"Weasel . . . . , take our tired guest to his cell . . . I'll be there shortly."
"Yes, Doctor . ."
With that, Weasel went over to the stumbling bandicoot, helping him to his feet in a kind way. Morgan didn't want to be touched or dragged away, though. He wanted to be there to protect his girlfriend. "Don't touch me! I'm not going anywhere without Kael!"
Monroe faced the boy; a frown placed across his face, "You are foolish boy . . . Very foolish. We needn't fight again . . ."
Weasel placed a hand on Morgan's shoulder, "Come on . . . Now's not the time, Morgan."
He glared back at the weasel, sighing deeply, hesitating to leave Kael there alone with that doctor. He gave a reluctant nod, and Weasel helped him out of the lab; away from Monroe and Kael.
"Oh, and Weasel . ."
He turned his head to meet the cold eyes of Doctor Monroe. "Y-yes, Doctor?"
"Meet me in my office when you're done . . . . We need to have a little talk over your softness . . ."
"Yes, Doctor . . . I understand . ."
--------------------------------
The boy tapped his fingers on his desk in a bored manor, staring at the clock and wishing that the school day was almost over.
Only one more year of this place, and I'm free for good! No more teachers and no more rules! . . . If only Morgan was here today . . . I need someone to pick on, but where is he?!
Finally, the bell rang throughout the classroom, dismissing everybody to their third period. He grabbed his books, rushing out the door in a hurry towards his locker. On the way to his locker, his brown eyes searched the halls for a special someone. That special someone could definitely tell him where that orange marsupial was. A glimpse of yellow caught his eye, turning in the direction towards it unnoticed. The girl had no clue she was being followed close behind, and she remained walking down the hallway. The moment she turned a corner, the boy shoved her into the wall, cornering her to where she couldn't go anywhere. Her green eyes were frightened, staring into his as she spoke, "What do you want, Nicolei . ."
"What do I want? Funny you ask . . . Where's your old boyfriend at?"
"He's not my boyfriend . . Just a friend."
"Yeah, whatever. Where's he at?"
"I don't know."
"Sure you don't, Marylynn . . . Now, tell me where he's at!"
"I told you! I don't know!"
"You disappoint me . . ."
All of a sudden, the intercom came to life, yelling over all the students and teachers in the hallway, "Code red! Code red! This is not a drill. Code red!"
The halls went insane by then with students rushing to get into any classroom that was close. Nicolei was surprised by the code red, never before experiencing one. Marylynn slipped by him, running down the hall towards the nearest class before the door could shut. Nicolei finally came to and dashed off past the panicking students, but his feet soon came to a stop when seeing the taller figure come into view. Their eyes met while the figure opened his mouth to speak, "Nicolei Cortex?"
He unwillingly nodded. The figure just grinned, "Come with me . . . There are some things you need to know . . ."
"I'm not going anywhere! I don't trust you!"
"You'll learn to trust me . . . I can take you to Morgan Bandicoot."
----------------------------------
"How am I supposed to teach you that being soft can get you hurt, Weasel? You do not seem to take me seriously . ."
"Doctor Monroe . . , I just think you could've handled the situation better . . . You know? In a humane way . . . ."
"Weasel, how about this? I make the rules, and you follow them . ."
Kael watched the two men from her seat, hoping to stay invisible the entire battle, but she knew that she'd be involved soon enough. Tape covered her mouth while her wrists were bound tightly to the chair she sat at. Morgan was still fresh on her mind, and she also knew that he'd be beating himself up for everything he's done to her.
Monroe stared at Weasel dead in the eyes, and then looked over at Kael and grinned, "You know what, Weasel . . . I want you to do something for me . . . , and you better not act soft."
Weasel was almost afraid to ask, "W-what is it?"
The doctor placed a finger underneath Kael's chin to make her eyes meet his, "I want you to hurt the girl . . . Punch her. Really hard, too . . ."
Kael's heart raced with her eyes shifting over in Weasel's direction, her body tingling as she prayed not to get hit. Weasel dropped his jaw in shock as he shook his head, "Doctor Monroe! Isn't there something else that I can do? She's just a child!
"She's not a child, Weasel! She's seventeen and pregnant! Now, do as I say, and hit her!"
"NO! I will not hit her! She has done nothing to deserve any form of punishment!"
"Damn it, Weasel! You are my assistant, so listen to me! I want you to hit her, now!"
"Give me one good reason . . . . She's been through enough . . ."
"You want me to give you a reason? Fine. If you don't hit her, then I will, and I'll do more than that . . . . I'll beat her in front of her boyfriend until she's out cold and bleeding . . ."
"I can't believe you . . . Have you no heart?"
Monroe's eyes narrowed as he sent a blow to Kael's cheek. She whimpered from the impact, keeping her eyes shut tightly as she cried silently. The man looked back up at Weasel, "You have no idea . . . . ."
-------------------------------------
"NO! NO!"
The crying and screaming rang throughout the vacant hall and through the cells that were both empty and that contained a prisoner. Morgan was the first one to react to the screaming girl coming down his way, wrapping his fingers around the chilling bars and attempting to get a glimpse of the girl. "Kael?! Kael?!"
"MORGAN! Don't let Monroe get you! Don't let Monroe get you!"
"SHUT UP, YOU STUPID GIRL!"
Monroe came into view with a crying Kael in front of him as he threw her into an open cell next to Morgan's. After locking her cell shut, he opened Morgan's with an evil glare, "Come on. Time to go . . ."
"Morgan, don't listen to him! He's going to hurt you! He's going to hurt you!"
"I told you to shut up!"
Morgan glared at Monroe as the scientist offered him his hand. "No . . . I'm not going anywhere . . ."
The man's eyes narrowed at the boy, snatching his wrist and pulling him towards the cell door. Morgan fought back, thrashing as best as he could in his weaker state. "NO! I'm not going anywhere!"
"Tough, boy! You're coming rather you like it or not!"
Morgan was soon yanked from the safety of his cell, being dragged into the hall and to the door that led to the lab. Kael screamed and screamed, begging and pleading for Monroe to bring her love back, "Morgan! No! Don't you dare hurt him, Monroe! Don't you dare . . . !"
She ran out of breath, panting while placing a hand to her pounding head. There was nothing she could do to free neither Morgan nor herself. She was totally defenseless and in no place to negotiate. The doctor might have as well just given her a gun for her to pull a trigger to her head. Everything was going wrong . . .