Richelle bit her lips at his apology, his soft voice, making all her anger fizzle out like smoke.
"Ju... Just don't do something like that again. Okay?"
Sean only gave a nod in return, his mind still trying to come to terms on his new reality. Although he was smart, very much so, the cascade of events that had occured since he arrived here, was quite overwhelming.
Even someone like him, needed time to process it all. Plus there was something she said that caught his attention. She said he was confirmed dead.
Although he had already deduced that there was a possibility that he had died, quite literally... Nothing else would explain finding himself, in the wild expanse, and in a pit of corpses no less... Who knew what diseases he was carrying already.
He had already told himself that he died, and yet was alive again somehow... Still, it was jarring to hear the confirmation that he really died.
Could it be the doing of whoever had brought him here? Or was it something else? He had no answer to that.
'Now that I think about it, could it be that I am a vampire or something?' he thought.
'As much as that doesn't make sense, considering that vampires are very "noble" creatures, and only live in Elysium, there is nothing else that could explain my extreme sensitivity and irritation to the sun, nor my hunger for blood.
'That's not the only thing... Vampires suffer a certain de-buff when under sunlight, not irritation. Also rather than fangs, my canines...'
His tongue unconsciously began to trail around his canines that had certainly grown bigger, shaper and longer. Different from that of vampires that were thin and long like snake fangs, and more like...
'Beasts... Carnivores!' he concluded.
"Now that we have that out of the way, I'd like to ask him a couple of questions."
A voice came from above where a brown haired young man, in crisp and clearly tailored blue shirt stood, his white coat flowing slightly in the wind like a cape.
Beside him stood Drew, who's mouth was wide open in shock.
It was quite easy for Richelle to accept that he was alive somehow, one because her mind was incredibly strong, two she was already mentally exhausted from searching for him since the previous day, when Sean didn't come back home... unknown to her that he was left to die in a dump site.
Coupled with the rollercoaster of emotions that followed when she learnt that he had gone for a genetic enhancement, and finally learning of his supposed death!
And three, she had only just heard that he died, before rushed over here in rage, and grief. Frankly, if not for the presence of the young researcher, the warehouse would have turned into a slaughter house.
At this point, her brain just wanted rest, or anything that would make it feel better.
For Drew, it was quite different. He had been put through several highs and lows, and his emotions had been a roller coaster. From happiness, to disbelief, to denial, to sadness, to desperation.
And here the reason for the whole ordeal, was here, well and alive... Not completely well, but alive nonetheless. There was also the fact that right now, he was at his lowest emotionally.
It was harder for him to process, so he just stood there, rooted to the spot and trying to shake off his disbelief.
Richelle threw a displeased glance at the young man, her eyes narrowing in irritation.
"As you can see, he's not fine and needs a lot of rest. He's in no place to undergo interrogations." She said, frowning at him.
"That's not in your place to decide." The man countered without regards. "Protocol demands that he we don't let informations like this, slip by."
"Well, the so called protocol doesn't demand that you kill him with your stupid rules." Richelle clapped back.
The man's eyes narrowed in frustration.
"I need to do my job."
"You will when he's fit to deal with you." Richelle replied, not in the least intimated by his pressure.
Sean was surprised by the bad blood between the two... hadn't they come together? Though she was right. He really was tired.
Drew's eyes on the other hand, danced between the two with bitterness. Recalling how if not for Richelle's urgency to find Sean, a clash would have erupted between them back at the warehouse, and it seemed like it would happen here too.
"I'm sorry that I cannot tend to your questions right now..." Sean's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, drawing attention to himself. "Like she said, I'm very tired and need to sleep."
"Did you kill those beasts?" The man asked him directly now that Sean had initiated a conversation, completely disregarding the fact that he just said he wanted rest.
Sean frowned at his antics. "Yes I did!"
"How did you do it? I guess that's not the most important thing... How are you alive?" The man fired, a holographic panel lighting up from his wrist, his tired eyes glinting somewhat in excitement.
Today seemed to have the best present he had received in the last ten years. Not just one, but two miracles!
In the slums of all places!
And he got to witness them first hand, research and even document on them. Protocol or no protocol, he was determined to get his answers.
Sean frowned again at his disregard, and he seemed to understand why Richelle seemed to have bad blood with the young man.
"Enough!" Richelle finally snapped. "He's not answering any questions, and that is final."
"Like I said, that is not in your..."
"I am not answering any further questions until I am well rested." Sean said, disrespectfully interrupting him mid sentence.
The young man frowned, a groan of frustration leaving his lips. "It is not in your place to decide either." He said, not liking Sean's attitude.
"You can try forcing the answers out of me." Sean replied calmly, and Richelle couldn't help but be taken aback, Drew too, and even the young man was not spared.
"Boy, do you know..."
"I know very well what I am doing, and what I am getting into... I just don't care." Sean interrupted him again,
"I could collapse now I die of exhaustion and backlash, and you'd get no answer from me."
The man's frown tightened, finding no way to refute his logic. Giving up on his constant pressing, he exhaled deeply, his expression easing to a calm smile.
"Alright," he agreed, then yawned, his eyes also feeling heavy.
"Good to see you too." Sean snickered as he left the pit, and passed by Drew.
Hearing his sarcastic tone, Drew couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He was particularly out of it the entire time.
His fists however, clenched slightly at the side, guilt eating him from the inside.