When Shawn Monroe woke, he was already in bed in his room at Bloodfall Base. He remained dazed for a long moment before remembering what had happened.
’He couldn’t believe he’d actually fainted...’ Shawn Monroe rubbed his temples and sat up. He had no idea who brought him back. It seemed his unauthorized trip to the research area could no longer be kept secret.
He felt sullen and stifled.
Just then, someone pushed the door open and walked in.
"Oh? You’re awake?"
"Yeah."
Sterling Warren, who was looking after him, rinsed a cloth in a basin in the corner of the room. "Here, wipe your face. Are you all right?"
Shawn Monroe took the cloth and wiped his face haphazardly. "I’m fine... What time is it?"
"A little after seven in the morning. Oh, right!" Sterling Warren suddenly smacked his forehead. "Captain Monroe wants to see you in his office. And, uh... he didn’t look too happy."
Shawn Monroe’s hand, holding the cloth, paused.
He gave a bitter smile.
’What else could it be? It has to be about last night.’
He just never imagined that the person locked inside would be Nora Lowell...
Thinking of Nora Lowell and what she had said last night, Shawn Monroe was filled with complicated emotions.
He walked slowly on the way to the office building, one step at a time, his feet as heavy as lead. It wasn’t until he reached the office door, knocked, and heard the voice from inside telling him to enter that Shawn Monroe seemed to snap back to his senses.
He entered the room and stood before Marcus Monroe.
"That Zombie... is Nora Lowell..."
Marcus Monroe leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, and looked at him. "Yes."
"She’s about to die, isn’t she?" Last night, Nora Lowell had clearly been struggling just to get those words out. Shawn Monroe was certain he wasn’t mistaken; her voice had been incredibly weak.
Marcus Monroe raised a mocking eyebrow. "She died a long time ago."
Shawn Monroe’s expression dimmed.
For a moment, he couldn’t quite put a name to his feelings for Nora Lowell.
’Did he hate her?’
’When he thought of what she’d done in Norgate—the humiliation, the whippings, the torture, even stringing him up on the city walls—he had to have hated her...’
’But even as he hated her, he couldn’t help but remember what they once had... or rather, he remembered the second half of that dream. In it, the proud and aloof Nora Lowell had eventually fallen in love with him, and they had shared some truly wonderful times...’
Shawn Monroe took a deep, heavy breath and said with difficulty, "Now that the Antidote has been successfully developed, she’s useless, and she’s fading fast anyway. So, can you let me take her away?"
’Logically, he knew how stupid this sounded. But for some reason, scenes from that dream just kept replaying in his mind.’
’It had been like this with Paige Summers, and now it was the same with Nora Lowell.’
’He could never win over Paige Summers.’
’But with Nora Lowell, perhaps... he might still have a chance.’
"What are you planning to do? Get your revenge?"
Shawn Monroe sighed and said hesitantly, "No. To be honest, I guess I just... want to see her through to the end..."
Marcus Monroe gave a small sneer, his tone odd. "I never figured you for such a soft-hearted person."
The words were laced with sarcasm, and an embarrassed flush crept onto Shawn Monroe’s face. He didn’t know what to say. In fact, he hadn’t even thought about what he would do with Nora Lowell if he actually got her.
But the dream’s influence on him was too great, clinging to him like maggots to bone.
He simply couldn’t ignore it.
’All he could think was that he had to get her back by his side first, and then he’d figure out the rest.’
So, he gritted his teeth. "No matter what, we were together once, so..."
"And what makes you think I would agree? You know full well what Nora Lowell has done. Letting her ’live’ on as a Zombie was already generous. Now that she’s useless, there’s only one fate left for her!"
Shawn Monroe stiffened.
After a long silence, he said in a heavy voice, "A while ago, someone in Central City’s high command proposed allowing the existing bases—excluding Central City itself—to merge and become openly autonomous. The proposal was shelved due to opposition. But if my adoptive father were to throw his weight behind it, there’s an over eighty-percent chance it would be implemented."
Marcus Monroe’s interest was piqued.
He had heard rumors about this proposal.
Naturally, he was hoping the proposal would be realized.
Bloodfall Base was growing ever larger, and with its ample supplies of food, weapons, and Crystal Cores, there were plenty of envious eyes on it in Central City. The only reason they hadn’t made a move was thanks to mediation from Jovitas, coupled with his own private network of contacts. But he knew this wasn’t a sustainable long-term solution.
Black S’s health had been failing for a long time. He was like a lamp with no oil left, and his death was imminent. The current successor, Hugh Whitlock, was still young and would need time to settle the internal disputes. Marcus had been planning to find an opportunity to visit Central City soon—connections like those would fade if he didn’t maintain them. But he was still worried about leaving Paige Summers and the base.
Ever since Paige Summers had given birth prematurely, he’d harbored a secret anxiety he hadn’t told anyone about. He no longer dared to travel too far from her and their child. He was genuinely terrified of something happening!
But if Central City actually passed this proposal and Bloodfall Base could become autonomous... it would be an incredible boon for both him and the base!
The smaller nearby bases had long been looking to Bloodfall for leadership, so merging wouldn’t be difficult. The base’s scale would expand once again, reaching a whole new echelon.
Although they couldn’t compare to Southreach in terms of sheer numbers, when it came to actual combat strength, Bloodfall was second to none in the south!
If that happened, what more would he have to worry about!
He had to admit, Shawn Monroe’s offer had truly tempted him...
"I’ll need to consider this," he said, giving Shawn Monroe a long, deep look.
"Considering it," of course, meant discussing it with Paige Summers.
As he told her what had happened, Paige Summers was mischievously teasing Annie. She dangled a homemade rattle from side to side, luring the baby until she toppled back and forth on the bed like a roly-poly doll. Marcus Monroe had to interrupt his story several times, glaring at the child’s mother before sympathetically helping little Annie sit back up against the cushions.
Finally, he finished explaining the whole story.
Paige Summers pursed her lips into a smile and said casually, "If he’s willing to trade such favorable terms for a useless Zombie, we can’t possibly refuse. Go tell him that as soon as the definitive news comes through, he can take her away anytime."
Marcus Monroe frowned slightly.
To be honest, as tempting as the offer was, he didn’t want to let Nora Lowell go.
Letting her be a test subject was getting off easy. If Levi Young hadn’t so desperately needed her, he would have killed her on the spot!
There was something profoundly unsettling about that woman.
Keeping her around was a liability he couldn’t afford!
Paige Summers glanced at him, guessing what he was thinking. In truth, she had once felt the same way, but now, her perspective had shifted.
She gave him a sly smile. "Do you think Shawn Monroe’s behavior is normal right now?"
Marcus Monroe froze. After a long moment, something clicked. "You’re doing this on purpose!" he said in a tone of sudden realization.
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