This AddOn was started 1/15/21 and @RSThomas42 and @CheyenneDhraga (you can find them both on Twitter) contributed to the story. The original post is in colored text, my continuation is in black. All of the story starts are available if anyone is interested. You can contact me through my website, or my email, or through the chat icon below.
Ch1
"Who goes there?" The flashlight pierced the darkness. A bare wet footprint on the dry concrete was the only sign that something was there a moment ago. The older man in the security guard uniform removed his hat to scratch absently at his balding pate. "Who could be roaming around here in bare feet?" he wondered to himself. The security guard searched diligently for more clues, finding a weaving path of wet prints leading to the building behind the fence. Charles didn't have keys to the lock on the gate. No one did. No one knew what went on in the fenced-in building. It was off limits. He turned to head back when a loud hum emanated from the building. The narrow windows just below the roof line flashed with sparking blue lights. Once again, Charles was forced to bat down his curiosity about the building he was paid to guard. Squaring his hat, he forced himself to turn away and follow the strange footprints. They led around the fenced in building, as if someone might be looking for a way in. The prints led to a spot in the fence where someone had clipped through the chain links. The hole looked big enough for Charles to squeeze through.
"I'm gettin' too old for this," he complained aloud. He was strictly forbidden from entering the grounds, but obviously someone else already had. Steeling himself, Charles took a deep breath and squeezed through the fence. The wet footprints shimmered in the sparkling blue lights coming from the windows in the mysterious structure. Charles scanned the area with his flashlight before following the footsteps around the corner of the building.
The narrow passage between the building and the fence opened in front of him. A large blacktopped parking lot filled the open space. The lot was empty, save for one car. A dark sedan was parked near the building entrance.
Charles scanned the ground for the wet footprints. They were beginning to dry up, making them harder to see. He followed them to the middle of the parking lot, where they disappeared. He stood there, bewildered. Slowly scanning the ground with the precision of the CSI tech he used to be, he circled the spot where the trail vanished.
To his surprise, he found an open manhole with rungs descending into the sewer. The top few rungs still glistened wetly.
Charles glanced at the building in the distance. He could still see random blue flashes coming from the windows; but his gut, and years of detective work, told him to follow the trail.
He turned off his flashlight, and stuck it back in his holster. Grunting with age, he lowered himself to sit on the edge of the open manhole. Reaching out with his feet, he found purchase and began his descent.
Slowly lowering himself rung by rung, he finally reached the bottom of the shaft. He paused for a moment, resting against the wall to calm his aching knees.
Charles reached into his holster and withdrew his flashlight. He turned it on, revealing a thin walkway between the wall and the sewage pipe, heading toward the building in the distance. There were a few electric lines hanging on the ceiling, following the direction of the walkway.
Inspecting the concrete beneath his feet, Charles looked for more clues, but his luck had finally run out. He would have to rely on logic, and his gut.
Ch2
Shining his flashlight in both directions, he began drifting towards the building. Charles didn’t know what he would find down there, but he semi-hoped it would be the intruder.
Striding through the darkness, his senses were on high alert. The electric lights provided spotty illumination at best, and every little noise was amplified.
Charles heard something coming towards him. He pointed his flashlight beam at the source of the sound. Two beady red eyes blinked back at him from the ground. A mangy gray rat slunk into the light. Charles shivered, relief and adrenaline pulsing through his veins. He kept an eye on the rat, as it continued around him, and disappeared into the darkness behind him.
Continuing on, Charles eventually reached a solid metal door. There was a small keypad attached to the wall on the right side of the door, but there was no obvious way to open the door. Stymied, but determined, Charles shone the flashlight on the keypad, four numbers glistened wetly; 1, 6, 8, and 0. A slight smile crossed his face. He knew the entry code; maybe.
He closed his eyes, picturing the last place he saw those numbers together.
Opening his eyes, Charles put in the code; 6-8-0-1; the building’s address. The lights on the panel turned green and the door unlocked, hissing open.
The harsh glare of fluorescent lights spilled from behind the door. A long white hallway led to an elevator in the distance. Charles stood, frozen at the entrance. Still trying to decide what to do.
He wasn’t supposed to be behind the fence, let alone inside the building; but his job was to keep others out too. Someone who didn’t belong had already drawn him this far. He had to continue to solve this mystery.
Not only did his job depend on it, he needed to answer his own questions, for his peace of mind.
Slowly, and apprehensively, Charles entered the building. He walked down the hallway to the elevator at the end. There was only an up button to use to call the lift. He pushed it, and watched the red number above the elevator start counting down, 3, 2, 1, G, SB1, SB2, SB3.
DING
The elevator doors opened, and Charles stared at the slim figure occupying the small chamber.
“Hello Charles.” The figure said with a smile.
The blood rushed to Charles’ face, He had been found out. This man he didn’t know, knew his name. “Hello Sir,” Charles started, “I was following someone who broke into the fence. Their trail led here. Did you see anyone?” Charles hoped that if he explained his presence, he wouldn’t be fired for breaking the first rule.
The figure was silent for a moment, before muttering under his breath, “It is possible.” He eyed Charles once more before continuing louder. “Come with me Charles.” The mysterious man stepped back into a corner, and gestured at the rest of the elevator.
Charles hesitated, and eyed the man suspiciously.
“Is there a problem?” The figure seemed impatient, almost pushy.
“How do I know you’re in charge here? You could be the one I’m following.”
“Do I look wet to you?” The figure replied, his voice edging into annoyance.
“How did you know they were wet?” Charles couldn’t stop himself from asking questions the boss obviously wouldn’t answer.
“If you come with me you will find out.” The mysterious man repeated slowly.
Charles shrugged and joined the figure in the elevator.
The doors closed, and the elevator began its ascent. It moved smoothly, the numbers rising in regular intervals.
“Charles,” The figure began turning to face the old security guard head on. “I hired you because I thought guarding an unused gate and rear fence would be a cushy job for a retired police tech.” The boss smiled kindly before continuing. “I never thought you would break any rules, not to mention the main rule on which your employment depends.” The smile had faded away quickly, leaving a stern, disappointed look on his face.
“I am sorry for breaking your rule. However, since you know the individual I am looking for is or was wet; then you must know I am only trying to do the job you hired me to do. ‘Keep the fence secure’.”
“Yes. You were doing your job. The problem is,” the boss paused and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You weren’t supposed to see them.”
“I never saw anyone. Just wet footprints.” Charles was confused. Why wouldn’t he be able to see a trespasser?
“You weren’t supposed to be able to see those either.” The boss shook his head, dismayed at the failure.
Whose failure? Charles couldn’t say.
As the elevator approached the 3rd floor, the boss gave one final instruction to Charles. “If you do not see any personnel in my lab, you must leave immediately. You will return to your post, and we will pretend this never happened. If however, you do see people in my lab, you will join me in my office. Are we clear on these rules?”
“Yes, boss.” Charles replied, his anxiety level rising. What would he face when the doors opened?
Ch 3
The floor indicator flashed as the elevator settled on the third floor. A melodic ding sounded as the doors finally opened. The mysterious man in charge strode purposefully out of the elevator and down the sterile hall.
Charles timidly followed. He didn’t know what he was going to see, but part of him hoped the lab would be empty. He could go right back to his post, and ignore everything but his job and the rules.
But what would it mean if he could see people in the lab? What would happen then?
The hydraulic hiss of an opening door shook Charles from his reverie. The door at the far end of the hall was slowly swinging open. Charles watched as the boss slipped through the door.
Now he was faced with another dilemma; he could turn around and leave, without ever seeing the lab and the people who did (or did not) work there; or, he could gather what was left of his courage, and face the results of his actions with dignity.
Torn with indecision, Charles didn’t notice the boss figure pause beyond the now-fully opened door.
The boss waited silently, intrigued by the enigma of the aged security guard.
Charles finally approached the door, and looked into the lab. He gasped. The lab was occupied. But the beings inside didn’t look like normal people. He hesitantly entered the lab, and walked up to the first figure. Charles studied the being intently, trying to understand what he was seeing.
The figures were almost see-through. They looked like people made of water. Their skin rippled with each movement. Every being was standing in a small puddle, as if their weight caused some water to seep through their skin. The beings were so intent on their tasks they didn’t notice Charles inspecting them.
When Charles finished trying, and failing, to figure out what was going on; he looked around for the boss.
The boss was standing in a doorway at the end of the lab with a wry grin on his face.
Charles straightened his shoulders and walked toward the office. Now that he could see the people in the lab, what did that mean for him?
“Well, well, well. Another surprise.” The boss said when Charles entered the office.
“Sir?”
“Please, have a seat. We have a lot to discuss.”
Charles lowered his aching bones into one of the chairs in front of the desk, before trying to speak. “Who? What? How?” He couldn’t decide which question to ask first.
“Why don’t I tell you a bit about what I’m doing here, then we can discuss what I’m going to do with you.”
Charles gulped, then nodded.
The boss explained, “I was researching how to change skin pigmentation, specifically into the invisible spectrum, but the test didn’t quite go as planned. There was an accident. The lab techs you can see out there, bear the result of the accident. They are invisible under certain conditions. But their watery nature leaves indications of their passing.”
“The footprints,” Charles interrupted.
“Yes, the footprints.” The boss agreed. “Now my goal is to discover how to undo the change. Unfortunately the technicians can no longer hear or speak, so it is taking a lot longer than anticipated. Because of this, they tend to wander off, though they do return eventually. But if anyone were to come across them, I would probably have a lot of paperwork to fill out.” A slight grin spread across his face as he stared at Charles’ stoic expression. “That was a joke.”
Charles relaxed a bit, and matched the boss’s smile. “Oh, ha ha” he chuckled weakly.
“Anyway,” the boss pressed on, “I need someone to guard the exit to the building. I need to prevent the techs from leaving, and being seen, at least until I can fix them. This building is fully equipped with everything they, and you, would need. Finding someone that could see them was the hard part. Although, I am surprised that you could see them.”
“Why is that surprising?” Charles asked, intrigued.
“Because I can’t.” The boss replied.
Ch 4
“Wait, you can’t see them?” Charles asked, amazed.
“No, I cannot. The puddles and footprints are visible, but I don’t even know what they look like now.” The boss explained.
“They look like people made of water.” Charles said plainly.
“Really?” The boss leaned forward, intrigued.
“Well, yes, their skin looks like a thick clear membrane, and underneath I could see miniature waves resulting from every movement. They have no exterior holes, no mouth or ears that I could see. But they did seem engrossed by their work.”
“Amazing.” The boss leaned back in his chair, “and very succinct. I believe this will work out wonderfully. Please say you’ll come help me? I know you have lab experience from your years of work in the crime lab. This should be much easier.” The boss smiled, and waited for Charles to answer.
“I can understand why you need an assistant. I’m not sure how I can communicate with your techs though.” Charles responded eventually.
“Yes, that will be your first step, to find a way to communicate. I also need to know how many techs are here, how they eat, and a visual record would be of great assistance. I truly think you will enjoy the challenge here.” The boss waited as Charles pondered his options.
Finally Charles spoke. “Can I have a few days to consider your offer?”
“I’m afraid not, I need to know your answer before you leave this room. It is unfortunate, but necessary.”
“I need to know both sides of the coin before I can pick. You’ve told me the perks of saying yes, what will happen if I say no?” Charles asked, leaning forward.
“Saying no wouldn’t be your best option. You see, I can’t allow any word of these ‘altered techs’ to get out. I would do anything, to keep this quiet, and I mean anything.” The boss’ eyes hardened, and his mien turned deadly serious.
“I’m sensing that saying ‘no’ would shorten my life expectancy,” Charles said lightly, quickly becoming serious when the boss’ expression didn’t change. “Um, yes, I will be your new assistant?”
The serious look faded from the boss’ face, and he beamed broadly at his new assistant. “Wonderful! You can call me Dr. Malveaux, or Dr. Mal for short.”
Charles glanced at his watch. His shift was almost over, and exhaustion was creeping up on him. “I am very happy to be working with you Dr. Mal, when do you want me to start?”
“Tomorrow will be soon enough.” Dr. Malveaux said.
“Alright, I’ll be in, first thing in the morning, packed and ready to work.” Charles said, pleased to be of use.
“No, you won’t.” Dr. Mal said ruefully. “Unfortunately you won’t be leaving these premises ever again.”
Charles sat stunned, and the doctor circled the desk and walked toward him.
The End
What a finish. As always we may return to Charles and the Abandoned Building someday, but, for now, next month will be a new blog series. I hope to see you there. Until then, Keep your eyes to the skies.