The Facility (Ch.6)

The vehicle jerked to a halt, jarring Vanya from her swirling thoughts. The first thing Vanya took note of was that the air was clear, the stench of ozone sparse.

'Fortified Zone.' Vanya realized. 'But which exactly? It couldn't be...' Vanya did not dare complete the thought.

There were four fortified zones left of the human strongholds. The largest stronghold, precisely the capital city and the center of the UHF headquarters was Sanctum City. In her time serving the UHF, Vanya had only been summoned to Sanctum City once...on the day she was relieved of duty.

As the door of the vehicle slid open, Vanya was greeted by blinding white lights and the cold sterility of an enormous facility, it looked nothing like the UHF.

Every detail of the facility was designed to intimidate, polished floors, tall ceilings and walls devoid of personality. The operatives guided Vanya without a word, their hands firm on her hand as if expecting resistance.

"Am I to be a prisoner? If you have any thoughts of getting compliance from me, you are sorely mistaken. I want to speak with Galen." Vanya made it clear.

Her voice echoed down the hallway, but the operatives kept their silence and ignored her. A line of similarly armored personnel awaited at the end of the hallway, standing at attention.

"Did you hear me?" Vanya snarled, her voice rising. "I'm not some experiment for you to poke and prod. I want answers! Get me the Chief of the demolition department!"

The silence that answered Vanya's protest was deafening. Her frustration grew sharply into rage, and Vanya wrenched her arm free from one of the operatives. Before she could take a step, the cuff on her wrist sent another wave of electricity through her body with a pulse.

Vanya stumbled back, biting back a cry of pain. 

"Miss Hale, your compliance is required." Tracks finally spoke again, this time from the overhead speakers. Vanya's comms had been taken away. "Please proceed without further disruption."

"You can take your required compliance and shove it!" Vanya said bitingly. The operatives forced her forward.

Vanya's heart pounded within her, even more than it would when facing a rift. She had anticipated being captured by the UHF one day to answer for her disregard of their authority, but this was not at all what she had in mind.

The operatives marched on, guiding Vanya through pristine hallways until they arrived at a set of large double doors.

The automated mechanism hissed as the doors slid open to reveal a sprawling room filled with women. There were rows and rows of women, all dressed in an identical white jumpsuit and seating in assigned seats.

The sight stopped Vanya in her tracks and she stared, her expression dismayed. There were various expressions on the faces of these women, some looked resigned, staring ahead with hollow gazes,

Others glanced around, twisting in their seat with excitement and a hint of nervousness. Others had their gazes fixed on the screens projecting videos about the vision and mission and supposed honor of Project Mate.

Vanya's stomach roiled at the sight. This was not just a voluntary program, it was a tightly monitored and controlled system. The air reeked of forced compliance and false hopes, and the subdued expressions of the women who clearly did not buy into the lies only solidified the horror of her new reality.

A young woman dressed smartly with a lab coat walked over to Vanya, carrying a clipboard. There was a detached smile on her lips, one Vanya did not bother to return. "Miss Hale, welcome to the Matched Women's Ward. You will be assigned a place and a change of clothing shortly."

"No." Vanya snapped, her voice chilly. "I want to see Galen or whoever is in charge. Get me Delan Tracks even, but someone needs to understand that this is a mistake!"

The woman's smile did not waver as she continued gently, as though speaking to a fussy child. "You will be taken to Mr Tracks as soon as he requests your presence. But I can assure you, this selection process is highly accurate and your placement in the program is final."

"You can't just decide my fate without hearing me out!" Vanya argued.

"Please, Miss Hale. Take a seat." The woman said, gesturing to a free spot in the rows of seated women. "Resistance will only delay the process."

Vanya's jaw tightened indignantly, wheels turned in her head, contemplating any possible solution to her predicament.

The operatives forced her to a seat and the moment they released her, she stood up again and glared at both operatives squarely in the eyes. "You two should know that Vanya Hale never forgets disrespect, not then and definitely not now. Agent or not...this isn't over."

Again, the operatives ignored Vanya and took their leave. Leaving Vanya to fume. It was only then Vanya noticed that the room had gone silent and the eyes of over fifty women were fixed on her, the only one dressed differently in a black combat suit and a worn out hood.

Vanya ignored the stares and slumped down into a seat, shutting her eyes to block out her surroundings.

An hour quickly passed by, and then two. Vanya could tell the passing of time perfectly well, though all her gadgets had been confiscated by the operatives.

Vanya's arms were crossed, her mind still raced and her anger simmered just below the surface as she contemplated on just how she would nudge a rift over this damned facility and leave them to void spawns. Her wrath was fueled by the monotony all around her.

Then finally, a voice crackled over the intercom. "Welcome, esteemed candidates, to the UHF alliance facility and commencement center of Project 'Mate'! Each and every one of you have been carefully selected amongst thousands for your unique potential to shape the world. Your presence here is a testament to your extraordinary value."

"As part of Project 'Mate', you will be given the opportunity to forge powerful alliances with the great realm of Lunaris and its advanced society, foster harmony and ensure the survival of humanity against the threats that plague our existence. You are not just participants; you are pioneers of a brighter tomorrow." The voice paused, as though to let those words sink in.

"We understand this transition may be unsettling, but rest assured, compliance is in your best interest... and ours. Refusal to adhere to the protocols guiding this program will not only impede progress, but may also carry consequences you would do well to avoid."

"In a world in need, we must all rise to the call of duty. Embrace this privilege, and together, we will secure humanity's legacy." The transmission ended.