Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on May 1, 2013 1:00:07 GMT
((ooc: Please note that this quest is locked. Sierra has set me (Echo) the challenge of creating a complete quest using only my characters.
Rules: - I must not write about more than 3 characters at any one time. [Rules edit : Only 3 characters are allowed to be together at any one time, but more than 3 are allowed to be written about in one post so long as they aren't together.] - The quest must be between 10 and 20 QA pages long.
- The quest must be complete by May 31st. - I am only allowed to write it between May 1st-11th and 18th-30th. - Bullet point notes are allowed prior to May 1st on the condition they are not online. - Failed
Bonus tasks: - Include all my characters while still abiding by rule 1. - Include Keira and/or Millie (characters I've been writing about in various forms for the last 8 years).
I am doing this online so that she (and the members of this forum) can view my progress and make sure I am following the above rules.
Happy reading!
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Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on May 1, 2013 2:16:05 GMT
The room was large, white and tiled in all directions. A large number of work stations, computers and complicated equipment filled the room, though the workers were all huddled at one end. In every wall, several one-way windows were set beside their accompanying doors. The white coats stood pensively on the lab side of a one-way window. The label on the door identified the creature inside as 'Experiment Six'. It was a bizarre-looking being. The ears looked collie-like, the tail was more gibbon-ish, it had fur, skin and scales in stripes, spots and splotches of many colours. Its front paws had long toes, like something verging on fingers that wasn't quite there yet. However, there was something resembling opposable thumbs. Its back feet were some strange middle ground between hooves and ape feet. The face looked almost like a bat, though the eyes were yellow and hawk-like and the nose looked cat-ish, though with mouse-like whiskers. Judging by the teeth, Experiment Six was an omnivore, possibly something ape- or monkey-related. The mouth itself gave the bat impression, though it was warped slightly by the teeth. There was a beautiful lion's mane on its neck, running from its ears to its shoulders. It had huge wings folded along its back that resembled some kind of dragonfly, and a single horn, long and pointed like a narwhal whale, right in the middle of its forehead. It was sitting in the far corner of its cell, unhappily watching the other side of the window. It knew they were watching it, though it could not see them. Broken shackles hung from its wrists and ankles, a few chain links still attached. The other ends of the shackles were still attached to the back wall. Clearly Experiment Six had broken its chains. "Stronger than it looks" remarked one of the white coats. "Who's idea was the narwhal?" asked another. "Simon's" replied one of the others. "Liar!" cried one, apparently Simon. Experiment Six stood and paced, looking a little awkward on its feet, both as a biped and quadruped. "Look-" said Simon "-Damn thing can barely walk, what could it possibly do?" The creature's ears twitched. It had heard. Suddenly, it span around and with all the force of an angry rhino coupled with the speed of a hungry cheetah, it hurtled itself at the window and rammed its horn through the glass, piercing Simon through the stomach. The other white coats jumped back from shock and fear and watched with horror as the horn withdrew through the hole in the glass, Simon slipping from it, coughing and drooling blood. He slumped to the floor, took one last breath, and died. There was a thud on the glass. It was trying to get out. "Tranq it!" yelled one of the white coats as another ran for a metal cupboard against the opposite wall. Spinning the combination lock to the correct position, the white coat flung open the doors, pulled a few tranquiliser guns from it and threw them to some of the others. The glass window shattered and Experiment Six leapt from the cell, knocking down several white coats and upsetting a couple of work stations. It was utter chaos. Clearly the white coats hadn't been trained well in the use of tranquiliser guns. Experiment Six dodged the darts, and those it didn't always seemed to ricochet off its thick scales. It seemed more intent on breaking through the other windows and doors than injuring the white coats, though if any got too close they ended up on the wrong end of the horn or claws. Eleven other Experiments, in total, were released by the time Experiment Six was done. It herded them towards the only way out of the lab it had found. Only one white coat was untouched at this point, and Experiment Six turned to look back at the tranquiliser gun pointed squarely at its head. The white coat noted the sentient, almost human look in its eyes, unique among the Experiments; and then it was gone, out of the lab with the others. The white coat slumped and relaxed the gun, sitting down in a stunned silence. Looking around, most of the others were injured and several were dead. "Now we're in trouble" one said through laboured breaths. *** Questing Association Headquarters was frantic as ever as a woman with blood-red hair and pointed ears walked through the corridors. "Ah, Lexi, just the Vampire I wanted to talk to" called an official from behind a desk in the office the woman was just passing. She paused, backtracked a few paces and stuck her head through the open door. "New quest?" she asked. "Another Earth parallel trying to play Gods" the official sighed. The woman, Lexi, rolled her eyes. "What's happened this time?" "We've gotten word of a lab combining genetic material from different animals to create new beings." "Let me guess. Something went wrong, one of them escaped and is on a rampage somewhere?" The official nodded. "It also allowed the other creatures to escape with it and wreaked havoc on the lab." "Nothing ever changes, does it" Lexi sighed. It wasn't a question. "No. Apparently not." The official sighed. "Anyway, you're the lead. Two others will meet you at the portal." Lexi nodded and headed for the door. "Lexi" called the official. She stopped and turned, curious. "Shut them down if you have to, but try to bring the creatures back with you, alive if you can." Lexi nodded again and left. She went to the armoury first and retrieved her two long knives along with her bow and quiver. She then headed for the portal room. Inside, two women were waiting patiently. One, with dark hair and bright eyes, had a holster at each hip, though one was simply a cylinder. The other, a young girl with ginger hair and rainbow clothing, appeared to be completely unarmed. "She's coming" said the younger of the two, turning to face the door. Lexi entered right on cue. "You two are with me?" she asked. The pair nodded. Lexi recognised the older of the two women, the one with dark hair. "Sergeant Valerie Reyes, at your service" said the dark-haired woman, holding out a hand. Lexi shook it. "Haven't we met before?" "We have. You and I allowed a humanoid Quester named Kothar to escape the control room." "Right, he was worried about his girlfriend. I remember." She turned to the girl. "Emilie" the ginger girl smiled, also holding a hand out to shake. Lexi obliged. "Lexi" she said. "Ready to go?" She looked pointedly at Emilie "You're unarmed. You have been briefed, haven't you?" "Of course" Emilie said "Looks can be deceiving" A wry smile played across her lips briefly. Lexi shook her head. "If I have to save your ill-equipped arse-" "-You won't" Lexi narrowed her eyes, but sighed and shrugged. "On your own head" she said, resigned. She led them over to a portal and attendant. "The Earth parallel with creature troubles and a God complex?" the attendant asked, looking as irritated with the world as Lexi felt. She nodded. The attendant opened the portal and bid them farewell. "Good hunting" Lexi stepped through, closely followed by Valerie and Emilie.
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Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on May 1, 2013 9:56:52 GMT
On the outskirts of the city, three women appeared through a bright light, as if stepping out of heaven itself. "Skills?" Lexi asked, looking around to see if anyone had spotted them. "Mind reading, control and telepathy." Said Emilie bluntly. This made Lexi stop, blink and turn to the girl with raised eyebrows. "I don't do it on purpose" she explained "I just hear everything... All the time..." "So-" "-Yes, I can hear every word you think. No, I won't control your mind." Lexi gave a curt nod and turned to Valerie. "What about you?" "I'm here to record and observe" Valerie stated "I have a direct link to HQ, extensive weapons training and have various abilities that are far too long and complicated to go into at present." "Right..." Lexi wasn't entirely sure what to say. "It's a lot to take in," Emilie sympathised "but we're all on the same team" Lexi nodded. "Just don't go picking through my brain" she said "either of you. You ask a question, I might answer it, but don't just go diving in for yourselves. It's a complicated world in here, so kindly stay out of it." She said this more pointedly at Emilie. 'I've got enough voices in here as it is' she thought, and Emilie wondered what she meant, but decided it would be best not to ask. "I have your file already" Valerie said to Lexi "You certainly have an interesting history." Lexi sighed. Of course HQ would pair her with a mind reader and a nerd. No doubt Valerie was also a stickler for the rules. 'Any rule may be broken' Emilie thought, remembering how she had broken them for Kina, a Valkyrie sent to Limbo to lose herself. Emilie had disobeyed Head Office when she realised what had happened and decided to patch Kina's memory. She kept all of this to herself though, as well as the fact that she had all of Kina's memories of Lexi. So, actually, she knew quite a bit about the Vampire-Elf hybrid. "Let's just get going" Lexi said, shaking her head slightly. This was certainly going to be an interesting quest. "Was anyone told where in this city the lab is?" Valerie's eyes glazed over as she searched her files for a useful map. "Found it" she stated. Both Emilie and Lexi looked at her, intrigued. "It's not far from here. Three clicks to the west." She turned to face the right direction. "Lead the way" Lexi said, resigned to the fact that she needed someone with skills like that. Valerie did as told and the three set off westwards along the outskirts of the city.
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Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on May 1, 2013 14:19:48 GMT
Just outside the building, the unharmed white coat paced nervously, a cigarette held between his twitching fingers. They'd had to tell the authorities. Of course they had. But then they had contacted someone else, and they had contacted someone else and now a team of outsiders was on their way to resolve the situation. Not to be ungrateful, and the situation certainly needed resolving, but did it have to be complete strangers? The rumour spreading through the lab was that they were from another world altogether. Well, that simply couldn't be true, but creative scientists will theorise. That was probably them now. The white coat looked out along the road at the three eccentric-looking, and worryingly armed, women heading in the direction of the lab. As they drew closer the cigarette was dropped to the floor and snuffed out by a shoe.
"Morning." Said Lexi as the three approached a man with thick black-rimmed glasses and dressed in a white lab coat. "Doctor Stein?" The man nodded. "My name is Lexi, this is Sergeant Reyes and Emilie." She indicated her companions as she introduced them. Each of the three shook Dr Stein's hand. They'd brought in the military now? Oh, this was not going to end well. The ginger girl, Emilie, smiled knowingly at him, and he had the sudden and uncomfortable feeling she knew what he was thinking. "Care to tell us what happened here, Dr Stein?" "Frank, please" he said "Call me Frank." Lexi raised an eyebrow, but nodded. Emilie stifled a half-laugh while Sergeant Reyes seemed intently focused on his name badge. He looked down at it, reading his own name as it was written. 'Dr. Frank N. Stein'. He didn't see what was so funny about it. "Alright then, Frank" Lexi said with a smile "What happened?"
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Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on May 1, 2013 19:44:53 GMT
Dr Stein, Frank, relayed what had transpired when Experiment Six had escaped as he led them inside to the main lab. "We haven't moved anything" he said "We didn't know what you would want to see." Lexi smiled and nodded. "Thank you, wise decision." She signaled for the other two to fan out and see what they could find. Several wounded lab technicians stood around the edges of the room, watching them with interest. 'She's part technological you know' said a voice in Lexi's head as she searched through mounds of paper. But it wasn't the usual voice. She looked up at the ginger girl, innocently running her fingers across a deep claw mark in a door. 'Emilie?' 'Yes?' 'What did I tell you about staying out of my head?' 'I decided this information was worth it. Valerie is part technological. If their data is on these computers, no matter how dead they appear I guarantee she can retrieve it.' Lexi looked at Valerie with great interest before standing and turning to Dr Stein. "Frank, my good man" she said with a curious look "Your data, I assume it was all on the computer network?" Valerie's ears almost pricked and she glanced up at the man. "Of course" he said, proudly "We have- er, had- state of the art equipment in this lab. All the machines were wirelessly linked to the network. Their data was automatically entered." "And this data would be on each creature in your lab?" "Of course. We're scientists, ma'am. We're very thorough when recording our experiments." 'Experiments? Is that all they were? You created new life. You played Gods. And you didn't even care for them...' Lexi thought, but she maintained a smile as she turned to Valerie. "Sergeant" she said, and Valerie knew what to do. She nodded and headed for a computer terminal. "Emilie, talk to me." Emilie knew what she wanted. "The way these marks have been gouged out of the door suggests something a lot tougher than your average predator" she said "While any wild cat could break a wooden door, it takes something really special to pull down steel like this." "Which was the creature that escaped first?" Lexi asked, nodding to Emilie and turning back to the men and women in white coats. "Experiment Six" said Dr Stein, a little embarrassed. He pointed to a closed door beside a completely shattered window. Emilie and Lexi went to inspect the room behind the door and discovered a small cell, with broken chains embedded into the far wall. 'Captive' they both thought at the same time, turning to look at each other.
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Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on May 1, 2013 23:24:55 GMT
Valerie sat, motionless, with her hands on the terminal, downloading all the data. Her eyes glazed over. To anyone looking, she was simply in some kind of trance, but if you looked closely, binary code was zooming across her lenses. Literally billions of ones and zeroes. She was being fast with this one. Once she had everything off the network, she sent a copy directly to HQ to look over while their quest continued. She mentally returned to the room and picked her way carefully to the other two and talked quietly to them. "They were beaten," she said "these creatures. They were beaten and tortured and experimented on. This one worst of all." "No wonder it wanted out" Lexi said softly, shaking her head. It was always the same. There was always someone who thought the world was their playground. "Ok, mind-reader, you're up. See if you can get a sense of anything from this cell, anything we can use." Emilie nodded and climbed carefully over the windowsill, avoiding blood and broken glass, and stood in the middle of the cell. Instant waves of emotion and memory washed over her, and she was forced to steady herself against a wall. "Is everything alright?" asked Dr Stein. Lexi whirled around and turned on him. "You chained it up!" she declared "No wonder the creature wanted to escape, you chained it to a cell! You beat them, and tortured them, and experimented on them. You brought them into this world, but they were always a project to you, weren't they. You didn't love them. Hell, you barely even cared for them at all! They were just your new toys." "How did you..." Dr Stein trailed off. "If I didn't know before," Lexi said, wickedly "you just confirmed it." Dr Stein took a step back. "It was research." He said, his whole demeanor changing in an instant. "We weren't paid to be kind to them, we were paid to research genetics. You'll never get this through an ethics committee, these creatures don't even have scientific names, let alone common ones! They're not part of the animal kingdom." "Yes they are" Lexi argued "They are alive. They breathe, they eat, they live, and all creatures have rights, be it on this world or any other." "It's sentient..." Emilie whispered to herself in a tone of realisation. "Lexi! It's sentient! Experiment Six is sentient!" Lexi rounded on Dr Stein again, eyebrows raised in triumph. "I will shut you down if it is the last thing I do" she promised, icily "and believe me when I tell you, I'm a very determined woman." "I'd like to see you try" Dr Stein sneered. "Watch me" Lexi countered. "Do we have everything we need?" she called back to the others, never once taking her eyes off Dr Stein. Valerie looked questioningly to Emilie, who nodded. "Yes" she replied "I believe so" "Good." Lexi said "Then we're going." With that, she headed for the door. Valerie helped Emilie back over the windowsill and the pair followed, aware that all eyes were on the trio.
As Lexi burst through the front door, Valerie and Emilie caught up. "Sergeant, you said you have a direct link to HQ?" "Correct." "Send them a message. This place needs shutting down. Now. I trust you can find more suitable wording than I can at this particular moment in time?" "Likely." "Good. Do it. And send them the data you retrieved, they'll want to see it." "Already done." Valerie confirmed. Lexi looked at her as they walked, a curious look in her eyes. "Sergeant Reyes, I think I'm going to like you."
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Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on May 2, 2013 17:37:04 GMT
Emilie helped guide Valerie as they walked to make sure she didn't walk into anything while she sent the message. Her eyes glazed over and tiny words scrolled across them.
Twelve Experiments escaped. Experiment Six appears to be the leader.
- Problem?
Experiments have been tortured, making the survivors aggressive.
- Explain?
Have sent all data retrieved from laboratory network.
- Recommendation?
Suggest termination of laboratory and re-homing of Experiments.
- Understood.
"It is sent" she said, mentally returning to the group. Lexi nodded. Emilie let go, allowing Valerie to walk unaided.
The trio had walked quickly into the city, following a trail Valerie had pointed out before contacting HQ.
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Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on May 4, 2013 0:06:38 GMT
Around them, Lexi could see a path of destruction, much clearer than it had been on the outskirts. "This doesn't look like just one creature's handiwork" she said. "I match at least four different creature markings here with the files from the lab." Said Valerie, scanning the area around them. "Twelve escaped" Emilie reminded them. "So what happened to the other eight?" Lexi wondered aloud. "The identified markings appear to belong to Experiments two, five, seven and twelve." Valerie said with confidence. "Anyone see a trail to the others?" Lexi asked. Emilie searched and Valerie scanned, but both shook their heads. "Negative." Said Valerie. Lexi sighed, considering what to do. "Alright, we go after these four first. Our objective is to capture them without injury if possible, and send them back to HQ." The others nodded. "If I see any creature back at that lab I will personally destroy whoever is responsible, understood?" "Affirmative." Valerie saluted. "Yup." Emilie smiled, whole-heartedly agreeing with Lexi. "If you have to destroy someone, can I screw with their mind first?" Lexi looked at the girl, impressed. "Yes, yes you can."
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Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on May 4, 2013 14:10:46 GMT
A good half-hour later, the trio were still following the trail left by the four Experiments, but to no avail. They'd split up, regrouped, and looped back on themselves, causing destruction and devastation all the while. The closer to the city centre they got, the more panic-stricken people they met, and all of them claimed to have seen four monsters charging through. People were injured, some were dead, and the emergency services were overloaded to the point of asking passers-by to assist them. Emilie looked around, scared, staying close to the others. Lexi simply shook her head, but Valerie seemed almost indifferent. It was actually a little impressive. She seemed so human, yet the technology inside her must intercept her emotions somehow. Lexi pondered on this for a while. Was it better to feel nothing? Possibly. It kept you focused, logical, pain-free -mentally, anyway- and yet... Never feeling anything good? Anyone else at this point would have thought 'never to feel love?', but Lexi thought more about joy, laughter, excitement. For all her centuries of life, Lexi was still a child at heart, deep down in there somewhere, and a life without laughter seemed terrible to her. So she said nothing of it, and they pressed on, Valerie scanning all around them and leading them through the chaos.
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Echo
Administrator
Keeper of the Multiversal Peace
PM me if you've got any questions!
Posts: 8,659
Characters: Lexi Elendil, Sergeant Valerie Reyes, Katara Shadowdancer, Emilie Golding, Meghan Squire, Dayana "DG" Grace Williams, Jessica Rose, Chiyo, Aniani and Mirati, Xani, Robyn Luxli
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Post by Echo on May 4, 2013 14:35:30 GMT
Meanwhile, the QA had arrived at the lab. A small army of agents, and two Questers to oversee the termination, were busily packing away files and equipment, while the white coats stood outside, helplessly chained together. Dr Stein was at one end of the link, closest to the doors, watching with horror. The two Questers were guarding him and the technicians. "This is my life's work!" He shouted. "You can't just take it all away from me!" "I think you'll find we can, we will, and we are." Said one of the Questers, looking at him with a wry smile. She was about average sized and a little thin, with long brown hair braided down her back and dazzling blue eyes. For some unknown reason, she wore goggles on her head, and her entire outfit looked like she was in fancy dress for some post-apocalyptic, steam-powered, clockwork television show or something. Still, the guns in her holsters were definitely not a costume, and that was what mattered. She'd gotten one out and threatened him with it earlier, and a blade had flipped out, running parallel with the barrel of the gun. He'd shut up fairly swiftly after that, the blade looked sharp enough to split hairs. Now, however, he was too angry to hold it in. "Oh, Katara, play nice" said the other Quester with a smile. "We are taking away his livelihood, remember." She looked entirely normal, as if she wasn't working for some big organisation that apparently had the power to do anything it liked. She also had brown hair, though hers was shorter, and her eyes were a kind of mossy-green. "As well as his freedom, his equipment, his workers, his-" "-Yes, alright, I think we all get the point." Dr Stein butted in, angrily. The first woman, Katara the other had called her, grinned at him, and he couldn't help but get angrier.
The last of the agents carried what was left out of the building and loaded it into one of the vans. "Is that everything?" Katara asked him. "Yes ma'am" the agent replied. "Good, get this lot in the truck." The agent nodded and began putting the technicians into a prisoner transport truck. "Dayana, if you would be so kind?" The second woman nodded and turned to Dr Stein. "Since you were an abomination to nature..." she turned away again, back to the lab, and lifted her hands, commandingly. To Dr Stein's shock, the trees around them began moving, their roots carrying them towards the laboratory. They swung their branches at the walls, and flicked their roots like whips. Thick, thorny weeds snaked their way out of the ground and wrapped themselves around the building, squeezing and crushing. "HQ always did like irony" Katara mused. DG turned back to Dr Stein, but the plants continued their destruction. "Lexi sends her regards" she said, a cold and triumphant look in her eyes. With that, the two walked away, leaving the plants to devour all trace of the lab. Dr Stein was loaded onto the truck, doors were slammed, and the convoy moved out.
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