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'I can't believe the results of this! God, what I would give to have a brain sample...'

'Calm yourself. If you ever got that sample, there would be no more data to go off of.'

Voices. Soft, a bit muffled, and still distinct. Wh...when had she floated back to consciousness? Even with her eyes closed, she could still tell that she was still in the dark of that chamber, that contraption. Her thin limbs felt heavy, restrained, tethered by wrists and ankles, the familiar weight and bulk of the wires and electrodes attached to her head and the back of her neck, confirmed with even the smallest adjustment of either.

'The EEG sensor's results have become increasingly valuable to us.'

'Not to mention the intervention in the simulations. If that small headway translates into competence in the neurointerference...'

The sedative must've worn off. The thought idly passed through her. It was the only way she could possibly hear them. There was no sickening taste in her mouth, and so she knew that this was all real.

'Once we've mastered the complications of the attempted subjugation, we will have stepped over the largest hurdle. It would give us quite the new breakthrough that will strengthen the hold over the rest of the Students.'

'And if the time comes that we cannot...'

'Then we dispose of it. Such a pity and a waste. I sincerely hope we don't have to resort to such measures.'

It. It. Like she was an object. And to them, she probably was; just a being to be studied and used. Just the thought of the word made her stomach churn. As much as every failure discouraged her more, she couldn't let them win. She had failed, again and again, but such chances like these came few and far between now. When she was actually awake. When the machine wasn't on to cut her off from the rest of the world outside the confines of this metal prison.

With a reach that was never the smallest bit physical, she groped into a more figurative dark, searching along with her mind to see what and who lay around her. It was time to come up with something, and quickly. While there was still time.

Val sat up in her artificial tree, leathery wings wrapped around her fragile form. She huddled close to the thick trunk of her fake tree as a form of self-preservation. For once, the bat-hybrid wasn't hungry. After the results of the Lab-Coats' last experiment, though....

Who would be?

They had taken her into isolation, given her normal food and water via a horizontal chute at the bottom of the large, metal door. By judging with her eco-location, and knocking on it a few times, the door itself had been thicker than most cells she's been shoved into. This had continued for days, possibly even weeks. It was hard to keep track of time when the bright, white lights never turned off.

The fact that they fed her was nothing new. What had started to concern Valerius was the lack of a certain red liquid that she needed to survive. At first, she thought that, perhaps, they had simply forgotten this one time. But, as the days (hours? Weeks? Months?) went on, the fatigue started to hit her body.

She ate less and less of the real food, and completely ignored the water. Her usually golden eyes had long-since faded to their red, hungered state. It got to the point where she could do nothing but lay on the floor of her cell, un-moving, and barely breathing at all. The teen had thought they were trying to kill her once and for all, if not....

If not for the large group of Erasers they had sent in one day.

The brunette shook her head, getting the memories of the gruesome scene out of her mind. She wasn't physically restricted in any way at the moment, which is a plus. They liked to observe her flying patterns, after all. The room itself was fairly large, but the ground below her was covered in bushes with briers to encourage her not to fall out of the tree, and to fly if she wanted to get to her food. The lights were usually turned off in her 'enclosure', as her eyes are fairly sensitive. The only way in or out of the cell was a door large enough for Erasers to fit into in case she became expendable, which she had been informed could happen at any time.

Oh, how much Valerius despised this place..

‘You can and you will. Do it. Again.’

The simple string of letters—a-g-a-i-n. It sickened him. He didn’t want to do it again, he didn’t know if he even could. But they demanded. AGAIN. AGAIN. So he had to. Caleb was trapped, between two walls and two White Coats. They felt safe enough to keep him out of his crate most days, but that was only because of his obedience and the fact that he was an Eraser. Obedience and his weakness. He’d easily be apprehended. And if not by the White Coats, fellow wolf-hybrids.

An omega can’t hurt anyone.

With a quivering lip, he did as he was told. He tried to morph. All hope of it actually working had gone years ago, instead replaced with dread. And disappointment. His arm began to shift, it became bigger, bulkier, but that was usual. Only halfway through the transformation would it stop. His fingers twitched ever so slightly, claws extending. Then as predicted: nothing.

It stopped.

He took in a sharp breath and held it, only to let it out with a loud whimper. The transformation was ripped away from him at the last moment, his arm twisted. He knew what was coming and there was no bracing himself for it. His arm began to twitch, and finally, it happened. His bones broke. He broke. His arm broke. Everything:

Broke. Cracked. And ripped.

He let out an inhuman screech, but the snapping was louder. Six snaps. One by one. Over and over. Each finger, and then his arm for the final time. His arm tremored from the pain alone; but something was happening to him like usual. It wasn’t over.

Not by a long shot.

‘Go on. You know what to do. Again.’

AGAIN.

He concentrated on his arm, and again tried to morph. His Eraser-half wanted to break free, but it couldn’t. And wouldn’t until the day he was killed. The arm shook, grew, and twitched. Then stopped again. The worst part. His arm shifted, inside. The bone and muscle. He didn’t get a moment to react though, his whole body crumbled into the wall. His bones ripped through the tips of his fingers sending small streams of blood pooling in his hand.

His pained whimpers caused the other Erasers in the room to laugh loudly.

OMEGA. OMEGA. OMEGA.

“S..shut up!” Caleb hissed. “I’ll break your—huh—?” One of the White Coats hauled him forward, and he landed in front of them on his knees. The blood once in his hand slipped onto the floor.

‘Perhaps we should let you boys go at it?’ One laughed quietly.

‘Just do it, Markus, he’s done for today anyway. It’d be fun to watch.’

Fun. It’d be fun.

As they spoke, they prodded at him. His hands, and especially his arm, only to scribble something on the clipboard. Then again. And again. Again. Finally they pulled away, leaving him staring into their eyes. Pleading. And begging to be hauled back to his quarters. Don’t leave me here.

‘Sounds perfect.’ He waved a hand at the two Erasers. ‘Don’t kill him. We still need him for tomorrow, you know? I’d appreciate if he still was breathing.’

At least I’m not expendable.

His face distorted in fear. He wasn’t as bothered by the White Coats as he was his ‘peers.’ They were watching him with the biggest smiles they could force. His two captors began talking amongst themselves and left the room. The door locked, and Caleb’s gaze turned to the two he’d threatened only moments before. An omega can’t hurt anyone.

An omega can only hurt himself.

He knew what was going to happen. And so did they.

It was hard to describe that desperate search, that analysis with the space of the metaphysical, and yet, evaluating the physical with it. There was so much, and only so much, that she could do with such power, and it took time for her to feel everything and decide just how she could try this time.

Senses were a powerful thing. It was only a matter if cards could be played right.

Such pain, memory or reality mattered not. It was much like her own. So many others here in this hellish place, so many other even she could not reach. But she had to try. Because due to the way that she had been performing in her own simulations, her supervisors were happy now but she could only buy herself time. That day was coming when they would figure out how she’d tricked the system and actually hadn’t improved the way that they’d hoped. And then they would dispose of her.

It took time. It wasn’t enough, just keeping her mental ability and capacity at a basic level. She had to push, to strain, even to move things just a couple of inches. That was all the more difficult than simply making things look like they were so. However for assumptions to be made and for possibilities to open up, the extra investment would be made.

(With Val)

Val would see a small trail of dust trailing downward from the ceiling, however if the bat hybrid ever tried to look up, there was no interruption in the ceiling.

A small voice reached her, although the origin of it was uncertain. It was a small, succinct but fragile voice, and it was difficult to pinpoint where it was coming from. I can get you out. There was a pause. Promise to help me and I’ll get you out of this room.

(With Caleb)

The lights flickered, once. Both of the larger Erasers looked up, momentarily peering at the lights before they returned their attention to leer ominously at Caleb. However, there was a tinkle of glass and the lights in the room suddenly went off completely, drenching the three Erasers in the dark.

If the two larger Erasers tried to use their earpieces to communicate with any of the labcoats, they would hear nothing.

Meanwhile, Caleb, and only Caleb, would hear a small voice. Delicate and feminine. I can get you out if you help me do the same.

The bat-hybrid didn't bother looking up as she heard the dust fall from the ceiling. She assumed some of the other experiments were rough-housing, and one hit the floor so hard that it caused the oddity. However, she was not prepared for the faint voice to speak inside her mind.

Her head shot up, eyes wide and ears perked, trying to pinpoint where the sound was coming from. Even with her excellent hearing, she had no way of tracking it. Perhaps this was just another experiment the Lab-Coats were putting her through.

"And why shouldn't I expect Erasers ready to rip my throat out as soon as I step out that door?" she asked the voice aloud, venom dripping from her words. Her hatred for being a lab rat was evident. Were they trying to lure her out to kill her? Like hell Val would go down so easily.

She knew her 'habitat' was not favorable to ground-walking mammals. Erasers couldn't exactly come into her room to retrieve her due to all the bramble bushes surrounding the floor of her cell. Only a small portion by the door was clear of foliage. To ensure she would be unconscious for extraction, the Lab-Coats would place her food at the door as scheduled. When she would fly over and start eating, they would use high-frequency sound waves to cause her to be incapacitated, and a scientist would come in to inject her with a sedative. She wasn't going to approach that door if she could avoid it.

The power outage made Caleb freeze where he stood. The Erasers seemed confused, so one thing was certain amass the confusion. That this wasn’t planned. This sort of thing was expected to happen on occasion, but the power would only be off for a very short time. Not enough to do anything of value. Not enough to protect him.

Then something else happened. He heard a voice. Feminine. Soft. Two things that he was not used to in the slightest. What it said though, confused him. The words ‘get you out.’

Get me out of here?

Why would I want to leave?

He could see the forms of the Erasers, he could make out their eyes. Power or not they were going to thrash him. And he’d let them. Why wouldn’t I want to leave?

The question gnawed at his insides.

The Erasers cracked their knuckles, and the noise made him feel sick. He didn’t want to hear that sound. Anymore. Ever. Again they did it, in his head he pleaded for it to stop.

“I’ll help,” he muttered, softly. He prayed whoever they were heard. Caleb wasn't even hesitant about it. He wanted out of this room, now. Not that he expected anything, it wasn't the first time he'd be messed with like this.

His two lupine brethren eyed him curiously. “You’ll help us what?” one asked.

“Help us rip your face up?”

“Tear your arms off?”

“Gut you?” The bigger of the two stepped forward. “An omega like you would love that, right?”

Omega. An omega can’t hurt anyone.

“Don’t tell me you’re so scared you can’t talk?” He moved close to Caleb’s face. “It’s much more fun when you scream. When you break. If not it’s like playing with dead meat.”

An omega can’t hurt anyone.

The first blow came to his stomach and winded him. He stumbled backward into the wall. He wheezed as he struggled to get the lost air back with heavy rushed breaths. The second hit made him drop his head, tears forming in the corner of his eyes. “Do something you worthless shit!”

The Eraser twisted his arms behind him, and he was wrenched downward. A hand was placed at the back of his head, but a reaction couldn't come soon enough. His chin, no. His face. Smashed into the desk. It left a deep line of red where it gashed him. Then again, the same spot. It caused him to let out a mix between a scream and a whimper.

Wait. Wait for your opportunity.

An Eraser was going to die today. Whether it was them, or him.

(with Val)

Not so loud! The suddenly panicked voice was like a siren to those sensitive ears. However, the voice almost immediately dropped back to its normal level. If I can reach you like this, it means I'm close. They don't know I'm talking to you.

You won't get out by the door. Not that way.

Again there was a small crumbling of something white from the ceiling. However, this time when she looked up, there was a small gap. One of the white panels of the ceiling had been partially displaced. The gap was about enough to stick a hand through, but if the panel itself was moved a little more, Val could probably shimmy through.

Help me. Please.

(with Caleb)

Thank you. That was the only thing that Caleb was able to hear before her voice seemed to be drowned out by the two other Erasers taunting him.

Omega. Omega.

Caleb's ears rang as his face was slammed against the desk, the pain to much, too often, jarring him too quickly for him to react.

There was a sudden and unwelcome lurch in his perception that caused him to be suddenly disoriented, but from the impacts, or something else? Such was difficult to ascertain. However, such nausea came and went quickly, and Caleb heard the front end of a high-pitched, earsplitting screech before it suddenly seemed to muffle, as if a wall had risen behind him to mostly block out the sound.

The viselike grips on Caleb's head and arms suddenly vanished as the stuffed sound continued. If Caleb looked behind him he would see the two other Erasers hunched over, eyes shut, faces scrunched in evident pain, squeezing their hands to their ears like their lives depended on it. One of them swayed lightly on his feet, seemingly dizzy.

One of them might have a key.

Valerius looked up and saw the small gap in the ceiling. She knew that there was another floor above her cell, but didn't know what particular room was sharing her ceiling as a floor. It could be full of Lab-Coats, or, worse yet, Erasers.

However, if that were the case, then they could have seen the tile move by now, and would have fixed it. So, perhaps it was safe? She couldn't hear anyone moving around up there, at least.

What about the cameras," she asked, still a bit hesitant but hopeful. They watch everything I do. If I just fly up and leave, they'll be after me immediately. I imagine I won't be any good to you dead or re-captured."

She wanted to help, she truly did, but the cameras around her enclosure would surly alert someone. Then they could administer the high-frequency noises to incapacitate her in a matter of seconds. A fall from the ceiling into the brambles below would be quite painful, and would break several bones. She knows this from experience.

(with Val)

There were a few heavy moments of silence. But just when it seemed like the voice and the presence had simply faded into nothingness, it continued



…cameras are only dangerous when people can actually see what’s going on in the feed.

Caleb was stunned. His forehead had a large gash where he was struck which left a trail of blood down his face. But as quickly as they started, they stopped?

Why? Why’d they stop?

He gripped the table to keep from falling and glanced over his shoulder at his two attackers. Instead, they were hunched, desperate to make—whatever—was happening to stop.

Key. Right.

He clenched his shaking fist. “Done already?” No answer. “What do you say I have a turn?”

There was a small amount of hesitation in him. It was fleeting. He lunged forward and swung at the bigger Eraser’s chin. In connected without challenge. The bones from his fingers though, they pierced his neck. They tore through him with little effort. Unexpected. But whatever works.

His hands moved away from his ears. Towards his neck. Caleb watched in stunned silence as the wolf-human fell to the ground choking. Gagging. On his own blood.

He was pulled from his thoughts by a punch to his skull; it made a sickening crack sound. And this time it wasn’t because he purposely broke something. He was knocked into the wall, and fell to the floor.

When he looked up and vision cleared, he could see the heel end of a boot was aimed for him. He threw himself to the side and it connected to the wall.

I just killed someone.

Then again to the side of the table. The leg snapped and gave way sending it crashing to the ground. His fingers wrapped around the metal pole at the last second and he rolled away. He could see the Eraser struggling blinded, and his hearing disoriented. More so when he stood up.

I killed someone.

He ran forward with the piece in hand then slammed it into his attacker's eye. The Eraser let out a pained screech and clawed at both the pole and Caleb at the same time. He couldn’t help but smile. “How does it feel having the last thing you see before you die, an omega?” Caleb slammed him back towards the wall and placed his knuckles at his neck. “To get killed by me of all people? A LaVey?”

He forced his bones into the flesh of the Eraser’s neck. Then again, and again. Until he dropped to the ground. He gagged for a few moments, before becoming lifeless. Caleb looked to his knuckles. Red, and soaked with blood. But for once it wasn’t his own. It didn't bother him, way less than what he'd expected.

Looks like I did my job for once.

What do the keys even look like?

'This is stupid..'

Val couldn't help but agree with that voice, but that didn't stop her from slowly unwrapping her wings from around herself.

'You'll be caught and killed on sight.'

Another valid point, but the bat-hybrid stood with the support of the fake tree's trunk. Her legs felt numb, shaky from anticipation and anxiety. Maybe even excitement? She couldn't tell.

'Why should you give up your life for another? You both are going to die.'

She unfurled her leathery wings, giving them a test flap to see if they were awake enough for lift-off. Her golden orbs took a glance down at the dangerous bushes below before glancing back up at the ceiling to her target. She would do this no matter her hesitations. This may be their only chance, and she wouldn't miss it for the world.

'This is stupid...'

She closed her eyes and took a breath.

"Here goes," Valerius whispered to herself before diving backwards off her tree limb. She let herself fall for a moment before her wings took action and lifted her into the air. Flying unsteadily but silently as only a bat can, she made it to the ceiling tile that was out of place and pushed it.

'You have yourself a deal, mysterious voice.'

(With Caleb)

I think a card key, but I don’t know if the lock on your door is different, the voice replied. But it wouldn’t make sense for them to leave them without a key, if they’re leaving them in here with you and locking the door. Lab coats tend to trust Erasers a bit more… she trailed off, for a moment uncertain.

There was some hesitation before her voice came once more. Check their pockets or something. There’s not much time. If they shut me off, you’re on your own, and I… Once again she trailed off, but Caleb may have been able to detect that note of fear in that silence.

A pristine room like a hospital room, white walls, linoleum tile. A couple of lab coats were sitting in front of a computer with several screens, each depicting status charts, modular activity, and the like. However, the scientists were avidly discussing amongst one another over a clipboard with some charts rather than paying attention to the monitor. Aside the computers was a large, metal, capsule-like machine with many wires trailing out of it.

The image rushed through Caleb’s vision and faded away almost as soon as it appeared. You must be close by if I can reach you. Help me get out of here. Please. A small, desperate plea. It’s only a matter of time before they shut me off for good.

(With Val)

The ceiling tile gave way to a small space, with just barely enough space to crawl around. It looked like a small space where the wires and air ducts wound pass through between the floors. If Val chose to climb into the ceiling, there would be no alarm, no doors bursting open and shouting. She would be able to get up there and crawl around unmolested.

A pristine room like a hospital room, white walls, linoleum tile. A couple of lab coats were sitting in front of a computer with several screens, each depicting status charts, modular activity, and the like. However, the scientists were avidly discussing amongst one another over a clipboard with some charts rather than paying attention to the monitor. Aside the computers was a large, metal, capsule-like machine with many wires trailing out of it.

The image rushed through Valerius’ vision and faded away almost as soon as it appeared. You must be close by if I can reach you. Help me get out of here. Please. A small, desperate plea. It’s only a matter of time before they shut me off for good.

The bat-hybrid crawled into the small space, not liking how cramped it was, but dealing with it if it meant freedom. She nodded despite not knowing if the voice knew she did or not.

"Where can I find you?" she asked, whispering just in case.

She was a very cautious girl. Val did not know if there were wiretaps or cameras outside of her own room, so she took the precaution in case there was. After all, it's not every day that someone comes along and assists in escaping. She wouldn't let this opportunity be put to waste because she was too loud.

There was silence for several moments, almost to the point where Val might've thought the voice had simply gone. The more moments that Val spent time in the darkness that was the small space in the ceiling, the more that her eyes would adjust. She was in a small space within the ceiling above, in a space around two and a half feet high, enough to crawl around easily. Up here, there were wires, as well as large tubes of what looked like a shiny foil material.

But eventually, the girl's voice returned.

I...well, my range is about 150 feet. If I can reach you, you must be in that range.

There was another pause. I can't tell what direction you're facing, but there's a vent opening at the end if you move the tube next to you and go inside it. Might be cold. It's the A/C.

Val's eyes easily adjust to the dim lighting, as bats see best at dusk. She starts a bit after the voice returns to her, but listens with great attention. She wanted to get as much info as she can. Unable to stop herself from thinking, a question popped into her head.

'A.C.? What is that?

The bat-teen didn't bother asking this, however, as what the thing was did not matter. She's been a lab experiment, after all, but unlike Xyla, who has been given simulations and such of the world, she's been kept isolated and ignorant to lessen the chances of her survival in the outside world should she manage to somehow leave. After all, she wasn't meant to be a soldier like the Erasers, merely a test in her own right. Just another statistic until they could actually weaponize others like her.

She looked around, golden orbs looking for the thing described to her. She moved the metallic tube that was pressed into her side and could barely make out a darker void in the dark area. She used her echolocation to try and see better, and saw it was a long path with many branching areas. No guarantee of which direction she had to go in, but she was sure the voice would help her along as she went. With this is mind, the experiment crawled her way into the A.C. duct, wings firmly folded and pressed into her back to prevent any damage.

"I think I am inside it. Where do I go from here?" she whispered.

Okay. I think I can tell where you're going now. Whenever she spoke--spoke? Valerius understood the words when they were communicated, but the words themselves were like a formless ripple, a strange not-quite-sound that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

The air inside the tube was noticeably colder than the more stagnant air outside it, and it was flowing. When the bat-hybrid had oriented herself in the tube, the air was coming at her from behind, the air sliding past to continue the perpetual rush ahead of her.

Keep moving, slowly, and tell me when there's a branch in the path.

The hybrid did as instructed, at least she was good for some things, as the lab-coats would say. She had learned from a young age that disobedience meant pain, and pain was unpleasant. At least they would at least feed her when she behaved to their liking. The lab-coats may have thought her compliance meant she was 'broken', willing to cooperate for the rest of her short-lived life (if she stayed there, at least, she was almost guaranteed to die sooner rather than later); however, she felt nothing short of contempt and disgust for her captors. It was why she was taking such a risk, listening to the not-quite voice in a means of escape. The bat-teen refused to give up and roll over, following and going through endless amounts of pain and misery at the hands of these... humans.

It wasn't long of crawling before she came upon her first intersection in the tubes, her echo-location easily helping her to see despite there being no lights. She tilted her head like a curious puppy.

"Which way should I go from here?" she questioned, voice still a strained whisper.