Scooting closer to the desk, arms tucked underneath her head, and her whole body aching, (Y/N) tried her best to get some rest before the Scientists came to return her demons.
She's been having a rough couple of days...
She's having trouble getting sleep, her worry for Blythe is eating her up, images of the 'nightmare' keep resurfacing in her mind. (Y/N) has tried calling this morning to get a few days off but unfortunately, it was declined. It was a struggle putting her uniform on, her sides and neck ached so much and she doesn't know why. Slipping into her pencil skirt was becoming a hassle around her sides that she tossed it and threw on some loose pants. Yea she was going against dress code but as long as she kept her lab coat closed, people won't notice.
Now she was here, in the cell at her desk with her head resting in her arms like the last few days. 'I should bring a pillow with me next time.'
After she was getting ready to fall asleep, the much expected sound of the back walls opening up behind her ruined her chances of getting any rest. She sat up and stretched carefully, wincing at her neck when she stretched a little too much, and turned her seat around to see two Scientists enter with two grey cases that were being watched by eight guards. They unloaded the demons from inside but this time, they weren't locked up.
(Y/N) watched the people confused as they placed both demons at their respective sides of the cell but didn't activate the chains that would keep them in place. She stood as one of the Scientists approached her.
The Scientist observed her for a couple of seconds which made (Y/N) feel awkward. She couldn't see their face but it felt like they were checking her body. When the Scientist was finished with their observation, they turned around and pointed to the unconscious demons. "We'll be refraining from locking them up or deploying guards to watch over you. However, we are placing the collars on them and you can decide when to remove them. Understand?"
(Y/N) nodded but she was still perplexed. The collars are just meant to hinder their abilities but they can still cause harm to her. Why not assign her guards or lock them up? It's not like she thinks Ki and Akai will attack her but it just seems out of character for the Scientists to disregard a Keeper's safety like that.
"As for the cameras, we'll be replacing them next week. We are under a shortage and have to wait so we can restock. Please take close observations of your demons' actions and words used and send the findings to the Researchers as per usual. Good day." With that, the Scientist left with the rest and closed the back wall.
The Keeper yawned and started heading over to Ki's unconscious body. On her way there, she did look up at the walls to see the cameras not there but huge burn marks with scorched wires sticking out. 'Akai.' She thought as she peeked over to the blond.
She knelt down next to Ki the best she could and started fiddling with the collar around his neck. He was in his demon form and she didn't want him to be stuck like this. When the collar snapped off, she removed it and began making her way to Akai. She did the same with his collar even though he's most likely mad at her again. Still, it didn't feel fair leaving his collar on while Ki didn't have his.
Standing up, she started making her way back to her desk where the crate for the collars was sitting on the ground. She heard the demon behind her shuffle a bit but ignored him.
Once the collars were placed inside the crates, (Y/N) didn't waste any time plopping into her chair and straightening it out so she can use it as a bed. She took her coat off and used it as a pillow, then proceeded to try falling asleep again. Ki and Akai will be fine on their own while she caught some zs.
However, her sleep was interrupted yet again as she heard someone sit on the floor in front of her and wrap an arm gently around her body, pulling the chair closer to them at the same time. She also felt a head press into her stomach which made her eyes shoot open. She looked down and saw Akai. He hid his face in her body while his hand started massaging circles into her sore right side. He was being gentle while doing it so she didn't cringe at any pain.
"Akai?"
He didn't respond. Instead, a frustrated breath could be heard.
She laid her head back down and reach her arm out to his hair and played with the blond locks. His red horns were gone and if he had them, they would've been stabbing into her. He looked unusual without them though. "Are you alright?"
"I should be asking you that." His voice was low and scratchy. He did just woke up from being drugged.
She raised an eyebrow at his statement as he lifted his head from her stomach. When she saw his expression, her eyes widened again. Akai's eyes were glowing red but he held a tired face, his hair had grown out to his shoulders and he didn't bother on changing it back, and there was a large bandage around the side of his neck with a little black blood leaking through. He didn't meet her eyes but she can tell he was contemplating something.
She sat up, clenching her teeth at her aching side which Akai took notice of. Her eyes drifted over to Ki who was still knocked out before settling them back on the demon in front of her. "Akai, are you alright? I know you must be worn out from the anesthesia but-"
"I'm sorry..."
His hair was partially covering his face but she can see that he looked guilty but also enraged. "Um... what are you apologizing for?"
Akai rolled his eyes. Did he really have to explain? "I'm just sorry, alright?" He looked up at her and narrowed his eyes when he saw her smirking.
"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day where Akai would apologize and not in a joking way!" She giggled. She saw that he was getting irritated so she patted his head which made him deadpan at her. "I don't know what you're apologizing for but I accept it. Maybe you should go get some rest, you look-"
"Do you not remember?"
Akai watched her closely and he was surprised that she wasn't terrified or at least scarred from what had happened two days ago. She was smiling now but her face was contorted in pain during that torture. How could she just pretend that none of that happened?
Her smile dropped as she was confused. "Remember what?"
"The Scientists? The taser? Being locked to a chair? You don't remember that?"
"...What are you talking about?"
She didn't remember?! Not even a little bit? She had the aches to prove it but she isn't questioning how she got them? Akai gritted his teeth as he came to a realization. 'Those bastards must've done something did her!' "Ki and I were forced to watch you get tased by those people for an experiment! They locked you into a chair that you struggled to get out of! You don't remember that?!"
(Y/N) could hear his voice rising. What was he even saying? Yesterday, she was asleep all day in her bed after that supposed panic attack she had. How could she be involved with an experiment? Especially one like that, she wouldn't agree to getting tased for research. "Akai, I was in my room sleeping. I'm not even allowed anywhere near you guys during experimentation."
He stood up and looked her straight in the eyes. "(Y/N), I'm not bull shitting you! You were there and they basically tortured you while Ki and I were forced to watch! You can go ask him, he'll say the same thing!" Akai gestured towards his still unconscious cellmate. "Those assholes must've drugged you or something cause' there's no way you could forget any of that on your own!"
"Akai, I wasn't there! These accusations you're making are serious, stop lying."
"If I'm lying, then why does your neck hurt?" He pressed a finger into the right side of her neck and watched as she flinched away. "Or your side? Why does it hurt?" He did the same to her side and she slapped his hand away.
"Akai stop! That hurts!"
"Why does it hurt, huh?! They tased you there several times! You even passed out after they tased your neck!" He grabbed her hand and made her look him straight in the eyes. "(Y/N), you know me. When have I ever lied about something like this? I know that I joke around a lot and I don't take much seriously but I'm damn serious when it comes to you! Believe me or not, it happened!"
Akai could feel his anger levels rising. He could see that his girl still wasn't believing him and the fact that she doesn't know because of the Scientists infuriated him even more. If he kept on trying to convince her like this, his anger will only cause him to say something or do something that might hurt her. She was annoying him beyond belief but he loved her and he didn't want to be the bad guy this time.
"Akai-" (Y/N) reached out to him but he had already moved away from her and left to go calm himself down. His hands twitched as he was ready to punch something.
She sighed. He was coming off as serious but she doesn't remember any of that happening. The Scientists wouldn't use her to be a part of an experiment without her permission, right? It's illegal for them to do that. As for her aching body....?
She was beyond confused but way too tired to give it any more thought. It did start to worry her though but she didn't know why. Deciding to drop the whole topic and turn back to her desk. She wasn't sleepy any more thanks to Akai.
Opening up her bag that was hanging off her chair, she pulled out her tablet and turned it on to see if she got any new messages. When the lock screen showed, she tilted her head at the date.
'Tuesday, October 20th? But it's Monday...'
Maybe the date was wrong. She grabbed her phone and turned it on to see the same date. She did the same with her computer and got the same results.
But she was sure that it was Monday. Yesterday was their experimentation and tomorrow was Tuesday. How could she forget a whole day? Her worries began to grow but she still didn't understand why.
After her shift ended, (Y/N) exited out of the cell and locked it behind her. The day went by fast and probably because she fell asleep in her chair after her tiredness came back. When she woke up, it was already time to leave. Before she left, Ki woke up too and rushed over to her when he laid eyes on his Keeper. He was still in his demon form but he looked panicked as he forced her to let him check her for any injuries. He also refused to let her leave and growled whenever she protested. She managed to convince him in the end and he allowed her to leave after he pressed his head against hers lovingly.
As she was walking back to her room after getting food from the cafeteria, she couldn't help but think about Ki's panicked state. Why would he need to be worried about her? Both demons were concerning her and the fact that she doesn't remember a whole day was weighing on her too. The last thing she remembers is sleeping on Sunday and waking up on what she thought was Monday. It doesn't make sense.
"Those assholes must've drugged you or something cause' there's no way you could forget any of that on your own!"
She subconsciously placed a hand on her neck.
She entered the Keepers' Quarters and proceeded her way to her room. Passing by the hall that held Blythe's room, she peaked at her friend's door, which has become a habit of hers, and stopped when she saw someone standing outside with their phone.
She walked back and saw that it was Axel. He was leaning against Blythe's door while trying to call somebody but it seems like whoever it was wasn't answering. "Axel!" She called and started speedwalking over to him.
He looked up and smiled at her as he tried calling the person again. As she got closer, she heard the familiar, "Please leave your number for-" voice coming from the small device. "Who are you calling?"
"Blythe. Before I left, she told me to call her when I get back. I'm here but she isn't answering. How rude of her."
'He doesn't know?' Axel spoke like his usual upbeat self and even became dramatic when he called the redhead rude. (Y/N) knows that he left to go above ground before Blythe got sick, so he must not know that she's... disappeared. "There's something I need to tell you Ax-"
He wondered why she stopped. She was looking somewhere behind him so he turned around to see a Scientist and a woman he didn't recognize. But (Y/N) thought she looked familiar. The woman had long curly black hair that was held up in a bun, caramel skin, and a coat that was similar to hers. (Y/N) swears that she's seen her before but doesn't know where. For some reason, the presence of the lady and the Scientist was making her tense.
She tapped Axel's arm and got his attention. "Can we talk somewhere else? Somewhere private?" She kept her voice low for some reason and she didn't know why, it just felt like she needed to.
Axel was still confused but he nodded nevertheless, his friend seemed worried about something.
(Y/N) quickly led him to her room in a different hall away from the two people. She unlocked her door and allowed Axel to enter before closing it.
"What's wrong?" He asked, sitting on her bed.
"Um..." How does she tell him that his friend was missing?! He and Blythe are close so how would he react? "Blythe is... I-"
He encouraged her to continue, she sighed and sat down in a chair.
"I haven't seen Blythe in weeks... I don't know where she is."
"Wait? What do you mean?" His shoulders got tense as he now looked worried.
The Keeper proceeded to tell the Capturer all about the last time she saw Blythe up until now. How Angel asked around the medical wing, the Head nurse being assigned to look after Blythe, everything. What she didn't tell him was that 'nightmare' she had. The image of Blythe looking so lost of life scared (Y/N) to her core and she didn't want Axel being scared too at the thought of his friend like that. It's best that she leaves that part out.
Axel took a minute to process everything she told him. (Y/N) watched as he was lost in thought and his hands clenched into fists. She's never seen him like this.
"And no one's seen her? At all?"
(Y/N) shook her head as she looked down at her hands. "I've been calling her phone every day... She just stopped picking up after a while."
"...Has she ever mentioned I9?" His voice was shaky as he tried to keep his cool.
(Y/N) looked back up at him. The memory of being at I9's cell after she snapped out of whatever state she was in flashed into her mind. Blythe never talks about I9 unless (Y/N) brought it up. So she shook her head again. "No? She hasn't talk about it much. Why?"
Axel huffed out of breath and rubbed his neck, he was getting stressed. "Just a thought. Blythe once told me that I9 can mess around with people's minds and make them see things that aren't there. I'm just worried that it could've done something to her." His eyes went back to the Keeper and saw that she was shocked.
'It can mess with minds?! Was it messing with me?' Could I9 be the reason for those things she saw? How did it know about her mother or her as a child? Even the memories she saw? What kind of demon was it?
"You said the Head Nurse was watching after her, right?" Axel stood and made his way to the door.
(Y/N) watched him but nodded. "Yea but she hasn't been telling me how Blythe is."
"I'm gonna go ask her myself. She'll answer me." He seemed confident with his statement but he was just a Capturer. Either way, she was just glad that Axel will be asking around too. Hopefully, he'll find something.
"I'm gonna ask the Scientist and the Head Keeper about I9 too. That demon just doesn't sit right with me."
'The Head Keeper?' That name sounded familiar and she thought back to how concerned her demons were over her. Why did those two thoughts connect with each other?
Before Axel left, (Y/N) stopped him. She needed to know something else. "Axel?"
He turned towards her and nodded for her to continue.
"Would the Scientists ever... use humans in their experiments? Especially people who... didn't agree to do them?"
He tilted his head and leaned against the door. Why is she asking about this? "Well, sometimes they do but the people have to sign an agreement. Otherwise, it's illegal. Why do you want to know?"
"Because..." Should she tell him? She wasn't even sure of this whole situation herself. "Earlier, my demons were concerned about me. Like, REALLY concerned. One of them kept saying that they were forced to watch me get tortured by the Scientists using tasers on me. He even pointed out my sore areas without possibly knowing."
"Wait what?! Are you alright?" Axel approached her and began inspecting her for injuries like a worried parent. He mistakenly bumped his hand into her side which made her cringe in pain. "Ow! Yea- I'm fine. Just my neck and sides are aching."
He moved back, baffled. "They tased you?!"
"That's the thing, I don't remember any of that happening! The last thing I remember was falling asleep on Sunday and waking up this morning. I thought today was Monday but it's Tuesday. How can I forget a whole day...?" She muttered her last thought. It was really bothering her, both Ki and Akai were fretting over her safety and now every time she sees a Scientist, she gets anxious. She just wanted clear answers.
Axel visibly gulped. Realization flooded his eyes. "Oh God..."
"What?"
"You're demons are probably right..."
"WHAT?!" She stared at him in shock while he stared back agitated. "So you're saying that what my demon told me was true?! That the Scientists used me without my permission?!"
"Shhhhhh!!! Keep your voice down!" Axel got up and opened the door slightly, looking both ways down the halls before closing it back and locking it. "You might not remember any of it because they probably used a drug to make you forget."
"A drug?! But- how do you know that?"
When she asked that, he froze. He placed a hand over his mouth with wide eyes. "I wasn't supposed to say that..." he muttered.
"Axel?" How would he know about a drug the Scientists could have used on her. He was just a Capturer.
The man ran a hand through his hair before double checking to see if anyone was nearby the room. He locked the door again and sat on the floor with a blank face. "So... uh... the drug they used, they call it Controlled Amnesia. It's something they've been working on for a while now. So it explains why you don't remember yesterday at all. I know this because..."
"Because?" She pressed.
"Because me and a few other Capturers have played a part in it being made." He sheepishly smiled. He was digging a grave for himself more and more.
"What did you do? And why a few of you?"
He sighed and rubbed his temples. "You're not gonna stop asking about this are you?"
"Nope!" She positioned herself in the chair to face him and gave him a serious look. She wanted to know everything. "Speak."
"Ah screw it! I'm dead either way..." He mumbled. (Y/N) became concerned after hearing this.
"Besides being my usual Capturer self and doing my job, me and a few of my partners are sometimes requested in secret by a small group of Scientists to... capture a demon. But they make it so... specific that we can't just bring back anything, it has to be what they want exactly. But if we don't return with the demon they want, they'll sometimes dock our pay or threaten to take away our benefits. My friend ended up not getting paid for months because of them."
"But they're not allowed to do that."
"I know. But if we do the job right they'll pay us extra for it. Anyways, a while ago, maybe a year or so, they wanted us to get them a demon in the unknown types. They had so many classifications for it so it was a miracle we even found one close to the description. I'm not directly involved with what they planned on using it for but I was told that they killed it and used it to make some type of drug from the head part. The drug turned out to be the one they've probably used on you. It's pretty effective, I see."
"They killed a demon to make a drug?! But that's illegal!"
"SHHHHHHH!!!!!! Who knows what they'll do if this info got out! I can get fired!" Even worse than fired, he'll probably 'disappear'. He's heard of the rumors about workers like Keepers, Capturers, Researchers involved in this hidden scheme disappearing because they spoke too much. He's even witnessed people involved never showing up again with no word to their friends or families. It's horrifying.
"Axel, it's strictly prohibited of anyone to have or use anything that's directly linked to a demon! If a memory drug that was made from a demon's head was produced here, this whole lab can get shut down. Not to mention you'll be arrested for being involved."
Axel shrugged, there's nothing he can do about it. "It's not like I can back out if I wanted. Two of my partners tried but they were threatened by Mr. Fidero himself! Even the boss man is in on it!"
(Y/N) couldn't believe this. Her place of work was killing demons to make drugs, dangerous drugs. She wondered if the Controlled Amnesia was only used on her or other people. What about the other demons the Scientists wanted? "Did they ask you guys to get any more demons?"
He nodded. "About 30 others. Like I said, I'm not exactly sure what they are doing with them but from rumors, I can guess weapons, tech, other drugs. I just hate that they made me be a part of this. I declined at first but they didn't take no for an answer once I was aware. The only ones I know organizing this are the boss man, Brenda, a couple of the Scientists, and unfortunately those who were forced into it. Including me."
The Keeper could see that he regrets doing these secret jobs and not having the ability to leave. Now she knows too. If the higher ups found out that Axel confessed everything to her, would they refuse to let her leave? What would they do to him? "Did you tell anyone else about this? What about Blythe?"
"I didn't want her getting caught up in all of this. She doesn't deserve the trouble... I just hope they don't have her. With I9 being as active as it is, I wouldn't be surprised if it affected her in some way. That means the Scientists will want to keep a close eye on her too. But knowing them..." He needed to make sure she was alright. Axel had access to the inner parts of the building due to being a Capturer, if Blythe wasn't with the Head Nurse, going to the Scientists will be his second option.
He got up from his spot on the floor while (Y/N) thought over everything he had said. "I shouldn't have told you any of this so PLEASE don't tell anyone else. We'll both be in major trouble if the higher ups find out."
Despite how illegal this whole operation was, she agreed to not tell. She would not only put Axel at risk but also herself. What did she get herself into...?
Before Axel left, he turned back to her with an attempt at having a straight face. "If they used you in an experiment and used the Controlled Amnesia, I wouldn't trust any of the higher ups for now on if I were you. They could've done that for a reason."