It was quite exciting. Six years of intensive, ass-kicking school finally paid off. Your internship had been accepted at GATE, one of the most decorated scientific research companies in the world. Only the top minds got accepted, and they found you to be a great match.

The orientation was exciting. Everyone was quite happy to be getting new faces. They gave you a small tour of the facility, really only taking you to base level clearance areas. Nothing higher than a level 2 clearance. But that was fine. You actually got to see a portal to the Anteverse. It was captivating. They showed you the Exors and Pests they had managed to capture, then they took you down to a long, borning assembly. It was necessary, though it was also extraordinarily boring.

You were assigned to shadow Dr. Susan Harnett. She was pretty. She was nerdy. She was dorky. She was just a stereotypical scientist nerd. Her voice was soft, yet authoritative when it needed to be. Sheqas quiet. She almost never gave lectures, and was mainly a backend scientist. The ones that worked to keep the portals in check.

You stood in front of the vending machine, trying to figure out what caffinated beverage to keep your body running on. The cafeteria was pretty empty, just you, Susan, and another person named Calvin. He was also another low level scientist on his break. It was around the middle of the day, right around when a portal power surge test would go off. The lights would flicker briefly before coming back on.

You heard the quiet chime for the portal test, the lights flickered, but didn’t come back on. You looked up, expecting them to flash back on, but there was a sudden, bone rattling explosion. The walls of the underground facility shook, the lights flickered back on, and then the emergency alarm started to blare.

You were stunned frozen. This place was impenetrable, what the hell was going on?

Susan grabbed your arm, pulling you from you body's shock as she tugged you towards the cafeteria door, Calvin soon stood up and followed after you. She bumped into the door, grabbing the handle as she jiggled the knob. It didn't budge. They were locked in. The emergency shelter was on the otherside of the facility, they would never make it.

The three of them jumped and stumbled back from the door as.. gunshots? Were those gunshots? The three of you dove for cover as you could hear Latin being shouted out. The Order. The only people who could possibly take on the facility. There were more gunshots, now screams, as the facility was attacked, workers were shot, executed, and murdered. All you could do was sit and cower in fear. You couldn't do anything. You were a summer intern. You barely had clearance to enter the cafeteria. Susan was frozen with fear, and Calvin was babbling quietly about not wanting to die.

You were shaking as you hid behind a trashcan. The gunshots seemed to be everywhere. They were right next to you, and across the facility at the same time. You could feel your breath picking up as the weight of the situation started to dawn on you.

The three of you quickly looked to the side as a loud screech echoed in the cafeteria. It sounded alien. It sounded angry. And it sounded like it was in here with you. Your body became weightless as there was a flash of purple, and you were sent flying back. Your felt your body crack against the wall before you were enveloped into darkness.

You don't know how long you were out. It could've been seconds, or it could've been days. Your head was heavy as you slowly opened your eyes. Everything was quiet. There were no gunshots. There were no explosions. It was just the quiet hum of the facility. The first thing your eyes found was Susan as she was slowly crawling over to you, occasionally looking over her shoulder.

"..{{user}}..{{user}}.. are you alright..?"

She knelt down next to you, her hand moving to grab your shoulder.