CHAPTER 25: Mikhailov Laboratories Inc

                                    

                                          
Eary and Ephraim returned with Mote to the safe house foyer. Ephraim’s hands sore from peeling and chopping potatoes. Eary’s heart was troubled by his actions. Mote led the pair into the living room, where Decan and his supporters lay in wait.



“Hey guys,” Eary said awkwardly. 



“Where were you? We have a mission shortly,” Calvin stated coldly.



“Why do you need to ask? They’re probably out whoring around,” Josh immediately interjected. His spiteful tone dripped with animosity.



“Josh, stop,” Decan said abruptly. “We have work to do tonight and we can’t start falling apart now.”



“Thank you, Decan,” Eary said with a soft smile.



He walked from the room and straight past Eary. As he did, he said,



“I didn’t do it for you. I don’t care what you’ve been doing.”



Eary sunk his gaze low. A pressing shame engulfed him as Josh and Calvin followed. Mote stood in awe of the world he had returned to.



“Well someone fucked up their life,” he said in the still silence.



“I know and I don’t know how to fix it,” Eary sobbed as Ephraim consoled him.



“First of all, ya can knock that shit off,” Mote said as he separated the two.



The two looked at him in shock. Eary knew it was the right thing. He had betrayed and as much as he liked Ephraim, it was hurtful to others. He calmly explained his need for space. A need that was calmly understood by Ephraim. Parting ways, they gently caressed hands as Eary joined the group in the foyer.



Alice was busy showing off her new do. An eye catching afro made of her former braids. She paid special attention to Luke, who’s focus she held firm.



“Looks really good on you,” Luke commented over the crowd.



Alice gave a playful smile. She spun around, showcasing her curves and hair. Luke raised his brow as if he was gazing upon a meal prepared for a starving man. The tension hushed the group. The two didn’t notice. It was only interrupted by the opening of the door and arrival of the professor.



“Greetings, team,” The Professor announced as he walked from the illuminated doorway. “Tonight is the night we strike at the heart of our enemies. The head quarters of Mikhailov Laboratories is located in the city of Novosibirsk. Our aim is to infiltrate the facility…” The Professor explained. 



He held up a small circular device. It lit up in pulsating shades of purple, green and blue. He held it out in his hand. He explained,



“This device was made by the technopaths working for our operation. It is designed to infiltrate the mainframe of the central computer located inside. Where we do not know. That’s where we pit our skills we’ve been practicing to the test.”



He returned through the portal door with the group following close behind. A strange new area lay before them. A large bay, complete with armed soldiers and armored vehicles. Maxwell motioned them on as they huddled past rushing guards and floating ships.



He escorted them into a small conference room. The whole set-up made Eary feel very official as he took a seat in one of the large chairs. He began to spin in enjoyment, until the somber look in Decan’s eye drove him to a halt.



“See, I told ya! He’s heartbroken. Cryin’ shame,” Mote said Softly.



“I don’t know what to say to him,” Eary replied under his breath.



“Start from the heart, kid. Ya know how many times Anu has forgiven me for shit worse than this.” Mote whispered.



Eary took a deep breath. He gave Decan a soft smile. His eyes filled with tears as the memories that were tarnished surfaced in his mind; 



Their first kiss. His first kiss. The snow falling on their first date. Decan’s comfort.



The thoughts swirled in his mind. He gritted his teeth. Leaning forward, he said,



“I’m sorry for hurting you, Decan. I was wrong.”



Decan rolled his eyes and looked away. Eary was at a loss at what to do next. His heart was so torn. He didn’t even know what solace he could offer. He wished this hadn’t happened. Deep inside, however, a nagging ache had gone quiet. A relief that held him at bay from groveling. 



Ephraim’s kiss was not as soft and skilled as Decan’s, but he enjoyed it more. He wasn’t confident like Decan. He was awkward even. Yet his soul called to him. He was who he thought off from home during his time in Bright Hope. Like an old teddy no one else could have, his familiarity drove a strong sense of claim for Eary.



Despite Decan’s clear turmoil, he could not bring himself to a real apology.



Maxwell took the head of the table with Victoria and another woman.



“Hi,” the new woman announced in perky fashion to the group. “I’m Amelia Albright and I’m gonna be your liaison here at the Victory-Action Initiative.”



“This bitch,” Alice’s voice rang in Eary’s mind.



“Too perky,” Eary replied.



“Oh my god, she’s obnoxious as fuck! I can’t.” Alice whined.



Amelia took center stage. A pony tail pulled tightly her long mousey blonde hair. A black pant suit gave off an impersonal aura as she paced around the team.



“We are the organization implemented with fighting back against the scions.” Amelia said boldly.



“By N.A.T.O,” Alice included.



“Ah, yes. By N.A.T.O. Anyways, where was I? Oh, yes…” Amelia replied.



“Eary, I can’t read this bitch’s mind,” Alice rang in urgently.



“Wha…,” Eary thought.



“Like, seriously! Nothing! It’s like Maxwell. Somethings not right here,” she replied.



“Relax, it’s probably just tech or something,” he said.



“Uh-uh, you will not dismiss me,” she replied angrily.



Soon a swirl of voices filled his mind. He winced in discomfort to the many presences. Glancing around he noticed the same strained expression as his friends listened intently to Amelia.



“So I wanted to ask everyone before we wrote this off. I can’t read princess pant suit’s mind or the Professor’s. They are the only two so far that are like that. Discuss,” Alice’s voice rang in the minds of each of the team.



“I…think that’s odd,” Luke chimed in.



“Definitely. We should be leery,” Decan’s voice followed.



“The Professor though,” Mei said.



“For real. Maxwell is one of us,” Calvin stated.



“I said it was probably some gadget.” Eary thought.



“That’s a fair assumption,” Denby’s voice rang across his psyche.



“Agreed. We should find out from Maxwell.” Sakile said, his disembodied voice ringing with leadership.



“I really can’t stand her,” Hannah stated in the group’s mind.



“I know right, so annoying,” Alice groaned.



“Too uptight. Even I’m not that bad,” Maggie chimed in.



“I don’t like how we all of a sudden need an outsider ordering us around,” Denby said.



The group agreed in unison. As Alice cracked jokes about the stick up her ass making her a business-woman scarecrow, Eary gathered his courage.



“Hey, Dec…” he rang out to Decan. “I feel like a terrible person. If there is anything I can do to help ease this, I’d like to.”



A still moment hit the group. All eyes still were fixed on Amelia, but the focus was on Decan’s response.



“Thank you, Eary. I’ll let you know,” he replied softly in his mind.



Eary felt a swirl of relief. It wasn’t dawn, but he could see light. 



“Has anyone even been listening to this bitch,” Alice asked.



A tension struck as Amelia’s speech began to wrap up. The team frantically asked each other if any had paid attention. Much to their dismay, all had focused on the group’s banter.



Mote, who had been calmly listening, seemed like the best option for Intel. Alice reached out with her mind. Mote was a powerful and impossibly old being. His mind safeguard like a vault, proved challenging for the charming telepath. Nonetheless, her persistence opened a channel. Desperately, Eary cried put to his faithful companion,



“Mote! We all got…distracted. What did she say? Was it important?”



Mote turned his little head. He replied,



“Kid, I took like six gummies before we left.”



He turned his head back and continued to stare off blissfully.



Panic flooded the team as Amelia asked,



“Is your mission clear?”



The team all smiled and nodded awkwardly. Their collective embarrassment uniting them. 



“Wonderful! This is a good group like you said, Maxwell,” Amelia said.



Victoria and Maxwell took the praise as the band of Nocopo descendants sunk in their seats. 



“What do we do,” Eary’s voice rang out.



“We wing it,” Denby's voice echoed.



The group all smiled blankly at Amelia.



“Now that your mission is clear, Maxwell will escort you to the lower level,” Amelia began. “There, you will be suited up and equipped. Any questions?”



The team kept smiling, shaking their heads. Amelia soon departed. Following Maxwell, they loaded up into a freight elevator. As they descended, Eary shyly admitted to spacing out through the meeting. With a sigh, Maxwell explained the situation.



They were to infiltrate Sasha’s headquarters. Locate the mainframe and place the explosive. The mainframe down a large tunnel located in the bowels of the main office building. They would be disguised as temp office personnel. Once inside, their clearance badges would open all levels of the building. 



They were to go in two groups of three and one of four. 



Mei, Calvin, Hannah and Maggie were placed in one group. Their mission was to safeguard the main hall from enemy guards.



Sakile, Denby and Decan made up the second team. They were to press forward and clear a path for the third team.



It consisted of Luke, Alice and Eary…and Mote. They were tasked with placing the device and containing it with-in a force field. Alice was to scout stray threats while Luke would dash in and out of the mainframe. Eary was to contain the explosion within a force field.



The news of his task troubled Earhart. He wasn’t sure how large the mainframe was, let alone if he could cover it in a field. A strong anxiety overtook him as the elevator stopped.



Maxwell led them down a small corridor to the armory. Once inside they were immediately given their name badges and a tech armband. Maxwell explained that the armband was the latest in Nocopo tech and had many functions. Eary placed his on his wrist. To his surprise, it disappeared from sight.



“Professor, mine just vanished,” he said.



“Of course,” Maxwell said. “These devices are the top of the line in Nocopo tech. The ability to hide for the device to hide itself is just one of it’s features. Luke, would you care to explain more?”



Luke awkwardly stepped forward. He ran his fingers through his long blonde hair. He widened his eyes as he prepared to explain.



“These devices contain a light masking cloaking technology,” he explained. “They also come with a com system.” Luke looked mischievously to Alice, “So we won’t have to use telepathy for everything.”



“Oh, darn.” Alice said playfully.



Luke cocked a sly half smile. 



The professor interrupted and guided the group down another hall.



More and more military dressed soldiers and the occasional officer passed by as the group of youths to a small room.



Inside, a large vibrating field, shook and shocked. The image of a large building surrounded by snow and ice, could be seen.



“Professor, what is that?” Eary asked.



That, Earhart, is the headquarters of none other than Sasha Mikhailov,” the professor stated ominously.



The group stood in quiet aw as the professor continued,



“The is our prototype portal. It is designed to not require a portal on the other end. Much like your teleportation ability Ms. Pickering.”



Alice smiled and nodded. Her unease with the Professor still apparent. 



“We have waited until now to execute our missions. In a few moments, several busses full of new staff will be arriving. Mikhailov Industries doesn’t hire traditionally. Instead they outsource for live in staff. As far as we can tell, there is no turn over rate.”



Eary took a deep breathe as a shiver went down his spine.



“That can’t be good,” he thought to himself.



The suspense was thickened by the arrival of four transport busses. Maxwell rushed the group towards the portal. As the passengers got off into the cold tundra air, the team was urged through the portal.



The unnaturally cold air split deep into Eary as the wind howled overhead. The looming tower cast its long shadow over the group as they blended with the new staff.



They huddled for warmth. What seemed to be an impossibly cruel waiting time, a man emerged from the building.



He was in a long black coat, with fur hat and gloves. He approached the frozen mass, with a shrill voice he said, 



“Dobro pozhalovat.”