Revelation

Alithini and the group delved into the mysteries of the facility, stumbling upon hidden wonders unseen by the public. In the dimly lit empty room, where a lone, feeble light struggled against the shadows, they relied on the glow of their phone flashlights. Alithini's curiosity led him to discover a concealed shelf. As he tried to open it, a sudden noise echoed, sending everyone scrambling to hide in the shadows. After a while, as the tension eased, Ilios couldn't help but whisper to Alithini, 'What's the big idea, idiot? Do you want us to get caught or something?

While Ilios argued with Alithini, Albedo examined the walls of the room. Speaking to himself, Albedo noted, "Hmm, it seems this room is soundproof. But that raises the question, why is it soundproof in the first place?"

Shilona interjected, "Let it go. You can argue later, Ilios."

Ilios retorted, "How can I? He could've gotten us caught. Well, I, for one, don't want to get into trouble, especially with these weird people."

Elena chimed in softly, "Shilona is right. After all, it isn't his fault anyway. How could he know that this would make such a noise?"

Albedo reassured, "There is nothing to worry about. The room is soundproof."

Ilios hesitated, "But...but..."

As the commotion continued, Alithini quietly sneaked into the strange room, leaving no trace behind.

Albedo smirked while looking at the opened shelf, saying, "Let it go; it won't help anyway."

Ilios, getting a little angry, approached Albedo and saw a weird-looking, spherical-shaped thing carefully sealed in a cylindrical container. (It looked like a big mechanical eye, though it was not an eye.)

Ilios whispered to Albedo, "Oi, Albedo, I don't know what it is, but it sure is interesting. Why don't we show it to the demon and ask?"

Albedo replied, "Why not? Since this room is soundproof, even if she gets angry, the noise won't go outside."

As Albedo and Ilios tried prying the device off, Shilona kept a watchful eye on the entrance, ensuring everything was okay in the room. Meanwhile, within the room, Elena carefully examined the mysterious device in the container. She felt an inexplicable sense of unease as the device seemed to pulse with otherworldly energy, casting an eerie glow that made the surrounding shadows dance. Unbeknownst to the others, Elena couldn't shake the feeling that they had stumbled upon something far more significant than they initially thought.

Unable to lift or move the device, Albedo and Ilios called Shilona for help and showed her the device while the spherical-shaped thing was glowing. Shilona got irritated and punched both of them, breaking Elena’s focus. The spherical-shaped thing stopped glowing.

Shilona, angrily demanding, asked, "What’s the big idea? Calling Alithini an idiot—when you're the bigger one, Ilios. And how did you find something so creepy?"

Elena, a bit worried, inquired, "Speaking of Alithini, where is he?"

Albedo responded, "Judging by his characteristics, he must’ve wandered off to the other room."

Shilona exclaimed, "He what? Ilios, I take back what I said."

Ilios muttered to himself, "Hmm, maybe the demon is a demon after all."

Shilona questioned, "Did you say something?"

Ilios quickly replied, "No. Must be your imagination."

The group entered the next room with slight irritation and found Alithini tweaking with the machines. Shilona grabbed him, and everyone went to the soundproof room to lecture him.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Hristos was monitoring the kids via camera footage. Hristos thought to himself, "Interesting bunch of kids we’ve got here. Lorelei’s kid seems to have understood what the machines are for after tweaking with them. All of the pieces are on board except one. Maybe I should go there now. After all, Calloway left for home.

In the soundproof room, Shilona lectured Alithini while Ilios criticized him. Albedo examined the eye silently, and Elena attempted to calm everyone down.

Elena intervened, "Shilona, please stop. You can lecture him after we get back. We need to finish the task at hand now."

Albedo supported, "She's right. Let's go and see what else we can find."

Shilona reluctantly agreed, "Okay. You’re not off the hook yet..."

The group ventured deeper. After the room with the peculiar machines, they found themselves in a dimly lit corridor. As they walked, Albedo asked Alithini, "What did you find in those machines?"

Alithini responded, "I'm not exactly sure, but those machines were for experimenting on human-sized subjects and collecting data."

Albedo inquired further, "Is that so? Did you find anything else?"

Alithini replied, "Aside from that, I couldn’t find the power source for those machines."

Albedo speculated, "Maybe they don’t use those machines..."

As the group reached a junction in the corridor, a guard cautiously passed through. Ilios hurriedly whispered, "Hide! Hide!"

Everyone concealed themselves along the sidelines, though one of them remained exposed without realizing.

Guard A remarked, "I wonder why they don’t light up these corridors while working. If not for the IR glasses, nobody would be able to see in this darkness."

Guard A noticed the kids and yelled into his earpiece, "We are being infiltrated. Raise the alert."

Tension rose as the kids panicked and tried to run, but more guards arrived, apprehended them, and took them to a room referred to as the control center. In the room, a blond middle aged man sat on a chair in the middle, wearing the strangest lab coat anyone had ever seen—grey on the upper side and rainbow on the downside. Other people, with a more conventional appearance, were working. In total, there were four people. Six guards brought the kids into the room while restraining them. An intense atmosphere filled the air.

Guard B: Doctor Zhiroki, we've brought the intruders as you asked.

Zhiroki looked at them with a quiet suspicion.

Zhiroki: Hmmm. An interesting bunch. So, who do you work for, kids?

Shilona wanted to speak, but Ilios suppressed her, whispering, "None. We were just curious. After all, before the facility was built, a haunted mansion used to be in its place."

Zhiroki: I hope you understand this is a private facility. Trespassing is a serious offense.

Ilios: I am sorry; we didn’t know. We thought it was abandoned after the owner disappeared into thin air. Please forgive us; we don’t want any trouble.

Zhiroki: You haven’t clarified who you work for.

Albedo: We don’t work for anyone. We are students of Aetherium Academy. If you don’t believe us, check our student IDs.

Zhiroki instructs the guards, "Search their pockets and pass their student IDs to Horatio. Tell him to investigate thoroughly."

The guards meticulously check their pockets and bags, handing over their student IDs to Horatio.

Guard C: Doctor, aside from the usual items, we found this screwdriver in the boy’s bag.

Zhiroki: Oh, let me see. This screwdriver seems identical to the screws we used in our facility but on a smaller scale. So, as you can see, we found evidence that you were attempting to break in...

The atmosphere thickened, suffused with tension, as the argument continued. Meanwhile, in a car headed for the facility, Hristos smirked, savoring the tension as he watched the drama unfold.

Hristos: Maybe I will pick up Calloway to spice things up a little. Oi, A, go to Calloway’s house; we are picking him up.

In the facility, as the commotion progressed, suddenly an alarm went off, making the people panic. The system displayed a danger alert.

Zhiroki: Ramune, what's the cause?

(Ramune, an employee working as a management officer)

Ramune: Sir, it seems the pressure lines for the machines used for subject Earthling-016 are broken, and the subject seems to be responsible for it.

Zhiroki: What! I don’t know how to fix that. Those are things I don’t want to get involved with. Where is Hristos or Calloway? It’s their job.

Horatio: Sir, if we allocate full priority to subject 016, maybe we can subdue it.

Zhiroki: No. Then the other subjects will rampage. For now, release some nitrous oxide, sevoflurane, or propofol.

Ramune: Right away, sir.

Alithini: Mr. Zhiroki, I can help. I'm familiar with those machines.

Zhiroki: You what! I knew it; you were spies.

(Albedo and the others express surprise! The group discusses among themselves.)

Albedo: Are you sure?

Shilona: What are you thinking? You could get killed by those subjects they speak of.

Elena: I agree with Shilona.

Albedo: Don’t be optimistic.

Ilios: Guys, this might be our only chance of getting out of here. If he gets killed, so will we. We have to do something.

Alithini: Exactly. If we don’t do something, they will kill us anyway.

Horatio: Sir, they are not spies. I have confirmed it. They are indeed Aetherium Academy students, and it seems Mr. Hristos knows them too.

Zhiroki: (With a mix of confusion and pressure) Ahhh! Fine, kid. I'll let you loose. If you can fix this mess. But C will accompany you. C, keep a vigilant eye. If anything seems off, shoot without hesitation.

C nods his head.

Alithini: I can fix it, but I don’t trust you. You might order Mr. Horatio or Mr. Ramune to kill me as soon as I am done, as they are monitoring everything in the facility.

Zhiroki: They won’t. I am giving you my word.

Alithini: I said I don’t trust you. Ilios here is capable of doing software work. Let him handle the software instead of Mr. Horatio, and tell Mr. Ramune to step out. Ilios alone can take care of their job.

Zhiroki: You brat!

(A call comes from Hristos on Zhiroki’s phone, and Zhiroki calms down and picks up the phone.)

Zhiroki: Hello. I know pretty well that you are watching everything. So, what’s the call?

Hristos (over the phone): Let them. Don’t worry; I, along with Calloway, am on our way to the facility.

Zhiroki (with a sense of relief): Come fast! (He hangs up.)

Hristos, gesturing towards the car's window: See, Calloway, those kids are worth more than you think. They might even surpass the employees at the facility—more like our equals in-terms of skill. 

Calloway, with an irritated expression, retorted, "That I understand. If they were able to handle it and you knew it, why would you hijack my weekend!?!  Hristos, are you putting up another one of your schemes? Don’t do it! Think about Seraphima; what would she want? She would want her child to be happy, not her child working for the same thing which got her killed….

On the other hand

As Zhiroki calmed down, everyone took their positions. Ramune handed Alithini a headset and gas mask, his voice tinged with urgency, "Take these. No matter what unfolds, keep them on. They are designed to be most effective inside the facility. they'll be your lifeline. We'll guide you every step of the way."

Ilios seamlessly claimed Horatio's desk, and with purpose, Alithini and C ventured into the mysterious chambers housing the Earthling subjects. The air thickened with a sense of purpose. Suddenly, Albedo, with a serious expression, said, "Mr. Zhiroki, hand over control to me. It seems I have the skills to handle the calculations efficiently than you. Elena, kindly navigate Mr. Ramune's computer."

Zhiroki: Oi oi, just because Hristos vouched for you doesn't grant carte blanche to everyone. I can handle the calculations perfectly fine.

Albedo Are you sure? The values you entered, the formula for that pressure calculation—it's amiss.

Zhiroki: Shut up and sit tight, fugitives. Remember, you're not in the clear yet.

Shilona: Oh, it seems you're blind to your own fault. Admit it; you’ve made a mistake. Even I, not an expert in physics, can see it, old man.

Zhiroki: Shut up. I thought you were the responsible type.

(Hristos texts Zhiroki to hand over control to them. Zhiroki becomes agitated and texts back.)

Hristos calls, and Zhiroki answers, seething, "Oh, now you place more trust in spies than your oldest companion!?"

Hristos: Calm yourself; mistakes happen. Check the 55th line.

Zhiroki grunts, emotions roiling beneath the surface.

Hristos: Zhiroki, you should take a break. You've been working hard, and I don’t want you to fall ill.

Zhiroki: Okay, okay, enough with the theatrics. I'm handing control over.

(Zhiroki hangs up and says,) "B, you can rest easy. Unrestraint them, and you, brat, what was your name again?"

Albedo: Albedo.

Zhiroki: Yeah, yeah, whatever. Take charge; I'm fatigued. Lead them to success; failure is unacceptable.

Albedo: You don’t have to worry about it. They are my dearest friends.

"After the intense exchange, Albedo and Elena seamlessly assume control, their focused expressions illuminated by the soft glow of computer screens. Meanwhile, C and Alithini courageously venture deep into the enigmatic chambers of the Earthling subjects, guided only by the dim, pulsating lights within.

Zhiroki, accompanied by Ramune and Horatio, relaxes on a plush couch nearby, their anticipation palpable in the ambient suspense. They await Hristos, surrounded by an air of mystery, as if the answers to their questions linger just beyond the shadows.

To be continued