#vanillacoldbrew

Reading him to sleep

if y’all ain’t read this fic, you’re missing outttttt :

I had Claire stay right behind me. I thought that was the best way to keep her covered. As I expected, the emergency power was lighting up the inside of P4R4D1S3 a little. There was nothing, no one inside. I couldn’t hear anything but sporadic gunshots from outside.  With a small suspicion in the corner of my mind, I killed my step to blend into the atmosphere of P4R4D1S3. 

“Do you remember where your mother worked?”

I carefully asked Claire with a whisper.

“Once we get to Sector 3, I can show you where it is. My mom used to take me to her workplace.”

With a little surprise that the lab was open to non-staff, I showed Claire a little smile and nodded to keep her calm a bit.

Everything felt so weird. It was too quiet. I could spot no FREEMANs but their traces. Their traces spreaded to everywhere, I had to stop myself from chasing after them by the force of habit. Because going into the center of P4R4D1S3 could increase the chance to encounter the FREEMANs, I took the outer path that goes around the P4R4D1S3 to minimize the danger. 

I found plenty of ‘lyfts’ that are used for public transportation in P4R4D1S3, its speed was considerable to take us to Sector 3 quickly, but the vulnerability from outside impact was the problem. Also taking lyfts might cause drawing attention in the quiet environment. 

“Check this out. I had no idea we are in Sector 4.”

We were close to our goal. George found a sign that indicated we were in Sector 4, and also got the direction to Sector 3.

“We usually have our device to tell us where we are. And everywhere is pretty much the same when we are in P4R4D1S3.”

“Well, we usually don’t have a reason to leave our Sector.”

True. Leaving for duty was the only time I got to look around the other Sectors in P4R4D1S3. And it did not take a long time for me to figure out other Sectors weren’t that different.

“Which Sector are you and George from?”

“Sector 21. It should be on the other side from where we are. I still remember the map of P4R4D1S3 when I was in the security team.”

“That’s good. We can get some help from your memory. Wait, do you know where Himon Lab is?”

I could not be the only one who did not know about Himon Lab. 

“No, never heard about it. Himon Lab was not the lab I was informed about. I thought there were only three labs in P4R4D1S3.”

“That’s right. That's common sense.”

I had to think about the presence of this mysterious lab. Nobody knew of its existence, but it was still open to non-associates. Or maybe Claire was the special case. 

“I know the way from here.” 

Claire stepped up as we approached the square of Sector 3. 

Sector 3 square was not so different from other Sectors’, except there is a P4R4D1S3 administrative building. It was my second time seeing the P4R4D1S3 administration, but I already knew that I had nothing to do with those people inside at first sight. P4R4D1S3 might have saved many people, but left out lots of people too. They left not just the people standing against P4R4D1S3, but innocent people who couldn’t get a place in P4R4D1S3. P4R4D1S3 arose 20 years ago to see FREEMANs die on earth. That was how P4R4D1S3 brutally separated families and loved ones. 

And Claire was guiding us to the building. 

“Claire… Are you sure this is the building? You are not confused where the lab is?

I stopped myself in front of the building entrance, hesitated to go in. I reassured the lab location to make sure P4R4D1S3 administration building was not the place. 

“There is a staircase that goes down to mom’s workplace.” 

As Claire stopped inside, she pointed somewhere behind the infodesk in the middle of the lobby. 

“Ha, what a gorgeous place.”

George commented on the size and the quality of the administration building. I also thought the administration building was built on an undeserving scale. 

Even with the emergency lights, the inside of the building wasn’t fully lighted up. A few dark spaces were here and there to make us stay alerted. I took out a flashlight from my utility belt to look out for any danger in the dark. I checked every dark spot on our way to the entrance to the lab, the fact that there was nothing rather had me anxious. 

“Here. I brought the briefcase.”

Claire showed me a briefcase with unknown origin. She was smiling as if she were proud of her achievements. 

As Mable took off the covering tarp, there was an unfinished fence under it.  The incomplete fence must be the way they infiltrate the basecamp. I could not notice the awkwardness of that tarp, although it was right next to where I was hiding. Mable and I made eye contact, assuring we wouldn’t disappoint ourselves and civilians. It was also very lucky not to get spotted by the security team on the way out, the lights never came around us. 

I remembered the way to the gathering, since it was to the west of the way to P4R4D1S3. I located P4R4D1S3 to the north of the gathering point in my head. So all I had to do was to walk north from the lights. COM. device becomes useful especially for the rescue team that works on earth, unlike the security team. Of course, the security team must have a more advanced device for communication. I thought that as long as they are on earth, they have no other choice than using COM. device, which signal has a possibility to be intercepted by FREEMANs’ tech. The experienced rescue team’s taking over the control was the most ideal situation at the moment. In a lot of contexts. 

“Do you know what happened in P4R4D1S3?”

In the middle of the thought process, Linda quietly asked a question. 

“We had no idea why we had to take the escape pods. There should have been no danger that couldn’t be handled in P4R4D1S3. And the emergency landing… I understand you guys are not allowed to talk about it, but since we are on our way, could you give us any information?”

“I hate to say this, I was on my way to P4R4D1S3. I have no idea what was happening inside…”

Right at that moment, I recalled what happened at Dock 50. The evacuation, the smoothly cut hole, and consecutive emergency landing. I could not understand why I couldn’t dissociate FREEMANs’ terror and the Fall. I wanted to think of different dangers. 

“It was a gas.”

Suddenly, Claire opened her mouth. 

“People were collapsing in the gas, Dan told me to cover my mouth and nose. And mom came to get us.”

I thought P4R4D1S3 should have used a ventilation system for a gas. And they could not have used a ventilation system if it were sabotaged. Only the security team should have access to such an essential system. I felt something was very wrong. Continuously heard gunshots behind us were not the problem, whomever planned the Fall should be the most problematic in the situation. 

The gigantic structure of P4R4D1S3 started to reveal its silhouette over the top of the dead forest. Even though it was in the middle of night, the majestic spaceship had its shape. Not just its size, the emergency lights were sporadically spreaded across the P4R4D1S3 surface. It seemed like electricity or some life sustaining systems were still available. If gas was the cause of the Fall, it shouldn’t have been a problem to us with an air filtering mask. I just wished the hand laser gun have no problem solving breaching the P4R4D1S3 surface. 

One of the worst scenarios that I had in mind was that I had to see the trace of someone making it into the P4R4D1S3 before us. I was rather lucky not to encounter them on the way to P4R4D1S3. When I stood in front of the man-sized hole on P4R4D1S3, I immediately regretted not having night vision goggles. I completely had no idea what other techs the security team dropped, how many FREEMANs would be in P4R4D1S3. Without knowing any information, I was sure it is a suicide going in. But I somehow relieved FREEMANs’carelessness for not having any lookouts left on the outside, I handed my old handgun to George. 

“Do you still remember how it works?”

“No jokes kid, I used this old weapon for decades before I got onto P4R4D1S3. But this handgun looks a bit new. Where did you get this?”

“I got it from the captain. Of the rescue team.”

There are two captains on earth, so I had to elaborate. With a surprised face, Linda suddenly interrupted.

“Hold on. You never told us that you are one of the rescue team. Civilian supported rescue team, right?”

Then I realized that I never told them that I was on the rescue team. I thought I might have made a mistake. Even though the rescue team is mostly civilian supported, there are some people who dislike how we involve in FREEMANs’ lives. 

“Well, I thought you all knew. Isn’t that kind of obvious for having different uniforms from the security team? Don’t get me wrong, I am basically on the same mission: Getting you all back to P4R4D1S3.”

“I think you are the one getting this wrong. You are doing the right thing young man. Don’t get too stressed explaining. We are on your side. I’m sure Claire understands it too.”

Claire flinched at how the conversation went to her, but soon she nodded with positivity. I understood the way she nodded with her eyes fixed to the dark inside P4R4D1S3. I lowered my body to even the eyeline with Claire. 

“It’s okay if you wait here. I will quickly run in and out. George and Linda will take care of you. Do you want to wait here?”

“I will go.” 

Claire said as she slowly shook her head. I never intended to let her stop from going into the P4R4D1S3, but I felt bad to see how she was brave enough to move forward. 

“Alright then.”