"Hey sir, you... okay?" the technician slowly opened the door that led to the office of the head researcher. He didn't want to surprise the professor. Not after the attempted containment breach by his prized 'killing machine'. Everyone was already on edge.
"Oh, Swift Wire, do come in! I'm quite all right. Just a little... fazed."
"You sure doc? That was a pretty hair-raising experience back there."
"Oh Swift, you know you don't have to keep calling me 'Doc' and 'Sir' all the time. Just use my real name. It's quite alright."
"Uh... okay Richard. You need anything? Coffee? A snack?"
"No, that's okay Swift. That was quick thinking of you, pressing the alarm."
"Just following procedure doc. I mean, Richard."
"Remarkable isn't it? The creature me and my team have worked so hard on for months. Months of hard research and sometimes plain trial and error. Now, back to square one. Looks like I made the perfect killing machine a little too perfect. The other heads say that as long as the creature doesn't kill our own side, it could be deployed but in its current state, it's just too dangerous."
"Well Richard, I'm not an expert on genetics or cloning or whatever but you sure as hell are. If there's anyone who can make the perfect killing machine, it would be you."
"Ah... you overestimate my skills Swift. You're too kind."
"Well, I better head off Richard, I'm on the clock."
"Be careful Swift. You are my number one assistant after all."
Swift was halfway through the door when the question dawned on him. He turned to face the old researcher who had already begun work on his computer.
"Richard... back in the test chamber. When that thing was charging at you... why didn't you run?"
"For that, I'd have to ask you the same thing."
"Well, I couldn't just leave you there. Something might've happened to you."
"And there you have your answer," smiled the old professor.
Swift looked at the crazy old coot and smiled to himself before closing the door shut. Richard was every bit the mad scientist in the movies with his crazy white mane and his wild unkempt mustache and Swift loved every moment that he spent working with the professor. He was brilliant and humble. Not like the other heads who took all the credit for themselves and threw their team to the sidelines when the work was done. Richard was the best in his field and nopony dared contest that claim. He was so passionate in his work that Swift would feel the same passion every single time he was near him.
The other staff would always comment how both Swift and Richard looked too much like father and son in the way they interacted with each other. It wasn't surprising that Swift and Richard both got questioned if they really were father and son to which they would both laugh it off. It was true that Swift looked up to Richard and Richard looked out for Swift. Taught him important skills and things that would serve him well.
As Swift cantered slowly through the concrete maze of the facility, he couldn't help but wonder if working in the facility was what he intended to do his whole life. He enjoyed his job and the pay was more than he could ever dream of but what good was money if there was nothing to spend on? Nobody to send it to? All of the stuff he needed was already provided for and when he was given leave, he squandered it by just hanging around the facility in the theater rooms, recreational halls and generally just exploring the whole facility. He was a technician and thus had Level 2 Clearance, allowing him to go anywhere but the most dangerous and top secret areas. He'd always wanted to go to Sector Z. It was the deepest level in the facility and where the most dangerous weapons were developed.
Weeoooo! Weeeoooo! Weeooooo!
Swift's mind was instantly snapped back to reality. It was the alarm, signalling a containment breach. Something had broken out of its hold. Immediately, instinct kicked in and he wracked his brains, trying to stay calm and get to the nearest exit. In the distance, he could hear the panicked shouts and the running hooves. Without a second wasted, he took off to its source. Maybe he could get some answers about what was going on. He turned the corner and came to a T intersection with the sound of running hooves emanating to his right. He galloped off to its direction, hoping to evacuate before the lockdown came into effect.
"Lockdown imminent. Please evacuate. Lockdown imminent. Please evacuate."
Swift galloped even harder and reached speeds he didn't thought he could achieve. The sound of running hooves were growing fainter and fainter by the second which frightened Swift. Thoughts raced through his mind as he galloped. Would he make it? What escaped? Richard's creature wasn't the only one being experimented on in Sector K. Was he too late?
As Swift rounded the corner, his heart almost flew out his mouth. It was the entrance. It was sealed.
"No! No! No! No! Don't let this happen to me!"
Swift ran towards the red blast door and banged his hooves against it.
"Hey! Open up! I'm still in here!"
There was no response. Swift waved to the camera that was beside the door. He knew there was somepony watching him. There had to be.
"Hey! You can't just leave me here! Open the door!"
There was no response. Swift banged on the door again, its metal reverberating throughout the concrete walls. Twenty inches of reinforced steel. No way was he getting through that. Swift slid to the floor, exhausted by his exerted effort. He sat with his back to the door, thinking about what to do next. He knew that they were watching him. He knew what he signed up for. If you didn't get out in time, you're stuck in there with whatever that escaped until they figure out how to get it under control. It could take hours, maybe days until the door opened and help arrived.
Until then, he had to find somewhere safe to hide until Control figures out what to do. He couldn't just sit here. It was the worst place possible. There was nowhere to run. It took all his strength to stand back up. He wasn't about to give up just yet. Swift silently crept through the hallways again. If there was any place safer, it would be the professor's office.
"The professor!"
Swift had to put his hoof over his mouth to shut himself up. It hadn't dawned on him about the professor's well-being. As Swift made his way to the professor's office, he couldn't help but wonder if Richard had made it out. It wouldn't surprise Swift. Richard's hearing had been declining rapidly. For all he knew, Richard could be sitting on his office typing away on his computer, completely oblivious to what was creeping around Sector K.