Dominique, who had been sitting in a corner looking weak and drained, suddenly sprang to his feet, his eyes shining with hope.
"What’s the situation?" he asked Tyler as soon as he got to him.
Tyler hesitated before explaining, "We’ve managed to stop the bleeding. We had to perform an emergency procedure to repair the damage, and Grimgold is now in a stable condition. But you can’t see him yet."
Dominique had been listening patiently till, Tyler said he couldn’t see Grimgold yet. He pushed past him trying to get to Grimgold. Tyler attempted to block his path, but Dominique was too determined. He pushed Tyler aside, causing Tyler to stumble and cut his forehead on a nearby instrument.
Nadia’s eyes widened in shock, and she rushed to caution Dominique on his reckless behavior. But as she entered the lab, she was taken aback by the sight before her. Grimgold was lying on a medical table, his body covered in bandages and wires. Despite the severity of his injuries, he looked peaceful, his face relaxed in a way that Nadia had never seen before.
"Is he dead?" Dominique stuttered, his voice trembling with fear.
Tyler walked into the lab, his hand pressed against his bleeding forehead. "There aren’t any vital signs to read, no machines beeping to tell us his heart rate or blood pressure, but he’s alive. We just have to wait... and leave him to rest." He emphasized the last part, before he walked out leaving them to do as they pleased.
Dominique’s eyes remained fixed on Grimgold’s motionless form. He seemed to be willing Grimgold to wake up, to move, to show some sign of life. Nadia placed a gentle hand on his arm, trying to offer comfort, but Dominique barely noticed. His attention was solely focused on Grimgold.
Duke, who had been standing by the door, walked over to Tyler, who was attempting to tend to his new wounds. "Let me help with that," Duke offered.
Tyler waved him off dismissively. "Don’t worry, I can handle it."
But Duke insisted, his eyes locked on Tyler’s injured forehead. "Come on, I may not know a lot about medicine, but I was always proficient with my first aid kit. And besides, I want to talk to you about our current situation."
Tyler hesitated for a moment, then nodded curtly. "Fine. But make it quick."
Duke nodded and began to carefully clean and dress Tyler’s wound, his hands moving with quiet confidence. As he worked, he asked Tyler, "So, what’s the gist with Victor?"
Tyler’s gaze drifted off into space, his eyes clouded with thought. "I don’t know how he got his hands on the Briefcase. I’m not even certain if it’s the one you completed the verification for. It’s hard to tell."
Duke’s hands paused for a moment before resuming their gentle ministrations. "Right, but I’m not asking about that. I mean, how was he able to brutally take Grimgold down? He just got the case activated, so he shouldn’t know a lot about it - how to work his way around it, that is. At least, I didn’t get the hang of it immediately."
Tyler’s expression turned grim. "That’s what’s been bothering me too. Victor shouldn’t have been able to overpower Grimgold like that."
"Not when he has the Tierany system," Ryker added, joining them with a fresh change of clothes and a look of concern. He had quickly cleaned up and replaced his blood-stained attire from operating on Grimgold. "It’s like Victor had an unfair advantage."
Duke’s brows furrowed in confusion. "What does that mean? What has the Tierany system got to do with the briefcase that Victor now possesses?"
"Well, Victor already has a system, and he knows his way around it. So maybe he tried figuring out his way with it since he was already acquainted with one. Now, with both systems, that’s a dangerous combination." Ryker explained.
"Regardless of that," Tyler cut in. "He shouldn’t have been able to attack Grimgold. It’s not how it was supposed to work."
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"Well, we wouldn’t know since none of us created it."
As soon as Ryker said that, Duke paused, briefly exchanging a knowing look with Tyler before he moved away from his side. He had finished cleaning and dressing Tyler’s injury and ensured it wouldn’t get infected.
"But let’s think from the creator’s point of view," Duke started saying, but Ryker cut him off dismissively.
"No time for maybes, Duke," Ryker said curtly. "All of that would be a big maybe, and it’s not safe to work with uncertainty at the moment. The only thing and person that might - and that’s a big maybe - take him down, is you. Since you have the same system."
Ryker’s gaze shifted to the lab room. "I’ll go and check things over there," he said, already turning to walk away.
Once he was out of sight, Duke turned to Tyler immediately. "You have to tell me what I can do to take him down now that he hasn’t gotten acquainted with the system."
But before Tyler could respond, Ryker called out from the lab room. ""Guys, in here! Now!"
Duke and Tyler shared a brief, intense look before rushing to the lab room. As they burst in, they were met with a sight that made Tyler’s heart skip a beat. Nadia and Dominique were cradling Grimgold’s form, their faces etched with concern.
Tyler’s eyes narrowed, his expression disapproving. "I told you to let him rest,"
Nadia moved out of the way, her eyes welling up with tears. "He’s awake,"
Tyler’s gaze darted from Nadia to Grimgold’s form, and indeed, his eyes were open. Grimgold’s gaze locked onto Tyler’s, and he tried to speak, his voice barely above a whisper.
Tyler’s expression softened, and he rushed to Grimgold’s side. "Hey, man, you’re okay. You’re safe," he said, his voice filled with relief.
Grimgold tried to nod, but winced in pain, his face contorting in agony. Nadia and Dominique exchanged worried glances, their eyes wide with concern.
Tyler looked away from Grimgold and turned to the others, his expression stern. "We need to get him stable, now. He’s in so much pain due to the operation Ryker and I performed.