PRIMROSE
It was one hell moment, seeing the amazing reflexes and battle skills of Luna and Roni. I can't keep up nor it even sink down to me. I still can't believe that the person bearing her fangs and crimson eyes at Luna is her, the one and only, Veronica Jane Heartfillia. She's the most righteous among all of us, the most logical and the smartest so I can't really believe that she bit the poor little girl awhile ago. She's so different and the way she stares at us sent shivers to my whole body.
But it all made sense when she blocked Luna and prioritized our escape. She sacrificed her own freedom for us and that she cried for our sake. Jack wasn't completely happy about it, all of us aren't but we still did run away.
"We should take a rest here. The sun is up and I doubt they'll find us." Lauren muttered before she stopped. We're back again at the mountain, near the bridge but we must be careful. I doubt no one's here to secure us. I'm helping Art bandaged his wound while Lauren helped Matt. I eyed her suspiciously. There's something about her that change. She didn't tell us how she survive but I think now's a good chance.
I cleared my throat after I wrapped up Art's wound.
"Lauren." I softly called. She didn't turn to me since she's still bandaging Matt's wound. "How did you survive?" I asked. Everyone immediately turned to her after that question, even Matt. We looked at her with hopeful eyes. She sat on one of the big rocks and stare at us for a couple of seconds.
"I-I was..." She paused and closed her eyes. She wiped a tear that fell from her face and I felt that this isn't easy for her to explain. Maybe it wasn't good to ask her now. "Let's talk about it some other time." Matt uttered with so much strain in his voice. Lauren shook her head and said that it's okay.
"I, um. Luna took me in and held me captive. I thought she's going to kill me or feed me to the monsters but she...she didn't." Lauren said before taking a deep breath. "She wanted me to kill Roni and I-I succumb to the despair I felt and let my emotions take control." She sobbed.
"Luna injected me the serum and when I opened my eyes, I became a werewolf." She whispered the last word and for a few moments, no one dared to speak. Well that's fuck up. Lauren is a werewolf, a monster. I took a step backwards subconsciously. "But at the last second, I hesitated. I can't kill Roni and Luna saw fit to it that she rendered me useless."
And now Luna injected the serum to her which made a rather more dangerous creature inside of Roni. I know I've said some awful things to her but she didn't deserve this.
"You can transform into a werewolf so why didn't you save Roni?" Jack spat. Though he's in pain, he managed to stand up. He faced Lauren with dagger stares. "Why didn't you, Lauren?" Jack cussed after. Matt defended Lauren immediately and I felt my heart broke into two. I know this isn't the right time for me to consider my feelings but I don't know why Matt is nice to her even though she cheated on him.
"That's fucked up." Art muttered without remorse. I sighed before shaking my head. Lauren is a werewolf now and that means she'll transform into one every night. That's dangerous. We can't assure ourselves that she'll be completely in control. Who knows what she'll do to us when we're asleep.
"I know this isn't what you guys expected but I am completely sure that I won't harm any of you." Lauren muttered amidst our reverie. "I can't transform without being aware that I am." She added. But I'm still not sure if I can trust her. "Anyways, let's worry about that later. We have to think of a way to get out of here first."
Changing the subject works out for me. I don't think I can handle more surprising events like Lauren's werewolf form. We need to have a clear mind about this. I left the laptop out on the bridge but I'm not sure if it's still there. That would ensure our escape route since the tracker's still on them.
"Where are Roni's belongings?" I turned to Jack. He was the one who packed her things. There might be something on it, something we can use.
"There must be something that can help us locate their locations and give us a route outside the Delphilia." I added. Jack slowly shakes his head. "I dropped it when Luna attacked us and I doubt there is. Roni brought her phone and I think that was the last resort."
Dang. So we don't have any source after all, looks like we have to rely on ourselves. We can't keep on depending with Roni and her ideas, though she has the upper hand. She completely knows what to do and what to use in times like this. Roni was suits survival better than the five of us.
"Let's think of something else." Lauren muttered.
I shot her a glance. I don't like the way she said it. Her tone is menacing, like she doesn't like the idea of using things that Roni own. Oh, I get it. She's jealous alright but it is so inappropriate. My blood boils immediately.
"Oh yeah, what are your suggestions then?" I sharply said. Art shot me a look, saying don't-be-a-bitch-today but I ignored him and continued. "We're running out of options here! Roni is our only chance of survival."
Lauren chuckled without humor and I saw how she rolled her eyes. She's pissed but I don't care. I have to knock some senses on her in case her werewolf blood is taking over.
"You don't like that idea, do you?" I asked before crossing my arms on my chest. Jack touched my arm but I shrugged it off. "You don't want any of Roni's help because you are affected, aren't you?"
"Shut up!" Lauren hissed. I smirked at her reaction. "Tell me Lauren." I said as I walked closer to her. I stopped when we're finally face to face. Her face is red from rage and I know that I hit a bull's eye. "You are slightly happy that we managed to escape without her, right?"
"Shut up!"
"Primrose!" Matt warned. I rolled my eyes at him and clicked my tongue.
"I just want to know the truth." I calmly said.
"What truth? Haven't I told you already?" Lauren's about to cry but I don't feel any sympathy at the moment. I raised my hands on the air, surrendering.
"Alright, if you don't want to say it straight to us, I'll tell them instead."
I faced Art, Matt and Jack who's confused with what I am saying. Lauren is puzzled too but I bet once I told them what I found out, she'll regret ever laying her claws to Roni.
"What are you talking about?" Jack asked, anticipating what I have to say. I took a deep breath. "Roni's laptop doesn't just contain Antigen's files and hers. There was a hidden folder inside and I decoded the password." I stated. "Rosetta Ocean Park is involved with Antigen's Manna One project." I spilled. Lauren's mouth opened, slightly gaped.
"What are you talking about, Prim? What makes you say that Rosetta is involved?" Art asked. Lauren then turned paled.
"Rosetta Ocean Park closed a deal with Antigen to support Roni's project. They sent funds for the expedition." I answered.
"Why would they do that? Werewolves aren't oceanic." Matt uttered with much confidence. I smirked at him. "Why don't you ask that to your girlfriend?"
"Lauren, tell us why Rosetta is involve." I turned to her. She didn't say a word and I am growing impatient. Guess I have to tell them myself.
"Rosetta Ocean Park lost a lot of money and they failed to meet the annual inspection program. Antigen offered to help their financial problems under on one condition, sending their best marine biologist to the expedition to make sure Dr. Veronica Jane Heartfillia retrieves the test subjects."
Everyone fell silent, trying not to think it's true but I know it sink in. Lauren slowly sat and cried on her shoulders. Jack screamed in frustration while Matt's trying to get some assurance from Lauren that it isn't true. Art spaced out. I did the same when I found out. The folder contains emails and screenshots from conversations of the people involved. That's proof right there.
"One document said—" I wasn't able to continue when Lauren screamed at me.
"Stop!" She was about to grabbed me by the hair when Matt restrained her. Jack then pulled me away. "Shut up!" She screamed again while her tears continued to fall.
"They deserve to know, Lauren." I screamed back. I don't want to hide anything from my friends anymore. I wiped my tears reluctantly. I didn't notice I was crying.
"On one of the documents on the files showed the written deal and screenshots of the conversations between Antigen and Rosetta bosses. Lauren was assigned not only to make sure Roni successfully bring the werewolves back but she's also given the task that if Roni fails to meet the main mission of the expedition, she can dispose her on the spot." My hands shake and I broke down after saying the last sentence. Jack's grip loosened and he was about to grab Lauren but Matt dragged her away.
"Fuck." Art cursed before punching the tree behind him. "You agreed to that, huh?" Jack muttered while clenching his fist. "Answer me, Lauren!"
Lauren jumped a little by Jack's outburst but all she did was shake her head and said nothing. Matt's shielding her from us and I don't know why he's still by her side after all she did.
I rose up from crying and fished out the flash drive from the pocket of my pants. Thank goodness it's still intact. I borrowed Art's phone since his is the only phone left that is working. It only has twenty-five percent left of the battery but it could still work. I copied some of the files from Roni's laptop when we were packing our things. So I inserted the drive to the phone's media cord. It lit up and I tapped the folder labeled as 'confidential'. I scroll down towards the files and opened the video. I turn the volume up and faced the screen to Lauren. I extended my arm and she took the phone without hesitation.
"Hey guys, you might be wondering as to why I have a personal video taken. I'm in the condo unit, packing my things for our expedition tomorrow which I am honestly scared of. I was ordered not to tell you anything but I can't. I don't think I could live to tell you everything so I prepared this video to explain it to you just in case. To whoever had opened my files, I mean I am completely sure it's you Prim." Then she laughed. Roni is wearing her usual plain shirt and jeans. Her eyes were tired and I know she's working overtime. Art and Jack were all ears and they later moved closer to see the video.
"I know that this will be in good hands. Anyways, good job on decoding my password, piece of cake right?" She laughed again. Then when she cleared her throat after, all humor is gone and it was replaced by a very serious face.
"Antigen Pharmaceutical Company produced a thought. What if all the mythical creatures existed? What if we mutate into one of them? Then when the abstract project was presented, we figured it was possible. We tried to execute a lot of experiments but we didn't agree to have human tryouts until it was completed. Antigen sooner brought a few people inside the facility and the first ever test subject was Luna, Luisa Nancy Peters who's an intern of the company."
Luna…
"She was the only female we brought for testing and she showed tremendous results. Not only did her body accept the serum but when she transformed, her human brain remained conscious and thus she started communicating immensely in her form. It brought tremendous opportunity and I thought it'll end there but it didn't."
"We moved below the facility to hide the experiments from the commission. They weren't happy with the findings that they wanted to shut the project down. Below, I completed the phase with five tests subjects. But for what purpose was creating these monsters? I thought it'll help people live longer than they can and that this project helps to develop a medicine to cure the grave illnesses. But I was wrong. When the tests subjects managed to escape, I found out their real motive. They wanted me to bring those back and do everything I can to ensure them. I completely agreed. Who know what will happen if they start looking for food?"
"When I had overtime, I searched for answers and I broke into the main office. They wanted to have massive testing in the state and let the world filled with humans to be ruled by mythical creatures. I thought that it is absurd. We're scientists, not gods. So I tried to look for a cure, a cure to bring Luna and the others back to human again. I'm still completing my experiment but I know that I will have a conclusion later on."
"Antigen created monsters, I created them. And I want to make things right so I agreed to bring them back even though it's dangerous especially that I am pregnant. I just found out that I am carrying Jack and I's child." Roni wiped her tears away and smiled at the camera. "We'll soon be a family, Jack. That's why I'm doing this."
Jack nodded without blinking at the video, on the verge of tears too.
"Just in case I-I don't make it out alive back. Just in case. But I'm making sure all of you will live to see to it that this won't turn into an outbreak. Um, if you found these documents please make sure no one sees it. I don't want Antigen to meddle with your lives. Please don't be hard on yourselves or on each other especially to Lauren... I know she's only doing her job and I understand that, completely." Roni smiled once more as she glanced at her wristwatch. "I need to go. But before that, I want you to do something for me. If I don't survive, make sure you burn all my things. And also please call Jelly on my other phone. She'll help you escape, alright?" She cleared her throat after, forcing a few of her tears back.
"Arturo Evans, thank you for being there for me ever since the beginning. You taught me things I've never learned and helped stood on my own. You never left me and I'll be always grateful that I met you. Also, when are you going to introduce us to your girlfriend?"
Art laughed a little while wiping his tears. I did the same too.
"John Matthews Torres, hi bud! We haven't hanged out a lot since I'm always busy and I'm sorry I wasn't able to help you with your surprise for Lauren. I'm so sorry for that. Um, thank you for listening to my rants and dramatic lines that I've got from having a hard time on my course. I can't wait to see you and Lauren tie the knot, be a fateful husband Mr. Smarty-pants."
Matt shook his head before looking up. He's forcing his tears back.
"Lauren Mae Breiner, miss gorgeous! Thank you so much for helping me finished my thesis on time (laughs) and for driving me home whenever Jack's away. I told you hundreds of times that I am so grateful that you sat right next to me on the first day of class. I will never forget how much you cried with me. See you whenever Mrs. Torres."
"Primrose Salazar, your name sounds so pretty as always. I love it when you make face at me when I complained about my muscle cramps from high school. I will never forget how we first met, Prim. You were the first person who put me first above anything else. You're such a dear friend and though you're already married, you still laugh at my silly jokes. I'll miss going to theaters with you."
I sobbed. I'll miss you too Roni. Thank you for accepting me as your friend and for never leaving me at my darkest days.
"I think that's it." She joked. "Um, wait. I don't want to say something that will make you cry but though I hate the endearment you gave me, I still want to call you that, at least for once right?" She chuckled. "Baby." She whispered softly.
"As you lie asleep behind me, I am then reminded how blessed I am. You are the most handsome, caring, brave and patient man I've known. You didn't judge me when I live separately from my grandparents. You encouraged me to continue schooling when I felt like giving up. You never seize to amaze me every day with your surprise visit to work and random dates. You never seize to let me feel that I am beautiful. You never forgot to tell me how much you love me every single day. It was cheesy but what the hell, I can't complain because I do too. And if you'll ask me to marry you time to time, I would still say yes over and over again. I love you."
"I love you guys, always and forever. No matter what happens, you are important to me. So please survive together, okay? I love you. One more thing, I kept the documents below my bed. The processes and experiment procedures are in the box. It'll explain further regarding the creation of these things." She waved her hand and blows a kiss to the camera.
"Always, Veronica Jane Heartfillia. Bye."
Then the video cuts.