Page 106 of The Chemist

Empty.

Just like the path they had taken up here, as well as the yard they had cut across.

Strange.

Zero watched as Chase slipped inside, followed by Levi, Matteo, Ares, Jared, the twins, Marc, and finally Zero coming up the rear.

The rest of the super-secret assassin command was off doing God knows what somewhere else on the compound. Zero still wasn’t sure what their mission was, but Ares had given his second-in-command very specific instructions.

The inside of the facility resembled any other small laboratory. Hallways led to doors that were passcard-protected. Doors that were unlocked led to thick glass windows that peered out into rooms used for experiments.

“Watch your step,” Chase warned Levi as he stepped through a glass door and into a decontamination chamber used to access the lab next door. “Only three are allowed in at a time.”

Isaac, Jared, and Chase stepped into the chamber and waited for the door to close behind them before reaching for the latch on the connecting door. Chase gave a tug.

Locked.

Damnit.

“Come back through, and we can find another way around,” Zero suggested, turning to head back the way he came.

A click alerted them to the door being locked from the inside. Zero turned back to the chamber, where a terrified Levi was yanking on the latch of the door that they just walked through.

“It’s locked!” he shouted, eyes wide as he banged his fist on the door.

A sinister chuckle seeped in through the overhead speakers strategically placed throughout the room.

“I thought I might run into you boys once again. That was you in my office a few weeks ago, rummaging through my things, wasn’t it?”

Zero’s head snapped around, searching for the source of their unseen observer. A tiny camera in the corner turned slightly and zoomed in on where Zero was standing.

“My name is Dr. Baasch, and welcome to my research facility.”

The sound of the doctor’s voice made Zero’s skin crawl.

“Where’s Diesel?” Zero shouted, looking directly into the camera.

More chuckling. “What, no introductions? Howrude.”

Marc yanked his tablet out of his bag and began typing in words and codes, doing his high-tech wizard thing.

“You know, one of the major concerns any research facility has is the introduction of viruses, bacteria, and other foreign agents into a sterile environment. Luckily, we have several of these nifty little decontamination chambers that help to fight against such risks and exposures.”

Chase’s eyes went wide when realization set in.

“Want to see how it works?” the voice boomed over the speakers.

“No! Wait!” Zero and the guys inside the chamber screamed.

“It’s no trouble at all. It will only take a second to demonstrate,” the doctor’s voice hissed seconds before the nozzles overhead began spraying a slightly yellow liquid down on Chase, Levi, and Jared.

“Shit! Do something!” Zero yelled, rushing over to the decontamination door. He raised his gun and began shooting bullets into the reinforced glass.

“I’m on it!” Marc shouted, sweat dripping from his forehead.

Inside the chamber, Chase buried Levi’s face into his chest, trying his best to shield his lover from the toxic liquid.

“Hurry!” Zero shouted to the sound of the doctor chuckling over the speakers.

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