Project Sight

Prologue

The girl stood beside her father, still contemplating the words he'd said in the car,

"This is where I go to work."

Woah, she thought. She never had a place to associate with the word work. Dad just told her he had to go there and that was it.

She followed her dad up the sidewalk taking a turn at the freshly paved steps. Her dad paused, "This is it Reya! Glance Headquarters! Isn't it amazing?" Reya nodded slowly wincing up at the sun-reflected skyscraper.

Her father lifted the ID badge from around his neck and rose it against the doorhandle.

The entire lobby bustled with footsteps and chatter. Disrupting the serenity of the outdoors.

A voice echoed over the commotion,

" G'day Mr. Gallows!" The short, fair-haired woman in glasses greeted the two at the door.

"Oh this is Naira , our new intern." Mr. Gallows said to his daughter, Reya.

"Hello, I'm Reya." Reya stood, looking up at the intern proudly.

"Oh, hi Reya! How old are you?" Naira asked.

Reya looked away and sighed,

"I'm not a child you people alway-" Her dad cut her off.

"Yeah," The girl's father started, "She's a little annoying for 15."

"Oh haha," Reya said in a sarcastic tone.

"Hey listen," Mr. Gallows turned to Reya. "I'll be right back, I'm getting your visitor pass."

Reya watched as her father turned a corner and faded out of her eyesight.

Reya once again began following the leader, this time it being Naira.

Reya reached for Naira's hand and sighed. She talked a lot, but she was a chump when it came to places like this. Started walking at a leisurely pace allowing Reya to survey her surroundings.

They took a right turn down the hallway where Reya's father went left.

Naira sped through cubicles at a jogging speed until reaching open door.

"Ok East Wing break room, you can stay here."

Naira doubled over and opened the mini-fridge, "Are you allowed to have soda?"

Reya shook her head,"Oh please, gimme that."

"Oh please?" Naira snapped the band in her hair, releasing it into ash waves. Naira scoffed and jumped, "You're just like your dad." She tossed her the soda.

A rumbling outside the room. Footsteps ruddered down the hallway.

"Inspector is going to be a week late, he has to get a feel for this place and meet with some higher ups."

A faint hiss erupted from Naira's watch followed by, at least from the couch, incomprehensible murmurs.

"Alright, be on the top floor in a few." Naira said.

"Your dad will be here in a couple of minutes okay? Don't get into any trouble." Naira smiled.

She wanted to get into trouble just because she said that. So annoying, she thought.And now, for the first time today Reya's been left alone, alone to... more noise.

Reya waited, the noise escalating to a worrying point. Reya got up from her seat, and stuck her head out the doorway. She didn't she much down the sky lit hallway, the noise didn't have a source. Then Something turned the corner.

"Hey was that a girl?" A stern, heavy voice echoed.

Reya pulled her head back in, all see saw was a man in yellow, hazmats maybe.

"Tyrrell! Go check that out." The stern voice commanded

Steps. Steps.

"Always sendin' the black guy why is... The hell is that?" A deeper voice responded, then asked. Who she presumed was Tyrell.

Reya was about to be offended, but with her back against the wall she could see he wasn't talking about her.

The sun colored suit walked by the door frame.

The stern voice from the other side chimed in, "Describe it, T!"

Reya had somewhat of a view now, but still all Reya could see was the suit, whatever he was looking at was invisible to her.

"Aight then. Damn. Alwa-" Tyrell said.

"T!" The stern voice insisted.

"It looks like it was human. It's burnt to a crisp, whatever it is." Tyrrell said.

The pause left silence in the air and a ringing in Reya's ears.

"Ryaah!" Bang!

"Woah! Did you shoot it?" T's partner jumped.

''My bad, I forgot I'm supposed to let it kill me.'' The entire building rumbled.

"Aargh! Do you guys know what's going on? Like, at all?!" Reya heard Drayton's voice.

"Stay back now, state your name." Tyrrell commanded.

"No need for the zombie treatment here, some kinda chemical reaction with the fire-"Drayton was interrupted.

"State. Your. Name." Tyrell raised his gun.

"Drayton Gallows, and again, chemicals, you know, scientist? The two kinda go together." Drayton said.

I stuttered at the rumble of an explosion.

"And that's supposed to explain what happened to your arms?"

The other one stepped up and saw Reya in the room, "Alright girl, you can come out now."

Reya supposed it was time she got up anyway.

Ember and drywall burst down in front of the doorway, knocking out most of the light fixtures and emitting a cloud of smoke.

"Reya! Reach over the fire and grab my hand!"

Reya followed his instructions, and he pulled her over the fiery rubble, carrying her through charred corridors.

"Ahh! My arms!"

"Wha-"

A final shake of the building caused the ceiling to crumble, vibrating until support beams became exposed. Reya saw them crack, some even snapping out of place immediately. Drayton placed Reya down using his body to protect her.