Chapter 28

General Black, nicknamed 'hyena' by most, rubbed his chin while listening to his secretary's report, "hmmmm… So they didn't notice your presence at all? That's good for us. Though, I have to say, it is quite alarming how stupid they can be. Discussing their plans in the open like that, without even making sure that the surroundings was clear."

The well-groomed secretary with austere looks looked more like a butler than said occupation. He pushed his glasses back by the wrist by habit before saying, " well, to be fair, Sir, they weren't expecting someone to be able to evade all security and climb several floors up the building to spy on them. But I do concur, they are definitely lacking in the intelligence department. That gives our hypothesis more credibility; that the main authority behind all the hidden experiments was indeed the head of the Psych Division. Only he had the talent and contacts to carry out such hideous actions without being caught for years. Now that he is dead, the dead weights are like ants in a frying pan."

Black: "Indeed. All sorts of cockroaches are going to be scampering out of their hidey holes, and we shall have the honor of crushing them and ending their pitiful existence."

Secretary: "Well, someone has to do the dirty work, Sir, or the place would be a breeding ground for roaches. Might make one never want to work in such environment."

"Hmmm, quite." Black whispered while reclining in his chair, " we still don't know the source for the evolution of HCIZ?"

Secretary: " No. All the soldiers sent for reckoning were killed. What we could ascertain was that it completely restored their mental faculties without compromising their strength and regeneration ability with the added benefit of having better control of their cannibalistic instincts."

Black let out a sigh, "not much then. And we are still digging into all the experimentations done. Buying orphans to experiment on them...All the suffering those children must have gone through."

Secretary: " And it's coming to bite them in the arse. Maybe literally too. We have now at least confirmed that those leading the HCIZ are the 'successful experiments'. The chances of them being open to negotiations or coming back into the ranks are nil."

General Black leaned back in his chair with a sigh, " I am getting too old for this. This is what happens when you give too much power to narcissistic delusional fools. I had warned them that him being a 'professional' in his domain didn't mean that he was mentally sane either. In fact, I had said it to his face when I first met him; that he looked like sadistic creep under his superficial smile."

Secretary: " Your intuition is extraordinary, Sir."

Black: "Years and years of experience in sniffing out those that hide their true nature, my dear friend. I would be quite incompetent if I couldn't do so by now, wouldn't I?"

Secretary:"Indeed. What shall we do about the panicking cockroach, Sir? He has been getting more desperate in contacting the Evolved squad. Having to kick them away everytime is slowly chipping the meager restraint I have on my patience."

Black gave a serene smile, "we have already 'acquired' the documents he was poorly hiding. It is time to do away with the roaches. I've already been given the green light, so you can take action. Preferably as soon as possible. Such loose ends are quite hazardous after all."

The scretary returned his smile before promptly making his way to the door. He nonchalantly said, "then I shall not waste any more time. The report will be on your table early tomorrow morning."

Black casually rested his crossed legs on his table, "efficient as always. Happy extermination, my dear friend."

"Indeed." Was the secretary's response as the door was closed shut.

****

Tsuki sat in his room sulking. Alphonse had forbidden him from listening to the spy! He had never seen a spy before so he really wanted to meet this one.

A knock on the door broke the silence. Tsuki squeezed the pillow in his lap, " if it's Alphonse then you can go sleep with the animals outside!"

The door opened and Midori strutted inside, "do you think that Alphonse would have knocked before entering?"

Tsuki: "Humph, that stinky zombie always comes in as if it was his room!"

Midori sat down on the bed and fixed eyes that said 'how stupid can you be' on him, "uh yea, actually this is also his room. This room is both of yours.....Don't tell me..."

Tsuki flung the pillow aside, "what?! They told me that this room was mine!"

Midori sighed, "It was intended for both you and Alphonse. Why do you think it has such a big bed?!"

Tsuki: "Alphonse doesn't even sleep! Why would he even need-"

Midori interrupted him, " do you dare ask that question after having so much fun with him in it yesterday!"

Tsuki froze,"...how did you know that!"

Midori: " Why the hell wouldn't I?! After all the noise you made, the whole bloody fortress heard you!"

"Ahhhhhh! How shameful!!! So that is why they were looking at me funny!" Tsuki screamed while smacking the pillow.

"The deed is already done so no use crying about it." Midori rolled his eyes before continuing, "more importantly,do you want to know what I gleaned from the meeting with the spy or not! AND STOP WITH THAT BLOODY PILLOW!"

Tsuki flung the pillow away and excitedly scooched near Midori, "quick, tell me!"

Midori quickly went to press his ears against the door to make sure no one was spying on them before taking a seat near Tsuki. He gestured to Tsuki to put his head nearer before lowering his voice to a whisper, "apparently, Alphonse and Co have a lot of contacts among the evolved humans in the military. The one that reported today was one of them! I was shocked when I saw a human in the fortress! One that smelled like durian too! Not a pleasant smell, let me tell you! Fortunately he was wearing clothes from other zombies to mute his smell or else...Anyway, the spy said that a 'hyena' was starting the clean-up and that they had already discovered Alphonse's and Co’s identities. He said the 'hyena' had gotten a file about some of the experiments and that the 'psycho' was confirmed dead. He also said something about no longer have to worry about some fool. But the most important thing is that Alphonse and Co were among those experimented on when they were humans!"

Tsuki's jaw dropped and his eyes bulged out.

Midori: "I know! Shocking, right? I knew that monstrous zombie couldn't be nor-"

"That big stinky lying zombie!" Tsuki exclaimed in a loud voice while jumping up, "I was right and he called me stupid!"

Midori recoiled at his exuberation, "you knew?"

Tsuki: "I had guessed it the first time he was able to talk! I had asked whether he was an experiment of humanXcatXzombie and he called me stupid!"

Midori looked at him with dead fish eyes, "your intuition can be so amazing and funky at the same time. Two of the points are correct, but where the hell does the cat part come from?”

Tsuki: “I’ll tell you but you must keep it a secret. In fact, Alphonse purrs when I caress him.”

There was a beat of silence before Midori blandly asked, “why am I always being told these things? You do realise that I am still a minor, right?!”

Tsuki flusteredly smacked a pillow into his face, “what are you thinking about?! Your mind is so perverted! It is the normal and innocent kind of touching, ok?!”

Midori removed the pillow and rolled his eyes at Tsuki.

Tsuki: “Anyway, I was right about this, so maybe my other speculations were right too!”

Midori: “What speculation?”

Tsuki excitedly said, “that I am a zombie with wizarding powers and that zombie unicorns exist!”

Midori blankly stared at him for a while before quietly placing the pillow back on his face.

‘With enough chance, maybe I’ll really be able to smother myself.’ Midori thought while ignoring Tsuki who was spewing out more fantastical speculations.