Operation: Threads of Connection

Risk

Loid's POV:

With Sebastian's help we quickly made our way towards the Carter's estate. Franky and I began looking through the blueprints given by WISE. There seems to be a door down in the basement that leads to a hidden room. Could they have Anya and Damian down there?

"It's too risky," Franky announced as he began examining a different entry point. He found a vent leading towards the same direction, if one of us could take the vents and the other take the other door, we will be able to distract any guards present.

"Loid, you take the vents, it's more secure," Franky announced, we both knew the risks of getting caught, infiltrating through the vents is always a secure way, Franky always preferred to take this safe route, why was he giving this to me?

"You have a family to care for, whatever happens, take your family and get out, don't come back for me, you understand?" Franky announced, beginning to turn towards the wall. With much emotion in his eyes, he added, "I'll be fine, Loid. Just promise me you'll keep them safe."

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I promise, Franky. Be careful."

With that, we split up. I hoisted myself into the vent and began crawling through the narrow space. Every sound echoed loudly, making me hyper-aware of my surroundings. My mind kept drifting to Anya and Yor, and the thought of them in danger pushed me forward.

Meanwhile, Franky moved towards the basement door, his tools ready. I could hear faint footsteps from the guards below. We had to be quick and precise.

As I approached the vent opening that overlooked the hidden room, I peered through the slats. There, in a closed cell was a man, he had chains wrapped around his wrists. His demeanor weak and lifeless, who was this?

"So Dr. Wetson, tell me, what do you suggest we do with Test Subject 007. Sure she can read minds, but how can we have her reveal secrets that even she doesn't know?" The voice was cold and calculating, echoing through the hidden room. I recognized it as belonging to Dr. Marcus Helms, the head of the clandestine research facility.

Dr.Wetson? could this be Arthur Wetson, the intern that was responsible for Anya's abilities?

The man in chains began moving towards the bars, he chuckled shaking his head in disapproval, "You fools, you must proceed with caution. Subject 007's abilities are unprecedented. If you push her too hard, we could damage her mind beyond repair."

Dr. Helms scoffed. "We don't have time for caution. The Board wants results, and they want them now. If we can harness her power, we'll have access to information that could change the world." Dr. Helms began walking towards the heavy doors, "Just as I thought you're useless, When I come back I want you to give me something good, or else those brats will suffer the consequences. Think about it carefully now Arthur," The scientists then left the room, leaving a weak Dr. Wetson to grab onto the bars, sighing deeply, he began muttering.

"please... mama... keep Anya and Damian safe...."

My eyes widened at the realization he knew where Anya and Damian were!

"Franky, I've located Dr. Wetson, come meet me at the vent opening on the third floor. And hurry, we don't have much time," I whispered into my earpiece. Franky, always reliable, acknowledged my request with a quick, "On my way."

I turned my attention back to Dr. Wetson, who now seemed lost in his thoughts. It struck me that he might not be as committed to Desmond's sinister plans as he seemed. There was a chance he could become an ally.

The minutes felt like hours as I waited for Franky. Finally, I heard a soft rustling behind me and turned to see his familiar face. "What's the plan?" he asked, eyes scanning the room.

"Dr. Wetson knows where Anya and Damian are," I whispered. "We need to get him out of here and find out everything he knows."

Franky nodded. "Alright. How do we get past the guards?"

I glanced around, noticing a loose panel near the vent. "We can use that as a distraction," I suggested. "Create some noise to lure the guards away, then we make our move."

Franky set to work on the panel while I kept watch. As he pried it loose, it made a loud clatter, echoing through the corridors. Within moments, we heard footsteps approaching.

"Now," I urged. We slipped out of our hiding spot and moved swiftly towards the cell. Dr. Wetson looked up in surprise as we approached.

"Dr. Wetson, we're here to help," I whispered urgently. "We need to get you out of here and find Anya and Damian."

His eyes widened with a mix of hope and fear. "You don't understand. If they catch us..."

"We won't let that happen," Franky assured him. "But we need you to trust us."

With a reluctant nod, Dr. Wetson allowed us to help him out of the cell. We moved quickly and quietly, avoiding patrols as we made our way to the exit. As we reached the outer doors, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a much larger battle.

——

Hiding behind the Carter Estate we managed to find a small ditch, Franky unchained Dr. Wetson's cuffs, the heavy metal falling to the ground with a thump. Dr. Wetson took a deep breath, almost like savoring the cool night air. I handed him a flask of water, he accepted it immediately, gulping down the liquid.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice hoarse and heavy.

"My name is Loid Forger. I am Anya's father," I whispered back, I began bandaging his hands, they were raw and blistered from the cuffs. "We've been searching for you ever since we learned about your connection to Project Eclipse."

Dr. Wetson looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and worry. "You don't understand the danger we're in. Desmond is relentless. He'll stop at nothing to harness Anya's abilities."

"We know," Franky said, keeping watch over the surroundings. "That's why we need your help. You know more about this organization than anyone. What can you tell us about their plans?"

Dr. Wetson took another deep breath, his gaze shifting to the darkened horizon. "They want to use Anya's mind-reading abilities to extract classified information from high-level officials. They're planning something big, something that could destabilize governments and shift the balance of power."

"Do you know where they're keeping Anya and Damian?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

He nodded slowly. "There's an underground facility beneath the main laboratory. It's heavily guarded and filled with traps. Getting in won't be easy."

"That's where we come in," Franky said, a determined glint in his eyes. "We have the skills and resources to infiltrate the facility. But we need your knowledge to guide us."

Dr. Wetson seemed to gather strength from our resolve. "Alright. I'll help you. But we need to move quickly. Dr. Helms will realize I'm missing soon, and he'll tighten security."

We devised a plan, combining our skills and knowledge to navigate the facility's defenses. With Dr. Wetson's insights and our determination, we felt a glimmer of hope.

As we made our way towards the underground facility, I couldn't help but think of Anya and Damian, hoping they were safe. The stakes had never been higher, but with each step, I knew we were closer to rescuing them and stopping Denovan Desmond's sinister plans.