STEM machine can connect to minds wirelessly."

She went silent for a long moment, and then she croaked,

"No..."

I nodded almost sobbing, "Yes."

"Th-then what is Kidman doing right now?"

"I'll take care of that you just stay in the room you were in earlier."

I had forgotten my phone in my car. Once I got it I had about 50 more missed calls and Kidman was still calling me. I sighed before I answered it,

"SEBASTIAN CASTELLANOS! WHY THE HELL-"

"I'm at Beacon, tell her where you are girl," I put the phone to the communicator and Lily croaked,

"I-I'm in STEM."

"Oh my God," Kidman she muttered, "Oh. My. God."

I went back up the lighthouse and Kidman said,

"I was taking her to the hospital but I'm coming to you."

"I'll be waiting for you Kidman..."

-----------------

(Kidman's pov)

I carried Lily in on my shoulder as my feet clomped on the hard floor. Having her unconscious on my shoulder but hearing her voice on a communicator was the eeriest situation I've had for a long time. Thoughts were rattling in my brain like pinballs in a tin can.

Sebastian sat in an old chair solemnly, keeping the communicator in arms reach. I sighed and carefully put Lily into one of the STEM baths but waited to plug her in. I spoke without looking at him,

"It's a trap Sebastian."

He ruffled his hands together helplessly and replied, "We both gotta go in. Otherwise it will connect us unwillingly."

Sighing I walked up to the CORE and deduced,

"This isn't like the one with Union. An updated model... must be connected to the CORE wirelessly."

"So," Sebastian growled, "the person responsible could be hundreds of miles away?"

"Anywhere in the world; worst case scenario."

I glanced at him, "Plug her in?"

"Is there a choice?" He muttered helplessly, "Lily? Hang tight, we're coming in."

"O-okay..." Lily shuddered out.

I plugged Lily in and added,

"If this is mainly wireless, there's a possibility that this STEM environment could be the biggest yet."

"I don't care, I had wanted peace, but they fabricate war and a war they shall get!" He growled as he flopped into a STEM bath.

I tried to take deep breaths as anxiety flooded through me. The needle stung as I plugged in before resting my finger on the 'enter' key on the terminal next to me. Sebastian was waiting for my count.

"3."

Deep breaths.

"2."

Calming of the nerves.

"1."

"To hell and back. To hell and back!" I thought in determination.

-----------------------

We quickly lost feeling after we pressed enter. The first sight and feeling was of us falling through almost complete darkness. The only lights were star-like lights as we fell what looked like the vacuum of space itself. Sebastian dove next to me like a NAVY SEAL while I, unbeknownst to him, had a little trouble since the last time I was in STEM was eight years ago in this very hospital.

We both landed next to each other and my heart was pounding. The floor was still darkness but it splashed like water as we walked upon it. I turned roundabout, habitually checking my surroundings only to note that no stars were present. This was probably due to the bright light to our right.

Sebastian jogged to it, his face set for whatever might come our way. I followed by his side, masking my terror with eyes of steel. Sebastian spoke suddenly mid jog, asking,

"Are you ready for this?"

I chuckled before we entered the light.

"You know good and well. That NO ONE can be ready for this..."