Mike tried to justify his reaction by gesturing toward Austin, who struggled to suppress his laughter.

"Me?" Austin said. "Hey, I laughed because you sounded insane! If that crazy woman said that to my face, I would never…" He trailed off under Mike's gaze. He wanted to say he would never dismiss such a claim, but honestly, he probably would have brushed her off as crazy.

"Whether or not it's true, we must act," Alexander said solemnly, his amusement absent. Rhea's escape threatened the world. "Mike, please take care of the babies." He turned and left, intending to ask Cameron to initiate a city-wide search for Rhea, stopping her before she could harm anyone again.

The queen napped when a knock sounded on her bedroom door. Three knocks later, the door opened without her permission. She opened her eyes, then closed them again, recognizing the intruder.

Fred, supporting himself with his cane, circled the bed. He stopped before her. "Your Majesty, your naptime is almost over. You should wake up."

"What the hell are you doing here?" the queen asked coldly, her eyes still closed.

Fred smiled. "To make your dream come true, of course."

A flurry of footsteps caused the queen to finally open her eyes. Seeing several people gathered around her bed, her eyes widened in alarm.

"What are you doing?!" she demanded, sitting up.

Fred stepped aside. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. They're here for a medical examination. Rest assured, they're all on our side," he emphasized, smiling knowingly.

"What are you up to, Fred? Are you planning to murder me? Even if I die, you can't take my place!" As she spoke, the people around her lifted her into a wheelchair and began to move her away. The queen glared at Fred over her shoulder.

He strolled behind her. "Relax, Your Majesty. We'll just examine you to proceed with the experiment's next phase. Why would we murder you? Lily must have fed you lies, huh? I told you not to believe her. She's as sly as a fox!"

"I'm fine! I don't need to be examined!" The queen remained unconvinced.

Fred remained indifferent. "Your Majesty, have you forgotten about the experiment? How can we proceed to the final phase without the examination? For your safety and health, you must comply."

As the staff wheeled her down the corridor, the queen tried to scream for help. Suddenly, she felt a prick on her neck, and dizziness washed over her. Her head drooped, and she fainted.