[@Estylwen][@Lexisheeps]

Stella sucked in her breath as the red-eye thing appeared and began calling out in a choppy manner. She wanted to whine and stomp her foot at the utter insanity she had experienced the thirty or so odd days. She never thought that being sent to explore an ancient dig site would land her in a research facility. It was time to move again. Stella motioned for #3 to follow her back into the ductwork, unfortunately, that meant abandoning the little area they had called home for a month.

Once they were somewhat secure in the vents, Stella handed #3 the mini monitor of the security feeds of the facility. [b]"We're going to get Nick out now. There's no time to waste. First, I want you to wait in the vent by the abandoned garage where our sub is. Don't get in the submarine, wait until I tell you to start it up. I don't want you to get compromised. "[/b] Stella whispered as she smiled softly at #3 and handed her the earpiece to #3. [b]"I'll be back in thirty minutes tops. If I'm not, I want you to get whatever that creature was out there to cause a distraction. I think it may be the only way out, unfortunately."[/b]

Stella quietly opened the vent, pointed the laser finger to disable the two security cameras in the hallway, and hopped down with barely any sound behind the lone security guard. She took the rifle out of her pack, flipped it around, and knocked the security guard on the side of the head. Stella's swing quickly knocked the guard out with the butt of the gun. She wasted no time and dragged him to a supplies closet and swiped his keys and uniform. Stella tied his hands and feet together before she stuffed a cleaning rag in his mouth to keep him quiet when he woke up. She placed the rod-looking key that matched #3's and Nick's collars into her pack. 

Stella quickly threw her hair up into the hat and tightened whatever she could be checking the hallway. As long as she kept her head down, she would be okay. She was just tall enough to be mistaken for a short guy, especially with her hair in the hat and her chest suppressed by her sports bra. 

Stella would lay low for a while. She kept moving like she was checking rounds as if it were her actual job. The thing was that Stella and #3 had spent so much time in the vents that Stella had only a vague idea of where she was. She had the ductwork memorized but not the hallway. A couple of times Stella thought she was going to be spotted but she was lucky enough to act like she was getting something from the vending machine or checking rooms. 

Finally, Stella's blue eyes spotted where they were holding Nick. She watched around a corner as a nurse and a few guards entered the observation room. The guards exited with the doctor who had implemented the augmentations on Nick, which meant there was only that nurse in Nick's room. Stella could handle her. 

Stella waited until the guards and the doctor were out of sight before she slipped into the observation room. She didn't wait to disable the cameras before she took out the nurse. Thankfully, Stella just knocked her out. She then beamed her laser finger at the camera before she started the protocol of unhooking Nick safely and hacking the security cameras, appearing normal. There might have been a moment where the camera got a glimpse of her side profile but it was minuscule. She had to act now.  

[b]"What's the status, #3?"[/b] Stella whispered as they were fifteen minutes in. She quickly changed into the nurse's uniform and security badge. Nick was going to have to wear something when he woke up.

[b]"Come on, come on,"[/b] Stella muttered to herself as she watched the loading bar get closer and closer to the end. She looked at the clock on the wall as she knew that they were losing time but this was what she had to do to make sure Nick would be okay. While Stella waited, she prepared the nurse to appear as a body double of Nick to trick the security guards into buying them some time.

Stella finally heard the pressurized release and sighed in relief before she went into the exam room and began to unplug Nick from the various monitors. She helped him into a chair, handed him the uniform, and produced the key to unlock the collar around Nick's neck before putting it back in her pack. 

[b]"I don't have time to explain here, change into this and we need to go. We have exactly ten minutes to get where we need to. All I can say is that you're in danger,"[/b] she said as picked up the nurse and laid her on the table before she covered the nurse's body with a blanket. [b]"Oh, and you're going to need this,"[/b] Stella added as she handed him the security guard's loaded 9mm and a stun gun from her pack.

[hr]

Meanwhile, Thierry would be greeted by a tall, young man with dark hair and goldish eyes. He was dressed in a dark navy blue business suit. He stood up from the waiting room chair, smiled, and shook Thierry's hand. [b]"Monsieur de Villiers, I'm Voidlight's Vice President. We are glad that you took the time to speak with us. I know you're a busy man. We can discuss things on the way to the airport. Shall we?"[/b] The man said as he handed Thierry a file folder and opened the door to back out in the hallway.