Changed: Outbreak

Chapter 8: Brought back the beacon

[Lui's pov]

"You put this on the table first, and then this. Afterwards, add this one next, and this one next." Puro explains as he carefully set the table for the dinner. I stood next to Puro as he prepares the table for dinner. He's placing down plates and cutleries on each side with the chairs aligned in front. I can see Colin by the stove at the kitchen. Puro told him to cook the bacon while he sets up the table, and it seems Colin is doing a decent job at cooking the bacons.

I walked over to Colin to observe how he's doing with the bacons so far. I stood next to him as he cooks the bacon. Colin is holding the handle of the pan on his left paw, and the spatula on his right paw. The bacons crisp as they cook, and the spatula stirs and flips them from time to time. The smell of the cooking bacon fills the entire kitchen, and it is enough to drive a hungry customer drool. "Colin, I didn't know you can cook." I replied as I watch him cook, and he turns to look at me before giving me a frown.

"Okay, maybe a normal being can cook simple bacons." I stated as I rub my mane embarrassingly. "Is the bacon done? Because I'm done with the table." I turned to look at the direction from where the voice came from. Puro is standing by the table that's been prepped for dinner, and I turned to look at the bacons on the pan. I examined the bacons, and they are golden brown in color. "I think they're cooked." I answered, and Colin turns the knob of the stove. Colin turns off the stove and he carries the pan with bacons over to a clean plate.

He carefully transfers the bacons over to the plate before placing the pan and spatula into the sink. "I'll take this over to the dinner table. We're all starving for this. It took us about two hours to start up this broken stove, and I'm sure all of us are dying to eat these bacons." I uttered as I carry the plate of bacons on my paws, walking over to the dinner table before placing the plate at the center of the table. "Oh yeah, who unplugged the rice cooker?" I asked and Colin raised his paw.

"Good, I thought no one unplugged it. It would be sad to see a cooked rice burnt." I quickly went over to the rice cooker by the kitchen before taking the lid off. I was met by steam of the cooked rice, covering my visor and my visual with moisture. I placed the lid beside the rice cooker and wiped my visor clean with my paw. I took a clean rice scooper and an empty bowl before scooping out clumps of rice into the empty bowl. All of a sudden, I heard the door of the room open, and I turned around to look.

It's Scott, and he appears to be exhausted. "Scott!" Puro called out his name as he approaches Scott before embracing him with his arms. "How's your trip? Where's Doctor K? Do you want me to get a glass of water?" Puro let out his questions on the exhausted Protogen, and he gave him a helpless nod in response. Puro immediately ran for the sink and turned the faucet on. He took a glance at me as he reaches for an empty glass. "You should prepare him and Doctor K a bowl of rice with bacon as well." Puro stated as he finishes filling up the glass before returning to Scott.

"I wonder what they found out there."

[K's pov]

I am not repeating that ever again. Scott carried me on his shoulder after I passed out earlier from exhaustion, and he's somehow still up and going despite pulling the big ship out of the sand and carrying me home. Did he upgraded himself without my knowledge? I never suggested him to upgrade his body, because I fear that his body will reject the mechanical components. This is human technology, and I doubt it can match the Protogen technology magically applied to his body by this Latex that assimilated him. I didn't even know that it can do that.

Now here I am, sitting on my office chair at one half of my room. I am currently waiting for someone to enter this area, and I hope they even brought water with them. My whole body is sore to the point that moving only causes more harm than good. I sighed to myself before turning my office chair to face my desk. The duffle bag we used on our journey is sitting on the table, waiting to be opened.

I slowly pulled the zipper, opening the bag before reaching into the duffle bag. I first pulled out a book, and the title suggests that it is related to herbs. I reached out again, and I pulled out a book that is related to animals. I reached out for another time, and I pulled out the third and last book in the duffle bag. The last book's title suggests that it is related to... Survival. This might be the first book in the laboratory that is about a survival guide. Why would Scott even give this to Lui? Unless, he wants Lui to learn how to live in the wild in a survival situation.

I then heard footsteps close by, and each steps are getting closer and closer. I turned around to the sound of the footsteps, and I noticed Lui standing by the doorway. He's carrying a bowl on his left paw, and a glass of water on his right paw. "How are you feeling?" Lui asked as he walks over to me before handing me a glass of water. Lui placed the bowl on the table beside the duffle bag. I immediately drank the glass of water on my hand before putting the empty glass on the table.

"I feel better. How is Scott?" I asked, worried about the state and condition of him. "Puro helped him walk back to the lobby. He has eaten dinner, and is probably recovering at this moment from fatigue. So... What did you find out there?" I immediately turned to face the duffle bag on the table before reaching into the bag. I pulled out what appears to be a rectangular box, and it has label on it. I turned back to Lui and presented the box to him.

"This is the key to our plan. The distress beacon. This should kickstart everything."