Akino and Alexa went out of the pod chamber and walked the hallway of mosses and blood. Akino was tapping some weird buttons on the skin of her arm, while Alexa casually picks up pebbles or whatever her tentacle looking hair touches and throws it randomly. Alexa glances at Akino and notices that some fibrous material began covering Akino’s whole body, and it turned into purple turtle-neck sweater and black slim fit slacks.
Alexa: H-how did do that?
Akino: I… ummm, what do you call this? Crafted it? I designed it in my mind and my skin just produced synthetic silk that turned in these clothes. You want me to craft you some?
Alexa: I’ll pass, besides I can turn my skin like what ‘Mystique’ in the old X-Men movies can do. Well, except that it’s only animal armor, and my skin is super white, like I’m an albino or something. Even my eye is weirdly red, so weird.
Akino: X-Men? That 21st century movie? Wow, you really love old stuff, huh?
Alexa: Hah! It’s the pinnacle age of human civilization, or not. I don’t know, I’m not some kind of a historian.
Akino: You know, I remember that you swear a lot…
Alexa: WHAT?! No! I am not swearing! I promise!
Akino: Really? Ok then.
Alexa: Alright! I’m sorry… it’s like a burst of emotions or somethi---wait, how did you know?
Akino: Apparently, I saw your vlog, nice singing voice, huh? I never heard you sung before, right?
Alexa: You can read my mind? And my singing voice is perfect, you don’t just hear its true essence. Now tell me how you knew it!
Akino: Easy girl. Can you take a look to, hmmmm, how do I tell this…?
Alexa: Log files?
Akino: Yeah! Log files! You can see yours, right? Now, can you see mine?
Alexa: Yeah… and I’m reading it right now… its in text format? Wait, hold on, so this means we have the same mind???
Akino: Not really, I quess. It’s like we’re connected by some sort of a ‘server’ but only for us. Like a private discord or group chat. Plus, when you got attacked, I didn’t feel anything.
Alexa: Guess I’m really not going to call you ‘mom’…
Akino: Eh? What?
Alexa: You already saw what happened to me, and you didn’t even ask what I feel…
Akino pats Alexa’s head. Alexa was caught off-guard and blushes, she holds Akino’s hand and pushes herself near to her.
Akino: Well, you said to me last time you want to be strong and be the one protecting instead of being protected? Looks like you got what you want, as well as my approvals, kid. You’re such a good girl, Alexa. I’ll love you no matter what.
The two girls walked past the hallway and they reached an elevator. Taking safety precautions, they took the stairs instead which is full of cracks and rotten blood stains on the walls and floor, and only upwards. They are at the bottom level. They climbed up, and it took them time, like they climbed for hours, no other doors nor windows, just the long stairs that ascends. After the two to four hours of non-stop climbing, they finally reached the end of the stairs, and it’s a huge fancy looking hospital-like lobby room, it has no windows or glass panes on the ceilings, only some lights that either produces dimmed lights or busted ones. Some vending machines can be found at the corners, as well as chairs and tables, even desktops at the receiving area, but mostly covered in moss and blue colored lichen. They also saw some set of doors, and a glass door that could possibly lead outside the place, but it was blocked with metal plates outside. Also, there was a hallway with nothing but elevators instead of doors, there are twelve of them each with a single button.
At the center of the area, they saw a huge plaque that reads:
> The Institute of Humanity
>
> The Institute of Humanity was founded by Dr. Lazarus Greenwich and the notable 100 professionals in the fields of Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, and Human Sciences in the year 2021.
> The initial goal of the Institution after its foundation was to answer all of the questions that humanity seeks to be urgently answered and to use these new found knowledge to further improve the human civilization, with the humblest pose that we are not recognized as an organization.
> Within ten years, the human race has reached a higher plane of living with the efforts of the Institution, and the Institution now protects the works of humanity no matter what cost it will be taken, even if we face a God or the Devil.
> Now, the Institution has a new objective: we will be the vanguard that protects the humanity and the watcher that ensures the humanity’s prosperity, against anything that will hinder us to reach our dreams, be it good or evil.
>
> “Time will be hard on us. Somebody out there might be laughing at us, many will contradict our doings by comparing it to morals, or even our own kin might betray us. But this is Humanity. We are humans. And we sought to protect what makes us humans.”
> -Dr. Lazarus Greenwich, Founder of The Institute of Humanity
Alexa: You know this?
Akino: Yeah, just in history books, and what I knew was it got disbanded in year 2161 because the United Alliance didn’t fund them properly. Others ended up becoming politicians, others just turned themselves into independent researchers and businessmen, and some became terrorists…
Alexa: Why?
Akino: I don’t know. The book doesn’t specify things, it was like the story was made up, but damn they do exist, huh?
Akino and Alexa begun looking around the area, there was cafeteria left to the huge plaque, and Alexa decided to go there. Akino went to the back of the plaque, which is the receiving area, and she accessed the desktops with the wires coming from her hair.
Akino: Alexa! Come here!
Alexa rushed towards Akino while she holds a satchel full of chocolate bars and her tentacle hair holds a drawer full of cans of corned beef and SPAM.
Alexa: What? I’m busy looking for supplies, hehehhehe
Akino: Really? What if another of those red-ball dudes who attacked you a while ago showed up?
Alexa: Then I’ll smash them! Plus, it looks like there no one around here except us.
Akino: Ok, point taken. And thanks for the snacks.
Alexa: IT’S ALL MINE!
Akino: Goddammit kid, just give me some!
Akino took some chocolate from Alexa, and Alexa placed the foods on counter as she sits beside her. The desktops opened, and it shows a Windows Giga loading screen that stops with something like a password input.
Akino: Okaaayyyy, let’s override it a little bit, aaaaand we’re in.
The desktop monitor shows a black background with a logo of a shield that was split in half, the right side has a drawing of a human head and on the left was a book. The logo was on the middle top, and below it was a white text of Tahoma font that reads “Welcome to the Institute Database. What would like to access?” and it ends with a search bar. Akino, while having the chocolate bar on her mouth, proceeds to type frantically the question “What the hell is this place?!” and the monitor showed the following in plain white texts
> This place is the Institutional Facility-13 that has been founded on 15th of November, year 3044 here in the center of the Manhattan ruins, as a symbol of hope of reclaiming the Earth that we once know. This facility holds most of the known knowledge of mankind that has been documented since 1600s and stored in the Alpha Quantum Core System. This facility is powered by an underground 15 km ring of Proton-Hadron Collider that produces [REDACTED] gigawatts of electricity. This facility is a central research-hub that is designed to investigate the anomalous events that begun on April [], 3021 [SEE ADDENDUM 3000-A] and to experiment the samples [SEE EXPERIMENT LOGS 3010-B] retrieved in the areas affected by the anomaly.
Akino and Alexa was in shock after reading the words onscreen. Alexa furiously swallowed the chocolate bar she was chewing and faced towards Akino with a wide eye.
Alexa: We’ve been stuck here for GOD-KNOWS-FREAKING-YEARS?!
Akino: Seems so… and the notable thing was we’re greeted by some lump of flesh that I beat.
Alexa: Ehem, WE beat.
Akino: Heh, whatever.
Akino continued searching in the database by typing in the search bar “ADDENDUM 3000-A”. The monitor showed this
> ADDENDUM 3000-A
>
> This file contains the timeline of the events on April [], 3021 to [REDACTED], 3228. The Institutional Council decided to remove some parts of the file, which includes the exact dates to support the psychological morale of the current personnel reading this file.
>
> April [] to [], 3021 – An unknown object has been observed near the Jupiter by the Giant Radio-telescope in Chile that appears to be sending out random signals at different wavelengths towards Earth. Twenty-four hours after the discovery, the International Astronomical Agency sent an unmanned robot to the Jupiter’s orbit to analyze the unknown object. The Agency lost its contact with the unmanned robot after 12 hours of orbiting the Jupiter’s sphere of influence due to unknown reasons. Additionally, if the object is viewed with any sort of electrical visual device, the device will experience short-circuit for unknown reasons. People who’ve used traditional telescopes to view the object described it as a [REDACTED]. The Institute took action, began observing and analyzing the object via sending [INFORMATION REDACTED], and designated the object as Object - Λ
>
> If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
>
> June [], 3021 – Object - Λ anomalously moved towards the Mars’ orbit. The International Astronomical Agency got a better view of the object, a cube like structure that is 250 km wide. The Agency has simulated the trajectory of Object – Λ, and it’s on a collision course to Earth. The United Alliance, with the help of the Institute, has assembled a strategical plan to counter the collision path of Object – Λ by sending 500 space missiles containing [] kilograms of antimatter to destroy the object or change its trajectory. However, as the missiles approach Object – Λ, it disappeared, and a signal of unknown source was sent through all the radio-receiving devices on Earth. The Institution was able to stop the civilian populace from ever hearing or receiving the signal. The Institution was able to decode the signal, it was broadcasted in Coptic, Nordic, Latin, Greek, Arabic, and Mandarin language. The phrase states:
>
> Prepare, prepare [UNTRANSLATABLE]
> [UNTRANSLATABLE] has come!
> [UNTRANSLATABLE]
> The Judgement has come,
> Bless us all, for [UNTRANSLATABLE]
>
> October [], 3021 – Around 06:00 UTC in Tokyo, the Japan Astrophysics Institute reported that Object – Λ reappeared near the Moon orbit, and was slowly moving towards Earth at the measured speed of 110 m/s. The United Alliance alerted the Global Military to engage Object – Λ while the Institution has started its efforts of keeping the information from the public. At 09:35 UTC, Object – Λ anomalously ‘teleported’ itself at the 50 000-kilometer altitude of Earth. A series of ‘explosions’ happened on major cities around the globe, killing over 5 billion in the process. Just after the explosions, Object – Λ disappeared once more, leaving the major cities into deserts of 20 kilometers wide gray sand.
>
> October [], 3021 to March [], 3023 – Efforts have been done to rescue/retrieve the people affected by the event. Unknown radiation kills any living thing that enters the ruined cities, thus preventing the Institution and the Alliance from entering the area. Less than 5 billion survived, and most of the government of other countries fallen off due to the crisis the event has caused. The Institution, however, never stopped. The Institution continued their efforts of analyzing the event via sending droids into the ruined cities, nothing was left, and all was turned into dust and rubble except some people. At November 3022, over 100 people from different ruined cities have been uncovered, without any trace of damage, the bodies were unresponsive, and the Institution declared them dead. Despite this, the Institution took the opportunity of preserving the bodies for future research purposes. Later on, at January [], 3023 the radiation levels in the ruined cities began to spread, thus the Alliance put all of its efforts in establishing the very first habitable bases on the moon and Mars, while the Institution requested to stay on Earth to research the events that unfold to prevent such scenarios from ever happening in the near future.
>
> November 15, 3044 – The Institution, alongside with the remaining humanity on Earth that wished to answer the riddles of the unfolded events, began their research on the ruins and the prolonging effects of the past events of 3021. The Institution built thirty of facilities with [REDACTED] Radiation-proofing system around the world, where some central hubs were built at the center of city ruins in hopes of lowering the radiation levels at the said areas, as well as sending countless satellites on the Earth’s orbit. The Alliance assisted the Institution by letting them build 15 research bases on the moon.
>
> June [], 3150 – [Upon the order of the Institutional Council, this part of the file will be removed]
>
> February [] to [], 3179 – Satellite survey was able to document the status of the whole planet:
>
> * The geological poles of the planet have shifted, and the north pole was directly above the Manhattan ruined city. Additionally, a ‘sphere of void’ with a diameter of 5 meters appeared 1.8 kilometers above the Facility-13, perfectly aligned with the geological north and the north star, Polaris. The Institution tried to send drones into the sphere of void but as the drone enters, the signal will be cut-off making the drone uncontrollable on the other side. The Institution decided to not bother with the anomaly but continued to observe it.
> * The planet is covered with an unknown field of energy. The field doesn’t disrupt the radio-communication between the Earth, moon, and Mars. However, the Institution has observed that all the present matter on Earth has its entropic processes decreased dramatically since the discovery of the field. It is not advisable for all Institution personnel to stay outside of their designated facilities for more than 10 hours.
> * All flora ecosystems began showing anomalous behavior, such as absorbing radiation that could be lethal to them, multiplying a million times faster to the point that a greenish-red patch on Australian land with an area of 150 kilometers appeared within the first 3 hours of it’s discovery and disappeared for the next 26 hours, and a large root like structures made of fibrous [REDACTED] material and quartz engulfed the whole London ruins, covering the area of 1580 kilometers. All the personnel in Facility-08 in London ruins was forced to abandon the place due to the damage the roots did to the facility, and we’re transferred to the Research Base-1A on the Lunar Site.
>
>
>
> February [], 3179 – An expedition was held by the Institution on the Antarctic region due to the observed random radiation spikes in the area. Upon arriving, the Institution discovered 100 pieces of 0.5x0.5x0.5-meter cubes floating in the air. The Institution took the cubes and returned them to Facility-13 for inspection [SEE EXPERIMENT LOGS 3010-B].
>
> December [], 3195 – Huge floating Nautilus looking creatures, with length of 5 kilometers and width of 3 kilometers, were spotted near the Mt. Everest. The creatures were 10 in total and appears to be docile. It is unknown where these creatures came from, or how did they grow in such sizes if they were natives of the planet. The Institution left the creatures for they believed it’s the new life emerged on this planet.
>
> September [], 3197 – A series of system failure on the Alpha Quantum Core Servers were discovered on all the Institutional Facilities on Earth after a radiation surge was detected on the Beijing ruins. The Institution contacted the research bases on the Lunar Site and reported that all the matter present on the planet has its entropic processes halted. The Institution reported to the Alliance and they responded that all Institutional personnel on Earth must leave and seek refuge to the Lunar Site as soon as possible. But the Institution refuses and continued to do their work as well as developing the [INFORMATION EXPUNGED] Anchor to help support the integrity of the Institutional Facilities on Earth [SEE ADDENDUM 53-GAMMA].
>
> May [], 3200 – Facility-03 was able to finish the [INFORMATION EXPUNGED] Anchor, and the Institution was able to place three Anchors on each facility. The Lunar Site reported that the entropic process of the planet normalized, but the radiation from the ruins and the unknown energy field was still enveloping the planet [SEE ADDENDUM 53-GAMMA].
>
> November [], 3200 - the time was falling apart so we placed atomic clocks outside the facility, just to be sure…
>
> November [], 3200 – A system error was detected on the Institutional database logging system caused by an accidental insertion of [DATA EXPUNGED] in the Alpha Quantum Core. It was immediately resolved by [DATA EXPUNGED [SEE ADDENDUM 53-GAMMA].
>
> February [], 3205 – A system breach was detected on Facility-10 and Facility-09. The Institution has lost contact on the two facilities and all designated personnel in the two sites were reclassed as NEUTRALIZED [SEE EXPERIMENT LOGS 3010-B].
>
> January [], 3209 – A massive nuclear explosion was detected by the Facility-06 on the surface of the moon. The Institution has lost contact on the Lunar Site for 60 hours. The Lunar Site regained its contact after and addressed the situation to be ‘spicy and hot’.
>
> January [], 3209 – A system error was detected on the Institutional database logging system caused by [DATA EXPUNGED] and a system breach was detected on Facility-06. It was immediately resolved by [DATA EXPUNGED] with 326 casualties [SEE ADDENDUM 53-GAMMA].
>
> July [], 3210 – A distress signal was detected on Facilities 02, 03, 05, 06, 07, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 22, 23, 25, 26, 29, and 30. The Institution responded and immediately resolved the conflict by detonating the nuclear explosives planted inside the Proton-Hadron Colliders in each facility, resulting to [REDACTED] casualties [SEE ADDENDUM 53-GAMMA].
>
> October [], 3210 – If someone is still reading this, go to Facility-13, we have enough supplies for everyone.
>
> October [], 3210 – A system error was detected on the Institutional database logging system caused by [DATA EXPUNGED] and a system breach was detected on Facility-13. It was immediately resolved by [DATA EXPUNGED] [SEE ADDENDUM 53-GAMMA].
>
> November [], 3211 – The Alliance will come for us. For anyone who’s still reading these logs, please proceed to Facility-13 here in Manhattan ruins. Please go here, please…
>
> December [], 3211 – A system error was detected on the Institutional database logging system caused by [DATA EXPUNGED] and a system breach was detected on Facility-13. It was immediately resolved by [DATA EXPUNGED] with 138 casualties [SEE ADDENDUM 53-GAMMA].
>
> August [], 3212 – [ERROR DISPLAYING LOG]
>
> September [], 3212 – Facility-13 is currently experiencing system failure. All personnel must report to their superiors and should not abandon the facility. All contacts to the outside will be suppressed. God is still with us.
>
> January [], 3213 – Facility-13 is experiencing critical system failure. Please proceed to the exits of the facility, you are now free from the burden of this world. We will be one with God.
>
> March [], 3213 - A critical system error was detected on the Institutional database logging system caused by [DATA EXPUNGED] and a fatal system breach was detected on Facility-13. It was immediately resolved by [DATA EXPUNGED] with 54 casualties [SEE ADDENDUM 53-GAMMA].
>
> April [], 3213 – [Upon the order of the Institutional Council, this part of the file will be removed]
>
> May [], 3@!^ _ $$$$$$$$$$$$!@*&!@^^!&@*$$$$$$$$$$$$
>
> !@%^$$#^ )(@#( $*&@*&#*&)( _!)@)(ERROR) ^%@&^! “:>?<>,.]{*&$())_____)))(()()()()
>
> [REDACTED], 3219 – hElP Us! anyone out ther? Pliz el pus? haHHHaAhAAAhAHAAHA
>
> []
>
> [REDACTED] [], 3222 – [ERROR DISPLAYING LOG]
>
> []] *&> <’;[./1% 8..,.,*&* &‘[]2-6 )8*&7
>
>
>
> S(*@& ?>”:9 0(&$;029 _)(*)98 8(**(%@#__+++)
> .
>
> .
>
> eRor mY a@$$!!11! HahaAHWQHA! Pliez sen d hell ppp! help U$ will nO d0000
> .
>
> .
>
> [REDACTED], 3227 – Facility-13 is experiencing fatal system corrrrrrrrrrrrrrrtion, please prossscid to to to to to to to *****************. Thank you.
>
> [REDACTED], 3228 – The Institution h@s lOsT IIiiiTT’ssS c0000nt@ct on th3 LuN4R site and the MaRSs b@se. w3 @RRR:E n0wW 1ne w!th G0D.
>
> [REDACTED], 3228 – All system was restored in Facility-13, resulting to #### casualties. Facility-13 will now sleep through this cruel winter. Thank You for Your Service. GOD BLESS US ALL. Signing off…
Akino leaned backed on the chair she was sitting on after reading the file. She was baffled, she doesn’t know how to respond. She looked towards Alexa to ease up her uncertain feelings, and as she expected she found Alexa eating three chocolate bars at once and focusing herself on reading the expiration dates on the cans while sitting on the floor instead of reading along with her. Alexa caught Akino looking at her with her face disrupted by unknown emotions. As soon Akino saw Alexa’s face looking at her, she smiled but not fully. Alexa raised her eyebrow as she chews the chocolate bars, she swallowed the chocolates and opens another bar while handling it to Akino.
Alexa: You want some? You look like you’ve read something weird from the internet… You okay? Is it that worse? Are we okay being here?
Akino: Me? No! No… Yeah, we’re fine kid, we’re just fine… ahahahahah…
Akino nervously laughs at the confused Alexa. Alexa was about to stand up to look what was Akino reading on the screen, but Akino pointed her finger to the canned goods, making Alexa stop from standing and glance her sight to the cans.
Akino: So, you’ve read them all right? Are all of them expired?
Alexa: No, the expiration year was on 4010, most of these will be expired on 4010. It’s just some corned beef and SPAM. That’s crazy! What are they made of?
Akino thinks of something as Alexa opens a can of SPAM and smell its contents.
Alexa: Woah! It’s still fresh! What the hell?
Akino: Hey kid, can I ask a favor?
Alexa: Sure!
Akino: You said no one’s here, right? So can you look for some bags, and other food supplies? We might need them as we leave this place, ok?
Alexa: You got it, ma’am!
Alexa happily stands, gave the opened can of SPAM to Akino and does a salute in front of her before she rushed back to the cafeteria area, and Akino smiled at her as she vanishes from her sight. After Alexa was gone for looking some stuff, Akino’s face turned back into a perplexing manner as she faces to the monitor. She dipped her fingers in the can of SPAM to scoop out some meat and eats it, she remembered that time she works overnight at her condo while Alexa keeps on bringing her packed foods or canned meat. She laughs a little as she swallows the canned cooked pork, and then she lets out a sigh as she continues to type something on the keyboard.