Three knocks echoed at the door. The two froze, exchanging a look. "Use the back door," the man instructed, cocking his head towards the rear.

As Rhea hurried past, she heard him call, "Wait!" Halting, she obeyed his next command: "Leave it!" He tapped his finger on the desk. Rhea hesitated, then placed the bottle on the desk, her gaze lingering on it intensely before hurrying away.

The man was peculiar and unpredictable; his size belied the power he commanded. Yet, neither Rhea nor Mike dared defy him, not from fear of him personally, but from dread of the organization behind him. He wasn't alone, nor was he the top leader. Their efforts to uncover his secrets remained fruitless, and they dared not pry further.

Rhea, for her part, dreamt of creating something world-altering. She vanished behind the man.

He tilted his head, confirming Rhea's departure, then said, "Come in!" He crouched on the desk's edge, hands propping him up, legs dangling. Picking up the bottle Rhea had left, he examined it closely.

Mike, entering, was met with a scene of chaos: shattered glass strewn across the floor, requiring careful navigation. Bloodstains marred the surface. Someone had been hurt. Injury wasn't uncommon in the facility, but the boss rarely caused it in his office. "Sir," Mike called, taking two cautious steps forward.

The man grunted in acknowledgement, his eyelids remaining lowered. He continued studying the small bottle, head cocked.

Mike recognized it instantly. That's the bottle Lily was trying to get from the worker just now. Lily had spoken clearly, but the worker had been strangely resistant. The boss, too, had claimed it was necessary.

What could it be? If Lily called it a failed creation, why keep it?

The little man asked indifferently, "Has she started already?"

Mike nodded. "Yes. She's working, and everything's on track."

"On track?" The man scoffed, shaking his head. "It's too early to say. We'll use that phrase when she succeeds."

"Lily says she's confident she can do it soon," Mike relayed, though uncertain whether Lily's confidence was genuine or feigned.