Entering the somewhat functional elevator before pressing the button for the next floor, hoping that the spider-like robot was already there, Danny couldn't help but think of the situation he was in. He was trapped in a building with a deadly machine that could potentially kill him at any given time.
Furthermore, he has no choice but to save Unity, despite being reluctant to do so in the first place. With that in mind, the said elevator creaked and groaned as it ascended, the metal walls closing in around him like a suffocating vice.
Gripping the radio tightly, his knuckles were white with tension. The thought of facing that monster again sent a chill down his spine.
What if it already ate or killed Unity in the first place? Wouldn't it be a waste of time to try and save someone who was already dead?
The questions swirled in his mind, tormenting him with the worst possibilities that were yet to come. Despite the doubts overwhelming both his mind and soul, he just couldn't flee because of his promise to himself and to the poor victim being held against his will.
If there was a chance—a tiny and little spark of chance—to see Unity alive regardless of how injured he is, as long as he got to save someone who was alive, all of his fears and worries would fade away. It was a simple concept, but one that gave him the strength to keep going forward.
Even if he failed, he would at least know that he tried his best to save someone in need, and that was something he could hold onto through his guilty conscience. Better than to flee and loath about his wrongdoings.
Sighing internally, Danny knew he had to be prepared for the worst. He has to be mentally and physically strong to face whatever comes his way, leaning his back on the cold metal wall of the elevator as it continues to ascend.
The sound of the machinery humming and the occasional creak of the old elevator's gears were the only things breaking the silence. As the doors slid open, revealing the next floor, he steeled himself for what he might find. With a deep breath, he stepped out, his heart pounding in his chest.
Only to suddenly see the head doctor appearing out of nowhere and tripping down at his side, falling face flat on the ground with a look of surprise coming from Danny, "what the fuck!"
Alarmed by the presence of someone so close to him, he quickly turned around and looked down before a satisfied smile of relief filled his lips. "Hansel," he called out his name, placing the radio on the floor before taking a few steps closer to the fallen figure as he then helped to get his torso up. "Are you okay?" Watching the doctor pull himself out of the ground.
The young Hansel shook his head in frustration. "Not quite," he said, dusting away the dirt on his clothes before turning to face his friend. "Where the hell were you when I fell asleep?" Stepping a few back to give each other some space, he then crossed his arms together in demanding display.
"When I woke up, I couldn't find you anywhere, and the only idea that—" Freezing in mid-sentence, his eyes widened in shock as he saw the radio lying on the ground. "You... you found it, didn't you?"
Joy and relief flooded through the doctor's face, realization dawning on him from this very discovery: "This is..." Walking towards it expectantly, he lowered his knees to sit on the cold floor, picking it up carefully.
"We have to go, now," urgent, almost desperate from the tone of his voice as he stood up with hands holding the thing they were looking for, "before one of those Renegades comes by and gives us more problems," the man's eyes darting around nervously from any sight of those monsters hiding in the shadows.
However, Danny declined much to Hansel's confusion, "I can't," answering his question with a shake of his head. "I just got a lead on Unity." Explaining further, he told him everything about where he went and who he rescued before having it kidnap Unity away from him.
"He is an innocent person I found when I was exploring the place; Unity was his name, and he isn't mentally stable to say the least," a tone of regret etched on his face. "I should've just left him behind, but I couldn't; I promised him I would help him," was his explanation of why he left his friend behind. "Now that he's gone and I need to save him, I can't leave someone behind either."
Understanding where Danny is coming from, Doctor Hansel nodded his head while smirking all the way. "Good thing you told me that someone is in need," he said, proud of his friend for doing the right thing. "Then we have to go and rescue him together, right?" Asking for confirmation as he then received a nod of approval from his friend.
"Okay, hold this then," extending the radio towards him, he watched the young man take it with both hands and ask, "Do you know what kind of Renegade we're dealing with?" Questioning the enemy they will face.
"What?" He honestly has no idea who or what type of monster they are facing. "I don't know, but it appears to be like a spider-like robot." Showing the uncertainty in his tone, "it was fast, it could crawl on walls and ceilings, and it seemed to have a lot of strength in its limbs," recounting of the terrifying encounter, "and it appeared to be able to scan its surroundings, so it's definitely not something to be underestimated, not after what happened to Unity."
Blinking twice, "Wait, you are referring to that?" Surprised, he almost wanted to ask for clarification but decided against it.
"Well, now that you described it to me, I may have encountered it while I was away looking for you," his expression became serious. "But I almost killed it, I'm sure it won't be expecting us to come back," he explained, explaining his own experience with the creature, "and from what I understand, Renegades usually work alone, so it wouldn't be a hassle for me to take it down without much trouble," he boasted of his confidence in defeating the monster.
He cannot express how much happiness Danny feels from hearing this. "Oh, thank you, thank you so much!" Feeling one hundred percent relieved and grateful, he wanted to throw his arms around the doctor's neck, squeezing him tight in a warm hug, but with the radio on his hands, it is currently impossible without putting it aside.
"You don't know how much it means to hear that, Hansel," words dripping with sincerity, "I was worried sick that I might never see him again, or worse, that he's already dead," confessing his own fears to his only friend, "thank god you're here; I don't know what I would've done if you weren't."
Laughing wholeheartedly, Hansel then clapped his hands together after it died down. "That's what friends are for." He said joyfully, "I am a proud humanitarian and medical doctor, remember? Why would I not be there for my only friend in a time of need? Especially when a person in need is being hurled away by one of those things." Bringing his hand to his chest, he puffed out his chest proudly while putting up a genuine heartfelt smile on his face. "Besides, it's always nice to have someone to watch your back in a world like this, don't you think?"
Smiling in return, Danny nodded happily at this response,Thank you," saying his grateful response once more, "But how can we find him?" The question now hangs in the air, awaiting the doctor's answer.
"The spider Renegade seemed to know exactly where it was going when it took him away, so I think it must be either luring us to trap or worse," thinking aloud at the possibility, "If that's the case, then how can we prepare ourselves if it's a trap?" A grim expression formed on Danny's face as he pondered the situation.
"Ah, well, that's a good point," Hansel mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "but traps are usually designed to catch the prey off guard, right? So, let's assume the renegade is trying to lure us into a trap." He paused, considering his next words carefully.
"In that case, the key would be to stay alert, keep our wits about us, and not fall for any obvious bait," cautioning, "also, we should try to use the environment to our advantage; maybe find some high ground or a place to hide if things get hairy," suggesting another course of action if things go south, "and for how we can find him, that would be easy."
Raising two brows at once, "really? Easy?" Little caught off guard by Hansel's confident proposition, "How can you find someone with just the power of electricity?" Finding it hard to believe in such ability.
"I mean, even I couldn't track him down," admitting his own failure, "so what makes you think you can do it better than me?" Questioning the doctor's confidence in his abilities to do something nearly difficult and almost impossible, "Isn't finding someone in a big place like this, a needle in a haystack kind of situation?"
Smirking confidently, "You really have to underestimate me like this, don't you?" Seeing his friend underestimating him, Hansel chuckled lightly before shaking his head. "It's not about me tracking him down, Danny; it's about me sensing his bio electricity," he explained further.
"As an Esper with Infinitum, I have this unique ability to connect with others at ease, almost like a sixth sense," describing the connection he shares with other people, "for you see, all living beings possess bio electricity."Elaborating on the concept at hand, "so I can easily tune into Unity's frequency, locate him of his whereabouts, and possibly rescue the frightened hostage."
Eyes widening with joy, Danny was amazed by the answer, "That's... that is great to hear!" Answering in excitement, "I knew you were special, Hansel, but I didn't know you could do something like that," praising his friend's abilities, "you're amazing," he said, looking at the doctor with admiration and awe.
"We should hurry then, before that thing had the possible chance of even killing him." Worrying deeply about Unity's safety, he can't imagine himself being a failure to save someone's life.
Looking around, Hansel focused deeply within this ominously dim light section of the building, the air thick with the musty scent of decay and neglect.
Peeling paint flakes off the walls, revealing the worn, weathered surface beneath. Cobwebs cling to the corners, casting eerie shadows in the faint glow of the moonlight filtering through the shattered windows.
Its floor creaks under their feet, a haunting echo of footsteps long since silenced as old, rusted pipes snake along the ceiling, their metallic groans a constant reminder of the structure's precarious state. The hallway stretches out before them, a desolate expanse of faded wood and boarded-up doors. Each door is a mystery waiting to be uncovered, a potential threat lurking inside.
His senses are tuned to any source of life in this entire building, but all he feels are just plants and other forms of nature, nothing else. "Hmm..." Focusing on more, Hansel tried to find the right frequency for detecting a human bio electricity signal.
"I'm trying to..." Aside from sensing Danny's, his voice trailed off as he concentrated harder. "there!" Suddenly, he pointed towards the end of the hall, "His there, not far from where we were standing," pointing towards the direction of Unity's location, "Come on, let's go," urging his friend to follow him at a quick pace.
"His alive?!" It brings him great joy and relief to hear that Unity is still breathing. "Thank you, thank you so much," expressing his gratitude, "I was worried he might've died already," he said, telling the head doctor how much he feared the worst.
"I can't believe it; I thought I lost him forever." Remembering the moment he saw the spider-like robot taking Unity away, it still gave him the shivers of what its plan was in the first place.
"Yeah, he's alive..." Narrowing his eyes dangerously, Hansel moved forward with haste, "But something about the guy's bio electricity feels... off," noticing something unusual about Unity's signature, "like it's being manipulated or suppressed in some way," having observed the change in the frequency of the person's body. "I don't know what it means, but we need to hurry and see him for ourselves," urging them to proceed to the location faster, "just in case," his tone filled with concern.
