"You—!" Mike whirled around, glaring at Rhea. "You were stalling!"

"That's right," Rhea strolled toward him, her gaze unwavering. "I was waiting for them to arrive. I have no intention of making any deals with you, you piece of shit! Now that you've produced the formula, there's no way I'm letting you leave with it."

She snatched the phone from his grasp. Mike lunged for it, but several guards leveled their weapons at his head.

Rhea waved the locked phone before Mike's face, unlocking it with facial recognition. She began searching, a smile playing on her lips. "So much stuff here. Why don't you help me find it, Mike?"

He looked away.

Rhea laughed. "So be it. Do you think I can't find it without your help?"

She surmised the file must be in one of the folders and continued her search. A few minutes later, she found it, immediately forwarding it to her own phone before even opening it.

The formula listed drugs she recognized; the ingredients seemed unremarkable. Overjoyed, Rhea almost forgot Mike was still present.

"The formula is fake, Rhea," Mike said. "The truth is, there's no invisibility potion."

Rhea stared at him, then burst into laughter. "Oh, yeah? Do you think I'd believe you?"

"Can't you tell the formula is fake? You're only going to create something toxic using this," he said, attempting to frighten her.

Rhea nodded thoughtfully, playing along. "Well, some of these ingredients are pretty toxic. Still, do you think I'll fall for it?"

Mike's attempt to scare her only solidified her belief in the formula's authenticity. He would never say that if it were fake. He only said that because I have it now. Mixing these ingredients is indeed strange; they aren't compatible. However, my lab experience tells me anything is possible. Sometimes, we have to be bold while experimenting. This formula is bold indeed! Thinking this, she was eager to begin.