TRUST


    DEFINITION


    Believe in the reliability, truth, or ability of.


    "I should never have trusted her."


    -


    DATE - JULY 3RD 2015


    -


    Every night at eight pm, the soldiers must go to their quarters and stay there overnight. For certainty, Tabby had been implemented with a ''lockup'' option for the soldier''s doors. Due to incidents in the past, the door of every soldier gets locked, then at nine, the scientists get their doors locked.


    After nine-thirty, the whole of the Moth Mound goes dead silent and pitch black. It''s honestly a nightmare. Though I rarely see it, I despise it. The only thing I loathe more now is the whistle that started to come from the hallways that come from none other than the blonde Virus.


    Tonight was no exception, but I had a gut feeling. I switched my vision over to Adrien, who was in another metallic tomb. He seemed to be stuck awake. There were a few mutters outside before two gunshots. Adrien let off a groaned sigh, already aware of who was out.


    The door opened, and there he was, "Hey there, firecracker!" He sang in a chipper tone. Adrien didn''t say a word in response. He just shut his eyes in an attempt to block out the noise. But, of course, he kept talking, "Happy July fourth!"


    Acrackforced Adrien to listen. Before he noticed what was transpiring, the door swung open for his tomb. Toby stood as smug as ever with a crowbar, "Get it; firecracker, fourth of July, freedom," He shrugged and just leaned on a metal baseball bat.


    Adrien took a long moment before he stepped down from the metal tomb, only eyeing the blonde suspiciously. He looked at the doorway and where the blood leaked in. He didn''t bother to watch the dead bodies too much just yet.


    "What''s cracking, fireworks?" Toby snapped Adrien out of it, grin still there, "Not feeling festive?"


    His puns were met with a squint and cold silence. Adrien opened his mouth for a second, which made Toby tilt his head to listen. In return, Adrien shut his mouth instantly. This was weird. Very weird.


    Toby''s smile fell into a closed mouth, then he shrugged and turned on his way. Out of the door, he hopped over the blood. Finally, Adrien spoke, "What is this?"He began to step over to the doorway, eyes on the bodies finally, and the giant holes in their faces, "Holy shit, wait, they''re dead!"


    Upon looking up, Toby had already started to chew on a bagel, "Seems so," He sighed slightly in fake empathy, "If it makes you feel better, one was a child sex offender." He shrugged, then stuttered, "The other guydidhave a family of three, though."


    "How the fuck do you know that?!" Adrien started to pipe up.


    "Cus I was standing here, Pyro," He pointed to the men in order of who is was necessary to, "Soldier one shot soldier two cus soldier one found out soldier two was... Y''know," Followed by a mumbled, "Then he shot himself because he realized he would never see his family again."


    A long silence, a really long silence as Toby ate the uncooked bagel, and Adrien watched him with a frustrated and horrified look. Toby stepped over and held out the bagel, "Hey can you cook thi-"


    Adrien grabbed it and set it on fire, "Why the hell did you let me out? No one else is here?!"


    Toby still held the bagel for a moment until the gloves set fire on the fingertips, which he was quick to shake off, "Oh yeah, here," He took a pair of keys out of his pocket and threw them into Adrien''s hands, he fumbled lightly with them, "You can let the gaggle out if you want, gingersnap."


    He then did a light few pats on Adrien''s cheek, which made his eye twitch, "What the fuck?!" He grabbed Toby''s wrist, "What the hell are you doing, you dick?!" He whispers shouted, and Toby just tilted his head with a small perky smile, "You''ve got everybody fooled with your cute giggly-bagel boy shtick, what''s your game?!"


    Toby raised an eyebrow as his smirk lifted, Adrien''s eyebrows furrowed in return, "Fucks that face for?"


    "I''m sorry," Toby stifled a laugh, "Cute?"


    "I- what?" Adrien shook his head, "Don''t focus on that, dipshit that''s not what I-"


    "No, no you said it, you said I''m cute." He snickered under his breath.


    "Fuck you, I didn''t!"


    "You said I''ve got everyone fooled-"


    "Tothinkyou''re cute!" Adrien started to stumble over his words, already victim to his own phrase, "But not me!"


    "Ohohoh, no- that''s not at all what you said!" He cackled, "You said I''ve got everyone fooled because I''m cute."


    "you''re not fucking cute!" Adrien''s fire started to become visual on his shoulders, "I meant to say you''ve got everyone fooledbutme!"


    "Everyone but you doesn''t sound like everyone.." Toby''s voice turned coy and smug.


    This back and forth went on almost forever, long enough that I had genuinely forgotten what the original argument was. Was there an argument? Wasthisthe argument? Is this what normal teenagers argue about?


    Finally, Adrien realized, "Why- you dickhead, you''re getting me off-track!"


    "Cus I''m cute, right?" Toby then flinched as he noticed Adrien started to flame up viciously. Still, though, Toby just cackled.


    "Shut up holy shit, what the hell do you want?!" He rubbed his eyes. "Cus Sky isn''t here, Naya isn''t out, why the hell do you want me?"


    Toby seemed to have it click as he said, ''oh,'' and he stood back up, "Ok, so I need you to do what you do best."


    Adrien squinted, about to open his mouth to ask before he was cut off. "Be distracting," He shrugged with a smile, "The little PC creature is dead for the night, and I got errands to run."


    "I''m...distracting?" Adrien squinted down at the blonde who snorted.


    "All of you are distracting, but if I go into the right-wing, they''re gonna follow me around, and it''s gonna be a mess," He smiled and shrugged, as his voice started to coy again, "Because you know... I''m just so cute-"


    "Stop."


    "And you won''t follow me, and I appreciate that," Toby pressed his hand to his own chest, fakely thoughtful. "I mean, unless you want to drag me around like a toddler." Adrien raised an eyebrow until Toby gestured his head down to his wrist, which Adrien was still holding awkwardly.


    Adrien recoiled as if he had touched something feral, his flames heightened. Toby snorted again, "So yeah, cus the TV''s out, the cameras aren''t gonna work," He opened his arms, bat in his hand once more, "So have a happy July fourth, firecracker!"


    Once more, Adrien squinted and shook his head, "Don''t fucking call me that, asshat!"


    Toby let off a cackle, "I haven''t found a good nickname yet, apologies!" He then spun around, one hand still in the air, "By the way, don''t try to escape, they set up an electric fence."


    "Yeah, and you''ll need to use me again right, so I can''t be dead?" Adrien rolled his eyes and scrunched up his face.


    Toby looked over his shoulder with an entertained grin, "Yeah, what are friends for?"


    "We-!" Adrien had to stop himself after his voice cracked, "We arenotfriends!" But it was too late, Toby had turned the corner, though I can for certainty say he heard it from how it echoed. I heard Adrien mumble a humiliated curse under his breath.


    -


    Naya was sat up in her bed, legs crossed under her white hospital gown. The young girl looked to her bandaged hand, flexing it to test the pain levels. The past few days, it had been evident she had a very high pain tolerance, which was summed up to her being a Virus. But from hearing her talk, I am almost positive her activities and muscle build also had a play in it.


    Naya then reached up to the knot of her sling and undid it. She examined the cast and sighed. It was very thickly put on. For a moment, Naya kept her eyes on her arm before she slowly lifted her gaze to the end room.


    She shuffled her legs to face the left, observing the line of empty hospital beds. At the end was a blacked-out window, her reflection visible. The scratches on her face were gone as if they were never there.


    Without a wince, she jumped off the bed and scurried over to the door, then she side-stepped to the window. She peered in, both hands were used to keep out any possible glare. There were a few red lights from a control panel, and one door-sized dulled out blue light.


    Beside her, a voice, "You seem to be doing well." Naya let off a yelp with a jump, quick to turn to see who it was. It was a silhouette, fitted with a baseball bat and sunglasses.


    "Bagel, boy!" Naya grinned, quick to soften her body, she showed off her cast, "Yeah, it''s actually all better, brakes n'' scratches never last on me." She proudly announced before she sighed slightly, "Cast is thicker than I thought, though, and I dunno if giving up the charade is a good idea."


    Toby hummed and considered it for a moment. "They''ll be doing a bone scan on you tomorrow, so I doubt it matters." He stepped over to the airlock door, which prompted Naya to step back. Her head tilted slightly, looking at Toby up and down before it seemed to click.


    "I''m gonna be involved in one of your little rebel-ventures?" Naya grinned,


    "Nope." He knelt down and started to examine the code. He pressed the numbers, ''0453'' it seemed from Naya''s eyes and got a red alert back, which made him hiss slightly, "Are you-"


    "Bagel-boy, witness me!" He turned, and then I noticed that Naya had propped herself on top of a hospital bed, her casted arm in an awkward position. A bad idea was incoming, and by Toby''s unimpressed expression, he knew as well.


    -


    As Naya threw herself off the bed, I flinched into Adrien''s vision. He had found the right-wing cells. He saw two guards beside the door and seemed to flinch up and hiss under his breath. But the guards didn''t move. Not an inch, and I couldn''t see their pupils, nor could I switch to anyone who was there.


    Adrien''s eyes glossed down to the legs, which he finally saw were unnaturally stood. They were dead. Dead and posed. With that in mind, he looked up and saw the knives in the shoulders of the former men.


    "That''s the fucking worst," He whispered sharply, and rubbed his eyes, "The actual fucking worst." He looked up and dreaded to walk through. But, he did, only to struggle with the airlock door. Which was also a warrant for me to switch my vision.


    -


    Naya, with her two castless arms, pushed the airlock down with choppy ease. There was a shatter of the internal lock of the door as the internal mechanisms collapsed. As Naya pulled the door open, there was a screech of the broken lock being dragged.


    She hopped back and did a bow as she gestured to the door, "Ta-da!"


    "Not bad, juggernaut." He seemed to smirk before he stepped into the room. Naya quickly followed suit. It was the mini observation deck, with its bookshelves and control panel that took up most of the space.


    Though, what took Naya''s eyes was the room connected to the small space. Above the control panel was a vast, padded spherical chamber with one poll outstretched from the ground. On the pole was a metal slate.


    There was the Virus, still lied on their back atop the slate, bound at the ankles and wrists. Naya had her hands on the control panel, leaning in slightly as she continued to examine the still body. Despite the blue lights, the orange jumpsuit was clearly seen.


    "Another Virus!" Naya grinned, quick to turn around only to see Toby was going through the bookshelves. Het tapped his gloved fingers over a few books before he slipped them out of their place and let them fall to the floor.


    He then reached to the back of the shelf and picked up a manila folder. Manila folders have always been unreliable, as proven when a small photograph slips from the side of the folder. It falls face-up.


    Naya kneels down, only able to see the photo of an infant with speckled black markings for a brief moment before a bloody boot overtook the image. Naya''s. Hand flinched back, and she looked up at Toby. Her reflection staring back at her through those black lenses.


    Toby''s boot shuffled back the image, so it was out of Naya''s reach. Still, though, Naya''s eyes stayed glued onto the glasses, her vision blurred. But through the blur, I could see Toby picked up the image and walked backward out of the room.


    Once Toby had left view, Naya blinked herself back into wake. But she stayed squatted, slightly surprised as she listened to Toby walk down the hallway. However, she just stood up and looked out of the window again.


    -


    Adrien stepped into the Virus wing. He glanced between the two identical walls of metallic cells. He let off a sigh, "Sky?" He whispered, quick to flinch when the echo hit him.


    It took a moment, but there was a slight shuffle, and then a voice, "Adrien?" Skylar''s voice called from the second to last cell. Adrien shuffled over and fumbled with the keys, "How did you get out?" This was met with the door opening as Adrien pressed the keychain to a black spot on the door.


    It beeped, and Skylar hesitantly popped out, "How the hell did you get keys?" She raised an eyebrow as her gaze switched between the keys and her brother.


    This was met with Adrien rolling his eyes slightly with a stumble of words, "It doesn''t matter, let''s just go."He stepped back, but Skylar trapped his wrist.


    "We have to let the others out." Skylar stated, which made Adrien squint, "Adrien, we''re letting the others out!" Skylar reached to grab the keys.


    Adrien raised his hand out of Skylar''s reach. "Uh, no, we''re not!" He snapped, "Do you have any idea how annoying that would be?!"


    "Just because you don''t know them that well, doesn''t mean they''re annoying!" Skylar grunted as she continued to reach for the keys. Once she quit, she stepped back and crossed her arms, "I''m not escaping without them, Adrien; It''s morale."


    It took Adrien a moment before he grumbled, "We can''t escape, the electric fence is up." He lowered his arms, "But the TV kid is kinda out, so it''s completely dead out," He gestured to the door, noticing the dead guards, "Pun not intended."


    It took a moment of Skylar analyzing Adrien''s twitchy body language to finally speak, "Toby, let you out, didn''t he?" Her head tilted to the side, expecting to see him stood there.


    Adrien tensed and fiddled with the keys, "He''s not here," He took stumble of words before giving context, "He threw me the keys and fucked off."


    Skylar didn''t buy it, "After he broke you out, warned you about the gate and told you this shithole is safe?" Adrien didn''t reply for a while, and his face grew red and flustered, "You made an ass of yourself in front of him, didn''t you?"


    "He was being an absolute prick!"


    "Give me the keys, Adrien!" She tried to snatch the keys again. Adrien screeched before he unthinkably shoved the keys into his mouth.


    Skylar had to stop and give a disgusted glare, and from the cell on the right, I heard Dex mumble a ''dude'' in mild shock and disturbance.


    She took a second to try and say something before she blinked and shook her head. She went around her brother, "Where''s Toby?" She jogged out of the room. Adrien attempted to answer, only to forget he had keys in his mouth.


    -


    Naya stood before the doorless entry into the bottomless pit, "Hey!" She called out, hands cupped around her mouth, the body jolted in surprise, "How old are you?" She asked, leaned into the mic beside her. It took a while as the body seemed to hesitate, though slight movement showed he did take in the question.


    It took a long moment, "Uh, f-fuh-four-four-fourteen?" He responded, his stutter made his hands tense.


    "Do you know how to get the bridge to work?!" She called out in ask, and the Virus on the bed seemed to loosen at the Naya''s less electric voice. He hummed in thought as he took a moment to consider the question. He tapped his fingers on the bed, which is what I have seen humans do to think faster.


    "Y-Yuh-Yeah, uh, there''s li-loi-like two-two bu-" He paused for a long time, and mumbled under his breath, "Buttons a-au-and a key." He responded, huffing afterward, hands clenched in annoyance. Naya eyed the control panel, spotting two identical buttons that are oddly distant between a keyhole.


    "You know where the key is?!" Her voice called out again.


    Their hands gestured in an attempt to shrug. Naya hummed at this, then searched around the room vaguely. There was no way she was going to find it.


    "H-he-hey, you-you''re still there, r-roi-right?" He babbled out. Naya stopped. An idea came into her head as her eyes went to the body on the bed, Her feet shuffling to the door.


    "Your Virus- Or wait..." Naya hung out of the doorway slightly as she struggled to remember what the label was, "Your disease, what is it?" Naya called out and leaned out of the door slightly


    "M-my-my wh-wha-what?!" He verbally furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Yeah, it''s a dumb name," Naya sighed in a laugh, "Your powers n stuff."


    "Oh-I, ye-yeah, I c-c-can uh, t-tea- Oh my g-!" He shouted, "This stu-stutter!" He groaned loudly with a sharp inhale, quickly mumbling under his breath again.


    "Do you know any French?" Naya oddly asked, her tone surprisingly calm about it.


    "I-I- k-kinda, does it have to be French?" He asked, "Wha-What ab-b-bou-bout Japanese?"


    "Yeah, that works!" Naya smiled, tone uplifted. "Say what you wanna say in another language, then say it in English!"


    He seemed to do just that, more so quietly to himself as Naya patiently waited, testing fate with a hum in her tone. The other seemed to repeat it a few times, just to be sure. He then inhaled, exhaled a few times to calm himself.


    "Ok, ok." He said, "I-... I can control... The fabric... Of reality.." He slowed down to be sure, hands visible flexing calmly as he seemed to be soothed by getting out a sentence.


    Naya gasped and ceased her exercise, "Holy crap!" She exclaimed, "That''s so cool, what?!"


    "Ye-yeah, I jus-just... I get... A mi-migraine an-and a bloody nose..." He sighed and did not seem too impressed by his own disease, which sounds rather spectacular, "A-also, it-it''s not like... Pu-pu-permanent or anything, the lo-longest I ca-can sw-witch is like ten se-seco-conds... And it''s super glitched."


    "Hm..." Naya thought two-finger pressed to her lips, "Ok, dude. Could you use that to bring the bridge out... I only need about eight seconds." She offered.


    "I- ei-eight seconds?!" He rattled, "Y-You''ll fall, that''s not-"Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "Make it five seconds," I could hear the smug in her voice. She stepped back a bit, "On one, you''ll do it, ok?"


    "Wa-wait, wait, wait!" He panicked.


    "Three!"


    "I- hold on, there has to be-!"


    "Two!"


    "Oh gosh ok, ok, but I warned-"


    "One!"


    Naya had already bolted, eyes forced open as her heel stepped into the room. Miraculously, the bridge was out sort of. It was flickering among what appeared to be purple fumes or blocks of static. But now, I see that those blocks were cubes of reality, the universe.


    One


    It must have taken a hell of a mental hold to not stop and stare at the room itself, which was a hideous rainbow of torn reality. Naya reached the bed, gripping the leather straps and pulling them. The buckled snapped off, or the leather tore.


    Two, Three


    Naya wasted no time. She grabbed the other Virus'' arm and dragged him out of bed, onto the unstable bridge. The other stumbled, legs likely unuse to movement.


    Four


    As promised, Naya pulled the other along and finally leaped into the room when the bridge faltered at the end, especially. She gripped Virus eight''s hand as she stepped foot into the room, quick to give a violent tug on the other to be sure she brought them in.


    Five.


    Five seconds. Naya panted, and let go of the other, and put her hands on her knees to catch her breath, and hopefully cool her heart rate. But, she eventually stood straight up, turned around, gave a smug grin and a thumbs up, "Five seconds flat."


    Virus Eight. He was, by far, the most unique as far as appearance. He was dark-skinned, heavier set, though he seemed to have sunken in cheeks, likely starved, his hairstyle was hard to pinpoint, as if it was shaved at some point, and had naturally taken on its own life since then.


    However, the pinpoint of this boy''s complexion was the patches of other colored skin. Skin that was very, very clearly, not his. The skin had singe marks around the white patches, most notably around his eye, where the most notable skin had been singed.


    "Ye-Yuh-yeah." He sighed and nodded slightly as he was wide-eyed, "H-ho-how did y-you?"


    "Oh, right!" Naya bounced around, hand out as an offering, "The name''s Naya," She grinned, her other hand on her hip, "the speed, strength thing, yeah, I was in a baseball team." Her grin went smug and half-lidded, proud of it.


    Just as Reece was about to talk, two distinct voices bickered in the background. Naya blinked before she recognized who it was, "Hey, you would wanna meet the others!" She nudged Reece''s arm before she hopped out of the room.


    -


    "He''s not like that." Skylar glared, not even hesitant, "He''s doing something to get us out, I know it," She turned completely while Adrien groaned at her ignorance. Her arms crossed, "Besides, since when were you so obedient to him anyway?"


    "I amnot, the fucker is suspicious, and when a horror villain movie says ''get out,'' you get the fuck out!" Adrien continued to rant and rave, his voice occasionally breaking. He was very likely very willing to continue before he was interrupted.


    "Hey!" Naya practically squealed, "Sky!" Skylar''s eyebrow raised, and she proceeded to follow the sound a few more steps, where Naya met them halfway between the hospital wall and the corridor. She then noticed Adrien and her demeanor weakened, "Hey, brother of Sky."


    Adrien just grumbled while Sky chuckled. It took barely another second for Naya to veer off, excited by her discovery, "Wait, check it!" She bounced around and gestured to Reece, who stood in the corner of the room, "There''s another Virus!"


    Reece flinched slightly before he waved, and Skylar waved back, "Hey."


    Adrien surprisingly greeted as well, "Uh, hey man."


    "What''s your deal?" Skylar asked, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.


    "Oh, I-I-Yuh- I''m Ree-Reece." He trampled again, hands over his face as he silently hated himself.


    Naya took this as her queue, "He tears the fabric of reality!" She tucked her hands behind her back. Then she noticed, "hold on, who let you two out?"


    Adrien''s face scrunched up as he felt his sister smugly look to him, "Yeah, Adrien, who let you out?"


    The tall ginger didn''t even need to grumble anything before Naya had it click, "Bagel boy?"


    He didn''t answer as he crossed his arms and looked off to the side, which made him notice a. bloody footprint.


    "Yeah, cus he''s just such an evil mastermind he had to free you twice," She rolled her eyes through a scoff.


    "For his own gain, yeah!" He groaned before he rubbed his eyelids, "He''s clearly a self-serving prick, Sky!"


    This went back and forth between Skylar and Adrien as both Naya and Reece watched, their eyes batting between the siblings. Finally, Skylar gestured to Naya, who jumped into realizing she was noticed, "Naya, you know Toby, you like the guy, right?"


    Naya smiled slightly, "Yeah, I like bagel-boy." She then snorted at her own weird line as she noticed Reece get even more confused.


    "See, you''re like the only person who thinks he''s-" Sky was interrupted.


    "A self-serving manipulator, because everyone else has been manipulated, Sky!" His voice turned hushed near the end.


    "Toby isn''t like that!" Skylar basically shrieked, a small bit of electricity and haze already formed at her maw.


    "Well duh," Naya snorted, eyebrow raised, "Of course he is," Skylar gave the shorter girl a glance of betrayal, but before she could say anything, Naya explained, "I mean, he uses people for sure and only talks to us for his own benefit but y''know..." She rolled her shoulders, "He hates this place as much as any of us and wants out.."


    Adrien gave a squint like he was going to say something, but Naya chuckled, "I mean, except for your brother; I think heactuallylikes to piss you off," She cackled lightly before going around Sky, "I''m gonna get a snack, you guys want a snack?"


    It took a moment, but Skylar sighed, "Yeah, sure," Just as Reece started to follow Naya, the siblings followed; Adrien more hesitant to, now noticeably annoyed and flustered.


    As they walked, the dynamic started to unravel. Naya was the extrovert, Reece and Adrien were both more or less outcasts, and Sky seemed to just be in a sour mood overall. As. they walked, Naya continued to ask questions to Reece, give context, and so forth.


    "So, Reece-boy, you split time and space, right?" Naya spun around on her heels as she talked.


    "Ju-Just spac-ce, n-nah-not time," Reece awkwardly. folded his arms for a moment, then he noted the two siblings staring at him, "What-uh, what''s your uh- what was it?"


    "Disease," Naya answered as she spun back around with a chortle.


    "Yuh-yeah, that." Reece hummed, brows drawing as if he was looking at the word in person. He then turned to Skylar and Adrien for a moment each.


    Sky hesitated, thinking for a moment. "I can turn the condensation in my breath into weatherable clouds depending on my mood," She then looked to Adrien behind her. He remained uninterested in the conversation, "and Adrien sets fire if he had a tantrum."


    Reece let off a hushed ''ah'' just as Adrien noticed what she said, "Setting fire is a little cooler than becoming a human vape!"


    "Not as much as fire adds to your teenage angst, Adrien," She rolled her eyes with a smirk, as she stops walking and turned to Adrien as he tried to stay behind, "I get to go to school, and you don''t have to leave your room to cook your toast."


    Adrien gave her a moderately disgusted look, "Don''t talk about school like it matters here." He stormed around her, still a few paces behind the group.


    Naya just snickered, "Oh, hey, where were you before all of this happened?"


    "Dallas." Reece managed to say without a stutter.


    "Really?" Naya looked around briefly, impressed until she explained, "Well then that proves the pattern theory!"


    "Pattern theory?" Reece raised a brow.


    "I''m from Arkansas, Adrien and Sky over there is from Oklahoma, Dex is from New Mexico, and Jos was found on the border of Oklahoma and Colorado," Naya explained with a smug smile, "And you''re from Texas."


    Adrien finally spoke, "Fuck does any of that mean?"


    "I dunno, but seven is a lot of coincidences, don''cha think?"


    "So best guess; Toby is from Louisianna." Naya tiptoed to a door with a window, peering inside.


    "That makes too much fuckin sense tonotbe true." Adrien furrowed his eyebrows and nodded.


    "And thuh-the theo-theory," Reece mumbled some Japanese under his breath before he repeated in English, "The theory is we''re all in different states because of an experiment on how a ''virus'' evolves under different nature-based circumstances."


    "Oh shit!" Naya gasped, "That''s why we''re called Virus, that makes sense!"


    "You didn''t figure that out?" Reece looked to Adrien like he was meant to back him up, but he just shrugged, hands up.


    "Don''t fuckin look at me, I''ve been in a tomb for two days." He mumbled slightly.


    "Nah, man, we didn''t- well, at least I didn''t crack it," Naya snickered, "You''re a real clever cookie," Finally, she turned around, "So Sky, how''s that code crack sound?" She stopped, "And she''s gone."


    Both boys turned around, and Adrien groaned, "Oh fuck me!" He shoved his hands into his hair, turning to Naya, and Reece shrugged innocently.


    -


    Through the darker caverns of the Moth Mound, Skylar stalked, her eyes on the vents. Something caught the corner of her eye; an orange juice carton with at least five stab marks and a brutal slice across the throat. Skylar stepped over and kicked the carton slightly. There was still a slight bit inside.


    Skylar sped up a few paces before she came across a darkened hallway. She slowed her pace as she noticed the silhouette of scruffy blonde hair. Skylar stayed there for a moment, trying to observe what he was up to. Her eyes adjusted, and the first thing I noticed was the all-to-familiar door of the abandoned elevator.


    Toby was sat on his knees, cutting into the stolen cargo jacket with a switch-blade. Beside him was the manila folder, bat, Glock, and his sunglasses. Sky hesitantly took a few steps forward, head tilting to different sides occasionally to see the blonde''s activity.


    She finally stopped, eyes on the knife, "Figured I''d find you in the darkest hallway in this shithole," Her voice had sass, which only proved she''d been thinking of an opener line for two minutes at least. Toby hissed in surprise before snatched his glasses from beside him, quickly putting them over his eyes.


    "Chill out, John Bender," Skylar raised an eyebrow before she smirked, "it''s just me."


    By now, Toby was turned to look at Sky, eyebrows clearly furrowed, he grumbled something under his breath before Sky tilted her head again, "What was that?"


    "Not important," Toby dismissed, taking ahold of the manila folder just before Sky grabbed it. He put it into the newly cut slit of the jacket. He took a sharp inhale before trying again, "Hey there, sunshine."


    He stood up and turned around. "Anyway," He slid the jacket back on, "How''s my second favorite ginger?" Toby awkwardly tugged the lopsided coat.


    "Second favorite-" Skylar took a moment before she scoffed, "Wait, you like my brother more-?"


    "Ah yes, your brother," He faked surprise as he picked up his baseball bat, "Where is fire-crotch, and why aren''t you with him?" Skylar eyed the bat with a cocked eyebrow, then Toby.


    "Naya and a new guy are babysitting him," She eyed the jacket, then the elevator, then Toby, "Listen; I want answers, and you need help."


    "I need help?" Toby echoed with a scoff.


    Skylar''s cheeks puffed up ever so slightly, "I''ll have you know I got the highest grades in my classes, have promised entry into three colleges, and can play the flute."


    At this point, Toby''s grin had returned to its terrible glory, "Perfect attendance, too I a?" Toby''s head tilted when Sky''s eyebrow raised. As a taunt, he knelt slightly to Sky''s level, which wasn''t that much. Still, it was the thought that counted. "Sorry, sunshine, but it''s time to kiss your scholarships goodbye," He turned around, sliding a key from his pocket and clicking it for the elevator, "I don''t need third-grade algebra or a puff of cloud to break out of a maximum-security army base."


    It took a moment for Skylar''s face to shift out of the puffy-cheeked rage. She stormed up to Toby, a dark cloud in her stride. As Toby turned around, Sky was already uncomfortably close to the blonde, "Adrien knows I''m gone by now, so he, Naya, and the newbie are already on their way," She squinted, a smug smile on her face, "And I know where you''re going, so it''s four or one, Westie."


    After a long moment, Toby sighed and walked around Sky. He picked up the Glock from the ground and handed it to Skylar. She awkwardly held it from a distance as she watched Toby go into the elevator.


    It took Sky a moment to figure it out, but she smiled and stepped into the dingy old elevator. Toby clicked a few buttons, and the doors screeched shut. Sky rightfully cringed, eyes still on the blonde. Once the screech stopped, Sky spoke, "So, where are you-"


    Toby pressed the down button, and the screech was even louder, rust practically being skinned off the wires. Sky flinched; the sound was even worse, coming down. Though Toby seemed unphased. By the sound, the smile still slightly present. It was barely noticeable, but he was humming.


    After almost a minute, the elevator let off that hideous rubbery scratch sound. Toby removed his hand from the button and pressed the green button. The doors parted ways to show a dark, shapeless room. Skylar didn''t move. Instead, she just brought the gun closer.


    On the ground was a man''s waist as the rest of him was swallowed by the dark. "You wanted this, sunshine," Toby commented, their smile still brisk, hands on his hips. When he noticed Sky''s genuinely sickened demeanor, he spoke again, "I can''t send the elevator back up, or I''ll be stuck down here."


    "Piss off, why aren''t you scared?!" Sky snapped, her anger shadowed by a scared voice crack.


    Toby shrugged before he took his first step into the room. A layer of dust swished up as the Virus stepped. Toby looked around before he made a small ''ah!'' sound when he noticed something. He reached over and flicked what sounded like a switch.


    Nothing happened, he grumbled, "The little TV goblin is off," He looked to Sky, then at the dead body that she was stuck on, "Maybe..." He trailed off as he kicked over the corpse, perhaps a little harder than he intended, as it flung into Sky''s direction, which made her scream.


    "Toby, the fuck?!"


    He the body onto it''s back, "He''s much lighter than I expected." He was bones, no skin or muscle left.


    Sky''s brows furrowed, "What the- how long has it been since anyone''s been here?" She mostly mumbled. Finally, she let herself into the room.


    "Hm, about twelve years." Toby hummed as he scavenged items off the body, finding a flashlight, "Ah-ha!" He flicked it on, and it shockingly still worked. Toby threw it to Sky, which she caught.


    "That is... Oddly specific," She turned the light around to look at the room; it was metal like the upstairs, dusty, and ironically a breeding ground for moths. The room was long, with files flooded across the concrete. There was glass run across the length of the right side of the room, but it was too dark to see inside.


    On the other side of the rooms were flung open the door to what seemed to be offices. Sky then appeared to have a slight mental click, "So no one''s been down here for thirteen years?" Her brows furrowed, eyeing Toby, who was inspecting some night vision goggles he found on the ground, "So what''s the gun for, Toby?"


    Just as Sky asked that there was a drowned shriek from elsewhere underground. Toby''s smile had left, and he faced Sky without motion, "I never feared god," Toby''s voice was drained, "I fear what God let us get away with."


    I practically felt Skylar''s blood run cold as Toby continued to have a blank look, "What?"


    Toby seemed to blink back to reality with a ''hm?'', "Oh, sorry, I was reading." Toby pointed above the elevator. Sky cocked her head up and saw those words sprawled in a dark substance. Before Sky could comment, Toby started to walk away.


    Sky let off a squeak and followed. She grabbed the blonde''s wrist, "What''s down here, dipshit?" There was athunkat the window beside them. The two didn''t look for a moment, only taking in the blue florescent oval-shape smushed to the screen.


    The two turned their heads; a face, not a human face, but a face. A handprint then pressed to the window beside the deformed expression, a hand with four long fingers, and a claw protruded from a crooked thumb. This handprint was followed by another, the opposite side of the head this time; then, two long human feet stuck to the glass with two lengthened center toes.


    It stayed still, as it seemed to observe the two. Toby took a shaky slow to inhale, "I shoulda brought a silencer." He tried to step away, but Sky was clung onto him, eyes still glued to the tall, inhuman creature.


    As Toby moved, the creature''s neck crooked around, and it''s body pressed to the glass. It was more human than thought initially. Toby hummed and looked to Sky, "I''m going out."


    "You fucking, what?!" Skylar hushed in a scream, as she snatched the blonde by his jacket, "Don''t be stupid, dumbass."


    Toby hissed a ''shh'' to Sky, "It doesn''t have a mouth, it can''t eat me."


    This was met with a slap to the face, "Fuck off withI''ll be fine, it doesn''t have a mouth!"


    There was a slight thud, then they both turned their heads to the noise. They only managed to see the creature slip off from the window. It took a moment, but Toby let off a sharp inhale, "The door''s open."


    "What?" Skylar''s eyes shifted to Toby.


    "The door''s open," He whispered back before he pursed his lips, "Turn off your flashlight," He eyed her briefly, "And don''t use the gun."


    Sky hesitated, looking to Toby to see if he was serious, "Turn off the flashlight!" He hissed as there was a soft metallic screech at the end of the hallway. She flinched and switched off the flashlight.


    The room was almost pitch black. There was a soft tapping at the distant end of the room, likely the tendered toes of the creature. There was a murdered ''shit'' from Sky as her vision was briefly taken over by her own frosty breath.


    Her vision darted from Toby to herself, then the dark grey clouds that formed against the walls and ceiling. On the walls, a thin layer of ice trailed down. Skylar gripped onto Toby from behind, her face hidden away as a throaty sound emerged from the dark. A sound akin to a crackly groan.


    Sky shivered, "Sorry, I''m sorry I can''t control it." She was on the brink of tears before Toby tapped her palm twice. Sky hesitantly looked up to see nothing, no creature. Snow fell slowly from the ceiling and onto the floor over the scattered files.


    There was another croak, this time closer. The floor became carpeted by a thin layer of ice. That''s when one, long footprint pressed into the snow. But no foot. Proceeded by another foot, with a soft crunch coming with. It took a few seconds, but the footsteps slowly approached.


    It stopped right in front of the two for a few long seconds, a croak was heard. In the snow, the handprint of the creature appeared mere inches from Toby''s boot. This seemed to be enough to spook the blonde into an attempt to shuffle back.


    With a soft curse, Skylar tripped back, hands still tightly gripped onto Toby''s shoulders. They both fell to the ground, the papers shifted about beneath them. The flashlight smacked the cold floor. It turned on, pointed to the footprints.


    Greyish skin with blue speckles became visible under the flashlight. As the body trailed up from the leg, the skin never once lost from the bone that seemed to distort. Bones seemed to form branch into itself, especially at the pelvis to the ribcage. There were long thick strings of bone going off through the ribcage bones only to randomly stop. The neck was long, and every blue artery seemed to protrude.


    The face itself was vaguely human. The jaw was elongated with blunt teeth to match. There was only the empty heart-shaped socket where the nose should have been. There were two enormous blackened eye sockets.


    The creature stared with it''s blackened eyes that shifted white by the torch''s glare. Skylar just watched behind Toby''s shoulder, frosty air drifted from her mouth at its own will. The creature''s head cooked for a second before it shifted it''s attention back to the ice.


    In its hand was a fist full of snow, moths, and eggs. Its jaw creaked open slightly, and the snow was lifted to its teeth, where it silently munched away. Toby shifted and pulled the flashlight over with his foot. The creature didn''t react and only continued to eat the snow and larve. Once it was in his hand, he flicked the flashlight off.


    After Sky''s eyes adjusted back to the darkness, the creature disappeared. Toby turned it on, the beast returned, in the exact same spot. Toby sighed in relief and attempted to stand for a moment before he spoke, "It seems being subconsciously clingy is a hereditary trait, sunshine," Sky''s eyebrows must have furrowed as she looked to Toby, "Please let go of me."


    Skylar immediately let the blonde go, and Toby stood up. He pulled his jacket back to it''s assumed spot. The blonde walked around the creature, attention glued to the snow, "Well, sunshine, I am apologetic to announce you seem to have moistened the files." He awkwardly announced and spun around with his hands on hips, "by moistened, I, of course, mean you''ve ruined them."


    "I can''t control it!" She whisper-shouted, "More importantly, what in gods fuck is that thing!"


    "Don''t yell, sunshine, we''re luckythisone only eats moths." He crossed his arms and looked to the door of one of the offices, "Maybe you can find some old tapes or something in the offices." Carefully, Toby avoided stepping on the files.


    "You expect me to be comforted by ''this one!''" She pointed to the Virus on the ground and hissed under her breath, "I don''t even know whatthisoneis!"


    "Oh, you didn''t figure it out?" Toby grinned with a snort, "But you seemed so certain of your... Academics and...Fluteskills." Toby had a strong twinge of rage behind his words.


    "Fuck you!" Skylar practically screamed, the noise itself rattled Toby enough to shut the door, he was about to hiss at her to keep her voice down, but she insisted, "I didn''t expect this!" dark clouds rifted from her mouth, her hands clasped to her head, "How the fuck was I meant to expect this?!"


    "My family gets murdered, I get kidnapped to fuck-all-Texas!" She paced the room, careful not to tread on the files, "Then I see ''oh cool, there are others with power my age, that''s fun!'' but ha-ha, jokes on me because we only exist because of some corrupt science experiment!"


    "So, youdidfigure it out?" Toby was casually flicking lint off his gloves, occasionally he swatted at a moth.


    "What?" Skylar was out of breath, eyed Toby with confusion.


    There was a hellish scream from beyond the glass, making Toby tense and quickly start to walk, "We''re going, get in the elevator." He grabbed Sky''s arm, and she didn''t seem to protest as they both scurried to the elevator.


    A creature slammed through the door, on its hands and feet. Skylar screamed as Toby hit the button to close the door in hopes it''s rusted slides would function faster. In a seconds notice, the creature bounded over. Skylar fumbled with the Glock in her hands, shaking as she forced the trigger. It startled both the humanoid and Sky enough to send them both back.


    The doors shut, and that was enough to make Sky drop to her knees, "Holy shit... Ow." She shook her hands, "Guns shouldn''t fucking hurt..."


    Toby had his face in his hands, likely frustrated before he rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses, "I think... That''s the point of guns."


    It took Sky a few seconds of watching Toby''s face to realize he was trying to make a joke. She huffed, "Shut up, smartass."


    -


    "Sky!" Adrien hissed down a hallway of the mound, making a ''tsk'' noise as he realized it was empty. But more likely, he was annoyed by his company that was a few steps behind with sandwiches and a meaningful, in-depth conversation it seemed.


    "N-No, p-uh-okemon didn-n''t use c-cards in the show, you''re thin-thinking of Y-Yuh-Yu-gi-oh." Reece explained, using his hands, to example, to two different subjects.


    "So wait, why do they sell cards of both then?" Naya raised an eyebrow.


    "Th-thuh sa-same reason b-b-baseball players have c-cards even though it''s not a ca-card game." Reece stated, and by how his tone was, it was enough to make Naya grin before the answer was out, "Capitalism."


    "Both of you shut the fuck up, I don''t care!" Adrien hissed, turned around with his hands very expressively out.


    "You didn''t care about peanut and lettuce sandwiches either, and they turned out great," Naya proudly announced, and gestured to her half-eaten one, "Reece agrees."


    "I-uh, ha-haven''t ea-eaten re-real f-food in li-ike fo-four we-weeks." He reminded, "Anything tastes good to m-me."


    "Eh, it''s still two outta three," She shrugged, smugly looking at Adrien, "Where the final contender hasn''t even tried it." She offered the sandwich to Adrien, who just grumbled, his flames got a little higher.


    "My fucking sister is missing, in here, looking for psychopath Mcgee, why are you so unempathetic right now?!"


    "Y-your sis-ter seems pre-pretty self-sufficient." Reece shrugged.


    This was followed by Naya nodding, "Yeah, she''s a smart cookie, she''ll be fine."


    "Shut the hell up, you don''t know shit!" Adrien''s flames perked significantly, and it almost made me notice what a weird sentence he had just spouted. However, the outburst prompted the two to take a step back. Adrien pointed to Naya, "Five days," Then pointed to Reece, "Two minutes!" He continued to rant, "that''s how long you both have known her. She''s an idiot when it comes to trusting people!"


    "Oh," Naya hummed contemplative, "I thought you were threatening our lives," Naya snorted, "Like I had five days left to live, and Reece had two minutes left."


    Reece chuckled, along, though he seemed a little more nervous about it. Adrien was dumbstruck for a moment before setting on fire ultimately, "What the fuck is wrong with you? We''ve been goddamn imprisoned in an army base, and you''re acting like it''s fucking summer camp!"


    This time Naya looked down and thought, "I dunno, I guess I''m not wired to be sad long term... In fact, I don''t feel a lot of things, not about my parents yet, the imprisonment or anything.." Naya shrugged again, "Maybe it hasn''t sunken in yet, maybe it''s a Virus thing, or maybe I''m a psychopath," She then took a bite of her sandwich and looked behind Adrien for a second, "Oh hey, Sky."


    Immediately, Adrien spun around. The Sky was stood, looking slightly disheveled but ok nonetheless, "Hey, Naya." She briefly waved to the group. Adrien glanced around Sky, likely looking for Toby, who was not present.


    "Where is he?" Adrien furrowed his brows.


    "Who?" Skylar''s eyebrow raised slightly, "Oh, you mean Toby?"


    Adrien gave an intense glare to her, "Who do I- yes, that asshole, who the fuck else?"


    Sky shrugged, "Dunno, couldn''t find him," she shrugged, and checked over to Naya and Reece, "Did you put peanut and lettuce in the same sandwich?"


    "Hey, don''t knock it till you try it," Naya defended her sandwich psychically.


    "You''re right, I''ll refrain from judgment and pretend I never saw it," Skylar looked to Reece, who was contently observing the situation, "So what do we do about him?"


    Naya grinned, stuffing the remainder of her sandwich into her mouth before she spoke, "Don''t worry, I''ve got it covered!"


    "He''s not going back into that chamber thing," Skylar already forewarned.


    "What, Sky, c''mon!" Adrien whined like a child, "You know you''d be leaving evidence behind?" He gestured to Reece, who awkwardly shuffled his feet, "This isn''t some jackass leaving orange juice cartons around, this is a whole ass missing person child, not a soldier!"


    "Oh, I know we''d be leaving evidence behind," Sky crossed her arms, "I also know what seared flesh looks like," She looked at Reece with skepticism.


    It only took the ''seared flesh'' comment for Adrien to droop his head slightly and back off, immediately tense at the shoulders.


    Reece pursed his lips and shrugged as he shook his head lightly, "It- I can deal wi-with i-it."


    Naya hesitated, she pressed her thumbs together, "But trust me, I know a guy who can help me, he owes me."


    "Owes y-" Sky stopped, once she realized what she meant, "You''re fucking joking, Naya, no!"


    "Hey, listen!" She waved her hands slightly, "Charlo''s cool, he came to visit me while my arm was busted," Naya cleared her throat, "And he clearly doesn''t care when me or Toby show up to his kitchen."


    Sky grumbled excessively, as she between Naya, Reece, and Adrien in hopes of a better idea. up, "Fine, fine whatever," She massaged the side of her head, "Jesus, I hope you''re not being stupid."


    Naya grinned before she seemed to get an idea, "Oh, hey, the guard people are dead, Reece, you gotta meet the gang!" She grabbed Reece''s arm, "Oh shit, I gotta re-meet the gang. They probably thought I died!" She laughed slightly, which only made Reece awkwardly laugh in compliance.


    As Naya walked off, Reece followed her, and Sky hesitated before she turned slightly to check on Adrien. He grouchily hugged his shoulders. Just as Sky turned around to follow suit, Adrien spoke, "I know you''re lying, you saw him."


    She huffed and peered over her shoulder for a moment, "I''m not dead, am I?" She furrowed her eyebrows more, waiting for Adrien to look at her or at least show a sign of budging, "You coming?"


    "I don''t know these people," Adrien sounded like he tried to hiss it, but it became a grumbled whine, "And you don''t either." His sister took a moment before sighing a ''Jesus, Adrienbefore she walked down the hall to the others.