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Site 24. Easily recognizeable as one of the central hubs of the Facility's operations, it was the main Humanoid Experimentational Facility. Used primarily for the Facility's biological observation of transportable specimens, as well as the creation of experimental humanoids, Site 24 was equal parts hospital as it was secret underground facility. Located in a remote wooded area near the Appalachian Mountains, Site 24's entrance was a large set of blast doors located on one end of a modest parking lot. A small fleet of black vans marked the Site's public ground transportation. The blast doors opened into a large concrete docking area and an extensive security checkpoint for both vehicles and personnel, allowing for the loading and unloading of supplies, new faculty, and experiments.

Beyond the docking station lie the offices, the dorms, and amenities required for the on-site personnel to be comfortable. Cafeteria, recreation room, gymnasium... The Facility ensured that its security and low-grade personnel lived comfortably at least according to regulation standards. This area was often referred to as the Concrete Side, referring to the simple concrete walls.

Separate from the common areas lie the Scientific Wing, or White Side, called such because of the whitewashed polymer over reinforced steel. Housing the Observation and Feeding Chambers, as well as the holding cells for certain experiments and specimens, the Scientific Wing also boasted the Medical Wing, where Facility personnel were treated. The lower levels of the Medical Wing were also the Operation Rooms where humanoid experimentation and projects were performed. Whether dissecting a dead experiment or specimen, or conducting an experiment on their own personnel, the deeper parts of the Medical Wing were the source of what could be called ghost stories among the Security Personnel. Many tales were told of the goings on in the Lower Medical Wings, tales intended to inspire fear and uncertainty.

Between the Concrete Side and the White Side, lie the comfortable amenities that the OS Level 5 and above kept to themselves. Blood-red carpet and dull yellow painted hallways gave an air of higher class, and if anything, fed the egos of those privileged enough to see them. A large bear in a black suit sat in one of the red-carpeted rooms. He sat high in his wooden chair, leaned back and appearing to be fully relaxed on the thick red cushions. Across from him sat a nervous-looking skunk. The pair watched a large monitor at the head of the table. The video screen displayed a bespectacled panther sitting in a seat looking out of the small window of the Overseer's private jet.

"I'd just as soon gather them all up with their beloved experiments and launch the entire operation into the sun. Every scientist. Every freak. Straight into the sun and out of my life." Overseer Tabitha's voice rang out from the recording before Professor Garron shut the monitor off with a casual click of the remote in his hand.

"So you see, Professor," the bear said, "Our Overseer wants us and every one of our operation dead. She and her pet Specimen are plotting to kill us off, one by one. I take if you've already seen the footage of what happened to Professor Ranja."

The skunk shuddered at the thought. "Yes... I couldn't believe it... Fed to 222? Why would the Overseer do such a thing?"

Professor Garron was a stark contrast to the wary skunk, his muscles didn't twitch at all, he sat as unmoving as a rock. "As an example. She wants us too scared of her to think to work together. Luckily for the Council, and you, I am not easily intimidated."

This seemed to steel the skunk's resolve. "What do you want me to do?"

The bear continued, his face emotionless, his words carried the precision of a scalpel, as if each one were meticulously selected beforehand. "I am only an OS-5. You are one of two OS-6s on the compound with the clearance for what we need. Me and my associates in the Council wish to end our Overseer's heel over our heads. We need you to cut the power to the security overrides to Observation Corridor 6 at the specified time. Our Overseer will be locked in with a certain choice experiment, and we will be rid of her tyranny and free to pursue the goals of the Facility. Free to further our understanding of the supernatural. For the sake of our operation we must remove the stifling cancer among us. Aren't you sick of looking over your shoulder, fearful that your latest decision might have angered the Overseer? That she might throw you to the proverbial wolves on a whim, just because she can't appreciate your work?"

Professor Garron sounded as if he were letting passion overcome his clinical detachment, what the higher-ranking skunk did not realize was, this was a carefully constructed deception. An effort made to rouse the skunk's own pride and get him to more readily agree to what the large bear was asking.

The skunk narrowed his eyes, seemingly solidifying his answer. He looked to Professor Garron and nodded, "Count me in."

The large bear grinned widely, a grin full of delight at a plan going just as it was supposed to. "Glad to have you aboard, sir."

*******

Deep within the Red Zone, as the red-carpeted halls that housed the privileged class of the Facility halls, sat a bespectacled pantheress behind a dark brown polished wood desk. In front of her sat a small pile of folders to review. In front of her was a name plate that read Overseer Jasmine R Tabitha. She took a deep breath and leaned back into her chair, setting down a gold pen next to a number of other pens that were more status symbols than they were writing utensils, each one meticulously placed in order from largest to smallest near the pantheress' left hand.

Leaned back in an ergonomically designed chair cushioned for even the most picky of sitters, Tabitha reached into her drawer, pulling out a sterling silver plated cigar case. She opened it with a snap and withdrew a single cigar. It was the kind of cigar one smoked to impress more than it was a cigar smoked for the sake of it. Still, Tabitha thought it to her liking. She pulled out a Zippo lighter that had an ornate letter F engraved on it. She casually flicked it, sparking a small flame that she gazed into before bringing it to the waiting cigar in her mouth. She inhaled deeply before closing the lighter with a flick of her wrist. She exhaled a plume of smoke, her vaguely yellowed teeth betrayed years of the habit, but in the dim light and yellowed walls, no one ever noticed... not that they'd dare comment in the first place.

"Those things will be the death of you... and where would be the fun in that?" came a low, bemused voice.

Julian Faust sat in a corner, lounging with his feet propped up on a small table. He wore a white shirt, black slacks, and large black steel-toed boots. His hands ended in wicked looking claws and his wings draped around him as if he were permanently wearing a cape. Julian had once mentioned that he did his best to look intimidating. It seemed to work on most others, but Tabitha was still of the opinion that he looked like he belonged on the set of the nearest low-budget monster movie as the clueless government official who exacerbates the situation at every turn.

The panther girl pressed her rimless glasses to the bridge of her knows, exhaling even more smoke. She payed little heed to the smoke. The air in her chambers was filtered, and the small amount of tobacco wouldn't trip the alarms. "Julian, the second I take life advice from you will be the second after my heart stops beating."

Julian gave a laugh, but said nothing more.

"Besides..." the pantheress stated, "The odds of cancer killing me before one of those freaks do is highly stacked in the freak's favor..."

Tabitha took another deep drag before a red light mounted over the doorway started flashing and an alarm started blaring. "Ugh. What now?" Tabitha asked aloud as she got up to move toward the door. She looked at Julian, who was still lounging in his seat. "Site 24 really doesn't do a good job of keeping its specimens contained, do they?"

Tabitha glared, but could not deny the seeming truth to the vampire bat's words. "It seems that more weight is added to my previous statement..."

"You should allow me to instill in them a sense of responsibility, Tabby." Julian said with a wide, toothy grin that showed off his pearly white fangs.

"Call me that again and I'll feed you headfirst into an incinerator." Tabitha seethed. She opened the door and gestured outward. "Now get out there." she commanded. Julian begrudgingly got out of his seat before heading into the hallway that was lined with more flashing alarms. The blaring noise did little to hamper Julian's keen senses as he utilized every razor sharp instinct to discern any possible threat. "Clear." he said before moving on in the direction of the designated safe zones.

"I wonder what got loose this time." Julian ventured as he made sure Tabitha's path was clear.

"Who knows. I just can't wait to find out who's responsible." the pantheress said as she walked along, very annoyed. "Up ahead is the path to the observation rooms, clear it."

"Of course." Julian answered. He ventured into the next hallway.

After Julian had moved away from Tabitha, the heavy blast door lowered down, separating her from Julian. "Huh? Julian!" Tabitha yelled as the door whirred shut and magnetically sealed. "Ugh." Tabitha seethed as she swiped her card next to the security override to unlock the door. The door did not budge. The pantheress swiped three more times before a confused looking vampire bat appeared at the viewport for the steel door. "There's something wrong with the door!" Tabitha yelled to the other side. "Try to open it from your side!"

Julian set to work on the console on the other side of the thick steel barricade with little success. "It's dead!" He yelled back. Tabitha squinted her eyes, perplexed. The door should have opened...

"I can smeeeeeell youuuuu..." came a hauntingly familiar voice. A low, prolonged whisper, almost a hiss. It was a voice full of cold, venomous malice, it pierced the blare of the alarms like a scalpel. Precise, and deadly.

Tabitha turned around to see a shadow growing on the floor, originating from a corridor just out of view. "I can taste... your fear... You, too, deserve to be... punished..."

A massive golden-scaled cobra peeked its head around the corner, its hood fully flared.

Tabitha remained cold and defiant, affixing the giant reptile with a cold glare. "Specimen 222." she said, as if affirming it's existence. With her eyes glaring right into the massive reptile's, Tabitha pulled out her silver-plated pistol, and quickly shot out the surrounding security cameras. Specimen 222 seemed confused, and looked around to the sparking pieces of machinery before deciding that they weren't worth taking its attention off of Tabitha.

"I refuse to give the mother fucker's the satisfaction." Tabitha said, more out of a need to say something lest she lose her resolve and run. It was no secret to her that she wouldn't get far. Specimen 222 was much too fast. She knew that this was the end, and would face it with dignity.

Behind the blast door Julian's eyes went wide as soon as he saw the massive cobra. "No... Tabitha!" he'd said before punching the blast door. Julian's strength was unmatched and unmeasurable for a creature of average size. And while he could not hope to damage the door much, four small indentions were left where he'd struck the door. "TABITHAAAAAA!" he yelled as he launched into a fury, raining blows faster than any device would have been able to measure, hammering into the thick metal screen. Each strike denting the metal by fractions of an inch, but such was his desperation that he did not even notice the blood on the door nor the cracking of his own bones. So determined was he to reach the pantheress in time.

In the corridor, the muffled sound of the impacts rang out over the heavy breathing of the massive cobra inching its way toward the pantheress. While holding her ground, the cobra only moved at inches a pace, she grew impatient. "Just get it over with, you disgusting creature." she spat.

The cobra spat back. Tabitha's senses were affronted with the biting scent of chlorine as a viscous green bile splashing across her face. Searing pain lanced through the pantheress' head. It was agonizing, but Tabitha refused to cry out even as half of her vision faded to blackness.

"You deserve punishment just like the rest..." the cobra said as it snaked around the pantheress. It did not coil around her, but merely slithered and twisted so that she was surrounded on all sides by golden scales, Specimen 222's tongue flicking dangerously close to her face.

"Then get it over with!" Tabitha said through gritted teeth as the acid ate through her eye.

"I want to... but something stops me..." the snake hissed.

"Yeah? Well what is it? Not pretty enough for you?" Tabitha said, her efforts to stay conscious were an exercise in willpower. Her mocking bravado helped steel her resolve against the agony.

"You feed them to me." the cobra stated. There was no emotion behind its words, only simple fact. It knew.

"Yeah, well they deserved it. To be eaten and tortured by a freak like you." Tabitha seethed. "Now stop talking nonsense and just get it over with!" the pantheress cried out, wanting any relief for the pain in her eye. The pounding in her head seemed to drown out the steadily growing pounding of Julian's efforts. However, the vampire bat was the furthest thing from Tabitha's mind.

"No... You deserve, but I will not." said Specimen 222.

"Yeah? Well why not?" Tabitha asked, her resolve faltering as she assumed that the cobra was going to prolong her suffering as much as it could. The edges of her vision were swimming, an inviting blackness creeping along the edges of her field of vision.

"We are... the same..."

The hissing voice of the cobra receding into the distance was the last thing Tabitha heard before there was a loud CRASH and the thundering of footsteps. She felt herself lifted into the arms of something black and fuzzy before her mind gave out, giving in to the comforting blackness of unconsciousness.

******

Julian felt a rush of elation as the fruits of his assault payed off. The metal yielded to his relentless power as the door buckled with the groan of strained metal. It seemed to scream as it was finally forced open, but Julian payed little heed to the sound of ripped metal. He had one purpose, and one purpose only: protect Tabitha.

With little thought or reason, Julian leapt at the golden cobra, bellowing the name of his charge.

"TABITHAAAAAA!" His voice, however, bore no concern, only alarm. No fear played across his face, only seething hatred at being blocked from the pantheress. His claws that could rend reinforced steel sunk deep into Specimen 222's flesh. The giant snake let out a hissing gasp as the vampire bat leapt at him. They were a flurry of tooth and claw as the two supernaturals proceeded to rip and tear at each other.

Specimen 222 was classified as a "Mutantationist Evolutionary Organism." The Facility's full understanding of the creature was written on a file so large that it has a petabyte hard drive specifically designated to store all Specimen 222-related data. How this was explained to the simpler minded guards assigned to its sector was that it was a being that was able to choose its own evolution. If allowed to mutate unchecked, it will become unstoppable, adapting itself to overcome any challenge it faces. The Facility is well aware that its containment is a result of it never having encountered Facility personnel before, and that their victory over the creature was only because it had never faced anything like them before.

It is unknown how Specimen 222 came to exist, whether it was made artificially, or otherwise. The Facility records show it coming into Facility possession when Facility investigators were following up on a lead regarding a ghost tale on one of the mountains. Locals called it "Legend of The Hungry Ghost." Investigation of the trails revealed the legend traced back to a demon they called "The Great Devourer." Both tales recount an entity on the mountain that ate anyone foolish enough to venture close. Facility investigators climbed the mountain, and never checked back in. This prompted the use of Tactical Response Team Gamma, "The Grizzlies", a specialty team in deep woods and mountain environment training.

The team suffered heavy losses, as Specimen 222's scales and rounded body ensured that most bullets were deflected with minimal damage to the creature. The team retreated from initial contact, and called in for reinforcements. The Facility cleared use for Tactical Response Team Omicron, "The Tank Killers" who were able to subdue Specimen 222. Using Armor Piercing Sabot rounds fired from team-operated mobile cannons, Facility troops were able to blow off enough of 222's scales to expose the softer flesh underneath, and proceeded to reduce Specimen 222's mass through use of High Explosive Anti-Take HEAT rounds. With the specimen reduced to 13% of its original mass, the remains were contained and taken into custody. When the specimen started to regenerate, the Facility moved fast to ensure that it did not regain enough functionality to become a threat. It was placed in a vat of biochemical acid designed to dissolve its flesh at a rate equivalent of its regeneration factor. The specimen was kept like this and only allowed to regenerate under observation or experimentation. After the experiments are concluded, its mass is reduced to an inert state.

Julian Faust knew all of this, but did not have or need Sabot or HEAT rounds. Julain was not a regular fur. He was a supernatural just like 222 was. Unfortunately, he had been in service to Tabitha since before the Facility's formation. Julian was allotted certain liberties, such as a name. Designated Specimen 0, Julian existed outside the system. Not allowed to do anything, but no one was allowed to do anything to him. No experiments, no TRT deployment. No nothing. He existed as Tabitha's bodyguard only, just as he always had been.

It was this purpose that fueled him as his claws dug in, piercing the scales of 222 and rending the flesh beneath. However, tackling a giant snake has its consequences. Fangs repeatedly sunk into Julian's flesh and fur. Yellow blood mixed with black as the two affronts to nature battled it out in the corridor. Teeth and claws and fur flew in the air, the sound of tearing sinew and muscle filled an air that hung thick with the smell of blood and bile. Julian was thankful that his own regeneration factor kept him fit to fight as much as the snake's did.

Security personnel in tactical armor arrived at the scene to see a cycle of carnage few had ever before borne witness to. The creatures tore at each other's flesh, only for their respective healing factors to restore it, only for it to be torn again. There was blood, fur, and scales everywhere, and the sight of their downed Overseer lay sprawled out on the floor before the fighting beasts. "Overseer!" one of them yelled before rushing to her side, allowing their companions to regard the fighting with trained weapons. "Get her to the medical bay, NOW!" the leader bellowed as two picked up the pantheress and retreated.

"What do we do about that, sir?" said one guard behind the darkened faceplate of their armored helmet.

"Break out the incendiary grenades. I want 222 reduced to a pile of goo, then we let the scientists have what's left."

"And the bat?"

"Our goal is containment of 222. If the bat survives, so be it. If not, oh well."

"Roger, sir."