As Harrington exited the door, he was met with Dr. Finch and the two soldiers escorting him. Finch appeared visibly relieved that nothing had gone wrong, especially not in front of the president. They made their way to the monitoring station, where General Thompson was watching the entire conversation unfold from beyond the glass.
"Everything go well?" Thompson asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he assessed Harrington's demeanor.
"Better than expected," Harrington replied, a hint of a smile breaking through his serious facade. "He's… different."
Just then, another figure emerged from the shadows—a tall man in his middle ages with a commanding presence. He approached Harrington with an outstretched hand. "Hello, Mr. President. A pleasure to meet you. I apologize for not greeting you upon your arrival; I was settling some issues with the other subjects."
"Subjects?" Harrington echoed, raising an eyebrow.
The man continued, "Where are my manners? I am Director Thomas Calder." He gestured toward the glass where Caelum had just been. "Mr. Caelum here hardly qualifies as an anomaly if not for his incomprehensible nature."
Harrington felt a wave of confusion wash over him. "Are there others like Caelum?"
Dr. Finch interjected quickly, "I guess Mr. President still has to acknowledge the other subjects contained within this facility."
"Oh, I apologize again," Calder said, realizing the gravity of his oversight. "But since you're here, let me introduce you to the others."
As they exited Caelum's containment chamber, General Thompson glanced back at Caelum one last time before following Calder and Harrington down the corridor.
They walked toward a large tunnel where a convoy of jeeps was parked. The soldiers climbed into their vehicles while Harrington took a seat next to Calder in one of the jeeps.
"Where are we headed?" Harrington asked as they rode uphill and veered left into another smaller tunnel.
"To meet some of our other subjects," Calder replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "You'll find them quite… interesting."
The jeep convoy parked again in front of another steel door—this one smaller than Caelum's containment chamber. As they entered, they were met with a larger monitoring and control station filled with screens and equipment buzzing with activity.
Beyond the glass walls of the control room, Harrington saw rows of stacked containment chambers lined against each other. His heart raced as he took in what lay before him: humans exhibiting various supernatural abilities—some aggressive and shaking, others breathing fire or emitting smoke.
"What is this?" Harrington asked, his voice steady but laced with disbelief.
"Here we study those with anomalous abilities," Calder explained as he gestured toward the chambers. "Some of them are quite volatile." He pointed to one chamber where a figure writhed against the restraints, eyes wild with fear and anger.
"Are these people… prisoners?" Harrington questioned, feeling a knot form in his stomach.
"Not prisoners," Calder corrected him sharply. "They are subjects of research—individuals who have abilities we do not yet fully understand."
As they continued to observe, Harrington noticed more than just humans in containment. There were also alien species—mostly reptilian humanoids—and animals with anomalous appearances that defied logic.
"Is that…?" Harrington began but stopped short as he pointed to a large translucent stag that shimmered under the fluorescent lights.
"Yes," Calder confirmed with a hint of pride in his voice. "That's a rare specimen we've managed to contain—a translucent stag that can manipulate light around it."
Next to it was a lynx engulfed in flames—a pyrolynx—its fur crackling as it paced restlessly within its chamber.
"And over there," Calder continued, pointing to another enclosure where a moth flapped its wings lazily. "That's our timeflux moth. It can slow down or speed up localized areas around it as it flaps its wings."
Harrington watched in awe as the moth fluttered about, creating ripples in time that distorted everything around it momentarily. "How do you manage all this?" he asked incredulously.
"It's not easy," Calder admitted, crossing his arms as he leaned against the glass wall. "But we have protocols in place for each subject based on their abilities and behaviors."
Harrington turned back to Calder, feeling a mix of fascination and dread at what he had witnessed so far. "And what happens if something goes wrong?"
Calder's expression hardened slightly. "We contain it—at all costs."
As Director Calder led President Harrington and Dr. Finch deeper into the facility, he redirected Harrington's attention to another cell, one that looked much more secure than the previous one. This area was expansive, with a larger monitoring and control room filled with more security personnel guarding it. The atmosphere shifted, becoming heavier with an unspoken tension.
"Over here, Mr. President," Calder said, gesturing toward the reinforced glass of the new containment area. "This is where we keep some of our more… extraordinary subjects."
Harrington's curiosity piqued as he approached the glass. Inside, he could see a variety of creatures—some humanoid and others entirely alien in nature. Each was housed in its own containment chamber, and Harrington felt a chill run down his spine as he took in the sight.
"What exactly are we looking at?" Harrington asked, his voice steady despite the unease creeping into his mind.
Calder stepped closer to the glass, his expression serious. "These are some of the most common anomalies we've encountered. Each one presents unique challenges and dangers." He pointed to the first chamber.
"First, we have **The Sporecrawler**," he began. "It's a gelatinous, slug-like creature roughly the size of a dog, covered in translucent nodules that emit faint bioluminescence. The nodules periodically release spores that can grow into smaller identical creatures if not neutralized."
"Sounds… delightful," Harrington remarked dryly.
Calder continued undeterred. "It emits pheromones that can disorient or hypnotize prey and can dissolve organic matter on contact to feed." He paused for effect before adding, "We contain it in airtight cells with HEPA filters to trap spores and use a freezing mechanism to keep it dormant."
"What's next?" Harrington asked, trying to maintain his composure.
"The **Shardling**," Calder replied, gesturing to another chamber. "A small, crab-like creature with a chitinous exoskeleton resembling fractured glass. Its body is semi-transparent, and its internal organs glow faintly in chaotic patterns."
Harrington leaned closer to examine it. "What does it do?"
"Its claws emit a high-frequency vibration that can cut through metal," Calder explained. "When threatened, it releases an electromagnetic pulse that disables electronics within a short radius."
"Impressive," Harrington said, noting the potential threat it posed.
"Next is **The Murkling**," Calder continued, pointing to a leech-like creature about three feet long with dozens of small lidless eyes and a tooth-filled circular mouth. "Its slimy black skin constantly oozes a viscous fluid that absorbs light."
"What's its ability?" Harrington asked, intrigued despite himself.
"It adheres to surfaces and can dissolve materials slowly to create nesting spots," Calder explained. "The fluid it secretes is mildly acidic and highly toxic to most living beings." He added quickly, "We keep it in a tank filled with non-organic fluid that neutralizes its secretions."
Harrington nodded slowly as they moved on to the next chamber.
"This one is called **The Gristlefly**," Calder said. "It's a housefly-sized insect with a fleshy, semi-translucent body and elongated wings. Its abdomen houses rows of retractable barbs that secrete an infectious, parasitic fluid."
"Sounds charming," Harrington replied sarcastically.
"It lays microscopic eggs in organic tissue," Calder continued without missing a beat. "They hatch within hours and consume the host from within." He paused for emphasis before adding, "It also emits an unsettling buzzing sound that causes unease and nausea."
Harrington shuddered slightly at the thought of such a creature lurking nearby.
"The **Tendril Wretch** is next," Calder said as they approached another chamber. "It's hairless and quadrupedal with elongated limbs and dozens of writhing tentacle-like appendages sprouting from its spine."
"What does it do?" Harrington asked.
"Its tendrils can extend up to twice its body length to latch onto prey and inject paralytic venom," Calder explained. "It's highly agile and capable of climbing walls and ceilings."
"Containment?" Harrington inquired.
"A smooth spherical enclosure prevents it from climbing," Calder replied. "We also have automated feeding systems to minimize human interaction."
As they moved through the control room, Calder introduced more creatures: **The Bonebiter**, **The Blighthound**, **The Skincrawler**, **The Rotspike**, and finally **The Blackwater Eel**—each description growing more bizarre than the last.
Harrington listened intently as Calder detailed their abilities and containment methods, feeling both fascinated and horrified by what lay before him.
"Most of these creatures are classified as anomalies," Calder concluded as they reached the end of the row of chambers. "But there are also entities similar to demons described in various mythologies—creatures that defy explanation."
"Demons?" Harrington echoed incredulously.
"Yes," Calder replied seriously. "Some exhibit traits that align with descriptions found in ancient texts—beings that challenge our understanding of reality itself."
Harrington took a deep breath as he absorbed this information; each revelation deepened his sense of responsibility for what lay within these walls—and what might be unleashed if they failed to contain it all.
As they slowly walked to leave the containment chambers, Director Calder gestured toward a console on the monitoring station. "Before we go, I want to show you something important." He pressed a few buttons, and the screen flickered to life, displaying footage from years ago.
The video showed a young boy—Caelum—interacting with various creatures contained within a chamber. The footage was grainy, but Harrington could clearly see the panic in the creatures as they scrambled to avoid Caelum. Some tried to stay as far away from him as possible, trembling in fear, while others remained still, shaking uncontrollably. In stark contrast, when faced with other individuals—not Caelum—they exhibited aggressive behaviors.
"Fascinating," Harrington murmured, watching intently as the creatures reacted so differently to Caelum. "They're terrified of him."
"Yes," Calder replied, his voice tinged with excitement. "This is crucial evidence of how Caelum's aura affects other entities. If we can figure out how it works, we may be able to reproduce it artificially. That would be a tremendous asset in containing anomalies out there in the world."
Harrington turned to Calder, reassured by the potential benefits. "I believe we can continue our experiments," he said firmly. "I made a deal with Caelum to share our findings with him in exchange for his cooperation."
Calder's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "That's excellent news! Ever since Mr. Caelum started reading some of the books we provided for him—philosophy, history, common sense learning—he has changed significantly. He now refuses further experimentation and actively avoids harming anyone if possible."
"Yet he still feels trapped," Harrington noted thoughtfully. "He wants to learn about his nature but fears what he might become."
"Exactly," Calder said, nodding. "He has expressed that he cannot control his abilities yet and prefers isolation over the risk of causing harm."
Harrington considered this for a moment before responding. "Mr. Caelum is eager to learn about himself and the world beyond these walls. If you cooperate with him, I believe he will embrace this opportunity."
Calder paused, taken aback by Harrington's assertion. "But what about the risks? What if he loses control?"
"I think Caelum is good-natured at heart," Harrington countered confidently. "If nurtured properly, he could become one of the country's greatest assets—or even an asset for the entire world." He leaned closer, emphasizing his point. "Tying him down like an animal would only breed resentment and fear, which could lead to disaster."
Calder frowned slightly as he processed Harrington's words. "You truly believe that?"
"I do," Harrington replied earnestly. "He has a human nature that shouldn't be ignored or suppressed. With guidance and understanding, he can learn to control his abilities and use them for good."
The director remained silent for a moment, contemplating Harrington's perspective. Finally, he nodded slowly. "Very well, Mr. President. If you believe this is the right course of action, then I will support your decision."
"Thank you," Harrington said sincerely. "Let's ensure that we provide Caelum with the resources and knowledge he needs to thrive."
As they prepared to leave the monitoring station and head back through the facility, a sense of determination settled over Harrington. He knew they were embarking on a path filled with uncertainty but also one that held immense potential for both Caelum and their nation.