Lily knew the building was unique, a fact confirmed the moment she stepped inside. The construction materials were unusual; numerous acoustic pads lined the walls, and the ventilation system was far more extensive than in typical buildings. The lighting was suboptimal, casting a dim, almost depressing atmosphere. This seemed incongruous with the building's architecture, suggesting the poor lighting was deliberate, a protective measure.

The hallway, though illuminated with warm lights, remained dimly lit. Walking through it felt surreal, the experience heightened by the heavy bang of the door closing behind them. Startled, Lily glanced back before turning to Mike, who remained calm. "You'll get used to it soon," he said matter-of-factly.

Lily offered a derisive laugh. He's wrong. I'll never get used to this vile place. I won't get used to anything here.

At the hallway's end, Mike removed his gloves and scanned his fingerprint, then looked in a specific direction for an iris scan. The door beeped open.

Lily narrowed her eyes, suspecting they wouldn't be granted such easy access. As they entered, someone was already waiting; he bowed to Mike in acknowledgement. Another person approached, offering them two protective suits.

"Put it on," Mike instructed, handing her one. He quickly donned his own, revealing his familiarity with the procedure. Once ready, he noticed Lily was likewise prepared. He glanced at her belly; the oversized suit concealed her pregnancy.

"Let's go," he said.

Further in lay an isolation unit, requiring full-body sanitization before proceeding. Two more doors separated them from the work space – a highly secure location, given the organization's illegal research. The elaborate entry procedures were clearly intended to prevent staff exposure to potentially hazardous experiments.

This wasn't out of concern for their well-being, but a calculated measure to maintain a sufficient workforce. They're protected because they're still valuable to the organization. Any infection would be catastrophic, potentially leading to widespread death. Most would probably die.

Lily silently completed the preparations. At the work table, her eyes fell upon a plant in a glass vessel—a plant she recognized from her past work. However, this specimen was abnormally large, exceeding the descriptions she had encountered.

"This..." She turned to Mike.