He opened the door and stepped in confidently, though his eyes immediately squinted in pain from the bright whiteness of the laboratory. Through it, he found himself looking at an array of metal tables neatly arranged with metal parts scattered all over them. Isaac was a smart person, but he had trouble figuring out what those parts were for.

There barely was any walking space in the room, as huge boilers and ovens occupied floor. Platinum shelves were packed to the roof as well, and many dangerous looking devices were scattered on the floor.

“Nehemiah?” a woman’s voice from deep inside the room said.

Out of the darkness emerged a lady, her skin deep brown and rich, her hair a bundle of dark tight curls. Wrinkles surrounded her tired eyes, yet they gleamed with fascination and wonder, influencing Isaac to be the same. The middle-aged woman was a beauty within the oversaturated surroundings, a relaxation to the mind.

“I guess not,” she continued, crossing her arms curiously at Isaac. “I’m Doctor Alva. Do you need anything?”

Isaac straightened his back. “I’m Colonel Isaac. I was just here to investigate on the newly built weapons. I’m sure you heard. They were stolen, so I was sent here as a request to know more about them.”

Doctor Alva pouted and leaned on one of the metal tables. “Ah, you mean the dazzler. Yes, quite a disaster. The prototypes should not be in the hands of those who do not know how to use it.”

He scrunched his eyebrows together. “The… dazzler?”

“Electrogun, actually. We just call it the dazzler. Bright light, it hurts the eyes.” She sadly smiled at him. “You’re not in luck with your investigation. I didn’t do much in the creation of the dazzler, I just do the research on other things. But ask away, though I don’t think I can give you much information.”

Disappointment rushed through Isaac, but he knew he couldn’t risk this chance. The direct inventors might not even talk about it at all, yet here was a woman who knew at least something about it. “I was just wondering about how it works.”

She pointed at the light source embedded at the ceiling. “Electricity, of course! We use batteries keep them going, although that’s just for the prototype. Honestly, it’s too heavy to be used as a weapon, and the amount of buttons and levers are too complicated.”

“So you mean that it is not possible for the rebels to use it?”

“For sure. I barely know how.”

That information was relieving, but Isaac was not satisfied just yet. He needed to know how dangerous it was, and how it could turn the tides in the war. He needed to know how Curio could abuse it. “How powerful is it?”

Doctor Alva bit her lip and looked uncomfortable for a second. “Well… let’s just say that it’s not your average weapon.”

“And that entails to?”

“It disintegrates carbon-based objects.”

His eyes widened. All that would mean was that it disintegrated anything living. When did the Military get so inhumane? “Really?” he asked. “That’s… quite incredible.”

She nodded. “It is, isn’t it? Science is amazing, though I have to wonder if the Military really should resort to that type of war. Very one sided if you ask me. Not that anything could be done about it, though.”

He nodded back, but blankly. His mind overflowed with thoughts, like if this really was the right thing to do. He suffered and endured under Curio’s violent orders long enough, and he did not know if he could take it anymore. Once he would be asked to disintegrate humans… he didn’t know if he could do it.

But he had no choice.

“Thank you, Doctor Alva,” he said, face still deep in thought. “I might be returning soon, but that is all for now. Do you mind keeping this a secret? My investigation should not be heard by anyone.”

“Well, no, but, are you okay? You look really tired.” She jutted her face at him. Brown wondering eyes probed him.

He blinked a few times, trying to regain composure. “Yes, I am. Thank you, again, for everything. I will be leaving now, sorry for the intrusion.” He turned for the door out of 103 and opened it, revealing just how much bright it was inside the room. The hallway looked really dark compared to where he was.

“Bye,” he heard Doctor Alva say cheerily as he closed the door behind him.

He truly needed sleep, or at least a way to regain sanity. If not, only the gods know if he’d take up a dazzler and aim it at the Military.