[u]Vents, Laboratory of Microreactor Technology[/u] [i]Coastal Waters, Tenebrae [color=lightgray]Time: After Midnight[/color][/i] [@Shu] "Dammit." Corva cursed as she watched Scarlet's signal slip into the vents. Her hair whipped in cascade as she raised her hand toward one of her assistants. "Get me access to the vent system." She commanded. "But ma'am, that's a level four encryption. It'll take hours to—" "We don't have hours. Use the meta skills we have to get in there and take over those wasps." The assistant gulped. "You mean... Me?" Corva nodded gravely, turning her eyes to the screen. "It's her best chance." — As Scarlet Shadow made her way through the vents, the security system detected her faster this time. A whirring sound, like a mosquito, reverberated off the metal as she shimmied forward, and she saw the little lights of the lab's robotic wasp diving toward her. It took a little effort to squash it, but that was only the start. More lights began filling the vents as the wasps began to pick up her trail, causing Scarlet to clamour through the vents. The air became thick with wasps, trapping Scarlet in a long stretch of closed venting. But before Scarlet could use the ace up her sleeve, the wasps froze. For a split second, the vent was eerily quiet as the wasps stopped all function. No wings, no lights, no movement. Then, as one, they convulsed as they fell to the ground, dead. [Code]"The vents are now safe to traverse."[/code] Said a voice in Scarlet's comm. There was shuffling and the roll of metal wheels. [Code]"Get him to ER."[/code] As the sound of squeaky wheels left the control tower, the voice focused again on Scarlet. [Code]"Two lefts and a right will take you to the shaft. From there, it's just an elevator ride to the next floor. Be prepared—that's where the heart is. I'm detecting a high level of activity."[/code] As Scarlet moved over dead wasp bodies, she eventually found the exit. And as she kicked out the vent grate, watching it fall into a bubbling, oozing liquid far, far below, the first thing she noticed was the heat. She looked out into a shaft full of vents and steel ribbing on the walls and the ceiling. Below her, a single, narrow metal platform went from one end of the shaft to the other, suspended by unknown means. One end, on the right, showed a closed security door with a console. On the other end, behind a layer of lasers, was the elevator to Section A. All she could hear was the bubbling of the liquid below her, until the door to the rest right blasted open. [hr] [u]Corridor, Laboratory of Microreactor Technology[/u] [i]Coastal Waters, Tenebrae [color=lightgray]Time: After Midnight[/color][/i] [@Blizz] It worked. A high-powered kick to the door came with a cascade of snapping pins, and the door rocked open on its hinges. Beyond the door was a long platform of grates hovering in a narrow, large column. Despite the safety rails, the sheer drop could make anyone with a shred of vertigo nauseous. If one looked over the edge, they could see a glowing, bubbling liquid shining down at the bottom of the shaft, sending up waves of uncomfortable heat. Overhead by 50 feet, they could see vents and steel ribs. And on the sides of the walls were a number of large vents, some with numbers, other closed and covered in dust and neglect. If they looked carefully, they could see one vent on the left completely open. "The elevator is just up ahead." Dream said, nodding toward the other side of the platform. She appeared okay, grateful, even, despite the cuffs on her wrists. But before Ellie, Linus and Dream could take a step forward, something happened. — [@Shu], [@Blizz] Cracks began forming in the ceiling. The faint sound of drilling fell ominous on straining ears. The platform began to creak and sway as the shaft shook, growing as chunks of ceiling broke away. And then, Ellie, Linus, Scarlet Shadow, and Dream saw it fall from the ceiling. Twinkling in its glass canister, suspended in between the sealed metal ends and spinning loosely, seductively. A small, intricate cube, easy to fit in a child's hand, hovering within its protective case as it fell neatly in the middle of the platform. The heart. "You idiot!" Came a voice from the hole in the ceiling. "When I said 'extract it' I didn't mean 'drop it'!" Feverish apologies, then leads of rope dropped down from the ceiling. They'd have company, fast.