Rhodes Island's Psychologist

Ch 186: Why Didn't You Answer The Phone? (Part 1)

Cardo inches toward Ifrit in small, deliberate steps.

Honestly, this was the first time he personally faced a raging Ifrit, thanks to Saria subduing Ifrit before the little devil could wreak havoc on Rhine Labs. Later on, he tried to find out more about what had happened, but even as the supervisor, he couldn't find any recordings or video footage, as if they were intentionally scrubbed. Still, he managed to find some clips, where the rooms were engulfed in flames. At that time, he just dismissed them as a fluke for being too outlandish.

He was so horribly wrong.

Moments ago, he had been on the verge of being incinerated completely. The boiling heat had seared into him the first-hand experience of what it felt like to stare at the face of death.

It was amazing he hadn't broken down.

Even though he knew Ifrit wouldn't wake up after being injected with the sedative, Cardo still didn't have the courage to touch her directly. He picks up a burnt piece of something nearby and pokes Ifrit from a distance. Only after confirming for himself that Ifrit really was unconscious does he calm down.

"Bastard! Don't you dare touch my Ifrit!"

Cardo turns around and sees Silence struggling to get back on her feet.

"You're awake?", Cardo asks with piqued interest, "I thought the dosage would keep you sleeping?"

"What did you do to her?", Silence sees Ifrit lying in a puddle of blood, with an arrow in her shoulder. She grits her teeth, "What did you do?!"

"What did I do?" Cardo smiles softly, "Nothing. But we need her to revive Rhine Lab."

"She's my child!"

"Your child? No, Silence, Ifrit belongs to Rhine Lab," Cardo smirks.

Silence staggers toward the man she once respected, "Get away from her if you don't want to die."

"You don't seem to understand the situation here, Silence.", Cardo stared at her, almost sympathetically, "You were the best among us. What a shame. By the way, do you know what I've injected into you? If you just lie down and stay still, you'll be fine, but if you push yourself like that, then nobody can save you when the serum starts working."

Silence grits her teeth, "If I die, I'll be bringing you down with me!"

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.", Cardo shakes his head, "If you were Saria, I would have taken your words seriously. She destroyed Rhine Lab for Ifrit after all, but unfortunately, she's not here to save this kid now."

Silence pauses, eyes widening, as she stares at Cardo, "What, what did you say?"

"Oh?", Cardo's eyebrows rise in surprise, "She never told you? Silence, what should I say? That Saria was the best partner you ever had but didn't tell you the truth? You seem smart, but you're actually really naive, unlike Saria. If it weren't for her, do you really think you and Ifrit would be able to stay in Rhodes Island?"

Silence falls onto her knees, as she tries to process what Cardo had just said.

"You should be thanking me really,", Cardo chuckles, "at least I told you the truth before you died. As for payment... I'll be taking Ifrit with me."

Silence snaps out of her trance and resumes crawling toward Ifrit. When she sees Cardo walking toward Ifrit, she shouts, "Bastard! Give me back my Ifrit!"

Cardo leered toward Silence with a grin, as he slowly reaches out to Ifrit.

*Click*

"Oi."