- This looks like Chang's office - I commented, observing my surroundings.68Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxa8rez6N9
The walls and floor were made of a dark wood, though knocking on the walls revealed that there were metal frames holding them up. There was also a large, wooden door ahead of us. It was big enough to bring an average supply crate through. I know this as we had to bring the crates around several times during our missions.
- I guess he isn't as innocent as he told you - Arika whispered.
There was a metallic clank somewhere behind us. I picked up the sound and turned around. There was a hatch near the shuttle's cockpit, which was now opening slowly.
- We need to hide - Anthony told us.
This was true, but we didn't know where to go. The hall we found ourselves in was purposefully emptied in order to fit a spacecraft inside. So, we decided to do something very hasty: pass through the door to see what lies behind it.
We sneaked up to the door, trying to be as quiet as possible. Arika was the first to reach the door, so she opened it. Annoyingly, the door creaked. However, the shuttle's hatch wasn't fully opened yet, so there was a chance that nobody heard us. Still, we proceeded with utmost caution, as we always did while infiltrating enemy territory.
The room we found ourselves in was filled with laboratory equipment. There was a miroscope, still embedded in its box, indicating that it was brand new. There were also many test tubes kept in racks. Getting a closer look at them, they were empty. Amber also spotted a large beaker filled with a transparent liquid, most likely water. It was placed on a clean, white table in the corner of the room.
Anthony chose to hide behind three blue barells placed next to each other. Arika, Dawn, Sebastian and I tugged along with him. We crouched, hidden behind the barrels. There was a tiny bit of space between the two I was hidden behind, which allowed us to catch a glimpse of what's ahead. The drawback was that it could also work the other way around, should someone look at the crevice.
Agent Nebula, along with Claudius, Amber and Einstein, opted to crawl underneath the table on which the big beaker was placed. Claudius pulled a small crate over to cover his teammates up before reuniting with them beneath the beaker.
- Come on, take cover! - Nebula rushed Nigel, which he obviously grumped at. He was still out in the open, so he had to come up with something fast.
He ended up choosing the microscope box as his hiding spot. First, he opened the box and took our the styrofoam on which the microscope was placed, ducking underneath it. He then put the microscope back in the styrofoam, which he covered his head with. This spot was the most unconventional of ours, but it had potential, as the box was large enough to neatly conceal a very uncomfortably seated person.
The wooden door creaked open again. I peeked through the tiny gap between the barells to see our pilot. I was twitching strangely, the reason of which I couldn't tell, though I wished to.
- Is everything okay? - dad asked.
- I think so - I whispered back, though it sounded like the opposite of what I was saying.68Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CzwO0Lba8
The enemy's steps were so quiet that I barely heard them. My allies gathered around the crevice, wanting to see our opponent too. It was a Chinese man. Probably an associate of Chang's, I figured. He looked irritated, holding the test tube with the alien goo. I assumed that he way annoyed at the sample being frozen. Luckily, my rapid response managed to calm the pulp down, as it stopped at the tip of the tube.
- Someone's talking - Arika noted.
Sure enough, I heard some Chinese chatter in the distance. The voice was recognizable: Chang Yazhu. He was muttering something in his language, but the strange part was that it appeared like he wasn't talking to anyone.
The irritated man approached who I assumed was Chang, hissing something towards him in Chinese. The other person's identity was confirmed, as the muttering came to an abrupt end. Chang said something, this time much louder. A dialogue unfolded between the two men. When that wrapped up, the irritated man came back through the room we were hiding in, this time appearing much calmer. More importantly, he no longer had the test tube.
- Chang's got the aliens - Dawn noticed this too.
Instead of coming back to his shuttle, the man was making his way to a door located dangerously close to our hiding spot. I twitched harder. The man briefly gazed upon our hideout, but fortunately didn't see us. He came through the door, closing it shortly after. As soon as he appeared, he left.68Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWGtZ9Op8b
We sat silently for a bit. Then, Agent Nebula left her hideout with Claudius and Amber. She glanced upon us, a sign that we should leave too. We did so slowly, as to not alert the enemies. Captain Nigel struggled to leave the microscope box, so we helped him out of it before he broke the delicate apparatus placed in the styrofoam, which he was trying to wedge off his head.
Luckily, he made it out of the box without breaking anything and we regrouped.
- We need to split up to find both men. You - Nebula looked at those hiding behind the barrells, myself included - will question Chang about the goo and demand its return, while Claudius, Amber and I will go search for that mysterious man.
- And what am I supposed to do? - Captain Nigel asked her.
- You'll keep watch over that shuttle. If something happens with it, I want to know - Nebula pointed at her earplug - And you, Edward, shall take care of the communications between the members of our team, adjusting the radio channels so that we can hear each other.68Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETw2f1YVtX
- Sure - Einstein, who she called by his real name Edward, nodded in agreement.68Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyrZQvorz4
We split up. It made sense that we were selected to handle the conversation with Chang, as we've already approached him earlier. I in particular had expierience in communicating with him, since I was the one who smashed headfirst into his office.
The general direction of the irritated man's path led us past Chang's desk, into a previously unseen area of his office. This room looked even more like a laboratory than the previous one, mainly because of the table with a strange contraption made of plastic pipes and beakers. The test tube with the extraterrestrial goop was in the middle of it all. Sebastian also found some hangers on the wall with diry lab coats on them. There was one empty hanger, as the coat placed on it was currently worn by Chang Yazhu.68Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpH2d5VzAb7
Chang was about to inject water into the test tube, using a syringe.
- Stop! - Amber sounded simultaneously menacing and excited.
Us barging into the lab prevented him from completing his experiment. He exclaimed something in Chinese, turning to face us. I felt like it was a curse word, though I wasn't sure about that.
- Leave that poor alien alone! You're working with the Perseids, are you? - Amber continued.
- Wha.. what are you talking about?! I don't even know how I'm supposed to work with an annual meteor shower! - Chang didn't recognize our enemies, understanding the name too litearlly. He stepped forward, revealing a portrait of Lim Yazhu hanging on the wall behind him.
Underneath the portrait was a cabinet with another stack of paper, much smaller than the one we had to dig through earlier. The papers likely documented the experiments ran by Chang.
- Don't pretend like you don't know who the Perseids are! - Anthony joined Amber in intimidating Chang.
- Once again, I don't know who you're talking about. I'm just running experiments on a sample delivered to me. It's my job - Chang grumped.
- Are those experiments legal? - I questioned.
- I've been commisioned by the colony to run them, so they're legal, unlike you breaking into my office for the second time - Chang replied - Much like my brother, I'm also a biologist.
- But are you evil like him? - Amber's confidence faded.
- No, I'd never be like him. Unlike Lim, I run those experiments for the actual benefit of the colony and, in the bigger picture, mankind as a whole - Chang explained briefly.
- Well, that sample of yours is the alien goo stolen from Europa, which is suspicious to say the least - Anthony commented, walking closer to Chang's contraption.
- So... that wasn't you showing your lack of knowledge about biology? - Chang asked.
- We're not incompetent! You think that this came from Earth? - Sebastian pointed at the test tube.
- I was about to check that, but you raided my lab, so I don't know yet - Chang shrugged, seemingly having calmed down.
- That sample was brought illegally onto Venus, so that invalidates whatever legislation you have for your experimentation - Anthony responded.
- Let me check if this is even the thing you're constantly talking about - Chang sighed before adding water into the test tube. The goop didn't react at all. It was static.
Before we could react, Chang moved onto the next phase of his experiment. He nibbled at the goo with some pincers. The sludge reacted by bubbling and growing onto the pincers, prompting Chang to abandon the tool and jump away.68Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNqAEo00r4
- We told you that stuff loves heat - I stated.
- Ohhhhhhh - Chang realized that his pincers were an excellent heat conductor, due to being made from metal. Chang's body heat passed through the pincers to the goo, triggering its growth.
- Now you believe us, don't you? - Sebastian asked.
- Well, yes... - Chang replied sheepishly.
- Then pass it to us - Anthony demanded - We need to inspect it.
- Hold on - Chang responded - I can inspect it too. In fact, I can do it much better than you. I have professional equipment, not to mention scientific knowledge.
Anthony silently thought through this possibility for a moment, responding with:
- Do it.
ns216.73.216.86da2
and then Add to home screen.