After watching the boy climb into the Humvee, it began to shake. The roar of its engine screeched the tire into the street and drove off from the state, leaving a trail of cloudy dust that scattered into the atmosphere.
Albert stood still in the entrance. His black eyes stared ahead; no one knows what had transpired in his head right now.
All these years, the man had tried every combination and experiment to create a cure that could save his last remaining family, finally meeting its conclusion.
It was caused by a miracle-like thing the grey-haired boy brought into the family. Albert didn't know what kind of physique the boy had, which adapted into the virus.
However, one thing was clear: the boy's physique wasn't adapting to the virus; it neutralized it as far as he could see with his eyes.
The man furrowed his brows, deep in thought, as a scientist who researched a means to cure the virus.
Albert couldn't let the opportunity slip past his grasp; he must do everything he can to obtain it. Yet after obtaining what he wanted, one thought resurfaced in his mind.
Was it truly worth it?
In the first place, Albert wants to find a cure to free his little sister from her suffering. But now, she was cured and could live as a normal person again.
His brows furrowed when a gust of wind fluttered his black hair, blocking half of his vision. The wind carried a pleasant scent from the soil and refreshing tunes from rustling leaves, soothing the man's heart.
Albert turned around while sighing. At the same time, the door behind him creaked open. Coming from inside was a man with platinum blonde hair, his brother-in-law, Alex Winterfell, the head of the Winterfell family. Also, once a comrade who fought together in the front lines along with Dosh, Selena, and one other.
"Alex?"
Alex swept his blue eyes around, soon knitting his brows at not seeing the boy's figure.
"Albert, where is the kid?"
Even though they were tied by a marital relationship from Selena's side, Alex still calls Albert by his name because the scientist himself wished for it.
The black-haired man shrugged his shoulders, and both his eyes peeked over his left shoulder.
"Apparently, he is busy."
Upon hearing the words, a shadow clouded over Alex's face. The blonde man gulped, his blue gaze looking down as if resigned to his fate.
"...I'm doomed."
Alex's voice was weak, and the man's shoulder slouched down.
'Good luck, facing her wrath.'
As Selena's older brother, Albert knew how fearsome and stubborn his sister was. He glanced toward the gate as the sound of the gate being opened drew both of their attention.
A black limousine entered the mansion yard, following a straight path that led it straight toward the mansion. The car stopped before the two men, before the passenger door opened, revealing a man in his late teens. He wore a formal white suit that enhanced his handsome face.
"Father, uncle, how was mother's condition?"
Albert stepped back to open a path for his nephew to pass. He pointed inside, his low voice laced with dread, causing the young man's face to turn pale.
"She's inside."
Without minding his manners, the young man blasted away from his place, leaving a gust of wind on his tracks. Albert and Alex exchanged looks; they couldn't help but part their lips on this joyous occasion.
The scientist lifted his gaze, and a shimmering light from the artificial furnace burned his retinas, making him squint, but he didn't mind it one bit, for his heart felt lighter, thanks to this event.
'I owe the boy one.'
Although it was a discovery, the man already had calculated everything in his mind and wanted to keep the matter a secret for a while before getting the boy's acceptance. His wrist shook, coming from his vibrating smartwatch. The man lifted his hand and stared at the small display.
The man's eyes narrowed. He tapped the incoming message on his gadget to see Dosh's message.
{How was Selena's condition?}
Albert clicked his tongue, regretting informing that middle-aged man. He swiped the display, throwing away the message, and exhaled a long breath.
"Let's go inside."
His voice prompted Alex's body to flinch. Albert entered the house, followed by Alex, who was dragging his heavy feet.
'I need to prepare something for Cain.'
***
"Thanks for the ride, sir."
Cain slammed the vehicle's door, producing a dull thud. From behind the glass, a man in a white coat, probably one of Albert's subordinates. He raised his thumb as he stepped on the gas pedal.
The engine roared, pushing its metallic-thick body away from the main road until it turned into dots and disappeared from the boy's sight.
He took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before slowly exhaling, savouring the filtered air. His brows raised when he felt his wrist jolt, thanks to the notification from his smartwatch.
The boy shifted his gaze to the tiny display, where he saw a barrage of messages from his comrades.
"Yeah right. We were inside a restaurant not too long ago."
His fingers began to type on the screen, answering every message from his comrades, especially regarding the pay for his meal.
'I'll pay Peter's back later.'
As he was about to lift his feet from the place, Cain's body stiffened when his smartwatch vibrated once more. He stood still for a moment, then lifted his watch to see if a reply came from Peter.
{You don't have to pay me, leader.}
Cain parted his lips, but soon his expression hardened. His hand reached out to his lower stomach. The heat that accumulated there began to twist his organs, causing chill to creep down his spine. He clicked his tongue, moving his stone legs away from the pedestrian street.
The boy's shadow mingled with others as he seamlessly walked around the silent crowds. He found a dark, narrow alley and entered it. However, despite being in a narrow alley, the place was clean, with a straight path leading him to another side of the city.
His feet suddenly stopped midway. The heat in his stomach made his abs cramp, and it started to gurgle in protest. Cold sweat began to trickle down his forehead, and he closed his eyes.
'Damn it, I can't hold it!'
Fart!
A gas that spurted from his bottom thundered across the alley. Cain's expression stoned, and blood started to burn his cheeks.
However, a moment later, his face twisted when a tangy smell of rotting food entered his nose. Cain held his breath.
The boy quickly walked away, refusing to make eye contact with the empty alley as if it were a witness to his crime. After stepping away from the alley, a light from the artificial sun above seemed to smirk at his conduct.
Cain exhaled the breath he had been holding while putting a hand on his waist.
'Man that was intense.'
He never knew that his fart could be a deadly weapon for humans.
In front of him stood a towering apartment complex, its glass walls radiating heat from the reflected light. Cain shrugged his shoulders and took his path to enter the apartment.
'Well, I might as well rent some place to stay.'
The reason was that he didn't remember where he used to live. Even though Cain could recall a bit of a fragment of a place, he didn't want to return for fear of facing an acquaintance. The blank spaces in his memory felt like a glitch, devouring his sanity.
After booking a room, Cain spent his days loitering around the place without direction. He even refused his teammates' invitation to meet, as he wanted to stay in isolation until General Dosh picked him and the others.