Inside a lab, Fischer just received a call from one of his men.
"Xilion, can you wait for me a couple of minutes? I have to make an urgent call," Fischer said.
"Yes, but be quick; I need your help for the next step," the doctor said.
"Yes, yes." The Major replied.
Fischer then left the lab and the professor to his work. The duo managed to decrypt the waves through which the parasite communicated with its minion, so they tried to create a device to track it. The Major quickly changed rooms and went into a nearby one where he could talk without the machinery noise.
Fischer then took his phone and dialed a number. The phone started ringing.
"Hello, this is Major Fischer. I need to talk to General Becker," the man said to the person on the other side of the phone. Then he waited for the big guy to answer. It took three minutes for the general to do so.
"Here is General Becker."
"Good morning, sir; I'm Major Fischer," The military man spoke professionally and respectfully. "I have some reports regarding the task you gave me, sir."
"Tell me, Major."
Fischer spent the next ten minutes reporting to General Becker. He told him how they would complete the device and how they were close to starting to produce the vaccine. Everything was going well for once, putting Becker in a good mood.
…
…
…
"And that's all, sir."
"You have indeed proven your worth, Major; call me again next week to keep me updated with the production and let me know when your men will start the search. This is of the utmost importance; I have the hunch that we are going in the right direction," the general concluded.
"Yes, sir."
The duo closed the communication, and Fischer returned the phone to his pocket. He started walking toward the lab and arrived in front of the room's door.
He typed a passcode onto the keypad at the right of the door, and it opened. Fischer then entered in and soon heard inhuman screams.
Ranger Lakwosky, the subject of some experiments, made them. He was screaming, screeching, and trying to trash everything. He was fortunately tied, but the strength he exerted was formidable, so much so that the higher-ups were thinking of killing the poor soldier.
He would have already been dead if it weren't for Xilion and Fischer's intervention, who wanted to use him in some experiments.
If the device worked well, they would be able to find the parasites, which meant also finding infected people, which allowed them to potentially find the Heniate. Still, Xilion could not figure out why Lakwosky was having that reaction to the device, especially considering that he didn't have parasites anymore; he had just mutated.
Lakwosky emitted strange sounds every time Xilion turned the device on. Initially, the ranger's sounds began with a low, guttural growl that resonated with raw power. It was a deep, rumbling roar that seemed to originate from the depths of his massive chest. The sound was primal and instinctual, sending shivers down Xilion's spine.
Then, they shifted to a series of sharp snarls and snorts, like a wild animal on the hunt. His teeth gnashed together with a menacing click, and his jaws snapped open and closed with a menacing ferocity. The noises were unpredictable and chaotic and conveyed Lawkowsky's untamed nature.
Next, the ranger transformed his snarls into a series of piercing shrieks and screeches. They were high-pitched, ear-piercing wails that echoed throughout the room, causing Xilion to cover his ears in discomfort. It was creepy and strange at the same time.
Xilion thought that this was due to the fact that the parasites changed the DNA of their hosts. Essentially, the thaid brought forward further mutations inside the host body. Given that Lakwosky was previously a simple human, the effects brought by the mutation were more significant than in other thaids.
"I don't get it; why does he react this way whenever I turn the device on? He is the only one! We are full of parasitized beasts here, and yet he is the only one who does it," Xilion said.
"I don't know…" Fischer replied, pausing a little. "So, what do you need me to do?" he then asked.
"I need you to input some mana into this device. After that, the real experiment can start."
"All right…"
***
Simone entered Matthew's study, his footsteps silenced by the advanced sound-absorbing carpet that lined the floor. Smart LED panels on the walls cast a soft, ambient glow throughout the space, giving it a futuristic, otherworldly feel.
Matthew was seated at his massive oak desk, which was equipped with holographic displays and integrated touch controls, emitting a faint blue glow. His hands were tightly gripping the edges of the desk, and his face was flushed with anger, his eyes displaying a frenzied intensity that was heightened by the augmented reality lenses he wore.
The study was adorned with sleek, minimalist decor featuring a combination of advanced composite materials and polished metal finishes. The walls were lined with interactive smart screens, displaying a plethora of virtual awards and accolades that rotated and changed with each passing moment, showcasing Matthew's status and achievements in a cutting-edge manner.
Despite the futuristic aesthetic, the room was not immune to the aftermath of Matthew's rage. Papers were strewn across the desk, some even floating mid-air in a state of digital disarray, as Matthew's gestures and movements had triggered the projection of various virtual interfaces in his fit of anger.
Apparently, some people didn't like his recent behavior and didn't care about Nathaniel's death, which further enraged him. He had just finished a meeting with some of his top lieutenants, discussing plans for the upcoming week, when Simone, one of his most trusted enforcers, entered the room.
Matthew turned to face him, noting the serious expression on his face.
"What's the report?" he asked, his voice tight with anticipation but nervous about the information he was going to receive.
Simone took a deep breath before speaking. "Sir, according to our investigation, we found out Nathaniel had some trouble at Thornton High School, not only at the Red Palace," he said, his voice steady but solemn. "A sort of rivalry had been born, but things intensified, and some fights even broke out in the past."
Matthew's blood boiled as he listened to his words. "I knew nothing about this; why didn't Nathaniel say anything?" he asked Simone.
"Maybe he got embarrassed, sir?"
"Embarrassed? He was not the type. Maybe he already solved things and didn't say anything for this reason," Matthew said.
"It could be, after all, months did pass since the last altercation. However, I can't shrug off the feeling that everything is connected, sir."
"Connected? In what way?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
Simone hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "He got into a fight with some of the students," Simone said. "The Red Palace kicked him out. My opinion is that all of this was a ploy, and he got killed by one of the kids."
Matthew's anger flared, and he stood up from his desk, his hands balled into fists. "This is preposterous!" he snarled. He tried to recollect himself for a second and sighed, then asked, "Do you have proof things are as you said?"
Simone took a step back, his eyes widening in fear. "No, sir, but after many years in this field, I can do 2+2," he said quickly. "Some of the problems with the students were very bad, and they probably went on even during his stay at the Red Palace since the students in question went there with him."
Matthew shook his head in disbelief. This was precisely the kind of thing he had warned his son to avoid repeatedly.
"All right, I will trust your judgment," he said finally, his voice cold and hard. "Now. I want a list of these people, and I want you to assemble some teams to get rid of them."
"Are you sure, sir? They are just kids, some with powerful connections…"
"I don't care. I only want them dead. Killing them all will ensure that the culprit gets what they deserve. Since we can't prove who killed him, this is the next best thing. Who are the kids, by the way?"
"Here, sir, this is a list of names."
Matthew's eyes narrowed as he scanned the list of names that Simone had handed him. The anger that had been simmering inside him since Nathaniel's death threatened to boil over. He looked up at Simone; his voice was cold and hard.
"Where are they now?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
Simone hesitated for a moment before answering. "At the Red Palace, probably, sir," he said.
Matthew gritted his teeth in frustration. Nathaniel had always been impulsive, and this death was just further proof of that. He looked back down at the list of names, his eyes scanning the page.
"Get the word out," he said finally, his voice hard. "I want these kids' heads as soon as possible."
Simone nodded quickly, his eyes fixed on Matthew's. "Understood," he said, his voice low.
Matthew leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on the list of names. He knew that finding these kids would not be easy, but he was determined to get to the bottom of this. The Mambas were not just a gang; they were an organization and would not tolerate any threats or disrespect.
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