3 A brave runner

This chapter begins as Leo, Kipo's father working in his lab for a liquid that can burn garbage without making any smell, he has been working on this project for two months now, it was his idea in the first place as he noticed how the burrow has a problem with the dumpster, when it gets full they can't put them anywhere else, they cannot put it on the surface because they might be located by the mutants, they will never dare to take such a risky chance, it could be the end of the burrow and everyone living in it.

Leo: subject 92...acid and CO2....let's test it.

Leo then added his combination to an empty metal can, he poured a dark green liquid on it, it did not work, it caused the can to melt and sent a strong smell of acid.

Leo let out a sigh while saying and writing in his notebook.

Leo: subject 92...failed...miserably...in fact this smell is even stronger than acid alone.

Leo was losing hope, he tried 92 combinations of different materials, none of them worked.

Leo: maybe I should just forget this project, it really seems like it has no solution, or at least a solution that I know of.

Kipo then came to see her father in his lab, it was Saturday, so she did not have school today, she came knocking on the door.

Leo: come in.

Kipo then opened the door and saw her father looking frustrated.

Kipo: hey dad...how is your work going?

Leo: hey Kipo...it's going...ok.

Kipo: is it?

Leo: yeah...

Kipo: come on dad....tell me...maybe I can help.

Leo sighed.

Leo: it's a project I have been working on for two months so far...I'm trying to find something that can burn our garbage but without releasing any smell.

Kipo: I think I can help with that....what are the ingredients that you used?

Leo: acid...fire...CO2....oxygen....pretty much anything that has a smell or has the potential to stop one.

Kipo: maybe it's not a problem for science this time.

Leo: what do you mean?

Kipo: I mean that you can solve this problem by using things that are solid instead of liquid.

Leo: like glass!

Kipo: yes!... glass can contain that garbage...the fire and the smell of the smoke.

Leo: but still....how are we going to remove the garbage out of the burrow?

Kipo: this is the part where I didn't reach yet.

Leo: this is a great idea Kipo.

Kipo: hey...I'm technically a scientist too...I think...

Leo: well...yeah you are....technically...but it also still depends...

Kipo: huh?

Leo: do you want to be a scientist?

Kipo: of course I want to be a scientist....but not like you...I want to be an outfield scientist.

Leo: interesting...I suppose you mean a scientist that roams around the planet?....it's called an explorer scientist.

Kipo: exactly....the world may be full of dangers and mutants and all...but at the same time there are so many things that are so amazing and beautiful....just waiting to be discovered.

Leo was impressed by the way a 14-year-old girl can think, he has been on the surface before, and he knows that what she said is true.

When Kipo mentioned the dangers of the surface, Leo had a flashback of the first time he encountered danger on the surface.

It was 11 years ago, when Kipo was just a baby, Leo was walking outside, carrying Kipo in his arms, it was a sunny day on the surface, Leo was doing research on the surface, after being uninhabited by humans for 200 years, his mind was filled with curiosity, his mind made him drift away, he wandered into places no one should be, he wandered into the wolves nest, he was walking normally, but with caution, he did not know what he was stepping into, the wolves were smart creatures, rather smart enough that they evolved to be scientists, but after all, once a predator, is always a predator.

Leo found a building with an observatory in it, he wanted to show the little Kipo the stars for the first time, and quite possibly, the last.

Leo walks in to find no one inside, as the wolves have sensed Leo's presence a while ago, they hid from him, in case the unknown presence to them was not alone.

After almost five minutes of silence, the wolves have made sure that the intruder is certainly alone, the wolves have jumped in front of Leo, causing him to turn around and look behind him rapidly, the wolves have shown themselves for Leo at last, Leo felt the danger, he had to protect Kipo, no matter the cost, Leo sees in the light a pack of wolves, they were wolves that were standing on two legs and wearing lab coats, just like a human scientist.

Leo was amazed, but also terrified, he just stepped into a predator's nest, he can't think of a way out of this.

wolf leader: hello...human.

Leo: hi...

wolf leader: I see you took the wrong directions....and it led you here.

Leo: I guess you can say that....so how about I just leave from here....and no one will be harmed...and by no one I mean me.

wolf leader: oh don't worry...no one will be harmed here....in fact...we would love it if you could join us for dinner....we have something special for dinner today!

Leo was very hungry, and he was looking for food for Kipo too, but he did not stumble across any apples on a tree, or a fish in a nearby lake, he could not refuse such a generous offer.

Leo: I suppose I can join you.

wolf leader: wonderful news....glad you can join us....and perhaps share some of your knowledge with our group?.....we are scientists after all....as you may have noticed.

Leo: I did....but we haven't got to introduce each other...I'm Leo....and this is my daughter...Kipo.

wolf leader: I'm Liam....as I have named myself...and this is my pack...I'm the alpha of the pack.

Leo: Nice to meet you Liam.

Liam and Leo hand-shook, as the wolves have welcomed Leo and his daughter, with wide-open arms.

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