Chapter 22

That settles it. I'm turning into a news junkie.

Sam thought this to herself after she woke up on the couch with the TV on CNN. She blinked several times while waiting for her eyes to focus. Habit told her not to rub her eyes or else they'd be red for hours. After a minute of this she still couldn't focus on the television, so she yawned and shuffled to the bathroom to wash her face. The cream-scented face wash and warm water did wonders for her and she felt refreshed and aware as she patted her face dry. She let her hair down from the tight bun she had it in the night before and lovingly brushed out the tangles as the news anchor's voice drifted to her from the living room.

"…and little progress has been made due to frequent terrorist attacks and skirmishes along the 38th parallel. The death toll has now climbed to over 500 between the two sides, though neither is willing to commit to any real military action.

Split ends? No, just fine hairs. Need to visit the salon soon. Spy work is killer on my hair!

"…no information as to the true identity of the nuclear bombers. International sources are baffled, and the UN so far has no leads. India and China are denying responsibility, while North Korea continues to decline to comment, as has South Korea."

Should I tie it up or leave it down? Nah, I'll leave it down. Got that date with Brad tonight.

"…the Speaker of the House once again called for the President to make a decision regarding the Korean crisis. The President once again calmly informed Congress that negotiations are stable but tedious, and he does not wish to upset the current situation by declaring his intentions too early."

Let's see, which underwear should I wear? Feeling sexy today…

"…while the respective leaders at the talks carry an air of civility and rationale, their respective constituents are less than happy. Riots continue to mar the otherwise peaceful talks in both countries, damages totaling in the millions both from property damage and from a large percentage of the workforce now engaged in the rioting. The North Korean government has been reluctant to release information regarding the riots there, but sources in the Associated Press tell us that it is much the same as in the south."

Corduroy skirt, silk blouse, and dark green jacket make Sammie look like a pro.

"…the leader of the World Organization of Human Protection continues to mediate the talks, and so far has declined comments on their progress, citing the sensitivity of the subject matter."

Jewelry…

"…meanwhile, a rash of terrorist incidents has the UN Security council baffled, as they are believed to have been perpetrated by the same group, but no one has come forward to claim responsibility."

Makeup…

"…common features of these attacks include widespread use of arson, severe property damage, information technology wipeouts, and 100 casualties. The unknown terrorist group has so far attacked banks, government institutions worldwide, database housing…"

Blip.

Sam grabbed her purse and briefcase. She glanced at her watch.

"Plenty of time. Always liked getting to work early." Question is, which job am I talking about? And when will I decide which one will be full-time?

Then her cell phone rang.

Alex yawned as she waited for the bus to take her to work, or at least within two hundred feet of it. In the month since their last encounter with Jacob and his cohorts, Mark had been called away on duty. She wasn't exactly sure where he was, but it was on the other side of the globe at the very least, judging by their 3 am phone conversations. More than anything she was lonely, she thought as people grouped around her to wait for the same bus. She missed the feeling of Mark's body in bed with her, and the warmth he left in the sheets after he got up, and the smell of his skin when she laid behind him, and the sound of his gentle breathing. There were more people here than usual. All the trouble lately had sent gas prices skyrocketing to the point where Alex only used the car in emergencies or to carpool. And it looked like everyone else had the same idea.

One month. Why haven't we heard any news? What are they planning while we sit here and try to act normal?

The bus pulled up beside the stop and halted with a loud hiss as the pneumatics lowered the chassis to the curb. Alex was the first on board and swiped her bus pass before finding a seat near the front. One by one the other passengers filed on and soon enough the buss lurched away from the stop. Alex watched the familiar old streets pass by. The sun seemed harsh so early in the morning, and she pulled her shades on and wrapped her thoughts around herself. She saw the WOOHP building in the distance and found herself having uneasy thoughts. She had a comfortable life as a physical therapist. She could easily do this for the rest of her life and have a good income, send the kids to college, have a little money to burn on nice things, and generally have a comfortable lifestyle.

So why was she wishing she was a full-time spy again?

Because it was thrilling. As close a call as the last one was, she remembered the danger, the thrills that shook her to her core and put her on the razor edge between life and death, throwing each into stark contrast with each other and making each breath she took feel more exuberant than the last. Life didn't seem routine or humdrum. She knew exactly what it was like to live because what it was like to not live was just around the corner.

More than that, the world of espionage was calling her again. Something important was happening and she wanted to be a part of it, just like the old days. Was this a mistake? Was it wrong to put her life in danger? Was it selfish of her to do what she wanted, and risk taking away the most important thing in her husband's life so she could relive her glory days?

The bus slowed to a halt and let more passengers on.

It was more than that. Spying made her feel important. Powerful, even. As a spy she could change the world. Not that she didn't love helping people regain use of their bodies, but fighting the forces of evil felt more important somehow. Maybe that's because it was. Maybe she had to cast her dream of having a family to chance in order to do what was right. If she did nothing, then she might not have a chance at that family she dreamed of so fondly.

She disembarked at her stop and adjusted her bag. She still had a quarter-mile walk to the office. No big deal. A brisk morning walk always does the body good.

Amazing how oblivious everyone here is. It's like Los Angeles is its own little world, and we wouldn't be remotely affected if war broke out over there. Don't they know our way of life could end soon? Maybe it's better this way. It's kind of nice not to think about it and just enjoy doing what we've always done. That is one downer about being a spy: when something bad happens, you're always right in the middle of it.

The shrill blast of a car horn shattered her thoughts, followed by a "Hey Alex!" She looked to the road and saw a red convertible with Clover behind the wheel.

"Clover! Hey!"

"Need a lift?"
"Sure!" Oh well, so much for that brisk morning walk.

Alex jumped in almost the moment Clover hit the accelerator and zipped around a parked truck.

"So where you headed?"

"Work. It's just a little ways down. You?"

"Going to see a client at the set and see how he's coming along. How you been, girl?"

Alex shrugged. "Been better, been worse. I will say that I'm in the best physical condition of my life."

"Oh, tell me about it. Going back to WOOHP was probably the best thing I could ever do for my body short of massive cosmetic surgery." Clover punctuated her statement by patting her arm, which concealed a set of smooth, firm muscles just waiting for action.

"I'll give you that. I haven't been in this good shape for years. Oh crud, you just passed the office."

"No big deal. I'll just go around the block. You've got a few minutes now, amiright?"

Alex grinned guiltily. "Won't argue there." She stretched. "You hear anything from Henry?"

"Not a peep. I wonder what's going on? I mean, shouldn't we be trying to stop those Coyotes or whatever?"

"Wolves," she corrected. "And yeah, that is a little strange. Maybe he's letting the other agents handle things while he waits for a big assignment for us?"

"Or maybe he's waiting for an easier assignment for us recently reactivated spies."

Alex flinched. "I'd rather not thing about it like that."

"Me either. Hey, there's a good breakfast place here. Wanna grab something before work?"

"Clover, I'll be late!"

"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure your boss won't mind."

"You just say that because you're your own boss."

"Just tell him you missed your stop! Come on, Alex. We hardly get together anymore!"

"Clover!"

"What?"

"The road's trying to eat us!"

"Huh? Holy crap!"

True to Alex's word, a gaping maw had opened in the road ahead of them. Clover hit the brakes, but they were too close already and the car ran headlong into a tunnel that disappeared seamlessly back into the road.

Clover struggled to keep the car under control as they careened down a narrow underground tunnel.

"If I scratch this thing Henry is going to eat my pointiest stilettos!"

Alex clutched her bag to her chest. "Well, we wanted to hear something from Henry!"

The tunnel ended in a flash of light and the girls found themselves parked in Henry's office.

"Good morning, spies. Right on time as usual."

Clover pried her fingers off the steering wheel and gingerly turned the engine off. "G-g-g-good to see you to, Benny."

Alex looked around. "Is Sam here?"

Henry looked at his watch. She should be dropping in right about…now."

The ceiling opened wide and Sam's screaming announced her arrival as she plopped into the back seat.

"Oww."

"Good morning Sam. Now that you're all here, we can begin."

Sam hauled herself upright and leaned on the back of Clover's seat. "What's new?" she asked grumpily.

"We've been monitoring the terrorist activity in Korea and discovered the individuals responsible. He called up several photographs on the screen. "Though we saw no evidence of Jacob himself at these scenes, we did see some of his cohorts. I was hoping you could identify some of them." He focused on the first picture, a man dressed in all black and carrying a machine gun.

"Spectre," said Sam. "He can somehow pass through shadows and affect light so that his power is enhanced."

The next picture showed a young man with long, black hair and pulling a cloak around his body.

"Inferno," muttered Clover. "I think he has a crush on me."

Henry stopped. "He what?"

"I said I think he has a crush on me!"

"I'll remember that. You may have given us something very important, Clover."

"What? A psycho creep likes me? And exactly how many times have we seen that scenario?"

"Point taken. Anyway, I didn't just call you here for this. Britney has been gathering intelligence for us for some time in this case, and she sent us some data which give us reason to believe that another one of our labs is about to be attacked."

"Were's this one?" asked Alex.

"South America. Buenos Aires, to be precise. It's actually quite a clever location. The whole complex is disguised as an old government building, but beneath it is a research facility as advanced as…girls?"

Henry took one look and knew he'd lost their attention.

"Buenos Aires. Brad said that's his dream vacation spot!" gurgled Sam.

"I have family there!" squealed Alex.

"And Portugese is such a sexy language!" Clover gooed.

"Excuse me!" Henry interrupted. "We are trying to avert World War Three here!"

The girls immediately sat up straight, but their excitement was ill-contained.

"Anyway, I am not sending you there for vacation time. The three of you are being added to the security detail at the laboratory. The second sample is stored there, and Britney's information tells us either side could strike at any moment."

"What about the third sample?" asked Sam. "Why wouldn't they try to take it while we're off in Brazil?"

"Each laboratory has the location of another laboratory stored in its database. Only I know the location of all three. In order to learn the location of one laboratory, you have to go to another. It makes communication extremely complicated, but it's necessary for security."

Clover waved her hands like she was shooing a fly. "Yeah yeah, security, genes, samples, whatever. Can we go already?"

"Um, yes of course, Clover. I'll send you on your way immediately." Henry pressed a button that caused the floor beneath the car to turn the entire vehicle upside-down and vanish. The girls dropped from the car, which was now attached to a ceiling in the room below Henry's office, into an awaiting jet that immediately roared to life and took off with the girls screaming all the way.

A short while later, the girls had composed themselves and Sam had the autopilot taking them to Buenos Aires. They kicked back in the seats and watched the clouds pass them by at mach 2.

"You sure were in a hurry to get the mission started, Clover," Alex observed. "That's so not like you, being this enthusiastic about guard duty."

"Who said anything about guard duty?" Clover said with a wry smile. "This is Buenos Aires we're talking about. Do you know how long it's been since I've been someplace exotic like that?"

Sam spun around in her seat. "Hold it, you're no thinking about running off on the job, are you?"

"Oh Sam, it's not running off. As international workers of goodwill we need to be in tune with cultures all over the world. How are we supposed to understand the people of Brazil if we're going to be cooped up inside a silly lab all day long?"

"But, we have an assignment!"

"Come on, Sammie! This is Buenos Aires we're talking about! How often do you get to go to Buenos Aires in a lifetime?"

Sam clenched her teeth. This was a bad idea and she knew it. "Clover, we really shouldn't. This isn't like the old days. We're not kids anymore."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying what you're proposing is irresponsible. You've seen what we're up against. These guys mean business, whatever they're after."

Clover glared at Sam, her eyes brimming with hurt. "Why, why are you…?"

"This isn't like the old days, Clover," said Sam with all the conviction of a general. "We can't live out our old childhood fantasies anymore because we're not children. We're adults and we're playing an adult's game. I mean, don't you want to at least try to figure out why everyone wants our DNA?"

"Nope."

Sam was just about to launch into her next point, expecting Clover to have relented to logic, but she simply stared at Clover with her mouth hanging open and her voice stuck in her throat.

"Honestly Sam, I don't care. I'll kick these guys' asses, save the day, and go back to my job back in L.A. I was never good with the scientific stuff, and I never will be. I'm sure it's fascinating to you, but as far as I'm concerned, I just want to get the job done and go home, go to work, and chase guys."

"Me too!" piped Alex. "'Cept for the dating guys part, I mean," she quickly added. "Married and all."

Sam looked back and forth between them, hopelessly outnumbered. "So, you're not going to completely slack off?"

"Not completely," Clover answered with a wink.

One thing Sam had forgotten was just how manipulative Clover could be.

The other thing she had forgotten was that sometimes credit cards don't work overseas.

Thus the girls were restricted to window-shopping for the entire morning after arriving in Buenos Aires. They had avoided the WOOHP staff sent to pick them up by excusing themselves to the bathroom and put their X-Powder disguises to good use and slipped away unnoticed.

The weather was warm and breezy that day, and the girls ducked into many shops to cool down, though all of them were craving cold smoothies by eleven o'clock. That didn't distract Clover from ogling the many bronze-skinned men that inhabited the upscale part of the city they found themselves in.

"I'm so thirsty!" Alex moaned. "We need to get to the lab just so we can get something to drink."

"No kidding," Sam added. "Without any way to pay for things here, we'll starve soon enough."

They paused to gaze longingly at a menu outside a cozy-looking restaurant. The delicate aroma of fine cooking drifted out of the open door and drove their stomachs wild.

"Man, and I've been saving up for a trip like this," whined Clover. "I had this funny feeling I should have packed my traveler's checks today."

"Funny feeling?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, this little voice in my head saying 'take your traveler's checks, Clover!' But of course I didn't listen because hey, why would a native of LA need traveler's checks on a perfectly normal day? Not like we get sucked into vacuum tubes every day or anything, right?"

Sam and Alex giggled at Clover's rant on WOOHP's preferred method of transporting its agents, and they continued down the street in the general direction of the secret laboratory.

Sam sighed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "I guess we'd better head over there if we intend to eat."

Alex stuck out her tongue in disgust at the idea. "I'd almost prefer to starve than force WOOHP cafeteria food down my throat. At least their salads are edible."

"Edible is a relative term, Alex."

"At least it's not an MRE. Mark let me try one the other day, and I wouldn't punish a dog with that sh – I mean crap" she corrected.

"See, depends on the dog for me," said Clover.

"Huh?"

"Like Sam said, it's all relative. Now where did you say this place was, Sammie?"

"Not far. The building is just down the street."

An easy ten-minute walk found them across the street from a pricey department store. The sun was now high above, baking the city the same color brown as its inhabitants. The smell of the sea drifted across the girls' noses with the wind, and high above the city the statue of the Christ looked over them with outstretched arms.

"Think he's really watching over us?" asked Alex.

"Huh?" Sam and Clover responded.

Alex pointed to the statue overlooking the city. "Him."

Sam and Clover looked at it for a few seconds and shrugged.

"It's just a statue," said Sam. "Why do you ask?"

"I dunno. With all this talk of doomsday, I keep thinking we'll need all the help we can get." She wiped the sweat from her brow and the thought seemed to pass. "Anyway, how do we get in? I'm totally parched."

Sam approached an ordinary-looking mailbox. "I think the secret entrance is here. I just show it my WOOHP I.D. and…"

She held her I.D. badge in front of the mailbox's opening. The door opened and a scanner examined her I.D. and retreated back into the box.

"Okay, if I know WOOHP technology, let's brace ourselves."

The girls faced the mailbox and steeled themselves for a vacuum-powered trip through the mailbox and into the WOOHP laboratory, which left them totally unprepared for the plush cushion that scooped them up from behind and gently carried them down a long shaft. A light pop melody accompanied their trip into the lab, and a robotic arm served them fresh bottled water. If anything the extraordinary pleasantness of this entry was far more jarring than a typical vacuum tube trip.

"Well this was…unexpected," said Clover.

Alex downed her entire bottle at once and finished it with a satisfied gasp. "But refreshing!"

A snide grin appeared on Sam's face and she opened her X-Powder. "I gotta tell Henry about this. This is how spies should travel." She tried to page Henry, but found only static on her display. "That's weird. No signal."

"This place probably has a lot of security and stuff for that," Alex offered.

"Maybe. Not the first time our signals have been blocked. I'm sure we can call him once we're inside."

The ride ended and greeted the spies with a refreshing blast of cool air as they stepped off the landing platform and into the airlock.

"I dunno, I think we might just enjoy being here if the entrance was that pleasant," Clover remarked.

Sam folded her arms and gave Clover an I-told-you-so look. "And you said you didn't care about science."

"The only science I care about is the stuff that makes me look good or keeps me comfortable. Outside of that I leave it to brainiacs like you, Sammie."

"Hey! I am not a brainiac!" She whined.

Clover raised her eyebrow in a challenge. "How many times did you read Les Miserables?"

"Seven and a half," Sam answered automatically before she hunched her shoulders and pouted her lips. "You win. This time."

The inner door opened with a mild hiss and the spies stepped into an empty lobby. Empty was actually a misnomer. The lobby that greeted them was more along the lines of abandoned. Nothing stirred save for the quite hum of the air conditioning.

"I guess everyone's at lunch," Alex suggested.

"Or at work," added Sam. "Let's find a receptionist."

The receptionist's table lay directly ahead of them, but even it was empty.

"Coffee break?" said Alex.

Clover leaned over the table and her eyes widened in alarm. "Something tells me she left for something a little more important than coffee."

The other girls leaned over the table and gasped. The receptionist's chair lay on the floor, hewn neatly in two. Sam hopped over the table and knelt beside the chair.

"Something happened here. Something bad." She stood up and looked around. "We need to get to the communications room and contact Henry. I think it's spy time, girls."

They changed into their spy suits and headed for the other end of the lobby.

"You two go find out what happened to the staff. I'll look for the comm. center and contact Henry." Sam turned to leave, but Alex grabbed her arm and held her fast.

"Sam, I think we should stick together. I've got a really bad feeling about this."

Sam opened her mouth to object, but the innocent concern she saw in Alex's face shut it for her and changed her mind. "Okay, we stick together. This means we should find the staff first. The comm. room might be secure anyway."

They hurried through the empty compound, searching every room for signs of the staff and finding none. One by one the rooms passed, and with every passing moment the feeling of despair grew. It was not a big compound, and the number of unsearched rooms decreased rapidly until they encountered a large, locked double door made of titanium.

"Well," said Sam, "We need to get through here."

"Which means we probably need a security card, don't we?" said Alex, pointing at a card reader near the door.

Clover looked down the hall. "Let's try in there. I think I see a computer" she said, pointing to an open door.

The entered the room and turned the light on. The fluorescent light flickered to life, casting a uniform, lifeless light around the room and its computers.

"Perfect! Said Sam. These are probably connected to the network!"

"Which means?" asked Clover.

"We might be able to find out what happened or even get in contact with someone."

The moment Sam took a step toward the nearest computer, the shadows in the room turned an impenetrably black, and the light became whiter, casting the shadows into even greater contrast. A black figure stepped out from a shadow cast by a server cabinet and revealed itself to be Spectre.

"You!" the girls exclaimed all at once.

"A pleasure to see you three again," he said derisively. "Though I could have wished for more comfortable accommodations."

"Shut your trap!" Sam ordered. "What have you done with the staff?"

"Me? Nothing. I got here shortly before you did, and well after the real attackers."

"Real attackers?"

Spectre nodded solemnly. "Yes, I think Atlas beat us here. The staff have locked themselves in a secure portion of the facility."

"Then what are you doing here?" asked Clover.

"Hoping I'm not too late. Jacob believes we may be in over our heads this time. Atlas has some new toys courtesy of Geraldine and Scam."

"Jacob's here?" Sam exclaimed.

"Yes, along with Inferno. But I think-"

"Too late for what?" asked Alex.

"To stop Atlas from obtaining the second sample. Look, shouldn't you be worried about-"

"Inferno's here?" cried Clover. "At least we get to fight someone cute, even if he is a little short."

Spectre's eye twitched. "WILL YOU LET ME FINISH?" He took a deep breath and recomposed himself. "They have…new weapons this time, the likes of which we've never seen. You should leave."

"Can't do that," said Sam. "If someone's attacking WOOHP, we have to stop them."

Spectre's normally somber face curled into a smirk. "You're inviting disaster."

Clover shrugged. "What can we say? It's in the job description."

Specter's smirk widened into a smile, and he shrugged.

"As you wish. I will open the door for you. But that is as far as I can help."

"We'd appreciate that," said Sam.

Spectre silently bowed and vanished into a shadow. Moments later, the girls heard a loud hiss and stepped outside. The locked door was partially open. The approached it cautiously and peered inside. Red light bathed the small room inside, and antiseptic sprays created a thin fog within. At the other end of the room sat an airlock. The lights on the control panel glowed green.

"Well, this…is it," said Sam as she squeezed through the door.

Alex took a deep breath and exhaled. "I didn't really want to go to work anyway." She slipped through the door.

Clover looked at the narrow opening with apprehension. "Um, you guys go on ahead! I'll try to contact WOOHP from here!"

Sam stuck her head through the door. "Clover, the control room's back here. Everything out here is useless.

"Yeah, but!"

"Stop stalling and come on!" She cawed, grabbing Clover's arm and yanking her inside. Sam yelped in surprise when instead of pulling her inside, Clover stopped suddenly and Sam lost her grip and stumbled back.

"Waaaah! Guys! I'm stuck!"

Sam and Alex stared at her in disbelief. Clover was now wedged in the opening.

"No way," said Sam.

Alex stroked her chin. "Clover's put on weight?"

Clover thrashed angrily at them. "I have not! I'm just bigger than you guys. No, I mean-"

"Ah-ha! You admit it!"

"Will you just shut up and help me! We're on a mission here!" She screeched.Sam fought valiantly against her urge to laugh, but a few squeaks escaped from her mouth. She and Alex each took one half of the door and pulled with all their might, forcing the door open just wide enough to let Clover through.

"I'm going on a diet when we get back from this," Clover grumbled as they proceeded through the airlock. The doors whirred and circled them until they opened on the interior of the lab.

The doors opened and they were met with a lightning storm. A cavernous room stood before them behind a safety shield. It was filled with rows upon rows of glowing machines that fired bolts of electricity between one another at varying intervals. The flickering lightning illuminated the otherwise darkened rooms, which were lit only be emergency lighting.

"Static electricity much?" asked Alex.

"More like ultra-high voltage," Sam corrected. "There must be enough electricity running around in there to power Beverly Hills for a year."

"One point seven years, to be exact," said a familiar mechanical voice.

The girls spun around and found themselves face-to-face with the saucer-shaped robot with a single mechanical eye. For a machine, it seemed happy to see them.

"GLADIS?" they exclaimed together.

"Good afternoon, girls. Good to see you again. I reprimand you for being late, but things are getting desperate here."

"What's going on?" asked Sam.

Lighting flickered and cast GLADIS in an eerie white light. "As you should know, we keep a sample of Sam's DNA here. When Jerry retired he placed me in charge of guarding this facility. Though it seems some can get past even me."

Sam felt a surge of flattery at the notion of Jerry entrusting his own creation to guard even part of her. "Where are they?"

"Farther down in the research block. I'd help you, but they've severed most of my control over the facility. The most I can do is show you the way." A line of green lights appeared on one of the walls and curved away to the right.

"We also need to get to the communications center and contact Henry. Where is it?"

"That would not be wise," GLADIS answered coldly.

"What? Why not? We're in over our heads and-"

"There's been a lot of fierce fighting in that area. I cannot recommend you going there."

Clover grabbed GLADIS and glared into her eye. "Take me to the communications center or so help me I'll reprogram you into a tanning bed!"

GLADIS' lights flickered for a moment while she calculated Clover's offer."Very well" she consented with a touch of robotic hesitation. A line of green lights appeared and curved to the left.

Clover released GLADIS and dusted her hands off. "So, should we split up?"
"I wouldn't advise that," droned GLADIS.

"Shut up."

Sam placed her hand on Alex's shoulder. "Alex and I will try to save the sample. You go to the communications room and contact headquarters. GLADIS can help you out there."

"I'm afraid that will be impossible," said GLADIS.

"Eeeh?"

"For security purposes, my systems are not connected to the communications systems. Thus I cannot help you there. I suggest Sam go instead, being the more mechanically inclined of the three of you."

Sam looked at Clover, who nodded.

"Go. Kicking but is more in me and Alex's repertoire anyway, right Alex?"

"Yeah. Computers are more your thing Sam. We'll be fine."

Sam nodded. "Okay GLADIS. Lead the way."

GLADIS led Clover and Alex to the end of the gigantic electricl room. The corridor spit them out into the shipping area, and they found themselves looking out over another huge room with an equally large hangar door on one end. Most of the lights were out, which cast the entire room in an unsettling red and white glow. Numerous catwalks crisscrossed the space above the room, and various cranes and other equipment hung from the ceiling.

"GLADIS, which way?" asked Clover.

"To your left," responded her disembodied voice, "but someone is blocking my signals to open the door. Wait, there's something else in there with you."

"What is it?" asked Alex before something huge appeared before them and swiped at them with an enormous hand.

"What the hell was that!?" shouted Clover as she and Alex dove to safety down opposite ends of the platform. She rolled to a stop and looked up. Standing before her, shaded in bloody red light, was an enormous monster. It stood on its hind legs, though its arms nearly reached to the floor and ended in ghastly claws. A spiked collar adorned its neck, and a steel muzzle covered its mouth below its glowing red eyes. It reached for Clover, who jumped onto its arm and then leaped to the nearest catwalk.

"Alex! What the hell is that thing?"

"Beats me!" shouted Alex as it swiped at her.

Clover barely had time to formulate a strategy before she heard a deafening snarl come from behind her. A second beast leaped at her and crashed through the network of catwalks with deafening clamor. Clover ran for her life, leaping from one collapsing catwalk to the next before finally finding one that didn't give under her weight.

"Aleeex!" She'd lost sight of her friend.

"I'm okay!" She sounded distant. "We'll meet up later!"

Clover looked down. The beast stood on the floor and glared at her angrily, searching for a way to get to her.

"You like my latest creations?"

Clover looked up and found Geraldine observing nearby and wearing quite the smug smile on her face.

"Geraldine. Didn't think you'd be the type to keep mutts around."

"Actually they're closer to humans than dogs, but that's beside the point. I call them beasts, since that's about all they are. All I care is that they obey me. As you can see, my new employers keep me very well funded."

"For such a brilliant woman, you really are a psycho."

"Tell it to your playmate. I should warn you, though." Geraldine produced a remote control. "They have quite the appetite for fresh meat." She pressed a button and with a loud pop the muzzle fell off the beast's face, revealing a slobbering mouth filled with fangs the size of surfboards.

Geraldine laughed wickedly as she strolled away casually. "Have fun, you two."

The beast climbed onto the raised platform along the wall and leaped toward Clover, grabbing onto a girder and hand-over-handing his way toward her.

GLADIS' lights ended and Sam found herself making her way alone through the dim corridors of the lab. Every door was locked, leading her farther down the corridor. The hallway felt familiar. It reminded her of the office during one of her late night projects. No one around, the only sound being the air conditioning and the hum of fluorescent lights. It was eerie there, and it was especially eerie here. She stopped and looked back. No one behind her, but it certainly felt like it. Probably just nerves. After all, she was in an empty complex that was reportedly infested with bad guys.

Her heels clicked loudly on the tile floor and echoed down the sterile walls. Her senses strained for any sign of danger. Any little detail out of place, any suspicious sound, any odd shadow that would alert her to danger.

Complete silence. Complete stillness.

Her brain told her everything was fine, but her gut told her something was up. It was way too quiet. Sam scolded herself for falling into such a clichéd routine, but with every step her brain listened to her gut a little more. Her ears searched the silence, and then the few ambient sounds that did exist. Her clicking heels, the humming air conditioning, her steady breathing – searching them for clues. Then she noticed something; a hole in the sound. It was dead silent in the lab, but from right behind her, it was entirely too silent. Near the end of the hallway, before a pair of double doors, she stopped and listened to that hole, and ducked when she heard an almost mute hiss as something sliced the air in two where her head was a moment ago.

She leaped away and heard metal sing as it cut through the air and follow her. She back flipped down the hall and heard the faint scuffle of feet pursuing her. The invisible enemy swung again and missed, only to knock the head off of a sprinkler and unleash a torrent of water. The spray outlined a human form, and moments later electricity arced across the empty shape and the attacker came into view. A high-tech suit covered his entire body, with a plain gray mask that covered his face. Two narrow eye holes broke the monotony of the mask, and the armor of his suit was curved and patterned in a way that resembled the muscles on a human. Though the feature that really drew Sam's attention was the razor-sharp ninja sword he carried.

The assassin looked at himself briefly as his cloaking device shorted out in the spray and then focused his attention on Sam once again. Sam slid her left foot back and lowered her shoulders. The ninja lunged at her and took a vicious swipe, hitting nothing but air as Sam dodged the tip of his sword by inches. Sam ducked and swept his feet out from under him, but the ninja landed on one hand, spun around and planted his right foot in Sam's stomach, launching her into the wall. Sam's feet hit the floor just as he leaped off his hand and swung at her. Her reflexes caused her to duck and the sword gouged the wall inches above her head and caused an ear-splitting screech as it sliced through the sheet metal. Sam grabbed the ninja's shoulders and planted both her feet in his chest, launched him into the opposite wall, and flipped gracefully as he bounced off and dropped his sword.

The ninja wasted no time recovering and swung his legs at Sam's feet. She leaped into the air and landed on his stomach with both feet, and immediately performed a second somersault and drove her heels into his stomach again. His body spasmed and went limp as his breath escaped him.

"What was that?" she wondered aloud as she opened the doors and found Jacob ripping wires out of a computer console.

Sam froze. Did he hear her come in? His back was turned to her and he seemed deep in concentration. He appeared to be cutting and splicing wires together at a console beside a heavy door. The oblong room led off to her left and right, with doors leading in either direction. It looked like Jacob was trying to get into that room.

"Ow!" he shouted when a live wire shocked him. He shook his hand, turned around and froze. Sam swallowed. For a moment, she saw Jacob frustrated and angry, and then it melted behind his normally calm and serious demeanor.

"What are you doing here?"

"I should ask the same of you."

They stared at each other. Sam clenched her fists and maintained a slow, rhythmic breath. She was nervous as could be, but she couldn't let him see it like she saw him a moment ago. "You're here for the sample, right?"

"I wouldn't have any other reason, but this door is sealed."

"Why here? This is the communications area, not the vault."

"Let's just say I need to phone in some backup."

"Ha, then it's true. You are in over your head Mr. Fenrir."

"Har. If I'm in the weeds, then so are you, my dear."

Sam opened her mouth to fire back a witty retort and paused with her mouth open and her finger pointing at Jacob. He was right. Oh crap.

"Help me get this door open," he said, indicating the disemboweled control panel.

Sam reluctantly nodded. "The truce is still on, right?"
"As long as Atlas is still alive, I will not harm you."

Jacob stood aside as Sam approached the console. She found a port and plugged her X-Powder into it and pulled up a diagram for hotwiring the security door.

"Just one question," she said as she worked, "why are these, I mean, our DNA samples so important? I know you're not building a clone army."

Jacob looked around uneasily. "I can't tell you."

Sam snorted as she spliced a wire to another. "And why not?"

Jacob kept his eyes averted. "Let's just say you'd rather have me in possession of the things than Atlas."

"I find that hard to believe, Jake." She worked on the mass of wires until there was one left to reconnect. She held the ends in each hand and looked up to him. "I have another question."

"Shoot."

"If I'm ever in trouble, would you come save me?"

"Come again?"

"If I'm ever in trouble, like facing certain death, and you had the option to save me, would you do it, even if it interfered with your plans?"

Jacob closed his eyes and smiled. "Probably."

Sam paused and looked at him. "Why?"

"I'll tell you someday, if you manage to survive."

Sam shuddered as she spliced the wires together. The door slid open slowly and stopped a quarter of the way open.

"That's about all I can do."

"That's fine. By the way, have you gotten any better at fighting since I saw you last?"

Sam scoffed. "I'm a super spy now. I'm nothing like I was then."

"Good, because we're surrounded."

Sam stared at him flatly. "Say that again and tell me you're joking."

"Then I'd be lying, dear."

Sam edged closer to him. Jacob's hand stretched to his leg and drew his gun from its holster and pointed it at the opposite wall. "You can come out now."

Eight ninja like the one Sam fought earlier materialized in a circle around them. All of them wielded swords and stood ready to strike.

Sam and Jacob stood back-to-back.

"What are they?" she asked.

"Atlas assassins. But the suits are new."

"One of my latest creations," said a voice that made Sam's blood boil. Standing at the west entrance to the room was none other than Tim Scam, wearing the cocky smile that Sam hated with a passion. "I decided these guys could use some new gear, so I cooked up those stealth suits for them. They even double their strength and protect them from small arms fire. Nifty, huh?"

"So you're working for Atlas?" growled Sam.

Scam laughed. "Yes. It's so nice working for the people who are going to rule the world."

"Don't count your chickens, Scam," said Jacob.

"Funny, coming from a man who's about to die. By the way, weren't you looking for this?" Scam held up a red tube that made Jacob's eyes flash with anger.

"Give me that! You have no idea what you're doing!" He pointed his gun at Scam.

"Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm doing what I've always wanted. Getting the freedom to do whatever I want, and taking revenge on that fool Jerry."

"You leave Jerry alone!" Sam spat.

"Hah! Why bother? The old man's retired now. I think it will be much more satisfying for him to watch his beloved organization crumble before his very eyes."

"Wh-what?"

"Sorry, can't say much more than that. Have fun with your playmates!" Scam turned and left. Jacob and Sam faced their most pressing issue, that of the assassins leveling their swords at them.

"We have to stop him!" said Sam.

"Agreed, but first we have to live long enough to do that."

The assassins tensed for an attack.

"Nervous?" Jacob asked Sam.

"Me? Nah."

"Good."

Twisted steel rained down upon the floor as Clover rode a collapsing catwalk to the floor and leaped off to cushion her fall. The beast landed on the floor behind her and Clover took off running. The ground shook with each step the beast took, and the air trembled from his roar. He tried to swat her with a mighty swing from his claw but missed. Clover doubled back on him and filled her hands with WOOHP's anti-friction bath beads. She ran between the beast's legs, held her breath at the unbelievable stench, and tossed the beads at the creature's feet. The beads burst and coated the creature's feet with a powerful lubricant, causing him to slip and fall down as he tried to turn and follow her.

Clover ran for her little blonde life and intercepted Alex halfway across the floor. Alex turned and ran alongside her as the second beast came in hot pursuit.

"Man, now I know what a roach feels like!" said Clover.

"Roach? I was thinking more like a mouse!" said Alex.

"What-ever! Just keep running!" she squeaked.

The beast charged after them, quickly closing the gap between himself and his prey. He scooped up a section of the scaffolding and threw it at the girls. The steel structure landed short of them, but its momentum carried it across the floor and scooped Clover and Alex up before smashing into the opposite wall and trapping them in an Escherian cage. The Beast slowed its pace and stalked toward them with saliva pouring from between its greedy teeth.

"I dun wanna be a snack!" whined Alex.

"I'm too pretty to be eaten!" cried Clover as she hugged Alex.

The beast leaped at them like a living mountain, his teeth and claws bared for the kill. Suddenly a cloaked figure appeared between them and the beast. The creature appeared to hover in the air for a moment as the girls' minds tried to comprehend this sudden turn of events, and then it exploded in an apocalyptic fireball, the roar of the flames becoming one with the Beast's dying roar. When the flames dissipated, only ashes remained. Clover rubbed her eyes to clear the spots floating in her vision and saw a cloaked figure with long black hair standing with his back to her.

"I-Inferno?"

Inferno turned around calmly. "Clover, nice to see you again. I trust you're okay?"

Clover stared at the pile of smoking ashes that once was the beast. "Yeah, thanks to you." She and Alex crawled from their twisted steel cage and brushed themselves off. "Why are you here?"
"To stop Atlas, but…did you gain weight?"

"Shut up!" she screamed. She fumed at Inferno and crossed her arms. "So what do we do now?"

"They already have the sample. Look, you have to get out of here. This place is crawling with their assassins. They'll make mince meat out of you both."

Inferno turned to leave, but Clover grabbed his arm and felt hard metal beneath his cloak where an arm should have been. She recoiled at the touch, then strengthened her grip and forced him to look at her.

"Listen to me, you! What's going on here?"

"I just told you!"
"No, I mean what's Jacob up to? Who was that old lady at that ceremony, and what exactly are all of you up to?"

Inferno stared at her. Clover's gaze remained fixed on his dark yes as his creased with concern. He slowly stepped closer, keeping his eyes fixed on hers, growing bigger as he got closer, though he was still no taller than Clover. She started blushing as he got close enough to smell his breath, accompanied with a toxic mix of ashes and fire. Inferno, too, felt uncomfortable as a whiff of Clover's perfume crept into his nose over the same smells.

"We're trying to save the world," he said matter-of-factly.