Ultima Ratio

Chapter 25: Disassembly Required

Surprisingly, Akira and Danya weren't Izzy's only visitors. For some reason, the rest of the Aegis Squad was in his lab as well, each dressed in civvies as they loitered around in various ways. And Izzy did not look happy about any of them.

On its own, Izzy's mobile lab was no larger than a shipping container. The long tables along the walls were filled with complex contraptions and seemingly ongoing experiments. Izzy sat on the only chair, squinting at some electronic parts through large magnifying glasses with a tight, deep frown.

Jivan seemed to be causing the most trouble, walking up and down the narrow pathway as if they were examining all of Izzy's experiments, only to peer over Izzy's shoulder every time they passed. At the opposite end of the lab, Navin leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and head hung, allowing his long hair to hide his eyes. Elodie stood next to him, focused on her phone with a slight crease between her brows. Quyen was squeezed in a corner, and her crossed arms and stiff posture couldn't hide that she favored her right leg.

Still, she was watching Izzy until she noticed Akira and Danya's entrance, and her expression snapped to attention.

"Captain," Quyen began, subtly struggling to stand up straight without aggravating her injured leg. "Everything okay?"

Her announcement drew everyone's attention to an unprepared Akira. And while Akira knew no one could tell that her arm was fake, or that it was broken, Akira hid it behind her back anyway.

"Yeah..." Akira drew out her response just long enough to think of a follow-up question. "What's going on here?"

"Chaos!" grumbled Izzy, slamming a pair of forceps onto the counter before turning to Akira with his irregular glasses; a mysterious orange powder dotted his baggy white lab coat. "Look, I've already apologized for stowing away. And while I can't guarantee it won't happen again, I can assure you that I regret my actions if these are the consequences I have to suffer. So please, just let me be! The Smart Car-doso wasn't meant to host," he shuddered with a grimace, "visitors."

"Really, mate?" Jivan said. "You love our company. Who else would talk to you when you're busy working at two in the morning?"

"Preferably no one," Izzy muttered as he retrieved his forceps and pointed his magnifying glasses back at the unidentifiable contraption on the counter.

"You're not still mad about that stun gun thing, are you?" Jivan continued, jumping next to Izzy and splaying their upper body across the tabletop.

"First, it's called the Spark Shot now," Izzy snapped, not bothering to take his eyes off his work. "And second, I absolutely am."

Jivan pouted, pressing one of their cheeks against the table. "I'm sorry, mate. Really. You can take the shot next time. Like right now."

"I'm a little busy at the moment," Danya said, sounding more amused than offended. "Maybe next week?"

Instead of replying, Jivan glared at her before turning to Akira. "So, Akira, what brings you round these parts?"

Akira tensed. "Uh..."

"We're looking for a Saint Bernard," Danya said, making a point to scan the small lab with her gaze. "And the tracks led us here."

When Akira turned to her, bewildered, Danya ignored her. Akira had no idea why Danya was bringing up Sam now, but she was too exhausted to think or argue, so she looked back at her team with the most innocent expression she could muster.

"Saint Bernard?" Quyen mumbled.

"Why would there be a big, bloody dog in here?" Jivan said at the same time.