Expeditious Adventures

There were a great many reactions a researcher, such as Abraham Mueller, might have in this scenario. Panic was, of course, the most common reaction. It was perhaps the worst possible reaction and the Foundation, in their wisdom, did as much work as possible to limit that sort of response in their staff. However, it was certainly still common.

Freezing was another common reaction, a complete catatonic state often preceding a complete meltdown. Denial, that was another one. If the anomalies were denied their existence then they would hold no power, surely. In a few rare cases, straight denial even worked. However, Doctor Abraham Mueller, without any special training needed, had the most preferable reaction. It was one of the reasons for his quick rise as a researcher, and why Jupiter not only tolerated his company but rather enjoyed it.

Clasping his hands together after Laine answered his question, he smiled.

"Thank you, Miss Cantrille. That was exactly the answer I had been expecting." It was not at all the answer he had been expecting, but it was an extremely informative answer. Beckoning her with two fingers, Abraham began his descent deeper into the facility, "Stay close to me. While we walk, please radio the L-14 staff guarding our targeted anomaly that we will be delayed. It would seem we are going on an adventure." Then calmly, wonderfully calmly, Abraham laughed at his little joke.

Everything about Abraham, from his body language to his regular rhythmic heartbeat, had the air of a man who stepped outside onto his porch and saw a neighbor walking a new dog. It was as if their current predicament was no more than a light surprise, like opening a fridge to find one more Dr. Peeper when you thought you were out. A calmness of mind and body moving perfectly in sync.

WeAre
OnAn
Adventure

Continuing down the flight of stairs, Abraham glanced down to see if he could spot a door. Where every exit door should have been, there was a level number and a blank concrete wall. Abraham ignored the level marks, they were not the adventure. Six flights down, he spotted a door. With the target acquired, he attempted a bit of small talk and kept moving, "L-14 is a very comfortable place, of course, but we must all extend ourselves now and again. It is the nature of the work, our work. You do see yourself as staff, do you not, Laine? A sort of, how to say, 'one of us?'"
 



Dr. Mueller seemed to understand the answer that she had given. That was good, because Laine was not sure how else to explain it. Sometimes people did not know what she meant by things. Sometimes the people who did not know what she meant were not there at the moment.

Alex is not-

She must not think about that. Dr. Mueller moved forward, starting down the stairs. He had instructed Laine to remain with him, but she was not certain this was within her current capabilities. Laine took half a step forward, then stopped. He noticed, of course, and was patient while she tried to explain again. Laine appreciated the patience.

"Dr. Mueller, the door is where it always would have been." Laine knew exactly where it always would have been, because she was very good at measurements. The challenge was that the stairs were where they had always been and the door was where it always would have been. Dr. Mueller was able to navigate this set of realities, but Laine was an anomaly, and Laine did not come apart. She had always been that way.

It would have been different at L-14. Dr. Mueller seemed to understand that somewhat, as he mentioned it. L-14 was a comfortable place. It was where she belonged. Laine could be herself at L-14. Being here was different, and without L-14 being also here, it was very complicated. L-14 was not here, however, just like Ale-

She must not think about things that were not here.

Still. Laine had a task to do, and completing it was required. She needed to figure out how to solve the problem. Laine took a slow breath and exhaled, because it made other people feel better, and Laine was not sure if Dr. Mueller was one of those other people, but she did not think it would hurt.

"This may have unknown repercussions. You are not required to accept."

This was a statement, but it was also a warning. He would remember what she had told him earlier, but this time it was Laine who extended a hand.

Dr. Mueller seemed to understand the answer that she had given. That was good, because Laine was not sure how else to explain it. Sometimes people did not know what she meant by things. Sometimes the people who did not know what she meant were not there at the moment.

Alexis is not-

She must not think about that. Dr. Mueller moved forward, opening the door and walking through it. He had instructed Laine to remain with him, but she was not certain this was within her current capabilities. Laine took half a step forward, then stopped. He noticed, of course, and was patient while she tried to explain again. Laine appreciated the patience.

"Dr. Mueller, the door is where it always would have been." Laine knew exactly where it always would have been, because she was very good at observation. Of course, as she had told him earlier, the stairs were also where they always had been. Dr. Mueller was able to navigate this set of realities, but Laine was an anomaly, and Laine did not come apart. She had always been that way.

It would have been different at L-14. Dr. Mueller seemed to understand that somewhat, as he mentioned it. L-14 was a safe place. It was where she belonged. Laine could be herself at L-14. Being here was different, and without L-14 being also here, it was very complicated. L-14 was not here, however, just like Ale-

She must not think about things that were not here.

Still. Laine had a task to do, and completing it was required. She needed to figure out how to solve the problem. Laine took a slow breath and exhaled, because it made other people feel better, and Laine was not sure if Dr. Mueller was one of those other people, but she did not think it would hurt.

"This may have unknown repercussions. You are not required to accept."

This was a warning, but it was also an offer. He would remember what she had told him earlier, but this time it was Laine who extended a hand.
 
Laine had not answered his question, that was peculiar. Had the new development off-put her so much that she could focus on nothing else? It was possible. Her abilities manifested in anchoring herself and that which she chose to a single location, it was possible she was similarly anchored in reality. That is to say- the correct reality. Wherever they were now was wrong.

He did not continue down the flight of stairs, Laine did not follow so he did not leave her. She reiterated to him the location of the door, despite not being able to see it on their floor himself. Perhaps that meant that the door was still in that location and he could not see it? Or, if she were anchored in the correct reality and Abraham was seeing no more than a projection of her pulled out by the new reality's attempt to self-correct then- Ah, it was too confusing.

Abraham was not a specialist in this sort of thing, he preferred to simply experience it and let the whims of the anomalies take him where they did. It was stressful and upsetting of course it was exciting and enjoyable of course, but still, he had to keep a logical mind as much as possible. Laine offered him her hand.

She didn't do that.

She warned him too, that wasn't so much a deviation of behavior as it was frightening as it was fascinating. This was part of the adventure, and Dr. Mueller loved an adventure. Reaching out, he took her hand with a smile. "No matter the repercussions, I won't worry. I have faith in you."
 


Dr. Mueller was considering how things worked. That was expected, because he was a researcher. He was not Laine's researcher. Laine's researcher was-

-not here-

No, she must not think about that, not here.

But Dr. Mueller was a researcher and it was understandable that he was attempting to understand things. Laine waited, because she was very good at being patient, but he did not take very long to decide. It seemed that Dr. Mueller had a sense of adventure.

This did not seem to be a metaphor. That was acceptable, as Laine was not very good with metaphors. His hand touched hers, contact established with him, with his reality. It provided an anchor point, something that she could be together with, something that allowed her to separate herself from the other point that was also the same point and always had been.
Dr. Mueller was considering how things worked. That was expected, because he was a researcher. He was not Laine's researcher. Laine's researcher was-

-not there-

No, she must not think about the not there.

But Dr. Mueller was a researcher and it was understandable that he was attempting to understand things. Laine waited, because she was very good at being patient, but he did not take very long to decide. It seemed that Dr. Mueller was going on an adventure.

This did not seem to be a metaphor. That was acceptable, as Laine was not very good with metaphors. His hand touched hers, contact established with him, with this reality. It provided an anchor point, something that she could be together with, something that allowed her to separate herself from the other point that was also the same point and always had been.


That was how reality was and always had been.

Laine had recently come across the information that not everyone experienced reality in the same way that she did. This was probably a research question, but it had not been researched, because Laine's researcher was-

Laine drew in a breath, then let it go slowly. She nodded once, then released Dr. Mueller's hand. It wasn't that she didn't actually like contact with other people; it was that it was hard to let go. She'd had to let go before, and it was... still hard. Laine was not good at letting go. Alex was somewhere, and Laine...

...had to let her go. As always.

Hopefully it would not be the same with Dr. Mueller, but she was not certain. There would be repercussions, but she did not know what they were. This was not the time for studying that, however, because they had a mission to complete. The Foundation came first.

"Thank you." It was something that Jupiter said; something that he had said was important. It fit here, just like many things fit here. The stairs stretched downward, as they always had, and the door would be at the bottom, where it always had been. "We can proceed now."

 
There was a moment, only a moment, when Laine established contact with Abraham that something 'not-normal' occurred. It was not something Abraham intended. In fact, if he could have prevented it then he certainly would have. But as Laine established the anchor point with Dr. Abraham Mueller, she would establish it with more than what someone might look at Abraham and think he was.

She established it with what he truly was.

A cellular mass consisting of, roughly, 8,600,000,000,000 cells and neurons had spread itself throughout Abraham's body. It took over parts of his brain, almost completely overtook his nervous system, and replaced cells where it could not smash itself in to fit. To any scan or test, they appeared as human as the human cells in Abraham's body. But to Laine's touch, they would be decidedly more. And, at Laine's touch, they vibrated in unison. Moving as one coherent, powerful body within a body, as if they were trying to say

Hello.

Abraham smiled as Laine let go, crossing his arms and observing the new situation before them. The door had reappeared, or- perhaps it had never been gone in the first place. Either way, Laine had fixed whatever it was that had been wrong. Abraham concluded mentally that studies should be done about, well, whatever it was Laine did. But it wasn't Abraham's place to do those studies. In his mind, this interaction had been nothing more than Laine doing her job and keeping him safe this interaction had been so much more than Laine doing her job and keeping him safe, and he would never forget that.

Opening the door, Abraham spoke aloud as the pair were greeted with the wide open space of a warehouse, "It seems this place may contain anomalous properties, we should have someone look into that after our work is concluded."
 
"Hello."

It was polite to respond when someone was speaking to you. This was not someone but some many, but the conversational extrapolation was still applicable. Dr. Mueller was not a singular he, but 8,600,021,937,212 he. Laine was very good with measurements. It was possible that this number would change in the future. She would be able to know if it did, if she chose to do so. She had drawn her hand back to her side once more, and Dr. Mueller was studying her somewhat. He was not studying her too much, because he was not her researcher.

He was also not what she had expected him to be, but she was not very good with people. She was much better with anomalies. Dr. Mueller was not reported as an anomaly in the files she had read about him. Laine followed him down the stairs, silently thoughtful for a moment.

"Am I authorized to know this information?" There were many things in the Foundation that Laine was not authorized to know. The Foundation had many levels of clearance, and Laine had only clearance up to Class C, unless it was extended for security purposes or other Foundational needs. The Foundation occasionally offered retroactive clearance, which generally meant that someone had found out about something and might as well have access to it. This seemed to be one of those cases, unless Laine was still not authorized, in which case her knowledge of the situation would be redacted.

Dr. Mueller had opened the door, and Laine stepped through, looking around carefully to make sure that there were no additional threats to security present. "I agree with your analysis. I will include it in my report and recommend further study by someone well versed in ontokinetics." The building's properties definitely did seem anomalous.

"Please close the door behind you. It will make the room easier to secure."
 
Abraham smiled, a little confused, at Laine and responded, "Hello to you too?" Before continuing on his walk into the warehouse. He wasn't sure why she said that, he'd have to ask her he'd decided to just forget about it and not worry.

She asked about authorization and Abraham concluded she must've been asking about the warehouse and its possible status as an anomaly. Offhandedly, he remarked, "I suppose you are, you're here with me after all. I think it'd be kind of silly if you weren't authorized." And, at that, Abraham chuckled lightly.

Closing the door behind them at Laine's suggestion, the pair continued down through the shelves and toward the location that had been prepped for them. While they walked, Dr. Mueller nodded at Laine's remark of including it in her report, "Indeed, I think I shall make the same observations and recommendations in my reports as well. Ah, well, if Jupiter even reads them- haha. He's not paperwork adverse, of course, but he's so busy these days..."

In the distance, and it really felt like a distance with the sheer magnitude of size that the warehouse was, a little grouping of Foundation agents could be observed standing around a secure area. The warehouse was so large that, even without any anomalous properties, a little bit of fog had condensed around the back walls so that the 'end' of the building couldn't be seen from its opposite side. As they approached, Abraham slowed his walk a bit and asked quietly, "Laine, my eyesight isn't as good as when I was younger, do those men look- well, normal, to you?"

The Foundation agents, four in total, were standing completely still around the artifact anomaly's location. They didn't seem to be moving at all. While they were also facing away from Laine and Abraham, none of them appeared as if they were holding their service weapons either.
 
Dr. Mueller seemed uncertain about the initial conversation. Laine was also often uncertain about conversations, but in a different manner. He agreed to her authorization, however, so she would continue to be aware of the situation. Perhaps she would ask Jupiter about it. He had encouraged questions. Whether or not he provided answers would be his decision, but Laine could certainly report what she had experienced and see what he thought about it. She was trying to be better about that, because she had learned that her perceptions seemed to be more anomalous than had been initially assumed.

Dr. Mueller also mentioned that Jupiter was busy these days, which was understandable. He was on the security council, after all. The doorway was closed, and Laine had a much better sense of the room they were in and the situation within it. There were four agents present. They were not moving. They did not seem to be breathing, either. Laine attempted to measure heartbeats, because she was very good at measurement, and perhaps that would work.

There were none. She was certain of this.

This was not the situation that had been discussed in the mission briefing. Dr. Mueller was supposed to be responsible for the transfer of the anomaly only. L-14 had agents guarding it, and that was not Laine's department. Somehow, those agents had been... unsecured.

This made it Laine's department, because now she was the senior security agent present. Laine did not want to be the senior security agent present. Laine was very good at following directions. This required someone else to give them.

"Dr. Mueller, please stay back." It was worded as a request, not a statement. Dr. Mueller was a Class-D researcher and could choose to override the request if he desired, but ACF-833 had put the anomalous tilt on the words that he would feel, very clearly, in each of the 8,600,021,937,212 pieces that were together him. Her words would not force his inaction, because she was not authorized to do that, but they would provide enough pull that he was very likely to pause and think about them.

"This situation has changed. Our advance team is acting outside standard parameters and I am considering them unable to follow Foundation guidelines. According to those guidelines, please call in the situation to the Foundation while I maintain a security perimeter."

She was not certain how she was going to do that, but as they had not yet stopped, there was likely to be some distance where they would maintain their actionability. Hopefully the Foundation would be able to offer guidance.
 
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