The calm before the storm felt suffocating to Lily. That evening, when her dinner was due, no one came. This was highly unusual; no matter how angry Fred was, he always ensured she received food and drink. For the experiment's sake, she knew he wouldn't let her suffer physically. Though not hungry, the lack of a meal indicated something was amiss. Lily opened the door and asked the guard, "Where's my dinner?"

"No dinner tonight, ma'am. Please get an early rest," the guard replied readily.

"Why?" Lily asked, but received no answer. He refused to say anything beyond the lack of dinner.

After a moment's thought, Lily asked, "Where's Fred?" The guard remained silent. Lily raised an eyebrow, returned to her room, and shut the door. She sat by the bed, unable to sleep.

Fred hasn't appeared in a while, and they didn't deliver my dinner. Do they no longer care about my physical well-being? No. The only explanation is that they're about to experiment on me.

So they're keeping me fasting for the experiment, huh?

Lily had always been anxious about the R10 experiment's commencement. Knowing it was imminent, however, lessened her anxiety. She felt like a death row inmate, previously consumed by the uncertainty of execution. Knowing the date brought a strange relief. The waiting, however, was the most unnerving part. Still, even now, Lily didn't believe she would die. Instead, she felt Fred would ultimately fail.

Dawn arrived, but Rhea had been sleepless. It could have been Fred's words, a previous nightmare, or her own anxieties.

Since Fred hadn't specified a time or procedure, everyone waited, uncertain what to do. They'd conducted many experiments, but never faced such a situation.

Later, someone brought breakfast with instructions to prepare themselves afterward. Despite their frustration, they remained silent, hoping to get the experiment over with quickly.

Rhea ate her breakfast reluctantly, her appetite gone, her gaze fixed on the door. The doubled guard presence outside underscored the experiment's importance to Fred. As she finished half her bread, a commotion erupted outside.