†Chapter 6: Hope for Tomorrow†
CROSSBREEDING the Mongolian gerbils was proceeding smoothly.
The small rodents had grown in numbers exceeding three hundred and could no longer be contained in a single room on the top floor of City Hall. Biotech had delivered dozens cages and they were almost all full. Erica refused to enter the room where the little rodents squirmed about in the cages covering the walls from floor to ceiling.
Almost three weeks had passed since Zelaide drove Euphemia back to City Hall.
Crimes were frequently occurring throughout Gothic City. The growing number of Nightz addicts were starting fights left and right, the worst of which caused by a deranged young man who poured gasoline over his head and lit himself on fire to get more Nightz. The fire had spread from him to a nearby building, injuring several innocent citizens he trapped inside a building by blocking its entrance.
Robbery cases were on the rise too. On top of that, young members of Vermis were driving around Central Circle with modified cars acting like they owned the streets. There wasn’t a day when the sound of sirens didn’t fill the city.
“Dinner time, kids.”
Euphemia dispensed Night Bloom seeds into each cage. The gerbils darted to the food. She mixed gerbil feed in with the seeds, but they lost interest in other food with each passing generation. Although the newest generation looked the same as the original, it was safe to say that selective breeding had taken place.
She couldn’t go to work at the laboratory, but Ronaldo and Sonia reported similar results with their tests there. They were surprised and confused when they first learned that Euphemia suddenly couldn’t come to work anymore, but after a certain point they stopped complaining. Surprisingly, they continued working seriously even without Euphemia there to breathe down their backs. Euphemia believed she had Burhardt to thank for that. Knowing him, he must’ve been working in the background to support her.
“But I need to move things to the next phase soon,” she muttered.
Euphemia wanted to conduct the crossbreeding experiment in a state as close to nature as possible, not in the laboratory. In other words, she wanted to take her experiment out of their cages and into an outdoor environment where she could let the gerbils loose. However, the only places allowed to legally cultivate Night Blooms were experimental farms regulated by laboratories.
Moreover, the Night Blooms which bloomed only once a year during a midsummer night, dropped their seeds two months after their petals fell off, which coincided perfectly with where Euphemia was at in her research. Things wouldn’t come together this well again. But under the current circumstances she wouldn’t be allowed back to Biotech, much less given the opportunity to ask where their secret Night Bloom research farm was located. The location was confidential to prevent criminals from raiding it.
“What to do? I know the experiment will work, but…where do Night Blooms grow naturally? Is there anywhere the syndicates haven’t already taken over? But I can’t go looking for it…” Euphemia was pondering out loud when Erica showed up out of the blue. “Erica? What’s wrong?”
“I came to let you know that you can borrow space in one of Romanesque City’s experimental farms,” Erica said, offering rare support for Euphemia’s research.
Euphemia hadn’t seen Erica for three days.
Erica didn’t complain, but she looked exhausted from running around trying to counteract the surge in crime. Euphemia made a point of not sticking her nose into her sister’s work. But even after losing some weight and having circles under her eyes from days of intense work, Erica looked stunning in her black suit, her hair neatly coiffured.
“What? Really?!”
“Yes, really. Their farm is located inside the city though. Mr. Haydn spoke on your behalf. It seems he took an interest in your gerbil research. He asked me lots of questions about it. He pulled some strings to make it possible for you to continue your research there,” Erica explained.
Romanesque City was the second largest city on the planet, and though it had a smaller population than Gothic City, it boasted more space and a more relaxed environment for its citizens.
“Mister Haydn pulled strings for me?” Euphemia asked, doubt creeping into her voice. “Can we trust him? Isn’t he your political adversary? You’re rivals.”
“We are two people with different opinions working in the same field. He has several companies in Romanesque City, which gives him more influence there than me. Besides, he insists his support for your research has nothing to do with politics. What do you think? Would you like to go?” Erica asked.
“Can I go?” Euphemia jumped on the opportunity dangled in front of her. “Then I’ll call Zel and ask him to drive me—”
“You can’t involve him. Do you want a repeat of last time?” Erica shook her head.
“Then how am I supposed to get there…?”
“I’ll send you by helicopter.”
“You’re going to use a helicopter just for my research?” Euphemia asked in disbelief.
“I won’t use public funds just for your research,” Erica coolly dismissed the notion. “I scheduled that helicopter to deliver medical equipment Romanesque Hospital put in an official request for. A total of six people can board it along with the equipment. I’m sending Guardians with you as well.”
“Is it really not possible to bring Zel along? We shouldn’t have the same problems going by helicopter.”
Zelaide had sent several messages since he drove her back to City Hall, but they hadn’t seen each other again. Euphemia counted all the sleepless nights she stayed up late thinking of that hot, passionate night they spent together.
Doesn’t he want to see me too? That thought plagued her. His messages were always short and infrequent.
“It’s really impossible. His agent has been strongly demanding that I release him from his contract if he isn’t going to be on the clock protecting you. He is also currently on the trail of the murderer responsible for the prostitute’s death,” Erica explained clerically.
“No one told me that…”
His agent was Palmina. There wasn’t much time left on their three-month contract, but it was evident Palmina wanted to terminate the contract with Erica. Knowing her, she probably said she was willing to pay any penalty fee for early termination.
She’s that desperate to pull Zelaide apart from me. Euphemia gnawed on her lip.
Erica watched her younger sister with mixed emotions. She had her own thoughts about their relationship.
“…He knew you would worry about him. Or worse: that you’d offer to help him. He’s smart.”
“I’m a nuisance, in other words.”
“Oh, you’re self-aware.” Erica mercilessly confronted her depressed sister with the cold-hard truth.
“…It’s fine. I’m going straight to see him once I take care of things on my side.”
“You are hopeless… Think about how he feels for once…” Erica sighed.
“Erica? Does that mean you’re keeping in touch with Zel?” Euphemia was unusually quick to pick up on what was between the lines this time. She searched her sister’s face.
“I am.”
“What is he doing right now?” Euphemia asked.
“Didn’t you hear what I just said? He’s probably taking action using information only Beast Bloods have access to. He stands out wherever he goes, so it seems there are a lot of obstacles getting in his way… I don’t know much more than that.”
“I see… Then I need to do everything I can on my end! When does the helicopter leave?”
“The day after tomorrow. I’ll send bodyguards with you, but you have to conduct your research on your own. Can you do it?”
“I’ll make it happen,” Euphemia declared, looking over her shoulder at the wall covered in cages. Hundreds of little rodent eyes watched the sisters with curiosity.
“It’s almost time for your debut, my cute little gerbils. Squeak,” Euphemia said, imitating the gerbils.
“Stop that. I don’t want a gerbil for a sister,” Erica emphasized, her eyes darting away from the gerbils. The room was filled with high-pitched squeaks, happy purrs, aggressive squeaks, chittering sounds, chirping, yipping, and loud thumping. She couldn’t wait for her residence to be free of them.