vivarium | DOUBLE BLIND

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DOUBLE BLIND

Shortly after the conversation with Zero ends, Zero opens the doors of the Garden and allows everyone to leave. However, the rest of the warehouse isn't better than the Garden:

The lights are still off, leaving everyone surrounded in darkness. The temperature just keeps on dropping, reaching near freezing point. The air feels more and more polluted, making it difficult to breathe without coughing, and nothing seems to be working as they should be. The electronic doors refuse to open without any power source, cutting off access to the cafeteria and dorms. At the very least, Zero has managed to open all the doors leading to puzzle rooms and has informed the group that new areas are now accessible to them, but they're on their own should they want to enter any other rooms.

Before the screens in the Garden turn off, Zero finally informs them that a new feature has been unlocked on their bracelets: any test subject wearing a bracelet may communicate with one another with the bracelet acting as a communication device. Holding onto the left button will enable the line to open just like a walkie-talkie. As long as test subjects are in the warehouse, they will have no troubles speaking with one another. What if they wish to talk to Zero? Zero's time is not be riffled, but they were generous enough to appear whenever anyone found a screen and pressed the on button a total of three quick successions.

And with that, Zero disappears from the grids and finally leaves everyone in complete darkness, leaving only one last piece:

"Best of luck, Test Subjects."

BASIC INFO ✖ MISSIONS ✖ MINGLE

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[ Any of the screens and the new walkie-talkie feature of the bracelets will now summon Zero, if you so wish. Anything you want to say or ask? Zero's listening. ]

Well, what the hell. Heiji did kind of want to talk to this dude who'd held them captive for two months already. He'd use that walkie-talkie feature.

"Hey, Zero, you there? I wanna ask you somethin'."

[ After a moment of static he's treated to Zero's melodious, distorted voice. ]

Subject 3, how terribly surprising you would wish to speak with me first.

"I missed the dulcet tones of your voice modulator," said Heiji.

"Early on, Calhoun mentioned somethin' about realistic conflict theory. Is this the friction phase?"

I see. [ It's impossible to tell if Zero was being dry or actually accepting that as an answer. ]

Really, Subject 3, if it was would I tell you and taint the experiment? And if I said no would you believe I wasn't simply trying to hide my true intentions? I don't understand the appeal of such pointless lines of questioning.

"By that token, why should I trust anything you say? Including that you want us to find Calhoun. Feel free to insert threats or insults here; I'm sure that won't lead us in more conversational circles."

Evasive non-answer, noted.

"But fine. I wanted to know more about this virus that's affecting Calhoun and the other systems here. First off, because you got a lot of robots in here and I wanna know how careful we need to be around them. Second, because if you want us to find Calhoun, knowing more about the effects of the virus on him might make it easier for us to track him down."

And so my point is made-- I see no reason for questioning that will not bear fruit, so let us cut the circle off at that.

[ Zero pauses. ] Better. Calhoun is no longer active, he has been shut off for the moment. His body has been damaged, unfortunately, and split apart. I do not have the time to track the pieces through endless security footage, so I will leave finding them to your resourcefulness.

As for the robots I will not say because doing so would be useless to us both. The virus affects them all differently, you shall see for yourself how each has responded.

Split apart, huh...? Why would anyone bother? Wouldn't it have been enough to simply deactivate him? Not that Heiji couldn't understand the temptation.

"Any info on his last known whereabouts, or were we the last to see him?"

The first floor warehouse, near the elevators. It will do you little good but use the information as you will.

The first floor, huh? Well, that was probably a good a place as any to look.

"Do you know who shut him off and split him apart?" That last bit did kind of seem like overkill.

"And since I might as well ask now, what're you plannin' on doing with this after we found your little lost lab rat? Gonna corral us and the 'other' test subjects back into our proper places again?"

The robots have attacked and dismembered him. You'll find they are very aggressive towards Calhoun's form, so I would suggest caution should you find parts of him.

The experiment must continue. [ Zero says nothing for a long moment. ] With or without Calhoun's body, once the virus is properly contained everything shall continue. Calhoun is not necessary for this facility to function, I am. Does that answer your question, Subject 3?

"So this virus, it drives Calhoun haywire so he locks us in. Then it turns the robots on him and shuts everything down. Not exactly great for us." In fact, if it had been meant to help the test subjects, it certainly... hadn't really succeeded.

But back to Zero's question. "More or less. We're basically helping you put us through more of this circus." Whether they would meet the other subjects for real, and the specifics of the rest of the 'experiment'... it was at Zero's discretion. That was pretty much what he'd expected.

"And I'm assumin' actually telling us what this experiment is or what you're trying to get out of it would compromise the results? Guess I'm just wonderin' why you're bothering. You put a lot into this place, so you must think it's worth your while."

It is not exactly 'great' for either party, Subject 3. There will be changes in the future.

It would compromise a great deal, yes. I have put more into this experiment than you could possibly comprehend, and I will put in more still to make it succeed as time continues on.

"Yeah? Gonna tighten up your code security?" And there was that number again. Sure, Calhoun didn't refer to them by their names, either, but Zero seemed to go that extra step in reducing them to subjects rather than people. His mode of speech, his use of passive tense...

And then another round of how they were all simpletons who couldn't possibly understand the grand scope of Zero's plans, got it. Heiji would have liked it if he were less into talking about how dumb everyone was and more into explaining this amazing, super-important plan, but if wishes were pigs, bacon would always be on sale.

"So it's possible that it could fail."

The matter that caused this breach will be rectified. [ That wasn't really a yes or a no to code security, which might have been a weird answer in and of itself. Then again, maybe Zero enjoyed being purposely vague. ]

Yes, it is quite possible. I might even say the odds are against us, yet-- [ Zero stops for a very long moment. ] Nevermind, Subject 3. Simply know your fate is tied to this success, as is the fate of every being here.

...What do you mean, 'us', kemosabe?

What a weird way to put it. Was that a threat or something? "In other words, we'd better hope you 'succeed', is that it?"

[I'm so late on this sorry ichi but at some point, when alone and after things have been going down, Hershel finds one of the screens and attempts to make contact with a certain asshole.]

Zero? Do you have a moment?

[ unforgivable... what kind of mod are you, but it takes a second for the screen to turn on and when it does, Hershel is greeted with Zero, still donned in the gas mask and raincoat. ]

Now, Subject 9, to what do I owe this "pleasure"?

[the worst evil kind clearly. and he pauses a minute because this is still really weird.]

I... just wanted to ask you something. It's about Akiko. [he stares at Zero a moment, as if maybe he can read something from nothing.] You know what happened- you have it all recorded, don't you?

[ banned, you are banned from the game, but if Hershel expects to read anything off Zero, all he's getting is that Zero made the right choice in wearing a mask. With that and this flat monotone, distorted behind a voice changer, it's hard to figure out just what they're thinking. ]

Of course. Nothing within this facility is unseen by my eyes, but do you wish to find out what happened to Subject 13?

Yes. [he doesn't sound very happy about this but he does sound sure.] She deserves to have the truth found out, even if it's an unpleasant one.

What exactly would it take for you to be willing to show us? [he really had no plans to do Zero's bidding but hell, he had to know. hope springs eternal]

Do not flatter yourself, thinking that you have anything useful in exchange.

I can show you the footage that Calhoun has "generously" showed your fellow subject, but expect no more than that.

I see. [He probably should be angry about it but he really isn't, if anything he just feels kind of defeated, the feeling of another door shutting tight.]

[He considers trying more, pushing, but frankly he didn't have it in him, not now at least. He knew there was next to nothing he could say that Zero would listen to, and absolutely nothing he'd be willing to offer that Zero might have the vaguest interest in.]

[He takes a step back from the screen.] I'm sorry for wasting your time then, if you'll excuse me.

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DOUBLE BLIND

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