Chapter 185: Egg-Basket.

『"Every plan needs a codename. Even a bad one."』

Fiona flipped open the file. "We also ran a carbon-dating test, followed by several other radiometric dating tests." She paused. "The results were... interesting."

Hiro raised an eyebrow. "How interesting?"

Fiona looked at him. "This thing predates Earth." She paused again. "By like several billion years."

Maya hummed thoughtfully. "That is... interesting."

Fiona nodded enthusiastically. "Right?"

"How the hell do you carbon-date something older than the planet?" Sophia asked.

"You don't." Fiona tapped the file. "That's why we used other radiometric methods."

"Oh." Sophia cleared her throat. "Cool."

Fiona turned another page. "The sphere also emits a type of spatio-temporal energy."

Ethan frowned.

"I don't know how it's doing it." Fiona chewed on her pen. "But whatever field it's generating seems to interfere with every known method of tracking."

Sophia's eyes narrowed. "I'm betting even future sight."

Fiona's expression became slightly more serious. "If future sight counts as tracking, then yes."

The Five exchanged looks. Then Ethan turned to Hale. "So that's what you meant when you said it could help with the Anchor problem."

Daniel Hale stepped forward. "Precisely."

Fiona stuck the pen back into her hair. "Ah, you want to tell them, or should I?" Before Hale could respond, she immediately stepped aside. "Fine. You do it."

The Director sighed. "Our plan is to transport all the Anchors to a single secure location with the Fear Sphere accompanying them."

A beat passed before he continued, giving them a moment to process.

"While the sphere remains nearby, its spatio-temporal field should make them effectively invisible to every form of tracking we know the Apostles possess."

Raj stroked his beard. "Isn't that putting all our eggs in one basket?"

Hale nodded. "Indeed." He looked at him calmly. "But it's only risky if they find the basket."

Sophia folded her arms. "But what the hell was something like this even doing in a wendigo cave?"

"Speaking of wendigos," Hiro said, "we really do have something we need to tell you."

Hale looked directly at Raj. "Raj was bitten by a wendigo."

Raj's head snapped toward him. "Huh?"

Hale continued, "And it's taken effect."

Hiro blinked. "Yeah..." He hesitated. "How did you know?"

"It's my business to know." Hale's eyes remained on Raj. "The curse was instrumental in turning the tide against the Martyr. Despite the danger, it did provide us with an advantage."

Ethan grunted. "Hmm."

Fiona raised one finger. "Also, the lab clocked his body temperature at minus one hundred and nineteen point one three degrees Celsius."

Everyone turned toward Raj, and Amara's expression tightened. "Can you help him?" She looked at Fiona. "Is there anything we can do?"

Hale answered before Fiona could. "Mikhail Konstantin might know something."

Amara raised an eyebrow. "The Director of the Storm branch?"

Sophia's eyes widened. "You mean the grumpy old man with the axe?"

Hale glanced at her. "Grumpy old man?"

Sophia immediately straightened. "Sorry."

Hale smiled faintly. "He's dealt with this before. I'll reach out to him immediately." His gaze shifted to Fiona. "In the meantime, Dr. Fiona will run some tests on Raj."

Fiona's hand immediately disappeared beneath her desk. She pulled out a scalpel, and the blade glowed with a bright blue edge.

Raj stared at it and swallowed.

Fiona smiled. "Margaronium."

Raj looked at Amara. "Amara..."

Fiona held the scalpel up. "It'll only take a couple of hours."

Raj's expression slowly fell as everyone began filing out. He looked toward Amara before she left. "Please don't leave me with the crazy lady."

Amara stopped. She turned back and smiled. "Sure."

Raj's expression brightened. "Really?"

She placed a hand on her hip. "Only if you promise to stop calling her crazy."

Raj glanced at Fiona. She was already arranging equipment around the medical bed. He sighed. "...Fine."

The others continued toward the exit. Ethan paused before leaving and looked back at Amara. "I'll see you after."

Amara smiled. "Yeah."

Dante stretched his arms above his head as they walked. "Glad that's over."

Maya chuckled softly as she approached the laboratory exit.

"Maya."

She looked over.

Hale tapped his cane lightly on the floor. "I'll need you to help make preparations for the Egg-Basket operation."

Maya blinked. "The what?"

"Egg-Basket operation."

Behind them, Raj was already lying on a medical bed. A breathing mask covered his mouth and nose, its tubing connected to a machine labeled RSF.

His eyelids were becoming heavier as the sedative took effect.

"...Egg-Basket operation..." Raj's voice was barely audible. A small smile appeared on his face. "Nice..."

His eyes closed, and with that, Raj was out.

Maya shook her head and followed Hale to a different room.

That left Fiona, Amara, and Raj alone at the research station.

Fiona glanced toward the doorway, then looked at Amara. "Thanks..."

Amara turned, and Fiona's usual enthusiasm had disappeared. Her expression was unexpectedly soft.

"For earlier." Fiona hesitated. "I really don't like it when people call me crazy."

Amara smiled. "Don't mention it."

Fiona's face immediately brightened. "Alright!" She faced Raj's unconscious body. "Let's see what tests we can run first."

She looked at Amara. "And as an added bonus, our patient can regenerate."

Amara gave a small, nervous chuckle. "That's certainly one way to look at it."

***

Malachi landed in the middle of an expansive vineyard, stumbling several steps before finally regaining his balance.

Rows of grapevines stretched across the estate, disappearing into the distance beneath the afternoon sun.

A short distance away, Monet sat comfortably on a terrace overlooking the vineyard, a porcelain cup of tea resting on a small saucer in front of her.

She looked up as Malachi approached. Then she calmly set the cup back onto its saucer. "Need a hand?"

Malachi glared at her. "Don't start with me, Monet."

He looked down at his missing hands, his expression twisting with irritation. "Even your Euphoria wasn't enough to finish me off." His eyes narrowed. "That sword bitch has got to go."

Monet stared into her tea. "I could say the same about the string man."

Malachi scoffed. "At least you're not risking anything."

"Well, neither—" Monet's gaze dropped toward his arms, and she paused. "...were you?"

Malachi's jaw tightened. "Kai isn't going to be happy."

Monet shrugged. "Who gives a shit?" She crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair.

Malachi walked over. "I give a shit. I give lots of shit!"

Monet stared into the horizon. "The idea of being part of something that gets to reshape the cosmos really spoke to my artistic side."

She took another sip of tea. "Now?" Her eyes drifted toward Malachi's missing hands. "I don't know."

Malachi stared at her for a moment. "That's a bitch thing to say."

He looked down at himself again, irritation quickly turning into frustration. "And what the fuck am I supposed to do about this?!"

Monet calmly took another sip of tea. "Perhaps Kai or Peter can help with that."

Malachi grunted and dropped into the chair opposite her. He lifted one leg and casually placed his boot on the edge of the table.

"So where's that butler of yours?" He leaned back. "I'm feeling a bit parched."

Monet slowly lowered her cup and stared at him. "Fucking twat," she muttered under her breath.