The Strange Case of Dr. Hedyll

Part Two

It was past midnight. As N̸̤̱͘A̴͇̫͒M̸̥̹̾̃É̴̯̜̂ ̷̢̢̓Ŕ̵͙̭Ë̴̠̲́D̴̻͆A̴̠̒́C̶͈̲͒T̸̞̈́̎E̶̗͠ͅD̶̪̜͛ returned from the day's adventure, she was filled with excitement to get started on researching this "Phantom Shard" immediately. Barry was still apprehensive but kept reminding himself that he could trust her. He loved her, and he knew her better than anyone else, didn't he? Still, there was something a little bit unsettling about the hungry gleam in her eyes as she stared at her newfound treasure.

But as the two entered the research facility, they found someone waiting for them.

"Dr. Sage! What are you doing here?" N̸̤̱͘A̴͇̫͒M̸̥̹̾̃É̴̯̜̂ ̷̢̢̓Ŕ̵͙̭Ë̴̠̲́D̴̻͆A̴̠̒́C̶͈̲͒T̸̞̈́̎E̶̗͠ͅD̶̪̜͛ asked with a nervous grin.

"I was waiting for you to get home before going to bed. I wanted to make sure that you weren't planning anything foolhardy," the old mobian badger replied.

"Oh, we were just out checking some data. Sorry if we worried you."

Barry looked nervously between the two as they talked.

"Oh? And what exactly were you researching? Was it, by chance, something to do with the secret project involving certain Pendants that you've been obsessed with for so long?"

N̸̤̱͘A̴͇̫͒M̸̥̹̾̃É̴̯̜̂ ̷̢̢̓Ŕ̵͙̭Ë̴̠̲́D̴̻͆A̴̠̒́C̶͈̲͒T̸̞̈́̎E̶̗͠ͅD̶̪̜͛ faltered, unsure of what to say.

"That's what I thought. I think we need to have a little discussion, N̸̤̱͘A̴͇̫͒M̸̥̹̾̃É̴̯̜̂ ̷̢̢̓Ŕ̵͙̭Ë̴̠̲́D̴̻͆A̴̠̒́C̶͈̲͒T̸̞̈́̎E̶̗͠ͅD̶̪̜͛."

"Dr. Sage, with all due respect, she's just trying to work towards peace! And I may be a little bit worried about the plan itself, but N̸̤̱͘A̴͇̫͒M̸̥̹̾̃É̴̯̜̂ ̷̢̢̓Ŕ̵͙̭Ë̴̠̲́D̴̻͆A̴̠̒́C̶͈̲͒T̸̞̈́̎E̶̗͠ͅD̶̪̜͛ is a good person, and I believe in her!" Barry interrupted, stepping between the two.

"What are you grasping so tightly in your lab coat pocket?" Dr. Sage asked, ignoring Barry.

"There's nothing," N̸̤̱͘A̴͇̫͒M̸̥̹̾̃É̴̯̜̂ ̷̢̢̓Ŕ̵͙̭Ë̴̠̲́D̴̻͆A̴̠̒́C̶͈̲͒T̸̞̈́̎E̶̗͠ͅD̶̪̜͛ replied, immediately taking her hand out of the pocket and away from the Phantom shard inside it.

"You and I both know that's a lie," Dr. Sage sighed. "Listen. You're an amazing researcher, and your intentions are good. But I've been noticing the plan you've been making for a while now. I know everything that happens within this facility's walls. But we're focused on much smaller projects than what you're proposing. Trust me, I was a researcher on the ARK. I've seen what horrors can begin with a simple dream of peace." She looked down, remembering the tragedies that had occurred all those years ago.

"But this is different, I'm not creating instruments of war!"

Dr. Sage shook her head sadly. "We'll speak more of it later and try to redirect your gifts to a more worthy cause. For now, I'm afraid that I must confiscate whatever you're hiding from me."

Eyes full of silent rage, N̸̤̱͘A̴͇̫͒M̸̥̹̾̃É̴̯̜̂ ̷̢̢̓Ŕ̵͙̭Ë̴̠̲́D̴̻͆A̴̠̒́C̶͈̲͒T̸̞̈́̎E̶̗͠ͅD̶̪̜͛ threw the Shard into her hands and stormed off towards her room.

Barry glanced anxiously at Dr. Sage and ran after N̸̤̱͘A̴͇̫͒M̸̥̹̾̃É̴̯̜̂ ̷̢̢̓Ŕ̵͙̭Ë̴̠̲́D̴̻͆A̴̠̒́C̶͈̲͒T̸̞̈́̎E̶̗͠ͅD̶̪̜͛.

"Maybe it's time to look for another project after all? Maybe even something connected to your research on the Pendants, but on a smaller scale?" Barry reasoned as N̸̤̱͘A̴͇̫͒M̸̥̹̾̃É̴̯̜̂ ̷̢̢̓Ŕ̵͙̭Ë̴̠̲́D̴̻͆A̴̠̒́C̶͈̲͒T̸̞̈́̎E̶̗͠ͅD̶̪̜͛ paced back and forth in her room.