What's Done in the Dark (Part 2)

It was a young man. He had placed within the bedding of the coffin with such care, he just only appeared to be sleeping peacefully. With his hands criss crossed over his chest, the young man didn't even appear like he'd been dead very long, either. On his body was an exquisite set of clothing, the fashion and appearance of his royal blue tailored coat, cream colored ruffled shirt, and black corset pants. His face was gentle and soft, with a strong jawline as sharp as a blade. Long eyelashes neatly swept over almond shaped eyes, as they stood out from his fair, almost pale complexion. His hair was neatly combed and tidy, leading into a long braid that draped over his left shoulder. A golden flower hair ornament was attached at the end of this braid. Cher shakily reached out and touched the coffin lid. A frosty sensation met her fingertips, as she noticed the strange boy was breathing! The IV tubes and drips were actively keeping his heart and lungs running on life support.

What is this? Who… is this person? Cher began to question herself, as she eventually found her hand grazing Lord Masahiro's.

The scientist looked up at the man, his eyes never leaving the coffin nor the boy who was inside. Behind his once emotionless, exposed eye, was an emotion of unconditional and unbreakable love and a bond she could immediately recognize at a glance.

The boy inside the coffin was Lord Masahiro 's son.

"Isn't he beautiful?" the aristocratic asked, his voice remaining the same fear inducing volume as before. "It's all thanks to the research you and your outstanding performance, that he's been able to continue living."

"What are you saying? You mean… the experiments I've been doing… No. No! That's impossible!"

This can't be real!

"Why wouldn't it be? After all, weren't you the one who said you only believed in things that could be proven with science?"

"When I said that, I didn't mean this!"

"You should be proud of your hard work and dedicated research."

"But this isn't what research is supposed to used for! Science is supposed to be for the improvement of biological lives!"

"And saving a human life isn't within those limits of improvements? I put my heart into this situation."

"A heart? What heart?! Having a heart means to know when to let the dead rest! Having a heart means to have respect for the living!"

"And here, you threw away your heart the moment you decided to that thing, you call a 'Wolf' alive."

Lord Masahiro remained calm and collected, his voice never showcasing any heightened emotions, not even after revealing the basis of his strange and unusual paranoia.

The constant reminder of Tazuna was the trigger that resulted in trying to resurrect a dead person back to life? What he was doing, Cher realized, was purposely playing with the concept of resurrection and death. What it truly means to be alive and what it meant to be unable to rest. Cher felt sick to her stomach. All she could think of was Tazuna. All the months of suffering he, his friends, and the countless numbers of other Wolves were subjected to. The countless lives lost, their bodies carelessly thrown away without a second thought. Even their ashes and remnants of bones were considered a waste without any afterthought. Eventually these experiments were deemed a failure, the bodies discarded completely, before a new one began.

"Tazuna. What did you do to him?" Cher questioned, her voice roaring with a sickening anger, as she pointed her gun towards his chest.

"You blame me. Yet, who is to really blame when I only wanted to reverse what this world took from me."

"!"

As the silence between the two opposing forces began to unravel the truth behind her actions, she could feel heated tears stream down her face. She'd been so busy pursuing a positive influence in the Wolves' lives, she didn't realize she was directly and indirectly responsible for their murders. All for the simple purpose to bring an obsessive level of peace to a mentally disturbed aristocrat.

"I will make this simple for you, Dr. Harrison. As payment for your contributions, I will continue to have your retrieval assignment as the new head of the Extraction Division." Lord Masahiro propositioned, as he placed a faintly beeping tracking device next to her ear.

Tazuna! That's Tazuna's tracking chip! He's... He's alive! Cher internally cheered, as she wept at the sound she'd be longing to hear, despite her current situation.

"Please… Please don't hurt him…" she pleaded through tears, her gun slipping from her grasp.

"Continue your work and I won't cause the microchip you implanted within the Wolf to explode his heart."

"No! Don't!"

"Then I look forward to your continued support, Dr. Harrison."

Lord Masahiro moved away from Cher, who collapsed from the stress, her sobs echoing around the large study. Beside her, was the coffin containing the latest experiment she'd been working on the entire time.

Mocking her. Taunting her.

Jingshi Xuanwu sipped a glass of chilled red wine, as he flipped through a book he always kept on his desk. As he scanned through the pages of the book, he flicked his eyes up to see Xue Song sitting in a chair across from him. The two men sat in silence, the only sound was the ticking of a clock. Jingshi Xuanwu took a deep breath through his nose, as a sinister smirk formed on his red tinted lips. He sat the glass of wine on the desk as he opened his mouth to speak. But he was immediately cut off by Xue Song.

“You've been avoiding your responsibilities recently.”

“Oh Xue Xue~” Xuanwu cooed affectionately, as he gently closed the book. “It’s just one woman. How much trouble could she possibly cause~?”

“That's not the reason why I'm here.”

“Yes. I'm aware of this. I'm also aware you're not just here to keep tabs on my whereabouts~ although I do appreciate your concern.”

Xue Song’s eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. He crossed his legs and placed a folder on Jingshi Xuanwu’s desk. His magenta eyes pierced through the dim, orange hued room, as he stared at the grinning aristocrat with a violent glare. Jingshi Xuanwu let out a small sigh. Xue Song stayed silent, as he watched Jingshi Xuanwu finally pick up the folder.

Xue Song’s eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. He crossed his legs and placed a folder on Jingshi Xuanwu’s desk. His magenta eyes pierced through the orange hued room, as he violently glared at the grinning aristocrat. Jingshi Xuanwu let out a small sigh. Xue Song stayed silent, as he watched Jingshi Xuanwu finally pick up the folder.

A few long minutes passed between the two men, before Xuanwu politely closed the folder and tapped his finger on the desk.

“These documents are quite redundant. We already know approximately 87% of the information that's currently obtained in this folder~” Jingshi Xuanwu hummed, his voice calm.

“I'm aware of this. However, there's something I need to bring to your attention.” Xue Song replied, in hopes of steering Jinshi Xuanwu back to his concerns.

“Oh you~. I must say I'm quite heartbroken.”

“I don't give a damn about your feelings.”

“Has His Lordship looked through these documents you're presenting?”

“He hasn’t. His Lordship is consumed with his own work currently.”

“It’s much like him to leave us to handle the things he refuses to acknowledge.”

“He's a grieving father. If you were in his predicament, you wouldn't be using that tongue of yours to soil his name.”

“Oh no~ you've clearly mistaken, Xue Xue. To be able to be His Lordship’s disposable henchmen brings a delightful smile to my face.”

You bastard. Xue Song thought to himself.

Jingshi Xuanwu became consumed with admiration for their boss, only to revert back to a more calculated, yet charming, persona

“However. My treasury department does more than just manage finances private estates.”

“...What?”