Leave The Monster Alone

"This is a nice lab. I'm surprised that Liam forked out the funds for this in the present budget" nice was an underestimation, to say the least, the place looked far too high-tech to belong to such a mediocre base.

The computers and machines looked nothing like any Mark had seen before and he had graduated from a somewhat reputed college with a research department. He did not need to be an expert in technology to know that these things had likely cost more than a few pennies.

"It's nice I guess but the people are a little..." the female trailed off here, her expression gaining a far way to look at it before she seemed to come to herself with an embarrassed laugh, "I don't think I'm cut out to be the research leader. I don't know what Liam was thinking"

Mark knew what the other had been thinking but there was no way he could explain it to the other without raising more suspicions in the process.

So he did what he could do best to divert attention, and agree with the other in a joking manner.

Since Kuro had been left behind in his room, her behaviour was uncertain at this point which made Mark nervous but it was something to be done. Mark had to be the one to be a distraction at this point.

"Liam must have seen potential in you, otherwise he would not have made you in charge. Have some confidence in yourself, new research leader" the female looked pleased and it was easy to see her growth at that moment.

Perhaps it was because he had seen at one of her lowest points in life, he did not fault the female for wanting to change herself, even her appearance.

Her longish hair was no more, cut almost to her scalp and they hardly even covered her ears any longer. Her clothes had also made a turnover, going from easy going shots to the resilient cotton/polyester blend of full cover.

Her posture had changed too, her expression much more confident and easy-going than before, but that might be the lack of monsters inside here.

If only she knew.

"Quite flattering me for now. What are you doing here anyway? It can't be to check on me, you're not the type. Be straightforward, is it about another topic you are researching?" Mark had been right about the female, she had a good head on her shoulder.

She might have appeared dimwit at the start but that had been the circumstances. The somewhat free will NPCs had gained had become a boon for her.

"You're right. I was going through the file sources in my system data and found the term 'dual cores' though I have no idea what it is. Do you know what it is?" Mark told the half-truth, feeling it was alright to get this information out.

Though from the frown on the female's face it seemed like it was not something that he should know about.

"It's already in the system database? We just started that project and Liam said that it was confidential information. Then again, no one really checks the system data and you're trustworthy enough anyway. Come with me, I'll tell you more" Mark had stuck right then.

The female was not suspecting him at all, her confidence in him too high right now.

Did Mark feel guilty to use her like this? Yes, he did but there were no more options available to him right now anyway. Liam and En were especially out of the equation right now.

Rika took him deeper inside the facility, the staircase to reach the lower floor hidden too well for a normal person to find without inside help and Mark had never been more glad for Rika's assistance.

"Do you need to report this back to Liam?" Mark asked as he followed her, his words acting as a distraction. He made a note of the staircase in the meantime, not knowing when he might need it.

"I don't think I need to report this back to him. Unless… Do you want me to?" Mark felt his heart stop for a few seconds before he realised that the other was joking and then he let out an almost strained laugh.

That had been dangerous and far too close for his comfort.

"How have you been?" Mark asked, his voice still carrying a strain inside it due to the fright but the question caused Rika to tense a little. That had been Mark's intention, to distract the other even if this was out of his own comfort zone.

"I'm alright, don't worry" that voice was almost quiet, indicating that the female was not quite as over it as she was making it out to be but Mark guessed that it was alright. He could work with it fine.

She had led him toward a huge metallic door which he only noticed once they were close enough and Rika had a hand on it to indicate its location. In view, it looked no different than the wall it was embedded into and Mark would have likely not noticed it at all had he not paid attention to it.

"What's inside there?" Mark was now curious because he had never seen such a thing in the base before.

This area was not on his map which was weird and confusing at the same time. He had thought that his system was connected deeply with the game but now it might not turn out to be so.

It was a potential game-changer now and he did not know how to feel about that.

"Brace yourself, Mark, it is not fun inside there" Rika's words came just before a gust of cold wind hit him directly in the face causing his face to redden with the cold.

In a few seconds, the cold had seeped deep into his bones, causing his muscles to shiver. It was akin to being in a refrigerator, just a little colder and Mark knew that it was a preservation tank of some sort.

Right in front of his eyes, he could see a very familiar object he had retrieved himself - the eggs from the powerplant.

"Dual cores is a new technology we are working on which will enable us to harness the power of the monsters without losing control. It's still in the experimental stages but we are seeing progress. These eggs act as the foundation for it, taking in human DNA and acting as a test subject" Mark felt himself go green but he controlled the urge to vomit.

Those were lives he had destroyed.

Rika picked up one egg, cradling it in her hands before she squeezed it tightly in her hand and it broke without much effort.

Mark took a look at the female's face but the blank look with vacant eyes made him realise that the female was too far gone to actually hear him or know what she had done. She looked to be in a trance.

It was clear that she did not feel an ounch of guilt doing what she did and in no way did she find it morally wrong.

"Rika, I don't think you should do this" Mark did not touch her but made sure his voice carried over its firm notes. The female let out a small flinch, her eyes lighting up just a bit before she let out a sigh.

"You're right, this doesn't help in any way. Anyway, that was all I could tell you for now. Hope you are satisfied" she carelessly let the destroyed egg fall down from her hands, her expression one of disappointment.

Mark had seen this expression before - on the faces of soldiers who had lost their families to the monsters before and had sworn revenge.

It did make sense in Rika's case, this rage and vengeful depression. Mark had not been aware that she had been close with her previous team, but now he could be sure.

The female was likely doing this as revenge which was more than ok with Mark as long as it did not involve him and Kuro in any way.

"Any results so far?" that was what Mark was after - the results of these experiments, the actual dual cores. Everything else can be their own mess to solve.

"Some but nothing concrete so far. I'll tell you when we have a breakthrough" her words did not sound full of disappointment and Mark knew that the female was somewhat bluffing here. They already had some degree of success if the female was able to have such free time.

Maybe even before Rika had taken over? It had been a day at most since she had and the mission had already been issued.

What was incredible was her adaptability in such a situation, but that could be her code at work too. There were just too many factors at play here.

"I see. Then I'll see you later?" Mark phased it as a question, gauging out a final response and the female hummed her agreement, escorting Mark out.

His plan was finally at work.