Lin Ye hummed when hearing her request. It did not really surprise him that Yelena asked this from him. She had families and from where she came from, Yelena's family should have a lot of Infected in it.
Some might even be dying at this very moment now.
On paper, her request was fair.
Yelena would take a big risk by following him to Rhodes Island while Lin Ye would give her something that would reward her for doing it. Something that could justify her going to the enemy's area where she would be helpless.
Lin Ye had to stop himself from agreeing with her on the spot. He knew that there was more to it than he liked to think.
It was not that simple.
Nothing in his life was simple.
After thinking about her offer more thoroughly, Lin Ye finally knew what his answer was. He raised his head and showed a troubled smile at Yelena.
He shook his head.
"Sorry Yelena," An apology slipped through his lips, "I have to reject that."
Her expression did not change when he said this. With a blank expression on her face, she asked him, "Do you not trust me?"
"I did not say that," Lin Ye shook his head.
"But you thought about it," Yelena fired back, "You and I both know the relationship between our group. Between Rhodes Island and Reunion."
Lin Ye stayed quiet as he listened to her.
"I am taking a big risk by following you back to them. I will be tested there and I can only let you do things to my body," Yelena's eyes narrowed, "If I am going to do that, at the very least I am rewarded for it. I want to save people that I care about."
"You must understand."
"I do Yelena. I do," He grimaced, "but as I understand you, you must understand me. I really can't promise you that."
"... Why?" She whispered.
"The cure... I can't let too many people know about it," Lin Ye explained, "If too many people know about it, the company that I am in, Rhodes island will be targeted by everyone. And I mean everyone."
Lin Ye cut her off when she was about to rebut him, "Mercenaries, group, royalty, countries and even Infected. Their motive might be different but it won't change the fact they would attack Rhodes Island at the very moment that they heard about the cure."
His face tightened into a frown, "This world... The people on it are becoming desperate. And when people are pushed to their limit, they would do things that they wouldn't normally do just to achieve something as basic as a plate of food."
"I need to be responsible for what I choose. Rhodes Island needs to be around for the cure," Lin Ye showed her a troubled smile as he stared at her, "You must understand right, Yelena?"
Yelena could see how much this meant to him. He was asking too much from her and Lin Ye knew it.
"... I do," Yelena said, "But why can't you trust me. I can keep that secret."
"I trust you, Yelena. I really do," He sighed tiredly, "I just can't bring myself to trust Reunion."
Yelena did not have anything to say after that. Both of them stared at each other. Both had thousands of thoughts in their mind.
After a while, she started the conversation again.
"So? What are we going to do?" Yelena asked him, "I have nothing to bargain with you now."
"Bargain?" Lin Ye raised his brow at this, "What do you mean?"
"Isn't it?" The snow bunny asked, "You want your friends to be alive, I want my relatives to be alive."
The realisation hit him, "Ah. So that's how you view this whole meeting."
"Our goals are the same, Yelena" Lin Ye shook his head, "We want a cure. For the better of the people we care about."
Yelena was stunned hearing this. Her eyes widened.
"You really do know how to make yourself sound like you are on the right side," Yelena glared at him, "Do you think I will fall for it?"
"Right side? There is no such thing. If there is a right side, there is also a wrong side. You know better that the world is not black and white Yelena. It's just a mixture of grey. Some are lighter and some are darker," Lin Ye hummed, "The world is not that simple. I would love that if it was the case. More than anyone."
"... I see," Yelena said. Then a sigh escaped from her mouth, "So if you manage to make the cure with my help you won't give it to me so that I can help my family?"
"... Yes," Lin Ye nodded without any hesitation, "I have to do that. I can't endanger Rhodes Island by letting too many people know about the cure. Not yet."
"... So why did you save me?" Yelena immediately asked him, "Wouldn't it be better for you to just let me die for the safety of your company? Like how you killed my siblings"
Lin Ye was speechless. He looked away from her emotional eyes and his hands clenched so tight they were as hard as a rock now.
"I know you will never forgive me, and I am fine with that," Lin Ye said under his breath, "... But I couldn't let you die that time,"
"... Why?"
"You really do not know how much you saved me," Lin Ye smiled at her, "When I met you in the snow, you did the best thing anyone could do in this world."
"You make me stop[ed feeling alone."
"..."
Yelena just stared at him, saying nothing.
Finally, she lowered her head and sighed.
"So what now?" She looked back at him. Her eyes then went to the other person in the bar, "Are you going to order her to take me by force?"
Lin Ye glanced at Nian, who up to now did not say anything and sat on the sideline quietly. Hearing her being mentioned, she put down the glass of alcohol that she was about to drink back to the table and glanced at Yelena.
"Hey. Why am I being dragged into this?" She asked, "I was just about to take a shot and was rudely interrupted by you."
Yelena did not look amused while Lin Ye let out a small chuckle at Nian's reply.
However, what Yelena just said made him realise something.
She must know how strong Nian was compared to her. It seemed she knew how to guess the strength that someone had just by looking at them.
Intuition?
That might be the case. Yelena needed to have that for her to be able to survive in this world for so long with Oripthay.
And when Yelena said he would use Nian to take her back by force, it made him think. How would a fight between them play out?
Unsurprisingly, Nian would win without any trouble. Terra would view her as a god so to go up against her would be suicidal...
So what does that make of him going head first fighting her in a cave of all places? Did he really want to be buried that fast?
Let's put the discussion of his suicidal tendencies down for another time.
He needed to think about something more important.
Who would win?
Nian versus Messiah.
Skadi versus Yelena.
He was joking of course. But the thoughts made him crack a smile.
What Yelena said was true. He could easily ask Nian to fight Yelena until she cooperates with him. She was no match against Nian. It would be much easier for Lin Ye if he did that. The faster he could finish this, the faster Eyja would be cured.
But why should he do that?
He wanted to gain Yelena's trust. Doing that would be the complete opposite of what he wanted.
Lin Ye shook his head, then took a deep breath and said, "I won't do that."
"Why?" Yelena asked, "With her strength, it would be so easy for her to do so."
"Do not test me," Nian smirked, "I might do it if you ask me enough times."
"Nian," Lin Ye gave a quick glance to her, "Don't."
"Okay. Okay," Nian raised her hands at him. The smirk on her face did not go away, "Just playing around."
"As I said," Yelena cut back in, "It would be faster, the chance of you saving your friend will be higher if you do that."
Lin Ye's eyes stared at her. A smile made its way onto his face.
"But if I do," Lin Ye hummed, "I would lose a friend."
Her eyes widened at hearing this.
"I do not want to sacrifice one important person for another in my life," Lin Ye sighed.
Yelena realised how much he cares about his relationship with her now. Not only do his words show it, but actions speak louder than words.
With how important she was to Rhodes Island, Yelena expected to be ambushed by their full force on the spot the moment she entered the bar to see him. She would be forced to follow them so that they could conduct experiments on her body.
She knew that was something that was thrown around by the higher-ups of the company.
She did not have a problem if that happened. If she died, at least she would push forward a cure that might save the world. So, she was ready for an attack on her.
However, that did not happen.
And she knew the person who was responsible for that was the man standing in front of her. The man was still smiling at her even though they were on opposite sides of an unknown war.
Then, the conversation that she had with Dad popped into her mind.
"Hate or hope," She muttered under her breath.
Ye was giving her the choice to pick either.
"Okay..." The words slipped through her mouth as she stared at him, "I will come with you."
{Rhodes Island's Psychologist}
Draft: Jaq
Proofread: Discord
Edit: Jaq