Chapter 14: Containment

The Hazardous Projects Building was a building owned by KiCorp where Kira performed her most dangerous and controversial experiments. As duchess of the White city, She had acquired special permission from the emperor to construct it outside of city limits. She had even undertaken several experiments on behalf of the imperial science committee there.
The structure itself was a massive metallic pyramid with horizontal slit-windows on every level. The top of the pyramid was flat, allowing room for four spires that contained communications equipment, scientific instruments, and lightning rods. Between the four spires was a skylight that topped a room reserved for experiments that required regular sunlight. In a perimeter around the building was a large, barbed-wire fence that discouraged anyone from entering or leaving without due authorization.
As Kira's transport came to a stop in the fence's only entrance, she pulled out a small card and handed it to a member of KiCorp security. The guard inserted the card into a small, handheld machine. then took it back out and handed it back to Kira. "You're clear." He said. "Welcome back, Duchess."
Kira gave a nod to the guard, then to her driver, and the transport proceeded to the building's entrance. Kira got out and the driver then drove off to park in the depot. the large pneumatic doors opened in front of Kira, allowing her to step inside.
scientists busily flitted through the room attending to their duties. Almost immediately, Kira was noticed by Professor Forban, who made a beeline for her.
"What is going on?" he asked, worried.
"We've captured the creature." Kira said in a diplomatic monotone. "I'm here to oversee the operation."
"I know that." Forban said. "You know that's not what I mean."
"Then wait to ask it when we are alone." Kira said quietly, but sternly. Kira led Forban deeper into the halls of the building and into a small lab, whereupon she locked the door behind them; it wasn't uncommon for scientists to lock everyone out of their labs so they could finish an experiment in peace; Kira and Forban should be able to talk freely now.
"What happened out there?" Forban almost immediately demanded. "Where is Paradox?"
"He's dead." Kira said.
Forban was silent for a second. "What?" he finally said.
"He couldn't be trusted." Kira said. "He was going to destroy the asset."
"What have you done?" Forban said.
"If you're upset about studying his powers-"
"I'm not angry about science!" Forban shouted. "You have killed a man!"
"You don't understand." Kira said as she folded her arms. "You didn't grow up hearing horror stories of the Dark folk." She then used Forban's first name, which was reserved for the most serious of conversations. "Tiberius, you know what's at stake here. I can't risk the whole operation for a single person, least of all him."
"If you wish to pretend to be a servant of the people, then that's exactly what you need to do."
"I am a servant of the people." Kira said adamantly. "Everything I do, I do for them."
"And what would they say if they knew what you had done?" Forban asked.
"At least they would be free to complain about it!" Kira said.
There was a long silence.
"I need you to help get our new asset ready for study." Kira said, turning towards the door.
"You'll have to do that without me." Forban said, quietly but firmly.
Kira turned to face Forban again. "What?" she said.
"If you cannot abide by the most basic of principles, you can be no better than the emperor." Forban said. "I hereby tender my resignation from KiCorp."
The last statement hit Kira like an explosive, but she hid it behind a mask of diplomacy. "I... see." she said.
"I shall not break the protocols of my nondisclosure agreement; your secrets are safe." Forban continued. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to be somewhere else." He unlocked the door and left for the exit.
Kira stood in the small lab a while longer, stunned. It was a full few minutes before another scientist saw her through the open door.
"Oh! Duchess!" they said, a bit nervous. "We're almost ready for you in lab one, we just need to find-"
"Professor Forban?" Kira asked.
"Yes, do you-"
"Unfortunately as of a few minutes ago the professor has resigned his post." Kira said. "Until I can find a suitable replacement, I will take over his duties myself."
Kira strode to lab one with a worried scientist trailing behind her. When she reached the observation level, she clapped to get everyone's attention.
"Listen here, folks. I'll be taking the lead on this one." She said. "I'm told all of the instruments are ready?"
"Uh- yes." said one of the lab assistants. "We're ready to proceed on your orders."
Kira looked out of the observation window. Below them was a large area filled with busy technicians and lab coats. In the center of the area was a complex contraption that held Quantum Collapse in his new test-tube prison.
"Get everyone out of the active zone." Kira said. "In the meantime, start with something harmless; say, an EMP test. The device itself is shielded, correct?"
"Yes, ma'm." The assistant said. "evacuating the techs; activating EMP sweep."
The air within the lab crackled with energy as the inhabitants left. Quantum Collapse maintained an amused stare towards Kira. it unnerved her slightly; she wasn't accustomed to her test subjects looking back.
"So, you killed the guy." Quantum Collapse said once the lab below was empty of listeners. Kira's assistants took a strange look at each other before returning to their monitoring.
Kira wrinkled her nose at Quantum Collapse. She hadn't thought about the possibility that he'd be able to reveal any of her secrets to any scientists working with him. Kira decided to respond with plausible deniability.
"And if I killed whoever you're talking about, what's it to you?" Kira said.
"Oh, nothing much." said the metallic voice. "I'm just impressed, is all."
The magnetic crackling stopped and a lab assistant spoke up; "Nothing on EMP sweep."
"Switch to gamma rays." Kira said, keeping her eyes on Quantum Collapse. Radiation shields covered the doors to lab one and dark-tinted shields slipped over the windows of the observation platform. Yellow alarm lights lit up as the area was flooded with radioactive rays.
Quantum Collapse continued. "All I'm saying is that we might have gotten off on the wrong foot. We might even be friends one day, you and I, considering we're in the same boat." The malevolent black orb never lost it's viscous smirk the whole time it was talking.
"Oh?" Kira said, only mildly intrigued. "And what boat is that?"
"We're both trapped." Collapse said. "We both want to get out from under our oppressor's thumb." Then, a pause before he said, "And we're both murderers."
Kira gritted her teeth, but waited before answering. "I think you've confused me with someone else."
Quantum Collapse's smile widened. "So I guessed right." he said. "You are under someone's thumb."
"N-nothing on gamma." a lab assistant said.
"Right." Kira said, thinking. "I think that's enough for today. It's getting late, and I expect all you to be here tomorrow morning."
The lab assistants evacuated swiftly, as grateful to get out of the room with these two as they were to have an early break. Kira lagged behind. As soon as the last assistant was gone, Quantum Collapse spoke again.
"I really think that we could help each other." He said. "Let's say you let me out, and I do some old-fashioned carnage and destruction wherever you want."
Kira turned on Quantum Collapse with a hardened stare. "Listen, subject." The title dripped with venom. "i don't care what we may or may not share. If you keep this up, you are going to go nowhere but deep storage two-hundred meters underground. You got that?"
"ooh. Scary." Quantum Collapse said. "With that Kind of treatment, maybe I'll just leave to go somewhere I'm more appreciated."
Kira couldn't actually tell whether he was serious or not. She thought for a moment, then said, "You're behind double force fields and more fallback security measures than I care to count. You're not going anywhere."
"Don't forget two layers of glass, and a sheet of tin foil." Quantum Collapse added sarcastically.
Kira stared Collapse down for a few moments. "You're bluffing to get me to move you to a more secure area, during which move you plan to attempt your escape."
"Am I?" Quantum Collapse said, amused. "That would be awfully clever of me."
"Enjoy your confinement." Kira said, then she closed the door on her way out. As soon as she found some of her security personnel, however, she ordered them to double the power to the containment unit.