Pandoras Box

He wanted to try to contact catharine and the other him again, since they hadn't returned.

If he was being honest, the loneliness was starting to get to him. He hadn't spoken to anyone except himself in god knows how long. He felt like he was going crazy.

By some miracle, he got it working! He set it up to send out the message "SOS IS ANYONE THERE?" Onto every channel every hour. Now all he had to do was wait to see if anyone, or anything responded.

Well, at least until there's an interruption.

Leaning forward in his chair, Victor stares at the radio for a moment. There's no way that was just regular interference, the words were too uniform, the voice wasn't scrambled enough.

He takes it with him to the attic, setting it down while he digs through old boxes of parts that he never got around to throwing out- the radio can only receive, not send, but he can fix that if he can just find...

Ah-hah! I knew I had this somewhere!

Attaching the spare part to the device, he changes some settings on the radio, hoping this old hunk of junk will actually work.

Yes I copy!! Hello!

He caught his breath

Curious.

"Slow down, son. Take a breath, you're a lot harder to understand when you're talking so fast." He says calmly, it's clear the man on the other line is panicked in some way- and Victor knows from experience that keeping his head and tone steady does a world of good for making the situation manageable.

He sat down in front of the radio, trying to suppress how excited he was to finally have someone to talk to other than himself.

I'm at a station called PATHOS 2, its underwater- all I've found are the bodies of the engineers and people who used to work here.. and half reanimated corpses, no people who're actually alive.

"Everything's fine up here, though not for lack of anyone trying. Seems every few years there's a new world ending catastrophe that disappears as soon as it arrives."

Victor rummages through the storage boxes, hoping to find a notebook to jot some of this down in- he'd like to help the man, he would, but his memory isn't as good as it used to be, and he'd undoubtedly forget everything important by the time he leaves the attic.

"Pathos 2, is that some sort of submarine, or underwater facility? I've never heard of it, but I can try and call some friends, find out where it is to send a rescue team."

that must've been a dream.. or something.

He mumbled.

Yes! Its uh- an underwater facility! But the power is running out. The thing that was keeping everything powered on is.. not working anymore.

From the way he was talking and his choice of words, it sounded like he didn't belong there at all. He sounded more like a scared civilian than anything. But then how the hell did he end up down there?

This whole situation is weird, but the fact that, of all places, somehow an underwater facility from Portugal has a strong enough radio to reach the middle of the USA is...well, not impossible, but definitely a little strange.

No. Theres no backup power or anything. I'm..pretty sure the powers managed to stay on this long thanks to a rogue AI? It.. it took on a physical form, and reached out. Into electronics- into people! That's why theres reanimated corpses everywhere! But now-

THUD. BANG.

It sounded like something was banging on the door to the room simon was in.

-jesus!

"I'm in the attic right now, I'll need to stop talking while I head down to my desk- barricade the entrance if you haven't already, buy yourself some more time." He says matter-of-factly before making his way down the stepladder.

Its a good thirty seconds before the radio crackles to life again.

When he heard the man start talking again, he rushed back over to the radio, out of breath once again.

Major.. cities? Uh.. Lisbon? I- i think?

CLANG

I'm at a site called omicron! It's near the edge of the plateau!

THUNK

Ooc

Still, he has to keep his cool, has to log into his pc and...

Alright. Deep breath. Portugal, Lisbon, find the PATHOS 2 facility, find the closest piece of land to enter from, send a message to the European branch of the B.S.A.A.

"I've sent for help, you're just gonna need to hold out for a while, okay? A squad has your coordinates and will be heading there any moment, I'm going to stay with you until that happens or until you lose power, understand?"

His voice trailed off slightly as he stepped away from the radio, he was still able to hear the man on the other end though.

Victor heard a clang, and then a click.

Okay! Doors sealed!

and then heard simon rushing back to the radio.

You- you've sent help? Thank you! I cant wait to get out of here!

Victor could still hear the something banging on the door. Along with inhuman screeching and hacking.

He neglects to mention the fact that he is worried and actively gearing up to go frighten some poor pilot into taking him on an impromptu trip to Portugal in the middle of a random weekday morning.

a weapon? I have a..

He looks around for a moment

..a fire extinguisher..? But I don't know if I could fight it off if it got in. Those things, they.. they're fast. And they hurt to look at. I dont know if fighting it would even be possible-

CLANG

...

...how long do you think it will take for help to get here..?

There's some staticy noise for a moment, followed by a loud feedback sound before the line is clear again.

The contents are simply a string of coordinates, along with a date and time, and a scent on the paper which smells of saffron.

-

"And here I thought the family was shrinking, not growing." Comes a smooth voice when he arrives, an older woman dressed plainly is the one responsible, offering him a kind smile despite the hardness of her eyes.

"I'm glad you accepted my summons, the members of our lineage are...few and far between, and most are the 'kill on sight' type of people."

- @umbrella-shaped-box (made the location specifics vague on purpose in case you have an idea for it :3)

Zeno arrives at the pier shortly after reading the letter; he didnt want to keep the sender waiting after all. The cool breeze flows through the air as the water ripples below him, clashing everso gently with the stilts supporting the concrete slab.

"The family? I do not have a family. You must have me mistaken with someone else."

There's a sort of...soft resignation to her voice as she looks out into the water, hands tucked into her pockets against the bitter and salty breeze.

"Your blood doesn't lie, Zeno. Nor do the lives lived by those affected by our predecessors."

She turns her head to the side, as if to study him, as if his features hold some untold mystery that she can unravel.

"How much do you know about the man who spawned you? Not The Connections, or Spencer- your dna, your biological makeup."

"It's good to see you didn't inherit that hubris, then. It's funny, what stays and what doesn't- I can't help but see him when I see you, but talking like this...makes it very clear how different you are."

She returns her gaze to the sea, a strange feeling settling in her chest at just how odd this whole thing is.

Her life's been nothing but strange, to be fair.

"I was one of the first. The 'test batch', if you will. The rest of my siblings are gone, and I got the hell out of there as soon as I could, but..."

She trails off, sighing more to herself than anything.

"I kept tabs, wanted to see what became of Spencers legacy. I...it's stupid, but I felt like we were still a family, all being raised by one, insane man. Felt like I owed it to at least keep an eye on everyone- if they couldn't leave, I at least had to witness what they became."

She turns to look at Zeno, as if considering something, before pulling out her own pack of cigarettes, lightning one up.

The man just stares for a while, blinking as if this is some sort of hallucination that'll go away if he wills it enough.

"He wasn't kidding, huh. You're really Chris?"

- @umbrella-shaped-box (WEEWOO SILVER FOX BE UPON YE)

Chris pauses where he was poking at a pilfered smartphone, trying to figure out just how the hell it worked. He looks up, furrowing his brow, but shoots the older man a smile.

"You could say that, yeah. If you were a year older then we'd already be acquainted- if I'm remembering the timeline right, you're still in S.T.A.R.S now, right?"

He wanted to try to contact catharine and the other him again, since they hadn't returned.

If he was being honest, the loneliness was starting to get to him. He hadn't spoken to anyone except himself in god knows how long. He felt like he was going crazy.

By some miracle, he got it working! He set it up to send out the message "SOS IS ANYONE THERE?" Onto every channel every hour. Now all he had to do was wait to see if anyone, or anything responded.

Well, at least until there's an interruption.

Leaning forward in his chair, Victor stares at the radio for a moment. There's no way that was just regular interference, the words were too uniform, the voice wasn't scrambled enough.

He takes it with him to the attic, setting it down while he digs through old boxes of parts that he never got around to throwing out- the radio can only receive, not send, but he can fix that if he can just find...

Ah-hah! I knew I had this somewhere!

Attaching the spare part to the device, he changes some settings on the radio, hoping this old hunk of junk will actually work.

Yes I copy!! Hello!

He caught his breath

Curious.

"Slow down, son. Take a breath, you're a lot harder to understand when you're talking so fast." He says calmly, it's clear the man on the other line is panicked in some way- and Victor knows from experience that keeping his head and tone steady does a world of good for making the situation manageable.

He sat down in front of the radio, trying to suppress how excited he was to finally have someone to talk to other than himself.

I'm at a station called PATHOS 2, its underwater- all I've found are the bodies of the engineers and people who used to work here.. and half reanimated corpses, no people who're actually alive.

"Everything's fine up here, though not for lack of anyone trying. Seems every few years there's a new world ending catastrophe that disappears as soon as it arrives."

Victor rummages through the storage boxes, hoping to find a notebook to jot some of this down in- he'd like to help the man, he would, but his memory isn't as good as it used to be, and he'd undoubtedly forget everything important by the time he leaves the attic.

"Pathos 2, is that some sort of submarine, or underwater facility? I've never heard of it, but I can try and call some friends, find out where it is to send a rescue team."

that must've been a dream.. or something.

He mumbled.

Yes! Its uh- an underwater facility! But the power is running out. The thing that was keeping everything powered on is.. not working anymore.

From the way he was talking and his choice of words, it sounded like he didn't belong there at all. He sounded more like a scared civilian than anything. But then how the hell did he end up down there?

This whole situation is weird, but the fact that, of all places, somehow an underwater facility from Portugal has a strong enough radio to reach the middle of the USA is...well, not impossible, but definitely a little strange.

No. Theres no backup power or anything. I'm..pretty sure the powers managed to stay on this long thanks to a rogue AI? It.. it took on a physical form, and reached out. Into electronics- into people! That's why theres reanimated corpses everywhere! But now-

THUD. BANG.

It sounded like something was banging on the door to the room simon was in.

-jesus!

"I'm in the attic right now, I'll need to stop talking while I head down to my desk- barricade the entrance if you haven't already, buy yourself some more time." He says matter-of-factly before making his way down the stepladder.

Its a good thirty seconds before the radio crackles to life again.

When he heard the man start talking again, he rushed back over to the radio, out of breath once again.

Major.. cities? Uh.. Lisbon? I- i think?

CLANG

I'm at a site called omicron! It's near the edge of the plateau!

THUNK

Ooc

Still, he has to keep his cool, has to log into his pc and...

Alright. Deep breath. Portugal, Lisbon, find the PATHOS 2 facility, find the closest piece of land to enter from, send a message to the European branch of the B.S.A.A.

"I've sent for help, you're just gonna need to hold out for a while, okay? A squad has your coordinates and will be heading there any moment, I'm going to stay with you until that happens or until you lose power, understand?"

His voice trailed off slightly as he stepped away from the radio, he was still able to hear the man on the other end though.

Victor heard a clang, and then a click.

Okay! Doors sealed!

and then heard simon rushing back to the radio.

You- you've sent help? Thank you! I cant wait to get out of here!

Victor could still hear the something banging on the door. Along with inhuman screeching and hacking.

He neglects to mention the fact that he is worried and actively gearing up to go frighten some poor pilot into taking him on an impromptu trip to Portugal in the middle of a random weekday morning.

He wanted to try to contact catharine and the other him again, since they hadn't returned.

If he was being honest, the loneliness was starting to get to him. He hadn't spoken to anyone except himself in god knows how long. He felt like he was going crazy.

By some miracle, he got it working! He set it up to send out the message "SOS IS ANYONE THERE?" Onto every channel every hour. Now all he had to do was wait to see if anyone, or anything responded.

Well, at least until there's an interruption.

Leaning forward in his chair, Victor stares at the radio for a moment. There's no way that was just regular interference, the words were too uniform, the voice wasn't scrambled enough.

He takes it with him to the attic, setting it down while he digs through old boxes of parts that he never got around to throwing out- the radio can only receive, not send, but he can fix that if he can just find...

Ah-hah! I knew I had this somewhere!

Attaching the spare part to the device, he changes some settings on the radio, hoping this old hunk of junk will actually work.

Yes I copy!! Hello!

He caught his breath

Curious.

"Slow down, son. Take a breath, you're a lot harder to understand when you're talking so fast." He says calmly, it's clear the man on the other line is panicked in some way- and Victor knows from experience that keeping his head and tone steady does a world of good for making the situation manageable.

He sat down in front of the radio, trying to suppress how excited he was to finally have someone to talk to other than himself.

I'm at a station called PATHOS 2, its underwater- all I've found are the bodies of the engineers and people who used to work here.. and half reanimated corpses, no people who're actually alive.

"Everything's fine up here, though not for lack of anyone trying. Seems every few years there's a new world ending catastrophe that disappears as soon as it arrives."

Victor rummages through the storage boxes, hoping to find a notebook to jot some of this down in- he'd like to help the man, he would, but his memory isn't as good as it used to be, and he'd undoubtedly forget everything important by the time he leaves the attic.

"Pathos 2, is that some sort of submarine, or underwater facility? I've never heard of it, but I can try and call some friends, find out where it is to send a rescue team."

that must've been a dream.. or something.

He mumbled.

Yes! Its uh- an underwater facility! But the power is running out. The thing that was keeping everything powered on is.. not working anymore.

From the way he was talking and his choice of words, it sounded like he didn't belong there at all. He sounded more like a scared civilian than anything. But then how the hell did he end up down there?

This whole situation is weird, but the fact that, of all places, somehow an underwater facility from Portugal has a strong enough radio to reach the middle of the USA is...well, not impossible, but definitely a little strange.

No. Theres no backup power or anything. I'm..pretty sure the powers managed to stay on this long thanks to a rogue AI? It.. it took on a physical form, and reached out. Into electronics- into people! That's why theres reanimated corpses everywhere! But now-

THUD. BANG.

It sounded like something was banging on the door to the room simon was in.

-jesus!

"I'm in the attic right now, I'll need to stop talking while I head down to my desk- barricade the entrance if you haven't already, buy yourself some more time." He says matter-of-factly before making his way down the stepladder.

Its a good thirty seconds before the radio crackles to life again.

When he heard the man start talking again, he rushed back over to the radio, out of breath once again.

Major.. cities? Uh.. Lisbon? I- i think?

CLANG

I'm at a site called omicron! It's near the edge of the plateau!

THUNK

Ooc

Still, he has to keep his cool, has to log into his pc and...

Alright. Deep breath. Portugal, Lisbon, find the PATHOS 2 facility, find the closest piece of land to enter from, send a message to the European branch of the B.S.A.A.

"I've sent for help, you're just gonna need to hold out for a while, okay? A squad has your coordinates and will be heading there any moment, I'm going to stay with you until that happens or until you lose power, understand?"

The contents are simply a string of coordinates, along with a date and time, and a scent on the paper which smells of saffron.

-

"And here I thought the family was shrinking, not growing." Comes a smooth voice when he arrives, an older woman dressed plainly is the one responsible, offering him a kind smile despite the hardness of her eyes.

"I'm glad you accepted my summons, the members of our lineage are...few and far between, and most are the 'kill on sight' type of people."

- @umbrella-shaped-box (made the location specifics vague on purpose in case you have an idea for it :3)

Zeno arrives at the pier shortly after reading the letter; he didnt want to keep the sender waiting after all. The cool breeze flows through the air as the water ripples below him, clashing everso gently with the stilts supporting the concrete slab.

"The family? I do not have a family. You must have me mistaken with someone else."

There's a sort of...soft resignation to her voice as she looks out into the water, hands tucked into her pockets against the bitter and salty breeze.

"Your blood doesn't lie, Zeno. Nor do the lives lived by those affected by our predecessors."

She turns her head to the side, as if to study him, as if his features hold some untold mystery that she can unravel.

"How much do you know about the man who spawned you? Not The Connections, or Spencer- your dna, your biological makeup."

The statement comes from an older woman, definitely not threatening in appearance- in fact, she looks very ordinary, nothing like the kind of people that'd be hunting you.

She offers a smile and a hand to shake, crows feet crinkling at the corners of her eyes.

"Amelia Kayode, I represent an organisation for those affected by bioterrorism and bioterrorist organisations."

- Amelia 🖊 of @umbrella-shaped-box

the boy whips his head around to the unfamiliar figure, sizing her up. staring at the outreached hand, he doesn’t take it

i would sure hope so, i am on the run.

"I just told you why I'm here, hon. You've been subject to experimentation by a bioterrorist organisation- the group I represent is dedicated to providing resources for people like you." She explains, clasping her hands together in front of her.

he didn’t know there were others like him. and as much as he loved Leon and Carlos, he couldn’t live with them forever. maybe he would like to live with Akumu one day.

She chuckles in amusement at the enthusiasm. "Of course, of course! Our founder comes and goes, but I'm sure you'll meet her eventually."

.

The 'headquarters' of the organisation are rather humble, an unassuming villa sequestered in the Arklay mountains.

"Those familiar with the legacy of Oswell Spencer will note that it's in the same location as his former mansion and laboratory, rebuilt to help rather than harm."

She launches into 'tour guide' mode, talking about the buildings construction, walking him through the gardens.

"Ah- sorry if I bored you, we've found that giving people a tour tends to help with a feeling of...normalcy, let's say. No urgency to get hidden away, no treating people like aliens- that sort of thing." She says apologetically, now leading them inside.

A few staff members go about their day, stopping to wave at the new arrival before continuing on their way. The entryway is cozy, not clinical, and Amelia looks around the room.

"Apologies for the delay, Arias- yes? I've quite a lot on my plate, I hope you don't mind."

The voice comes from a much older woman, one who carries herself with grace and purpouse.

Extending a hand to shake, she offers a clipped smile.

Pandora, is it? Amelia tells me that you have a support system and provide housing, correct? well i need that. i have a few friends that would benefit from the support system, as would i.

not that it is any of your business, but my boyfriend is pregnant with my child. and as well as my.. altered genetics, he is infected with one of Umbrella’s many viruses

a place to stay of our own would be nice, but it can’t be too far outside of the city, we still need to be within reasonable distance to Rhodes Hill.

he didn’t quite know what it was about these women, but they seemed trustworthy enough. he know the power people had to turn on a dime; so could he. but he could play nice for a while for the benefit for himself and the father of his child

"You're aware that Umbrella has some ties to Rhodes Hill, yes? Would it not be safer for you to be further away?" She asks, pulling a notepad and pen from her pocket.

i am well aware of Rhodes Hill’s Umbrella ties, however my fiancé is employed by them in exchange for a place to stay - even if that arrangement will be changing soon. and Dr. Gideon is the primary physician, so we have that front covered.

however, we’re not just afflicted with B.O.W.s, we are the B.O.W.s. escaped ones at that. don’t worry, we don’t plan on causing you any trouble, so long as you help us.

"I really would recommend you cut ties with anyone relating to Umbrella. We could give you new identities, homes- even get you out of the country, all within a week." She urges, giving a tight-lipped smile as she outstretches her arm, intending to put a hand on his shoulder but deciding against it.

"Just...give it a thought, please? I don't want to even entertain what they may try and do to your baby, nothing is off limits for people like that."

She steps back, giving Arias some space as she gestures for him to follow her, likely to begin the tour.

"Obviously there are some areas I can't show you- the personal rooms of our residents, for one. We house some that are too...unstable to live alone, and introducing them to new people doesn't always go well, I'm sure you can understand."

Walking down one of the halls, she opens the door to a fairly large space, now obviously a playroom. Complete with soft toys, arts and crafts, books and a small, cozy corner.

"You've already met Amelia, she keeps an eye on the operations of Umbrella and their connections, as well as seeking people who might need our help- for such a secretive organisation, they still leave a paper trail for those that know how to find it."

At one of the small tables with some kids, a man with bouncy, curly hair and bright smile waves over to Arias and Pandora before animatedly returning to his previous interaction.

like i stated previously, i am just here for housing. we do not need new identities, nor do we need to skip the country. we are just fine right here. and i won’t be “cutting ties”, because it’s a bit more difficult than that.

he glares at her hand as she reaches it out, making eye contact as she makes the wise decision to not touch him

and don’t worry about their concern of my child. they’ve sent dozens of their soldiers my way since their conception, and each one of them have been taken care for without issue

he follows behind her silently as they wander the halls, arms crossed and glaring daggers into everyone they come across

as they walk into the playroom, Arias immediately drops down onto all fours as to make himself less threatening to the children

"You did ask to see the facility and meet the staff, I'm merely giving you the tour you wanted."

One of the kids looks over from the table excitedly, holding up a crayon drawing of a cat and showing it to Arias, grinning from ear to ear as they proclaim 'Kitty!'.

Hermes snorts a laugh at the kid and coaxes her to put the drawing down, shooting an amused yet apologetic glance.

"Sorry about that- some of us haven't quite learned our manners yet." He chastises jokingly.

The girl huffs and crosses her arms. "Pointy ears and fluffy tail, that's a cat!"

"Did you ask if they wanted to be called a kitty?"

she’s not wrong, i am in fact a cat hybrid. and very good observation, little miss, i do have cat ears and a tail. i also have paws

he looks to her, holding out his paws and flexing his claws a bit before turning back to the teacher.

Hermes sighs in resignation and ruffles her hair.

"I definitely try, some of the kids are less receptive than others though, hard to get through to them." He muses, giving Arias a kind smile.

"We'd be happy to have you and your little one! Our facilities are a lot nicer than you might expect, and the kids a-"

He's interrupted by one of the kids tugging at his shirt, dragging him back to the table as he gives a sheepish, apologetic smile while he follows along.

Pandora hums a laugh as she puts a hand around Arias' shoulders- not on them, just hovering nearby to guide him.

"It seems now is a bad time to try and get him alone, but hopefully you're happy with what you've learned." She muses, clasping her hands behind her back as they begin walking.

( @thesacrificialsniper )

"Hey, at least you actually come to your checkups, unlike a certain captain of ours." Victor muses with a wink, rolling over in his chair to start the examination.

"How've you been feeling overall? Any nausea, fatigue, aches or pains?"

He fastens the blood-preassure cuff around Piers' arm as he speaks, squeezing the pump to inflate it as he watches with a critical eye for any differences from last time.

"We're still looking for a cure, the best we've got right now is blocking a majority of the virus from wreaking havoc on your system. It's...complicated."

Victor continues the examination, pressing his organic hand to one side of Piers' neck, just below the jaw, and then the other side.

"The virus is meant to rewrite your cells, turn you into something or someone else- most of what's been studied either kill or multiply cells, this is uncharted territory, it's amazing you're even alive with so little complications."

He wanted to try to contact catharine and the other him again, since they hadn't returned.

If he was being honest, the loneliness was starting to get to him. He hadn't spoken to anyone except himself in god knows how long. He felt like he was going crazy.

By some miracle, he got it working! He set it up to send out the message "SOS IS ANYONE THERE?" Onto every channel every hour. Now all he had to do was wait to see if anyone, or anything responded.

Well, at least until there's an interruption.

Leaning forward in his chair, Victor stares at the radio for a moment. There's no way that was just regular interference, the words were too uniform, the voice wasn't scrambled enough.

He takes it with him to the attic, setting it down while he digs through old boxes of parts that he never got around to throwing out- the radio can only receive, not send, but he can fix that if he can just find...

Ah-hah! I knew I had this somewhere!

Attaching the spare part to the device, he changes some settings on the radio, hoping this old hunk of junk will actually work.

Yes I copy!! Hello!

He caught his breath

Curious.

"Slow down, son. Take a breath, you're a lot harder to understand when you're talking so fast." He says calmly, it's clear the man on the other line is panicked in some way- and Victor knows from experience that keeping his head and tone steady does a world of good for making the situation manageable.

He sat down in front of the radio, trying to suppress how excited he was to finally have someone to talk to other than himself.

I'm at a station called PATHOS 2, its underwater- all I've found are the bodies of the engineers and people who used to work here.. and half reanimated corpses, no people who're actually alive.

"Everything's fine up here, though not for lack of anyone trying. Seems every few years there's a new world ending catastrophe that disappears as soon as it arrives."

Victor rummages through the storage boxes, hoping to find a notebook to jot some of this down in- he'd like to help the man, he would, but his memory isn't as good as it used to be, and he'd undoubtedly forget everything important by the time he leaves the attic.

"Pathos 2, is that some sort of submarine, or underwater facility? I've never heard of it, but I can try and call some friends, find out where it is to send a rescue team."

that must've been a dream.. or something.

He mumbled.

Yes! Its uh- an underwater facility! But the power is running out. The thing that was keeping everything powered on is.. not working anymore.

From the way he was talking and his choice of words, it sounded like he didn't belong there at all. He sounded more like a scared civilian than anything. But then how the hell did he end up down there?

This whole situation is weird, but the fact that, of all places, somehow an underwater facility from Portugal has a strong enough radio to reach the middle of the USA is...well, not impossible, but definitely a little strange.

No. Theres no backup power or anything. I'm..pretty sure the powers managed to stay on this long thanks to a rogue AI? It.. it took on a physical form, and reached out. Into electronics- into people! That's why theres reanimated corpses everywhere! But now-

THUD. BANG.

It sounded like something was banging on the door to the room simon was in.

-jesus!

"I'm in the attic right now, I'll need to stop talking while I head down to my desk- barricade the entrance if you haven't already, buy yourself some more time." He says matter-of-factly before making his way down the stepladder.

Its a good thirty seconds before the radio crackles to life again.

The statement comes from an older woman, definitely not threatening in appearance- in fact, she looks very ordinary, nothing like the kind of people that'd be hunting you.

She offers a smile and a hand to shake, crows feet crinkling at the corners of her eyes.

"Amelia Kayode, I represent an organisation for those affected by bioterrorism and bioterrorist organisations."

- Amelia 🖊 of @umbrella-shaped-box

the boy whips his head around to the unfamiliar figure, sizing her up. staring at the outreached hand, he doesn’t take it

i would sure hope so, i am on the run.

"I just told you why I'm here, hon. You've been subject to experimentation by a bioterrorist organisation- the group I represent is dedicated to providing resources for people like you." She explains, clasping her hands together in front of her.

he didn’t know there were others like him. and as much as he loved Leon and Carlos, he couldn’t live with them forever. maybe he would like to live with Akumu one day.

She chuckles in amusement at the enthusiasm. "Of course, of course! Our founder comes and goes, but I'm sure you'll meet her eventually."

.

The 'headquarters' of the organisation are rather humble, an unassuming villa sequestered in the Arklay mountains.

"Those familiar with the legacy of Oswell Spencer will note that it's in the same location as his former mansion and laboratory, rebuilt to help rather than harm."

She launches into 'tour guide' mode, talking about the buildings construction, walking him through the gardens.

"Ah- sorry if I bored you, we've found that giving people a tour tends to help with a feeling of...normalcy, let's say. No urgency to get hidden away, no treating people like aliens- that sort of thing." She says apologetically, now leading them inside.

A few staff members go about their day, stopping to wave at the new arrival before continuing on their way. The entryway is cozy, not clinical, and Amelia looks around the room.

"Apologies for the delay, Arias- yes? I've quite a lot on my plate, I hope you don't mind."

The voice comes from a much older woman, one who carries herself with grace and purpouse.

Extending a hand to shake, she offers a clipped smile.

Pandora, is it? Amelia tells me that you have a support system and provide housing, correct? well i need that. i have a few friends that would benefit from the support system, as would i.

not that it is any of your business, but my boyfriend is pregnant with my child. and as well as my.. altered genetics, he is infected with one of Umbrella’s many viruses

a place to stay of our own would be nice, but it can’t be too far outside of the city, we still need to be within reasonable distance to Rhodes Hill.

he didn’t quite know what it was about these women, but they seemed trustworthy enough. he know the power people had to turn on a dime; so could he. but he could play nice for a while for the benefit for himself and the father of his child

"You're aware that Umbrella has some ties to Rhodes Hill, yes? Would it not be safer for you to be further away?" She asks, pulling a notepad and pen from her pocket.

i am well aware of Rhodes Hill’s Umbrella ties, however my fiancé is employed by them in exchange for a place to stay - even if that arrangement will be changing soon. and Dr. Gideon is the primary physician, so we have that front covered.

however, we’re not just afflicted with B.O.W.s, we are the B.O.W.s. escaped ones at that. don’t worry, we don’t plan on causing you any trouble, so long as you help us.

"I really would recommend you cut ties with anyone relating to Umbrella. We could give you new identities, homes- even get you out of the country, all within a week." She urges, giving a tight-lipped smile as she outstretches her arm, intending to put a hand on his shoulder but deciding against it.

"Just...give it a thought, please? I don't want to even entertain what they may try and do to your baby, nothing is off limits for people like that."

She steps back, giving Arias some space as she gestures for him to follow her, likely to begin the tour.

"Obviously there are some areas I can't show you- the personal rooms of our residents, for one. We house some that are too...unstable to live alone, and introducing them to new people doesn't always go well, I'm sure you can understand."

Walking down one of the halls, she opens the door to a fairly large space, now obviously a playroom. Complete with soft toys, arts and crafts, books and a small, cozy corner.

"You've already met Amelia, she keeps an eye on the operations of Umbrella and their connections, as well as seeking people who might need our help- for such a secretive organisation, they still leave a paper trail for those that know how to find it."

At one of the small tables with some kids, a man with bouncy, curly hair and bright smile waves over to Arias and Pandora before animatedly returning to his previous interaction.

like i stated previously, i am just here for housing. we do not need new identities, nor do we need to skip the country. we are just fine right here. and i won’t be “cutting ties”, because it’s a bit more difficult than that.

he glares at her hand as she reaches it out, making eye contact as she makes the wise decision to not touch him

and don’t worry about their concern of my child. they’ve sent dozens of their soldiers my way since their conception, and each one of them have been taken care for without issue

he follows behind her silently as they wander the halls, arms crossed and glaring daggers into everyone they come across

as they walk into the playroom, Arias immediately drops down onto all fours as to make himself less threatening to the children

"You did ask to see the facility and meet the staff, I'm merely giving you the tour you wanted."

One of the kids looks over from the table excitedly, holding up a crayon drawing of a cat and showing it to Arias, grinning from ear to ear as they proclaim 'Kitty!'.

Hermes snorts a laugh at the kid and coaxes her to put the drawing down, shooting an amused yet apologetic glance.

"Sorry about that- some of us haven't quite learned our manners yet." He chastises jokingly.

The girl huffs and crosses her arms. "Pointy ears and fluffy tail, that's a cat!"

"Did you ask if they wanted to be called a kitty?"

she’s not wrong, i am in fact a cat hybrid. and very good observation, little miss, i do have cat ears and a tail. i also have paws

he looks to her, holding out his paws and flexing his claws a bit before turning back to the teacher.

Hermes sighs in resignation and ruffles her hair.

"I definitely try, some of the kids are less receptive than others though, hard to get through to them." He muses, giving Arias a kind smile.

He wanted to try to contact catharine and the other him again, since they hadn't returned.

If he was being honest, the loneliness was starting to get to him. He hadn't spoken to anyone except himself in god knows how long. He felt like he was going crazy.

By some miracle, he got it working! He set it up to send out the message "SOS IS ANYONE THERE?" Onto every channel every hour. Now all he had to do was wait to see if anyone, or anything responded.

Well, at least until there's an interruption.

Leaning forward in his chair, Victor stares at the radio for a moment. There's no way that was just regular interference, the words were too uniform, the voice wasn't scrambled enough.

He takes it with him to the attic, setting it down while he digs through old boxes of parts that he never got around to throwing out- the radio can only receive, not send, but he can fix that if he can just find...

Ah-hah! I knew I had this somewhere!

Attaching the spare part to the device, he changes some settings on the radio, hoping this old hunk of junk will actually work.

Yes I copy!! Hello!

He caught his breath

Curious.

"Slow down, son. Take a breath, you're a lot harder to understand when you're talking so fast." He says calmly, it's clear the man on the other line is panicked in some way- and Victor knows from experience that keeping his head and tone steady does a world of good for making the situation manageable.

He sat down in front of the radio, trying to suppress how excited he was to finally have someone to talk to other than himself.

I'm at a station called PATHOS 2, its underwater- all I've found are the bodies of the engineers and people who used to work here.. and half reanimated corpses, no people who're actually alive.

"Everything's fine up here, though not for lack of anyone trying. Seems every few years there's a new world ending catastrophe that disappears as soon as it arrives."

Victor rummages through the storage boxes, hoping to find a notebook to jot some of this down in- he'd like to help the man, he would, but his memory isn't as good as it used to be, and he'd undoubtedly forget everything important by the time he leaves the attic.

"Pathos 2, is that some sort of submarine, or underwater facility? I've never heard of it, but I can try and call some friends, find out where it is to send a rescue team."

that must've been a dream.. or something.

He mumbled.

Yes! Its uh- an underwater facility! But the power is running out. The thing that was keeping everything powered on is.. not working anymore.

From the way he was talking and his choice of words, it sounded like he didn't belong there at all. He sounded more like a scared civilian than anything. But then how the hell did he end up down there?

This whole situation is weird, but the fact that, of all places, somehow an underwater facility from Portugal has a strong enough radio to reach the middle of the USA is...well, not impossible, but definitely a little strange.

The statement comes from an older woman, definitely not threatening in appearance- in fact, she looks very ordinary, nothing like the kind of people that'd be hunting you.

She offers a smile and a hand to shake, crows feet crinkling at the corners of her eyes.

"Amelia Kayode, I represent an organisation for those affected by bioterrorism and bioterrorist organisations."

- Amelia 🖊 of @umbrella-shaped-box

the boy whips his head around to the unfamiliar figure, sizing her up. staring at the outreached hand, he doesn’t take it

i would sure hope so, i am on the run.

"I just told you why I'm here, hon. You've been subject to experimentation by a bioterrorist organisation- the group I represent is dedicated to providing resources for people like you." She explains, clasping her hands together in front of her.

he didn’t know there were others like him. and as much as he loved Leon and Carlos, he couldn’t live with them forever. maybe he would like to live with Akumu one day.

She chuckles in amusement at the enthusiasm. "Of course, of course! Our founder comes and goes, but I'm sure you'll meet her eventually."

.

The 'headquarters' of the organisation are rather humble, an unassuming villa sequestered in the Arklay mountains.

"Those familiar with the legacy of Oswell Spencer will note that it's in the same location as his former mansion and laboratory, rebuilt to help rather than harm."

She launches into 'tour guide' mode, talking about the buildings construction, walking him through the gardens.

"Ah- sorry if I bored you, we've found that giving people a tour tends to help with a feeling of...normalcy, let's say. No urgency to get hidden away, no treating people like aliens- that sort of thing." She says apologetically, now leading them inside.

A few staff members go about their day, stopping to wave at the new arrival before continuing on their way. The entryway is cozy, not clinical, and Amelia looks around the room.

"Apologies for the delay, Arias- yes? I've quite a lot on my plate, I hope you don't mind."

The voice comes from a much older woman, one who carries herself with grace and purpouse.

Extending a hand to shake, she offers a clipped smile.

Pandora, is it? Amelia tells me that you have a support system and provide housing, correct? well i need that. i have a few friends that would benefit from the support system, as would i.

not that it is any of your business, but my boyfriend is pregnant with my child. and as well as my.. altered genetics, he is infected with one of Umbrella’s many viruses

a place to stay of our own would be nice, but it can’t be too far outside of the city, we still need to be within reasonable distance to Rhodes Hill.

he didn’t quite know what it was about these women, but they seemed trustworthy enough. he know the power people had to turn on a dime; so could he. but he could play nice for a while for the benefit for himself and the father of his child

"You're aware that Umbrella has some ties to Rhodes Hill, yes? Would it not be safer for you to be further away?" She asks, pulling a notepad and pen from her pocket.

i am well aware of Rhodes Hill’s Umbrella ties, however my fiancé is employed by them in exchange for a place to stay - even if that arrangement will be changing soon. and Dr. Gideon is the primary physician, so we have that front covered.

however, we’re not just afflicted with B.O.W.s, we are the B.O.W.s. escaped ones at that. don’t worry, we don’t plan on causing you any trouble, so long as you help us.

"I really would recommend you cut ties with anyone relating to Umbrella. We could give you new identities, homes- even get you out of the country, all within a week." She urges, giving a tight-lipped smile as she outstretches her arm, intending to put a hand on his shoulder but deciding against it.

"Just...give it a thought, please? I don't want to even entertain what they may try and do to your baby, nothing is off limits for people like that."

She steps back, giving Arias some space as she gestures for him to follow her, likely to begin the tour.

"Obviously there are some areas I can't show you- the personal rooms of our residents, for one. We house some that are too...unstable to live alone, and introducing them to new people doesn't always go well, I'm sure you can understand."

Walking down one of the halls, she opens the door to a fairly large space, now obviously a playroom. Complete with soft toys, arts and crafts, books and a small, cozy corner.

"You've already met Amelia, she keeps an eye on the operations of Umbrella and their connections, as well as seeking people who might need our help- for such a secretive organisation, they still leave a paper trail for those that know how to find it."

At one of the small tables with some kids, a man with bouncy, curly hair and bright smile waves over to Arias and Pandora before animatedly returning to his previous interaction.

like i stated previously, i am just here for housing. we do not need new identities, nor do we need to skip the country. we are just fine right here. and i won’t be “cutting ties”, because it’s a bit more difficult than that.

he glares at her hand as she reaches it out, making eye contact as she makes the wise decision to not touch him

and don’t worry about their concern of my child. they’ve sent dozens of their soldiers my way since their conception, and each one of them have been taken care for without issue

he follows behind her silently as they wander the halls, arms crossed and glaring daggers into everyone they come across

as they walk into the playroom, Arias immediately drops down onto all fours as to make himself less threatening to the children

"You did ask to see the facility and meet the staff, I'm merely giving you the tour you wanted."

One of the kids looks over from the table excitedly, holding up a crayon drawing of a cat and showing it to Arias, grinning from ear to ear as they proclaim 'Kitty!'.

Hermes snorts a laugh at the kid and coaxes her to put the drawing down, shooting an amused yet apologetic glance.

"Sorry about that- some of us haven't quite learned our manners yet." He chastises jokingly.

The girl huffs and crosses her arms. "Pointy ears and fluffy tail, that's a cat!"

"Did you ask if they wanted to be called a kitty?"

The statement comes from an older woman, definitely not threatening in appearance- in fact, she looks very ordinary, nothing like the kind of people that'd be hunting you.

She offers a smile and a hand to shake, crows feet crinkling at the corners of her eyes.

"Amelia Kayode, I represent an organisation for those affected by bioterrorism and bioterrorist organisations."

- Amelia 🖊 of @umbrella-shaped-box

the boy whips his head around to the unfamiliar figure, sizing her up. staring at the outreached hand, he doesn’t take it

i would sure hope so, i am on the run.

"I just told you why I'm here, hon. You've been subject to experimentation by a bioterrorist organisation- the group I represent is dedicated to providing resources for people like you." She explains, clasping her hands together in front of her.

he didn’t know there were others like him. and as much as he loved Leon and Carlos, he couldn’t live with them forever. maybe he would like to live with Akumu one day.

She chuckles in amusement at the enthusiasm. "Of course, of course! Our founder comes and goes, but I'm sure you'll meet her eventually."

.

The 'headquarters' of the organisation are rather humble, an unassuming villa sequestered in the Arklay mountains.

"Those familiar with the legacy of Oswell Spencer will note that it's in the same location as his former mansion and laboratory, rebuilt to help rather than harm."

She launches into 'tour guide' mode, talking about the buildings construction, walking him through the gardens.

"Ah- sorry if I bored you, we've found that giving people a tour tends to help with a feeling of...normalcy, let's say. No urgency to get hidden away, no treating people like aliens- that sort of thing." She says apologetically, now leading them inside.

A few staff members go about their day, stopping to wave at the new arrival before continuing on their way. The entryway is cozy, not clinical, and Amelia looks around the room.

"Apologies for the delay, Arias- yes? I've quite a lot on my plate, I hope you don't mind."

The voice comes from a much older woman, one who carries herself with grace and purpouse.

Extending a hand to shake, she offers a clipped smile.

Pandora, is it? Amelia tells me that you have a support system and provide housing, correct? well i need that. i have a few friends that would benefit from the support system, as would i.

not that it is any of your business, but my boyfriend is pregnant with my child. and as well as my.. altered genetics, he is infected with one of Umbrella’s many viruses

a place to stay of our own would be nice, but it can’t be too far outside of the city, we still need to be within reasonable distance to Rhodes Hill.

he didn’t quite know what it was about these women, but they seemed trustworthy enough. he know the power people had to turn on a dime; so could he. but he could play nice for a while for the benefit for himself and the father of his child

"You're aware that Umbrella has some ties to Rhodes Hill, yes? Would it not be safer for you to be further away?" She asks, pulling a notepad and pen from her pocket.

i am well aware of Rhodes Hill’s Umbrella ties, however my fiancé is employed by them in exchange for a place to stay - even if that arrangement will be changing soon. and Dr. Gideon is the primary physician, so we have that front covered.

however, we’re not just afflicted with B.O.W.s, we are the B.O.W.s. escaped ones at that. don’t worry, we don’t plan on causing you any trouble, so long as you help us.

"I really would recommend you cut ties with anyone relating to Umbrella. We could give you new identities, homes- even get you out of the country, all within a week." She urges, giving a tight-lipped smile as she outstretches her arm, intending to put a hand on his shoulder but deciding against it.

"Just...give it a thought, please? I don't want to even entertain what they may try and do to your baby, nothing is off limits for people like that."

She steps back, giving Arias some space as she gestures for him to follow her, likely to begin the tour.

"Obviously there are some areas I can't show you- the personal rooms of our residents, for one. We house some that are too...unstable to live alone, and introducing them to new people doesn't always go well, I'm sure you can understand."

Walking down one of the halls, she opens the door to a fairly large space, now obviously a playroom. Complete with soft toys, arts and crafts, books and a small, cozy corner.

"You've already met Amelia, she keeps an eye on the operations of Umbrella and their connections, as well as seeking people who might need our help- for such a secretive organisation, they still leave a paper trail for those that know how to find it."

At one of the small tables with some kids, a man with bouncy, curly hair and bright smile waves over to Arias and Pandora before animatedly returning to his previous interaction.

He wanted to try to contact catharine and the other him again, since they hadn't returned.

If he was being honest, the loneliness was starting to get to him. He hadn't spoken to anyone except himself in god knows how long. He felt like he was going crazy.

By some miracle, he got it working! He set it up to send out the message "SOS IS ANYONE THERE?" Onto every channel every hour. Now all he had to do was wait to see if anyone, or anything responded.

Well, at least until there's an interruption.

Leaning forward in his chair, Victor stares at the radio for a moment. There's no way that was just regular interference, the words were too uniform, the voice wasn't scrambled enough.

He takes it with him to the attic, setting it down while he digs through old boxes of parts that he never got around to throwing out- the radio can only receive, not send, but he can fix that if he can just find...

Ah-hah! I knew I had this somewhere!

Attaching the spare part to the device, he changes some settings on the radio, hoping this old hunk of junk will actually work.

Yes I copy!! Hello!

He caught his breath

Curious.

"Slow down, son. Take a breath, you're a lot harder to understand when you're talking so fast." He says calmly, it's clear the man on the other line is panicked in some way- and Victor knows from experience that keeping his head and tone steady does a world of good for making the situation manageable.

He sat down in front of the radio, trying to suppress how excited he was to finally have someone to talk to other than himself.

I'm at a station called PATHOS 2, its underwater- all I've found are the bodies of the engineers and people who used to work here.. and half reanimated corpses, no people who're actually alive.

"Everything's fine up here, though not for lack of anyone trying. Seems every few years there's a new world ending catastrophe that disappears as soon as it arrives."

Victor rummages through the storage boxes, hoping to find a notebook to jot some of this down in- he'd like to help the man, he would, but his memory isn't as good as it used to be, and he'd undoubtedly forget everything important by the time he leaves the attic.

"Pathos 2, is that some sort of submarine, or underwater facility? I've never heard of it, but I can try and call some friends, find out where it is to send a rescue team."

He wanted to try to contact catharine and the other him again, since they hadn't returned.

If he was being honest, the loneliness was starting to get to him. He hadn't spoken to anyone except himself in god knows how long. He felt like he was going crazy.

By some miracle, he got it working! He set it up to send out the message "SOS IS ANYONE THERE?" Onto every channel every hour. Now all he had to do was wait to see if anyone, or anything responded.

Well, at least until there's an interruption.

Leaning forward in his chair, Victor stares at the radio for a moment. There's no way that was just regular interference, the words were too uniform, the voice wasn't scrambled enough.

He takes it with him to the attic, setting it down while he digs through old boxes of parts that he never got around to throwing out- the radio can only receive, not send, but he can fix that if he can just find...

Ah-hah! I knew I had this somewhere!

Attaching the spare part to the device, he changes some settings on the radio, hoping this old hunk of junk will actually work.

Yes I copy!! Hello!

He caught his breath

Curious.

"Slow down, son. Take a breath, you're a lot harder to understand when you're talking so fast." He says calmly, it's clear the man on the other line is panicked in some way- and Victor knows from experience that keeping his head and tone steady does a world of good for making the situation manageable.