Realistic or Modern Escaped, but not free.

[Vampunk]

In the monotony of the facility time meant nothing.
Time simply dragged on, with every tick of the large clock hanging from the large dome-like ceiling marking yet another second closer to being under the scientist's scalpel...

But tonight every oh so small fraction of time passing meant that they were closer to their liberation.
If everything was to go as planned.
A plan that had been in the making for the past 4 years.
A plan that would spell certain death, or worse, if it were to fail.

And every minute edging closer to midnight felt like several lifetimes...


And Stryke was struggling to not tip the guards off as even the smallest change in behavior would be enough for them to grow suspicious and increase security measures.
Leaning against one of the bleak walls of the dome they were allowed to socialize in, being the closest thing to normality they had, the subject whose body would never allow her get past metal detectors ran a hand through the wild blonde hair adorning her head as her steel grey eyes wandered around the area.

It was the second Friday of the month, nearing midnight, the exact time there was a shift in personnel. With half of the scientists who treated them as nothing more than lab rats leaving the fortified facility to enjoy what little social life they had, replaced by the other half returning from engaging in such pleasantries.
It was when security was preoccupied with the usual bureaucracy and protocols that they would stryke.

Five years.
Just a little spark of hope planted into her thick skull.
A promise of freedom, of being able to live her own life without being constantly monitored by creepy men in lab coats, a promise of having a choice, a life.

It was Mrs. McGraham that had first approached her with this notion of escaping the facility, and after having deemed it just a cheap trick to earn her trust the metal-infused girl had grown to see the truth in the words her handler spoke.
The silly old lady with her wavy grey hair and the gentle eyes, the closest she had to a mother.

They had planned this coup together and what seemed impossible at first soon soared through the spheres of reality. It had taken a lot out of them, with Mcgraham's head counting more and more white hairs and Stryker, or ZOE, as her handler had finally revealed to her to be her real name, had spent all her time on assembling trustworthy individuals to aid her in their grand escape.

Constant paranoia of approaching the wrong individuals haunted her every thought and as the time of reckoning grew ever closer Zoe struggled keeping her emotions in check.

Freedom.
She had never deemed it possible.
She thought she'd die in the fortified lab that was more akin to a prison than a place of research.
But now every thought of hers dwelled on what she'd do with her newfound freedom, or how the outside world would be.
All they knew was from what basic information they got out of their handlers but seeing the world with her own eyes seemed surreal, almost like a dream.


But it was not the time for dreaming.
She had to focus.
Tilting her head to the side Zoe massaged the nape of her neck, feeling her metal-infused muscles twitch in anticipation.

She had saved all her strength for this night, her body's reserves ready to unleash whatever morbid powers her tormentors had imbued her with.
And all that stood between her and freedom was every piece being in place.

And so she waited, eyes darting to the entrances to the dome to the large clock, and back.
Waiting as she felt her muscles harden under the anticipation of finally fighting for a cause.

A noble one.
To be free.

 

[Flutterby]

Bastet was watching again.
She normally watched these days; there was nothing that the other inmates could say that would tell her more than she already knew from the chemical storm she could taste coming off of them.

That's what it was like, a taste, and that's why she had adopted breathing with a partially opened mouth. If she had ever experienced the real-world, it would remind her of the faux-fierce expression common on underwear models, and she would've stopped it immediately. But in here, it was simply more accurate to take it in over her tongue and nose. Her handlers still thought it was purely a smell-thing, and that it was purely pheromones, and she wasn't about to correct them. Withholding information was the only rebellion she had left.

The small female shifted a little, tensing the muscles in her legs and then letting them go slack. She was sitting on a bench at the edge of the room in her curled-up way, positioned so that the faint breeze from the AC blew everyone's scent to her. He muscled protested a little at the motion. They were sore from her 'training' session that day. Admittedly, she could have tried harder, but what was the point of ending a session when all you did after was wait for the next one?

She put it out of her mind, focusing instead on one of the only people who was off tonight. Everyone had patterns; some people's only patterns were that they were always in turmoil, and she stayed away from those.

The person across the room, though, was usually a predictable one. And tonight, Stryke was off. Way off. Bastet could taste the stress hormones from the other side of the dome as if she were standing right next to her. Her dark rimmed eyes narrowed a little. Stryke didn't usually get angry at other inmates unless they were doing something 'wrong,' but she did have a temper, and questioning her mood suddenly might aggravate her. Nevertheless..
Bastet stood slowly, feeling her body scream, and prepared herself for a uniquely unpredictable conversation.

 

[FireMaiden]

Ghost was good at hiding things from her handlers. It was easy because she didn't really talk, much less talk about how she feeling or telling them secrets if she didn't absolutely have to. The only thing weird about her today was the fact she seemed a little more compassionate towards Mr.Stanley, a, kind old man who had been her handler for the past few years. Ghost also wasn't sitting in her normal place today; which was normally a bench away from the other inmates as much as she could. Today, Amélie was sitting closer, not to close; but closer than she had ever really been. Her glasses, which looked like pretty standard glasses, aside from the purple tinted lenses, were sat on her face. Her knees were pulled up to her chest, and her arms were loosely crossed, one hand balled into a gentle fist as if she were holding something, the other absent mindedly rubbing the bandage she received earlier, a bit of dark redish brown could been seen through the thin gauze. Her hair, like always, had fallen in just the right way with little manipulation so it would hide her face. The only odd thing about her today was something nobody would notice unless they looked in her ears.

It's kinda weird to hear the heart beat of everyone in the room, or your own hair shifting with every little moment. She still hadn't gotten use to it. She could tell Stryker was nervous or maybe stressed, her heart going a little faster, almost unnoticeable. Bastet seemed normal, and her own heart beat thundered around her head as she sat there. Slow, and rhythmic. Ghost had, somehow, learned to control her heart rate so it wasn't as bothersome as it was after she first started changing. It nearly drove her mad. But listening to the others breathing, their heart beats, or whispering conversations wasn't what she was actually doing. There was a reason Ghost wasn't wearing her ear plugs. She was listening to the outside of the dome.

That's why her spot had changed from the isolated bench nobody sat at because...well, Ghost doesn't really know why, they just don't. Anyway, She was listening for changes outside, anything with the guard, or security protocols, or even of any handlers were gonna drop in. If that happened, Stryker would be the first to know. Or, in theory at least. It didn't matter what was at stake, Ghost didn't like talking to people unless she was engaged first, and no matter what was at stake, there was a good chance of that not changing. And Ghost knew exactly what they were going to risk, I mean, supernatural hearing is good for something. She didn't have much hope in getting out of here, but if dying was an option if they failed, She prayed that they got out or perished. There's no telling what these monsters would do to them otherwise.

Ghost glanced at Bastet again when she stood, her clothing making a god awful shifting noise that noticed high pitched screaming. Normal people wouldn't be able to hear it, but Ghost crinkled her nose, runnung a slender gand through her hair, ger attention going back to her task listening to the outside.

 

[t e r m i n a l]

Terminal was guided into the dome by two staff members. One was thick man with an overpowering cologne that smelled of acetone, camphor, ethanol and several other chemicals. The other man was thinner, but no weaker than the first. He lead Terminal further into the dome, and they finally came to a stop about 12 feet away from the door.

The men left, going out where they came in, leaving Terminal inside the dome with the other inmates. This was the first time Terminal was in the dome, and he had only a few moments with a single other inmate. He sat down where the men had left him and focused on listening, trying to determine how many people were in the dome with him. Thirty one breaths, including his. He recognized one of them as the only other inmate he has ever had contact with.

He knew why they had decided to put him in with others. they wanted to see how he would react to the food-chain that they like to call society. Not only that, they wanted to see how he responded to people, and how he would act when they tried flexing power on him. So he did the only move that seemed smart at the time. He went and sat by Stryke.

Dye and steel. That's what Stryke smelt like to him, and probably to others. Other than that, there was an overpowering scent of sweat. Was she nervous, angry? He would find out soon enough, and hopefully it wouldn't land him in trouble. The last thing he needed was trouble with staff, and so he softly asked her,
"What are you planning to do, Stryke?"

 

[Vampunk]

​

Of course trying to keep a secret would be hard, especially surrounded by those who had ways to get under one’s skin.

Literally in some cases.

Unlike Stryke whose abilities were solely physical, just strengthening her body but not providing her with psychic ways to influence her surroundings, there was a plethora of different subjects who’d find out there was something amiss on that fateful night.


Like sharks reacting to the scent of blood in the water they’d come swarming, feeling that there was something different about her, something that would be very interesting to them indeed.


And just as Subject Stryke was pondering whether rallying more people for tonight’s breakout was a good idea, remembering what Mrs. McGraham had told her all these years, she inevitably attracted the attention of her fellow subjects.


Out of the corner of her steel-grey eyes Zoe could see Bastet, who’d usually try avoiding the metalhead, approach her, earning herself a raised eyebrow from Stryke as she crossed her toned arms in front of her chest. Having ditched the sterile white overcoat most subjects had been given with a grey tank top, allowing everyone to see the deep scars on her arms and shoulders where the scientists had torn her flesh asunder and infused her very bones with the metals that her body now naturally cultivated.


And just as she was about to clash with Bastet and explain herself, Terminal who had sat himself beside her made his presence known. Asking a very important question.


Lying had become second nature to her over the past five years.

Lying about using all of her stored Iron for the various tests the scientists put her through.

Lying about taking her medication when in fact she had been storing excessive Iron supplements under her mattress.

Lying about her being content with her current predicament.

Lying about her relationship with the person she considered her family now.

But now was no time for lying.

Ten minutes and any lie shad had ever told would be revealed to be just that. Lies that would make this breakout possible.


As the muscles of her shoulders grew tense in preparation for the big blast, Stryke turned to face Terminal, her eyes wandering from him to Bastet, watching her get closer.

“Oh, you’ll see soon enough. Let’s just say you’d better stay out of it for the most part.”

Zoe mumbled, the faintest smile appearing on her face as she ran a hand through that messy blonde hair of hers.


She wouldn’t have to explain everything in detail. They’d see soon enough and they’d better be ready to follow their instincts and apply what they had learned from all those years in the prison they called “home”.

 

[Flutterby]

Bastet hesitated, watching a stranger approach Stryke. Strangers weren't altogether unheard of in this little world, but they were rare enough for her to wonder if this had something to do with the anxiety rolling off of Stryke in waves.
Bastet stopped by another innate, one who had also been in electroshock that day, and made small talk about how she was feeling while she sized up the newb out of the corner of her eye. He was small, for a male, but still larger than her by a good bit. His eyes were glazed over, blind probably. Not uncommon here, unfortunately. He put off the same sterile, chemical scents the scientists did, like he rubbed up against them all day. The corner of her nose twitched upward in disgust for a moment. She reminded herself not to judge; they all had their own ways of coping.

She bid goodbye to her 'friend' and continued on her way to Stryke, her bare feet hitting the ground with barely a sound. It drove the staff crazy that she wouldn't keep her shoes on, but if they were going to fill her closet with grey pants and a white shirts, she was going to modify the wardrobe somehow.
She caught their two-sentence conversation clearly, and smirked a little. "They must not let you out much if you think people out here share their secrets," Bastet said, addressing the male but looking at Stryke. Her gold-green eyes narrowed a little, but there was a hint of a smile at her lips. Bastet didn't do friendships very well, found it hard to connect when she understood everyone in an instant far better than they could understand her in months. But, Stryke was known for breaking up fights and standing up for the underdog, and Bastet went out of her way to prevent fights from happening in the first place, so she considered them on the 'same side,' at least. And if Stryke was turned up this high, something was going on.
Asking would get her nowhere, and she respected that, so she addressed the male again.
"They call me Bastet." She said, looking at him this time. "How long have you been hanging out with just the goons? You smell like you've been glued to them for weeks."

 

[FireMaiden]

It was strange to not hear anything interesting. Inside the dome, words were clear, but normal. Routine and predictable. The inmates talked about how they heated it here, how their treatments were going, what powers were improving. But outside, even if her range was limited by walls, She could always hear something cool. Maybe interesting stuff about the outside world, or information the doctors withheld from the inmates. She's only been out of a sterile environment for a few weeks now, but even there she always heard something. Today, nothing. Everything out there was routine too. The only thing that stuck out are two birthday parties for childern, and a wedding anniversary. Which would mean Stryke's plan was safe. Though Ghost felt a little about the fact she knew about someone's secret. She was never approached by the other inmate except for once, but what was when they first brought her to the dome 3 weeks ago. Before that, her socializing was limited. But she could still overhear lots of things. Sometimes, it was pretty disturbing, especially at night, but there was nothing she could do about that. Looking back up as someone new entered, she watched as they approached Stryke. He called her friend, so they know each other. Bastet was talking to someone else, making small talk Ghost didn't bother paying attention to it, because it ended quickly, Bastet walking up an beginning to talk with the new boy and Stryke.

Now it was time for Ghost to decide. She knew what the end goal of Stryke's plan was. And she wanted to be part of it, but not if she talked to her. Which meant...well, talking. And to be honset, Stryke kinda scared Ghost. She was intimidating, smelled like metal and angst. And she just kinda looked mean. But if Ghost wanted out of here, she needed to go tlak to them. Her feet touched the the floor, before her shoes dropped on the floor. The sound making her wince, quickly pitting her plugs in her ears. There, better. She slipped her feet in her shoes, before she stood, brushing white hair out of her face. She couldn't be afraid her entire life, especially of in the same situation as herself. Though she wasn't eager, She eventually say down near the group, close enough for then to maybe acknowledge her quiet "Hello."

 

[FireFlare]

Zero leaned against the wall, letting his head knock against it. It was something he did at least once every day, attempt to feel the dull pain that would've radiated through his skull two years ago. Even the cold that was sinking through the light t-shirt and sweatpants -clothes that had never offered much protection- was dulled. He constantly worried that his sense of touch would someday disappear. That something else would make him feel more dead than alive. His handlers told him he had nothing to worry about, but he wasn't stupid. If they had the answers they wanted, he wouldn't be here. He was an experiment, a test, something to observe. He was the furthest they'd gotten in this series of tests, so they had no way of knowing what came next.
With his head now resting against the wall, and his fingers shifting the sides of a small plastic cube, he glanced around. He forced himself to return to the dome every few weeks, even if he rarely talked. Most of the inmates ignored him by this point, the majority familiar enough with his self-isolation to know that he wanted to be left alone even if they didn't quite know why. For 18 years, Zero had been one of the happier people in the facility. He had known that his life wasn't anywhere approaching normal, but he couldn't even remember what he was missing out on. Most of the inmates couldn't. And so, for a long time, he'd wondered what they had been rebelling for. It only brought punishment.
Then he'd realized what they had been going through. His selection for the 'Patient Zero' project had protected him in his younger years. Instead of surviving through excruciating experiments, his body was being strengthened. Bolstered enough to die. He had still gone through the occasional test, but nothing that would ever be permanent.
By this time, there was a group gathering around Stryke. She was one of the more well-known inmates, though two of the people around her were ones he hadn't seen before. There was a girl whose coloring mirrored his own, minus the hair. He wondered what type of tests she had gone through, and if it was simply a lack light or a lack of melanin that caused her pallor. The other unknown was a boy. Brown hair, but Zero couldn't see his face from this point. There were no outward indications of the boy's experimentation. Not like Stryke, whose scars were displayed for anyone to see.
He watched them for just a moment longer before he moved his eyes to other people. He didn't have any enhanced senses, but he was perceptive enough to know that something was off. There was an underlying tension in the room. There were a number of inmates who seemed to be waiting for something, though the indicators were minuscule. He caught another inmate's eyes darting towards Stryke. Whatever it was would probably involve her.
Zero had half a mind to go and tell his handlers, his gaze moving to the door. The severity of any punishment would be diminished if the event hadn't actually occurred, but it looked like Stryke would be implicated in some sort of involvement. The girl had defended him a couple times, not from any guards or handlers, but from the other inmates. His friendliness with those keeping them captive didn't go over well with some. With those times in mind, he decided not to say anything. Zero felt like he knew Stryke well enough to know she wouldn't harm the other inmates intentionally, and the few people crazy enough to seriously try and harm their captors weren't left in the dome. Whatever it was, Zero just decided to watch.

 

[Vampunk]

​

Just a few more minutes until the guards would be preoccupied with the oh so efficient bureaucracy of the facility. When they'd leave their posts for a precious dozen minutes and leaving the subject open to act.
The prospect of finally being able to blow the charade of the willing Subject Stryke, who'd just want to keep the peace inside the facility, made Zoe allow herself a crooked smile, her thin lips curling into an amused grin.

Her fingers began tipping against the tense muscles on her arms as her steel grey eyes wandered around, exchanging glances with the few other inmates that had gathered around her, knowing that something big was about to happen.
Like the calm surface of a lake stirring before a great wave would bring chaos to the water.

And that was exactly what would happen.
Turning her attention towards the approaching "Gost", Stryke raised a hand to reciprocate the greeting with a simple "Yo." before raising to her full height.

It was about time. Their exit would be through the heart of the facility, having to force their way through the labs and other usually fortified rooms that weren't in use.
As one batch of Scientists and other personnel got ready to leave the research and experimental labs were left unattended and, thanks to Mrs. McGraham, they'd also not be fortified.

But it would only be a matter of time until the guards would jump to the conclusion that they'd have to go through there in order to escape the facility.
Meaning they would have to be quick and not hesitate, because every second would count. They had one shot at this and if they were to fail there would never be another chance to finally be free.

"If by any chance one of you were to be a Spy it would be too late anyways. So, cards on the table. We're getting out of here tonight." Stryke finally spoke, resting one of her hands on her hips where a big scar marked the spot where molten iron was infused into her very bone.

"If everything's going as planned we won't even have to hurt anyone or apply force, and as much as I'd like it to be something to vent years of pent-up anger on, we better hope we won't have any complications."
Motioning over to the heavily fortified gate Stryke exhaled slowly.

"Through there. We got like 7 minutes left until they open, I was assured they'd stay like that for at least 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Plenty of time for us to get out. Everything else, well...Improvise."

Just six more minutes and 40 seconds until they had to make a run for it and apply what they had learned.
Because tonight they'd be going home, and those who were too scared to make that decision on their own would have to choose to stay or actually fight for once.

 

[t e r m i n a l]

"Better than asking no questions at all. By asking questions, you always get answers, verbal or not. The body answers just as quickly as the voice does, and it tends to be more truthful. But you put a nail in the coffin. Yes, they don't let me out much, and for good reason I would assume."

He continued with Bastet as she questioned him on his relations with staff, calling them goons and his scent into play.

"They aren't goons. And if you want a specific time, I would have to answer with the beginning. The beginning of anything worth remembering, at least. Besides, nothing smells cleaner than chemicals."

he thought a moment before standing up. He offered his hand to Bastet, introducing himself as Terminal. When she didn't shake his hand, he dropped his arm against his side, sitting back down. He then turned to a quiet girl just outside the group who had introduced herself, but at the sound of a whisper. he forgot her as Stryke stood up and introduced her master plan to be free from the facility and the people who worked inside of it. To just burst through the heart of the facility? He doubted it would work, but settled in for a bumpy ride and replied to her enthusiastic plan of escape.

"I guess I could use some fresh air, though I will miss this place. I'm going to be right behind you, Stryke, so dont slow down. As for anyone else, I can't say, but don't hurt anybody during the escape. We don't a bigger reason to put a manhunt on our heads."

 

[SodaToast]

Jasper sat cross-legged with his arms in his lap, eyes dull as he gazed at the monotonous gray walls of the room. Everyday he sat in the same spot in the same room, wearing the same clothes and pondering the same question, "Why?" Today, though, was different. He could tell that the other subjects were tensed up and excited for reasons unknown, although he did have a few rational guesses. Although he wasn't completely sure why, he had a feeling inside him that instinctively made him want to, just like several other subjects, gravitate towards Stryke, who evidently appeared to be leading whatever was going to happen.

He let out a small chuckle underneath his breath as he noted that he just, out of all the verbs in the English language, used the word gravitate to describe the other subject's movements towards Stryke. He slowly rotated his wrist around so that his palms were now facing up towards him and he stared intently. Jasper could never understand the scientist's intentions or motives to imbue this specific power into him and transform his forever. Whether this change was for better or for worse, only time can tell. With a slight flicker of his finger, several nearby specks of dirt suddenly floated several inches up off of the ground, hovered them for a few seconds, and then, after stopping the motion in his finger, fell back onto the floor.

Turning his attention back to the subjects that have now appeared to form a close group around Stryke, he made a swift decision to stay put for the time being and discover more about their plans before involving himself. He craned his neck back and let his head silently knock against the cold, hard wall of the room. "Just because I don't make a move doesn't mean I'm disinterested." Thought Jasper, hoping the other subjects would understand.

 

[FireMaiden]

Stryke was serious, wasn't she? This wasn't just a dream, it was reality and was going to happen in just the next few minutes. Of course, Ghost kinda knew what was going on, and of course! The guards distracted around this time, so she wouldn't hear anything. Somehow, she had yet to get use to this, normally having to deal with the constant chatter. A smlie graced her lips, for the furst time since she's been let out of her little sterile environment three weeks ago. She pushed her glasses back up since they were sliding down her nose a bit, before looking up at Stryke. "What's the plan for once we get out?" She asked curiously, her voice about as soft as cotton.

 

[Flutterby]

The cat-girl made note of the new-boy's responses, finding them, well, a little odd. He didn't seem to actually hate it here, and he talked a lot. That wasn't all too common among her peers.

Bastet's eyes gleamed with excitement when Stryke finally spoke up and let them in on what was happening. No wonder she was wound so tight, she was making the biggest move there was in this silly little chess game- she was flipping the table and walking away from the board.
Her grin was wicked when she said, "I knew there was a reason I don't dislike you." It was the closest thing to a compliment she was usually capable of. She was, of course, curious about what would happen once they got out. But, she wanted to make sure they actually did get out.
"What's the best way to help?" Her voice held absolute joy. But, she reminded herself that she was of no use when she had no control over her emotions.
Bastet took a few deep breaths, and focused on trying to emit calming pheromones toward her fellow inmates. They needed to be of sharp mind when it happened, not all panicky and useless.

 

[SodaToast]

Jasper couldn't help but occasionally sneak in quick glances at the other subjects that were showing interest towards Stryke. He vaguely remembered her callsign to be Bastet and her abilities pertaining to emotions. Glancing over to the left of her, his gaze fell upon the brown-haired boy to which he recalled to be polite yet boisterous and his abilities, at this point, were unknown to Jasper. He silently scolded himself for not being able to recall such an important aspect of a person. Well, important at least within the facility. His thoughts led him to thinking about the outside world and he quickly shook his head and swept away the memories that otherwise would've come rushing back to him. Although he was rarely reminded of his past life in the facility, thinking about it just seemed to worsen the pain and anguish that he tried to oppress for so long.

After a few more moments of silently sitting and waiting, he could no longer suppress his curiosity and besides, his legs were getting sore from sitting on the cold floor for days on end. He slowly stood up, gently brushing pieces of dirt and dust off of his pants before heading over the group. Although he was intrigued by the gathering and wanted to know more, he did not make a beeline straight for the group as that would only earn him unwanted attention and could possibly make him appear hostile, therefore he casually meandered his way towards the group, making sure to keep his down and eyes averted. Once he was a few feet away, he began to pick up specifics from their conversations.

His eyes widened as he heard what they were discussing about. "Has the time finally come?" Thought Jasper as he continued heading towards the group, now filled with hundreds of different questions all relating to the idea of an escape.

Flutterby t e r m i n a l Vampunk

 

[Aur0ra]

"If by any chance one of you were to be a Spy it would be too late anyways. So, cards on the table. We're getting out of here tonight." Echo frowned slightly as her ears caught what Stryke was saying. The group around her seamed both excited and interested, all speaking in hushed voices. The floating grey haired girl approched the group slowly, taking in the excitement and fire in their eyes.

Echo was known in the facility for helping her inmates, standing up both to other inmates and to staff members, she even aided in two escape attempts six years ago, both failed, and the punishments were so severe that even the thought of escaping made most inmates shudder in fear. Echo never wanted to escape though. She had nothing outside, no family, no friends, no books. At least here she could study herself and other as much as she wanted.

She did however appreciate freedom, hence why she tried to help her friends escape. Three of them died because of the severity of the punishment, and the memory still haunted echo till this day. ''You might want to keep your voice down'' Echo now landed slowly on the ground, looking straight into Stryke's eyes. Hope was a dangerous thing to give, especially when failure was almost certain in these cases. Only six minutes damn it, could they even make it?

 

[Vampunk]

​

"Huh?" Stryke mused, raising an eyebrow at Ghost's question. "Well, I got a place we can hide until we get that part figured out. You'll be surprised who's actually going to be letting us crash their place." The metal-infused girl answered with a faint grin adorning her pale face, the result of spending most of her life in the facility with little to no time spent in their scarce outdoor areas.

Turning her attention to Bastet, Zoe's lips curled into a toothy grin.
"Well, glad you know I ain't that bad. But you can thank me once we're out of here. You, all of you, I know it's a lot to ask of you but the powers you have, you'll need to use them against everyone who'd try standing in our way. I'll be the battering ram in this lil' breakout of ours but if you guys got the tools to get us past the guards when physical violence fails. I know you probably don't want to just cause destruction but we'll need the chaos to get out of here without leaving them time to regroup and figure out how to stop us from getting out of this hellhole."

Every word that left her lips made her heart beat faster, adrenaline and pent-up anger starting to make itself know. As there were a mere two hundred seconds away from the act that was inevitably going to change their lives.

Finally taking a step towards their way out, the heavily fortified door a testimony to how hopeless they were in trying to escape, Stryke stretched her toned form. Feeling the reservoirs of iron in her body getting all worked up already.

Gazing back to the others Stryke crossed her hands behind her back, a crooked grin adorning her face as she took a step backwards towards the gate. Her eyes darting to the cameras that covered the walls of the windowless enclosure they were in....

Just as the lights went out and the emergency lighting coated everything in a red shimmer, followed by electrical surges signaling that the cameras were out of order, at least for now.
"Welp, no time dwelling on the details now, huh?" Stryke remarked with a chuckle as she turned towards the barricade.

"I've waited all day for this..." Stryke exhaled as she tilted her head to the side, long legs carrying her towards the gate as she quickened her pace.
Then, suddenly, a dry cracking sound echoed through the dimly lit enclosure...

The sound of Stryke unleashing her powers as a layer of dark grey metal began to form on her exposed skin, coating her body in a thick layer of metal plating that started to harden with every step she took towards the gate.

Jagged edges came to line her joints as a mask of steel hid Stryke's triumphant grin behind a layer of metal.
Finally arriving at the heavily fortified door Stryke awaited the sound that meant the plan was going smoothly, anticipation rising as her heart beat faster...

A metallic clang and a gust of cool wind blew past her metallic form as the door's security lock was overwritten, allowing Stryke to finally do her part.

Rearing back Stryke lashed out at the gate, balling her hand into a metallic fist before bringing it down on the door as the sound of metal scraping against metal echoed through the room.
Followed by a second one that shattered the gate's outer layer and allowed Stryke to slide her metallic claws into the crack before inhaling deeply.

She had deliberately saved her strength for this.
Having spent the last month accumulating enough metal to strengthen her muscle fibers and bones, enough to form that defining metal plating that would transform a girl into an instrument of destruction.

Mustering up every ounce of power she had in her Stryke groaned as she pulled the gate open, the sound of cogs crunching and metal being bent breaking the silence in the room as Stryke yelled on top of her lungs, setting all of her repressed anger free as she pulled the gate open, sending the destroyed chunk of metal tumbling into the far corner of the room before hunching over.

Breathing heavily the metal jaw of her unhinged, allowing her to breathe easier and spit out the metallic taste that manifested itself as bubbling pools of blood forming below her shaking form. The blood violently stirring as it hardened into metallic shards.

Recovering from that colossal display of her powers Stryke turned towards her fellow inmates, wiping the blood off her metallic skin before motioning towards the hole in the wall.
"Quick, this way!" Stryke remarked as her long legs carried her over the rubble and into the long maze-like corridors that would lead them towards their freedom!

 

[SodaToast]

Jasper's eyes widened as he watched Stryke's ability in action. Although subjects were often exposed to the abilities of other subjects, seeing someone use it for their own purposes was completely different than watching them demonstrating it for a group of scientists. He almost winced as the door was torn off its hinges and tossed into the corner like a play toy. Jasper clenched his fists as he stood there, staring at the now gaping entrance leading into the labyrinth of corridors that awaited them.

He took a hesitant step forward, before taking another one, and another one, and all of a sudden he was running after Stryke. He felt as if his body were acting on his own accord, ignoring the angry complaints coming from his brain. Every instinct that he has formed within the facility was screaming at him to turn back and return to the safety of the room, except he didn't stop. In fact, he wasn't going to stop. For the first time during his long stay at the facility, he felt a spark inside of him. An unexpected urge to do something that he wanted. It felt exhilarating and when he wondered why he felt a weird sensation in his face, he realized soon after that he was smiling. An action that he had restrained himself from doing for so many years.

In a low and inaudible whisper, he muttered to nobody in particular, "Thank you."

 

[Flutterby]

To see, and hear, Stryke rip the door out of the wall with her bare, metal hands was pretty awe-inspiring. To get to experience her scent profile at that moment was even more so. There was the smell of iron, so strange she felt like she was choking on it. There was an intense burst of stress-related traces, followed by an even more intense burst of feel-good traces (not unlike the ones that came off the scientists when they had a success, or a hook up in a nearby closet). But underneath all of that, there was something else. It was muddled by the intensity of the other, but she was pretty sure she could sense intense pain-stress traces. They weren't coming through clearly to her, and it was obviously they weren't clear to Stryke either.
Bastet ran, her own adrenaline letting her feet the exact way her feet expanded to absorb the shock of hitting the floor. She took a deep breath, and tried to think of a way she could help. She could help her fellows, and hinder the scientists, but how? It wasn't like she could keep the inmates from smelling her while bombing the scientists.
Maybe not, but she could smell the chemical-storm they put off long before they actually showed up, which might be more reliable than trying to hear them coming through the chaos. The shorter girl lengthened her stride to catch up to Stryke, and tried to quell her own beating heart. Even though they were sprinting, and physical exercise was not part of her "treatment" plan.
"Incoming," She called out, catching the first wiff of the guards that were scrambling to respond.

 

[t e r m i n a l]

Terminal looked at Bastet as Stryke began her assault through the facility. Fascinating, how the metal molds itself to her. He followed closely behind the group as they made their way through the facility. They passed rooms labled with endless numbers, and window after window passed by them as they pushed forward. He pushed forward and grabbed Bastet's arm.

"Don't ask questions, but I might need you. If I stop, help me move."

He continued forward, switching his power on. He fell to his knees before standing back up and sluggishly continuing. All of their powers should be magnified, but more importantly, Strykes now metallic layer of skin was as tough as diamond tipped steel. This was one disadvantage to his power. When he used it, it took up so much of his mental capacity that he could barely move during the process. He continued forward with the group, but once they stopped to deal with the first of the guards, he fell.

"Bastet! Help me up!"

He stood up, and barely managed to slur these words out before falling to his knees again.

 

[Flutterby]

Bastet felt a hand on her arm and slowed to a stop. It was the guy, the one she didn't recognize. He made an odd request, especially considering she was on the smaller side. She did have a little extra strength, a little extra agility, so she just nodded and kept on the tail of the metal girl.
When Terminal went down to to his knees, she stopped. There was a moment of hesitation, where she considered leaving him and running onward, but she knew she couldn't. Whether they liked it or not, they were in this together.
Bastet reached down, grabbing under his arm and pulling him up. "Arm over my shoulder, please don't pass out completely." She said, taking hold of his wrist and pulling him up. Her other arm went around his waist, pulling his body weight as close to her center of gravity as she could. It would be difficult for the rest of the way, but hopefully manageable.

 

[FireMaiden]

Dispite the damping aid, Ghost's ears screamed at her while her eyes took in every move Stryker made. Raw, emotional strength. She couldn't help but feel relieved that this powerhouse was on their side, dreading the fact that she could easily tear through any of them. She tore through that door like it was almost nothing. But dispite the headache pushing it's way begin her eyes, Ghost was up and following after Stryker as soon as she gave the word. Ghost wanted to be free, to be rid of the test and experiments. She wanted to be Amélie again. She heard Bastet call out, "Incoming." For a split second she wandered what she was working them about before she caught the scent of guards. They weren't that close just yet, but they were moving fast, and were closing in quickly. Ghost briefly wondered how Bastet knew about them, but shrugged it off for now. She didn't know about everyone's abbilites just yet, so maybe they had something in common. Ghost briefly looked over her shoulder when she heard Terminal call out for Bastet's help, considering if she should stop as well. However, she decided quickly it wasn't worth it and stuck close to Stryker, but if they needed more help, she'd lend a hand. Right now, Ghost even doubted they acknowledged her existence.

 

[Vampunk]

​

The moment Terminal used his powers, Stryke could feel her metallic skin harden even further as she felt the line between human skin and metal plating become blurred.
Whatever the true extent of her inmate's power was, it made Zoe's power levels rise to an extent the scientist, and herself, had never witnessed before.

In the dim light of the corridor her metallic frame seemed to increase in size as her jagged joints seemed to grow a few more edges as metal skin became smoother and so much more durable.
Turning to face Terminal, who was now being aided by Bastet, Zoe nodded, the steel grey of her eyes turning into a duller red as the blood in her veins started to provide every fiber of her body with the needed iron.

Following her fellow subject's warning Zoe met the first group of guards with a vicious kick as they came scurrying around the winding corridor.
Her metal shin colliding with their Riot shields and breaking the heavy glass without any effort, sending the two of them crashing into their backup of three stun-gun wielding guards.

Wasting no time in making sure they wouldn't get up again, Stryke turned towards the others, her eyes gazing at them from within a metallic visage.
"Come, don't hesitate now. There's probably more!" Stryke coughed, feeling every fiber of her being radiate with her vastly increased power, sapping the strength from her iron reserves and making her oh so grateful for having amassed such vast reserves over the last two months.

They would soon come to the heart of the facility.
One large sterile room with white walls similar to their communal chambers, albeit this one was filled with tanks, lab tables and all the stuff they were oh so familiar with.

Being strapped to some of those machines wasn't something Stryke remembered fondly and she was more than happy to leave it all behind.

Turning towards one of the many doors that marked the crossroads of the facility, Zoe tried remembering what Mrs McGraham had told her.
"Second door to the left." Zoe mumbled as she made her way to the fortified door, clawing at the lock that usually required identification cards as the electric surge sent jolts of energy through her metallic frame as they left her body through her legs, making her groan in response, gritting her teeth to the point where she thought they'd shatter.

Suddenly the light in the corridor behind the door went on, signaling that the emergency backup generators just went online.

"Fuck! We got less time than I thought." Stryke growled as her gauntlet collided with the doorframe, bulging it inwards as the metallic door came crushing unto the floor.

"Two down, two more to go." Stryke mumbled, reminding her of the route they had to take."
"We're getting through the Scientist's quarters. Don't waste any time there, even if you're wondering what they're keeping there." Zoe added as she coughed into her folded hands, watching the blood of hers meld into her metallic skin as blood seemed to boil and turn into a fresh layer of metal on her palm.

"Go, go!"

 

[FireMaiden]

Ghost did as Stryker commanded, wincing at the sudden return of light. Even with her special glasses, it could sometimes surprise her. But that was washed away when she smelled blood. Looking at Stryker, concerned, She wanted to ask her about it...but ultimately decided it could wait until they were safe. Ghost had also began to.wonder who Stryker planned all this. The timing was to perfect, they were getting too lucky, Ghost knew this. And she also knew that Stryker had help...but how did she manage to convince one of the scientist or handlers to help her? Reguardless of her curiosity, once again the young lady decided those were questions for another time. As they sped through the Scientist's Quarters, even though Stryker had advised against it, Ghost couldn't help but look at what was laying out. Files for the most part, of which she scanned the names for her own. And low and behold, she got lucky. Stopping in her tracks, she reached out for the the thick manila file, her number sequence and name stamped on the front in red ink. "Stryker...our files are laying out. We can take them and find our families!" She said, hoping to get the older girl to stop hit seeing as how that may not work, She quickly caught up, clutching her file. "I can help find everyones since we don't have a lot of time, but this may be our only chance to find out." This was the most Ghost had said in weeks. "Dont you wnat to know about your parents?"

 

[SodaToast]

Jasper's heart seemed to stop as he suddenly froze in his tracks. "Scientists' quarters?" He thought as he looked around to take in his surroundings. Eventually, his eyes rested upon a thin, envelope-sized file with his name printed on the front in large, red letters. He immediately headed towards file and was just about to pick it up when he suddenly hesitated, pulling his outstretched hand back slightly. He stood there absolutely still for a few moments before deciding that he couldn't just leave the thing that defined him within the hands of the facility and grabbed it off of the desk. Turning around, he realized that Stryke didn't plan to stop and with a slight lift of his hand, he reduced is own gravitational field and therefore essentially making him "lighter." Feeling much more relaxed now as the pressure of gravity that was previously weighing down on his limbs was now dampend, he immediately followed suit with Stryke and the other subjects that were escaping.

 

[FireFlare]

The first thing that struck him when the emergency lights flashed on was panic. Red blinked on to the walls and a siren alerting the facility's personnel to the situation sounded. The building's reaction alone was hectic, not to mention the other inmates, some of which were just as confused as he was. The last time this had happened, there was an attempted escape. An escape.
Zero's eyes darted towards Stryke, where he could see the metal coating her skin. The action looked brutal and he suddenly understood why she had so many scars. Before any other thoughts could enter his mind, Stryke was plowing towards the door. When she reached it, the metal of the door seemed to crumble as it was tossed to the side.
After that, his mind felt like it short-circuited. He was stuck debating whether or not to join in, his body not consenting enough to either side. He was frozen. It took Stryke yelling from halfway down the hall for Zero to snap out of his internal struggle. He wanted to make it out, even if it was only for the opportunity to die, something he would never have if he stayed here.
He ran through the hall, his eyes landing on a number of guards slumped against the wall. This was possible. With his power, he'd have no chance of escape. He couldn't do anything offensive, hell, he would be practically useless in this fight, although he could probably take a bullet or two for someone if it came to that. He followed the other inmates through the threshold of another smashed door, the metal around the frame broken and jagged where the center was missing.
He was ready to keep going, many inmates were still barreling ahead, but there was a group of them scrambling around the room, looking through the papers scattered throughout. He looked around for no more than a second before he understood where they were. The labs. He and probably any other inmate knew these rooms all too well. And then he got a better look at what they were going through. Files. Files with call signs printed on the front. Files that likely held the answer to anything they were before the facility took hold of them.
He was hit once again with a moment of indecisiveness. Did he even want to know? Would it give him any answers or just raise more questions? Unconsciously, though, he was already scanning through the names, looking for his own. At least if he had it with him, he could decide when, if ever, he wanted to know where he came from.
It took a few more moments, but eventually, he found the label reading 'Zero'. He threw the file open and jammed folded papers into the waistband of his sweats. With that done, he followed after the group. Getting separated wouldn't be good, especially since he had no real way to defend himself. He would be ready to help if needed, but he didn't want to get in the way of someone who could actually aid in this escape.