After he left the pit, Sean finally laid eyes on the entire caravan that had rushed outside the wild expanse. One truck full of disposable bodies... Sean felt weird looking at it, as not long ago, he was one of those corpses.
Then a black and rather sleek sedan, followed by three off road military jeeps that hovered like guardian angels around the last vehicle at their center... a white SUV.
He was left speechless by the reception. Next to all the luxurious vehicles, the pickup truck looked completely out of place.
For him who wasn't from a very well-to-do family on Earth, this was quite a huge culture shock.
He really wanted to ask why there'd be such a thing outside in the wilds... Infact, how had they drove this thing through the slums without causing an uproar?
However he decided to kill his curiosity. From what he knew of the book, those in the slums did not particularly like those from either the outer or inner sector.
While such a caravan was bound to throw them into an uproar, this would be amongst themselves.
Rather than saying those of the slums did not like others, it was more accurate to say that they had bad blood... yet still feared those from the outer sector, and were especially terrified of the inner sector.
He could see officers standing around the military jeeps, some futuristic guns in their hands.
Finally, as they approached, he saw the body of the enormous black hound, sprawled dead by the side.
Seeing the beast, Sean found himself unconsciously licking his lips. His throat tightened, and although he was very much tired and sleepy, not to mention almost already full, he still wanted to sink his canines into that flesh.
Thinking a bit over it, he paused.
The whole squad stopped to at his halt, wondering why he stopped.
Looking at the young researcher, Sean asked.
"Can I get its blood?"
""Huh?"" both Drew and Richelle exclaimed at his words.
"So you did kill those beasts. And those wrung up beast corpses... I take it you drank their blood?" The young researcher asked, and Sean nodded.
"Do we wait for you or something?" He asked again.
"No." Sean replied, "I was wondering if you had something to extract the blood, like you do for genes."
"Oh, yeah I should have that in my car. Though it'd take some time... Maybe a minute more or less. Though I'd need something from you in return." The man replied with a smile.
Sean couldn't help but raise a brow. "If it's something I can do, and doesn't entail answering your questions now... Then I'm okay with it."
"That's fine." The man replied feeling content.
Although Sean did not know what he was going to require of him, as far as it was within the limits of his power... Something he didn't even have, then he didn't mind.
Also, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up on. Whether he truly believed that, or it was his craving talking, nobody had an idea.
"Are you sure?" Richelle asked with a frown. Sean wasn't behaving like he used to. He seemed more... Assertive?
While it was a good thing, she couldn't help but wonder how a person could show such significant changes in less than a day.
'Is it a result of the enhancement?' she questioned herself internally. However, her brain was too tired for such complicated deductions, so she let it be.
"Yeah" Sean replied.
Soon they got to the fleet of vehicles, and Richelle led him to the white majestic beast.
Even with the dry and arid nature of the Wildlands, the car was still spotless clean, a glaring contrast with his quite... Disgusting look right now.
They settled into the back seats, and the driver started the car, after a few seconds of waiting for the researcher to extract the blood Sean asked for, as well as the truck to dispose off the bodies in it, they pulled away, with the military grade vehicles flanking both sides.
"I'm happy you're safe but... How are you alive? Not saying I want you dead... God forbid that! But... You were confirmed dead." Richelle couldn't help but ask, a few minutes later.
She had been trying to hold back her curiosity, but it just kept eating her from the inside.
However, to her question, she got no reply.
Turning to look at Sean, she found him sleeping, his head so vulnerably hanging by the side. On his face, the calm composed and even cold appearance he wore, an appearance that was foreign to her, especially coming from him, was gone.
Instead, his face had softened into the vulnerable pull of sleep, but a few creases of worry still lined his brow, and he gave off a feeling of being weighed down by something... As though he was feeling depressed.
A pained smile appeared on her lips, and she ran her hand through his hair.
"You've grown." She said stroking his hair.
"Who ever had left you to the wilds as a kid, has no idea what they've lost." She mumbled, her tone half cold, and half filled with affection.
She carefully pulled him closer, and was surprised to see his body tense up upon contact.
A bitter smile appeared on her face, but she still pulled him close, shifting him effortlessly, until his head was resting on her laps, and began to stroke his hair.
Slowly, his tense body eased into relaxation, and even his expression softened further. The lines of worry and stress disappeared, but he still had that air of melancholy around him, that refused to let go.
She smiled softly at the sight. Fingers still brushing his hair, not caring how disgusting they looked or how unkempt he was, nor even the faint odour that oozed from him.
Her crisp white, casual blouse had already been stained by his mess when she hugged him earlier, anymore meant nothing to her.
Her fingers kept stroking her hair, and slowly, her own eyes too closed shut against her will... Exhaustion finally winning over her resilience.