LUPINE

Chapter 26

"Damn, soften up a bit, commander", Seri takes the flask from Maya's hands, her eyes bulging out at the dent Taehyung's fingers had left. "What the heck?"

"Soften up, what?", Maya sits at the dresser, massaging the back of her shoulders as she yawns again.

"Did you not sleep?"

"No"

"I can see that", Mina sounds mortified as she looks at the papers strewn on the bed, opened books piled at every corner of it, on the nightstands, and there are more on the study table near the windows. She studies the opened books, reading the words as she takes one in her hand, flipping the pages.

"Have you been...studying?", Seri peeks at the study table, reading what she assumed to be Maya's hand-written notes. "What are all these?"

"Patterns", Mina picks up a book. "Oh my god, you have been doing research in this room?"

Maya finally stands up after tying her hair, heading straight to the bed to take one leather-bound book on which is filled with her notes written by her. "I did not get any sleep last night because I could not. So I continued my research. All these books are the ones I have gotten from Officer Kim, and some are from the Alpha himself."

Mina pulls a paper from one of the books on the bed and once she realizes what she is looking at, a gasp rolls out of her mouth and she looks at Maya in disbelief. "Good god, what did you draw here? Are these encryption keys?"

"Yes", Maya sighs. "Okay listen. Everything is compiled into this book", she hands the thick leather-bound book to Seri. " I have been reading a lot so these are my findings. In that book, I have simplified Area 09 and Area 31's security systems. I have drawn them by hand, labelled everything for easier reference and I have tabled each of the security components. I outline the possible vulnerabilities of the security parameter and how to improve them. Everything is in there, according to the Areas"

"Areas?", Seri flips a page, then she gasps. "Holy shit, you studied every Area"

"Every neighboring Area around 09 and 31", Maya clears her throat. "All possible flaws have been considered as well as modifications that can be made. Put that aside. Flip to the page where I have marked with a black ink at the edge. That will be the pattern study. I encountered two of the rioters when I was searching for Hani and both of them were wearing uniforms of the old regiment. The regiment originated from a closed area that had been abandoned about 40 years ago."

"Area...", Seri traces Maya's writings with her finger, searching for the information. "Isn't this Area 41?"

"Area 41 is closed", Mina joins Seri at her side, reading the words too. "But their soil is good"

"Exactly. I have mapped the area according to the maps I can find in these books. Redrawn it with what I can remember from the maps we have in the battalion camp. Looks like we need to study the differences because the maps we have in the books, are not the same with the ones we have in our book back in the camp"

Maya leans on the table as she takes a sip of her warm coffee, relieved when the bitter-sweet taste coats her tongue.

"Alright. So that book will be your lead. Hand-drawn maps with security system labelled are there, possible patterns of the riot attacks, also there. I sketched the uniforms of the rioters that attacked both areas. Labelled them as well with colors and emblems I saw on their uniforms. I also noted the weapons they used"