Infiltration

As you pull up into the mostly empty parking lot, you take a deep breath to calm your nerves. “Well, this is the place. Unless someone is aggressive or tries to stop us, we pretend I’m just here to check things out, got it?”

Everyone nods, although you all agreed beforehand that if this building is a front for the HPP, you may not get a very nice welcome beyond the front desk. Especially since Maya and Elys are so obviously not human. At least you were able to convince Elys to put on some pants and a shirt.

You get out and start walking towards the door, the girls right behind you. You try to put on the face of a serious businessman, though you’re not very practiced with it.

The four of you walk into the building, and the surprisingly large man at the front desk eyes you. You catch a flicker of irritation as he looks at your group before settling into a stone faced professionalism.

“Can I help you? This isn’t some store.”

You look him in the eye. “Don’t you know who I am?” You always wanted to say that. “I’m Josh Meyer. I own this company. I’ve been taking more of an interest of late, and I’d like to do a walkthrough, see how things are being run.”

The man shifts in his seat, “Well sir, I’m afraid I can’t do that. It’s dangerous out on the floor. Wouldn’t want you to get hurt. Let me call my supervisor and set something up for you.”

He reaches for the phone, and you reach out and snatch his wrist. With a thought, you activate the stun power, and the man jolts, and slumps in his chair. You sigh, and look around to see if anyone noticed. The front office is empty.

“Yeah, I didn’t think they’d let us walk in like that. Oh well, the hard way it is.” You quickly search the desk, grabbing a ring of keys you find inside. There is only one door leading into the warehouse, and you crack it open, looking for other people. Your luck is with you, it appears that there aren’t many people here today.

You make your way through the open area of the warehouse, and you hear shouting coming from a side path. You peek around the corner, and see rows of cages. You glance around the warehouse and realize that most of the space is taken up with crates and cages, most appearing empty. You creep ahead, seeing someone standing in front of a cage. Someone is angrily shouting from inside.

“What did you do with my girls! I swear, if you hurt them...” There’s a sizzling sound, and a grunt of pain. The person in front of the cage speaks.

“Shut up. Filthy monster lover. We’re taking you to be re-educated soon. Your ‘girls’ are in holding cells, I don’t care what they do to them, they ship out with the other one tomorrow. Now be quiet.”

Turning, you look at Elys, pointing at the man. Nodding, she glides forward, not even bothering to hide. The man turns and starts to say, “Who the hell are yo...”

His face is lit by a silver glow from Elys’ eyes, and he freezes, face going slack. You step past her and touch him, using your stun power again. He drops to the floor. You quickly move to the cage, trying various keys until one pops the lock. With a groan, the man inside sits up. He’s a well built man, appearing to be in his late twenties. You kneel beside him. “I’m assuming you’re Ethan?”

He nods, “Who are you guys? I assume you’re not with these lunatics.”

“I’m Josh, and this is Elys, Maya, and Anna. It’s rough meeting like this, but I’m friends with your mom. The AWIO sent me to get you and your girls out.”

“Oh thank god, I’m worried sick, who knows what these people have planned. I heard them mention that they keep the girls on the other side, behind a door. It shouldn’t be far, and I imagine your key ring has a key.”

“Got it, can you come with us? I don’t want to leave you here.”

Ethan nods, standing up. “Let’s go, I heard them say that they also have a fourth girl in the holding cell, I imagine you don’t want to leave anyone behind.”

“Yeah, we’re taking everyone.”

Suddenly, an alarm begins to sound. Things are going to be harder now, you think to yourself.

“Maya, you and I in front. Speed is important now, we don’t know how many people there are. Let’s go.”