"I've been working on this level for ages," Tyler explained to Duke as he set up the game. Duke had draped his suit over the chair and was now seated in just his long sleeves and pants.
"Would you like to give it a try, or should I switch to double player mode?" he asked Duke after successfully setting up the game.
"You go first," Duke simply replied. He felt rusty, as it had been a long time since he last gamed. He wasn't even sure he remembered the right control keys anymore.
When he had started his delivery job, he would often visit a game center to play and even made money by defeating others in betting matches. However, that had landed him in a tight spot later on.
Duke watched with keen interest as Tyler started the game. At first, it began with the usual story mode, where the player is introduced to the game's narrative and characters. But when Tyler got to a point after someone informed the main 3D player about the task ahead, Duke couldn't help but notice how Tyler was handling the control pad.
Not that he didn't know how to play, but he was purposely trying to make it look like he didn't know how to play, especially when it came to combat. Duke knew this tactic all too well because back when he was into gaming on a frequent basis, he would often start like that to deter people or make them think he was easy to bet on - thinking Duke would lose.
Duke remembered how he would pretend to struggle with the controls, making mistakes on purpose, and even throwing in some exaggerated reactions for good measure. It was all part of his strategy to lull his opponents into a false sense of security, making them think they had an easy win.
But then, when the time was right, Duke would strike, revealing his true skills and leaving his opponents stunned. He wondered if Tyler was employing a similar tactic, trying to deceive him into thinking he was a novice player. Duke's eyes narrowed as he continued to observe Tyler's gameplay, eager to see if his suspicions were correct.
"Not again!" Tyler groaned when the screen showed 'GAME OVER'.
"Here, you give it a try," Tyler said, handing the controller to Duke
'But maybe I'm overthinking it,' Duke thought to himself. 'He had no reason to pretend like he doesn't know how to game. I guess I've just been rusty from not playing in a while.' Duke brushed off his thoughts and accepted the controller from Tyler.
This time around, Duke took it and started playing. He was determined to do better and help Tyler pass the level and check to see if he still had his gaming skills.
As Duke clicked on the "New Game" option, Tyler's commentary flowed in like a stream, reacting to Duke's every move.
"Whoa! I never thought to use the gravity shift like that! Did you just beat that guy in one go? I got killed so many times before I landed a punch! Oh man, your reflexes are insane!"
Tyler's excitement grew as Duke progressed through the game. "Don't jump there—oh shit, you made the jump! You're actually making progress! Whoa, nice combo! I didn't know it was possible to chain those attacks together."
Tyler offered tips and encouragement, his enthusiasm building. "Tap on the left key and Triangle button on the pad to do a blast combo. You're getting close, you might just make it!"
As Duke neared the end of the level, Tyler stood up, his fist balled in excitement. "Almost there—don't strike from up close. Yessss!" Tyler yelled in triumph when Duke took down the last enemy. "Yes! I did it! I finally beat that level! I'm sorry—I meant WE!"
Tyler's excitement was contagious, and Duke found himself grinning from ear to ear as they celebrated their victory together with a high five.
Meanwhile, Nadia laid Halia on an iron table, carefully examining her with a spectrophotometer and PCR machine. She was perplexed by the results, which showed that Halia's genetic makeup had undergone a significant transformation. Specifically, her DNA had been altered, and she no longer had proper genes. The spectrophotometer analysis revealed a strange mutation, with extra base pairs inserted into her genome. Halia's genetic code had been rewritten, and Nadia couldn't understand how or why.
"What's wrong, Nadia?" Halia asked, noticing Nadia's worried expression. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Nothing, Halia," Nadia replied, trying to brush it off. "Everything is normal. The serum I gave you before you were kidnapped must have been the reason you weren't affected like the rest. But instead, made it work."
"But what about the experiment?" Halia pressed on. "What did they do to me?"
Nadia hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "I'm not entirely sure, Halia. But I'll find out. I promise."
Halia looked unconvinced, but she didn't push on it.
As Nadia continued to examine Halia, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. She wanted to run some more PCR tests to identify any foreign substances in Halia's blood. But she knew she couldn't, due to what had happened earlier.
So, she excused herself and went out to the bush where Halia had hidden earlier, searching for any clues or analysis.
As she examined the area, Nadia realized that Halia's account had not done justice to what had transpired. The snake had not only dried out but had been burnt to a crisp, as if exposed to extreme fire. The bush Halia had mentioned had also dried out, as if it had been caught in a blaze.
Nadia collected some samples, including plant tissue and soil, to study later. She wanted to analyze the chemical composition of the soil and see if there were any unusual compounds present. Maybe there was a connection between the strange mutation in Halia's DNA and the environment she was in.
Nadia wiped off the tears that had threatened to spill. They used her sister as a Lab rat, and she was going to make them pay.
She put on a plastic smile before she went in.