Benjamin

I would say that it's a miracle that Chris survived, but he didn't. When the fire was extinguished, we found his...lifeless body within the burnt corridors. After many panic attacks, we contacted Mr. Drewstrife. He gave us both relief and worry. Chris would revive, but he potentially could lose some of his memories. That was all part of his new Phoenix DNA. Now I'm really curious about the full potential of everyone's genetic abilities. Like those rage attacks I have from time to time.

Chris was rushed to the Predator Unit HQ Hospital, and his vital signs came back online. Estrella stayed with him (lucky for Chris), and Sade went back to the Silva residence. I'm heading towards the Gria City Public Library to research some more on genetic abilities. Urk! Suddenly I feel rather..hungry? Angry? No, that's my killer instinct again. I need to get out of the city.

I reach the Melio Forest within minutes, thanks to my new form from my DNA infusion. I've turned into a midnight black wolf. At least I can still manage to think clearly, but just barely. Anyway, I have to satisfy my urges. Maybe there's a few wild animals around….

Good, I just found a pack of ten deer. Now then..wait for the right moment to strike...GO! Leaping forward with my claws, I'm able to kill eight of the deer, while the other two flee into the forest depths.

Huh, I can eat raw meat in wolf form, but I hope it won't leave a bad aftertaste in my mouth once I revert to human form. Oh right, I think I'll go visit the old Yelick genetic lab. So I finish eating the meat of a third deer before I leave the rest for other animals. Best not to be greedy after all, killing brings more excitement anyway.

The genetics lab is in complete ruin. What kind of explosives did Mr. Drewstrife use? Let's check it out. I enter the building and work my way towards the room where we fought Mr. Yelick. Wait, I hear clattering. Moving towards the sound, I reach the same room Mr. Yelick's corpse now lies in. The roof has been blown open, but most of the room seems intact. In the far end of the room, I notice a group of hooded figures. I can hear them from here, even though they're whispering.

"Today's a good haul!"

"These vials certainly go for high prices, but do any of you know what they do?"

"I heard something about altering your DNA, but I don't think we should try that."

Crud! I thought the explosion would destroy those vials! Well, if they're curious about it, maybe I'll show them. There's no guidelines on unauthorized killing in the Predator Unit Handbook after all. Quietly sneaking behind a containment vat, I peek around the vat to see that the hooded figures are loading crates of vials onto a cart. Crates of them? How on earth are there so many vials left?! I'll report this to Mr. Drewstrife later, but for now..let's spill blood.

Well, that was pathetic. Those hooded figures didn't even fight back. At least it allows me to smash some of these vials. So I throw vial after vial against the floor, making a giant DNA puddle. Okay, now to head back to Faygold.

Once I reach Predator Unit HQ, I revert back to human form. Blegh..I knew I'd have an aftertaste of raw meat in my mouth. So I make my way towards Mr. Drewstrife's office, where he formally greets me.

"Ah, Benjamin. Welcome. You look rather distressed, so I will save the business at hand to hear you out first. Go ahead." he states. So I report my findings from the Yelick genetic lab, and what's going on now. Mr. Drewstrife ponders, and then asks if I can pass this on to Chris so he can find a solution for this. I agree, but then he mentions the other business.

"Your family is here to see you."

No. Nononononono! I don't want to know what they'll think! Just as I'm losing it, the door opens. My mother, father, and little sister are all here. Immediately, I'm forced to sit down, and Mr. Drewstrife sits opposite from my family and I.

"Mr. Drewstrife, we are very concerned about our son being in the Predator Units." my dad starts off with a typical question. Mr. Drewstrife doesn't respond, but just listens intently. Then my dad demands for the right to remove me from such a dangerous environment. This...is making me sick. If I need to, I'm revealing the truth about my life. My family only knows about my enlistment into the Predator Units. They have no idea about my partnership with Chris, disrupting drug trades, and blowing up illegal establishments. So as my father keeps rambling on, I look at my mother. She seems to have a glum demeanor, and my sister doesn't seem to be any happier. Mr. Drewstrife tries to speak, but my dad cuts him off and suddenly starts demanding...me.

"Ben is not staying here! He has a family and school to deal with!" Yorthmire Academy has been destroyed in an arson, so we have to give him a transfer." he says while grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the door. Luckily, I've had experience escaping his grip before, so I wriggle free and hide behind Mr. Drewstrife. Oh boy. Dad has a furious glare on his face now. Alright, time to spit out the truth.

"Look Dad, I don't care about the life I've been forced into! You've always sheltered me, but what good is that if I never see the world. All the war, beauty, and love? That's why I've been running away, and sneaking out at night. I joined up with Chris, and we formed the rest of Team Cerberus! Now we put our talents to better use as Predator Units, rather than just hanging around and waiting for our time to end. You want to stop me? Well go screw yourself!"

My dad just stares, before Mr. Drewstrife speaks up.

"Ben is right. He is free to choose his own path now. You don't have a say in it. I suggest you leave now, before I allow Ben here to escort you off the premise."

My family is just in shock, and when my dad tries to argue further, Mr. Drewstrife nods at me. I draw my revolver, and "guide" my family to the door. Both my mom and sister are weeping, and that really hurts. I couldn't care less about my dad though. After that ordeal, Mr. Drewstrife asks if I want a spot in the HQ's living quarters. I politely decline, reassuring him that I'll find lodging for myself. Then I leave. Since I'm in Faygold, I'll go visit Chris.

Christopher

Whew. Glad I was able to leave the hospital early. Estrella nearly crushed me when she threw herself at me. Luckily, I caught her and reassured her of our date. Then she left to find Sade, and I've arrived at home. I can't believe I died though. I only forgot a place, but what happens if I lose something more important? Yikes, even though I'll revive, the prospect of death is scary. This is giving me a headache, so I decide to visit the cellar and grab a bottle of wine.

I'm underage, but this shouldn't hurt. Just a sip makes me cringe though. Did alcohol always taste like bitter vinegar though? While I choke the stuff down, I head to the mansion's study. I notice something interesting while scanning the shelves. It's a weapon smithing guide. Bringing it over to the study's desk and opening it, I notice how well organized it is. Swords, bows, axes, etc. Just then, the doorbell rang.

I ran to greet whoever it was, but standing there was Ben, with a cold, depressed look on his face. Quickly ushering him inside, I pour another glass of wine for him. He chugs the drink without restraint. Then he speaks.

"Chris..Mr. Drewstrife wants you to see him. I found something unsettling in the Yelick genetic lab.."

Oh. I'll go visit Mahony in a second, but I then ask Ben what's up with the look on his face. He explains about his family, and what happened back at HQ.
Bloody hell. I'm about to ask if Ben wants to stay, but that would only be a temporary solution. Oh, I know! I make Ben promise he'll stay in the mansion while I check up with Mahony. Then I make a mad dash for Predator Unit HQ.

Five minutes later…

I stop sprinting when I'm outside Mahony's office, then I knock. When Mahony's approval comes from the other side, I enter and greet him using his first name instead. He laughs as he's glad I'm dropping the formal tone. He had a point after all, since he was on a team with my mother, it makes sense why I should be more open as well. Then I ask if we can get down to business.

"Ah yes. You must've heard the news from Ben. The thing is, Ben found that there's a black market for genetics now. At the Yelick genetic lab, it seems as if a majority of the vials survived the blast of the charges that another team set after yours had left. The genetic abilities are spreading like candy, but do you still have that Blaze Stone from the burning ruins of Yorthmire Academy?"

Oh that? I reach into my pocket and pull it out, and Mahony then gives me a choice. I can crush the stone here to strengthen the Phoenix DNA within me, or I can leave it here for research. Strengthen my DNA? That sounds dangerous and selfish, so I decide to leave it here. Then Mahony stands up and asks me to follow him to the HQ's forge. The forge huh? Maybe I can use it to forge custom weapons then…

Upon entering the forge, I'm met with an unpleasant aroma of smoke. Mahony guides me over to a station, where a small table with an ammo chamber and hundreds of small vials lie.

"Chris, this is a new modification for Scarlet Nightmare. Just crafted today..It will let you drain the DNA out of others and into these vials. That way, we can use them more responsibly, rather than with black market activity."

I'm somewhat skeptical. Sure, it's good to stop the genetic black market, but to use the DNA more responsibly? If every Predator Unit got the same power, it would probably be abused. So I question Mahony. He holds his hands up defensively and explains himself.

"Oh no, we're not injecting them into soldiers, we're using them to forge weapons, ammo, and such. In fact, by using this modification, you can then shoot these vials out as if they were the most concentrated form of elemental magic."

That's better. If we just use them for ammunition and weapons, then it should be fine. A weapon is easy to take away from someone after all. Then Mahony gives me one more task.

"Once you've attached your mod, I'm accepting guardianship over you. You will transfer to Redmiara Academy tomorrow, since it seems to be crawling with illegal genetic students."

Drat. I was hoping to skip school for a while!