Akio hung the phone up and sighed. He held his phone as he turned his attention onto Lee Seng. Chan-Yeol stood beside Akio, looking between him and Lee Seng.
"Isn't it late? Why does the Creator want to see him ASAP?" Chan-Yeol asked.
"I don't know. I guess this is serious." Akio answered. "Lee Seng, what about your tail? What happened to it? Do you even remember it disappearing? Do you, Chan-Yeol?"
"His tail was already gone by the time I got to him." Chan-Yeol answered. Lee Seng sighed and turned around.
'Keng?' Lee Seng called for his partner. There was no answer. He sighed as he felt the Protocol swirling inside him. He could definitely feel something was different. Really different.
"It's pure Dark Matter energy." Lee Seng told them. "I guess I can lose the tail anytime." He shrugged at it. "What does he want?"
"You." Akio gave him the obvious answer. "He's curious about you. He wants to do a checkup."
"Can't he wait until tomorrow? It's… night." Lee Seng motioned.
"You already know the answer. Let's go." Akio motioned. Lee Seng sighed.
"Is my clothes still in the same room?" Lee Seng asked wandering back into the hallway.
"Yeah." Akio answered. Lee Seng entered the room to his right, across from the bathroom. He flicked the light switch on, shutting the door behind him.
He stepped over to the closet and opened the door, stepping into the walk-in closet as he flicked another light switch on. He had left plenty of clothes wherever he went. These were clothes he didn't wear too often and couldn't be bothered to donate them.
He pulled his shorts off, revealing he wasn't wearing any boxers and grabbed a pair of boxers and pulled them on.
"Of course he would just not put boxers on me." Lee Seng shook his head. He slipped some jeans on and a black t-shirt. He put a oversized sweater on top and grabbed some socks.
He shut the light off as he left, leaving the closet cracked open as he shut the light off of his room and wandered towards the living room.
"You really didn't tell me anything because you didn't want him to know you knew about the Protocol?" Akio quietly whispered to Chan-Yeol.
"I didn't know what to do in this situation, okay?" Chan-Yeol replied. "You know I would've told you if I could have."
"He's my brother, dipshit. I know everything about my brother. You should just tell me. You're one of my most trusted friends and coworkers. You know all of my secrets. Don't keep things away from me that involve him."
"Sorry, A. Y'know how it goes. Client confidentiality is my priority." Chan-Yeol chuckled. Akio punched him in the chest and shook his head.
"He's a client now?" Akio asked louder.
"I'm just kidding, dude. You're so easy to tease." Chan-Yeol continued to chuckle as Lee Seng popped out of the hallway.
"Ready to go?" Akio asked.
"Yeah." Lee Seng sighed. "Let's get this show on the road… I'm going to hate every minute of this."
"You need me to drive you there?" Chan-Yeol asked Akio.
"Nah, Number business. I'll handle it." Akio answered.
"Alright. I guess I'll take my leave then." Chan-Yeol motioned.
"I'll let you know about what we're gonna do after I get some information from the Creator." Akio waved. Chan-Yeol nodded and moved to the door. He slipped his shoes on and winter coat. He grabbed his keys off the key hook and unlocked the front door.
"Alright, lemme know." ChanYeol waved. Akio closed the door and immediately turned around. He gave his brother a long stare like something was wrong.
"What?" Lee Seng asked. Akio crossed his arms together and tilted his head slightly. A foot went over the other. Lee Seng knew Akio was going to ask something.
"Are you sure you're fine? You were out for three whole days. I had to watch you through Thanksgiving up until when you work up. I Missed out on some good food because of you."
"Are you telling me to make it up to you for taking care in me on the one holiday that's just about food?" Lee Seng raised his eyebrow.
"I'm not complaining about the food. Although, I missed good food…" Akio pushed himself away from the door and uncrossed his hands and feet. He moved to stand in front of his brother. "Are you really fine? Are you really okay with going to see your Dad?"
"You ask too many questions. Why are you so worried?" Lee Seng asked.
"The Protocol took over you completely. You don't remember much about it at all?" Akio asked. Lee Seng shrugged and moved to sit on the couch. Akio followed after him sitting on the otherside of the same sofa.
"They're spotty. I know enough to know that what Chan-Yeol told me is probably true." Lee Seng told him.
'I'm more concerned about the fact Keng isn't speaking to me.' Lee Seng finished his thought.
"And that's alright to you?" Akio asked. "You know what you basically did and you're… Taking this better than I thought."
"That's why I want to talk to thr Creator." Lee Seng leaned into the sofa, moving his arm to stretch across the sofa. "If I can get some answers from him, it'll make this easier for me."
"Questions like what?" Akio inquired. Lee Seng slowly tilted his head left and right. He was wondering if he should tell Akio about the Failed Ones. His hunch was growing over the subject of the Failed Ones. He wanted to know.
"Do you think it's possible Dad is trying to perfect some serum solution that he started with the Failed Ones?" Lee Seng asked.
"They were experiments that simply couldn't adapt to the early Biohuman serum. They're nothing more than that. Why do you ask about that?"
"Well," Lee Seng shifted in his spot. He turned to look to his right where Akio was. He set his right leg onto the sofa, half crossing it as he set a hand on his ankle for support. "What would you think if he's somehow trying to perfect it still?"
"There's no reason to perfect something that will only create more chaos. Wh-where did this even come from?"
"I hear it's voice." Lee Seng told him.
"Who?"
"I hear it's voice when it tells me the Protocol is growing stronger. Just like the Protocol talked to Chan-Yeol."
"W-w-w-wait, what do you mean? The Protocol is alive within you and talks of it's own free will? I-is it that white fox you showed me months ago?" Akio asked.
"No, it manifests itself as a woman. A woman who always has tendrils squirming across her body. The Protocol manifests itself as her and I'm sure they talked to Chan-Yeol and the field group." Lee Seng explained to his brother. Akio's phone beeped and he sighed. He pulled his phone out and lookedal at it.
"Well, enough chit chat. We need to go." Akio stood up first and motioned for Lee Seng to do the same. He started over to put his shoes and winter coat on Lee Seng lagging behind.
"You don't believe me do you?" Lee Seng asked.
"It's not thatI don't believe you, Seng." Akio sighed pulling his coat on. "It just sounds absurd. I know there's cases of people who can has companions that they can talk to, but a Protocol serum test from the Failed Ones? And it can talk to you? It's… a lot."
Lee Seng found his shoes and slipped them on. He failed to notice how clean it was as he pulled the coat over him and followed his brother out.
"So you do think it's absurd!" Lee Seng said loudly. "I'm telling the truth." He popped out and stood off to the side as Akio locked his apartment door.
"The Creator wouldn't try to perfect something old and dangerous like that! He wouldn't do it. Maybe you're not remembering correctly."
"But it told me itself! Why would I make something up?"
"Bring it up to him then. I don't know why you're trying to convince me. It's too farfetched." Akio brushed the subject off. Lee Seng sighed and grabbed Akio's arm and turned him around.
"I'm not lying. I know I've lied about stupid things before but I would never lie about something that has to do with me." Lee Seng pleaded his brother to believe him. Lee Seng could tell Akio didn't believe him. His eyes told him all he needed to know.
Akio forced Lee Seng to let go of him and continued down the hall. Lee Seng sighed and followed after.
'No one believes me when I tell the truth. What am I gonna do, find some evidence?' Lee Seng asked himself. 'There's probably nothing on the Failed Ones. It's probably locked away in the lab…'
[He'll believe you if you let me talk to him.]
'I'm not gonna let you take over. I can barely remember what the hell you did while I was out. You injured humans! You'll probably kill some this time. I stay in control!'
[Hmph, I didn't kill anyone. I only hurt them enough to get the message across. If you really want to find evidence, you'll need my help, not your little sleeping Fox's help.]
'What happened to Keng?' Lee Seng stopped in place. 'What did you do to him?'