Chapter 309 Compromises

The Creator gave Lee Seng such a serious stare. He looked at Dr. Valentin who was giving him a more puzzle yet serious look. He honestly looked like the more skeptical one out of the two doctors and Lee Seng immediately started to turn away from them.

"You're saying I'm gonna have my Dark Matter thin out like this guy and what, lose my powers or something?" Lee Seng asked, turning back. "Out of all the data you could've pulled, you pulled data from more than twenty-five years ago?!? We know a lot more about Dark Matter and how it works within our bodies now than we did then!" Lee Seng pointed at the right screen.

"You're telling me the last case that had my exact changes resulted in some failure?" Lee Seng tilted his head. He did this when he was baffled and/or upset. The Creator sighed and rubbed his temples. There was no response from the two. Dr. Valentin looked down at his tablet while Lee Seng's father continued to sigh.

"You gonna lock me up or get rid of me when that day comes?" Lee Seng asked, breaking the silence.

'Lee, I wouldn't…' Keng's voice trailed off. Lee Seng was too upset to even want to hear Keng.

"You already tried to lock me up here for most of my life. You want to do the same thing again? In a month?" Lee Seng pulled the holographic screen towards him and enlarged the data. "None of this even makes sense!"

"But it's–" Dr. Valentin began when the Creator slammed his fist into the tabletop.

"We're trying to understand this the best way we can. It's only a comparison. We're not sure if you'll even turn out like this one! Your case is too unique." The Creator explained himself.

"So you just look at data that seems consistent with mine from 25 years ago and speak theories to me?" Lee Seng asked. "If I was anyone else, you wouldn't have said that to them!"

"I'm just telling you it matches with the data we have!" The Creator raised his voice. "I just thought my own son would want to know about what could be happening to him. That's all!"

"Obviously when you tell someone they're basically gonna die, they're gonna be devastated." Lee Seng pushed the holographic screen out of his face and motioned at it. "Why would you basically tell someone they're a monster?"

An awkward silence fell in the room. Akio looked away at the exit of the room. Dr. Valentin turned and scrolled through his data.

"Every time you've tried to help me, it was cause you were paranoid about something." Lee Seng stood up from his seat. "You were paranoid on the beach that day and became really distant."

"Lee Seng this has–"

"And now you're paranoid that I'm having the same exact results happen to me like it did to that guy twenty-five plus years ago." Lee Seng pointed. "If you want to ruin my life, all you gotta do is try to be the dad you never were. Least you're being annoying and in my life versus this shit show."

"I am trying to find a solution!" The Creator shouted.

"Then run more tests." Lee Seng bit his lip. "Compare it to all of the DM values you see everyday! Compare to what's 'normal' and not what's so abnormal out there and a 'failed experiment!"

He turned and moved to the door. A wooden bat intervened, blocking his path. Akio looked over at the Creator. His hand was outstretched. His face was full of anger.

"Why can't you just listen to what I have to say?" The Creator asked. "We did both and I just wanted to show you a comparison!"

Lee Seng grabbed the bat and ripped it out of the Creator's hold. He turned, splintering the bat in his hand.

'Don't tell him what you know.' XI spoke. 'If you tell him, you'll really be locked up.' Dark Matter oozed out of Lee Seng's body, moving about his body as he took a step forward.

"What the–" Dr. Valentin whispered.

"Lee, calm down, alright?" Akio put his hand up. He was slowly moving towards Lee Seng.

"You know this is the result of the Protocol, right?" Lee Seng lifted his hand and watched as Dark Matter slithered across his hand and down his arm. "This is what your so-called serum did to me. Whatever you put in me, made me into this.'

The Creator watched the Dark Matter crawl around his son's body. He watched it start to take shape across his body. It began to create a tight suit across his chest and arms. Lee Seng immediately stopped it and let it sink back into his body.

"You've progressed this much?" The Creator spoke quietly.

"Don't compare me to some failed subject. I may have started out with no Dark Matter but I have loads of it now." Lee Seng took another step forward. "And I believe you know why I didn't have any Dark Matter to begin with, Dad."

Lee Seng watched the Creator turn away. He noticed his own father's anger shaking him. He knew his father had just as bad of an angel issue as he did. His father took a breath before turning.

"Come back in a month. We'll test again then. We just have to monitor your situation until we're sure you're not gonna become just like this guy." The Creator's voice was quiet and straight to the point.

Lee Seng nodded. He watched his father wave him off and he gladly spun on his heel and moved to the door.

"Sir, I-I'll see Lee Seng off." Akio turned to the Creator.

"Go." The Creator waved. Akio gave a small bow and followed after Lee Seng. The door closed behind Akio and Dr. Valentin turned to face the Creator.

"Are you sure that was the best idea?" Dr. Valentin asked. "Creator, y-you know what's coursing through him, right?" The Creator turned his attention onto his tablet. He tapped away at a couple things and the holographic screens changed in front of them.

Detailed reports and charts came up with large amounts of errors.

"We ran tests on him and it still gives us an error. The closest we got to that match was over thirty years ago, Valentin." The Creator looked at Dr. Valentin with a serious expression. "He's the product of combining one of the Failed Ones that produced no results for years and that humanoid creature we found all those years ago.

"I just want to know what stopped that horrible monster's Dark Matter leeches from leeching the energy from him… And what took out those same exact leeches."

"Chang, you don't mean you suspect someone who found this out and took it out of him, right?" Dr. Valentin asked. "Those leeches aren't recognized on any systems. The only way someone would find out is if they–"

"If they somehow got something in his body and found the leeches." The Creator nodded. "Today wasn't to give him an idea of what's happening. It's about keeping him curious just enough so he comes looking for answers." The Creator smiled.

"And what happens when he does come looking?" Dr. Valentin asked.

"Then we start phase 2 of Protocol XI." The Creator answered. "He's making so much progress in such a little time. The next couple months will get progressively harder for him. I wonder if he'll be so arrogant then."

Dr. Valentin looked at his tablet. Lee Seng's information was up on his screen. A notification appeared and he noticed it was from Manny.

"Who's contacting you?" The Creator asked, turning his attention back to his tablet.

"My son." Dr. Valentin answers. He clicked the message and read it. "I think we'll get our answers soon enough, Dr. Chang. Look." He moved the tablet in between him and the Creator.

Sending you an update.

I didn't think Lee Seng would progress so much in the last couple of months. We went to the Tall Forest today and Lee Seng has surpassed my expectations. His focus is sharper. His senses are sharper. His powers have significantly gotten stronger. He truly has a mastery over all the classes.

I heard he had to leave to meet with his brother, so I figured I'd send you an update. I'll continue to monitor him like you asked.

See you at Thanksgiving!

An email popped up as soon as they finished reading it. It was an email from Manny with field footage. Manny had sent clips of Lee Seng fighting. Dr. Valentin clicked each one and the two watched in silence. When they finished the videos, Dr. Valentin slid his tablet back to his side and looked at the Creator.

"So, what do you think? Should we continue with what we're doing?" Dr. Valentin asked. The Creator pointed at the tablet.

"Do you think he's making too much progress in so little time?" The Creator asked. "Even prodigies would take longer to get to a level that's comfortable like that." He looked up at Dr. Valentin. "The only way someone could become so used to battle is if they're put in it. There's no indication he's trained in the field except for a handful of times. How could he make that much progress so fast?"