Breaking away from some computer work at the back of the lab, Carson sighed as Janice's unharmed figure walked inside.

“Thank goodness, Jan. Thank. Goodness.” He walked over and met her halfway through the room.

She smirked. “Should've had some more faith in me.”

“You're not hurt, are you? Still in tip top shape?”

Janice nodded.

“I could hug you right now, you darned fool.” Carson started the motions to do just that, but awkwardly paused halfway through doing so. “Ah, right,” he said, holding a finger up while stepping back. “Maybe not the best idea.”

They both knew unprepared physical contact with a volon would probably make Carson ill. Janice figured he probably wasn't used to that kind of restriction.

“So? I may not have condoned the idea, but I couldn't lie and say I'm not curious about what you found out.”

Janice giggled, always finding comfort in Carson's cheerfulness, although her mood quickly soured when she started reporting. “Don't get your hopes up too much; I didn't learn all that much. Not about Damien, anyway. You know Seth Lapine?”

Carson listened intently.

Janice looked towards the floor. “Eaten, apparently.”

“No. That can't be.” His unusually flat reaction was hard to decipher. “Seth... wasn't he-”

The door to the lab whirred open. A short-haired staff member dressed in navy blue overalls and a black t-shirt popped his head in and asked, “sorry, am I interrupting? I heard my name.”

Janice, feeling as foolish as ever, stared the man down. “Seth...?”

“Speak of the devil,” Carson spoke up, audibly relieved.

“Uh, sorry!” The man raised a hand in the air and took as step back. “I'll leave if this is serious-”

“Oh, no, no! Not at all. Come on in,” Carson answered, his everyday enthusiasm returning as fast as it had just left.

Janice remained silent, wearing a puzzled face as she stared the newcomer down.

Seth walked inside confidently, though he gradually slowed his pace to a stop after becoming aware of Janice's stare-down.

“Is... something wrong?” He looked from side to side as he spoke.

Something was wrong, but Janice didn't know how to address it.

“Um... look, this is going to sound strange, I know, but...” she started, keeping her eyes fixed on the man. “Where have you been for the last few days?”

“Working down here, why...?”

“Did you ever go to the surface?”

“No?”

“Did you encounter any volons in the last few days?”

“Other than you, no. Where are you going with this?”

“This isn't right...” Janice mumbled with a hint of curiosity in her voice. “From what I've learned, Seth, you shouldn't be alive right now.”

Seth pursed his lips and looked around the room again. “Uh... what's she talking about?” he asked Carson.

Janice kept her focus on Seth. “Humour me just for a bit, would you? You don't happen to have your ID on you, do you?”

“I'd like to know what's going on first.”

“Okay, fair, fair... do you know about the volon that was just captured recently? V-97?”

“N-no?”

“One moment.” Janice finally broke her gaze to briskly walk over to the door and press the button to close it. She turned around and faced Seth, walking back to where she just was. “We just had a volon come in under the designation V-97, but there are a lot of things about it that are really bothering me right about now. But to keep it brief, Seth, it was found in your home, with your ID in its possession.”

“My home?! And... what? My ID?” His skepticism started to show as he spoke.

“You're absolutely sure you didn't encounter any volons recently at all?”

“I'd know if I was around any of those monsters.”

Janice expressed her appreciation of Seth's remark with a quick side-glance. “I just went to V-97's cell and talked to it. It claimed to have eaten you specifically.”

Seth tilted his head a bit. “You're joshing with me.”

“I don't know the whole story of what happened down there, but Janice did just go meet with V-97,” Carson added.

“Well... no, it didn't eat me. I'm right here.” Seth paused. “If you really need to know, fine, here's my ID,” he conceded, digging through one of his overall pockets. He pulled out a faux leather wallet, and from that, a small card with his name and other personal information inscribed on it.

“But then... how did he...” Janice quietly voiced her thoughts as she inspected the card. “Wait!” she yelped out. “Stand still,” she continued, briefly pointing towards Seth. She walked forward a few steps, moving right up in front of his face, staring closely into his eyes. “No,” she continued after a few intense moments, stepping back and giving Seth's personal space back. “He's not a volon.”

Seth huffed. “Of course I'm not... wait, you can tell just by looking at my eyes?”

Janice raised her eyebrows. “You work here, of all places, and you don't know that?” Even Carson mirrored her expression, scratching his brow in her distant peripheral vision.

“Hey. Look, guys, they didn't make a point of telling me anything when I applied here.”

“Should've expected as much.” Janice sighed. “Look closely into my eyes, Seth.”

“A-all right.” He did just that, leaning forward, staring sharply as she'd done moments ago. “Oh, your eyes have that shape. The cross in your pupils.”

Janice nodded. “Remember that. No volon can hide the cross in their eyes.” She rested a hand under her chin. “Anyways, this still doesn't make sense. If they found your ID on Zev, and you had your ID with you the whole time... was Zev's maybe a fake?”

“What are you implying? That I would need a fake ID for something? And... who's Zev?”

“Oh, uh, Zev is what V-97 called itself during our chat. And, no, I'm not implying anything like that, Seth. This is just a weird contradiction of facts, and there's too much else about this volon that's really peculiar to put it down as a coincidence.”

“...Okay, know what? You hooked me,” Seth admitted. “Go on. I'm interested.”

Janice cautiously looked over to Carson, leaning back against a nearby table. The glance they exchanged was mutually understood; Carson nodded, so Janice turned back to Seth. If Carson trusted him, Janice did too.

“Keep this low key. I don't need anyone unnecessarily knowing about this investigation. Not after the recent incident.”

“Right... I was trying not to think about that.” Seth awkwardly smiled, dodging Janice's gaze. “Wait... don't tell me... don't tell me V-97 was the one who did it.”

“You're not going to like the answer, I'm afraid,” Carson replied.

“And you went and talked to it. Like, in its cell,” Seth continued, pointing to Janice.

“I thought it ridiculous too,” Carson added.

“I know it sounds crazy,” Janice butted in, “but it happened, and I'm fine. Anyways, as I was saying, there are two more things about V-97, aside from the ID oddity, that strike me as weird. It's its name and its clothes.”

“I'm listening.”

“You're familiar with Redmond, right?”

“No, I can't recall the name.”

“How long have you been here? How do you not know these things?”

“Listen. I'd sooner off myself than pay attention to every last detail of this place.”

He had a point. “Redmond is the director, the big head honcho here. You've probably at least seen his pictures all over the place.”

“The guy with the big, wide, black hat? Purple scarves?”

“That's him.”

“That man looks like the pinnacle of the evil corporate CEO stereotype,” Seth joked.

Janice smiled. “So, here, take a look at these.” From her pocket, she produced the pictures of Zev that she'd shown Carson earlier, and handed them to Seth.

“Hah, that's fucking creepy,” he immediately responded after only a brief look. “Geez. That's a bit much.”

“Notice any similarities between Zev's and Red's outfits?”

“Uh, yeah,” Seth laughed. “I think the better question would be, “what isn't similar between their outfits.”” He looked over the pictures once again, slowly shuffling through them one by one. “And what's that about its name? Zev?”

“Well, I neglected to mention Red's last name. It's Severus.”

“Severus.” Seth scratched his head. “Sev, Zev. I mean, it sounds like a stretch, but, assuming you're not pulling my leg, the matching outfit does make a pretty convincing argument.”

“It has me thinking all over the place right now. Did Red encounter Zev before coming here...? They must have a connection of some sort.”

“You should've asked that when you went to talk to Zev.”

“I did.”

“And?”

“He got really defensive. Really defensive. I tried to ask about his past a couple times through some small talk, but he got dangerously agitated each time.”

“Huh.” Seth puckered his lips. “Should get Red to go meet Zev. I'm sure they would have a lot to talk about.”

“I wouldn't say that too loud. Red probably has hidden surveillance in every nook and cranny of this place.”

Seth let out an empty laugh. “Fair. Sure wouldn't want to be the next Damien,” he remarked, looking off to the side.

A morbid joke came to mind about how Damien was actually the next Seth, according to Zev. Janice dismissed it with a quick exhale and stroke of her bangs.

“Well!” Seth announced, tapping a foot on the floor. “Keep me updated if you find out something juicy. I've got a door sensor to go fix.”

Janice silently waved goodbye.

“Right,” Carson started, “thanks for stopping by and letting us know you're not monster chow.”

Another awkward laugh from Seth as the door slid open and he stepped through. “Yeah, not yet.”

The mood in the room had worsened considerably since the mention of Red's hypothetical omniscience.

“Hey,” Janice spoke up, pushing through the permeable aura of unease stifling the air, “I'm starving.”

“It is about lunchtime,” Carson noted, peeking at his watch. “Go get some food! Surely it'll help you process all this strangeness.”

“Don't have to tell me twice,” she replied, turning to the door. “Thanks again for letting me borrow your lab guards for that visit with Zev. I won't ask anything shady like that anymore.”

Carson hummed and nodded in approval. “Care if I join you?”

“I'd love it, but I'm going straight home after I get something. Too much to think about right now.”

“True, that's very true. In that case, I'll finish up my work in here and head out in a few minutes. I'll see you sometime soon, yes?”

“Yes, I'll be around.”

Carson smiled. “Take care, Jan.”

Janice stepped outside the lab.

Unlike her previous trips through the maze-like halls of the facility, there were a few other staff members wandering around as well. Most of them were unfamiliar faces or people she'd met with a fleeting glance now and then, but no one noteworthy enough to greet or distract her from her mission of finding something good to eat.

There was a small cafeteria nearby that branched off from the main foyer junction, although her last few visits there were memorable not for the delicious home-style meals, but comments about her biological toxicity and suggestions of “you probably shouldn't be in here.” Luckily, there was a pair of vending machines just outside the cafe's entrance that generously dispensed free items without any kind of biting remarks, making that her go-to lunchtime destination.

The thinner machine on the left had an assortment of candy and small bags of flavoured potato chips on display through the glass screen, and while the taller machine on the right had nothing on display, it advertised a variety of premade sandwiches ready to eat at the press of a button. The quality wasn't anything to speak about, but Janice wasn't a picky eater in the slightest.

Thinly sliced plant-based steak with mayonnaise and mustard spread. Janice pressed the button on the side of the machine, and a moment later, a wrapped hoagie sub dropped to the open slot near the bottom of the machine with a small thump.

Janice hastily unwrapped it and sunk her pointed teeth into it. As the mixture of flavours washed over her taste buds, a feeling of ease and comfort tingled throughout her body. Ahh.

After dispensing a small pouch of chewy fruit bites from the candy machine to go along with her sandwich, she made her way back to cell 33, eating lunch as she walked.

Sitting on the side of her bed with the remainder of her meal beside her, Janice continued thinking over everything that had transpired in the last day or so. Damien... killed after being sent into a cell that shouldn't have had a volon in it. The very same volon's unknown connection with the director, Redmond. Seth's ID conundrum. It felt like bits and pieces of some huge conspiracy, and it seemed like the only one who might be able to shed any light on it was the volon that had an aggressive appetite for human flesh.

Without warning, the door to Janice's cell opened, with only one figure in view. She was easily recognizable with her distinct outfit.

Janice locked up. “Anders!” she called out.

Anders locked the door behind herself. “Afternoon,” she greeted, her mouth audibly full of food.

Janice stood up and started walking over to Anders, which was quickly interrupted with, “no, sit back down,” which she did without contention.

“Don't look so scared,” Anders continued after she finished the bite in her mouth. “You're already pale enough.”

It wasn't the worst comment she'd ever heard. However, a joke from Anders was rare enough, which lightened Janice's mood just a bit. “Sorry, can't help it,” she admitted, picking up her sandwich without taking her eyes off the captain.

“Try a bit harder.” Once Anders arrived at Janice's tiny living area, she pulled out the chair from the nearby desk and sat down in it, directly facing Janice. “Go ahead and eat. It's lunch. I know you're hungry.”

“Right, yeah.” Janice awkwardly took a bite of her sub.

“I don't plan on this being a long visit, so let's get straight to the point. I saw your visit to V-97's cell.”

A pang of stress shot through Janice's body. She became completely still again.

“I don't know why you'd do something that stupid. So... why? It wasn't because of Damien, was it?”

“Well,” Janice started, her mind searching for a believable explanation, “V-97 looks like a stable volon, even if he... did that. I thought maybe it would be worth talking to him.”

“Let's make something very clear, Janice. You're not good at hiding things. Don't waste my time and just spit it out.”

Janice huffed in defeat. “Okay, yeah. I was curious about Damien.”

“Anything else?” Anders' stare turned into a glare. “Seems like you forgot this place has cameras everywhere.”

She obviously knew about what Janice was trying to investigate. Dejected and fearful, she took another bite of her lunch. “There was some stuff about Seth that wasn't making sense! And the fact that Zev looks like Redmond...”

Anders sternly shook her head at Janice. “You can't wander into unauthorized cells just because you get curious about something. You disobeyed the rules by going in there without clearance, and you know that.” She paused to cross one leg over the other. “But at the very least, you did everything else by the book, which is why you're getting off with just a warning this time. THIS time.”

Janice took a deep breath. “Th-thanks. And... yeah. Sorry.”

“You're not going anywhere you don't belong anymore, correct?”

“Yes,” Janice replied, tilting her head down.

“Right answer. With that sorted out, I came here to tell you that I'm clearing you enter V-97's cell whenever it doesn't interfere with the work of other staff, and as long as you do it by the book.”

“Wh... really? Why?”

“I gleaned some interesting information from your talks with Carson and Seth. The similarities between 97 and the director? Don't care. Probably a coincidence. Volons like to mimic people, you know that. What I do care about is the whole duplicate ID issue regarding Seth. If Seth is an impostor, or he's involved in something that has a conflict of interest with this facility, some sort of corrective action will have to be taken.”

“By corrective action... do you mean-”

“I don't know. That's not up to me.”

Intentionally vague wording, but Janice had a good idea of what it meant. “Right... and you want me to see if I can find anything out?” The idea of being a snitch stirred uncomfortable emotions inside her.

“Let me make it perfectly clear that I'm only permitting you to go into 97's cell if you follow proper procedures like you did last time.”

“Understood.”

“I won't be nearly as lenient if I catch you in 97's cell without doing it right.”

Janice nodded. “I understand.”

“Good. Then let's change the subject. Last thing we need to talk about. 97's prelims never got done during the Damien incident.”

“Mmm. I figured.”

“Carson was chosen as the next person to do it.”

“What?!” Janice exclaimed, her heart suddenly pounding. “Carson is in psychology, not biology!”

“Don't shoot the messenger. Order from the director himself.”

Janice put a hand on the side of her head. “Zev... he'll...”

“That's why I'm clearing you to accompany him.”

“...What?!” Janice repeated, cracking a relieved albeit confused grin. “I'm to go with him?”

“The director says Carson is to do the prelims, and you're going with him, seeing as you have a bit of a fondness for 97. You also have the best track record of not being killed by 97.”

“I would gladly.” She exhaled a long, deep breath.

Anders stood up. “Good. Tonight, 5:10pm. Meet Carson at 97's door. If he gets hurt, I'm not going to be a happy captain. Make sure that doesn't happen.”

“Absolutely,” Janice affirmed. “Forgive me, but... what time is it now?”

Anders looked at her wrist. “1:44pm. I expect you to be there on time, yes?”

“Yes. I'll keep an eye on the clock.”

“Good.”

As Anders stood up and started walking away, Janice clumsily called out to her. “M-mind if I ask one or two small things before you go?”

“Hurry up,” she ordered, turning to face Janice again.

“My clearance to talk to 97 and accompany Carson... was that also the director's order?”

“...No.”

Anders' reply shook Janice a bit. Why was she being so nice?

“I also want to know... why here? Like, wouldn't you rather I come to your office instead of you walking down here to my home?”

Anders' face tensed and she took a deep breath. “The cameras in these volon cells don't record audio. That clear things up?”

It took her a moment, but Janice understood.