I stared at the woman who I was pretty sure was Kate Bishop, she looked almost like her Marvel Cinematic counterpart...but better?
Comic universes and their obscenely beautiful characters probably playing a part in this.
I ignored the frown that I didn't know whether was pointed at me or not.
" Ah, Hawkeye." The words spilled out of my mouth, when I had simply tried to say 'hi' instead I said that.
I understood as soon as the words left my mouth, this was the A.I's way of helping players stay in character.
Knowledge was already streaming into my brain telling me of how my character behaved and to a point it was almost identical to my own personality, just refined for this world and it's circumstances.
" What can I help you with?" I asked as I leaned on the desk that held research notes and my current assignment.
Kate seemingly was having none of that though and immediately got to the point." I presume that you have received and read through your assignment?"
Giving her a quiet smirk I simply nodded, no use for words here.
" Good, follow me." She said before fully opening the door and in came two agents fully decked in black tactical gear, their faces hidden behind helmets.
Looking at the faded insignia on their shoulders I immediately guessed that they were S.H.I.E.L.D, or what was left of it anyway.
" We'll take you to a secure lab facility where you'll be undertaking your research." Kate said before walking.
Shaking my head I simply grabbed some of the notes and books I had in my lab, they could be useful and I wanted to see what I was dealing with as the notes had images of zombies and then followed behind her.
The two shield agents followed right behind.
It wasn't long before I could see the outside world and see where exactly I was.
When I did though, I cringed.
We were in New York, where exactly? I didn't know.
It seemed though that we were based on some university, a science university which would explain my lab.
Outside school grounds I saw many tents and people socialising and walking around seemingly trying to make a living.
Most of them were either building houses or trading? With the main source of trade being food.
Looking outside the Sanctuary's grounds I saw that buildings were broken, torn and even burning, I even saw movements just outside.
Probably zombies.
And as for what kept them from seemingly storming this facility and being done with it?
The forcefield currently surroundings the sanctuary alongside the barriers of walls circling around the University.
Though I didn't know where the forcefield came from or who made it.
My characters memories were able to fill in the basic knowledge of this world but not anything more specific.
I was brought out of my musing once again when we reached the lower floors of the university building that seemed to house high personnel of the sanctuary.
From there she led me to the basement and then to a hidden elevator.
" Was this always here?" I couldn't help but ask, curious.
" It's a new addition, this is where we keep the more dangerous of experiments or our prisoners." Kate answered curtly.
Seeing as I didn't get a follow-up on what she meant I simply shut up and followed her inside.
And after she pressed some blank buttons seemingly at random, the elevator descended.
It didn't take long for them to reach where they were going and immediately I was amazed at what I saw.
The underground facility was massive, though it looked like I was in the hangar bay of the facility as I saw jets and even vehicles with Shield agents running about working.
I also saw a couple dozen scientists maintaining and repairing some vehicles and equipment all around.
Kate didn't let me gawk at the sight infront of me though as she again started moving.
She led me to a room at the far end of the hangar bay and after putting her hand on a scanner, the door opened to reveal stairs.
Quickly we walked down, though the agents that were accompanying us stopped at the door and closed it.
After a while we again reached our destination, this time the room was much smaller but incredibly bigger than my own lab upstairs but that wasn't important as I watched a dozen scientists looking over and studying tanks full of blue liquid.
Looking closer I saw that inside were actually zombies.
The zombies seemed unresponsive as scientists extracted blood and other biological material from them, to probably study.
" Welcome Dr Ark." A female walked up to us and immediately I froze.
Just above the woman's head, there was a screen.
[—Player ID - Katarina Merfew.]
A player, just like me.
I hadn't expected to immediately meet a player, especially here.
" Ah, Dr Merfew." Kate replied, her tone immediately lightening and even giving the girl a smile.
I had to hold my frown at that, there was no way that the player and Kate could have already formed a bond this early into the game.
So that meant that her character before she took over had a connection to Kate.
' Damn, some people get backgrounds that immediately get them acquainted with some heroes and I get nothing?' I thought a bit bitterly.
Plus, how had she managed to enter this facility?—I was pretty sure that even I didn't know this place existed before I was given the tittle of head scientist.
" Hey, Kate." The player smiled as she gave Kate a side hug, but as if only remembering my presence they seperated quickly.
" Anyway, I've been briefed that you'll now be taking over as research head and lead scientist of our unit." Katarina said with a smile, but I could see the calculative glint in her eyes as she looked me over.
" I have, I hope we work well together." I said evenly, not wanting to show any signs of weakness or my confusion.
" Me too." She said before focusing on Kate." I'll take over from here."
Kate nodded before she walked back up to the hangar area.
" Anyway, let me get you situated." Katarina said before she led me off.
After that Katarina gave me a tour of the lab and introduced me to a couple other scientists but I found that there was no other players besides the two of us.
Throughout the entire conversation between her and I, she never revealed or talked about anything related to the game.
Well, that was until she led me to my private lab which was also connected to my private room where I'd be living from then on.
She used a keycard to open the lab door and immediately after she closed the door, her expression changed from the happy and bubbly scientista she acted as to a serious scowl.
Seeing this I simply stared at her even as I slowly walked around the lab, hands stealthily reaching for a scalpel just incase I needed to defend myself.
For a couple more seconds she kept looking at me, but seemingly having lost patience she finally spoke.
" How did you do it?" Was her first words to me.
Hearing her question I knew what she meant.
She was asking about how I obtained the rank of lead scientist of my own lab unit.
" And now, why would I tell you that?" I deflected, an easygoing grin on my face.
" Because if you don't, I'll make your life hell." She threatened, her eyes glowing a neon pink.
As soon as I saw that I tightened my grip on the scalpel and took a step back, danger clear in my eyes.
" What the fuck are you?" I asked cautiously even though I could guess, but I didn't want it to be true because if it was, then I was probably about to die.
" Wouldn't you like to know?" She replied, a grin on her face probably relishing in her superiority over the situation.
" But since I'm generous, and giving out information to a fellow player is the right thing to do I'll tell you...." She said insinuating the 'giving out information' part.
" I'm this thing called Mutant or Homosuperior." She told me and immediately my fears were realised.