Aboveground

The aboveground refers to the space above the underground facility that is not seen by Ten or other residents of the underground, and is thus largely unknown. It is connected to the underground facility only physically and through its owner, but is otherwise a place of operations separate from the underground facility.

## About

Reportedly, the aboveground operates like a normal facility, though it is still uncertain just what role it plays or what its purpose is. While Yosuke has regularly mentioned to Ten what goes on aboveground, he tends to change the story often enough for Ten to completely distrust his word.

Initial information about the facility from Yosuke was that it was a biomedical/pharmaceutical supply company that falsified their sales to appear genuine on paper for the sake of gathering funding, though this turned out to be barely true.

It’s only around Chapter 80 that the nature of the aboveground is given a little more light. Yosuke states more about his role than the actual facility, but does express that there is work done up there that’s more “legal” and genuine than what goes on underground. Reportedly, there are laboratories and other related facilities where research and lab work are done. Workers in the aboveground are given tiers, with some areas of the facility being off-limits to lower tiers (presumably being people not at all affiliated with The Overseer’s more personal work).

Given what’s been said of the aboveground operation, it is highly likely that there are drugs manufactured aboveground. And given that The Overseer is said to head the company and make public appearances, the general public is aware of both it and its owner, or else such information is publicly available.

## Surroundings

The facility's precise location is currently unknown, and the only information given was in chapter 90 where Monica mentions open space, long twisting roads, tall trees, and a nearby city or two. It's more than likely that the facility is in a remote location away from residential areas, but Monica has mentioned that there are some small or private communities and residencies sprinkled around amidst the roads and trees. She also notes that there are some lakes and rivers. It's unlikely based on this that the facility is near a shore or ocean.

There are no intended real-life locations linked to the setting, but it is possible that there are specific parts of the US that reflect this kind of environment.

## Purpose

Ten has not yet learned just what the aboveground operation is for or what is done up there, though she has come to learn that some of the underground doctors do work up there. Likely, it’s work that is not obviously questionable, so things like paperwork or general research would count.

Yosuke has said he’s in an administrative role, and that he regularly works aboveground dealing with paperwork. In other chapters, he relays that he’s also done labwork and general research (e.g. his collaborative research with Mom, where they first met). Other doctors have also been said to have offices or do work aboveground as well.

## Layout

Beyond mention of laboratories and offices, the general layout of the aboveground is unknown. However, Ten has noticed a label for a basement underground, meaning that there is likely a basement area nestled between the main complex and the underground facility.

## Privacy

Because The Overseer reportedly runs the aboveground as a normal company, it draws attention. The Overseer has said during Ten’s confinement, during conversations with Lucius, that people have often come sniffing for information, and that he or his partner have had to either pay people off, or kill them in order to maintain privacy and prevent anyone from learning about the underground facility.

The Overseer runs things aboveground as if it were a normal operation, but behind the scenes, he does everything in his power to keep everything else private. This is why there are tiered sectors and people close to the underground operation looking over the aboveground. Yosuke, for instance, is someone who has to regularly report anything of concern to his superior to be dealt with.

The Overseer maintains a false image for aboveground employees, the general public, and any investors to the company, and manages to keep his dirtier habits and behaviors secret. If he, Lucius, or Milos aren’t able to take care of something, The Overseer is capable of hiring external help to maintain his privacy. While it’s unclear just what kind of hold he has on others, it’s been said he has many “connections”.

## Known Aboveground Doctors

Quite a few of the underground workers do not work exclusively there, and either have once worked aboveground, work exclusively aboveground, or switch between parts of the facility. Mom is a special case, and is the only known doctor to forgo her work aboveground in lieu of a strictly underground position. It’s unclear just why this happened, other than that she became attached to the underground and simply decided to stay there.

* The Overseer (switches between)
* Lucius Marcellus (switches between)
* Yosuke Chisaka (exclusive)
* Sven Engelstad (switches between)
* Jude Christian (switches between)
* Mom (former, used to switch between)