"Kelsey! Come take a look at this!"
Warfarin's voice cut through the lab's usual calm—urgent, unsettled. Kelsey turned back, eyeing the veteran doctor—one of the few left from her era—warily. When was the last time she saw Warfarin lose her composure?
Without a word, Kelsey snatched the report from Warfarin's hands. One glance—two—and her grip on the paper instantly tightened.
"…What the hell is this? Faulty readings?"
"If only."Warfarin sighed heavily. "We've checked the equipment five times. No errors. Other operators read fine. It's only Revy—"
"Only Revy's readings are like this?"
"Yes. And I mean that Regulus Harvey, still walking and talking since yesterday without a single symptom." Warfarin gave a helpless smile. "He's resting in his room like it's just another Tuesday."
"But the machine doesn't lie, right?"
"No. We've tested it over and over…"There was disbelief in Warfarin's eyes. "If Skadi was already a 'statistical anomaly,' then Revy's case? He shouldn't even be alive by any known theory—"
"Enough."Kelsey clenched a fist, her tone sharp and laced with unease. "How many people know about this?"
"Shining, for sure... and..." Warfarin hesitated. "...Nightingale too. But they're trustworthy."
Kelsey gave a curt nod."Keep this under wraps. Even Revy—especially Revy—if he doesn't know, keep it that way. Got it?"
"…Understood."
[Scene Break]
Revy sat up in bed.
Blank walls. That sterile ceiling. The familiar-yet-foreign ambiance of a Rhodes Island dorm room. It was quiet—but not peaceful. He could still feel the ghost of a lover's warmth lingering in his bones, the scent of her hair clinging to his senses. Waking from a dream this real only left a hollow ache.
"…Huh?"
The glow of his communicator caught his eye. He picked it up, thumb hovering.
(Revy-nii, feeling better? I heard you haven't been resting well after the last missions — Amiya)
(Revy-onii, I'm okay now. Can we meet? — Misha)
(We're getting everyone together. You coming for a drink? — Logos)
(Don't. Kelsey's on to the booze. Abort mission. — Ace)
(Mr. Revy, sorry to intrude. If you're free, may we speak? — Eyjafjalla)
Revy let out a bitter chuckle.
Yeah. Life after coming to Rhodes… suddenly got a whole lot messier. But it was a good kind of messy.
"Alright. Let's check on Misha first… then see Eyja."He remembered the last time in Lungmen—Misha holding onto Skullshatterer's lifeless body like she'd shatter with him. Nothing anyone said could break through her grief… except maybe him. He was the one who convinced her to let go. One hand pulling her forward, the other carrying her brother's corpse back to Rhodes.
"I think she's in... E1012?"
The hallway was empty. Late afternoon—most operators were still buried in tasks. Only people like Revy, with no fixed posts, or newcomers like Misha, who hadn't officially joined yet, would still be in their rooms.
(Note to self… Kelsey's HR work I promised to help with? Still untouched. Hope Eyja isn't overworking herself...)
That thought nudged his pace faster as he crossed the catwalk toward E1012.
Knock knock knock.
"…Who is it?"
The voice lacked the grief from Lungmen, but it was still tired. After all, reuniting with your only family just to lose him again in a day? No way she'd bounce back that fast.
"It's me, Misha."
The door cracked open.
Misha stood there, visibly awkward. Her face still bore streaks of tears, but when she saw Revy, she tried—tried—to smile.
"Revy-nii… you got my message?"
"Yeah… after those last ops, I needed to crash for a bit."Revy reached out, ruffling her hair. "Sorry I wasn't there right away."
"No, Revy-nii, you don't need to apologize."
The simple gesture seemed to ground her a little."If anything… I should thank you. If you hadn't brought me and Alex here… he'd probably be in a Lungmen ditch by now. Or on a dissection table."
Ah, right—he'd promised to bring Skullshatterer's body back. Kelsey and Amiya must've already handled it.
"So… getting used to Rhodes?"
"Better than I expected… Amiya-onee and some new friends have been really kind."
She smiled softly. "Franka and Liskarm came to visit too. Everyone here's been amazing. Way better than Ursus… or even Lungmen."
Well, yeah. This place—Rhodes Island—was probably the only one in all of Terra that didn't look down on the infected. Maybe the only one that truly fought for them.
Revy withdrew his hand. Just as he opened his mouth to say something more—
"Revy-nii…"Misha interrupted, her voice firm. "Amiya asked me something earlier—if I'd be willing to start out as a logistics operator."
"Logistics? That's great—"Revy nodded approvingly. "What department? Rare metals? Supply chain? Trade post?"
"No. I don't want to go to any of those."
She looked up at him. That same softness was still there—but now, there was something harder beneath it. Grit. Resolve.
"I want to be an operator. A combat operator."