Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

This story will feature themes of illegal experimentation on humans, death, gore, horrific imagery, non-consensual bodily modifications, suicide, murder, canon typical violence, familial angst, and possibly inaccurate lore. If you are uncomfortable with any of these topics, please leave, close the tab, or close your browser window now. Viewer and reader discretion is advised. Turn back now if you do not feel comfortable reading this story and its contents. Chapters will have separate tags placed at the very top along with any author’s notes. This is your final and only warning. Read all of the tags.

Failure to adhere to warnings will put you in the wrong. Heed the warnings.

(side note, English translations for any Spanish used will be included right next to the appropriate sentences)

Secondary warning: This fanfiction has been cross-posted from Quotev under the same author.

Chapter Text

Marisol leaned over her desk, newspaper clippings scattered across the surface. It had been twelve years since her son, Sebastian, had been convicted of nine counts of murder. He was innocent. Marisol knew that. He had come home to visit when the police arrived, grabbing him as he pleaded his innocence. Marisol covered her face as she slumped over her desk. Her daughter, Catalina, walked into the room with pictures in her hand.

“Any luck, ¿Mamá?” Catalina asked softly.

“No…” Marisol replied, choking on a hiccup. “I know your brother is alive, I know it… but I’m starting to lose hope, mija…” Marisol traced a finger on a framed picture of Sebastian, her thumb tracing the photo’s scar. “Hijo, ¿dónde estás? (Son, where are you?)” Marisol croaked. Catalina placed more photos on the desk and began sorting through them.

“Diego is still out asking some of the officers if their chief had been bribed…” Catalina murmured.

“Any luck with that?” Marisol asked in a small voice. Catalina was about to reply when the door swung open.

“¡Mamá! ¡Catalina! (Mom! Catalina!)” Diego cried, dark hair blown wild. “Someone knows where Sebby is!”

“Really?!” Catalina exclaimed, nearly dropping the photos in her hands.

“Hijo, who?!” Marisol cried, leaping out of her chair. “Who?! Who knows where your brother is?!” She added, grabbing Diego’s shoulders. Diego grabbed Marisol’s hands and tugged her out of the office, Catalina following at a sprint. After racing down the stairs, Marisol saw a young woman with blonde hair up in a bun and sunken blue eyes.

“Uhh… is this a bad time? I can just… give you my number and come back later.” The woman murmured.

“¡No, no, no! ¡Ven aquí! ¡Ven aquí! (No, no, no! Come here! Come here!)” Marisol shouted, grabbing the woman by her elbows. “Please, tell me you know where Sebastian is…”

“Oh! Y-Yeah, I know where he is.” The woman stated. “I’m… uh… actually, never mind. Just call me Rose.” She muttered. She opened her bag and pulled out a map.

“Why do you have a map?” Catalina questioned softly, placing her hands on her hips.

“I know exactly where the Hadal Blacksite is. It took a few near captures but I managed to get a picture.” Rose stated.

“Sebastian is there? In the Blacksite?” Diego croaked, voice wavering in hope.

“I’ve run into him a few times, actually. Though not… with grace most of the time.” Rose mumbled. “In the Blacksite, you kind of… stop aging.”

“How so?” Marisol asked, grabbing the woman’s hands.

“You just stop aging.” Rose repeated. “When the mission was first offered, I noticed people who’ve been in jail longer than ten years didn’t look any older than someone three fourths their age.”

“Just get to the point. What mission?” Diego insisted.

“It’s a crystal retrieval mission. It was caused by Sebastian.” Rose muttered, glaring at Diego. “His shop is always somewhere between the forty-eighth and fifty-second doors you go through.”

“Do you backtrack to see him multiple times?” Catalina questioned, slowly growing suspicious.

“Not exactly…” Rose stated. “You see… I think the reason people stop aging is for… respawn… capabilities…”

“Like a video game?” Diego hissed, growing impatient.

“Just like a video game.” Rose repeated. The color in Marisol’s face drained.

“How many times have you… died…?” Marisol asked gently.

“More times than I’d like to count… or remember.” Rose murmured. She pulled out a few plane tickets from her bag along with three sets of uniforms. “I don’t know if they’ll fit but you’ll have to try.”

“Wait, are we sneaking in? Are you crazy?!” Catalina blurted.

“It’s the only way you’ll be able to get in without catching Urbanshade’s eye with something as small as a misdemeanor. They’ll usually swoop up anyone on death row but I’ve seen a rare couple exceptions where someone with a misdemeanor got snatched.” Rose explained. “Urbanshade isn’t who they say they are…” Marisol suddenly threw her arms around Rose, hugging the woman tight.

“Thank you.” Marisol murmured through tears. Marisol then pulled back and wiped at her face. “How do we get past immediate suspicion?” She added, face set in determination.

“Just say you’ve heard about Z-13.” Rose stated. “That should get you in just fine.”

“What about Sebastian himself?” Marisol questioned.

“He’s been doing good last I heard.” Rose replied, faint relief in her voice. “Just… keep an open mind when you see him. He’s been through some things.” Rose made her way back to the front door. “Oh, and do me a favor?”

“Yes?” Marisol murmured.

“When you get Sebastian back, call me.” Rose stated, tossing a card that Catalina caught with ease. Rose cleared her throat before continuing. “When you sue the hell out of Urbanshade, call me. I’ve swapped out a few details for dupes when I was told to give back any data I found.”

“Understood. Stay safe.” Marisol murmured. Rose left with a nod and a wave. When the door closed, Marisol picked up the map. “Pack what you need.” She ordered gently. “We’re getting your brother back.”

Chapter Text

Marisol, Catalina, and Diego had suited up in the uniforms Rose had given them after she had left. After checking the sizes and fabric, the Solace family looked entirely different.

“Like gloves.” Diego chuckled, fiddling with the folded collar. "What's the fabric? Cotton?"

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, hermanito. Need it neat and tidy for inspection.” Catalina gently chided, booping Diego's nose. Diego giggled slightly as Marisol passed them bags filled with food, water, and hygienic items.

“Are you ready to get your brother back?” Marisol asked, looking at her children with soft eyes. Catalina and Diego looked at each other before looking back at their mother.

“We’re ready, Mom. For Sebastian.” Diego stated. Marisol nodded, pressing a kiss to Diego’s brow before turning to press one to Catalina’s.

“Alright. Let’s get your brother.” Marisol urged, grabbing her car keys. They exited the house and Marisol locked the door firmly. She alerted the neighbors to gather the mail, much to their surprise of seeing her in a uniform she didn't own, before getting into the car. Marisol took a breath and twisted the key in the ignition, pulling out of the driveway. Catalina pulled out her phone and began searching for the location on the map Rose had given.

“We should head south on the interstate and look for this logo.” Catalina explained, showing Marisol the logo of this… Urbanshade. Marisol nodded and turned left on the first intersection to the interstate. For several moments, the car was quiet, save for a quiet song on the radio, the entire way to the busy highway. “Rose said we’d get in if we mentioned Z-13… whoever or whatever that is.” Catalina mumbled, adjusting her cap for the sixth time in the past five minutes. Marisol glanced at Catalina worriedly before looking back at the road, her heart leaping into her throat.

“Ya vamos, Sebastian… (We're coming, Sesbastian…)” Marisol murmured, her grasp on the steering wheel tightening until her knuckles turned white. Catalina reached and gently covered Marisol's hand with her own, a quiet comfort. After a few hours, Diego was lounging in the backseat and was fiddling with the uniform again.

“So… Urbanshade.” Diego murmured. “Isn’t that the giant corporation just south of the capital?”

“I think so.” Catalina muttered, tapping a finger to her chin. "But… I thought they were a security company. Not… this."

“Focus.” Marisol gently chided as she checked the map still lying across her lap at the red light. Stress made her hands shake, even as they clutched the wheel. Another few hours passed in silence when Marisol took a breath. “We’re here.” She stated, pulling the hat of the Urbanshade uniform low over her brow. She came to a stop at a bar gate when a soldier dressed in a full set of tactical gear came up to the driver’s side window. Marisol hastily put the map in the console before rolling down the window.

“What’s your business here?” The operative questioned.

“We’ve heard about Z-13. Believed you needed backup.” Marisol replied, hoping her accent wouldn’t give her away.

“Do you have any weapons in the vehicle?” The operative continued.

“No, sir.” Marisol responded.

“How many operatives are in the vehicle?” The operative urged.

“Three, including myself.” Marisol murmured, sweat building on her brow. The operative left and came back with three assault rifles. One was passed to Diego and Catalina before the third one was given to Marisol.

“You’ll need those.” The operative stated before saluting and marching back into the checkpoint. The bar gate lifted and Marisol pressed on the gas, the car moving past the point of no return.

“Your family’s coming, Sebastian.” Marisol murmured, swiping her hand under her eyes to wipe away a tear. “Mantente fuerte por nosotros… (Stay strong for us…)”

Chapter Text

Marisol parked the car in a vast parking lot as close as she could to what looked like a rickety old warehouse. Strapping the assault rifles they were given across their backs, Marisol led Diego and Catalina into the warehouse. Inside, it looked far different.

“Woah… talk about sleeper build.” Diego murmured quietly. The Solace family followed different signs down twisting halls before finding a stairwell leading down. Faint, unintelligable voices echoed upwards towards them. Marisol took a breath before taking the steps down. Diego and Catalina scrambled to keep up with their determined mother. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, something immediately felt wrong. Catalina took the lead and peeked around the corner.

“Oh Dios… (Oh God…)” Catalina choked, clasping a hand over her mouth.

“What? What’s wrong, hija?” Marisol asked before a gut wrenching scream tore through the hall.

“No! No please! No!” A tortured voice shrieked, sobs and cries of pain echoing off steel walls. Diego pulled out his phone and opened the camera. He pressed the record button and held it up.

“Oh my fucking God…” Diego whispered as shadows of scientists leaning over some poor soul flashed across the walls like a flash of lightning.

“Que alguien le ayude... (Someone help him…)” Catalina croaked, clenching her eyes shut. 

“¿Qué le están haciendo a ese hombre? (What are they doing to that man?)” Marisol murmured, horror making her heart sink into her stomach. After what felt like hours but had most likely been just a couple minutes, the screams finally stopped with an echo of snapping bone. Diego stopped recording before he grabbed Catalina’s arm to drag her back up the stairs, their faces going pale. Marisol quickly hurried them along, feeling her stomach churning as she processed what happened. Once back at the top of the stairs, the Solace family barely got a second to breathe when a clearly high ranking operative approached them, making them stand upright in surprise.

“You three. Come with me, We are going to the Let-Vand Zone.” The operative ordered, tone bitter as he looked at the three of them.

“Yes, sir.” Marisol murmured, swallowing her horror. She tugged Diego and Catalina along as they followed the operative. He led them to a submarine, where a few other operatives in tactical gear were waiting. They appeared to be impatient before straightening before their commanding officer.

“We will get you suited up at the Let-Vand Zone.” The operative stated as he grabbed Marisol’s arm and almost pushed her onto the submarine. Marisol squawked in shock as Diego and Catalina hurried to catch her. Marisol regained her balance quickly before the submarine door shut, Diego and Catalina staying close to her.

“We’re so fucked… we shouldn't have come here…” Diego whispered under his breath as the sub jolted into motion. Marisol held his shoulder securely, hoping she was reassuring. It was a few moments of unsteady silence when another operative spoke up.

“When I get my hands on Z-13, I’m going to put so many goddamn bullets into him that not even our scientists can identify him.” The operative growled, popping her knuckles through her gloves. Marisol flinched at the sudden movement the operative made.

“Cool it, Lieutenant Banks.” The first operative scolded. "We need level heads when we get down there. We can't risk having emotions overwhelm us."

“Sorry sir.” The second operative, Lieutenant Banks, muttered. “It’s just that damn abomination’s wrecked several expeditions, killed God knows how many expendables, not to mention dealing with that God forsaken AI.” Banks shook her head. "I should crack that damn computer screen the moment I get the chance."

“Banks.” The first operative snapped. Marisol grabbed Diego and Catalina’s hands, clenching them tight. Catalina's fingers dug into Marisol's hand, knowing they'd leave bruises after a while.

“God help us.” Marisol whispered under her breath as the submarine jostled slightly. Marisol closed her eyes, softly murmuring, “Ya viene mamá, Sebastian. (Mom is coming, Sebastian.)”