When V, with a dark expression, found Mercer, Lark's surgery was already over.
But since the anesthesia hadn't worn off yet, she was still lying in the hospital bed, letting out a faint snore in a daze. Who knows if she just took the chance to fall asleep under the influence of the drugs.
As soon as V walked in, she stormed straight up to Mercer without a word: "I mean you, how can you just act on a whim like that? Going to the Moon tonight? You don't even give me time to prepare in advance?"
"Prepare for what?" Mercer retorted, self-assured: "I've packed all your gear for you. When it's time to board the ship, you just have to change into the special new equipment.
Your task is simple, just consider it a little trip to the Moon, and then you can come back."
"Trip? You're really something!" V was so amused she was angry, clenching her fists and giving him a hard punch on the shoulder, making him sway: "Did you tell them?"
"I've only discussed it with Lucy for now—I'll personally talk to Rebecca in a bit, but since it has come to this, there's no reason for us to back out anymore."
Mercer briefly explained to V his reasons and purpose for choosing this moment to go to the Moon, and although V understood, she was still a bit annoyed.
Moreover, looking at Lark's current situation, V realized something was off. She stared at Mercer and directly asked, "Was it you who brought down Miles? Including our equipment going haywire... there's actually no roaming AI, right?"
"It's all the roaming AI's conspiracy." Even though Mercer said this, anyone could hear that there was no sincerity in his words.
She looked at Mercer, and after a while, gave a cold smile: "You better pray we all return safely... I swear I'm going to punch you real hard! Seriously!"
"Alright." Mercer didn't argue, just looked at her calmly and smiled.
After making the plan with Venus, he never had any intention of openly discussing this matter.
The reason is simple, from Venus's analysis and Mercer's own judgment, the rest of the team would never agree to Mercer's plan, which even involves abducting Miles to get to the Moon.
But Mercer and Venus reached the same conclusion—this was their best choice and the best window of action, and once missed, it would never return.
So, Mercer decided to go his own way, casting aside the wishes of the entire team for the first time.
Now with the arrow put on the string, any objections were futile.
V looked at him, sitting there all calm and prepared, and got even more annoyed, glancing at the bedridden Lark with a sarcastic tone:
"This woman is going too? You've got a big heart, daring enough to get involved with the new United States President just to help a woman you've never even met."
"She's just part of the plan. Helping her is simply a matter of convenience." Mercer explained.
But clearly, V didn't want to listen. At this moment, she was filled with anger—It's one thing to hide it from Lucy and Rebecca, but why keep it from me?
I've been on your side from the start!
Mercer blinked: "Alright, V, don't be mad, I'll apologize, okay?"
"Why apologize to me? I'm just your lackey, with nothing else but to obey orders."
V's tone was still unfriendly, but she didn't leave, just looking at Lark, arms crossed, agitated: "Damn, even if you don't plan to ask for my opinion, at least give me some mental readiness!"
"If I told you earlier, you'd only be more anxious than now—don't worry, V, if the pressure is really too much, Lark and I can go by ourselves."
Mercer reached out and patted her shoulder, which made V glare at him and give him an elbow: "You trying to provoke me?"
"No, I'm serious... the reason I never told you is partly because even I wasn't sure if I should take you with me."
Mercer's eyes were sincere as he looked at her, his tone turning serious: "Although in my and Venus's calculations, the chances of you and Lark returning safely are quite high...
But I really wasn't sure if I should go with you... in case, and I'm saying just in case, something goes wrong..."
Mercer fell silent, and finally just sighed: "But when it came time to really go to the Moon... I still wanted to go with you."
Now, that was the weak spot for V, and she immediately softened, staring at him directly, and after a while, she finally asked: "Is that really what you think?"
"Yeah." Mercer honestly said: "I think from a metaphysical standpoint, you have a knack for luck, even if it's just to give me a bit more of it."
V, gritting her teeth, raised her fist, and Mercer laughed as he dodged a few blows, but eventually, he let her kick him to vent her anger, as he was wearing armor anyway.
"Alright, honestly, I just feel like if I went with just Lark, I wouldn't feel secure, okay?"
After Mercer finished speaking, V snorted: "That's more like it... Damn, but don't think this is over, just wait until we get back from the Moon! I'm really pissed!"
"Yes, yes, yes..." Mercer agreed with a grin.
"How long have you two been talking? I thought Mercer's girlfriend was that girl with white hair..." Lark groggily sat up.
V immediately raised her voice: "Don't talk nonsense, your perceptiveness is horrible, there's nothing between us, we're clean!"
"Uh, really?" Lark blinked, covering her head and let out an 'ouch' and quickly shifted the topic: "Headache..."