Jake stared at the scientist, his mind reeling. "So all those people....the tourists, the workers....they're just test subjects?"
The scientist nodded grimly. "Most have no idea. They think they're on a tour, or working a new job. Once the device is in, their memories are scrambled. Some never recover. Others, like Carter, are immune for reasons we don't fully understand. That's why he's still here,they're trying to figure out what makes him different."
Samuel pressed his hands to the glass. "And the Settlement? The loops? The time resets?"
"All side effects of the anomaly," the scientist said. "The machine in the mine amplifies the field, creating pockets where time behaves unpredictably. Sometimes people relive the same day. Sometimes they lose years in a heartbeat. The program was supposed to map these effects, find a way to control them. But the more they tried, the more unstable it became. Now, even the scientists aren't sure what's real and what's not."
Lila's voice was barely a whisper. "And Dirty Joy?"
"Dirty Joy is a facilitator," the scientist replied. "He keeps the program running,brings in new subjects, covers up the disappearances, keeps the company's secrets. He's ruthless, but he's also a survivor. He knows how to play both sides."
Jake's anger flared. "So what now? Are we just supposed to wait until they decide what to do with us?"
Jake's question lingered in the heavy air, his frustration mirrored in the tense silence of the cell block. The scientist, face shadowed and weary, leaned closer to the glass, his voice low and regretful.
"I almost stopped the amplifier once," he admitted, eyes distant as if reliving the memory. "Ten years ago, I was so close. We had a plan,my team and I. We'd mapped the anomaly's core, isolated the feedback loops, and were ready to shut the whole thing down. But we lost control. The anomaly surged, and I lost some of my best people. That was the day the corporation 'LOOP' took over completely."
He glanced around, as if expecting to see old ghosts. "They caught me, branded me a liability, and locked me in this cell ever since. They didn't want anyone with the knowledge or will to stop their operation running loose."
The scientist's voice grew sharper, tinged with a bitter edge. "But LOOP isn't as united as they want you to believe. The management is split. One faction,mostly the old guard, the ones who remember what this place was supposed to be,are fighting to close the facility for good. They know the risks, the damage, the lives ruined. They want to end it before the anomaly grows beyond anyone's control."
He paused, letting the words sink in.
"The other side sees only profit. They want to turn the facility into a cash cow....sell 'experiences' to the highest bidder, run tours through the anomaly, experiment on anyone they can lure in. They don't care about the consequences, only the money and the power that comes with controlling something no one else understands."
The scientist met Jake's gaze, determination flickering in his eyes. "There's still a chance. If the side that wants to shut this place down can gain the upper hand ,and if we can get word to them ,maybe we can finish what I started. Maybe we can stop the amplifier and free everyone trapped by the loop."
He lowered his voice to a whisper. "But if the profiteers win… there'll be no more second chances. The anomaly will become just another commodity, and people like us will be the cost of doing business."
The cell block fell silent again, but this time, hope....faint and fragile....began to stir among the prisoners.