Chapter 17

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Two days later, Zane, Zero and the others were standing outside the main military base. Carol curiously poked Zero's prosthetic arm, which he had received the day before when Lucia had already picked it up.

"Hello everyone, you must be Zane's friends, I'm Lucia Fernan. Nice to meet you guys." Greeted Lucia to the group.

"Hello Lucia." Zane greeted her.

"Good morning Mrs. Fernan." Nodded Zero and the others also greeted her. "Thank you for taking the time." Said Zero.

"You're welcome, shall we?" She gestured towards the entrance.

"You can't just call her by her first name." Nudged Zero Zane in the ribs as they followed Lucia through the front door.

"Sorry..."

Lucia led the group through the hallways. As they followed her, Carol looked around curiously. Aki was explaining one thing or two to her and the others when Lucia stopped again.

"Here we are." Lucia opened the door into a common room. "Please wait here until the questioning is over. It shouldn't take too long."

"All right." Said Nathan and the others nodded.

"See you later Lucia." Said Zane as she walked on with Zero.

"See you later Zero!" Carol waved after them.

Zero had received a message from the military information office before the appointment. They wanted to use the opportunity to question him about the incident in Halsion. Zane and the others, meanwhile, were taken to the waiting area.

The large lounge was furnished with several seating areas and other expensive furniture. One wall was holographic, showing the sea off the base. The group had sat around a table while Carol and Asagi were already getting drinks at a counter.

"Seems like a waiting room for important guests." Nathan looked around.

"It is the waiting room for appointments with the general." Aki watched Asagi and Carol. "How do you have such a good connection with the General anyway that he gave you an appointment on such short notice?" Aki turned to Zane.

"I wonder that too." Nathan also looked at Zane, who was visibly uncomfortable.

"It's a long story." Zane scratched his head.

"It can't be that long of a story, we've barely only been here ten days." Nathan drilled him.

"You're hiding something from us, aren't you?" Aki looked at him with a probing look as Asagi and Carol came back with the drinks and some nibbles.

"Thanks." Zane took the drink from Asagi. "Well. It's actually quite simple. He knew my father."

"Your father?" Asked Asagi.

"How so?" Added Aki.

Zane began to narrate while Carol began to devour the munchies. "I guess my father saved Leon...uhm General Pearce's life once."

"Leon?" Aki looked at Zane suspiciously.

"So, you already knew the general?" Asagi inquired.

"No." Zane shook his head. "It seems to have been before I was born."

"So, during the Second Outbreak?" Nathan wondered.

"I guess he feels responsible for you." Said Asagi.

"After your father saved him, one can understand." Nathan crossed his arms.

"Seems a little strange though." Aki took a cookie from the bowl Carol had already half eaten.

"At first I was a little skeptical too, but he seemed to be telling the truth." Zane looked at the ceiling in thought.

"How are things going with you, by the way, Zane?"

"Huh?"

"I mean you don't want to stay in city security forever, do you?" Aki asked.

"No, I..." Zane rubbed the back of his neck. "I wanted to wait for Zero to wake up before I made any decisions."

"Do you want to go to Shelter?" Asagi asked.

"I'm not sure..." said Zane after some hesitation. "Why did you join the military Aki?"

"I don't even know, it seemed like the right thing to do and when I got the request, I just took it. Besides, they pay well." Laughed Aki.

"Please take care of yourself Aki!" Carol suddenly tugged on Aki's shirt.

"I will." She stroked Carol over the head.

"How long is the service?" Asagi inquired.

"Depends, but after 20 years you can take a soldier's pension." Nathan explained.

"Exactly." Aki confirmed. "Better than working 80 years."

"Some stay longer, too." Continued Nathan.

"So what do you guys want to do?" Aki turned to the others and Zane also seemed interested.

"A lot has changed in the last few days, but for now I'm going to continue studying at the Bibliotheca." Nathan began.

"I'm staying with Zero!" Carol announced.

"Figures." Laughed Zane. "And you Asagi?"

"You also got an invitation from the military, right?" Inquired Nathan.

"That's right, you told me about it." Added Aki.

"I don't know yet...", she said shyly, staring at the tabletop.

"Well, it doesn't matter. You still have time to figure it out." Zane smiled at Asagi.

"Yeah." Nodded Asagi.

"I'm sure Zero won't mind you joining the military...", Remarked Aki.

"Probably..." Confirmed Zane.

"I wonder what Zero will do now..." Nathan asked into the room.

"True." Zane put his hands behind his head and looked at the ceiling.

Some time later, Lucia returned with Zero and General Pearce.

"Meet General Pearce." Lucia pointed at the general. Immediately Aki stood up and saluted, after some hesitation Zane also followed.

"Hello everyone, you must be Zane's friends." Pearce started eyeing them. "At ease." Commanded Pearce, whereupon Aki and Zane put their arms back down.

"This is Asagi, Carol, and Nathan." Zane introduced them to Pearce.

"Nice to meet you." Nathan greeted him.

"Hello." Replied Asagi and Carol.

"Nice to meet you, too. Are you guys settling in okay?"

The group agreed as Pearce turned to Nathan first. "You're the mage, you're studying at the Bibliotheca, right?"

"Right, Sir." Nathan nodded.

"And you're the demon. Heard a lot about you."

While Pearce was addressing Asagi, Zero seemed to look at him a little displeased.

Is it because of the recruitment? Wondered Zane, who noticed Zero's look.

"Sir, we should get going." Lucia objected.

"All right. Let's go. That's what you guys are here for after all."

The group followed Lucia and Pearce to an elevator that, after Pearce's authentication, went deep down below the base.

As soon as they arrived, the elevator opened only to reveal a heavy armored door. Two soldiers had taken up positions in front of it and saluted as Pearce approached them and the armored door opened.

"General, I'm here to pick them up." A man behind the door who had already been expecting their arrival greeted the group.

"Thank you."

They all looked around as they followed the man in his lab coat. Behind the armored door was some sort of laboratory facility. The white sterile-looking walls had something of a hospital about them. Soldiers stood everywhere in the corridors they passed, with scientists and other personnel walking amongst them. After a few meters, they reached another heavy armored door. The man approached the console on the side of the door and after entering a code, the heavy door slowly began to open.

After a few more meters through the tangled lab facility, the man led the group to a briefing room. "Ah, General Pearce, I've been expecting you." A man in a uniform reminiscent of a lab coat greeted the general.

"Professor Nordskov. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us."

"You're welcome." He shook Pearce's hand.

"Let me introduce you, this is Mr. Seranis and Mr. Zero." Pearce introduced Zane and Zero as a slight giggle from Carol could be heard in the background. "And these are their friends."

"Ah Mr. Seranis, I've heard a lot about you." He shook Zane's hand and seemed to eye him briefly.

"Hello."

"And you must be Zero. Welcome." He extended his hand to him as well.

"Thank you." Zero nodded.

"I have a few more questions for you. If you have some time for me." He asked Zero before his gaze fell on the prosthesis.

"Of course. What's this about?" Zero came toward the professor.

"It's about the weapon you had with you?"

"What about it?" Inquired Zane, as Zero was already answering.

"Oh sorry. I don't know anything about it. I found it during the fight."

"Ah, too bad." The professor was disappointed.

"Lucia will get Zero's report to you." Pearce waved in.

"Thank you." The professor turned to Pearce before turning his attention back to the group. "But back to the real reason for your visit. Please follow me." The professor left.

"It's right back there." He led the group through the corridors accompanied by the assistant who had picked them up. After some time, the professor stopped in front of one of the doors. On the wall next to it was written Lab 4.

"Here it is." Said the professor before the door opened with a hiss.

Shortly after the professor invited them in, Lucia said she would wait outside, at which point Zero turned to the girls.

"Do you want to wait here too?"

"I'm coming with you." Protested Carol.

"We told you we'd come with you Zero." Asagi smiled at him.

"OK, but maybe you can follow after?" Zero turned to Professor Nordskov. "Is that possible?"

"Of course. Send them in when I say so." The professor said to his assistant.

"OK Zero." Aki nodded.

"I'll stay with them in the meanwhile." Said Nathan.

"Thanks Nathan." Said Zero.

"Alright, follow me please." The professor walked into the lab. Pearce, Zane and Zero followed.

"Professor." A scientist on duty greeted.

"How is she today?" He inquired as he moved toward a glass box where a light shone.

"Unchanged." Replied the scientist as the professor stopped in front of the glass box and pointed Pearce and the others inside.

They all stopped in front of the box, which was in the center of the room. One could walk completely around it. All the walls around the box were covered with monitors and equipment that seemed to focus solely on the inside of the it. But there was no staff in the lab except for the one scientist.

Their eyes fell on the lower level of the glass box; it was two stories high and cut through the ceiling into the lower level, allowing them to see down.

The small room, lit from the ceiling, was empty except for a block in the middle of one wall on which lay a blanket. A crumpled blanket lay on top of it nothing else.

Zero looked around when he saw Sora cowering in a corner with an exam shirt.

"Sora!" Startled Zero. "How is she?" He immediately turned to Professor Nordskov.

The scientist handed a tablet to the professor, who looked at the file on it. "She barely eats and doesn't talk to anyone...", he seemed to hesitate briefly. "But otherwise, she seems unharmed."

Immediately Zero looked back down at Sora, all sorts of thoughts flashing through his mind, and an anger began to build inside him as Zane put his hand on his shoulder and smiled. "She's all right. Nothing happened to her. I'm sure she's just scared."

Zero looked at Zane. Zero noticed the anger he suddenly felt inside him and tried to calm down.

"Thank you, Zane." Zero smiled. "Can I see her?" He asked the professor and Pearce.

"Absolutely not." Protested the scientist on duty before the professor raised his hand, silencing him. Nordskov looked at Pearce, who nodded.

"We can't let you in to see her, but we can let you go up to the glass."

"Thank you." Zero replied with relief and turned back to the glass box. After a few moments, he turned to the professor. "Where's Deadra?"

"Deadra?" Asked the professor.

"He means the Akuryuma who was there." Explained Zane.

"Oh that, it's in another facility." Reported the professor.

"Isn't Deadra here?" Zero asked.

"No, he seemed extremely aggressive and intelligent. So he was taken to another lab for study." Reported the scientist on duty.

"For study?" Zero looked angrily at the scientists as Pearce cut in.

"It's fine, it's just like here, except it's a more stable...cage."

"OK..." Zero looked at Pearce, coming to terms with the situation as he balled up his fist and turned back to Sora as Zane patted him on the shoulder again encouragingly.

"Should we go get the others Zero?" Zane asked.

"Yeah... We should do that." Nodded Zero.

"She's all alone in there." Carol looked down in shock.

"Where's Deadra?" Asked Asagi, who also seemed horrified.

"Deadra's in another lab." Zane explained.

"Can we go see her?" Carol turned to Zero.

"I think it would be better if only one visited her." Interjected the scientist on duty before Zero could say anything.

"I think that would be best." Added Nathan.

"OK...," Carol seemed a little sad.

"In that case, Zero should go." Said Aki and the others agreed.

"Are you OK Zane?" Pearce turned to him.

"It's getting better." Said Zane, while Nathan looked at him with concern.

"I think I'm getting used to it." Zane turned back to the windshield and looked down, where Zero should appear any moment.

Pearce looked at Zane in amazement, remembering Zane's medical report he had received. Shortly after the conversation between the two, Zane had been given a fitness exam; physically, he was in perfect condition. His mental report, however, had Leon doubting whether Zane was really the right choice for the job. Zane had a severe traumatic disorder.

The report described the danger of an overreaction upon contact with something related to the source of the trauma. Zero himself had already witnessed such a reaction. The report did not specify the reaction because it had not been studied in detail, but the report clearly argued against using Zane.

Leon was initially dismayed, but some of the reports recommended further investigation and also some people said to wait it out. Zane's deployment to Urban Security and the proficiency test would soon provide a picture of the severity of the trauma.

Leon watched Zane.

Maybe he will overcome the trauma, this fear... No, he has to overcome it.

Professor Nordskov's assistant accompanied Zero to the lower level. After another secured elevator, Zero found himself in a glassed-in corridor. Behind the glazing was another very wide corridor that looked more like a utility corridor. After passing through a few doors, they reached a door in front of which two soldiers had taken up positions. Zero eyed them as the assistant operated a console. Another passageway began to build up behind it. Like a bridge, the new passageway led through the supply corridor to a door on the other side.

The assistant walked toward it, which read Lab 4 in large letters. It was like being in a warehouse; the wall where the door was located was itself a large door. That explained the wide supply aisle that even a tank could fit through. After another console input, the door opened and the assistant led Zero inside. It was only an anteroom, from which one could already see into the room with the glass box.

"You may enter. I will wait for you here." He pointed to the door in front of them. The wall in which the door was embedded was, as before, a large gate. It seemed like the lab was designed for much bigger things.

Zero doubted that these security measures were necessary. Not on an Infected, not on Sora. Was this really necessary? Or were they all just scared?

"I'll turn off the privacy screen once you're inside."

Zero entered the examination room as he saw Sora sitting with his back to him. Shortly after, the assistant's voice rang through the room. "I'm deactivating the isolation; you can talk to her."

"Isolation?" Zero wondered as the glass panel seemed to change.

Suddenly startled, Sora turned away from the wall she had been leaning against.

"Zero!" She cringed. Immediately she ran to the window and pressed her small hands against it.

"Hey Sora, how are you?" Zero squatted in front of her, recognizing the suppressed tears in the corners of her eyes.

"I'm fine...", she put on a brave face. "How's your arm?" She looked at his prosthetic.

"Look, I have a robot arm!" Zero started posing with his arm and Sora laughed.

"Will you get me out of here?" She looked at him with expectant, frightened eyes.

"I'm afraid not." Zero's head shook dejectedly. "You'll have to stay here a little longer. But I'll see how I can take you with me as soon as I can. I promise!"

"Thanks Zero." Sora looked around the empty room. "Are Deadra and the others okay?" She turned back to him.

"Yes, they're all fine." Nodded Zero. It seemed Sora couldn't look up. When Zero checked and looked up at the ceiling where he thought Zane and the others were, he found only a white wall.

This is what they mean by isolation...

"That's nice." She looked at Zero with a smile.

"What has happened since I left?" Inquired Zero.

"They separated Deadra and me and brought me here. Then they did some research." She rubbed her arm.

They must have taken her blood. Zero Concluded.

"They didn't hurt you, did they?" Zero asked calmly, he knew the scientists were listening to everything.

"No." She shook her head and Zero smiled at her. Zero was about to pat her head when he bumped into the glass, causing Sora to become visibly sad.

"OK, that's enough. I'd like to ask you to come back." The voice of the scientist on duty suddenly sounded through the room and Sora winced.

"Be right with you." Zero looked up, annoyed. "OK Sora, I'm afraid I have to go now. Be a good girl, will you?"

"OK...", she replied, clearly sad. It tugged at Zero's heartstrings.

"Good girl. I'll try to visit you again soon, OK?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Please come out." The voice sounded from the door, and Zero walked out of the room.

"See you." He waved again to Sora before disappearing into the door as it closed.

Sora waved at Zero before the glass clouded over again, leaving her alone. She stood there for a few moments before hurrying to the bed and burying herself under the covers.

"How is she?" Zero asked when he arrived back at the lab.

"She hid under the covers." Answered Zane, while Asagi and Carol continued to look down the glass box.

"How are you Zero?" Aki inquired.

"I'm fine." He replied before turning to Pearce and Nordskov. "Why is she locked up here?"

"It's a security measure." Nordskov replied.

"You suspect her?" Zero's voice grew louder. "She didn't do it!"

"Until we're sure she's not the reason for the Outbreak, she's staying here." There was something final about Pearce's answer.

Zero clenched his hand sourly as Zane tapped him on the shoulder to reassure his friend.

"What happens to her when she's allowed back out?" Zane asked.

"We have facilities that take care of the Infected. There are also some private organizations that take care of them as well." Nordskov explained.

"We'll let you know as soon as we have any news." Said Pearce. "We put you down as her guardian."

"What?" Zero wondered.

"I hope that was all right. Zane asked for it." Added Pearce, and Zero looked to Zane, who grinned at him.

"That's great, Zero." Rejoiced Asagi.

"Thanks." Sighed Zero in relief and nodded at Zane before turning back to Pearce. "Is there any way to visit her?"

"I'll see what I can do." Pearce replied, nodding at the professor. "But I can't promise you anything. All right, I don't think we should keep Lucia waiting."

"Thank you, Zane." Said Zero as they said goodbye to Lucia and Pearce. "I owe you one."

"You're welcome, Zero." Zane grinned. "What did he mean by the offer would still stand?" He inquired. Just before they had said goodbye to Leon and Lucia, Leon had turned to Zero.

"Are you coming?" Asked Nathan who was already walking with the girls towards the exit.

"I'll tell you later." Zero fed him. "I'm going to the bathroom for a minute." Waved Zero.

"OK, Zero we'll wait for you over there." Zane walked over to Nathan.

Zero stood in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection deep in thought. Suddenly, he slammed his right hand into the wall, leaving a fist-sized hole in the concrete. Zero rubbed his eyes before turning to the sink and splashing water on his face.

"Like she's a lab rat...", whispered Zero to himself as he turned to the door and left the room, his hand completely intact.

"How's the arm Zero?" Nathan asked as they sat down in the train.

"I can't complain but haven't done much with it yet either."

"What kind did they have?" Asked Aki.

"There were some that looked like real arms but also some that looked very mechanical. For the most part, though, they were just different colors."

"What kind do you have Zero?" Carol asked, looking at Zero's mechanical arm. It was an obvious prosthetic in a plain gray, only the hand stood out.

"It's one where the hand works pretty well, the doctor told me. The optics suffer for it, though." Laughed Zero, showing off his arm. The hand was some kind of polymer shaped like a real hand, underneath which you could see the joints. "I should be able to cook to some extent with this."

"Yippee!" Carol gloated, to which everyone else laughed.

"So where do you live now Zero?" Asked Aki, who was the only one to meet the group right at the base.

"They were going to offer me a place to stay." Zero looked at Zane. "But I asked them if maybe I could move in with Zane."

"However, Asagi and Carol protested." Zane laughed and Asagi immediately turned a little red in the face.

"That's not true at all...", she whispered to herself as Aki's ears turned in her direction.

"So you live with them?" Nathan asked.

"No." Zero shook his head. "It's just for the transition, I want to find something of my own as soon as I can... and be independent."

"That's right the apartment is provided by the military."

Meanwhile, Carol pouted a bit. "Zero doesn't want to live with us...", to which Aki chuckled.

"It's only 6 meters." Zane tried to cheer her up. "You want to go back to Halsion, right Zero?" Zane turned back to Zero.

Zero didn't answer and just stared at the floor of the compartment.

"Do you guys have any info?" Nathan asked Aki and Zane. Whereupon everyone looked expectantly at the two.

"I'm in the military, but I don't get anything like that."

"It was on the news that Halsion was quarantined by Shelter for the time being." Reported Asagi.

"Leon, I mean General Pearce said it will be at least eight weeks before Shelter hands the city back over to the Alliance." Narrated Zane. "And a few more months until everything is rebuilt. But until Shelter releases it one can't say anything for sure, General Pearce said."

"Three to four months, then...," Zero looked out the window.

"What are you going to do now?" Aki changed the subject.

"We thought we might do some shopping." Answered Asagi.

"Oh, can I come with you?"

"Sure Aki." Zane replied and Zero nodded as well.

"Great! We'll all go shopping again!" Rejoiced Carol.

"We're not going shopping, we're going to buy groceries." Reminded Zero.

"What's the difference?" She looked at Zero somewhat incomprehensibly.

While Zero began to explain the difference to Carol, Aki turned to Zane.

"Anything new from the vampires? I heard you guys have a lot locked up."

"Are you guys involved too?" Asked Zane.

"Not directly." Aki shook her head. "I just heard that one of our units was put on standby to support the military police if needed."

"Ah OK." Zane nodded. "But nothing has come up since that operation. The ones we caught are being investigated and we're still looking for the rest." Zane looked at the camera in the compartment. "You'd think with all the cameras and surveillance, this would be quick."

"You'd think." Looked Aki out the window. "But with the many ways to escape a camera and the fact that they're magical beings, maybe it's understandable."

"You're probably right about that."

"I'll just be glad when this is over..." Aki said to herself.

"We're here." Asagi noticed as the next station was announced, interrupting Zane who was about to follow up.