XXVI

As I waited for Leon to finish his search into what had happened with Phatt Tonie's Meat Deli, I looked over the scans of the van as they started to appear on a set of display screens to my left. They showed different sections of the van in different 

view modes. X-ray, infrared and even night vision for some reason where just some examples. Unsure exactly what I was looking for, I kept switching between views, panning through until something caught my eye causing me to pause on one of the screens.

I had stopped my panning on a black and white view of the cargo hold in the van. It was currently in x-ray mode on this particular screen. In the cargo hold of the van was my usual delivery of human test subjects waiting for me to experiment on. Usually they are all slouched over or laying down in some form of despair. What had caught my eye was the two figures that were currently sitting in the middle of the cargo hold, one leaning up against each side of the van and seemed to be discussing something amongst themselves.

This was totally out of the ordinary for most of the test subjects I had encountered thus far. Intrigued as to what they were talking about, I flipped a few switches and spun a few dials on the command console until I could pick up the vibrations coming from the cargo hold of the van. After throwing a few more switches and spinning a few more dials, I waited as the system deciphered the vibrations and turned them into sounds. Just then Leon chimed back in.

" Phatt Tonie's looks like a warzone. The passenger in front is definitely part of some kind of agency. The driver is definitely the fat man himself. However all agencies are quite on this. None of them are taking credit for the attack on Tonie. It's looking like an unauthorized OP. Problem is none of the agencies know who actually hit Tonie's. All are denying it was 

them."

" Really? Now this is really getting interesting. The two in front can be taken in for interrogation… There are two more anomalies in the cargo hold. Bout the middle area. System just finished translating the vibrations into actual sounds. Gimmie a mo while I listen in to what they are saying..." 

I trailed off as I concentrated in on what appeared to be an argument.

"...Jess we can't just jump out now and start killing people..."

" And why not?"

" You heard what Phatt Tonie said. These people are human test subjects. That means they are being experimented on..."

" Exactly why we should just kill them all and then destroy this place..."

" And what if that releases something even more terrible?"

"Will you two stop fighting before you get us caught? And for once Jess, Duke is right "

Suddenly a third voice had appeared.

" Third anomaly detected", Leon said.

This keeps getting better and better, I thought to myself as the system pinpointed the third voice as a humanoid figure laying against the rear doors.

" Alright Leon, hit em with the sleep gas, we'll take the lot."

"Whatever you say", Leon says with a chuckle.

Seconds later inside the cargo hold of the van, the eyes of Jess, Duke, and Dave widen as they realize that the van has started filling with knockout gas. Too late to do anything, they each struggle for as long as they can until slowly one by one they each slump into unconsciousness. First was Dave, much to his dismay as the last thing he sees is Duke's eyes as the first slump close only two seconds later snap back open as he himself closes his eyes unable to keep them open any longer.

Next was Duke, also unhappy to be falling asleep before Jess. His long suppressed feelings for her saw him duty bound to protect her. As the last to fall unconscious, Jess was just able to catch a glimpse of the rear doors of the van being opened by a dark figure.