Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ To Those About To Die ❯ Chapter 17 - The Lab ( Chapter 17 )

Chapter Seventeen - The Lab

 

We entered a large room dominated by some kind of tank and what seemed to be life support machinery. At the far end of the room squatted a large console with several video monitors arrayed across it. The room reminded me of a set from a direct-to-video science fiction movie. ::So this must be Project: Toudou,:: I sent to my team. As an afterthought I shot a glare at Kiko and added, ::Touch nothing.::

 

::What is that, some kind of aquarium?:: Kiko asked. I had no idea if he was joking.

 

A woman in a lab coat greeted us. “You must be our team from Germany. I am Tsujii Mayumi. Welcome to the Toudou Project.” As she spoke, she studied each of us, then seemed to dismiss us as beneath her notice. She turned away from us and wiped her hands against her coat as though she had touched something nasty.

 

This was going to be a long night. To Kiko I sent, ::She doesn't seem impressed with us.::

 

::Maybe she was expecting jackboots and trench coats?::

 

Tsujii gestured at the huge tank which dominated one side of the room. “Here is the culmination of years of research,” she stated in the fashion of one enthralled by her own voice. “Where Esset failed in your generation, I will bring about their greatest dream! This child has within him the highest degree of all human potentials. He will possess every psionic ability combined with a genius intellect. And I will be able to give him all the knowledge of the world, thanks to Project: Epitaph.”

 

I spared a sidelong glance at my teammates, first Kiko, then the Girl.

 

Kiko looked rather blank, and at my glance he gave a tiny shrug.

 

The Girl's nose was wrinkled up, her face a mask of disbelief and the kind of concern one shows in the presence of the dangerously deranged.

 

I had to restrain myself from laughing out loud. Whatever the benefits of this project, the director was surely in need of a reality check.

 

::Hey, Berger, I think this chick's seen too many bad movies,:: Kiko sent; the Girl nodded slightly.

 

This was perhaps the first time the three of us had ever agreed on anything.

 

::Wait, she's still talking!:: the Girl sent back, now quite amused and not wanting to miss anything good.

 

Tsujii ignored us while speaking as though to an invisible audience of her peers. “Where earlier attempts fell short, I have succeeded in creating the ultimate programmable omnipotent life form. This child will be as a god, guiding us and guarding us from our own follies. He will save us from ourselves, and mankind will reach its ultimate destiny!”

 

::That, or check you into a psycho ward,:: Kiko sent, nearly causing the Girl to break out into audible laughter.

 

I snuck a glance at my watch. Oh, this was going to be a very long night indeed.

 

::Hey, Berger?::

 

Kiko had addressed me directly, not sharing with our other team member. ::Yeah, Kiko?::

 

::What's in the tank? I'll bet it's sharks.:: On the outside, Kiko's expression remained bland, as it always did no matter how absurd his conversation. I've never understood how he managed that.

 

::Kiko…::

 

::No, really, Berger! See, she's going on like one of those crazy James Bond villains, right? And they all had this thing about sharks in big tanks.::

 

Reflexively I glanced toward the tank. This was just as well, as Tsujii was walking that way herself, still rambling on about her accomplishments and the birth of a new world.

 

::Thunderball, wasn't it? You know, the one with the sharks?::

 

“We have reason to believe,” Tsujii stated, “that someone will try to stop this child from coming into life. Your job is to ensure his safety. But it won't be long now. Everything should be over very soon.” She leaned against the tank and caressed the glass plating.

 

::Oh, hell, Berger,:: Kiko sent, abruptly serious. ::Look at it!::

 

I looked. The youth in the tank could only have been cloned from Naoe Nagi; the resemblance was unmistakable. Dread sent a cold chill down my back.

 

“He will possess every psionic ability combined with a genius intellect…the ultimate programmable omnipotent life form.”

 

“I don't know, maybe they don't like unauthorized copies?”

 

Who did they expect to try to stop the project?

 

Across the room, an alarm began to sound. Kiko looked at me with undisguised worry.

 

We followed Tsujii to the command console and gathered behind her. She switched off the alarm above video monitor one and tightened the viewing angle.

 

Five men approached the building, striding with grim purpose.

 

Shimojima and his student army blocked their way.

 

I studied the newcomers with a sense of recognition. A swordsman, an archer, a man with clawed gloves… ::Kritiker is here.::

 

::Is that those guys who helped Schwarz take out the Elders?:: Kiko asked, his mouth hanging open.

 

I nodded once. ::Weiß.::

 

We watched the monitor as the confrontation unfolded at the gate. Shimojima and his foul students faced off against the men of Weiß, and for a moment the world held its breath.

 

::Berger, look.:: Kiko's mental voice was punctuated with a nudge against my ribs.

 

I followed his gaze. Monitor five showed the rooftop: two shadows silhouetted against the moon. My heart hammered in my chest. It couldn't be!

 

Something about monitor one pulled my attention back. The fight, it seemed, was already over: a ghostly tableau lit by a glowing fog. Fog? The night had been clear, until now. I glanced at the rooftop monitor again: the sky, dark velvet punctuated with stars.

 

Through the gates the white mist flowed as though the air itself recoiled from the newcomer, a figure in black striding calmly toward the paused chaos.

 

It's him.

 

Them.

 

They're here.