Chapter 5
The door hissed open, revealing a dimly lit room that drew the group in. Shadows lingered in the corners, but their attention drew instantly to a large glass tube glowing faintly at the center.
"What is this place?" Leia asked, glancing warily around the dark chamber, the only light spilling in from the corridor behind them.
"This is the experiment lab where we conduct experiments on living beings," Ai explained in her emotionless, robotic tone, exposing the grim intentions of the Blood Red Empire without a hint of remorse.
Chills ran down Leia's spine at Ai's words. The implication sank heavy in the air—living beings treated as mere subjects for experimentation.
Inside the tube, a figure floated within a swirling blue liquid, a mask tube crammed into its mouth siphoning nourishment from a nearby machine.
"What is inside those tubes?" Maya whispered, pointing cautiously at the transparent vessel, its surface marred by streaks of condensation.
"Those are remnants of previous experiments," Ai responded, her tone disturbingly matter-of-fact. "Inside these glass tubes were once super soldiers created for war."
The lab held several more of the enormous glass tubes, most either cracked or seemingly abandoned, remnants of past trials lingering in the air like ghosts. The group cautiously navigated the room, their minds racing to grasp its purpose.
Jing decided to explore the upper levels, while Dalton and Maya surveyed the room for potential threats. James stepped closer to the glass tube, his curiosity piquing, while the twins, visibly shaken, hovered nearby, casting anxious glances around.
"Do you think there's a trap here?" Larry whispered, scanning the shadows for signs of danger.
"I hope not. I don't want to end up dead. Hana is still waiting for me at home," Barry replied, a hopeful smile crossing his face as he thought of the love of his life.
"HEY! Hana is mine; don't you dare say that!" Larry shot back, jealousy surging in his voice, his hands clenched into fists.
"What do you mean she's yours? I remember when you asked her out, and she just laughed in your face!" Barry taunted, the memory of Larry's rejection igniting amusement.
"And what about you? When you asked her out, she flat-out said 'ew' before walking away! I saw the whole thing!" Larry countered, mimicking Barry's embarrassed expression from that fateful moment.
"Why, you jerk!" Barry exclaimed, anger painting his face as he lunged at Larry.
The two tumbled to the ground, wrestling and arguing fiercely over their shared crush, each trying to outdo the other in verbal jabs.
"Knock it off, both of you!" Jing called down from overhead, noticing the chaotic brawl. Her voice cut through their banter, and they paused to gather their bearings, retreating to separate corners of the room.
The atmosphere shifted again as the group regained composure. The silence settled, only broken by their footsteps echoing against the cold floor.
"Hey, Captain, do you think this place is a trap?" Maya asked cautiously, wandering near the edges of the room while scanning for any sign of danger.
"Maybe, but for now, it doesn't seem like it," Dalton replied, moving carefully with his eyes darting around, still wary despite the calm exterior.
Determined not to let their guard down simply because Ai had been forthcoming until now, the group understood they had to remain vigilant. One wrong move could spell disaster.
Jing's attention turned to a black monitor hanging against the wall, while Dalton and Maya continued their inspection of the glass tubes. Meanwhile, Leia felt her curiosity deepen regarding the contents inside the seemingly lonely glass vessel.
Dust accumulated on the surface obscured their view, so James took it upon himself to wipe it clean. "What could be inside this glass?" he pondered aloud as he gradually spun away the grime.
With each stroke, a figure became clearer—a man suspended in the vibrant blue liquid, his body seemingly lifeless, a mask tube feeding him air and nutrients. "Well, what do we have here?" James murmured, a mix of surprise and concern lacing his voice.
"Hey, guys, take a look at this," he called out, waving the others to join him at the glass tube. "Leia, could you help me clear off the dust? This is something you need to see."
"Sure," Leia agreed, her brow furrowing in concentration. She began chanting in ancient Elven, her hand extending toward the glass. With her magic, droplets of water began forming mid-air, swirling gracefully as they made their way to the glass, gradually erasing the thick dust.
Once she released her spell, a burst of water exploded around the glass, harmlessly splattering away. Inside, the figure was now visible—the man floating listlessly in the blue liquid, connected to the life-sustaining mask tube.
The group gasped in shock, questions erupting in a whirlwind. "Ai, who is this man? And why is he stuck there?" Jing asked, her gaze fixed firmly on a camera in the room, her concern palpable.
Ai's information was chilling: the man was a super soldier, engineered for warfare, forever entwined in the service of the Blood Red Emperor. "Please step back," Ai instructed as a chill crept over the group. They instinctively backed away from the glass.
Suddenly, the lights flickered on, revealing the room's grim details as they illuminated the interior. The monitor Jing had been studying powered up, accompanied by a mechanical startup noise that echoed through the lab.
Her heart raced as Jing turned back toward the monitor. The others, drawn by the noise, hurried to gather around the flickering screen.
"What is going on?" Dalton asked, curiosity mixed with apprehension as they all leaned in, eager to understand why the monitor had come to life and what it might mean for them.
The screen displayed a message within a glowing box: if they would like to release him...
"What do we do now?" Leia asked, her gaze fixed on Jing, hoping he would take charge in this tense moment. The display in front of them lit up with the status of the man trapped inside the transparent tube, indicating that he was fully prepped for extraction. Suddenly, a pop-up dialog appeared on the screen, asking, "Would you like to release subject 10?" with clear options for "Yes" or "No."
Ai, ever the voice of reason, suggested they prepare to retrieve the man from the tube. With a purposeful nod, she led them up the staircase that spiraled away from the sterile lab.
"Dalton, Maya, you two go upstairs and bring him down," Jing instructed, casting a steady glance at both of them. His tone left no room for hesitation. They nodded in acknowledgment, sharing a moment of determination before heading up to fulfill the task.
Ai, ever the voice of reason, suggested they prepare to retrieve the man from the tube. With a purposeful nod, she led them up the staircase that spiraled away from the sterile lab.
"Dalton, Maya, you two go upstairs and bring him down," Jing instructed, casting a steady glance at both of them, his tone leaving no room for hesitation. They nodded in acknowledgment, sharing a moment of determination before heading up to fulfill the task.
Delton and Maya quickly went upstairs to prepare for retrieving the man. Ai automatically pressed the "Yes" button, which released the man from his cage. The man slowly floated up the glass tube. Delton and Maya were positioned above the glass tube, preparing to lift him out. The tube opened automatically, and Delton and Maya quickly extracted him from it.
The man was quite handsome, his body seemed perfectly sculpted, and his jet-black hair glistened in the light, reflecting off his wet hair. It was like a God had descended among the mortals, blessing them with his presence alone.