■ Grautaz Corp. Underground Facility

[ ignore this-- i just had to post this ;u; just a gist of what's happening outside the laboratory hehe i'll work on the reply as arianne soon ;;^;; ]

“Damn it!”

Johanna slammed her hands on the table, startling her superior on the other line. She wasn’t usually this disrespectful to her superior, but she had honestly completely lost her temper. It had been more than forty-eight hours since they had last got news from the other agent who was assigned a task to infiltrate the facility they were told to keep tabs on. Had they been any more than two, it would have been easy to get in as a duo; but since there was only the two of them, the other has to go while the other stays outside to monitor the one who enters the facility.

“We cannot abandon Ferdinand Sinclair. You can’t send another agent to replace him—” the female pinched the bridge of her nose, calming herself down, but to no avail. There was no way she would ever abandon her partner, not when they finally had the chance to get in. Even when the chance for the mission to be a success was slim, there was no way in hell would she drop it.

“I’ll find a way, sir. Just—just give me time.” And with that, the call was dropped. A string of profanities threatened to spill out of until, much to her surprise, her computer detected the only microchip attached to Ferdinand. It was an audio device, albeit one-way, but at least it allowed her to receive information from him somehow.

A wave of relief washed over her and immediately, she sat in front of her computer. She’ll be able to reach them somehow; hack into the database of the laboratory, maybe? If that doesn’t work, she didn’t know what will. Heck, if there was anyone between her and Ferdinand who did better with computers, it would be him. Had it been her to break into the laboratories, would she have had the higher chance of getting out undetected?

“Let’s see what you got to say then, Ferdie,” she muttered under her breath as she tried to get a clearer sound from the other line.

@Arianne Weber And that was enough for him.

Whispering an equally soft 'thank you' in response, Ferdinand let the female position herself - only for him to mesh their bodies after. In all honesty, he himself questioned /why/ had he reacted to the kiss, as if he was into her. Perhaps the serum was just messing with his bodily functions... and yet, if that was the case, he'd have to wonder whether he'd last next time.

Shivering slightly, he drew a deep breath, silently thankful for the warming hands Arianne placed on his skin. His eyes would flutter close - it was getting even harder to stay awake with the warmth - but he just tried to focus on her face in his attempt not to fall asleep. Honestly, this was nothing like he'd ever experienced before; he'd had his way with bullet wounds and even broken bones, only not with untested chemicals.

Well, there has to be a first time after all.

But with how weak he was getting, Ferdinand realized only too well that there was a possibility that he wouldn't last the night; if that was the case, he could only hope Johanna was listening.

It would be the only way to try and pay the favor back... should he not make it.

"Why...are you helping me?"

@Ferdinand Sinclair It was embarrassing, really; she felt silly, like a teenage girl kissing her crush. But the thing is, she wasn’t a teenager (she had long passed that stage in her life), and she was definitely not crushing on the man whose arms encircled her waist.

Or maybe she was. But that would be ridiculous, right? Very.

She didn't exactly expect him to respond to the kiss, either, in all honesty. She expected him to pull away immediately (although she also knew he might actually feel too weak to do that); but instead, he kissed back.

From the male’s face, her hand went to his neck, the other on his nape. If she was thinking of looking for some kind of a way to cure the male a few moments earlier, she had definitely forgotten about it now. Because when he pulled away, Arianne was speechless, her mind totally blank.

And at the male’s request, she obliged almost immediately with a nod of her head, whispering a soft ‘yes’ in response.

What could be bad if she stays anyway?

@Arianne Weber Anything was better than falling unconscious; Ferdinand wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to wake up twice from death, and so the statement stayed true - even with what Arianne did.

Her hands felt so /warm/, he realized when she pressed them against his cheeks - more like he was the one experiencing hypothermia. A shiver went through him, and before his sluggish mind could even process anything else, her warm lips pressed against his own.

Instinctively, the male kissed back, pulling her down as he laid down on the couch - with her on top of him practically. It would've been shocking otherwise, but it was warmth he looked for... and he found it exactly where he looked.

This was madness, something inside him said. He'd never even dated - and he suddenly was kissing someone he barely knew. What does that make him? He had no idea.

But he didn't stop, either.

Circling his arms by her waist, when he finally pulled back from the kiss for air, he just looked at her with a faint, resigned smile - still pale, but a bit better. It surprised him that she'd thought of kissing as a distraction, but it worked like a charm.

"I'm going to have to say sorry... but that works," he whispered to her lips. "Look, I know this sounds crazy, and you don't have to... but I'd be thankful if you can... stay."

@Ferdinand Sinclair It was all too alarming that the male was now experiencing what she never thought would be a side effect of her own experiment, and Arianne felt bad—no, bad is actually an understatement; she felt awful—knowing she had not known about it when the chemical had been created by her in the first place. She cannot exactly understand why such thing never happened to her test subjects; but then again, animals are not really capable of speaking and telling what the serum made them feel.

She was already panicky to the extent that her heart was already pounding wildly against her chest, and all she could think of was to come up with a solution; perhaps an antidote to ease the pain. But even at this state she could not think of anything. Especially not when he had pulled her so close, she almost forgot to breathe. Momentarily, she was more concerned of him feeling her heart palpitating against her chest than how he might actually die because she had been careless with using her chemicals. Well, it was only momentarily, of course. Expect a female to always be so self-conscious.

Arianne placed her hands against his cheeks and frowned.

What surprised her, though, was the last words he said. Distract him? How was she supposed to do that? Knowing his current condition, her most possible resolve to this was to detach herself from the male and look through her supplies, possibly try and concoct an antiserum.

But the thing is, she wasn’t thinking straight. And for the sake of distracting the male, she closed the gap between their faces, her lips against his.

Honestly, Arianne doesn’t usually kiss someone she doesn’t know well enough, nor does she usually think of kissing as a good distraction, but that moment she just did. It was almost like she was taking advantage of the male’s condition—which was strange, because usually females don’t take advantage of men.

Oh God, help her.

@Arianne Weber By the time he was led to sit down, Ferdinand was already two shades paler than he was - he could only be thankful that this was a safe place, of he'd be saying goodbye to life. Leaning his head on the headrest, the male just tried to adjust his breathing; he felt as if the room temperature just suddenly rose, and for some reasons, it was hard to breathe properly.

The moment Arianne came back, he had already stripped the lab coat off; taking the glass afterwards, he emptied the content in one go, hoping it would help at least.

Unfortunately, it didn't.

The cold, numbing feel were there again, much milder this time, but his system couldn't take it; without another thought, he pulled the female towards him, the closest source of heat available as she was sitting by his side.

"S-sorry..." He whispered. "It's... freezing..."

His forehead was pressed against the female's chest, and in the middle of it all, he realized how twisted the situation was - then again, he had no choice but to wait and see if the serum was going to kill him.

"Arianne... distract me." The male whispered shakily. "Please."

@Ferdinand Sinclair The relief that washed over Arianne upon hearing that he had someone outside who helped him in was short-lived upon realizing the consequences. If they're lucky, this partner of his might just be looking for a way to get him out of here. There's no way they could abandon him, after all.

There is a chance that his so-called partner might still be listening to them; but thing is, they have to find a way to find a way to be able to communicate properly with his comrade. To think they weren't even sure whether the other party could still hear him or not.

Oh, for the love of God, had she not been stripped off the rights to contact anyone outside the facility through the use of her cellular phone, things would have been easier. Just a press of a few numbers and they could call anyone outside. But the unfortunate thing is since the facility got more strict, employees were no longer allowed to contact their families.

Of course, Arianne hated it. She hated not knowing what's going on above the underground facility. She hated not knowing what happened to her family, or what's happening to them right now.

She opened and was about to say something when she noticed how unsteady the male was. Alarmed, she immediately went to his side.

Side effects...?

She couldn't remember. Arianne knew the serum paralyzes the body, but she didn't knew what could possibly be its side effects.

"I... I don't know. It paralyzes your body and..."

... and what?

"It might have weakened your organs. Here, let me help you." She threw his arm around her shoulder and guided him to the couch, helping him to sit. Arianne stood up and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water before sitting beside the male. "Here, drink," she handed him the glass of water.

"I'm sorry, I didn't- I wasn't fully aware of its side effects. I had only finished working on it a few days ago and only had animals for test subjects..."

@Arianne Weber Throughout the small escape, Ferdinand was silent. For one, he knew he wasn't totally out of danger yet; in this kind of situation, every single detail mattered. Like Arianne, he was also being extra careful not to look at the camera, opting to lean on the wall in the other side of the elevator instead.

The movement of the elevator somehow just ruined his sense of balance—again—but then again, he thought, he probably should give himself a little bit more rest if he wanted to feel normal. People don't simply just recover from a death-like state in minutes... or at least that's how the logic goes.

The female's place was small, more like a private laboratory, something he was used to. Arianne has the more advanced stuffs, though, he could tell just by a glance at the study table. But then his attention was immediately diverted by her question.

Johanna. Would she still be alive?

God forbid she's dead, Ferdinand thought grimly. She has to.

"If we have any luck left, she's still alive." He said. "My partner." It was only then that he remembered—his communication device. "And if we have a little more luck on our side... she's been listening to us."

But in the midst of it all, Ferdinand couldn't help but feel helpless. He had no way of contacting his partner outside the facility, and all they could rely on was luck—not to mention he had no idea how much time they had to spend there before they could break free.

A meticulous plan this is...

Before he could think of anything else, though, his head swirled, and in an attempt to steady himself, he leaned on the wall, closing his eyes. Without him realizing it, his temperature was dropping again... to an all-time low.

"Hey, Arianne... the serum you gave me earlier... does it have any possible side effect?"

@Ferdinand Sinclair Arianne hated it being closely watched. They weren't just monitoring their test subjects, those head scientists; they were also monitoring their employees. Monitoring each and every move, seeing if anyone behaves suspiciously. This was their prison. /Her/ prison.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, she felt claustrophobic. Years of practice, and you'd think she's gotten over that little fear of hers; but thing is, it doesn't go away. She only got used to bearing with it. With a deep breath, she pressed the number five and leaned against the cold wall.

She shut her eyes closed for a few seconds, and slowly opened it again, looking at anywhere but the camera. It felt as though the camera was a pair of eyes, piercing through her, looking down on her skeptically. The female shook the thoughts away. She had a long day, and probably a longer day ahead. It must have been exhaustion causing her such thoughts.

It was when the elevator doors opened was she finally able to breathe properly. Looking up at the male, she motioned him to follow her, yet again, as she walked through the silent halls. She could clearly hear the clicking of her heels as they walked.

Arianne stopped in front of the last door in the hall. She typed in her security code and pushed the door open; once the male was in, she immediately locked the door close. She wasn't exactly sure whether the security could easily break in, but if they could she's thankful they hadn't really tried doing it yet.

"The only place safe from the cameras. Welcome to my place."

The living room was small, so was the dining area. The only thing that took up the most space in her place was her study table. Instead of a flat, it was more of her own personal laboratory. There was another door located in the living room - her bedroom - but she so rarely used her own bedroom, it became more of a storage room.

Taking out the syringe from her pocket, she gently placed it on the table. "So, Ferdinand. Do you have friends outside the facility? I mean, someone... alive who helped you get through."

Oh, he must have. But she wanted to make sure; wanted to make sure he still had some way of communicating with his friends.

@Arianne Weber "Right..." The male agent muttered grimly. Grautaz has an airtight security, and unfortunately, he could attest to that. Though if there's anything he learned from the experience, it was that chemicals does sometimes work better than guns...

Putting the mask on, Ferdinand took a deep breath and stood up, ignoring the stiff feeling by his legs as he silently followed the female out to the corridor. One discreet glance at the camera had been enough - he tried to look as normal as he could. There's just not enough time for recovery; now he could only hope they wouldn't be detected.

And while on their way through the hallways, the brown-haired male only smiled wryly to himself. Hope? Such a word does not befit him - just another agent to be declared MIA during a mission. No doubt, BSAA could just replace him with someone else, adopt another tactic, possibly better prepared. That is, if Grautaz didn't cause a world apocalypse by then.

The thought made him shudder internally, just as they came into a stop before the elevator door; looking at Arianne, she seemed to be quite collected. For a moment, he wondered just what made this female tick - why was she there, in the first place. Admittedly, he could never understand scientists... even more so the ones inside the walls he was now trapped in.

Once the elevator door opened, he stepped in right after her, keeping his head slightly bowed down to avoid the camera. If he could pass this undetected, then there might just be a chance to save both their lives.

Hopefully.

@Kim Sunggyu Whatever's happening outside the hive... Arianne knew things are getting out of hand by the second, but she hoped it won't be /that/ bad. She could only hope, right? Hope that they wouldn't be caught. Hope that she wouldn't be arrested for treason. Hope that they could find a way out of this place. Hope that they could be safe. Hope that someone out there could actually help them to escape.

"The facility is filled with security cameras. They're pretty strict when it comes to security—" she paused, "—although I'm sure you're pretty much aware of that already." She'd love to know how he did it, to enter the hive with such ease, but decided against it. This isn't the right time to chat, she thought. Someone could just enter the morgue and dispose another corpse, and that would put them in danger.

Gesturing for him to follow, Arianne pushed the doors of the morgue open. She didn't bother looking around to check the halls for any signs of other employees; that would raise suspicions. But she did glance at the security camera nearby, checking whether was it functioning or not. It was, no surprise at all. As she slipped her hands into the pockets of her laboratory gown, her fingertips came in contact with the cold glassware yet again. A reminder of how it could be made useful later on.

Now, how could they plan an escape when they could be seen almost everywhere? Now that she thought of it, going out of the facility was difficult, if not impossible. They'd be caught in no time. They didn't have weapons. The facility's security team had guns, and all they had were chemicals.

As expected, they needed someone from outside to help them. Or someone from the inside willing enough. But knowing the company's threat, Arianne knew none of her own colleagues would think of lending a hand. They'd say she's suicidal.

Admittedly, she might actually be suicidal.

Arianne glanced behind her just to make sure whether the male was still there, and once assured he was, she stopped in front of the elevator.

Well, they could come up with a plan once they're safe enough.

@Kim Taeyeon ...he had no other choice, had he?

Sunggyu had actually been quite used to changing in the presence of his BSAA colleagues—and yet. Somehow, the male couldn't help but feel just a tinge of shyness because of the fact that he was practically undressing in front of a woman (not to mention her beauty, which he'd prefer not to comment to), and it seemed that the slight tinge had just intensified a bit more the moment Taeyeon let out a small squeak.

By the Holy Trinity, just may he not blush - then again, sadly, that wasn't for him to decide. As the blue fabric he wore slid smoothly off his shoulders, Sunggyu had intended to keep his eyes down to avoid making the situation more awkward than it has already been; but the brushing motion she did (plus the clearing of the throat, honestly) had screwed his intention. Looking up, he couldn't help but notice the slightly nervous demeanor, and for a moment, just as her words came through... he let a small smile cross his features as he proceeded with the swapping of clothes.

Trust. Such a complicated word, even more for him who had learned the art of deception. No, he /has/ choices in this; whether to trust her the second time and risk betrayal, or - second choice - use her to escape and that's it. He had no reason to put his life on someone's hand /again/, but he had no reason not to, either.

And after a minute silence in which he managed to wrap himself in the shirt she gave him, he caught her eyes... and nodded, just as he buttoned up his topmost button.

"Well, I've trusted you with my life. If that's not enough, I'll have to wonder what kind of trust is enough," he said, grinning as he gave her a small shrug. "So... shall we get going?"

@Kim Sunggyu With the condition outside the facility, anyone would be surprised to know how laidback the employees seem; it was as if not a single catastrophe was happening outside. The spill was no mere accident, as much as the attack of the walking dead implies. It was a failure of an experiment. As far as Taeyeon's knowledge of the pharmaceutical company she works for extends, with such power they posess, they could easily wipe out the whole island and re-establish a better place they could use to cover up their illegal works. They were all too confident that the virus carriers won’t be able to breach their laboratories. And as her fingertips grazed the glassware in her laboratory gown pocket, she unconsciously sinks her teeth into her lower lip. She could teach them a lesson or two.

If she had known that the safety of her family and her home was a part of her compromising with the company, maybe she wouldn't have even helped. Thinking working over such an experiment would be for the betterment of their living was stupid, she should have thought of it carefully. Twenty five years of living and she was still so easy to deceive.

No longer now, though.

Even with the depth of her thoughts her mind was able so decipher the scene before her, and at this Taeyeon lets out a muffled squeak as she covers - yes, good lord, and not her eyes. She had long passed the stage where she covers her eyes like a teenager seeing a half man as if it ruins her innocence. She's a scientist, for God's sake. She had dead bodies for specimen (although to be very honest, she preferred guinea pigs than live human body). Yet she couldnt really cover her surprise upon seeing his seriously toned upper half - which made her wonder: what more to see the lower half?

Kim Taeyeon, get a grip!

Hoping the fact that she almost practically drooled at all the glory of Kim Sunggyu hadnt been so obvious, Taeyeon cleared and patted the nonexistent dirt off the fabric of her lab gown. Talk business, goddammit, she chided herself inwardly.

"I hope you trust me enough," she began, "for you not to think bad of my offering you to stay in my place. As much as it would be best to leave early, I dont think it’s safe to do it now." She was being closely watched by her superiors, yes, due to the fact that she posessed far too much knowledge and it threatens the security of the company, but that didnt mean her privacy is invaded by having cameras all over her own place. And it by far is one of Grautaz's most prominent mistake - to her, at least.

Taeyeon hoped he still has contact if ever he has someone he knows who's outside the facility, or at least anywhere in the city. But that, she could ask later. For now they needed to get out of the morgue.

The stench of the dead is being less appealing by the second.

@Kim Taeyeon Sunggyu took a few more seconds, balling his hands into fists before releasing the tension again, frowning slightly as he realized it would probably take some more time for the effect to wear off. Even his grip was weak, and with this kind of ailment—Taeyeon was right. They couldn't possibly leave in such condition.

Wait, she said 'you'...

Looking up at the female scientist and her widening smile, he couldn't help but stare at his /actually quite pretty/ savior—and heck, why are the females in this island so good looking, again?

"...Okay, Taeyeon it is, then," Sunggyu grinned slightly. "Just call me Sunggyu. Or Gyu, whichever floats your boat. Though... I guess it's already far too late to say that it's nice to meet you?" He joked before turning his eyes down to inspect the things she put on his lap, the small grin not leaving his features. He could imagine Krystal laughing at that statement if she had been listening.

Lucky enough, the shirt was about his size—perhaps a little bit too small, but it would work. The lab coat would hopefully cover anything that looked weird.

"Anyhow... wait. Aren't you going to... leave, too?" The male glanced warily at the door. It could actually be called paranoia—as the guards outside would probably not be able to hear what he said—but he couldn't help but be wary. Yet, he didn't waste time; as he spoke, his fingers were already undoing the top buttons his own shirt.

Well, truth is, they have no time to waste; someone could be barging in anytime. Though what he still actually wondered about was how they were going to incapacitate the two guards outside. Or is Taeyeon planning to tell them there were someone inside the morgue all along? Is that even possible? About their plans afterwards, he had no contentions with staying in /her/ place, as /courteous/ as it was—okay, no—but there was no choice, anyway.

To think that he actually has to change in front of her...

@Kim Sunggyu Hearing his first few words, Taeyeon managed a smile. She knew perfectly how it wasn’t time to think this way, but she couldn’t help but appreciate how nice and soothing his voice sounded, despite his struggle to speak. What more could it be if he could speak properly? She willed the thoughts away.

When the male struggled to sit up, Taeyeon placed a hand on his back and the other in his bicep (in which she ended up thinking, ‘wow, he has a strong arm’, before having to shake it off again), helping him steady himself in the stretcher. At least the guards didn’t bother to remove the limp body of the male from the stretcher. He would have had a hard time sitting up if he had been lying down on a stainless surface.

“It’s nothing,” she nodded. “It’s a relief the serum had worked the way it’s supposed to be. I was worried there might be something wrong. But it seems like things worked out well.” She actually feared that it might not wear off in a certain amount of time, and if it didn’t, her efforts of taking Sunggyu out of the laboratory would have been in vain. Not only will she lose what seemed like a hope, but sooner or later the other scientists might find out what she had done. If he had died, in a matter of hours other scientists might perform an autopsy, and they will eventually find out that Taeyeon had injected a different chemical into his body.

Taeyeon placed the things she had managed to gather and placed it in his lap. “You should change into these. I wasn’t sure if it might fit you—these are owned by a friend of mine—but might as well try.”

Moistening her lips, she then continued, “I was thinking of taking you into my place. Then, maybe we could settle things there…” she didn’t really plan to stay in the morgue much longer. Not only was the scent of decay unsettling, but they might also be caught in this place. Surely, the morgue wasn’t a place where scientists would start a good conversation at. “We can stay there for a while as you recover. There’s no way you could possibly leave in such a condition.”

To think she actually said ‘we’ and not ‘you’.

“And just call me Taeyeon. Drop the formalities, if you may.” She allowed her smile to grow wider. As she dropped her hands to her side, she her left wrist bumped into the fragile glassware in her laboratory gown pocket and stiffened for a bit. She almost forgot the dangerous chemical in her possession. Perhaps she could find it useful sometime later, somehow…

@Kim Taeyeon After waiting for what seemed like eternity, the door opened. Warmth had begun to invade his system again, fighting off the icy cold effect of the serum, and Sunggyu could only thank the God above that someone like Taeyeon existedㅡsomeone who actually risked her life to save an unknown person, whatever her motive was.

Anything else would have been better than the death awaiting him had she injected him with the T-virus.

Footsteps, nearing where he was laying down... and Sunggyu braced himself. If it was not her, then he would have to incapacitate the person. The blanket was removed afterwards, and he held his breathㅡ

The female's warm hands had then pressed on his wrist and neck for pulse, and Sunggyu let out the breath he had been holding, knowing it was her. There was no mistaking the carefulness in her moves, but half of it was instinct. Half a second later, he heard the soft whisper coming from the female, and he concluded that it was safe enough. It seemed that the company didn't bother to check whether all of the dead lab rats were really deadㅡtoo bad.

For them, that is.

Opening his eyes, he glanced around momentarily (hoorah for no cameras) before letting his gaze settle on her, and faintly, he gave her a weak smile.

"I'm back, too," he whispered back, "from death."

Clumsily, he tried to push himself up to a sitting positionㅡthe disorientation in his moves surprised him again, but he thought it was normal. He still felt weirdly detached in a way, though, and it felt as if his strength was zapped totally... but he could only hope it was the temporary effect of the serum and nothing else. Everything else seemed normal to him, the looks on his hands, at least, because he couldn't see his own almost bluish lipsㅡbut at least he was not turning into some sort of a tyrant mutant, and that was more than enough.

"Thank you, by the way," he croaked, turning his eyes back to her features as he massaged his limbs in an attempt to unblock the flow of blood and let himself gain a part of his lost senses back.

The tenderness in the way she carried herself, really... it struck him that he could not believe that she actually worked for Grautaz. But sooner or later, he would probably learn of the truth behind this heroic move, if ever he lived long enough.

Hopefully, he would.

Eyeing the things Taeyeon held in her hands, Sunggyu couldn't help but gave her a faint mischievous grinㅡtime to do some crazy job here. After he recovered enough, that is.

"Your plan, Taeyeon-sshi?"

And of course, even if he never voiced it, he owed her a lifeㅡa debt he would forever carry.

@Kim Sunggyu When Taeyeon pushed the doors of the morgue open was when she realized the two guards were still there. Her brows creased. Seems like the director doesn't entirely trust her yet, that he may have assigned these two to follow her until the body was done with. They always thought that the soft-hearted Kim Taeyeon would never risk a life for the sake of such an experiment.

But she had risked more than just a life after contributing on the experiment released outside the facility. Just like every one of those working for the pharmaceutical company, she was already a criminal.

Having no more time to stand there and wait until the guards leave first, Taeyeon rushed to get the items she needed. While she was on her way, she could only hope that no one else enters the morgue, just in case the effect of the serum she injected to Sunggyu wears off in her absence.

Taeyeon was on a hurry, but she had to act as though she wasn't on a rush. There were surveillance cameras in every hallway, in every roomㅡany wrong move and she'll be seen in the control room. The fact that her superiors keep an eye on her wasn't helping any bit. Until she manages to collect the items she needed, she could just cross her fingers and hope for the best.

It wasn't long until she was able to get a spare laboratory gown and a mask. She could get one just anywhere, with the fact that they needed those before they could enter any laboratory. She was also quite thankful that she was able to borrow a plain white shirt from a friendㅡa fellow scientistㅡwithout having to go through inquisition. At least he seemed to be nice enough not to be intrusive. Plus, he didn't seem anywhere near interested on her business anyway, and Taeyeon guessed maybe the other scientists weren't exactly aware of the operation she recently underwent.

The guards were no longer standing by the doors of the morgue, and Taeyeon found herself exhaling in relief. Without further ado, she pushed the doors open and stepped in, taking a last glance outside before she closes it again. She immediately rushed to the male's side, who seemed to have remained immobileㅡwhich made her panic for a moment, suddenly thinking the serum she actually injected in his system was the wrong serum. Reaching out, she removed the blanket covering the male. She checked his pulse, and sighed in relief upon realizing he was still alive.

Thank God.

"It's me," she whispered. "I'm back."

[post deleted by owner]

@Kim Taeyeon Frozen.

Weirdly, Sunggyu felt as if he was simply being preserved. Talking about a certain man who got trapped in the ice for seventy years and made it out alive, reallyㅡbut of course, that was in a fictional work. Sadly, reality was much crueler when it comes to this: he could die. He /would/ die if anything in this went wrong.

The limpness of his own body struck him by surprise when he felt he was being lifted; he felt detached, as if he was there and at the same time he wasn't. It felt funny, his totaly unresponsive body, as if his mind was working alone without it and he couldn't reach it anymoreㅡ

"I'll take him to the morgue," he heard the female scientist spoke, and though Sunggyu had remained as passive and unmoving as ever, he knew where they were going, at least, when he heard the wheels rattling on the floor and felt the movement of the stretched carrying him. Moments later, a door shut close nearby, and they stopped; Sunggyu strained his ears, only to hear the same soft whirring sound of air conditioner. It was exceptionally chilly. The faint smell of decay, which was familiar, told him that they have reached their destination... but what then?

Really, if Sunggyu could actually react at the female's mumbled words a moment later, he would have furrowed his brows. A lab coat, face mask, fake spectacles...? He didn't get it, but as he felt her warm hands checking his signs, somehow, he knew he would just have to trust her again.

She saved him from the worst death possible, after all.

The air had gone back to his lungs with an almost sharp inhale, but he had utilized his trainings; almost no movements from his chest could be seen when he breathed. One would never know if there were cameras in the room also, and as long as Taeyeon had not confirmed it, he wouldn't take the risk. Mentally, he thanked her for the blanket covering his whole bodyㅡat least it makes things infinitely easier.

But then the next question came: how was he going to get out of there? Not to mention... possibly having to protect Taeyeon on top of it, because he was sure she would be eliminated once they knew that he was alive.

He wouldn't risk her.

Think, Sunggyu, think, he urged himself, and then he realized Taeyeon was thinking of disguise. But they needed weaponsㅡif anything, her deathly syringes would count, as far as they doesn't turn anyone into mutants. Firearms, he could hopefully snatch one from the guards later on. Just hope they weren't as trained as he was.

Sunggyu exhaled softly, and waited.

It was a crazy plan. But one was better than none at all.

@Kim Sunggyu It wasn't long until the door of the room opened, revealing the two security guards that stood just by the door outside before she entered. By then she knew that she was already done with this. If the man was really dead—which she doubt he was, because she knew exactly how the paralytic serum works—what could have been their plans for him? As far as she knew, the nemesis program works only if the host of the virus has an active system. If he was really dead, maybe they were thinking of trying another type of virus in his body, or perhaps a transplant of some sort. She's sure that they'd probably do anything, may it be brutal or not.

When the two guards transferred the limp body of the man into a stretcher, Taeyeon spoke up. "I'll take him to the morgue," she said, loud enough to be heard despite the uniform worn by the guards (if there's even a possibility for them not to hear her—but hey, they were wearing head gears). The guards didn't seem to budge, and she was sure they were contemplating whether or not to let her. Taeyeon was known for her achievements and her experiments, and almost everyone knew how she took part in the experiment that caused the wreckage outside the facilities. Other than that, she was also known to be the scientist they should keep an eye on, because she knows more than what she's supposed to know.

Sighing, she pushed started pushing the stretcher out of the room. The two guards, however, remained on her tail. Taeyeon was already half-running, rushing to get to the morgue. She was sure those two guards won't even bother to follow her inside, leaving her to take care of the body herself.

As soon as she was by the door, Taeyeon nodded at the guards. "Make yourself useful, don't you?" she muttered, watching as they opened the doors for her. "Thank you."

With that, she pushed the stretcher in.

Now what? She asked herself as soon as doors shut close. Soon enough, the effect of the serum will wear off. Now she'll have to think of a way to get him out of this room without anyone knowing he was supposed to be their prisoner.

"A lab coat and a face mask," she muttered to herself, "perhaps even a fake spectacles as well..."

Taeyeon reached out to touch his forehead, checking his temperature, before checking his pulse. The serum was already wearing off. She needed to get him out of here as soon as possible, perhaps take him to her place for a while...

"Wait for me here," she said. "I'll be back real soon."

Covering his whole body with a blanket, she rushed out of the place.

@Kim Taeyeon It's impossible, something in Sunggyu's mind screamed—there was no way there would be another BSAA scientist in that company, or he wouldn't be sent there. It seemed unlikely that this woman had any relation to BSAA, anyway. But then why was she saying that she was there to help him?

Impossible.

Yet the crazy part in his mind was saying that maybe, just maybe, that tiny of a possibility does exist, that he was really not going to die.

He shut his eyes tight and tried to calm down. Taeyeon told him to trust her, and really... what choice did he have? Sunggyu couldn't help the panic rising in his system, but with each sharp breaths he took, he fought it down. It was useless, he told himself, he had no choice except to leave his fate to whatever she was planning.

If God was with him, at least she wouldn't turn him into one of those vile creatures.

His breaths were getting calmer now, and it was then that he felt the sharp sting—whatever will be, will be. He heard what Taeyeon said, and somehow, he managed to just surrender to fate.

It was cold, the sensation he felt spreading throughout his body; for a moment, it felt as if he was being sedated again, but as time passed, he realized the difference.

This time his system was on a total shutdown. The beeping had turned into a steady hum; could it be that even his heart wasn't beating? He didn't breathe, and he felt he couldn't—but then again, one could endure without air for a few minutes.

If the chemical overstayed its effect, though, he would be dead.

But even knowing it, he could only wait.

@Kim Sunggyu Will she succeed in saving one life for the sake of many, Taeyeon had no idea—but she was willing to try. Even if it will cost her own life. For years, she had lived under the threat of the company, her family being held captive. But hoping that they’re alive until now is hopeless. Who would have survived the wreck outside? There might be some… but she wouldn’t keep her hopes up too much. Grautaz isn’t a company of their words. They even seize to exist. Taeyeon had been here long enough to know that Grautaz will extinguish those who finds out about their real intent. Lucky was she to only be so useful to them, that when she found out about their hidden intent, she wasn’t executed. Sooner or later, though, she was sure, when they no longer needed her, she’ll soon be gone.

Her eyes widened at the mention of the organization. BSAA. Taeyeon should have known. If such pharmaceutical company had any enemy affiliated to the government, it will be no other than BSAA.

“I am here to help you,” she spoke gently. “I am your friend, Sunggyu. I want you to trust me.”

Once she injects him with the Paralytic serum, his body will be numbed for a few minutes—but she was sure, knowing this was one of her works, that of all his senses, his sense of hearing will still function. Taeyeon will take the risks and tell him as much as she could.

They had to get out of here as carefully as possible.

Slowly and cautiously, she injected the serum into his system.

“I need you to relax, Sunggyu,” she said, her voice soft. “This chemical will paralyze your whole body, but it will only last for minutes. The paralytic serum numbs your body and will make you look dead, but you’re not. I’ll have to get you out of this room.”

And Taeyeon began to act as though she was panicking, rushing to the machine, then back to check up on Sunggyu, who was entirely immobile at the moment. Five minutes—that’s all she had to do this. The brainwaves, heartbeat, the movement of his cells—soon enough those will no longer be seen in the machine, and he’ll be sent to the morgue within a minute.

A minute.

Letting out a shaky breath, she turned to the camera and shook her head.

He’s dead.

… not.

@Kim Taeyeon Sunggyu never thought he'd crave for clarity this much, and not when he was about to be made into some sort of human guinea pig by the company he was investigating. Really, he might just beg them to sedate him so he didn't know when he's going to lose himself, and so that he didn't feel itㅡthe easiest way to die. And yet he did not.

Masochist, you say? Maybe. Sunggyu is, after all, a complicated man; maybe something inside him just said that if he's really going, he should go all the way. It's a matter of choices, anyway.

He knew that there's no way for Taeyeon to unbound him, so he kept tryingㅡthough at the back of his mind, there was already this voice saying it was futile. Think of it logically: there would be guards there if they weren't sure the straps could restrain him fully. The situation could turn out messy if he managed to inject the serum to the scientist instead... no, it's impossible for him to wrestle free of it... and yet he tried nonetheless. To just lay there, aside of it being suspicious to whoever was watching him, his nerves just couldn't stand it.

Letting out a soft but almost frustrated groan, the male had then (pretended to) give upㅡwell a part of him wanted to, and he figured his mind was clear enough for him to process information; according to what he know of sedatives, his physical functions will recover over time slowly. The cold air pierced his lungs as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The machineries around him was emitting steady beeps; he focused on it instead to calm down, though really, if anyone in his position could actually calm down, he's going to bow down to whoever it was.

He knew he was probably being read; heartbeats, brainwaves, blood pressure, how much sedative is left in his system, everything. He couldn't feel it himself, but there just has to be like at least four detectors going into his bodyㅡand the grim thought just made him more uneasy. Great. This on top of being bound. One is on his chest, one has to be going into his head.

He suddenly doubted his chance of escape.

"BSAA," he blurted out, almost not thinking of the consequences of him mentioning the name. It was unwise, but then again, when one is faced with a horrible way to die, the mind tends to stray...

And then he realized.

"Why do you want to know?" He whispered. "Why are you here if you're not... my enemy?"

[ filled with inner thought shizzies orz kill me like now ;; ]

@Kim Sunggyu Paul Yoon. The name rings a bell, yet for some reasons, Taeyeon was unable to grasp any coherent facts that concerns the man named Paul Yoon. But she was sure that that man works for Grautaz, just like her. Perhaps he could possibly one of the scientists from the other branch of the company—the Korean Branch, maybe?

Given the fact that he had answered her questions despite his struggle, she had no doubt he could possibly be one of the bad people. If there was anyone to be considered as bad people, it will be the ones who work for Grautaz—including even her, because she had served as their instrument for years. Taeyeon could’ve been working in a hospital now instead, as a doctor, serving a good purpose. Yet here she was, one of the bad guys.

It’s not too late to change, right? Maybe.

She moistened her drying lips, swallowing a bile right after. The chemical content of the glassware within her grasp was nothing—if she injects him with it right then and there, she could save his life. But how? As far as she had known of her own experiment, the effect of the chemical only lasts for minutes. Five minutes, max. If so, she’ll have to think and work fast, get him out of here…

The other scientists who could be observing her from the control room are undoubtedly smarter than her, that’s for sure.

Fake death… the serum was a Paralytic serum. It paralyzes the whole body, hence making the one look dead. If she could make them believe that the virus wasn’t able to merge fully with his cells, that it had ended up killing him instead… would she be able to convince them? The place had a morgue. For sure they put all their failed experiments in there.

“Alright, Sunggyu,” she cleared . “My name is Taeyeon. I need you to answer my one last question. Who do you work for?”

He was able to step into the underground facility. He /should/ be working for someone. Perhaps a rival company of Grautaz… one who wants to destroy the lab and steal their works. He could be one who found the current catastrophe outside the facility a good distraction to get through the company’s security.

Or he could be one of the good guys.

@Kim Taeyeon The clear, glassy surface of the syringe gleamed under the light, a glint of evil. Sunggyu had no idea what it would doㅡmake him some sort of zombie-mutant, kill him, give him enough pain to make him want death before he lost himself? Whatever was in there, he knew he didn't want the content inside his system.

The straps chafed his wrists as he tried to pull himself free, and it wasn't until the marks was patterned on his skin that he began to feel the very slight tinge of painㅡwhen he should've felt it way before. Being trained as a Spec-Op, his first instinct was survival; the second was self-defense. And yet he just couldn't find any way to do any of both. Now the female knew he was awake, and honestly, he half-expected her to empty the content of the syringe into his system directly.

Weirdly, she didn't.

The pain gradually began to clear his mind, though, and realizing this, he wrestled against it even more. Be it luckily or unluckily, they had bound him so tight that his efforts weren't really visibleㅡthough if one would look close enough, they would realize. He could hear his own breaths, heavy amidst the faint mechanical sounds in the roomㅡthen, to his surprise, she actually talked to him.

This time, amidst the still hazy fog clouding his mind, he was fast enough to glance at the camera just by following her gaze, and he understood.

"SㅡSunggyu," he croaked, feeling his mouth dry and his voice hoarse, only coming out a half whisper. He wasn't really sure why he actually told her the truth by thenㅡmaybe his subconscious had already registered the fact that there was no purpose in assuming his fake identity. It's almost wondrous how human mind works.

"I walked straight into their trapㅡtried to get away..." Shaking his head, he closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. The details began popping out, the accusation, the pinning, everything. Even the prick... and everything just made sense right at that moment.

"They must've sedated me," he said, unsure if she actually heard him correctly given how actually slurred his speech was. Seriously, it surprised himㅡhe had never felt this... unorganized. How much time had he spent inside here? He almost had no doubt Krystal would be panicking out there. The thing is, even if this scientist actually helped him, it would probably be in vain. He was in no state to actually fight anything, and he had no weapon.

He wondered if his mic still worked.

There was a moment of silence before he blurted out the true reason of why he was there, the name of the man who actually sent him to his doom, now that he thought of it.

"Paul Yoon... I come in his place."

He could only hope the information was enough for the woman.

@Kim Sunggyu A volunteer, huh.

Taeyeon doubted the man volunteered on his own. She knew that his presence in this room was utterly against his will, and judging from the way he seemed weakened at his current state, she knew the others had probably injected him with something else before taking him here.

But at least he still looked alive—and she needs to do something about that. No way would she kill someone by injecting him with a chemical she made. She had already killed thousands indirectly but still with her own creation—never would she actually do it directly this time. Taeyeon already had a lot of lives to pay for—she didn’t need another addition.

For them to secure her into such a room, however, had her suspicious for a moment as she lifted the syringe, examining the liquid, making sure it was the same one she’d brought out of her own personal laboratory. Unsure as she was if this one could save the life of the man, she had to try.

When you don’t try to save one life, you won’t save any.

If he dies, though… if she brought the wrong serum… there’s a possibility for her to simply put it that his cells were unable to merge with the virus—that there was some sort of genetic damage that prevented the merging of the virus with his system. A mistake, just like the experiment outside the facility.

“You’re awake.” Obviously, he is.

Although she wasn’t sure if he’s already conscious enough to understand her, she must still carry on with what she was planning to do. With the other scientists watching her from the control room, she knows she should already inject him with the virus—but she needs to talk to him, to know why he’s here. As an excuse, she could just tell them she needed to observe his DNA through the screen located just beside where the man was, monitoring the status of his system.

“Listen,” she spoke again, her voice hushed. “I need you to tell me your name, and why you’re here. How did they get you? I’m sure you’re not here because you volunteered,” heck, she doubted anyone would ever volunteer. Not unless you’re suicidal, or you’re thinking that injecting yourself with a mutating virus could get you to rule the world.

“We are currently being watched, and I need you to tell me as much as you could. We have very little time…” her lips pursed, she shot a glance at the camera before looking back at the other. “Don’t worry, I’m not your enemy.”

But will he believe that?

A scientist of a pharmaceutical company who creates virus that ‘enslaves’ the human population—not an enemy?

Well, she could just hope he gives her the benefit of the doubt.

Sunggyu woke up with a complete haze.

The first thing he heard was the speaker, babbling about Anabiosis and the experiment—and actually, had his mind not been too clouded with the sedative's effect that time, he would've commit the suicide act. The faint sound of footsteps came closer and closer to him, which his subconscious registered but didn't react to. Sleep was threatening to overpower him again, the bliss hard to resist... but somehow he managed to force himself awake because of the smell. Where the hell was he?

Squinting his eyes at a bright lamp directed right at his face, he slowly began to gather his wits. It was a lab—nothing like where he worked, though. Somehow the chemical reek was stronger here, though he couldn't identify what it was exactly. Weirdly, the first thought that came to his mind was Krystal's face—

"...as we all know, there has been some progress on it. The next mutation of the Anabiosis is ready to test, and surprisingly, we have gotten a perfect volunteer..."

The voice came, crisp and clear from the speaker located somewhere at his right side. The nearly blinding light prevented him to see his surroundings, though, and even then, he was only barely awake. The feeling was unfamiliar; he wasn't used to sedatives at all, and cognition impairment clearly wasn't on top of his list of favorite things to wake up with. Of course, he drinks, but really—he was twenty-five by then and not even once had he ever gotten himself drunk.

Which was why one of the first things he wondered about was: why was he being this slow?

"...ordered by the Director himself to do this injection and witness the result of our experiment..."

Sunggyu tried to move, only to find out he nearly couldn't. He was laying on a hard surface, which he could feel, but his limbs felt unresponsive somewhat—the most he could do had been to move his fingers. He could see the room was dark, though, save for the light that almost blinded his eyesight. Faintly, he could hear the sound of a fan humming.

Then, the words from the speaker started to register. Anabiosis. Injection. Experiment...

Somehow he knew he was missing something important here, but his brain just wasn't responding to him properly. What had happened? Why was he here—in a lab and on what he assumed to be an operating table... still heavily sedated, on top of that?

The blurry face of a female entered his eyesight, a person he didn't recognize. He wanted to ask her what was happening, but his mouth felt like lead when he tried to speak. The voice from the speaker continued to babble in the meanwhile, and he blinked weakly once before letting his eyes close. The light was too much.

Taking a deep breath, or as deep as he could, he stayed, unmoving, trying hard to think. He didn't know how long it took him to realize—Grautaz. Krystal. Then he began to remember: the robotic voice...

"...subject is expected to turn in the span of mere hours, so you are to watch over him..."

'I have no doubt you already know what we're capable of.'

The thought cut like a razor through the haze in his mind; it urged him to move, an almost instinctive response—and yet it was only then that he realized he was bound tight to whatever surface he was laying down on. Groaning almost inaudibly, he tried feebly to wrestle out of it—with no result, of course, given how the sedative still paralyzed most of his physical functions. His mind was telling him to run, to get away, but he couldn't. Even if he wasn't sedated, the belts binding him was sturdy enough to keep him tied there—really, he had no chance of escape, probably not even if he was Houdini.

There was a faint clinking sound—the speaker had went silent a moment ago, and Sunggyu almost felt the familiarity—either test tube or a glass syringe would make that kind of sound.

His fate was pretty much sealed. Grautaz was clever. In the state of his mind, he didn't once thought of the poison, which meant that even without him realizing it, his fate was actually lying on the hand of the female who stood on his bedside right at that moment.

Weakly, he could only look at her, a hint of fear tainting his hazy gaze.

Dead or alive, or come out a walking dead. He was hers.

@Kim Sunggyu If there’s anything Taeyeon could ever be sure of, it was her strong desire to be able to get out of this damned prison—or at least, she sees the facility as a prison. To the other scientists with a strange hunger for new discoveries, it was simply paradise, and to those who were too much of a coward to leave the facility, this place is nothing but a safe haven. Some would rather stay here as long as their safety could be assured.

But Taeyeon wanted so bad to leave. She’d rather risk her life and be there with their failure of an experiment than be here and continue working for them. If the current condition outside the facility can no longer be controlled… she doubted they won’t perform sanitation all over the whole island.

Her lips pressed into a thin line, she carefully lifted the test tube to her eye level and examined the chemical. For months now, she had been trying to work on a simple inoculation alone—without any help coming from the other scientists. She wasn’t even sure if anyone would be interested on helping her own, given the fact that Grautaz could simply threaten their lives once they find out that they’re doing something behind their backs. Taeyeon would rather face the consequences alone than risk the lives of the others.

The telephone located in her desk rang, causing her to flinch in surprise, almost dropping the fragile glassware that contained the chemical she had been working so hard to develop. “Dammit,” she hissed, placing the test tube in the test tube rack before she headed for the phone, removing the glove from her right hand before picking the phone up.

Before she could ever speak up, a voice already did the job for her. “Dr. Kim, we have an assignment for you.”

It wasn’t long until the conversation was done. Her presence was needed in the one of the laboratories in the lower levels. What could possibly be the reason why? They already commenced the experiment. Not unless there’s a need to experiment on another chemical…

She removed her left glove and the protective goggles she wore, making her way towards the table where her chemicals were placed. Reaching for a cork, she sealed the test tube. Before she could ever leave her place completely, she caught a glimpse of a syringe and halted. Just in case… closing her fingers around the body of the syringe, she slipped it into the pocket of her laboratory gown and headed for the elevator.

Despite her attempt of keeping a blank face, the way she chewed on her lower lip as she walked out of the elevator surely gave her anxiety away. In one a far corner, two of Grautaz’s heavily armed security forces stood by a door, and Taeyeon figured it’s where she’s supposed to head.

She no longer needed to speak, because as soon as she stood by the door, it was opened by one of the two security guards. Swallowing hard, she stepped inside.

Upon seeing the unconscious man, however, she had to clamp shut to conceal her gasp. For as long as she had been working in the laboratories of Grautaz, they only tested their works on animals—rabbits, dogs, guinea pigs… but never had they tried it on a human. At least, not with her as one of the scientist—or, with her as the scientist.

“Dr. Kim?” Her eyes fell on the speaker located on her left corner, and then over the camera watching her every move. “As you have known, we are working on this new… experiment which involves the development of the Anabiosis bacteria—a masterpiece of our best scientists…” As he, the head scientist, continued with the explanation, all Taeyeon could do was stare as the unconscious—and oblivious, she guessed—man. Gritting her teeth, she walked over the other, only to actually realize he was stirring.

Yes. Wake up. Oh, God. Please wake up.

She doubted she could be heard from the control room, and could only take it as an advantage. The man seemed… alive. Taeyeon had known the aftermath of being infected with the Anabiosis, and she doubted he was infected. And boy, was she already tired of ending one’s life with her own creations. Thankful of the fact that her laboratory gown was a little loose in her arms, she reached for her pocket and turned her back against the camera. Surely, they wouldn’t see her swapping the syringes… and if they do, there’s no way it would raise any suspicions. The color of the chemicals almost resembled each other, after all.

@Kim Taeyeon Risky business. Sunggyu couldn't help but look around warily as he descended the last steps into the underground laboratory. He had never felt so vulnerableㅡfor once, he brought no weapon and he was inside enemy territory. Of course, he left everything where they're based at, with Krystal. If he couldn't have it, it might increase the other's chance of survival.

This world has gone insane.

Sadly, he had to left his only method of communication, his phone, with her tooㅡthe only communication device that was with him was minuscule, cleverly pinned behind his earring, and of course Krystal would hear everything that was going on his side from it. But the downside was, it was one way, meaning she wouldn't be able to contact him.

The dim light was nothing too unnerving, but even if he didn't show, his heart was beating undeniably fast when he passed the last checkpoint. So far, nothing has gone wrong. The guards took him to a turn, entering a small room where the door automatically closed behind themㅡRFID, the latest technology available of it. Somehow, he wondered if that can actually be breached, but he quickly redirected his thoughts. The only thing in there was a screen, a huge one, where the only thing displayed was the Grautaz logo. It seemed that they preferred to do this by camera...

Or not.

"Finally we met /again/, Mr. Yoon." a voice echoed from the speaker, cynical and evilly roboticㅡdisguised, of course.

"Though I now wonder where the /real/ Paul Yoon is."

Sunggyu's eyes widenedㅡhow did they know!? But of course... 'again'. _____. He walked straight into a trap. Before he could react, though, the guards had already pinned him from behind.

"Why should I tell you that?" He hissed. There has to be some sort of communication device hereㅡquickly, he spotted the camera, though he had no idea if whoever's talking to him could hear what he said. But it seemed that heㅡor sheㅡcould.

"I may spare your life." The voice said, coldly, flatly. "I have no doubt you already know what we're capable of."

He could break out. He only had to paralyze these two guards, then somehow try to get out of there or die. He could die a painless death by the poison sac implanted at the back of his jaw, the way MI6 does things, but it was a last resort.

Three seconds passed in silence.

"Never."

The next second, he wrestled out of the pinning, successfully hitting one guard right by his jaw while taking his gun at the same timeㅡbut Sunggyu hadn't considered the prick at the back of his neck by the other.

And everything blurred as his head hits the ground.