The delivery truck pulled up to the loading dock and sat there for a moment, just idling the engines while the driver had a quick quiet conversation with a walkie-talkie, then turned the engine off.
Inside the loading dock, the gate rolled up, then the man inside leaned out to knock on the truck's rolling door. "All clear," he called out.
Anastasiya scowled as the rising door revealed him.
"Come to finish the job?" she snarled at Special Agent Ford.
He, however ignored her, speaking to the four men with her.
"We've got a pod near the back door and we've got screens around it, so we can just roll her through here and into the other room with nobody but the guards here to see anything and the technicians to hook her up."
"Good, let's get this over with," the more portly of the four said. "George and Andrew, take point, Stanley, you push the chair."
Ford joined the leader, following behind as slender Stanley pushed her out into the loading dock and towards the interior door.
"She give you any problems, Ben?" Ford asked, making sure his voice would carry.
"Naw, just wanted to know what was going on."
"And what did you tell her?"
"Ta shut it. I'm glad to be rid of her, honestly. I shudder to think what might have happen if she joined us with two good legs."
"Ana, have you been giving Ben and his detail a hard time?" Fred asked, then clucked his tongue.
"███ off and die!" she called back.
"I don't do requests," he shot back.
"Why am I wearing this budget astronaut suit? This isn't your ISS plan again, is it?" Anastasia demanded.
"No, too expensive and too many questions from the Russians. We found a cheaper alternative."
The twin doors leading out to the main floor were pushed up by the first two guards, and she found herself facing the pod and some people in lab coats.
"Gentlemen," one of them said, staring at her with a frown. "This is your... VIP?"
"That's right. Get her plugged in. Oh, and Ana?" Ford added, brandishing a taser. "DO be a
good girl for these people."
.
. .
. . .
. . . .
. . . . .
""Hello, I'm Gaia, and I will be your assistant during the trials." The voice said. "First of all, we will start with character creation, you are allowed... allowed..."
"Great..." Ana sighed,
"System override," the voice said. "Selection made."
In the Character Creation mirrors, she could see a man looking back at her. Tall, serious - and with her birthmark plastered all over the left side of his face. He scowled at her as she spoke.
"Who the..?!"
"Now now, it wasn't our decision," the voice replied. "Our lord and masters wanted to make you different enough incase others get in here, but they wanted to make sure they could track you visually."
"Ford," she scowled, glancing over his shoulder. "You do realize I'm going to be the only one in there with a facial birthmark?! I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb."
"We're hoping anyone who does come after you will assume you're just an obvious decoy and go looking elsewhere."
"Yeah, right. Meanwhile my body's going to be in a box where anyone can find the real me."
"Enjoy!"
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