Parenting

Jonathan sighed as he gazed out at the students leaving the school from his spot in the front of the gates. Luckily, before he had to contemplate whether he looked suspicious or not, he saw Cinder walking quickly in front of the crowd of students. As Jonathan spotted Cinder so did she, causing a smile to appear on her face. A smile that grew wider when Jonathan held his arms outstretched for a hug. It almost looked like teleportation how she practically jumped onto Jonathan's arms, hugging him.

"You can rejoice, this week's lessons are over." Jonathan could only laugh as he heard the indignant huffing of the little girl in his arms.

Relaxing the hug, Jonathan moved back a little, so he could actually hear what Cinder was saying. Of course Cinder chose that same moment to stop talking and just stare with puffed cheeks at Jonathan. At the cute glare of his little foster daughter, Jonathan could do nothing else but surrender. "Want some ice cream?"

At these words, Cinder quickly suppressed a whoop of joy and looked downwards instead. "If possible… Chocolate please."

"Sure, anything for you," Jonathan smiled before grabbing Cinder's hand, heading to the ice cream parlor, feeling a smile spread across his face. For a second, Jonathan wondered if he should have called Cinder something more… intimate.

'Anything for my princess?' No, that sounded… too much. But on the other hand, if the films didn't lie to Jonathan which was possible, albeit unlikely, this kind of nickname to your children was normal. But something normal, did this mean that this was what Jonathan had to do? Or was there nothing wrong with Jonathan just calling Cinder, Cinder, by name? And that she called him Jonathan? There was nothing strange about such a thing for a foster family.

Although, yes, Jonathan was quick to admit that if Cinder had suddenly called him 'daddy', he would most likely have a heart attack from the surprise. And not all from happiness. Ha, he was seventeen, not really the age where he should be expecting a child calling him 'dad'.

Now that he thinks about it, who was Jonathan for Cinder at the moment? Officially of course he was her legal guardian. Moreover, according to the 'official' documents, he was eighteen, the minimum age required for legal guardianship of other people.

But if you look at it from a relationship point of view, was Jonathan… a father to her?

Probably no, not a father. Jonathan himself was not all too sure that he would even want to be a father to her. He was too young for such a treatment for one. A father figure perhaps? It was close, and maybe even more logical. But, this didn't sit well with him either. Maybe as a big brother? That… that sounds right.

An older brother could also definitely be a father figure for the younger children in the family, right? Though, with the decisions he's been making lately…

"Jonathan?" Cinder's worried voice brought Jonathan out of his somewhat nonsensical thoughts. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing special, just something silly is all." Jonathan dispelled his unnecessary thoughts, and returned his attention to Cinder. "How's school?"

"Bad." Well, at least she's honest? Cinder immediately looked away from Jonathan as the word stumbled out of her mouth. Although another person might have immediately jumped to very dark conclusions, Jonathan knew that this particular characterization from Cinder's lips did not mean anything terrible. "The kids are all stupid, the school is boring, and you're not around." See?

"Nothing that can be done there I'm afraid." Jonathan shrugged his shoulders jokingly. Then noticing how Cinder was a little depressed after she had listed all the negative qualities of her schooling, decided that maybe making a joke out of it was not the best move on his part. Still, it's not like he could just pull Cinder out of school, so he can only put his hand on her head, patting her a couple of times. The act forced Cinder to unconsciously close her eyes, reaching out after his hand. "Don't worry. At least you have two days off, a reason to celebrate with ice cream."

"Yeah, okay." Cinder's expression turned lighter after Jonathan's action, and she smiled a little. She then looked up at Jonathan and asked a question in response. "And how's your day?"

"Me?" Jonathan smiled for a second, the answer being a lot more complex. "Hmm…"

Bor was truthful when he said three days ago that Jonathan would have been delivering the last package… for him that is. It didn't last a week before he had to do another delivery for somebody else.

It seems that Bor considered these past deliveries as a kind of test of sorts. Making him deliver low-risk items to minimize possible risks, and at the same time test Jonathan's actions in the field. All before… renting him, Jonathan couldn't find a better word, to his acquaintances.

Jonathan, of course, was compensated for his deliveries, and quite decently at that by his standards… But he absolutely did not need the money. Moreover, as Jonathan himself could easily have guessed, and judging by the fact that Bor quite unexpectedly became interested in buying a house in the Atlas, most of the rewards spent in any case did not end up in Jonathan's pockets anyway… Though did Bor really think that trying to hide in Atlas is enough to get away from his reach?

In any case, Jonathan didn't want to do such jobs. He was completely satisfied with his current standard of living, and it was not like he was trying to build a personal palace or something equally stupid. And, on the whole, would have preferred to live a much quieter life if Bor had simply left him alone. Especially now that the problem with Neo was already resolved and he no longer needed any… help in delicate matters.

Unfortunately, him refusing to cooperate was quite impossible at the moment. At least not if he didn't want to ruin the life he had already built. Bor had tightened the noose around Jonathan's neck too tightly. And, if he thought to resist, he would have to flee again… Only this time with information about him being made public, along with his portrait, and, of course, without Bor also revealing information that he is a teleporter… A bad choice overall.

So for the last three days, Jonathan has been quite… busy to say the least.

In the end, Jonathan had the unique ability to teleport anywhere, teleport any objects, and also find any objects and any people thanks to magia. And so, he had wisely used this opportunity to find a way to slip the noose so to speak.

Of course, Bor was very careful and circumspect in his actions, which is why Jonathan has only managed to pull only a couple of circumstantial evidence from the documents he had borrowed from Bor's safe. It seems that even in criminal endeavors, paperwork remains a constant.

Still, the same caution could not be said about his many friends.

Bankers, drug dealers, managers, even the military, it seemed that there was not a single sphere of life in which Bor was not involved with one way or another. Almost every seedy part of the world, the entire web of corruption that pervaded Mount Glenn, in one way or another, at some point leads to Bor. This made him an extremely dangerous person… but also surprisingly vulnerable.

Bor has made many enemies, the so-called 'honest politicians', if this expression, of course, was not considered an oxymoron, would love to see him behind bars… or without a head.

Let's just say that the most honest possible politician wants to see him gone.

In such a short period of time, Jonathan had managed to find a surprising amount of damning evidence of not only Bor's crimes, transactions, documents, evidence. But also about many of his friends. The problem was that Bor had really a lot of friends…

Because of which, the question of what Jonathan needed to do to get out of Bor's clutches remained open.

The evidence and information that he had acquired could unseat almost any politician, bar perhaps the most tyrannical of dictators. He even had captured meetings between Bor and his various friends. Friends who just happen to have the most dubious of reputations. All thanks to the ability to teleport a camera directly into a ventilation shaft overlooking their meeting, and also to easily remove it from there after a few minutes of recording.

Another problem was that Bor was not just a politician. He was the heart, the central link of a whole bloc of very influential people. Many of whom would be put in danger if Jonathan just took a step against Bor. Most will easily throw Bor under the bus, and, one way or another, find a way to defend themselves. But some, Bor's closest friends and allies, that cannot afford such a luxury... will have to side with Bor and use all their strength in order not to go to the bottom together with him. Therein lies the danger for Jonathan and his charge.

And the list of people who would have to side with Bor was quite frightening. The police chief, head of self-defense, a member of the economic council. The impact of ousting such a large bloc of power would have on Mount Glenn was… Unpredictable. Needless to say, assassinating them was also out of the question.

The evidence that Jonathan had collected would have been enough for a political scandal, no, an upheaval. Something which in his past world should have led, at best, to many long sentences behind bars even for the highest-ranking officials. And, knowing that the death penalty was practiced in this world, it was not so difficult to imagine that some heads will roll, literally.

Therefore, Bor's allies that had to stick with him will fight to the last bitter end, and… who knows where that will lead.

"You are thinking about something very difficult again?" Cinder's voice surprised Jonathan. He had already forgotten that he was talking with her. "You have a very serious expression on your face... I don't like it."

"Sorry, just thinking about business." Jonathan shrugged as he apologized.

At Jonathan's actions, Cinder only frowned. "I told you that you don't have to apologize!"

"Force of habit!" Jonathan said as he raised his arm, before shifting his gaze for something to distract the irate little girls. Noticing an ice cream rack by the side of the road, he purposefully draws attention to it. "Ice cream! That's right, choose which one you want!"

Those words were enough to shift Cinder's attention to the choice of frozen treats, allowing Jonathan to focus on his thoughts again.

Bor, ha... What an unpleasant person. He wasn't even a spider, or this Umbral world equivalent of schemers, more like a stink bug. Crushing him is not so difficult, but the stench it leaves will make you regret doing such a thing.

But it was also untenable to leave his situation unchanged. Jonathan did not want to spend the rest of his life as an errand boy for Bor.

Maybe meet him face to face and threaten him with all the information that Jonathan has gathered during this time?

It might have worked if Jonathan is able to push his position, but what if couldn't? Bor's reprisal will be immediate. And that was not the reaction that Jonathan wanted to see.

So what if it doesn't work? Bor probably knew what effect such evidence in Jonathan's possession could have once in the hands of journalists. He could count on the fact that Jonathan would not dare to do it and risk the devastation on Mount Glenn.

Questions, questions, and even more questions!

"Which flavor do you want?" Cinder's voice distracted Jonathan again, forcing him to blink and look at the choice of flavors of ice cream before smiling. "Pistachio, please."

The salesman behind the counter just nodded at the order, before Jonathan remembered something important. " Oh! And, please, Neapolitan too."

"Hmm?" Cinder looked at Jonathan questioningly, not understanding why he needed the third portion, also because she wonders what 'Neapolitan' is.

"What, excuse me?" The seller was instantly confused by the strange order of a flavor that doesn't exist.

"Oh crap, that's right." Suddenly remembering that some idioms literally didn't exist in this world, Jonathan reiterated his order. "A mix of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry please."

At the strange order, the salesman just nodded and tried his best to measure out ⅓ scoops, allowing Jonathan to look at Cinder and satisfy her curiosity.

"Let's go see Neo," Jonathan smiled in response to her questioning look, - "I haven't visited her today."

***

Neo was terribly bored… So it was normal that she couldn't contain her childish indignation at the world, rolling her eyes and collapsing on the bed before exhaling as indignantly as possible, staring at the ceiling.

She was terribly, terribly bored!

Of course, Neo was grateful that for the first time in a long time she has a place to live... and an incredible one at that! But, it's so boring!

Neo rolled over on her stomach, then looked at the rows of double beds, stretching into the distance. Neo frowned a little, trying to count the beds. There are two tiered bunk beds by… seven beds? Yes, seven. So there's… Neo frowned before looking at her fingers. One… two… three…

Eighteen beds!

So, two times seven is eighteen!

Neo, pleased with herself, collapsed onto the bed.

So this place was designed for eighteen people, but at the moment, Neo was the only one here. And this means that she just had a lot of space to play!

But, unfortunately, there really weren't really any games Neo could play all alone. Worse of all, Neo was not allowed to go out of her new place of residence. And there was nothing to do in Neo's new home.

Maybe if there was a thread of barbed wire to climb over between the beds it might be more exciting. But no, there's not a single one. And just jumping from the second floor of the bunk bed to the other beds bored Neo too quickly. Without the possibility of falling from a great height, jumping around was just not that… fun.

With nothing else to do maybe? Neo scrunched up her nose as she stared at the stack of books next to her. One of the police officers that brought her here also brought the books with them. They said something about her schooling? Neo opened them once out of curiosity, but she almost immediately got a headache as she read the walls of text. So, Neo immediately put aside these… Textbooks.

Neo sighed, then pulled out her only entertainment in this dull place from a nearby nightstand. The magazine she had found in the trash can, the magazine filled with beautiful photos!

Opening the magazine randomly on one of the pages, Neo looked at the photo. Which, although it was covered with something brown - probably coffee - still looked great.

It was a photo of a beautiful tall girl in an open dress, whose white hair fluttered in the wind, with long eyelashes and a languid look.

There was a signature under the photo, and Neo frowned before putting the photo aside and placing her finger on the first letter so that she can begin reading it.

'S… Me… Ll… Of… Rich… Ness' Neo grinned and puffed out her chest at her ability to read the first part of the inscription before continuing to read the rest. 'New… Aro… Ma… From… The… Sch… Nee... Dust... Com... Pa… Ny!'

Hmm, it looks like it was an advertisement for some new perfume. Yes, looking closely, Neo spotted a bottle of the advertised perfume placed in the corner of the photo. She shrugged, who cares why the picture was taken if the picture itself was beautiful? It's a good enough reason for her as any.

A moment later, Neo's keen ears caught the sound of footsteps approaching her room. So, Neo quickly hid her magazine under the mattress, preventing anyone from stealing her little treasure. It wasn't long before she could hear the visitor knocking on the door.

Soon, a familiar voice called out from behind the door. Sure enough as the opened, Neo saw the man that had somehow moved her into this house, Jonathan.

"Neo, I have a surprise for you!" Jonathan's voice was probably exactly what Neo herself wanted to hear at that moment. At least, as long as Neo had someone in her room, she was not bored.

Neo looked at Jonathan expectantly, expecting the promised surprise before he smiled and pulled him from behind like a magician's gesture… 'Ice cream!'

if Jonathan had held the ice cream in his hands a little tighter, he would probably have lost his hands. Neo reacted so sharply to his actions, grabbing a bowl and a small plastic spoon and grabbing the ice cream. Maybe little girls have the ability to teleport?

'Three tastes!' "Ha, someone is excited!" Jonathan reacted to Neo's exuberance with a small smile. "Is the food really that bad here?"

Neo, not pausing from unpacking the ice cream, just shook her head at Jonathan's suggestions.

Soup! Porridge! Meat! And all of this three times a day! Neo ate better here in a day than all of her life. So the remark that they were poorly fed here was a sheer untruth that angered Neo to the core, And if she hadn't been so busy unpacking ice cream, she would have obviously poked Jonathan somewhere unpleasant she could reach so that he would no longer say such nonsense.

But for ice cream… It was a completely different matter! It was cold! And sweet! And delicious!

"By the way, Neo, I'm not alone today." Jonathan took a step to the side, causing Neo to raise her head to meet a gaze that was studying her. "Neo, Cinder… Wait, I suppose you already know each other."

Neo instantly remembered the girl she had seen with Jonathan once before. Hmm, was she his daughter? Well, it didn't really matter right now. What mattered was the way Cinder looked at Neo.

From their first meeting, Neo remembered this girl and her eyes looked… wary, cautious, but at the same time, dangerous.

Neo has seen people like her before. Usually the people with her eyes were… addicts, and even some that were rumored to be bandits. She had once seen a police officer with such a look. Neo was always very wary of this gaze.

From people with such a look, nothing good could be expected from interacting with them.

And almost instantly, Neo could determine that Cinder was looking at her very closely.

Her attention was so distracting, that it took a while before Neo took the first spoonful of ice cream. And, when she swallowed, she had to look away before she could swallow. Perhaps it is instinct? The previous vagrants that she met that had Cinder's eyes… they were the ones that wouldn't think twice before beating her up to steal her food

"Oh, I see that you have textbooks here." Jonathan drew attention to the pile of lying books lying on Neo's bed. Books which Neo had not touched beyond the first time she did for the last three day. "So, are you studying?"

At these words, Neo honestly shook her head from side to side, denying any interest in studying.

"Hmm? That is very bad." Neo heard Cinder speaking up for the first time. She sounds very annoying in Neo's opinion. "Anyone who is unable to master even the simplest school curriculum will never achieve any success."

Neo shrank on herself for a second at the barely concealed hatred, derision or even the threat in Cinder's words directed at Neo.

"Cinder, no need to be so harsh", - Jonathan instantly tried to pacify the situation. "A couple of days of rest are completely normal. After all, you also got a couple of days off before you started school, didn't you?"

Jonathan's words were enough for Cinder to step back. And Neo, feeling the support, was able to breathe easily again, relaxed her shoulders, and was able to pick a second spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.

"But still, Neo doesn't completely forget to study, It's important." Nevertheless, although much more gently than Cinder, Jonathan tried to nudge Neo to study. "Schooling was made mandatory for a reason."

Mandatory? It was so important that Neo was distracted from taking a third spoonful of ice cream. Strange, Neo has been in this… school thing ten times, or maybe even fifteen times. But if it's mandatory, it means that Neo was only obliged to appear there at least once? Then Neo definitely exceeded what's necessary!

"Of course, Jonathan," Cinder started speaking again. "I go to school every day… Are you happy about that?"

"Of course I'm happy Cinder, no question about it." Jonathan was distracted by Cinder's question, allowing Neo to send one more, the last spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. With the bowl now empty, she pushed it away with a leg, before falling back on her back.

"So uncivilized." Almost immediately, again with a voice full of anger and vitriol, Cinder's voice sent Neo into a state of shock as she immediately went into a defensive posture. "Perhaps it is expected that a street urchin would have such disgusting manners…"

"Cinder!" This time Jonathan stood up for Neo a little more openly, making her feel a little calmer for a moment, as he looked at Cinder sternly. Glancing at Cinder and noticing how she was looking down, Neo exhaled calmly, feeling the fear that had grabbed her for a second begins to recede.

"I'm sorry, Jonathan." Cinder was only able to say quietly. "Do not be angry with me, please…"

Neo turned her gaze to Cinder, whose demeanor had changed so suddenly that she almost had whiplash. And then to Jonathan, who looked like he had just realized he had made a mistake.

"I'm sorry Neo, but we'll have to leave soon. I hope you liked the ice cream." Jonathan brushed his crumpled clothes then walked towards Cinder, helping her to get up. For a moment, Neo caught sight of Cinder's face and… was that tears?!

"We should go. Bye Neo." Shortly after throwing an awkward goodbye, Jonathan grabbed Cinder in his arms. And, just like that, her two visitors walked back out from her room.

Neo, staying still for a second, waiting to see if they're going to come back. After a minute or so and nothing happening, she shrugged her shoulders. As she remembered Cinder and just how stricken she was after being scolded, she leaned back on the bed.

Life was good!

***

Jonathan, after a short bout of teleportation, was back at home. He did it without a thought as his full attention was taken by the trembling Cinder. She almost looked like a catatonic patient if not for the periodic trembling. After what happened back with Neo, it is as if Cinder had reverted back to her days with Miss Sunny.

Making his way to the living room and to the nearest couch, Jonathan lowered himself slowly onto the couch before tucking Cinder next to him. As soon as Jonathan just let go of his hands, Cinder, rather reflexively, grabbed his T-shirt, and then pressed tightly into him. Jonathan felt his T-shirt start to soak.

"Ah, shit." Jonathan exhaled, before raising his hand and running it through Cinder's hair gently. "Don't cry. Why are you crying? You don't need to, I'm not mad at you Cinder."

"N-no... Don't be mad at me," Cinder just buried herself deeper into Jonathan's T-shirt. "Please… P-please"

"Now, what are you talking about?" Jonathan just sighed. He really should have read that book on parenting. "I'm not angry with you, in any case. I… I just did something stupid, I didn't mean to raise my voice,"

Jonathan closed his eyes. Ha, how did he make such an obvious mistake? Raising your voice, even with ordinary children, would elicit a negative reaction with children. Not to mention Cinder who, to put it in the gentlest way possible, just came out of an abusive household. "I'm not angry, not at all…"

"R-really?" Cinder, hearing Jonathan's words, for a second lifted her face from Jonathan's T-shirt, looking straight at Jonathan with reddened eyes, "You're not angry?"

"No, no, of course not." Jonathan immediately hurried to reassure Cinder. "I just... I made a mistake."

Jonathan exhaled and looked into Cinder's eyes. "I'm not in any way angry with you. I just wanted to know something. Why were you so hostile with Neo?"

Hearing these words, Cinder only buried herself harder in Jonathan's T-shirt, forcing him to internally slap himself in the face.

You're a master of dialogue, Jonathan! Why not go sell tickets so that anyone can see just how great you are at shoving your feet down your throat!

"D-don't leave me... Please." Cinder could only mumble into Jonathan's T-shirt, forcing him to exhale.

So, that's the origin of the conflict? Jealousy? No, it's not just childish jealousy. It's the jealousy of an abandoned child who never had anyone close to him becoming closer with someone else. So Cinder was so hostile with Neo, because Jonathan was paying so much attention to the other girl.

"I won't, of course I won't." Jonathan just ran his hands through Cinder's hair soothingly, trying to calm her down. "How can I? You yourself agreed to stay with me, how will I leave you now? I won't leave you now! Of course not!"

These words were enough for Cinder's constant sobbing to calm down a little, and she was able to look up at Jonathan a second time.

"I…" - Cinder hesitated at the first word of the sentence before continuing, - "I'm better… Better than her right? I'm better, right?"

Jonathan strained his mind for a second before exhaling with understanding. Ha, I see… Cinder believed that she was loved only because she was good at something. Therefore, she tried with all her might to assert her position as 'the best' in order to remain loved and not to be abandoned.

Jonathan exhaled, another consequence of Miss Sunny's upbringing.

I really should have killed her, so fucking should have...

"I love you not for that, Cinder" Jonathan exhaled, looking at Cinder. "You don't need to be the best in everything to be loved. It's true, Cinder, you are the best, but even if you were the worst, I wouldn't leave you anyway."

"R-Really?" Cinder glanced up at Jonathan's face again. "Really," Jonathan smiled, - "Now stop crying…"

If you make a move on Bor right now, then Cinder will clearly not be happy.

It was an unexpected thought from the back of his mind that made Jonathan blink.

Imagine what will happen in the city when such a scandal erupts? It will affect a lot of things and people at the same time. Dozens and hundreds of unfortunate people caught in a crossfire as Bor and his friends struggle for survival. One good thing, at the cost of hundreds of innocent lives. What wouldn't Bor do to maintain his position?

Jonathan blinked and looked into the eyes of Cinder, who slowly pulled away from him, rubbing her face with her fists.

In the end, it will affect Cinder. Perhaps - indirectly, through the lives of the people around her. If, on the other hand, Bor was to be vengeful, then directly.

Jonathan sucked in a breath and let it out slowly.

Perhaps, for now, the evidence he collected will lie in his dossier.

***

"Find anything?" Night turned his head towards the front door at their approaching teammate, still holding the cards in his hands.

"More of the same," Roman, approaching the table, grabbed the cup of coffee on the table and swallowed the content in one gulp.

"Hey! That was mine!" Olivia was indignant, but not unobservant, immediately cracking Night in the head when he tried to cheat quietly.

"And it was a great one!" Roman exclaimed before yawning. "So can you just copy my last report? Honestly, there's nothing out there!"

"My Semblance is not to be used so that you skimp on your duties!" Olivia was indignant instantly, - "Besides, you yourself know that the copy only lasts three minutes."

"So, as I take it, if it is about helping a friend, your Semblance is out of the question?" Roman rolled his eyes. "And the fact that you somehow have three king of spades in your hands is, then, totally okay."

"I knew I shouldn't have played cards with you!" Night threw his cards into the air and got up from his seat, grumbling to himself about stupid Semblances. Something to which Olivia only looked indignantly at Roman.

"You know that I didn't even have 'one' king of spades!" She protested instantly, as Night left the room.

"Eh, if only my vile lies could somehow be prevented." Roman said with a grin, His attention then was occupied by their other teammate who just entered the room. Gretchen, yawning as she just woke up to replace Night. "O, the sleeping goddess who descended upon this sinful world..."

"No, I will not write the report for you." Gretchen instantly replied to Roman's attempts to avoid work before yawning again. "You had a whole night to write your report, Roman "

"I had no time to do it, I was really busy doing other things." Roman complained.

"Doing what?" Gretchen looked at him suspiciously.

"Keeping my erection from your pajamas under control." After a moment, Roman burst out laughing at his joke before dodging the pillow that flew into him. Roman then plopped down on the sofa opposite his leader. "So, Liv?"

"That nickname pisses me off, so stop it," Olivia rolled her eyes, continuing to pack the cards. "Besides, it's just a report, what's so hard about that?"

"It is an insanely fucking boring report." Roman replied curtly. "Why have we been doing stupid reports for three straight days that pretty much says the same damn thing? Oh 'the accumulation of Grimm is large, but not enough to represent a threat'. And yet at the same time we do nothing?"

"Because there are protocols, you dumbass." Gretchen plopped sleepily down next to Roman. "You yourself know, three weeks of observing the Grimm movements pattern…"

"Of development of a cluster of Grimm, with a consistent assessment on every seventh day of observation. If an increase or decrease by more than three percent in the number of Grimm is detected, re-measurement should be taken every three days for the next nine days… " Roman mimicked his answer with his hand, pantomiming as he continued to speak in the most boring tone he could muster.

"I know the 'protocols' Gretchen. I went to the same classes as you did, in case you forgot."

"I would like to forget,", Gretchen sighed and looked at Olivia. "So what does the requester want us to do?"

"Nothing special." Olivia just sighed, watching the 'unique' behavior of her teammates. "I'm not at all sure that Mr. Creek wants anything to do with us. It seems to me that he summoned us solely because it is in the instruction, and nothing more. But this is not a reason for you idiot not to write the reports!" Olivia immediately threw an indignant glance at Roman, interrupting any of his smarmy response.

"For what blasphemy God cursed humanity and gave them the ability to write…" - Roman only sighed theatrically.

***

"The first tests were successful!" A young man, a boy really, in a white lab coat that is unbuttoned at the top, jumped to his boss in excitement as soon as he saw him appear.

"Dr. Merlot, the tests with the creeps, samples sixteen and twenty-eight were completely successful!"

"Excellent," To these words, a gray-haired man also in a lab coat, under which he was wearing a gray turtleneck, just nodded. "Proceed with samples two and twenty-one."

"Ha?" Whatever instruction the guy was expecting, these were obviously not them. "But Dr. Merlot, at the moment our negative energy suppressors are not developed enough yet to continue the experiment with Beowulf-level Grimm! Strengthening them at this stage can lead to the creation of a real beacon for… "

Not bothering to listen anymore to the panicking scientist's words, the Doctor just looked at him with a cold look, "What is your name?"

"Petro, Petro Alpin" The young man looked at the doctor with some confusion at the non-sequitur question. "Senior researcher of project A."

"You're fired, Petro. Leave your office and take your things before the end of this shift,"

Merlot replied calmly as he delivered the news, before shifting his gaze to the people starting to approach him and pointing to one of the random people in the crowd, "You! You are now the senior researcher of Project A. Now, proceed with sample two and twenty-one."

The dramatic event and career ending action stunned the multitude of people gathered around Dr. Merlot. In such circumstances, there was only one answer that the assembled people could say. "Of course, Dr. Merlot…"

Somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled, drawing closer and closer to Mount Glenn.