Red Lab Gym

Yeri was releasing her frustration on the punching bag, her knuckles are already reddened from the fraction with the punching bag. She was sweating like hell, so she takes off her shirt and only wearing her sports bra.

Seulgi only watches Yeri from the corner of the gym. She didn’t want Yeri and Youi to know about their origin like this. She even made a promise with Irene that she will keep the secret to her grave but she failed. She texted her wife to tell her that the secret is out, she doesn’t know what to do to comfort the two sisters.

Waifu Joy – What are their reaction?

Seulbear – Youi didn’t react much but it’s Yeri that I’m worried about.

Waifu Joy – Let me talk to her when you guys come back.

Seulbear – It might take some time. I’ll call you when everything calmed down.

Waifu Joy – Alright. Everything will be okay Seul…

Seulbear – I hope so…

Seulgi puts away her phone when she heard Yeri shouted in frustration. She sees Yeri is lying on the cold hard ground with her hand covering her eyes. She knows Yeri too well, Yeri always tries to act tough around people but deep down inside she is a fragile young girl. Seulgi gets up and went to one of the locker, she opens the locker and smiles when the things that she looked for is still there. She takes the thing and approaches Yeri. She throws the fighting gloves on the floor.

“Get up.” She told Yeri.

“Huh?”

“It’s been awhile since we spar with each other, I’ve seen that you’re getting rusty, so get up, let’s fight.” Seulgi said to Yeri.

Yeri lazily gets the gloves and put them on “Sparring with you won’t makes me feel better either.” She said.

“Well at least, sparring with me will shift your mind from thinking about that matter.”

“Why…why didn’t you and Joy tell me that I was adopted?” Yeri finally asked.

“Because it doesn’t matter, we still love you and nothing will change our love for you.”

Yeri tightened the Velcro strap of the gloves and she gets up on her feet “I was acting like a toward Youi because I thought I was my mom’s biological daughter…” said Yeri, and there’s a glistening in her eyes “I was a jerk.” She said before she lunges toward Seulgi.

Seulgi ducks Yeri’s attack and she swiftly catch Yeri’s arm and twisted it behind her back “Focus Yeri…” Seulgi said before she let go.

“Don’t try to teach me how to fight, I beat 6 persons and you’re only beat 5 just now!”

“You’re the one who’s preaching!”

“Let’s just fight.” Seulgi brushes Yeri off and she get ready in her fighting stance.

“Oh it’s on.”

The Lab

Youi was buried by hundreds of files that Yves prepared for her. She was engrossed in the research files that her mother asked her to destroy. The research file is about Genetic Modification Experiment to create super soldier for the S.Korea and US. Most of the experiments failed but in the record 3 babies survived but their location is unknown.

“Yves…what happened to the 3 of them?” Youi asked the AI.

“After realizing the horror of the experiment, Irene seek for Wendy’s help to rescue those 3 babies from being exploit by the government. Would you like me to play the video Irene recorded?”

“Play it for me.”

“Video play.”

“This is Irene Bae, reporting about the ‘T-ARA’ organization experiment. The date today is 03 July 1994. I had to hide while doing this recording. Bae & Co agreed to help in the experiment because the organization told us that it was for future medical benefits, but it turned out they are lying.” Irene stopped for a while and she peeked around then she looked back to the camera “All the experiment that we have conducted on those pregnant women, they are horrible…it is horror. I need to let the world know, even if it cost me my company reputation and name. I wasn’t directly involved in the experiment until recently. Before this I was told that they are using the chemical that we develop on convicts that are waiting for their death row, but when I was needed to supervise the experiment, I was shaken at the inhumane nature of the experiment. They impregnated innocent women and injected chemical R-17 into their womb after the embryo formed. Lots of those mothers died during their labour and most of the mutated babies didn’t survive. There are 3 babies that survive and they kept them in the incubator. I am thinking of a plan to get them out of here. Their mothers couldn’t make it through, but I am not going to let the organization to ruin these 3 innocent children life. Whoever that find this video, please, I beg of you find the 3 kids and please bring them far away from this city. Bring them to somewhere safer. I gotta go, the other scientists are coming back.”

The video ends and Youi was dazed by what she had learned “Yves, what is chemical R-17 and those kids, they still alive?”

“Chemical R-17 is a chemical that your mother invented. The function of R-17 is to mutate human embryo immune system, to make them more resistant toward sickness and viruses, it was a ground breaking discovery, but due to ethical issues, Irene couldn’t get it tested so the formula was disregarded, until in 1994 the government scientist modified the R-17 chain and shifted its DNA information, which will not only mutate the immune system, it will enhance the ability the person.”

“They altered the R-17 DNA information by mixing in animal’s DNA didn’t they?” Youi asked Yves.

“Yes…but how did you know Youi?”

“I read the files, it mentioned things about mixing human DNA with animal DNA but they only need to extract the animal’s trait and ability and not the animal features. Those 3…they aren’t human then…” Youi gasped as she realized the horror.

“Heejin, was the first survivor, her DNA were mix with rabbit’s DNA, which mean she had great sense of smell, sight and hearing. Hyunjin DNA were mix with cat’s DNA…and lastly, Olivia Hye…she had wolf DNA…”

“You know where they are right now?”

“Unfortunately, no one knows, Robin did a good job in hiding them…what are you going to do if you find them?”

“Apologize…their life must have been hard, with whatever condition that they have. I don’t want to destroy all of these files, Yves. Yves, tell me…can I trust you?” Youi asked with a serious tone.

“I was created by Wendy and my loyalty is for Wendy and her kin, so yes, you can trust me.” Yves replied.

“Hide all of the files in your systems or where you think it is safe. If anyone ask you just tell them I’ve already destroy it.”

“Why are you making this decision Youi? Even though Wendy and Irene instruct you to destroy it?” Yves questioned.

“You know what? Even though you’re an AI, you sure do ask so much questions…just do as what I instructed.”

“Roger that Youi.”

“Oh and…am I also the product of R-17?”

“No Youi, you are the product of Wendy Son and Irene Bae’s genes…”

Youi smiles to herself before she tells Yves to close all of the files. “How can I contact you outside of the lab Yves?”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t ask.”

A secret vault open and reveal a red velvet box, Youi reaches for the box and open it, inside there is a black colour watch.

“It’s a smart watch, Wendy invented the watch at the same time she created me, so the watch is automatically sync with my system, all you gotta do is summon me through it.” Said Yves.

“Thanks.” Youi thanked the AI and she takes out the watch and put it on her.

“Youi.”

“Yes?”

“Looking at you is like looking at Wendy and Irene…this city need its hero…”

Youi didn’t say anything, she only smiles, she bids Yves good bye and leave the lab to go look for Seulgi and Yeri.

Youi walks around the endless hallway. She stops when the hair on her nape stands, and she got goose bumps. She tried to keep herself calm by regulating her breath. She heard a soft growling coming from the tunnel on her left. Her iris moves to her left, hoping that she can catch a glimpse of what thing that is approaching her.

She panicked when she saw the creature, it was a huge hairy man with canine like teeth, glaring at her. That man almost looks like a werewolf. Youi slowly take a steps back and summons Yves.

“Yves at your service.”

“Yves is this one of your simulation test again?” Youi asked softly, as she tries to not make any abrupt movement that might cause the creature to attack her.

“Oh, I forgot to mention to you that after your mothers’ death, the T-ARA organization came back for the experiment files and they tried to replicate what Irene had done, but they failed miserably, and the lab was shut down after the failed experiments but those poor soldiers that they experimented on were left in this lab as they sealed it.”

“You should have told us that information earlier!”

“It must have slipped my mind. Tee hee.”

Youi rolled her eyes at the AI’s answer. She takes one more step back while keeping her eyes lock with the creature.

“And they haven’t eaten for…” before Yves could finish her sentence the creature leaps toward Youi.

“Tell me how to defeat them!” Youi asked Yves, she managed to block the creature from biting her. However, the creature is too strong for Youi to hold on for long. Youi poke the creature in its eyes and the creature growls in pain. Youi take the chance to escape. She runs aimlessly, she changes her route when more of the creatures coming toward her from the north hallway.

“Sikes! Yves! Locate where Seulgi and Yeri are!”

“They are at the gym.”

“Which way is the gym?!”

“Go to your right, head south and the gym is on your left.”

Youi follows Yves instruction and she managed to find the gym. She pushes the door open and quickly lock it. She moves all the things that she can find to block the door.

Seulgi and Yeri stops sparring and they stare at her weirdly.

Youi looks around and she saw the weight bars, she takes it and uses it to barricade the door.

“Youi what are you doing?”

Before Youi could answer, the creature broke the door and Youi fell back.

“Woah!! What the hell is that thing?!!” Yeri shouted at the creature.

“Got no time to explain, we have to find way to get out from here!” Youi shouted back.

“Yves what is that thing?!” Yeri asked Yves and Youi rolled her eyes at her older sister because for her the important thing right now is to escape.

“They are the soldiers that T-ARA injected with the replicated R-17 chemical.” Yves replied.

“Get out of the way kids.” Seulgi shoos them while holding a flamethrower.

“Woah! Where did you get that?!”

Youi jumps toward Yeri to save her from the flame that Seulgi fired toward the door. The creatures shriek in pain and all of them retreat. Seulgi check on the hallway and there was no sight of the creatures so she asked the girls to move. Seulgi made a call to Joy to pick them up ASAP.

“Hun, our nightmare is true after all, T-ARA did used Irene’s research and try to replicate it…we’re going out now, before the creatures find us.”

“OMG! Are the kids okay?”

“They’re okay, I promised Wendy I will protect them with my life…”

“Please be careful Seulgi…I’m coming to pick you girls up.”

“Alright, meet you at the entrance in 10 minutes.”

“Seulgi!!!”

Seulgi turns to the girls when she heard they shout for her, but her reflex was too slow to avoid the incoming attack from the creature. Seulgi got impaled by the creature’s sharp nails and her body fell on the ground lifeless.

“MOM!!!” Yeri screams and she runs toward Seulgi.

Youi takes out the Swiss army knife that she always carries with her and she lunges herself toward the creature. She stabs the creature in the eyes with her small knife. She knows it won’t give much impact but she needs to buy Yeri and Seulgi time to run away.

“Yeri go!!” Youi shouts at Yeri.

Yeri carries Seulgi on her back, all of the adrenaline that pumping through her body now give her the strength to carry Seulgi.

“Hold on please Seulgi…please…” Yeri begs.

There are more of the creatures coming back for them, Youi wanted to run but she knows if she runs, she will only let the creature to catch up with them. She decided to stay and fight, Yeri stops on her track to look back at Youi.

“Youi!”

“Unnie run, just go!!” Youi yelled to ask Yeri to just go and leave the situation to her.

Yeri was in dilemma but when she feels that Seulgi’s breath is getting slower, she apologizes to Youi and run as fast as she can toward the exit.

The sunlight blinded Yeri for a while because it had been dim in the lab. She locks the door from the outside, she once again apologizes to Youi for leaving her behind.

Yeri turns her attention to Seulgi, the wound on her stomach is so gruesome that it makes Yeri’s knees go weak. Yeri tears her sleeves and uses it to stops the bleeding. She keeps on pressing on the wound while praying. Seulgi is slowly losing her consciousness, she sees Yeri cries for her. She reaches for Yeri’s face and with her last breath she told Yeri that she loves her.

Yeri screams in pain and sadness when she realized that Seulgi is gone. She cradles Seulgi in her lap. Her cries got cut short when a sudden white light illuminate her it gets brighter and brighter that everything around her turned white.

The same thing happened to Youi. When the creature slammed Youi to the ground, Youi could feel all of her organs shifted inside her body. Youi cough out blood, she tried to get up but the creature pinned her down with it gigantic foot. A sudden white light illuminates her and everything turned white, the creature was gone too. She was surrounded by white, all around her is white.

“Yeri? Seulgi?” Youi calls out.

“Youi? Is that you Youi?!”

“Unnie?” Youi reached out her hand and someone grabs it. Youi squinted her eyes and see Yeri “Unnie, where are we? What is this place?”

“I don’t know…a sudden white light appeared, and…I was to this white void…”

“Seulgi…Seulgi is she…”

Yeri shakes her head, and she looks at her bloody hand, she couldn’t stop it from trembling. Youi grabs her hand and makes her sister look at her “Unnie, I’m sorry for your lost…”

Yeri couldn’t hold in her tears anymore and she cries on Youi’s shoulder. Youi let Yeri cling to her and cry her heart out. Youi didn’t know the feeling of losing someone because she never had anyone beside her from the beginning. The only thing she can offer Yeri at the time is comfort.

Another light blinded the sister again, Youi uses her arm to shield her eyes from getting blinded by the light.

1994

“Jisoo, Lisa, Seulgi what happened? The alarm won’t stop ringing, and there’s a sudden black out, is there any emergency state that we need to attend?”

“Wendy, you have to look at this…”

“What…” Wendy looks at the two stranger confusedly, especially the one that is wearing the same Robin suit as her.

Youi and Yeri opens their eyes and were greeted by a few strangers that they never met. Yeri gasped when she saw a young Seulgi and then her mother Wendy, standing in front of them.

Youi’s sight still blurs but as soon as her sight clear up, she realized she was staring directly at Wendy. Yeri wanted to runs toward Seulgi and Wendy but Youi halts her.

“Who are you?” Seulgi asked them while pointing a gun at them.

“Woah…chill, we mean no harm…” Yeri tried to calm the young Seulgi.

“You…where did you get that suit? Did you break into our lab?” Wendy questioned Youi.

Youi was overwhelming by the fact that she gets to see her mother. Then it hit her, this isn’t her timeline, did they just time travelled?

“What year is it?” Youi asked.

“January 1994…” Wendy replied.

Youi and Yeri exchange glances then back to their mother.

“Oh no…” both of them said in unison.

To Be Continued….