Dragging the neko cadet into a back alley, you’re met with struggling and nyao-ing on a monumental scale. Finally, you snap the handle of the pistol over his head, knocking him cold.

 

“Err…” A stunned voice groans off to your left. A fellow in a blue jumpsuit tears away, and you follow immediately, as he scrambles inside a back door. He suddenly trips over a mop and bucket – obviously a janitor, and slips to the floor, slamming his head before you need to do anything. With a single groan, he slumps out cold.

 

And you’re in. Off to one side, a metal door labeled “Lobby” stands… obviously the way you elected NOT to go… and above you, stairs… floor to floor stairs lead on and up.

 

Pulling the half-loaded silenced gun free first, you start making your way up, unsure, but better off than being outside. The longer you can keep quiet, the better. Passing each floor, a placard labels each door… Administration 1… Administration 2… Storage… floors and floors of what you don’t quite seem to need…

 

Primary Synthesis. Yeah… floor twenty-something? Opening the door, you peek through, before hiding your weapon. The room you enter seems empty… there’s a low thrum, an observation window facing an immense room packed with machinery and equipment below… another door…

 

Moving into the next room casually, there’re no guards, no technicians, no one save for one man – human at that!

 

“Oh my…” He gets to his feet feebly, an older man, but not before stroking a few keys at his terminal. Off to your right, a security camera facing away retracts into the ceiling. “My… my… my… so you’re finally here, agent Darwin.” He sighs. “You… may not remember me. My name is doctor Stormwell… I was employed at Kaho‘olawe a few years back.” He pauses, seeming to see the gun right through your jacket. “You don’t have to worry. I’m not going to get in your way.” He sighs. “You’re probably wondering what I’m doing here of all people… this is essentially all my fault.” He shakes his head, sitting down. 

 

“I… I helped them. I helped them free from Kaho‘olawe… they’re sentient, people too.” He stammers. “But this was never supposed to happen… not this. They used me…” He shakes his head. “I take it… you’re here to shut down the facility. That’s actually not a bad idea, but you’re not going to manage anything here. The project is weeks ahead of schedule… no. What I can give you…” He struts over to a terminal, eyeing you. “You have nothing to fear from me. I’m fond of them as I am of humans, the furs… but I cannot allow the genetic annihilation of humanity. The very prospect is appalling…” He pulls a glassy octagonal chip from a slot in the terminal and slides it into a paper sleeve, handing it to you. “This is the key… with this, you can shut down the launch, even over Szelar’s command. And these…” He taps for a few moments into the computer, before pulling a printoff. “Are the coordinates… of the initial launch site. Stop them there, and the bulk of your problems are eliminated. Stop Szelar, acquire his remote initiator… and you’ll stem it all.”

 

Taking the papers, you look him over once more. “Darwin… you need to get out of here. If you need a secure line…” He motions over to another terminal. “You don’t really have any other choice, do you? You can’t hide here long… but there IS a helicopter available on the roof. I take it of all things, you don’t know how to fly a helicopter…” He chuckles. “I have a solution for that, but it will take a few minutes. Could you please look to your right for a moment?” He strokes the keypad once more. Something red flashes briefly over your eyes, your entire face. As you turn back to him, he raises a hand gently. “It’s all right… you see, among the many other things we do here, we create biological - mechanical hybrid organisms… granted, they’re run on something akin to computers but they behave quite like anything you design them too. Down there,” He points through the observation window. “Are dozens of clean slates… and I’m currently working one up right now that will have all the skill required to pilot a helicopter. Oh, that red light? That was taking a scan of your head… the system can give the creature general human or fur features… it’s automated plastic surgery is all it is. Won’t take more than a few minutes in this case.”

 

“Mister Darwin, I wish you good luck. Please, help correct this awful mistake I’ve made. What’s happening here…” He pauses, eyes wide staring behind you. There’s a short whirring, and a click, and as you turn to see – it dawns on you that the camera has come back into sight.

 

It’s staring right at you. An instant later, the room echoes with a furious siren, and a cold, tinny voice announces throughout the building: Security lockdown. All security report armed to Primary Synthesis, floor twenty four. Repeat…

 

“They must have gotten suspicious!” Stormwell stammers. “You must hurry to the rooftop, Darwin! The copy will be finished soon, start making your way up there. The process will continue automatically, in the meanwhile, I think I can buy you some time…” Turning back to leave, you twist the doorknob – to no avail. The electronic locks have bolted the door. “The emergency elevator is at the far end of the lab.” He points out the observation window. “They’re certainly coming up the stairs as well… not that you can get to those now anyway. Go out there and hold your position until your ‘pilot’ arrives. Open the small hatch beneath the buttons and use the fireman’s code 75438 – that will give you total control over the elevator.” He states this all in a panicked but clear voice as his fingers fly over keys, the lab equipment out there now thrumming with life…

 

And then the door pounds violently.

 

“What are you waiting for! Hurry, Darwin!”