Dr. Valentin stomped forward and grabbed Keng by the collar and shook him. "You're wrong! The doctor shared everything with me! We worked together to make sure all of the things that happened would work with him! Why do you think I volunteered for the Number serum in the end?!? I wanted to see my work pay off and not wither away like the old man I am!"
Zoe's eyes widened. Her dad's truth had finally come to the surface.
"Y-you didn't do it for me or… Manny? Yo-you did it so you could… research longer?" Zoe's voice shook. Dr. Valentin's eyes widened. He turned to his daughter and shook his head.
"That's not the entire point! I did choose for you, Zoe! I swear I did. Everything I do is for—"
"Cut the crap, Geoff. Your secret's out. It's better to admit to it than let everything become a bigger shit show." Alex spoke.
"You all knew about this?" Zoe asked. "W-why did you all keep this from me? W-was everything a lie? Yo-you just… used me as an excuse to hide the truth?" Small barrier bubbles blinked around Zoe.
"Zoe, dear, it was like that at first but—" Dr. Valentin reached for Zoe, only to feel a bubble grow around his adopted daughter.
"No!" Zoe shook her head. She raised her hands to cover her ears. "I don't want to listen to a liar! Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Zoe screamed, bubbles exploding into existence. Everyone began to panic, trying to dodge the attacks. Keng wrapped his group in a protective bubble, leaving himself exposed.
Tears streamed down Zoe's face as she collapsed.
'Number 6, Zoe Evans. She was an orphan, collected because her orphanage was going under. Dr. Valentin and Dr. Chang had snagged her.' Keng remembered the odd newspaper Lee Seng had come across as a kid. 'Lee Seng had mentioned this to Zoe and she brushed him off because he was spouting nonsense. I guess it is true.'
"Keng!" Ritsuka shouted. A colorful bubble exploded next to Keng, leaving a portion of Keng in smoke.
"She's having a meltdown! We need to secure her!" Alex shouted. The explosions grew causing the underground to shake harder.
"I can't get to her!" Scarlet shouted. "Doctor, you need to do something!"
"I-I…" Dr. Valentin gulped.
"Fuck, do I have to do everything around here?" Keng swore in Korean. He appeared in front of Zoe's barrier, swiping the barrier bombs away with his tails. He touched the barrier and let out the wisps. The chattering mixed with the explosions caused the Numbers' to cover their ears.
The wisps ate through the barrier, only to have it reform on itself. Zoe screamed as more barriers formed around her. The innate pressure coming off Zoe's, forced Keng to move backwards. Small bubbles began to spray all around Zoe. Keng's tails swiped at each bubble, pulling the energy into him. Silver lines grew all over Keng.
"What's happening?" Number 1 asked in the arms of Carter, who was shielding her from Zoe's meltdown. "W-what's… happening…?"
"Stay still, One!" Carter shouted. "She's having a meltdown!"
"You need to…" Number 1's eyes rolled back, falling back into slumber before she could even give orders.
"Dr. Valentin, you need to calm your daughter down now!" Alex shouted.
"I… I… I can't!" Dr. Valentin shook in fear. His legs buckled underneath him, dropping him to the floor. Keng's tail flew outwards, wrapping Dr. Valentin and pulling him forward. Dr. Valentin's scream was enough for Zoe to break out of her meltdown. She watched as her adopted father appeared with Keng's tail wrapped around him. Keng re-conjured Hydrosphere and brought the dagger up to Dr. Valentin's neck.
"W-what're you doing?" Zoe shouted. Her meltdown instantly ended, leaving the barrier around her. "Let him go!"
"Drop the barrier and you can have your dad." Keng ordered. He pushed the dagger closer to the old man's neck. Keng shrugged. "I guess you don't really care now that you know your daddy chose his work over you. It probably makes sense now that you've been doing random work for him. Don't you feel used?"
"Stop it!" Dr. Valentin shouted. Keng's tail tightened.
"Shut up, old man before I actually carve into you. You're the reason why your daughters acting like this! If you genuinely chose her over the work, she wouldn't be like this, hm? Don't you think it's your duty as a father to be the blame for her pain?"
"Please! Stop this, Lee Seng!" Zoe shouted. "I-I'll do what you say! Just give me him! It-it doesn't involve you!"
"I'm Keng, not Lee Seng."
"Ke-Keng, you don't have to go so far!" Olivia shouted.
"Yeah, just let him go! It's just a misunderstanding! I-I'm sure Dr. Valentin does really love his daughter!" Liz agreed with Olivia. "Let him go!" Keng sighed and pushed Dr. Valentin into Zoe. The barrier dropped as the daughter grabbed her father and barriered the both of them.
"See? You still love each other." Keng released his daggers into thin air. "Everyone keeps secrets, so I'm going to ask about some you know, Doc. Do you know a Failed One who goes by Mother?" Dr. Valentin's blood ran cold. He turned, stepping away from Zoe and moving to the edge of the barrier.
"How do you know that?" Dr. Valentin asked. The other Numbers were confused. "How do you know about her of all Experiments?!? Tell me!" Keng sighed and ruffled his hair. He thought about whether or not he should tell him, but at this point it would be better if he didn't make an enemy out of people who weren't worth his time.
"Lee Seng's suppressed memories came up at some point." Keng answered. Dr. Valentin's eyes widened.
"Oh no…" Dr. Valentin whispered.
"What does that mean?" Scarlet asked. She raised her arm, allowing the metal wires to snake around Keng, who didn't bat an eye. She watched as her ability snaked through his tails like they weren't there. Dr. Valentin shook his head.
"Do you know if he made contact with her or if she made contact with him?"
"Is there a difference?" Alex asked, impatiently.
"Yes!"
"Well…" Keng bit his lip. "I guess she revealed herself to him. It was when a part of her talked to us." He motioned over to his friends. The cosmic barrier faded, letting his friend freely move about. "He had a memory play out differently. That's what I remember… but Lee Seng definitely killed the fragment within him."
"He killed it? That's not good!" Dr. Valentin shook his head. "Where is he now?"
"Gone with the many Eyes guy." Keng answered.
"Eyes… Eyes…"
"Failed Experiment 004." Jiro said.
"Crap, this isn't good then…" Dr. Valentin whispered.
"What do you mean?" Alex asked.
"If the Failed Ones have come out like we suspected, it means Brood Mother is doing something… Lee Seng and the Creator aren't safe! We need to get down there quickly!"
"But you still need to stabilize Number 1." Alex reminded the doctor.
"Ah, right. Dammit." Number 5 cursed. He turned to Zoe, who looked at him with a strange unfamiliarity. "Zoe, dear, we don't have time. I need to stabilize Number 1 before it is too late and we need to get the Creator and Lee Seng, too!"
"This would be easier if the access points weren't destroyed!" Scarlet commented. "We're in for the worst show ever." Zoe's barrier faded. She looked down as Dr. Valentin turned and started towards Number 1. Keng raised his arm and blocked Dr. Valentin, temporarily.
"What's going to happen to both of them if we don't save them soon?" Keng asked.
"Worst case scenario?" Dr. Valentin asked. Keng nodded. Dr. Valentin looked directly into Keng's eyes. "Lee Seng and Vang rejoin Brood Mother, making her and the other Failed Ones fully human, allowing for the Brood Mother to break her people out and enact the Second Coming."
Dr. Valentin pushed past Keng, leaving him and the others with a massive bomb of information.
—
Outside Chang Labs
A black car flew through the open gates and zoomed straight to the back. There wasn't a soul out here as Manny made his way to the back and pulled the car around the bend and parked. He quickly unlocked the car and turned the car off.
Manny stepped out, noticing more cars coming his way. "What the hell's happening now?" Manny whispered. He locked the car and quickly made his way to the door. The cars honked at him, drawing Manny's attention. "I don't got time for this! I need to find the others!" He grabbed the door and tried to pull it open. The door was locked.
"Manny!" Akio shouted. Manny turned and watched three doors open followed by three people. "What're you doing here?"
"What're you doing here? I thought you would be dealing with the Deimons!" Manny moved away from the door and walked over to meet Akio. He noticed Akali and someone familiar behind her. "I have a lot to catch you up on. I hope you're on our side."
"There's sides?" A familiar voice asked. Akali stepped out of the way and Manny's eyes widened.
"A ghost." Manny whispered.
"Not exactly." Akali smiled. "He's been in hiding and for your question we're here to end this before another world disaster starts."
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