The Cunning Love Plan and the First Monster 

Some people could prepare for years to say one important phrase, such as a declaration of love. However, others could do it as nonchalantly as one could imagine.

Adam felt relaxed, since the medication was still in his blood, so his range of emotions was not as powerful as usual. It was as if he was in a semi-sleepy state.

"Lover...?" Adam muttered, looking at Jena, considering her just as she had him before, "What do you mean?"

"Sex. Silvana didn't tell me what kind of women you like, but I thought I'd take a chance. I'm quite flexible in my tastes, so you won't be bored with me for sure. What's more, I'm intelligent and educated. I can always take care of your wounds." Jena was assertive, leaving Adam no chance.

Her intentions were not entirely clear, did she like Adam, or did she want to get close to him because he was a Phantom? Both were possible, either separately or together.

"Although... Considering you chose Silvana, you must like strong and serious women. I fit that criteria. Maybe it's the short hair. I could cut it." Jena suggested, looking at Adam curiously.

Adam scratched the back of his head.

"I bet if it wasn't for the elephant dose of medication in my body I'd be so discouraged I wouldn't be able to say a word..." 

Jena smirked, then she pointed at Adam.

"How about this? You tell me what kind of women you like, and I'll go out with you!"

"Hmm? Hey, I'm sleepy, not stupid. You need a date, not me, so it's you who should offer something in return." Adam raised an eyebrow.

Jena's eyes went wide as an odd smile appeared on her face.

She bit down on her finger, thinking about what she could offer.

"Fine, how about this - for the next month, I'll be your personal doctor. Meaning, you won't have to rely on military hospitals anymore. I'm a good doctor, you can verify that by asking Silvana." Jena said seriously.

"Hahaha, I bet a lot of guys are jealous of me right now. This is probably one of the best deals in the world." Adam laughed lightly, as much as his emotions allowed. 

Then, he ran his gaze over all of Jena's curves and smiled slightly.

"I agree. We'll deal with the date later, but I'm ready to reveal my tastes to you now. You've been straightforward with me, it caught me off guard, so... I'll return the favor." Adam smirked.

Jena lifted her chin.

"Go for it! I'm listening to you!"

Adam snapped his fingers, not hiding his desires as many would like to do.

"I like tall girls with big butts and firm thighs, athletic and stern. Let's say it's one of the archetypes." Adam shrugged.

Jena examined herself as if checking to see if she matched the list, then a smirk appeared on her face.

"What kind of food do you like? I'm sure you haven't had a chance to explore the Third Ring yet, let alone other parts of the Citadel. I know a lot of good places." Jena looked at Adam predatorily.

Adam waved his hand, walking past her.

"I'm sure you've already found out from Silvana. She tried to hook me up with every girl that came my way, so she must have told you all about me."

Jena only nodded slightly, for Adam was right. 

...

Adam got dressed and left the hospital heading home. He didn't think about anything and just enjoyed the blue sky and the noise of the crowded streets. Perhaps the medication was still on, or he might have been in the mood for it.

Just as he approached the house he saw a few messages that had arrived on his NEP a few hours ago.

Oddly enough, the messages were not from Silvana, but from Douglas. They were supposed to meet tonight in the research department.

'Hmmm... Looks like it's something important. Could it be related to Damien? Well, I'll find out soon enough, but right now I have more important things to do.' Adam thought before walking into his house with a smile on his face.

...

Crackle.

The mechanical door opened, and a tall girl with black hair and green eyes stepped inside.

Jena, busy working, abruptly turned around and smiled broadly.

Before Silvana could say anything, Jena jumped on top of her with a pleased expression on her face.

"Thank you! Damn it, I'm going on a date with him! I didn't even think I'd make it! Your plan to be direct and assertive worked!" Jena exclaimed happily, hugging Silvana tightly.

Silvana sighed and pulled Jena away from her, who seemed ready to burst with happiness.

"Yeah, I realized that offering him was useless, it needed action from someone who really wanted it. You became the perfect option." Silvana said coldly, keeping her arms crossed on her chest. 

"Yes! Damn, I've been following him ever since he defeated Prime Stone Goliath! I want him!" Jena uttered, with a slight fanaticism in her voice.

Then, she was confronted with Silvana's sharp gaze. She looked at Jena not as a person but as if she were an appraiser looking at a gem.

Jena was slightly confused, she didn't understand why Silvana was looking at her like that.

"I heard what he said. I finally recognize his preferences, and you should work on yourself. Your hips and butt are smaller than mine. How do you want to seduce him with those results? You'll go to the gym tomorrow, I'll put together a workout program for you." Silvana said sternly.

Jena frowned as she puffed up her cheeks.

"What...? Hey, I may have some work to do, but I definitely look pretty good!"

"Oh, really?" Silvana stepped forward, narrowing her eyes.

A shiver went down Jena's spine.

"Statistically, 80% of Phantoms in relationships date other Phantoms. If you want to be one of the 20% you have to try hard. Be special on the inside and the best on the outside."

Silvana continued, "A lot of people say that the most important thing is the soul, the inner personality, but whether you like it or not, the appearance matters because it's the first thing we see. To know what kind of person is inside is possible only if appearance attracts you otherwise there will be no further interaction."

"Your competition is the Phantom girls that can often be together with Adam during missions or training. Moreover, they are of the same status, so you need to get past those barriers, and matching Adam's preferences will be the best solution. After all, you're the one hunting him, at least for now."

Jena nodded deeply, she was clearly upset by such a harsh reprimand from Silvana, but that couldn't stop her. After all, her goal was attainable, 20% was not 0%.

...

The black car stopped, the driver opened the door, and Adam stepped inside, heading for the research department at Fort Norton.

The ride passed in silence, Adam only stared out the window with a wistful look occasionally glancing at the moon illuminating both the Citadel and the Dead Lands. 

"We're here. Good luck." The driver said before moving off.

A girl in a formal suit led him inside the huge iron and concrete building. Then, she left him in a long empty hallway at the end of which Damien was waiting for him, leaning against the wall. 

"Hey! Long time no see!" Damien waved with an excited smile.

Adam nodded.

"What am I doing here?"

Damien just pointed to something behind him. 

At the same moment, a strong hand fell on Adam's shoulder.

"To show you the results of our research." Douglas pronounced with an excited look.

The door opened, and they entered a wide room where there was a multitude of high-end machines and scientists in long white coats.

There were many things of interest here, but the main one was a huge pod filled with a blue liquid, inside floated a long-dead creature.

"Silver Weaver..." Adam unknowingly uttered.