Claw followed Jacob Azrael and descended the steps to wherever they led. The steel sheets above slid to a close, and everything returned to normal.
Underground, bright bulbs that were fixed to both sides of the wall flickered on, illuminating the rest of the stairway and what seemed like a broad steel door up ahead.
Claw was forced to ask, "You built a base under your home?"
"Am I not allowed to?" The man responded with a chuckle. As they walked forward, he said, "The Inceptors can only be mobilised by the Paragon. So, this way, I can better monitor their affairs. This facility not only belong to the Inceptors, but a lot of scientists from Embryo as well."
I see… Claw nodded in thought. Still, it was quite the task to wrap his head around everything he had witnessed and heard so far.
Councilman Jacob stopped before the large steel door. He pressed his palm against the authentication panel, then he scanned his retina. With a loud buzz, the door parted and revealed a vast space with a pillar-like machine in the very centre.
On the pillar were various holographic panels that displayed crude mechanical designs or what seemed to be armour. Besides that, there were a few tunnels that led to deeper chambers.
Men and women in white lab coats walked about, either holding a file in hand, adjusting the concept of the armour on the holographic screen, or conversing rapidly with one another. They were so engrossed in their work that they didn't even notice the Councilman and his special "guest".
Claw had always harboured the thought that all scientists were half-mad, so he didn't think much of it. He followed the Councilman into a tunnel and they arrived at a certain area.
Using the same process of retina scan and palm print, he unlocked the door and turned to look at Claw. "In here," He said.
They walked into a dimly lit room that bore traces of a lab. Claw looked around, noticing a few scientists and their solemn countenance. They all fixed their gaze ahead, seriously looking at what lay beyond a glass. A completely white room.
Claw followed their gaze. In another section of the lab-like room, there was a figure garbed in white clothes. A woman, presumably in her mid-thirties. She sat on the white-tiled floor, despite there being a chair next to her, and clutched her knees to her chest.
She couldn't see the figures looking at her, as it was a one-way glass. She appeared to be mentally ill, merely rocking back and forth and muttering incomprehensible words.
Councilman Jacob looked at one of the scientists and said without hesitation, "Begin."
The latter nodded and pressed a bright red button on a control panel.
"Initiating…" A soft, automated voice filled the room.
Then, in the area beyond the glass, the ceiling parted and a huge machine slowly descended. It seemed like various complex components were slammed together to form an even more complex machine.
A tube, that at the same time cortorted and resembled a sphere of sorts. Various protruding pipes lined the edges and at the very base was the only thing that Claw could accurately judge. A helmet.
The helmet was hooked with various cables that connected to the tube-sphere thingy.
Then, one of the scientists with a bald head spoke into a microphone, "Zoe, please take your seat on the chair we have provided and relax."
The lady, Zoe, rose slowly and stood in a daze for a few seconds. Then, biting her nails, she climbed unto the chair and settled in it. Afterwards, the helmet connected to the complex machine descended and fit around her head.
Claw knew what they were about doing– the consciousness transferrence thing the Councilman talked about. He asked in a low voice, "Is it a painful process?"
The Councilman shook his head.
"No, it isn't."
Phew… Claw felt some amount of relief. However, in the next instant, his relief shattered as he heard a piercing scream come from the lady in the white room. His eyes darted forward and he witnessed one of the most horrifying scenes he had ever seen in his life.
The lady clutched the helmet, trying to pry it off with her fingers, however, the machine only drilled into her head even further. She banged her hand against the steel, shattering her fingers and peeling her nails.
"Ahhh!" She kept yelling, shaking vigorously on the chair as blood stained the bright white floor.
Claw's eyes widened in disbelief. He looked at the smiling Councilman and could only squeeze out the words, "You're a madman."
….
Onyx Sector, Overseer Military Camp.
Adam stepped into a large room that was dimly lit, along with the rest of the other kids. Marshal Mathew Bates walked to the wall and tapped on the manual light switch.
The dim golden bulbs switched a blue color. He tapped it again, and it changed to a soft red glow.
"Basically, whatever suits you." He said and stopped toying with the light switch.
Adam's gaze moved around the room, noticing the minimalist setting. Four beds were positioned on either sides of the wall, two to each wall. There was a large wardrobe that was split into four sections, two study tables, and Adam could also see two doors leading to unexplored areas.
The Marshal spoke again, "Arden Jhumpa, your room is behind that door."
As she was a female, she would undoubtedly need her privacy.
"Yes, sir." The girl nodded and walked forward, carefully opening the door and checking what lay behind.
"Is every room like this?" Victor asked, feeling that the Overseer force was being extra generous. Well, considering that they were going to be burdened with the job of saving humanity from an alien species, this was a fair enough treatment.
The Marshal responded in a calm tone, "For members of The Wild Hunt, yes. In fact, after you're done with the four months training, everyone gets their personal space."
"Sweet," The boy nodded.
After a few more ground rules and explanation of their new routine, the Marshal left to attend to other important tasks.
At that moment, all five looked at each other. They were going to be seeing these set of faces for a very long time.