Unseen enemy

In the next pages there was gathered detailed information about several psycho-physiological conditions noted in the subjects, reporting observed alterations and behaviours.
The even pages were comprised of text and terribly long, complicated strings of chemical equations spread through the lines like trains, while the odd ones contained pictures of cellular structures and body tissues, that they couldn't understand.
- My high hopes of figuring out all this biological rigmarole are going through the drain. Nonetheless, what I comprehend is that, according to this log entry, from January 21st, experiments were conducted in about ninety-six 'guinea pigs'; this "Shomu" thing must be the name of the project in which they were working on. Judging by how this place turned out, something must of went sour.

Gip replied, nodding his head:
- Hmmm.... I was realizing the same. It went bad big time. It says here that the scientists were assembled in the primary research facility; were they determined the most apt 'individuals' for the tests.
- Yes... it could be our next lead. It shouldn't be too far. If I remember Vincent talking about it, it was some tens of meters up the avenue. Maybe go there, take o look around, and pick up clues....
- Don't you think that there's where that guy went?
- Who knows. But I'd definitely like to confront him and make him spill his guts.
- That if he'd really tell us anything. Seems like a long shot.

Out of nowhere, a lighting sparkled outside followed immediately by thunders, soaring deafeningly from the sky and spewing their rage across the place. They instantly jumped backwards, their hearts beating out of rhythm, as if the sound had clashed with their very bones. Gip took a deep breath before saying:
- Great; just great. All we needed now was a bit of rain, just the right thing to brighten the mood.
- And with all this heat (come all the way from the tropics, it seems) to boot.... now there's something unexpected. Such a forsaken land it is.

Dan tried to find some raincoat, or an overcoat or another type of jacket to protect him of the rain, but having found nothing of his size, he had to settle with Gip's suggestion of donning an overall lab coat.
As they opened the front door, the small rain falling in shower greeted them, brought by the uprising wind.
But it was time for them to leave that place and head the distance upwards the street. The thunders continued cracking down over the region, as if they were sneering at Dan's last assessment.

- I'm gonna take this notebook with me, just in case - and he tucked it inside one of his lab coat's inner pockets.
Sneaking out of the front gate, then they ran to the bike.
- I really, really didn't want to sit on a wet seat and get my... bench moist. But it's the fastest way to get there.
- They say lightning doesn't strikes twice.....
The houses they were seeing along the street seemed carbon copies of each other, emptied of life and obscure.

The street would end up to lead into a tiny plaza where they arrived a few minutes later, decorated with what looked like provision warehouses or factories and at a corner a modern look building. They stopped the bike there and were now looking at a four storeys high facility which its imposing front hid its triangular format, painted in a bleak grey and provided with large, but few windows and rotating doors. There was no movement around.
- Another desolate place. Why am I not surprised.....

Luckily, the rain was slacking down.
On top of the doors there was a sign reading: «Aleph, Light & Co.»
And, below, in smaller capitals: «Primary Research»
They approached the rotating doors cautious of the absence of noise in the close-quarters. Although they were made of some kind of material that was a cross between reinforced glass and acrylic, it was adorned with thin wood ornaments around it, perhaps mahogany.
The intention was surely to give it a more distinguished appearance, but it failed terribly. The doors were shut, and they had to break the "glass", after a few unsuccessful attempts.
Inside, the darkness was reigning dominant.
- The light switch doesn't seem to work - relayed Dan.