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 Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:15 pm
"This substance - " he started, but he was cut off by the knock at the door.
Everyone in the room froze. Connor gestured to Tiki, who took one side of the door, signaling for Xander to take the other.
Connor walked to the side of the foor, where there was an intercom. "Yes?" he asked calmly.
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:50 pm
McMullard awaited orders from St. Cyrill, as he had no idea where they were. "Does this guy have an idea where we are?" he asked as he approached John.
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:42 pm
Madeline sighed in relief. "Oh good, someone answered," she said cheerfully. "Hello? I am sorry to disturb you, but I need to enter the room. Some cameras are faulty, and it'd be nice to fix them." She waited patiently for the man to answer. "I know how difficult it is to work when constantly being disturbed, but I promise to be careful. So does the technician with me," she added. She liked the man, but in the name of science, the technician WOULD NOT disturb the experiment.
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:46 pm
Connor clicked his tongue. "Ah yes, the cameras. Actually, I've turned them off. You see, I'm trying to perform an experiment in here that I would prefer is not observed. You know how it is, other scientists stealing the credit and all."
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:50 pm
That tone... These people aren't going to let us in... Alaric thought. While it wouldn't have made sense to most, he just had a feeling. Many a time he had heard this, the slight delay, the rather surprised tone...
There was something going on in there, that much was certain. It didn't take much to figure that out. A camera blackout, locked high-security doors, someone inside... He had to get in there. That substance.. It had to be there. It had to.
He set his toolbox down, quickly taking his gun out and pocketing it while the girl's attention was drawn to the voice. Even if she noticed, by this point he didn't care. Not when he was so close, not when he could feel himself so near to his goal.
"Aswin..." he mumbled, closing his eyes momentarily as he picked up an assortment of tools, deciding whether to go through the door or the lock. The lock would be easiest. It looked high-tech, but with enough time he could figure it out.
He stood, proper tools in hand as he waited for the girl to finish on the intercom. He was in no way able to enter this room from his voice alone, so if she couldn't get him in, he would do it himself...
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:02 pm
She tilted her head to the side. "Not observed? Well, I do understand your point." She'd had people try to do that to her before. "Maybe I can help you go faster? I'm not out looking for credit, if that's what you're wondering. If it bothers you that much, I don't mind if I'm not even mentioned...."
She trailed off after seeing Alaric pocket a gun. "You know what, perhaps it's best you don't let me and the technician in. It seems there might be a bit of a struggle," she tensed up. "I can only assume that the substance is in that room, and I don't intend for you to get it," she told the technician. "In the name of science, you will not ruin the study."
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:14 pm
His eye twitched lightly after hearing that. She was too passive for him right now... It was a pity. He seriously considered sharing what he found with her.
He slowly raised the gun at her, moving and turning off the intercom as he aimed at her. He wouldn't allow her to ruin this.
"You don't understand this at all, do you? You expect anyone besides those in that room will understand the substance? No... I cannot allow this to be kept to one person. Not when lives have been lost over it, not when lives have been ruined..." he said, thinking back slightly. He wondered if he should take his chances. Maybe this man would know some of what happened back then.
"In the name of science, I don't plan on ruining the study. It's in the name of science that we need to get in there.." he said, turning on the intercom. He would ask this man calmly, first. If he knew what happened to his brother, perhaps he would let him in. If not, he would get in anyway. He aimed the gun at the girl, speaking into the intercom as he watched her.
"To the man in this room. I'm here because of an incident over the substance back in the states, where one Staff Sergeant Aswin Gust was killed over the study. This man was my brother. You understand why I need to get in there, not to ruin the study, but to get answers. I'm letting you know now that we can discuss this civilly, or it could be more aggressive than that. This is entirely up to you, but I need your decision now."
He pulled away from the intercom, still watching the girl. He turned off the voice transmission, so now all that would happen would be for them to hear what they say, not for it to be the other way around. His eyes looked almost apologetic to her, for having deceived her so, but they also showed determination, drive...
He would not be denied. Not when he was so close...
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:38 pm
Madeline was both sad and disappointed. "I'd hoped it wouldn't end like this," she looked at the floor. After listening to him talk, she raised her eyes. With a strangely serious expression, she replied, "I do understand this. I think it is you that underestimates me. If I hadn't had my hunches on this place, then I'd have never shown you the way." He looked confused by her words. "I knew the chances of you being a robber. However, I knew the chances of the ones inside this office being a robber was higher. And if I could..." she trailed off. "I'd have loved to study this substance. Unfortunately, that is not the point at hand."
"The point is that this substance may be used for war or creation. What you do with the answers you seek may be monumentally good or bad." She clenched her fists. If he showed any sign of weakness, she'd take the opportunity to disarm him. "What is it you plan on doing with your answers?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:50 pm
"... Perhaps this is something you might not understand but... Sometimes there need be no action after finding what you want to know. This is something I honestly feel the world would be better off without me even looking at... No, this substance is not something that any human should possess. Not if such results are possible, not if people are willing to kill over it. I just would like to understand why it is that someone I knew had to get killed, all because of this... After I understand that, I plan to clean my hands of this," he said honestly.
He wasn't sure how to handle her now. She seemed like an obstacle, yet... She seemed like she had the potential to be his only ally. What was he supposed to think here?
He would take a chance.
"You want to study this yourself, don't you? To stop it from being used out of malicious intent? If what you say is true, and one of the people in that room is trying to steal it... Why don't you join me?" he asked calmly, hoping to appeal to her logic. He wasn't sure if he came off as he had meant to, but he did speak to her honestly, and did not mean any harm. He was sure their goals were not conflicting, so he hoped she would see this his way.
He lowered his gun to his hip, not quite aiming away, but taking his finger off the trigger. He offered his hand to her, a symbol of his trust in her. He hoped it would work out...
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 4:11 pm
She was surprised to see the hand gesture, but did not immediately take it. Instead, she took the chance to reply. "You're right, I can't understand knowing something and not doing something about it. As a scientist, I have a drive to understand and do something with that knowledge."
She thought over his logic. "It's true we don't know whether the person inside is attempting to steal this. It's true that allying with each other would be beneficial to fighting the person or people inside. It's also true that you were ready to kill me," she ended sadly. "However, this show of trust is nice...maybe you are being honest with me."
She took his offered hand and pulled him into a a hug. He offered a hand as trust; she ought to show that she trusted him back. "I'm sorry. I can't let that substance fall into the wrong hands. So please, if you try to take advantage of me again," she pulled back, "be sure to kill me. Otherwise, I won't stop hunting you until I get the substance to safe hands. And hopefully study it, myself," she ended happily.
Now all they had to do was wait for the scientist's reply.
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:44 pm
"Doc, if you wouldn't mind finishing that sentence?" Kurtis interjected.
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:56 pm
"What was that?" Connor asked of Kurtis, his attention divided by the voices outside and the substance within the room.
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:08 pm
"The substance," Kurtis asked. "What's it doing that shocked you?" he asked, lifting a vial of it between two fingers.
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:20 pm
"Oh!" Connor said, turning off the intercom. "It seems to me to be alive!"
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:25 pm
Since they hadn't gotten an answer from Connor, she narrowed her eyes. "I'm afraid we're going to have to break down the door." Which was nearly impossible, but she was stubborn. She'd try it anyway.
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