A Cart Ride to the Mad Scientist
Creak.
The thick steel door slid open, and the armed men—now familiar faces—stepped inside.
They maintained perfect silence, avoiding even a glance in my direction. It had stung a little at first, but I'd gotten used to it by now. Just how things were.
What really caught my tougher heart's attention was...
"Ooh... the cart!"
The very cart that had brought me here was back. Sure, I slept in a soft bed these days, but personally, I preferred riding in the cart. Both were comfy and cushy, but the cart added that extra thrill of the ride.
I hopped onto it before the man could even speak.
And the moment I settled in...
"Haaah..."
I let out a sigh of pure bliss, sinking into that beloved cozy sensation. This was it. This was living.
"Mmm..."
Grinning contentedly, I struck a relaxed pose, and with a clunk, the cart lurched into motion.
I scanned my surroundings from my perch, trying to absorb every detail I could. I'd glanced around on the way in before, but I'd been too dazed to really take it all in. This was one of my rare chances to get out, so I had to gather intel while I could.
The first thing that caught my eye was the nameplate reading Anomaly-109.
Anomaly-109
It was right next to my room, which meant the owner of this cell was probably that yappy dog who'd been bothering me.
Number 109, huh.
I'd never seen it in person, but a fluffy white puppy popped into my mind. I liked dogs well enough, so it'd be nice to meet it someday. It had to be all poofy and warm, right?
"Hee..."
I was grinning like an idiot at the thought when...
"Huh...?"
A faint but deeply unpleasant energy seeped through the door. It startled me.
That dark, sticky vibe I'd felt before. I'd thought I'd ripped it all out, but some must've lingered. Or maybe it regenerated.
"Hmm..."
I closed my eyes, trying to probe it, but the distance made it tricky. Looked like I'd have to yank it out again once I got back to my room.
No clue how many pulls it'd take to wipe it clean, but it was definitely weaker than last time. Keep at it, and it'd be gone for good eventually.
"Hee..."
Just thinking about purging that dark energy made a smile creep onto my face. It didn't benefit me directly, but for some reason, it always lifted my spirits.
"We've arrived."
"Ah, thanks!"
Mid-grin, I thanked the dutiful driver who'd delivered me safely. I gave a little bow, then hopped off with a flourish.
Perfect landing!
Admiring my flawless dismount, I stood before the massive door.
Han A-young's Lab
A nameplate by the door read Research Lab, and true to its importance, it bristled with elaborate security. Creepy talismans plastered every corner for starters. CCTV was standard, plus fingerprint scanners, retinal scans, voice recognition—all the high-tech bells and whistles.
"Eek... is this salt?"
Thick grains of salt were scattered across the threshold. Overkill levels of precaution, which just proved how big a deal Han A-young was around here.
What kind of woman got treatment like this? Had to have been a total study machine back in school.
- Ziiing.
Moments later, a green beam shot from one of the cameras, scanning my body.
- Kuuung.
Scan complete, the door groaned open with a massive rumble.
I was a tad disappointed when it fully parted. I'd pictured a bustling lab—chemical smells, white-coated researchers rushing about.
Instead, it was a fancy, ordinary study. Shelves groaned under thick tomes in languages that weren't English—or anything I'd ever seen. Just a glimpse made my eyes spin.
Dizzy...
Any longer and I'd lose it, so I averted my gaze and pressed on.
Soon, a door that screamed "Han A-young's office" appeared. Beside it sat LP records with nightmare-fuel jackets: grotesque lizard monsters flashing claws, evil dragons spewing weird breath.
Eek... scary...
I'd never met her, but knowing she collected these made me want to keep my distance.
"Hoo..."
No backing out now. I steeled myself with a deep breath.
- Knock knock.
I rapped gently.
"C-can... can I come in...?"
"Come in."
I pushed the door open and entered.
A young woman in glasses pored over documents. Piles of unprocessed papers towered beside her.
She works so hard.
She looked like a college kid, yet handling that workload? Rolling around in bed all day like me, I couldn't help but admire her. Not that I wanted to trade places.
"Ah, hello, Angel."
Pretty, polished, total popular-girl vibes—just as I'd imagined. But the exhaustion showed: dark circles, crooked glasses softening her sharp edges.
Thanks to that, even a total loner like me could meet her eyes comfortably and greet her.
"Hello..."
I bobbed my head in greeting. She smiled warmly and snapped her fingers. The chair opposite her slid out invitingly on its own.
Cool!
I knew little about this agency's secrets, but tech like this? At least decades ahead of the outside world.
She caught my wonder and grinned.
"Pretty neat, huh?"
"Yeah..."
"Ever hear that joke, Angel? About how all the high-tech stuff comes from torturing aliens?"
Of course I had. It was all over the internet.
Dark circles heavy, she flashed a mischievous smile.
"It's true."
"...?"
"Hee hee..."
Lightning struck my brain. Aliens were real?
That sparked a sudden thought.
No way...?
I whispered,
"Um..."
"Yes, Angel?"
"D-don't tell me the guy who made Face... book was..."
She blinked, then burst out laughing, waving it off.
"Haha, no, not him."
"..."
Not him, huh...
She beamed like I'd handed her a cute toy.
"Kidding. Total joke."
"..."
"People like me busted our asses to make this stuff. Aliens? Yeah, they're out there, but no torture, promise."
"..."
"We got a little help, sure. But it was a fair trade, both sides happy."
I stared. She was lying, right...?
Catching my look, she chuckled awkwardly, clapped softly to change the subject.
"Alien talk later. Back to you, Angel?"
"Yup."
"Do you know anything about your abilities? Even vaguely."
I considered hiding them, but this agency would see through lies. Better be honest.
"Th-there's this... weird cloud thingy."
"Cloud?"
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Dunno what to call it, but it's like a cloud... and I just rip it off like this, and poof, gone."
I flailed my stubby arms, acting for all I was worth. Hoping they'd peg me as friendly.
"Hmm..."
She watched my performance, then nodded like it clicked.
"You pulled one out?"
"Yeah... felt it from my room. Probably the doggie next door."
"Doggie... oh! That's why Anomaly-109...!"
They must've been buzzing about the dog's sudden calm. She connected the dots instantly.
"Weird... felt like outside interference. Vitals normal, tetra radiation isotope scan clean..."
Thrilled to have the cause, she muttered to herself while sorting papers. A subtle madness gleamed in her eyes. Yeah, this lady wasn't totally normal either.
Gottta be careful.
While she scribbled furiously, I cut to the chase with my top priority.
"So, about the internet..."
My smartphone. Gimme!