The lab was too quiet.Like the kind of quiet that screamed "something terrible just happened" but nobody wanted to admit it.
The alarms had finally died down, the red lights dimmed, and for five whole seconds, everyone just… breathed.
Then Tanya broke the silence."Uh… guys? Where's Pluto?"
Everyone froze.Luna blinked. "What do you mean where's Pluto?""I mean..." Tanya pointed to the spot where Pluto and Tango were a few minutes ago. "They were standing right there. Now it's just—empty air. And maybe a little burnt smell?"
Tim gasped dramatically. "OH MY GOSH THEY GOT ABDUCTED BY GHOSTS! THE GHOSTS WANT HOT GUYS!"Luna stared at him. "First of all, who told you Pluto's hot?"Tim placed a hand on his chest. "My eyes, Luna. My eyes."
Asuka groaned. "Focus! They couldn't have just disappeared—"Right then, a nearby screen flickered to life with glitchy symbols. A robotic whisper echoed through the lab."PHASE 2… INITIATED."
Tanya squeaked. "I hate phases."Luna sighed. "I hate my life."
Suddenly, the floor trembled. Blue light ran across the tiles like veins, humming with energy. The glass around them shimmered—then burst into floating fragments that rearranged themselves into… words.
"RETRIEVE THE LOST ONES."
Tim gasped again. "Oh no. Oh NO. The lab wants us to play fetch with our friends."Luna muttered, "Better than fetch with zombies."Asuka snorted. "Barely."
So began the most chaotic rescue mission of 2067.
They split into two teams—mostly because Tim insisted on being the "emotional support leader" and refused to walk anywhere alone.He ended up with Luna and Tanya, while Siara and Emmanuel went the other way.
"Tim," Luna said, stepping over a half-dead wire, "you do realize if anything tries to kill us, you'll be the first to die, right?"Tim flipped imaginary hair. "Then I'll die fabulously. But also—" he grabbed Luna's arm suddenly, "....if a ghost comes, I'm clinging to you like WiFi signal in a storm."Luna facepalmed. "Great. My legacy: ghost repellent."
They moved deeper into the lab, the walls buzzing like a bad radio signal. Strange whispers echoed...half in static, half in actual English."Subject…missing…connection unstable…"
"Sounds like my ex," Tim muttered.Tanya wheezed. "Bro."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the lab.....Siara and Emmanuel were having their own breakdown.Siara tapped her sword against a wall that seemed to breathe. "This place is alive."Emmanuel nodded grimly. "So is Tim's imagination. We'll be fine."
Back to Team Chaos:They entered a corridor glowing faint blue, and suddenly the lights blinked—then a hologram flickered to life in front of them.It was Pluto—except not really. He looked like a glitched video."Hey!–guys!–don't–touch–anything-Tango....."Then he vanished.Luna froze. "Okay… he's alive."Tim nodded. "Yup. Which means I can still yell at him later."
The floor then made an absolutely illegal sound.A low, rumbling growl."Tell me that's the air vents," Tanya whispered."Tell me that's my imagination," Luna said.Tim, however, was busy trying to record it on his smartwatch. "This is SO going on my death vlog...."
Before he could finish, a metal arm shot out from the ceiling and nearly grabbed him.
Tim screamed like a dying kettle. "LUNA! SAVE ME, I'M TOO YOUNG TO BE A SCIENCE EXPERIMENT!"Luna smacked the arm with a metal rod. "I swear this lab has commitment issues!"
They ran. Again. For the twentieth time that week.
Doors opened on their own, walls shifted, and strange symbols glowed wherever they stepped.....like the lab was testing them. Every now and then, they'd hear Pluto's faint voice echo through the speakers, yelling something like "I'M FINE, STOP PANICKING!" or "DON'T TOUCH THAT BUTTON, TANGO...OH MY GOD..."
And somewhere far away, Tango's voice followed:"BROOO I THINK I MADE FRIENDS WITH THE WALL!"
An hour later, Team Chaos finally reached a chamber with glowing pods ; two of which were pulsing like heartbeats.Luna rushed forward. "That's gotta be them!"Tim held her back dramatically. "WAIT! What if it's a trap?! What if they come out as....mutant zombie versions of themselves?!"Tanya shrugged. "Then we'll hit them with the frying pan."Luna nodded. "Fair."
The pods hissed open, releasing steam and two very dizzy humans.Pluto coughed. "Did someone put me in a blender?"Tango blinked. "Where's my shoe?"
Tim screamed and ran at them, wrapping them both in a hug. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD, YOU IDIOTS!"Pluto wheezed. "Tim… air…"Tango smiled weakly. "Aw, he missed us."
Luna sighed in relief, crossing her arms. "Next time, if a glowing floor tries to eat you....don't step on it."Pluto groaned sarcastically. "Yeah, thanks, MOM."
Tim sniffled dramatically. "You're never leaving my sight again.""Tim," Pluto said, still half-dead. "If you hold me any tighter, I'll turn into a pancake."
"Then we'll match," Tim said. "Because I'm flatlining."
Everyone collectively groaned.
As they finally stumbled out of the chamber, exhausted but reunited, the lab lights dimmed again.Siara's voice came through their communicator. "You found them?""Yeah," Luna replied. "Barely.""Good," Siara said, her tone serious. "Because Phase 3 just unlocked."
Tanya blinked. "Phase what?"The speakers crackled.
"RELEASE: STAGE GAMMA."
Every light in the lab turned crimson.
Pluto groaned. "You've got to be kidding me."Tim whispered, "...guys?"Luna sighed. "Don't say it."Tim whispered louder, "The zombies are totally coming back, aren't they?"Luna: "Tim."Tim: "Yeah?"Luna: "Run."