"I am SO glad the two of you were finally able to join in today," Roxanne said to what was essentially some poor excuse of a meeting room, a run down, weathered section of the garment factory the group had been housing in, gesturing specifically towards a bored Lyza and surprisingly patient Maya. The former's previous reluctance to leave their leisure time in the bath had stalled a tad bit longer than what the Blonde thought acceptable, and so measures needed to be taken. "I practically had to drag you out of that tub by the arms, Lyza. And as for Maya… Honestly, I'm surprised with her cooperation. I wasn't sure if she'd be all there." At this, Roxanne points to her own head, tapping her temple a few times to emphasize her meaning. 

Maya chuckled, not at all offended by the implications. If anything, they were to be expected. She couldn't blame Roxy for believing her mind to be fragmented. 

"Don't worry," the doll-sized Serial Killer assured. "I'm calm and composed. Been doing better, got my 'mental faculties' in check, not a vile thought in mind, and am more than ready for this… thrilling meeting."

And besides, it wasn’t as though she could just refuse to attend. She was needed, and even if she wasn’t she was still too small to resist. . 

But sarcasm aside, it was at least nice to hear that the Psychopath was doing her best in keeping herself in check. Though Roxanne held nothing against the shrunken Killer, despite… a few attempts on her life, she knew their mental state to be a fickle thing. A switch waiting to be flicked. Even at their current size, they didn't doubt the possibility of the little psychopath possessing more than a few tricks up their sleeves to get themselves in trouble. 

Hell, they already have, making a mess of the clothing provided them to stitch together her own unique brand of tastes. A habit that, even now, made Lyza bite her own tongue in displeasure. Maya proved surprisingly resourceful, and that at times brought headaches to the group.  

"Well at least someone's looking forward to what we have to say," a voice on the far end of the near barren room added, turning Roxanne and Maya's attention towards an already irritated Lyza. Though dressed in as refined a set of clothing as she currently possessed, and despite having readied herself up for the day, the Designer was in no doubt a foul mood. She always was, when sharing the same space as Matthias; The red headed, heavy attired, crutch reliant egg-head whom Roxanne insisted was an ally. That still didn’t mean Lyza wouldn’t rather have them on their knees, begging before being ground under sole. A preferability to having to deal with them another minute more. Though the two were separated by a rather vast table, situated in the center of the room so that all might have their adequate seating space, this distance still felt far too close for comfort. 

Only because of their usefulness did Lyza tolerate any barbs, but only so much could be taken before she ‘bit back’. "Maya may be the murderer here,” Matthias continued. “but at least she has the sense to not jeopardize months of planning. And all because someone wanted to relax a bit more. I guess, just like your sister, sensibility isn't your strong suit."

Just because Lyza had to work with him didn't mean she had to enjoy it. 

The Designer's teeth ground together, a brief mental image of Matthias caught between her molars during the act bringing a brief smile to her lips. She wouldn’t dare swallow him whole, as that’d be a waste of wonderful pleas. Instead, she’d move her teeth back and forth, letting her jaws work at shredding the arrogant Man to pieces. Such a salivating thought that was unfortunately impossible. At the very least, it kept her own tone in check. While not one to shy away from silver tongued banter, Lyza preferred when it was with more agreeable company. 

It almost made her wish for those days where the one she could argue with was Aiden…

"What can I say, I enjoy relaxing baths." Lyza leaned forward, her smile growing wider. "And can you blame me for wanting to prolong that? When I had a meeting with you to look forward to, do you really have to wonder why I wanted to take my time~?"

A quick slap back against their insult, in as relaxed a manner as possible. That was all it took to keep the shut-in scientist quiet. Though they were quick to bark, Matthias was also quick to back down. 

At least for a while. 

Some credit would be given though, they had far more bark in their bite than some might expect. Certainly more than Lyza gave him credit for when they first met. At the time of their first meeting, she didn't see much in them. Matthias didn't appear much older than herself, nor were they all that imposing, with the crutch-reliant Man even seeming quite short for someone his age. Stunted in some ways, though for reasons beyond their control. From what Lyza understood, they had been riddled with ailments throughout their life, given a weak body and even weaker constitution. Though any condition they had left only an emphasis on mental strength, the damage done to their physicality wasn't something that could be fixed. 

One would think such an upbringing would be humbling. Such cases though were not always true. 

Matthias looked like someone ten years older than what they actually were, with their receding hairline and sunken eyes. They constantly required the use of crutches to get around, which itself was clearly not enough considering their somewhat substantial weight. Not obese, but certainly not doing themselves any favors in continued passivity. They were atrociously slow, and to top everything off, Matthias thought to hide away his imperfections through piles and piles of clothing. Jeans, jackets, turtlenecks, or sweaters. Even when the weather did not allow for certain articles of clothing, he wore anything that might cover up the majority of his body. They were a man clearly ashamed of how they lived, of their own appearance, that much was clear. And yet, despite that, he proved surprisingly bold. 

He had to be, to have survived so long. For someone of his appearance and supposed upbringing, Matthias wasn't one to think less of his own uses. He knew where his strengths lay. That more often than not he was the smartest person in the room. Even when he wasn't, he could still comfortably place himself as one of the smartest people around. It is much of that reason as to why Josephine Minerva handpicked him alongside Roxanne to set the foundation for the Beta Epidemic. Even if the blonde Scientist was the smarter of the two by a fair margin, that did not lessen Matthias' own intellect. If anything, it enhanced it, knowing he could still be relied upon despite being overshadowed. That his uses outweighed the vast majority while still knowing he would not take on the full brunt of responsibility should things ever go wrong. He had that comfort, that privilege, while someone like Roxanne was made to do the greater work. 

It is why, even through their jabs and insults, Lyza kept him around. Through their own unique genius and skills, they were able to add onto Roxanne's own intellect. Make use of what they had and hopefully create something extraordinary. 

"No need to pout, Matty." Lyza chided upon noticing Matthias go quiet. A quick glance from Roxanne was the first indicator she needed to set things straight. It would do no one any favors were incomplete bridges to be burnt straight away. "I was only joking. Really, I just wanted some extra time to myself today before we got into the thick of things. Because, let's face it, depending on whatever news you have, that either means we'll get really busy, or we'll be sitting with our thumbs up our asses again. It's stressful, and I just wanted a way to relieve that stress. I was even thinking about skipping the whole thing.” 

A risky admission, but if things were bound to be more of the same than what was the point?

"Speaking of skipping." Roxanne's eyes darted around the room, searching in earnest from the table to Lyza's own person; hoping for the addition of someone else. All the Designer had with her was Maya, and that in turn lowered the Scientist's spirits. "I… see Aiden chose not to attend again today. That's a shame…"

It was to be expected. Just as Maya and Lyza were aware of Aiden's reasoning, so too was Roxanne. She was much too smart not to notice. They wanted to avoid her. That said, it still stung to see the extent which the smallest Beta was willing to go if it meant avoiding yet another tormentor. Insulting in some ways.

She knew she deserved it. 

That did not make the treatment any more bearable. If anything, it just made the ordeal worse. Her breath wavered momentarily, catching the attention of all present. 

"Come on, Roxanne. Don't tell me you're upset over Number Six's stubborn nature." It was clear that, despite Matthias knowing Aiden's history, he viewed the beta as less of a person and more a tool to be used. While it took Maya and Lyza time to finally see their favorite little Beta in a far fairer light, this newest addition to the ‘team’ didn't share their point of view. To them, all this 'heartache' experienced was an unnecessary blockage on their path forward. "We're going to need his cooperation eventually. If you want him here so badly, just go in there and grab the little Shit."

"Easy there, Matty…" Lyza leaned forward in her seat, holding Maya firmly as she felt the smaller woman shake in her grip. They didn't take kindly to their One and Only being referred to in such a manner, and truthfully Lyza didn't much like the tone either. "That 'little Bastard' is our golden goose, right? Without him we, nor my sister and her 'friends', would be able to do anything. We’d all be fucked. So keep that slimy little tongue of yours to yourself, or I'll stab a stiletto through your cheek."

A threat. Enough to placate Maya, who looked upon her girlfriend in jovial surprise, hearing the bloodtinge in their voice. It was exhilarating. She loved it when Lyza grew domineering. Savage in some ways. Though they were by no means the killer Maya was, It was still a wonderful preview into the future that might be shared, when the Designer takes her seat of power.

Matthias, quickly and understandably shaken, turned his gaze away. He wasn't going to push his luck in an argument, in the event that there’s some truth to Lyza’s threat. Though he had weight over the Designer, that amounted to little considering his condition.

"Well… you all need to find some way for him to cooperate." Matthias relented, yet still chose to bicker in a different manner. One that wouldn't result in footwear related violence. Facts. "Do I need to remind you all again just how important Six-" 

A quick glare from the doll-sized Maya forced the Scientists’ words to become stuck in his throat. "A-Aiden… do I need to remind you all how important Aiden is to our project? Without him there is no second epidemic. He is the key to another global minitarization."

"We haven't forgotten." Roxanne assured, composing herself just enough to offer her own two cents. "We have the knowledge, as well as a form of anonymity on our side, but both of those are worthless without Aiden's help in the future." Despite previous guilt weighing down on her, the Scientist was quick to wonder just how she might win over the smallest Beta's favor. Same as Maya did, or something else entirely. Whatever the case, she would not force his aid. That’s the last thing which should be done; nothing would be built from that. "We’re going to do things right first, weigh our options before we take any unnecessary steps. We already told Aiden we wouldn’t have him do anything he didn’t want to do. He’s already done plenty."

Words with which Lyza and Maya could agree with. Matthias on the other hand… he had no real choice but to go along with this farce. 

"And how long are we exactly supposed to wait? Until the forces at play decide to knock on our front door?" Matthias found the whole thing ridiculous. It was no secret as to how he viewed Aiden. Whereas the girls saw him as a person to be respected, a voice to be heard, Matthias saw differently. When he looked at the Beta all he no doubt saw was the experiment that set everything off in a chain of events that would change the world. Minerva's planned ascension, her conquest of the globe, lording over a shrunken population. It all began with Aiden. He was the first successful beta, the sole survivor from a trove of failures; and from his success came the formula which could make or break nations. 

He was not a person. He was a tool. A product. The key to the highest form of power in the whole damned world. And these women, these people Matthias was forced to place his trust in, were just… going to wait until he felt ready to help? What lunacy was that?

Aiden played his role, he got important information, but that didn't mean he was done! Not until everything was as it should be, with all of them in charge.

But instead of understanding his frustration, attempting to make an effort in seeing things his way, Roxanne smiled on; more than willing to give Aiden the space they wanted. All in an attempt to earn trust that wasn’t even needed. 

The Blonde Scientist reached her hand in-between her breasts, an act that earned a whistle from Lyza. Though her feelings for Maya were strong and true, the Designer will admit that Roxanne was certainly a pleasant sight to behold. Lyza's worked with models before, as it was part of her trade, but few actually came to match the same level of… luster. Allure. Perfectly proportioned from head to toe, with a body fit to drop jaws and shatter hearts. It was incredible to think that just over a year ago, Roxanne was a Beta living in squalor. Betrayed, starving, wondering if death would come for her at any moment. 

Her transformation back to what can be considered her prime was staggering. Sense defying. Her appearance now betrayed what she looked like not too long ago. There wasn't a single trace of any indicators that she was once so small that she could be considered an insect. Nothing save for perhaps her now magenta eyes. It was beautiful, plain and simple. Why, it even made Lyza a tad bit envious. Though she's changed as well, both her and Maya, it was nothing compared to Roxy's well earned growth. 

But reaching between her tits was more than just a quick show. Pulling free what she had been searching for, the Scientist presented her little… "aid". 

"Oh, I don’t think we’ll have to wait long." In between her fingers, Roxanne held a one-inch beta. One of the thugs that had kidnapped Maya months prior. The sole survivor of the ordeal that was the slaughter of their cohorts, if things were recalled correctly. As it so happened, Roxanne kept the little Bastard for herself; a source of information and… relief, judging by their less than ideal state. "We’ve already got someone who can help us, all we need is to ask the right questions to the right guy. From there, things fall in place."

A quick pinch on Lyza's arm was enough to turn her attention away from the suggestive scene. Looking down, she saw Maya giving her the stink eye, no doubt displeased to see her girlfriend ogling other women. A quick finger rub against their chin though, and they silently understood it was only a moment of weakness. Even if Roxanne's body was… tempting, Maya was the only woman for her; murdering little demon she is. 

But what was of real interest was Matthias' reaction. The man was usually stern. Stalwart in a way despite previous claims, and to a degree 'dead' when concerning his nether regions. Roxanne though, she always seemed to transfix him. Fully capable of making the otherwise rude Scientist weak in the knees, it came as no surprise to see he was actively trying to avert his gaze from her chest. He wasn't even trying to be stealthy about it, and even if he was, Lyza doubted he'd be able to conceal these secret feelings of his from her. She was rather skilled in gauging such things out. It was a part of the reason why her brand was so successful. Taking the time to learn how people react to others, watching and waiting to see how some eyes might wander towards different forms of clothing, what some interests and tastes were. It was a trait often overlooked; a keen sense in observation that was developed in the field of fashion. 

She would say nothing though. Something such as this could prove useful leverage the next time Matthias chose to run his mouth. 

"I'm curious though," Turning away from Matthias' deep red face, Lyza faced the little prisoner Roxanne had kept practically all to herself. "How exactly do you plan to make your little ‘stowaway’ talk? It's been a few months hasn't it? They'd surely have said something by now."

While technically true, Roxanne will admit that any chance of conversation between her and her little 'pet' was remarkably brief. She was kept far too busy to worry about someone so far beneath her notice, and more often than not the little thug would go forgotten. It is in truth part of the reason as to why they were in such a precarious state. When left to her own devices, Roxanne was… unaware of the world around her; as one like Aiden could attest to. He’s been caught under foot and rear because of Roxanne, and now so too did the bug-sized thug. The difference between the two of them was that while Aiden had durability on their size, the Thug did not. Roxanne was reckless when their mind was working towards the next scientific breakthrough, and while their equipment was accounted for, any of an unfortunate size was not. 

The Thug had been left to fend for themselves more times than they’d wish to admit. The near suffocation they just endured was but one of many incidents, accidents all. It was only through their pleading that they were eventually remembered, fully believing all of this was some form of torment they were being forced to endure. A falsehood that Roxanne was more than willing to lean into. 

That said, were she to try to pry out any form of information her way, her little pet would likely end up dead before saying anything useful. So, she needed someone more suited for the task of handling… lesser humans. 

"Well, they've already said plenty," Roxanne explained as she dangled the sub-human speck in-between her fingers. At only an inch tall, she needed to ensure care so as not to crush them. Still, even at their size, she knew them to be terrified. Compliant, unwilling or unable to act out in defiance. It was… delicious. "But it wasn’t anything we didn't already know. We knew this little guy and his 'friends' were hired by Lynette to break Maya. Beat her senseless so that Lyza might suffer from it. A sadistic task that they were paid handsomely for, no doubt. Likely, any transaction was done through a third party, so they might not have any useful lead we can follow."

"But if they did, that’s something we can certainly use~," Roxanne lowered her hand down to the table, unceremoniously dropping the one inch thug onto the vast, wooden expanse. Their knees immediately gave out, no doubt as a result of the ordeal they've been forced to endure at the hands of their witless captor. Their whole body shook in fright, and not once did Roxanne bat an eye in concern. "Regardless of whether he knows anything or not, with the right types of stimuli, our little prisoner here might give us something we can work with. Names I can feed into a search engine, locations of even minor importance, just about anything they can think of to make the pain stop. But that's the sort of messy work left to a professional… Maya."

The doll-sized Killer didn't even need to be asked further. She practically jumped at the chance, pulling herself free of Lyza's hold and scrambling onto the tabletop. "Really? I can have this one?" No time was wasted in making her way to the shivering, frail man. Unlike their ‘friends’, Maya hadn’t killed this one. She wasn’t allowed to at the time, and for the very same reason she was given this second chance now. Information. The chance they might know something. Even if they didn’t, this was still an opportunity she didn’t plan on squandering. 

Lyza snorted in the back, a cruel smirk on her lips. "You really want to give this little thing to Maya? I thought the point was to learn something? You do this and there isn’t a guarantee you’ll get them back alive." 

"Give me some credit, Lyza! I ain’t that bad… at least, not anymore…" Maya's gone months without partaking of her usual… vices. Her killings and murders, of which she took pleasure in. Like an addict without her fix, she felt cold without them at first. Empty in some capacity. Though the little psychopath pushed through early struggles with some help, when she was given a treat such as this all that she had in mind was how long she could make things last. Already, she could feel her mind entering a haze. "I-I won’t kill them right away, I can promise that. Roxanne says she wants to learn everything this little guy wants to know, and I… I want to take my time enjoying this~." Walking towards her little ‘gift’, Maya towered over the one-inch man. Crouching down, she raised a hand that swallowed their whole cheek, gently caressing it in some manner to calm them. Though her disposition was kind, even caring, all it took was a single look into Maya’s eyes for the smaller Beta to realize the position they were in. The Devil they were facing.  

They were a meal to be savored. 

Roxanne's attention was already turned away from her former prisoner, aware of what fate awaited them and uncaring towards it. "Do with him as you like, just don't kill him too quickly." It was already a miracle they've lived this long, but all good things must come to an end. Even life, especially those struggled for, were not exempt from that one truth. "If he says anything worth noting, be sure to tell Me or Matthias. That way we can just head on into further steps."

"Oh? Does that mean we'll finally have something to do?" With Lyza no longer holding Maya, she could focus more intently on the issues at hand. The most prevalent being what the two scientists have been up to these past few months. "Please say yes, I've been bored out of my mind trapped here. At the very least, can you say there's at least been some interesting developments? Something to get my hopes up preferably, we've been dealing with too much doom and gloom."

Of course Matthias, in his ever present belief that the Designer was not smart enough to understand his and Roxanne's work, tried what they could to shoot down their question. "And why exactly would you need to know anything? You're meant to be the poster girl of our operations, you know? The figurehead while we, the real brains, do all the work that matters. Just like Minerva, she looked pretty while we made the advances. At least in her favor, she was actually well and above the usual rabble in intellect. She wasn't just some woman with an eye for clothes."

Lyza kept a stern face, allowing Matthias to share his piece of mind. When at last they were done, she didn't seem bothered in the slightest. 

"Did you know a vein pops out on your forehead when you go off on some speech?" The Designer pointed out. "I'd imagine it's actually hard for you to spot out though, seeing as your head is so far up your own ass~."

"Oh, you are SUCH a child!" Matthias quickly shot back, the aforementioned vein making itself visible on his forehead. 

Lyza wasn't one to back down from a confrontation, and seeing as Matthias was more than willing to bite the hand that metaphorically feeds him, she'd gladly share her two cents. "I'm the child? I'm sorry, but I don't think I was the one going on a tangent about how 'smart I am, and no one could understand what we’re working on, and-' blah, blah, blah."

As the two bickered, once more Roxanne found herself caught in the center of things; unable to take sides as both were not looking to make things any easier for her. That in mind, she still had a job to do. One she wouldn't keep a secret, unlike her colleague. 

"If you must know!" Roxanne raised her voice in a bid to force a stop to a steadily growing, and childish, argument. It worked, and soon enough the Scientist found all eyes on her. Clearing her throat, she continued. "I'm working on an improved version of the Beta Strain. The very same one we used at the mall." 

There was no beating around the bush, she was quick in getting to the point, so willing to disclose incomplete work. It came as a surprise to Matthias, who had believed they'd be keeping any developments under wraps, even among their own ‘allies’. It wasn't as though the common folk could understand how things worked, yet here Roxanne was explaining away. "I'm actually working on several strains for it at the moment." The Blonde continued. "Some that are colorless, others that carry a distinct, recognizable odor. Things to make it harder to notice, or pick up on and avoid, all while working in upping the strength of smaller doses. A lot of work to cover a lot of variables and variations. In truth, that's been as much of a roadblock as everything else that's happened."

It didn't help that Roxanne's working conditions were less than ideal. Compared to the state of the art equipment she had access to in the past, she's always found a way to make due with even a little bit of technology. Now though, shoved against a wall and deprived of necessary resources, the work was arduous. Manageable, but mentally draining at the best of times. 

“I’m hoping I can get it to shrink a larger number of people without using more of the gas. Both to save us time and resources,” Roxanne explained further. “I'll need help with that. Maya's help specifically, when she's done having her… fun." The Scientist looked down at the table, taking notice of how the doll-sized Killer continued to stand over her newest plaything. She wondered if they had been paying attention to the conversation at hand, or if their focus was only on their next victim. "She's one of the 'test subjects that's survived the last strain of the gas. It makes sense she'd be ideal for further testing."

"And what about Aiden?" Lyza questioned, seemingly not too keen with putting her girlfriend on the proverbial surgeon's table. "He's smaller, yeah, but isn't he more durable than Maya? And isn't he the key beta here? Why not just ask for his help? We said we wouldn’t force his hand, but if you're nearing a breakthrough then I'm sure he'll understand. He may be reluctant to cooperate sometimes, but Aiden isn't an idiot. He'd help." 

Of course, Lyza didn't need to think too much on why the smallest Beta wasn't her first pick. It was rather obvious in hindsight. 

"I'd… rather not bother him, if possible." The Scientist was steadfast in her decision to leave Aiden alone; unmoving in her decision, much to her intellectual colleagues' annoyance. Lyza understood her, however. As said before, they'd need time to heal what was broken. 

But Roxanne couldn't very well work with Aiden nearby. She'd be too on edge, constantly trying to stay out of his hair. Though his size didn't make him much of a distraction, Roxy was more afraid that the Beta might find the constant noise of work grating. Irritating. 

A solution was needed, and in turn was quickly thought up by Lyza. 

"Well, if you don't want him, then how about I take him?" The Designer suggested. "A little outing for him and I while the rest of you work. It's about time the two of us got some fresh air anyway."

Matthias would hear of none of that. "Absolutely not!" The very thought that Lyza would think to put herself in harm's way, just to go for a little walk, was ludicrous. "Do you WANT to get your head blown off!? You've stayed at this factory to keep out of your Sister's sights, why the hell would you want to jeopardize that!?"

The Designer just shrugged, unbothered by the threat placed on her. "It's exactly as I said, Aiden and I could use some fresh air."

The factory was already stuffy for someone Lyza's height, she couldn't imagine how bad it might be for someone as small as Aiden. Especially on the odd occasion where he's walking along the floor, closest to any dirt. 

Besides, what better way to get Aiden out of Roxanne's hair than by just taking him out? 

"If we think about it, the last thing my Sister would ever expect of me is to do something as dumb as giving away my position," Lyza reasoned. "She knows I've always been the more level headed one between the two of us. I doubt she'd expect something as simple as this." 

"Your reasoning is as idiotic as you," Matthias protested. "Do you really think something like that would even-"

"Oh hey, look, the veins back!" Lyza, much to Matthias' frustration, wasn't taking his warnings seriously at all. Though, to call them earnings might be a bit much. They were more akin to ravings. Still, seeing his eyes twitch in anger, the Designer knew she'd have to calm the irate Man down before he hurt himself. "Jesus Matty, just relax! I'll take precautions. No fancy clothes, and I'll hide my hair. Shit, I'll even wear a face mask if it helps. Anything really to get out of this place!" 

Matthias turned to Roxanne, keenly aware that nothing they said would clue Lyza towards the danger present. "Please, Roxanne, tell her something."  

The Blonde fell silent, weighing her options. On one hand, it was indeed… risky, to allow key assets out into the world. The variable lions den again. Losing Aiden and Lyza would spell certain doom for the rest of them. On the other hand though, a single day out would be what she needed to speed things along. It was amazing how fast she could work in a single day, and when undisturbed her strides were unmatched. 

There was also the benefit of Aiden going out again, getting some much needed sunlight. Though he was stalwart, Roxanne was certain he'd appreciate a quick jaunt within mother nature. 

"You're sure you'll take the needed safety measures?" Roxanne asked, having made up her mind. She heard Matthias sigh in defeat before shrinking away back into whatever seat was his. "Maybe you could doll up your hair a bit? Give it some highlights to really sell an anonymous look?"

"Oh, I like that!" Lyza's been meaning to try something similar out. Red or purple with her white hair, something she's been waiting to do before but never having the right color for it. "Maybe it won't give me the kind of cover we're thinking of, but hey if I'm going to die then I may as well look good doing it."

Roxanne shouldn't agree to this. It was idiotic, both the request and plan. But, thinking forward, she thought that perhaps this was the clearest way towards working her way back into Aiden's good graces. A day out, free from the suffocating environment he was no doubt forced to endure. He'd be with Lyza, someone who he knew he could trust now, and she'd be doubly certain to not get into any sort of trouble. 

"Dammit…"

This would be a way for her to work with a clear head, not having to worry about stepping on anyone's toes. Though Roxanne would no doubt hear endless complaints from Matthias, she felt it might be worth it. 

Faith. That is what she needed to have. The hope that she could make progress in time, and that Lyza and Aiden would have their day in general safety. "Fine. So long as the two of you keep out of trouble, everything should be fine."

"No fair," Maya lamented, the development of her two favorite people being given the go-to to leave working to turn her attention away from her poor victim-to-be. The poor man tried to run, only to find his arm seized and swallowed by an oversized hand. A sickening pop was heard as the Serial Killer forced her prey to the ground, unbothered by their now broken arm. She turned her sight back to Lyza, then to Roxanne. "But I want to go out too! I'm tired of being cooped up here!" 

Roxanne couldn't help but chuckle. It was like watching a child complain. And she wasn't even that much older than Maya. "Oh, relax, you're going to be busy anyway," she explained. "If things go as planned, you'll like the results." 

Contrasting to Maya, Matthias was furious. Silent, but in no way pleased with this result. Still, he would comply. Sulking in his seat, he refused to look Roxanne in the eyes; an act that wounded their fellow Researcher.

"Please Lyza, do your best to not make me regret this." Roxanne pleaded. 

Despite the possibility of discovery, and the fear of death she had felt before, Lyza smiled. "Of course not! This is stupid, sure, but I'm no idiot. Aiden and I will keep a low profile, don't you worry." 

Despite any underlying fear, the Designer was brave. Strong enough to move despite the threats against her life. She had already chosen, it seemed, that if she was forced to choose between stagnation and possible death, she’d pick that which would allow her to live a life; not just survive.

That was a good quality to have. Stoic. Very… Queenly. 

"Trust me, by the time you're done with your experiments, Aiden and I will be back like nothing happened."