The rookie guard casually led the group through the front gate of Terrance Hospital, his demeanor relaxed, as if he were himself. The heavy doors creaked shut behind them, and the trio stepped into the dimly lit corridor.
"We're in," Crimson muttered. "What's the next move, Nox?"
"Could you not call me Nox?" the rookie snapped, pointing to the name tag on his chest. "It's Private Jon, remember?"
"Shh! Keep it down," Lilith hissed, shooting him a glare.
Before anyone could respond, a commanding voice barked from behind. "Hey! You three over there! Aren't you supposed to be stationed in the control room?"
The rookie guard froze, turning to see a well-built man clad in pristine white armor, his face obscured by a polished visor. The man's authoritative presence radiated through the hallway.
"Uh, sorry! We were just heading back," he stammered, his voice cracking slightly.
The man's head tilted, his visor reflecting the dim light. "I don't remember addressing only one of you. And you'll call me Sir. Now, if the other two would kindly turn and—"
"Captain!" another voice called out from the distance.
The well-built man sighed heavily, the weight of impatience in his tone. "Just make sure you're in that control room before Morgan catches wind of your absence," he ordered. "That kid's a nightmare. I have more pressing matters to attend to." Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode away, his boots echoing down the hall.
"Sir, yes Sir!" Lilith called out, her tone almost mocking.
The rookie shot her a look. "Now you decide to talk? What was that about?"
Lilith crossed her arms over her chest, avoiding his gaze. "I couldn't turn to face him. If I did, he'd know I was an imposter instantly."
The rookie frowned, his confusion evident. "Why would he—oh." His face flushed as realization dawned. "Right. Sorry about that."
He turned to Crimson, still flustered. "Then why didn't you respond?"
Crimson smirked faintly. "Because if I turned to speak, Lilith would've had to turn too. That would've blown our cover."
The rookie exhaled sharply. "Fine. Problem solved. Let's focus. The Captain mentioned the control room. If we find it, we might find what we're looking for."
Lilith nodded, her expression hardening. "Agreed. Let's move."
"Wait," Crimson interjected, his voice laced with frustration. "How are we supposed to find the control room in a place this massive?"
"He's right," Lilith admitted, glancing around the sprawling corridors. "We don't even know where the front gate is anymore."
The rookie groaned, running his gloved hand over the top of his helmet. "Alright, alright, calm down," he muttered. "I've got a plan. Have you forgotten I have the body of this rookie guard?"
"Yes, we do?" Lilith crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. "Don't forget, I'm the one who helped you get that body in the first place."
The rookie sighed, his patience fraying. "Yeah, thanks for the reminder," he snapped. "But you're forgetting something: this body is that of a guard. I'm in the guise of a rookie, which means asking for directions isn't just normal—it's expected!"
His voice rose louder than intended, echoing through the sterile hallway. Heads turned, curious whispers rippling through nearby guards and white-coated scientists. The rookie immediately froze, realizing his mistake. Slowly, he glanced at the armor Lilith was wearing—and his stomach sank.
Lieutenant. The rank insignia gleamed on her chest plate, a glaring oversight he hadn't noticed until now. Damn it, he thought, biting his lip. I didn't check her rank; no wonder I'm getting so many stares.
Straightening up in a flash, he bowed deeply, his voice dripping with false contrition. "My apologies, Sir! I promise to show proper respect to my superiors from now on!"
Lilith blinked, caught off guard. "What are you doing, Nox—"
"Play along," The Rookie hissed under his breath before raising his voice again. "It won't happen again, Sir!"
Lilith's confusion quickly turned to understanding. She tilted her head, taking on an air of mock authority. "Fine," she said sharply, her tone cold and commanding. "Apology accepted. But don't you ever disrespect your superior again. Understood?"
"Yes, Sir!" Jon barked, snapping to attention.
Crimson watched the exchange, his lips twitching in suppressed amusement. She's really getting into this, he thought.
Jon leaned in, whispering just loud enough for them to hear. "Look, the body I'm using is that of a fresh recruit of the guards, so me asking for directions won't raise any alarms. You two just follow from a distance and act as you outrank me."
Lilith nodded. "Understood. Let's move, Private."
"Seriously?" Crimson muttered under his breath as they fell into step behind Jon. "She's taking this way too seriously."
Jon ignored him, his focus now on a group of nurses stationed near an intersection. Their conversation was casual, their postures relaxed. Perfect. Drawing a steadying breath, Jon approached them, his armor clinking faintly.
"Excuse me," Jon began, feigning nervousness. "I just transferred here, and I'm still getting my bearings. Could you point me toward the control room? I don't want Morgan or El getting mad at me, and I don't want to mess up."
The nurses exchanged glances, one of them smirking. "You are new, huh? No problem. Head down this hall, take the second left, and you'll find the control room straight ahead. Just don't get Morgan angry."
"Thank you, Sir!" Jon said, offering an overly enthusiastic smile before retreating.
He rejoined Lilith and Crimson, his voice low. "Got it. Control room's this way."
"Good work, Private," Lilith said, her tone curt but teasing.
Jon scowled, his jaw tightening. "Don't push it."
Crimson smirked, his gaze flicking between them. "This is going to be a long mission."
Ignoring him, Jon led the way, the trio slipping further into enemy territory with each step. The air grew tense, the weight of their deception pressing down on them as they moved closer to the control room.
The trio stood before a stark white door, its pristine surface bearing the label "CONTROL ROOM" in bold black letters.
"Are you sure this is the control room, Private?" Lilith asked, her voice dripping with mock authority, though her barely contained laughter betrayed her.
Jon shot her a glare. "Seriously, Lilith? The giant sign above the door isn't enough of a clue? Cut it out already—there's no one else around."
"Can we focus?" Crimson interjected, his tone anxious. "What if someone's already in there?"
"Shut up, Crimson," Lilith said, rolling her eyes. "No one's—"
Flicker. Flicker. Flicker.
From beneath the door, faint light began to strobe, casting eerie shadows against the floor. Jon stiffened, his instincts kicking in as a low mechanical whine filled the air.
"What the hell was that?" Lilith whispered, her teasing demeanor evaporating.
Before Jon could answer, the door groaned open with a metallic screech, revealing a figure standing ominously in the doorway.
A boy, barely out of his teens, stared at them from behind a skull-shaped mask. His electric-blue hair glowed faintly under the flickering light, and his piercing eyes sparked with an unsettling crackle of electricity.
"You three make a lot of noise," the boy said, his voice cold and disdainful. "Don't you ever leave your post again, you pieces of shit. Or else…"
The sparks in his eyes flared, the faint scent of ozone wafting through the air. "I, Morgan, will fry you where you stand."
Jon's breath hitched as the boy turned on his heel and strode down the hallway, the faint hum of electricity trailing behind him. For a moment, none of them moved, the weight of the encounter pressing down like a storm cloud.
Lilith broke the silence. "What the hell was that?"
Jon finally exhaled, his voice shaky. "I don't know, but… doesn't his voice sound familiar to you?"
Crimson's eyes narrowed as he watched Morgan's figure disappear into the distance. "Yeah," he murmured, unease settling in his gut. "Too familiar."
Jon shook his head, trying to steady himself. "Whoever he is, we need to stay sharp. Let's just get inside the control room and do what we came for before things get worse."