Chapter 32
Lesley cannot focus at all. She has to kill Alice who is still on a rampage, causing much damage at the barrier. The mages are almost on their limits because of her and the countless demons clawing at them.
Unable to keep her mind at peace, she retreats and makes her way down the tower to regroup with the swan princess. She is in a haste to ask why, why is her father at the battlefield when he is already dead? She witnessed it herself so it is incomprehensible that he is there fighting against them.
"Your Highness," she greeted with a slight bow. Princess Odette lifts her palm towards her, a signal that she must wait.
"We have brought the serum that could stop Gusion and his team," Dr. Baker stated, "but it is limited. We need someone to inject these without wasting even a drop."
Lesley stares at the glowing green serum held by Dr. Rooney. Images of Gusion flashed in her mind; his smiles, his grin and annoyed face and even his glares, somehow, she misses those... she misses him. Is it wrong to hold such feelings on a man who is already engaged?
"I can do it," she speaks, "if the princess allows me to."
The doctors and Princess Odette stare at her. She is once a hitman and in every mission, there is none that she failed to complete. The princess knows that and entrusting her with the job of bringing back the VENOM squad to their old selves is quite assuring.
"Good," the princess states, "your task is now to stop the VENOM squad from causing further chaos."
Lesley once again sets her eyes where her father is and asks, "But Your Highness, why is my father revived? How did such insolent thing happen?"
Still confused at her comment, Princess Odette follows the gaze of the sniper and she is right, her father is indeed revived. It is as if he never died in the very first place; his trench coat and the gun he is using are the ones he last used before his death years ago.
Princess Odette shuts her eyes and hardens her expression before looking back at Lesley.
"Be not bothered by it, Lesley, no matter how it pains you. We are not to be sentimental at times like this. Fulfill your mission first before anything else for hundreds of lives are at stake," she says. It may be harsh for her to such words at a daughter who lost her father but the safety of her people is her top priority.
"I shall take care of this matter," she adds, "and you shall take care of yours."
Her words pain her that made Lesley mad, it was as if her feelings are unnecessary when it actually did. It is her father who is involved, if her thought of him being revived from the dead, it would be a real disrespect to her father himself. She hardens her expression as well and grabs the serums from the doctor. Putting them in her safe pockets, she says, "Send me backups."
Without another word from her mouth, she turns her back and walks away. Princess Odette somehow regrets saying those words but it is for the best, it is to ensure their victory. Dr. Baker could not take his eyes off of Lesley, not because he is enamored by her. It is for a reason that the armor he made for fun suits the sniper. He pats Dr. Rooney's shoulder before running after Lesley.
Holding her by the arm is a mistake because he becomes the medium of Lesley's anger. She immediately clutches his other arm, twists it and makes him kneel on his knees with his back facing her before aiming at the back of his head with her rifle. All Dr. Baker could do is raise both of his hands before he would die without even stating his last words.
"It's just me," he breathes, his eyes shut and cold sweat all over his body. Lesley heaves a sigh before retracting, she helps him stand back on his feet and asks what is the matter.
"Would you like some kind of upgrade?" Dr. Baker asks with a smirk plastered on his face.
Lesley's forehead wrinkled at the doctor's statement. What upgrade could he be talking about? That question is inside her mind but she did not dare ask. But her facial expression is enough for Dr. Baker to interpret what she is thinking, thus, he tells her to follow him. Curious as well, Lesley did what she is told to do.
As they go back to the laboratory, Lesley remembers the location. It is the place where she once saw Gusion and he did not allow her to see what was behind that door and carried her away. Never have she ever expected that she would enter that place after all the things that had happened.
"What is in this place?" she asks, not wanting to be mute again about something that could give her more information about Gusion who is always good at hiding something. Maybe if she could know more, she would be able to understand him.
Dr. Baker did not reply though. All he did is welcome her inside the dark hallway. Lesley simply follows after him whilst her eyes wander around. She, then, smells the faint scent of disinfectant which made her wince for it reminds her of her father's last moments before his death. She has always hated that smell, it brings nothing but painful memories.
"You're a marksman and going to the frontlines would be too risky," Dr. Baker states as he opens the main entrance towards the laboratory. "The armor I made might be of help one way or another."
Walking inside, Lesley sees the huge tubes where the VENOM squad had been incubated in. The greenish waters that they were once submerged in is gone, only the tubes are there. And there are no longer remnants of them inside the laboratory. Dr. Baker notices the curiosity of the sniper just by looking at her facial expression. But it is not the right time to be telling stories of what happened in that place.
Sliding his ID on a small slit, the metallic wall clangs before it moves to the side and reveals a dark purple and black set of suit. Not only that, a rifle of the same color is there also. It makes Lesley feel that it is made just for her. The combination of colors is aesthetic and cool.
"I made it during my free time," he says with a smile, feeling proud of his creation, "when Gusion made the sketch. It is actually a great idea."
Lesley widens her eyes upon hearing the name of the Paxley rebel. And to fill in her questions, Dr. Baker adds, "He gave it to me without saying a word. But knowing a bossy idiot like him, I knew it was for someone. Try it on."
Lesley, filled with glee, grabs the suit and heads to an empty room that the doctor showed.
"But for what reason did he want this to be made?" Lesley asks herself while changing. Looking at herself on the mirror, a smile slowly creeps at the edges of her lips. But what she is truly excited of is the new rifle. It seems to be better than the ones she previously used and she wants to try it out in real battle.
She gets out of the room and Dr. Baker could not be anymore happier to see that the suit fits her. She walks towards her new rifle and slides her fingertip on its tip down to the edge before taking ahold of it.
"If I may ask about the serums you gave, will it kill them?" Lesley asks. She wants to make sure of the result besides, her beloved younger brother is involved. If the serum would kill them, then she would rather stop them in another way. She wants to return home with Harley safe and sound, that is a promise she has to fulfill for both her adoptive mother and father.
Dr. Baker looks away and stares at the empty tubes that is once occupied by the modified warriors. And with a soft voice, he replies, "I am not really sure of that, to be honest. The possibility is fifty-fifty, either they die or live after a few hours of paralysis."
Without anymore words, she positions her weapon and aims at the doctor who immediately raises his hands in midair.
"Why?" she asks with gritted teeth, "Why did you choose my brother, out of all people, to experiment on?! And why did you drag Grock in this stupid shits of yours?!"
That is the perfect moment for Lesley to interrogate. The moment she first saw Harley as a member of the VENOM squad is a huge blow on her, what more if their mother sees him in that state? She has been told that they had undergone through experiments while their mother is worriedly sick of her missing son.
"We were forced to do it as well," Dr. Baker replies, his voice almost breaking, "Nero threatened our lives so we were given no choice."
"But why did you have to choose Harley?!" Her rage is pushing her to pull the trigger but she is able to control her anger, she needs to hear some kind of explanation.
"It was Gusion's suggestion," the doctor replies, his knees wobbling.
Lesley tightens her grip on her rifle and no words are spoken by her. She turns her back and runs out of the laboratory, she has to go back to the battlefield. The burden is too heavy for her to take, especially that persons she holds dear are involved in the matter. And not to mention about the outcome of the war, it also somehow depends on her.
But after hearing the words of Dr. Baker, Lesley decides to fulfill the task she voluntarily accepted. It may cause one death or two but she will make sure of one thing; Harley shall live no matter what.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone