Chapter 41: Thirst For Help
A van drives in the dark road, bypassing thick trees on either side of the, with only the moon as a source of light, as the headlights of the vehicle are shut off.
"Are we there yet?" Came a light voice.
"Hell if I know," Answered a deeper voice, "She only said to keep moving until we find a large block. Dudn't she know from buildings?"
"I can... Feel somting" Came a foreign accent, "Eet ees vedy hard to hold... We might be close..."
"How can ya tell? Ya's psychic or sumtin?" Came a raspy, Irish voice.
"No, I eesn't, psycheec."
"Can't we go any faster?" Said the lighter voice again, "I'm going to have a heartattack if we don't get there soon."
"Anyone near by?"
"..." There came a short pause, "No hyuman nears," Said the other voice, "I feel contained lightning right forward. Eet ees vedy deestracting"
"Contained lightnin?" The Irish voice said, "What teh feck does that mean?"
"I think she means the building," The light voice said. "Lets find someplace to park, and make our way there. It shouldn't be too far now."
"Aight." The dark voice replied. The van turned from the lone road, and road carefully into the woods.
~~~
The clock reads 2:13 am, and the scratching of pen and paper etches in the room as Erin writes down on the requested forms she had. It's been a few days since Adam's shock treatment. From what Kaiser had reported, he did NOT go easy. It's a miracle Adam can still walk after what he was put through.
As she said, Erin had taken steps to report Nigel for all the cruelty he has dealt out - given the chance, she'd have him done away with a long time ago, and his stunt with the electro-shock has given her JUST the edge she needs to report him.
However, like ALL allegations and paperwork, it takes time to receive the needed applications from the fax machine, and God forbid these sorts of papers could just be sent and printed off an email - confidentiality is a bitch sometimes. Not to mention having to force the necessary people to write and sign as witnesses - Nigel has been the warden of the Agency of Oceanic research for almost 20 years, and he has ruled this building with an Iron Fist. He has everyone so afraid of him, they barely have room in their heads for opinions.
Erin shook her head, reflecting that she too was so afraid of him, so damn meek as to do nothing while Nigel tortured these two innocent men.
And now she finally has the means to write up a report. The pen stroked and moved as she began to write in the margin for what Nigel Quinlan is being accused.
[Nigel Quinlan, through testimony of many of the employ of the Agency of Oceanic Research, thus the evidence attached, is guilty of violation of the 8th Amendment: Administration of Cruel and Unusual Punishment of]
She paused. Erin glanced her eyes at another folder full of special paperwork she had requested - these ones in particular, having needed a lot of strings to pull. After taking a few seconds, she continued writing.
[two American Citizens, both of which have committed absolutely no crime, carry no criminal records]...
Erin took a moment to yawn. She's been busy all day and night, committing every minute she has to trying to get Adam and Merrick to walk free out of the Agency. She only hopes Merrick can forgive her long enough to leave this place.
~~~
"Dammit... For God's sake..." Jacob irked as he searched high and low in the lab, careful not to disturb any of the equipment. Daniel walked in, not surprised to see his boyfriend in the deserted lab at this time of night, holding a couple of Red Bulls in his hands.
"Hey, Jacob," Daniel said. He noticed Jacob looking flustered and agitated as he moved about the lab. "What's going on?"
"I can't find my notes." Jacob said, "I've been looking for them for the past few days, and I can't find them anywhere!"
"Which notes would they be?"
"The analyses and the chemical pin-points on the merman tears," Jacob continued searching.
"Where did you last see them?" Daniel asked as he set aside the drinks, and began glancing around too.
"Right on THIS table!" Jacob said as he patted the spot where he last was working on the notes, "I took the rest of the day off because I felt terrible about what's been going on, and I forgot to put them away, and they've disappeared!"
"Maybe one of the other scientists took them to work on?" The guard suggested.
"No, none of them would even think about picking up someone else's work around here."
"What about Dr Kaiser? Did he scold you for not putting your findings away?"
"He probably might have, but he's been too busy in his study to unlock the door." He said, "Could you help me? Tell the other guards to try and find them?"
"You got it," Daniel said as he picked up his communicator.
~~~
"Mnnnhhh..." Adam rolled to his side as he blinked slowly. Ever since Nigel had him electrocuted, he's been stuck in this little room. The staff were at least nice enough to keep feeding up at least.
He can't get the image of Merrick in his head. His poor merman, half butchered and half bandaged. He nearly killed him in cold blood - twice! Even if they manage to escape this awful place, how is he going to make things better now? Merrick's mental state seems so delicate and destructive now. What if he wakes up one morning, and Merrick just starts screaming and ripping him apart? What if he goes after Yuri and Jamal? Is there any way to heal him, both physically AND mentally?
Adam cringed as he moaned, his eyes feeling sore.
~~~
Merrick growled as he smoothly loomed and circled around in the tank. Swimming is the only way to keep his mind focused, and to ease the boredom - his mind circulating every memory of his time in Adam's house, pressing it firmly in the front of his head to keep from thinking of anything else.
The humans barely have enough courage to come in here, and drop a fish into the tank for him to eat. At least they were tasty, but the bones littered the tank's bottom, since the humans are terrified that he'll strike them dead if they even try to take him out.
He feels so much pain and hatred right now... Cowards doing the bidding of a monster, they're all monsters. The only demon who meant anything to him in this prison is that Erin, and she was almost as bad as that Nigel - Lying monsters are always the worst. What sets her apart from Nigel is the fact that she at least sheds tears for him.
Merrick continued to swim in circles in the tank, managing to keep his wrath under control.
~~~
In the outside of the Agency, the lights are beginning to switch off. As each light turned off, four black figures quickly snuck in the plentiful shadows. They headed towards a lone door on the back of the building - possibly either a back door, or an emergency exit.
Each figure is wearing black clothing, and a ski mask with only eyeholes into it. One by one, they made it to the wall.
"You sure you ready fo this, Double-O 70?" The tallest figure whispered. The thicker figure chuckled.
"Shon, yur talkin to a lady who snuck out of her house more than any spider trou a hole - I broke in and out of places you wouldn't even tink of!" The Irish voice said proudly.
"Aight. What bout chu, Pink? Meds?"
"Lets just hurry," The light voice said, "We've waisted enough time."
"I ees ready." Said the thick voice.
The taller figure nodded, before he held up a phone, and switched on its light. It shone a lock without a doorknob. The shorter figure walked in, brandishing a hairpin in her gloved fingers, and inserted it into the keyhole.
Within seconds, the door clicked, and the door creaked open, "Heh heh!" The Irish whispered, "Ain't a door alive can keep ME out!" She mumbled.
"Aight. Pink, you first." Said the tall figure, "We'll follow close behind."
"Yees." The other figure nodded before stepping in - slipping deliberately in with a smooth grace. Meds hissed as the hinges of the doors squeaked, as she quickly slipped in. OO70 stepped into, before J-Man snuck in last, and closed the door, placing a pebble to keep it ajar JUST enough to keep it hidden.
~~~
Sarah the guard sighs as she watches the security cameras. Nothing on, as usual - besides the fact that she was ordered to overlook any and everything that Erin does when going to visit the merman.
She gets up to begin her break, when her communicator activated. She took it from her belt, and held it up to her mouth, "Responding."
"There seems to be a breach at the North-East exit. Could you check it out?"
"Alright." Sarah typed onto the keyboard of the computer, and brought up the cameras at the North-East Sector of the facility. Everything is so dark, she can barely make out anything-
"Hhh!" She spotted a four dark figures scurrying down a hallway on one of the monitors. She retyped on the keyboard, and brought up more of the angles from a handful of cameras. The burglars could be seen appearing, running into random screens. She picked up her walkie, and pressed the button. =KSSSH= "..."
"=Yes?=" Said the other side. Sarah hesitated. The figures hid behind a wall, as one of the scientists happened to be passing through, "=Well?="
"... It's nothing." Sarah said as she spotted the figures in another monitor, "I don't see anything out of the ordinary."
"=Yeah, it was probably just a glitch or something.=" Said the other guard, "=I'll keep you posted.="
"Over and out..." Sarah said before she put the communicator back on her belt. She groaned a bit as she put her hands on her head and watched as the four dark intruders make their way through the maze of the Agency. "I hope they're what I think they are..." She mumbled. Every fiber of her being is telling her to follow protocol, and report this new development, "... Ahhhh jeeez..." She nervously moaned. If she lets this slide, and gets caught, she'll lose a LOT more than just her job...
"Dammit, just please make this quick..."
~~~
The four intruders jogged down each dark hallway. They stopped to give OO70 a moment to catch her breath. Meds came over to her to make sure she is all right, bringing up her ski mask just over her mouth to give her some air.
"Which way, Pink?" J-Man asked as he looked to the one who is leading them. Pink holds her hands out, her eyes closed as she focused out on sensing the trace of their target.
