"This is a research facility... so please try to stay out of our way."
Standing on the cold, metal grating of the observation tower bridge, Samael felt somewhat insulted by the situation. The faint hum of machinery thrummed beneath his feet, vibrating faintly through the soles of his shoes. Overhead, harsh strip lights flickered intermittently, casting long, narrow shadows along the floor mesh. The two guards standing nervously beside the director shifted uncomfortably while the creak of their armor breaking the stillness.
It was understandable, considering Blisk had never stopped staring at them through half-lidded eyes with an unreadable expression. The mercenary leaned casually against the support railing, one boot tapping idly against the grating with a dull clang that echoed down the length of the bridge.
But the real tension arose from the silent standoff between the director and Samael, who was taking in every detail of her immaculate white lab coat that trailed down to her knees. His gaze darted upwards, onto her right breast pocket. Just above it, a name tag identification badge along with a company name and reference number emboldened in red font caught his attention.
In this moment, he gleamed something to latch onto.
"Director Saraha Hope Blasey..." Samael's face contorted into a pleasant, corporate smile, "You're one of Vincent Dynamics' employees, correct?"
Though it was a question, he already knew the answer - it was, after all, written on the name tag he'd just seen. Vincent Dynamics was one of the largest companies in the core systems, possibly even the closest to rivaling the Hammond legacy in sheer wealth and power.
However, to Samael, they were just making knockoff versions of what his own family's company produced. Though one of the closest to his father's corporation, that did not mean the gap between them was small - just that Vincent Dynamics was... slightly above average compared to the minor players.
Regardless, the woman did not react to it, seeing no problem at all with her employer. "Correct. Mr. Hammond, this IMC facility employs both your company's researchers and researchers from Vincent Dynamics. This is not an issue... is it?"
The question was a subtle hint. It was clear she did not respect Samael in the slightest or even show intrest about his wellbeing. Understandable, considering she had studied for years just to be told by her superiors that a five-year-old kid was heading over to join the R&D Atlas program.
Wasn't this just disrespectful?
Samael understood her feelings, but didn't care in the slightest.
He snickered, "Here I thought the director would belong to my company? Maybe I was wrong, but this is a Hammond Robotics facility after all. It would be breaking proper etiquette if there wasn't."
"The last director had an... accident. He tragically lost his life in a live fire Titan test. He will be dearly missed by all of us," she responded with a flat face.
"Accidents, accidents. You can try and prevent them, but you can't stop all of them."
Samael's small form brushed past her, the faint scent of disinfectant lingering in the air as he calmly strolled into the control room of the observation tower. The black glass walls stretched around the space in a 360-degree curve, providing an unbroken and panoramic view of the facility below. Many inticate walkways and transport systems carried workers to and from each floor and lab.
In the observation tower, beyond the projections of Titan blueprints hanging in mid-air from the holographic emitters, a monitor displayed all the camera feeds connected throughout the site. Alongside this, wireless controls for the testing rooms, the safety interface for titans that immited faint light from the touchpads.
Seeing him enter, Blasey wanted to protest, but realistically, she could do nothing.
With his hands behind his back, Samael stood in front of the observation window, idly watching the researchers on all the floors going about their business. The distant outlines of technicians moved like they were in another world while the distant clatter of tools and passing drones softened by the reinforced glass.
Blisk, still leaning against the frame, gave a short grunt of amusement, his gaze never leaving the guards as if daring them to intervene. While Samael was talking to the Director, he decided to help the kid out a little and tunred to the gaurds.
Inside the control room however, Samael did not pay attention.
"Mrs. Blasey, huh?" He spoke softly.
"So your Married, it must be difficult, right? All that time away from home must be straining your beautiful relationship with your lucky man. A shame, a real shame." He said it absentmindedly, as if it was barely worth noting, his reflection staring back at him in the glass - a faint, warped silhouette surrounded by the light of the screens.
"With all due respect, sir, that's none of your business."
Blasey's face morphed into a ghastly scowl at the mention of her betrothed. After marrying a man named Conner Blasey, she had hoped to soon leave this planet and spend time with him, maybe go to the luxury planet of Alexandria in the core systems, where her earnings could be used to stay in a romantic beach house resort amidst the tropical regions of the planet.
Unfortunately, now she could not do that since her request was denied, her superior using Samael's arrival as an excuse, telling her to watch over him.
"No, no, you're right, it isn't my business. But seeing a beautiful young woman like yourself, I'd assume you might one day want to start a family, right? Maybe you've already decided on a cute name for your children."
"W-What are you..."
"OHH!" Samael suddenly swiveled around on his heels, eyes beaming with excitement. The black shade of his pupils lurched, creeping outwards ever so slowly as their darkness deepening until they seemed to drink in the surrounding light. "If you have a girl, you should name her Renee!"
It was as if the room's temperature plummeted. The subtle, constant hum of the facility's systems seemed to fade into the background, leaving only an oppressive, suffocating silence. The very air grew heavier, as though thickened by invisible hands.
Her entire body stiffened like a deer caught in headlights.
Blasey's mind spiraled, as if completely exposed. The name Renee was the one singular one she had chosen to name her and her husband's child if they had a girl. However, they had only discussed this in absolute private, and only ever spoke about this once.
An extreme sense of paranoia overtook her thoughts.
Did the Hammond company monitor her every move? Did they have bugs in her house? Were there eyes and ears in the very walls of her own home?
However, what Samael said next, though seemingly innocent, was even more unnerving.
"Director, please be careful. This facility is dangerous, and one director has already had an accident. I wouldn't want you to suffer the same fate... or else poor Renee might never be born."
Director Blasey stumbled back, struggling intensely to hold onto her composure, a tremor running through her fingers.
"G-Guards?"
She called out to the two IMC soldiers still on the bridge just beside the blast doors.
"Oi, director, I think it's time you leave. Lucky you, aye - getting an early shift." Blisk met her weary gaze with his own uncaring eyes. The faintest smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. Beside him, the guards had now turned their attention onto the director instead of Samael and Blisk.
The mercenary grinned smugly. It was a simple matter to remind these soldiers who actually paid their wages. They worked for the IMC, and the informal name of the IMC was Hammond Engineering. These men, thus, worked for Samael's father and not Vincent Dynamics or the director.
It's really strange - how a simple conversation can sway people's allegiances.
"Ma'am, please come calmly. We'll escort you back to your quarters." One of the soldiers said, moving beside the director to guide her out, his armored hand resting heavily on her shoulder.
"Samael Hammond, you will regre-" She raised her voice, only to be cut off.
"I'll what? Please say it louder, so I can hear properly." Samael's facade fell. He looked at her with an apathy that could not be described. "Say it."
"Dammit, it was... it was nothing." She gave up, gritting her teeth so tightly her gums began to bleed, the metallic tang sharp in the back of her throat. "Enjoy your day, Mr. Hammond."
The blast doors hissed shut behind her, sealing the tight bridge corridor in her wake, leaving only the low, persistent hum of machinery and computer systems. Now it was just Blisk and Samael in the observation tower.
However, despite the silence, Samael was very pleased. Infact, he had tricked Blasey with the supreme power of future knowledge. No, Hammond robotics and engineering had not bugged her house or put secret agents in her walls.
He simply remembered that in the apex games, one of the charecters called Wraith's full name was Renee Hope Blasey. Evedently, when he read the directors name and saw an exact match with the middle name and surname, it was easy to make the connection that the director was Renees mother.
This simple trick had gained him near free reign in the facility so long as the Director did not do something stupid. But if she did, she might experiance her own live fire test accident.