Chapter 37: Rescue Complete
While Verlin continued to look at the devastation, Chloe flew down and floated by his side. " Are you alright? What happened down there?"
Looking at the look of horror on Chloe's face, the words that were about to escape Verlin's lips were halted. After a slight pause, he said, " I'm fine. An explosion was set off by one of the enhanced humans. I'm sure they're mostly alright, but they are probably injured."
Verlin changed the subject and asked, " Where you able to get Chleopatra and the others out safely?"
Chloe slightly nodded her head, " Thankfully, her life isn't in danger. It seems they didn't treat her too badly. The rest of the team are fine as well. I can't say the same for those who have been kept captives beforehand. They are in need of serious medical care."
"Alright, you can ask Desna to put the captives on life support before we take them back to the Hidden Society HQ. I'll go look for any survivors of the explosion."
Chloe nodded her head as she watched Verlin fly into the distance. She couldn't help squint her eyes in suspicion but kept her thoughts aside. She was about to fly back to the pyramid when she noticed a hand sticking out from the rubble.
She flew down and started moving the rubble around until she could pull the person out. She picked them up and took them towards the ship for medical care.
Meanwhile, Verlin was several kilometers in the sky as he watched this happen. The person Chloe had picked up was Magnus. Although he wasn't dead, several of his organs had been severely damaged, and without any care, it would only be a matter of time before he perished.
Verlin stared in silence, and for a few seconds, he looked directly at Magnus' skull and his eyes glowed a tint of red, but after contemplating, he decided against it and started searching for the enhanced humans he had thrown out previously. He quickly located some of the enhanced humans. Some had been slightly injured while others were relatively unharmed. He couldn't help but marvel at the physique of enhanced humans. Even after being thrown several kilometers, not a single one of them had a fractured bone.
He quickly carried the enhanced humans he found back to the ship. As he was about to relocate the last pair, he had a strange feeling and he instictively looked up. But there was nothing but clear blue sky. Most of the debris from the clap had already found its way back to the ground. He quickly brought the last pair of enhanced humans into the ship and went straight into the atmosphere.
Verlin didn't dismiss this sensation. He knew better than to not trust his senses. Also, given this wasn't the first time he has had this feeling. He had felt this back on Venus but wasn't able to find the source of it. It was a peculiar tingling at the back of his neck, like being watched by unseen eyes. After not being able to find the source once again, he made a note at the back of his head to create a planet wide sensor array on the pyramid of solitude.
Verlin quickly returned back to the pyramid and saw Chloe waiting for him. Seeing that he had brought no one else with him, she said," Is that everyone?"
" I'm pretty sure I got all the enhanced humans that were part of the organization. We'll have to keep them separated. Although they aren't mind controlled, they aren't in their usual state of mind."
Chloe solemnly nodded her head and said, " Is there any way to get them back to normal?"
"I don't currently have the means to reverse the effect. We'll have to go to the Hidden Society first. If they don't have a solution, I'm sure I can create something to help with it."
Chloe's eyebrows furrowed in concern, " You make it sound like it's something that can be easily fixed."
"Well, everything is relative. For some, it might be impossible, but to others, it just requires a bit of effort."
Chloe smiled slightly, " You always have an answer for everything, don't you?"
Verlin replied to her as he made his way to the command room, " I wish. Make sure you keep the kidnapped enhanced humans in a separate room from those who were part of the kidnapping."
Chloe nodded her head, " Roger that, Captain."
After a moment of silence, she continued, " And also, thanks, Verlin. Really, if you didn't show up, I don't even want to imagine what would have happened."
Verlin paused at the entrance of the command room and turned to face her. " You don't have to thank me, Chloe. Isn't it the job of a friend to watch out for each other."
A bitter smile formed on Chloe's face and couldn't help think to herself, 'friends...right'
Chloe shook his head, pushing the turbulent thoughts to the back of her mind. "You're right," she murmured, her voice holding an unspoken weight. "Friends do look out for each other. But not everyone does it to the extent you do."
"Like I said, some things are easier to do for some people."
With that, Verlin walked into the command room, his silhouette casting a shadow momentarily before the door closed behind him. The array of screens and controls hummed to life as he approached the main console.
Chloe stood outside for a moment, gathering herself. Before turning around and heading towards the medical area of the ship. She reached the room where all the enhanced humans were being treated and said, " Desna, could you separate the enhanced humans who were part of the kidnapping from those who were kidnapped? It might be safer for both groups until we can find a way to reverse the effects."
The AI responded with a mechanical yet soothing tone, "Certainly, Chloe. Initiating separation protocols now. Enhanced humans who were part of the kidnapping will be relocated to secured chambers on deck three. The kidnapped individuals will remain in the medical wing for treatment and observation."
Chloe gave a nod of approval. "Thank you, Desna. Ensure that both groups are under surveillance and that their vitals are constantly monitored."
"Understood."
The pods that contained the enhanced humans that were part of the organization were moved directly. Chloe watched as the pods levitated and moved seemlessly to the designated chambers.
"How convenient."
Seeing that she didn't have to do anything, She levitated beside her aunt in a sitting position, placing a gentle hand on the transparent barrier of the pod where her aunt Chleopatra was recuperating. She slowly closed her eyes and drifted into a short nap.
Verlin had the ship make its way towards the Hidden Society base, he could remember the exact location of the HQ and quickly had the Pyramid enter into the atmosphere before shortly descending right above the HQ of the enhanced humans.
Since the base was deep underwater, he flew to find Chloe, who was in the medical bay, her body slightly floating in the air as she seemed to be in deep meditation. Not wanting to startle her, he hovered a few feet away, waiting for Chloe to sense his presence.
It didn't take long. Chloe's eyes fluttered open, and her gaze met Verlin's. "Verlin?" she murmured, disoriented. "Did we reach the base already?"
Verlin nodded, "We're right above the Hidden Society HQ. I thought it would be best to update you before we proceed."
Chloe lowered herself to the ground, her feet touching the metallic floor. "Alright, what's the plan?"
Verlin looked at her with a puzzled look and said, " Don't you have a way to contact them?"
She blushed slightly, scratching her head before saying, " Oh right, I guess I got used to you making the plans."
Chloe flew out of the room and found the area where Desna had placed the members of the organization and quickly found a familiar figure laying in one of the pods. It was Fiona, the enhanced human that had snatched her watch. Chloe looked at her with a tint of anger in her eyes but looked to find her watch in perfect condition on her wrist.
She reached into the pod, and the transparent barrier quickly retracted, She reached for Fiona's wrist and removed the watch from her hands. Chloe placed the watch back on her wrist and activated it, setting it to the encrypted communication channel. She quickly contacted Alexander, and his answer came almost immediately, " Chloe, are you alright? How is everyone?"
Chloe took a deep breath before responding, "Alexander, we're fine. Verlin showed up just in time. We've managed to rescue everyone, but we have several enhanced humans in critical condition, including Chleopatra. Some of the other captives also need medical attention. We're currently hovering right above the Hidden Society HQ."
There was a pause on the other end before Alexander spoke, his voice filled with relief. "Thank goodness you're safe. Bring everyone down. Our medical team will assist immediately."
"Alright."
She turned towards Verlin and gave a nod. Verlin commanded Desna, " Transport the pods to the Base."
The pods started moving towards the exit of the pyramid before descending downwards into the deep ocean. Chloe and Verlin followed closely behind them. Chloe looked at Verlin, " Are you sure those pods can keep them safe?"
Verlin offered a reassuring smile. "The pods are designed to handle much more intense conditions than a little deep-sea pressure. They'll be fine. Plus, Desna will ensure they're transported safely."
Chloe nodded her head, " What about the both of us?"
"Your suit has a mechanisim in place for such situations, and I dont need to breathe oxygen."
Chloe blinked in surprise. "You don't need to breathe?"
Verlin nodded his head, " How do you think I can go into space without a special suit?"
Chloe stared in wonder, " You look so similar to humans. At times, I forget you're a real alien."
Verlin and Chloe descended towards the water, and as soon as Chloe's feet came in contact with the water, a transparent shield enveloped her head, blocking the water from contacting her. As they descended through the dark waters, the illumination from the pods and their own energy sources made the path ahead clear. The Hidden Society HQ soon became visible — a sprawling underground structure with intricate designs that seemed to glow in the deep-sea darkness.
The entrance to the HQ was massive, big enough to accommodate the pods. As Verlin and Chloe followed the pods through the gateway, the door sealed shut behind them. Water swiftly drained away, revealing the intricacies of the room, before an inner doorway gracefully slid open, welcoming them further inside.
The pair were immediately met by a team of enhanced humans already briefed and ready to assist the injured. Alexander rushed forward, He looked at the enhanced humans that were in the pods with concern before turning towards Verlin, "Thank you for coming to our aid, Verlin. We owe you."
"It was nothing really, I was just helping a friend out."
Alexander gave a nod of appreciation, "Regardless, we're in your debt. Our priority now is to ensure the injured receives immediate care."
Verlin nodded in agreement and said, "The ones on the left are the enhanced humans that were captured, and the ones on the right were the once that have had their deepest emotions amplified, they were also part of the kidnappers. So you might want to keep them under strict survaillance until you have them back to normal."
Alexander nodded his head at Verlin's explanation. Verlin floated to the pod that held Magnus and said, " And this enhanced human is the one behind everything. He seems to be very set on his goals, so I suggest you keep him locked up until you can decipher his motives and intentions."
Alexander's eyes narrowed as he stared at Magnus's unconscious form. "I recognize him. Magnus was one of our eldest members. He disappeared more than 200 years ago. We never suspected him to be behind this." He paused, thinking. "We'll put him in maximum security. If he's the mastermind, he holds the answers to many questions."
Verlin sent a command to Desna to release the transparent shield on the pods.
Desna's voice resonated in the vicinity, "Transfer sequence initiated. Transferring the injured to your medical facilities now."
The pods opened, and medical staff quickly took over, tending to the wounded, transporting them to different parts of the medical wing, based on the severity of their condition.
Chloe watched the scene unfold, feeling a mixture of relief and concern. She could see her aunt, Chleopatra, being carefully transported to a specialized chamber, surrounded by a team of expert medics.
Alexander approached Chloe, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She'll be okay, Chloe. Our technology will ensure she recovers fully."
He turned to Verlin and said, " Once again, thank you for everything you've done for us today. Without your intervention, we would have lost many of our elites. We will always be indebted to you."
Verlin nodded as he watched Alexander retreat back into the base. He looked towards Chloe and said, "You can go look after your aunt."
"What about you? What do you plan on doing?"
Verlin looked thoughtful for a moment. " There are a few things I plan on working on for the time being, so I might be busy for a while."
Chloe looked at Verlin with a bit of worry, " You don't plan on leaving the planet again, do you?"
"Not for the time being."
Verlin thought about the flight speed of the pyramid. The max it can go without over using its energy reserves was about 10% the speed of light. If he attempted, it might take him 6 years to completely leave the gravitational influence of the star system. Leaving wasn't an option. Even his flight speed was currently capped at light speed. He would have to wait a couple of months or create some sort of new technology if he wanted to explore the universe.
Chloe sighed, " That's a relief, I was starting to think you'd just leave without saying goodbye."
"What happened last time was unexpected. I was originally waiting for you to finish the process before coming back, but I got caught up in some things. I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye."
" Oh good, I thought you left because you were upset with what I said back then."
Verlin shook his head, "I'm not nearly as petty as your imagination lets me out to be."
Chloe chuckled, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I guess I just let my mind wander too much sometimes. I should have listened to my aunt when she told me not to worry."
Verlin smiled slightly, " Indeed, your words are powerful, but not powerful enough to send me fleeing the planet without a word."
Chloe playfully punched Verlin's arm, "I knew you were tough, but I didn't think you'd be immune to the wrath of Chloe."
The smile on Verlin's face broadened, " You're gonna have to try harder next time."
Chloe laughed, and her spirits lifted. "I'll keep that in mind." She paused for a moment, her expression turning more serious. "But in all honesty, thank you, Verlin. For everything."
Verlin looked at her with sincere eyes. "Always, Chloe."
There was a brief silence before Chloe broke it. "I'm going to go check on Aunt Chleopatra now. Make sure you let me know if you need anything."
Verlin nodded ,"Alright make sure you let me know when Chleopatra gets better. Also, call me when the suit runs out of energy, It will probably need maintenance every month."
Chloe gave Verlin one last grateful look before heading to the medical chambers. As she made her way down the hallway, She could see the pods returning back to the entrance, She turned back towards Verlin and said, " Do you mind if I keep one of these?"
Verlin looked at the pods for a moment, contemplating. "Normally, they're for specific purposes and controlled by Desna. However, I suppose having one on hand could be useful to you."
Chloe smiled and replied, " Thanks. I think it might be handy for any emergency situations in the future." She paused and added with a smirk, "Plus, they're just really cool."
Verlin smiled before heading towards the exit with the rest of the pods following behind him, he past through the outer entrance and made his way into the deep ocean before flying up to the surface back to the pyramid with the rest of the pods.
Verlin entered the command room and told Desna to head to the Artic wasteland and anchor itself in the continent's atmosphere.
As Verlin was about to enter deep thought, he heard Desna's voice, " Is she worth all that effort?"
Verlin raised an eyebrow. It was rare for Desna to talk without it being talked to. "You've grown more inquisitive lately," Verlin remarked.
Desna's voice carried a neutral tone, as always, but there was an underlying note of curiosity. "You designed me to assimilate and learn. Although my time with you has been short, I can't help but notice the anomalie in your usual behavioral pattern."
Verlin was silent for a moment, "I believe she is."
"Understood," Desna's neutral voice resounded. As the pyramid of solitude fell back into silence.
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