CHAPTER 84 - WHO?

“I received the reports from all over Aparctias and Thrascias, Sir. And there seemed to be no movement from the Quislings. No bombings, no robbery, no group killings.” Olive reported, flipping every paper in her hand.

Aside from Natsuki who was currently checking every force from Elite to ordinary, the whole Cadre gathered together as they usually do. The only difference is that the person sitting in front of them was no longer a woman they once knew.

“What do those words mean?” Asked Xieaniel.

“If there are no movements then we must prepare. You know, they might be preparing something big.” He added.

Olive rolled her eyes at him. “Just as I feared. You’ll overthink us to death again, Ethan.”

“I’m not overthinking. It’s called being futuristi-”

“Something happened!” Shouted Natsuki, entering the room in panic.

Everyone looked at him, whose face was covered with anxiousness.

“I’m right.” Xieaniel spat.

“What happened?” Suddenly, Venice’s heart rate raced. “Did you run from the training ground to this place?”

“The forces…” Natsuki said with a faltered voice. He breathed deeply and pushed his hair back, still panting.

“I-I don't know what happened or how it happened but the forces… Some-no, we almost lost three squads.” He stuttered, unsure of the words he’ll use. “We lost most of them.” He cleared.

“What do you mean?” Asked Nathan with a wrinkled forehead.

“How?” Venice asked firmly, standing from her chair. John quickly assisted her.

“I don’t know, twin. But three squads suddenly fainted. All of them.” Natsuki started.

“Then suddenly, they woke up and started to attack each other like madmen and I thought we were in some kind of zombie movie. One third died and the remaining fourteen were gravely injured.”

Suddenly, Venice’s breathing became ragged as she slowly started to sweat.

“Alka…” She whispered and looked at John who wore the same expression as her. They gulped. “I hope it’s not.”

“What? What did you say, twin?”

“First Gene- no. Sire, send me to the base.” Venice said, but it was not a request at all.

This roused to general astonishment, causing Nathan’s face to distort.

“No. You’re pregnant. It will be dange-”

“This is Alka.” She interrupted. “I-I’m not yet sure but I have a hunch.” She mumbled, biting her thumb. Natsuki tilted his head quizzically.

“Twin, I haven’t heard such a word before. What’s Alka?”

Venice gulped before responding, trying to calm her racing heart. She glanced at John before looking at her twin.

“I-It’s a poison…”

“Poison? I studied with Ash regarding poisons but I haven’t heard of “Alka.” Not until now.” Uttered Nathan, slowly walking towards them. Everyone who was sitting stood as well.

“I’m not shocked at all.” Venice said. “It’s something only five people knew, including me. It’s a top secret.”

“Please explain further.”

“Before the Great Revolt happened, grandmother commanded me to make a poison for torturing people. She told me she’ll use it to fulfill her plan so I did.” She explained slowly, making no eye contact with anyone.

“One day after proving its success, the Quislings revolted. But this never reached the ears of the public. Not even the elders.”

“If not, then how come-”

“It’s Luis.” She said bitterly. “He was with me when I made Alka. Aside from him, John, Granny, and Zillian were the only ones who knew how I made it. Grandmother is dead and… and so is Zi. So Luis is the prime suspect.”

Venice clenched her jaw. “I didn’t expect he still knew how to make it.” She whispered.

“I am not sure yet if my hunch was right. But as the head of the Investigation Department, I ask you to send me to investigate.”

Nathan’s eyes transferred from Venice to John.

“Do you agree?” He asked. John gulped before nodding.

“Yes, Sire.”

“But she’s pregnan-”

“I’ll just investigate, Sire. There will be no fighting… I hope.”

“But-”

“My responsibility will not be affected by my pregnancy. The only person who can verify this is me, Sire. So please.” said Venice, slowly rubbing her baby bump.

“I won’t be reckless. I can’t be reckless.”

Seeing her firm decision, Nathan sighed in defeat and rubbed his head. “You really are sisters.” He murmured. “Fine. Leon and I will join.”

“Hep, tag me in.” Said Natsuki.

***

Every step she takes felt heavy. Venice was used to investigating but not with something she knew was because of her. She stopped in front of a massive metal door and took a few deep breaths before opening the door.

“Lady Venice? Why are you here?” Asked Spencer who stopped checking the patients midway by their sudden appearance. “You shouldn’t be here in your condition.”

“What’s their status?” Venice asked quickly, ignoring Spencer’s words.

“Critical.”

Venice gulped and slowly walked towards the patients who were lying on the hospital bed with John following her.

“Aside from bruises from the ruckus, have you noticed something, Doctor? Black spots to be exact. Red eyes as well.”

“I did. I thought it was bruises but as I checked again, I was wrong.”

“I see.” She reached for her flashlight and checked one of the patient’s eyes. It is bloody red. She hissed. “Not good.”

Venice walked from the most critical to the least one and validated Spencer’s words. They looked awful, as if wild boars attacked them.

“How did you kno-” Spencer’s words were cut when the patients suddenly started to experience seizures. Venice was taken aback and the patients trembled so hard some fell on the cold floor.

“What the hell is happening?”

“Seizures. Epinephrine.”

Spencer quickly fished for the small bottle but flinched when Venice shouted,

“Be alert!”

“Ahhhh!”

One of the patients shouted and like a zombie pack, all of them stood up, removing every wire on their bodies. Natsuki cursed under his breath.

“They’re being aggressive again.” He spat and took his gun “Twin, get ou of here. If possible, let’s not kill the-”

Natsuki stopped and his reflexes quickly moved, making his body dodge something that flew past his eyes. He looked back and saw the metal tray one of his men threw at him.

“What the heck?”

The patients shouted again and threw anything their hands could touch. Venice flinched when the glass window shattered to pieces because one of the patients pushed the other. Then he looked at her and in just a second, something flew towards her which John quickly blocked.

“John!” She shouted, regaining her senses. “A-Are you okay?”

“Yes.” answered John and shot the man, making him fall off the window. “It’s dangerous here. Please get out.”

Another man aimed to attack them but John quickly clicked his trigger again. He looked at Venice who nodded reluctantly before running away but someone blocked her.

“Die!” The man shouted.

“Venice!”

The man slammed the metal tray at her but Nathan grabbed the man’s collar and slammed him against the nearest wall. Another man attacked him but he kicked it and slammed his head with his gun.

“What the hell is happening?!” Spencer shouted and shot one man who aimed to slam him with the dextrose stand. He kicked the hospital bed, blocking the other men. They aimed to move sideways but Natsuki kicked the other bed, cornering them. Leon and John shot the remaining third squads that ended the chaos.

The whole hospital ward now looks like a war field with all the broken things. Venice felt her lips dry and her body froze. She slowly knelt down as a tear slowly escaped her eye. John quickly ran towards her and assisted her with her every move.

She analyzed everything. The aggressiveness, black spots, and red eyes. It’s confirmed. Another tear escaped her eye. She never expected this to happen. Never.

“Good thing we joined.” Natsuki spat, collecting the corpses’ dog tags and felt his heart sink and his anger slowly bursting.

“Such a waste.” Natsuki crumpled the dog tags and looked at his forces who once were as lively as a festival. How can he tell their families their sudden demise?

“It’s confirmed.” Venice whispered and looked at Nathan blankly. She bit her lower lip when she felt as if her stomach was being crumpled.

John saw it and slowly rubbed her tummy, whispering something to their child.

“Are the two of you okay?” John asked.

“She’s safe.”

“Are you okay?”

Venice glanced at John who wore a worried face, then a tear escaped her eye. She slowly covered her face with her palms and sobbed silently.

“I’m sorry” She cracked into tears. “I’m really, really sorry…”

“Shh…” John embraced her and rubbed her back. “It’s not your fault.”

Venice sniffed and hugged John tightly, shaking her head in disagreement.

“I-If only… If only I didn’t create that thing.”

“John’s right, twin. You’re not at fault. You are not to be blamed.” Natsuki soothed and knelt to pat Venice’s back.

“Can anyone please explain to me what happened?” Spencer bumped in, hiding his gun. “My head’s spinning.”

“It’s Alka, father.” Said Nathan. Seeing his father’s confused face, he added, “It’s the poison the former Ruler told Lady Venice to do before the Revolt happened.”

Spencer’s wrinkled forehead cleared. “I never heard such a thing before.”

“It’s top secret.”

“I see.” He sighed. “But who poisoned them?”