Signs of the past - Ash Lynx x Reader

Chapter 17

Your POV:
"So this is what broke Griff down." Max commented.

"So it's a drug, huh. And an unidentified one, too." Ibe added.

And with that, the conversation fell on death ears. So me, Ash and Max tried to do some form of research to do with Banana Fish to get a better understanding of it. From what I had read, some form of plant was used in the production of the drug. Since it contained an inert alkaloid which is mostly associated with basic, naturally organic compounds.

"I've looked through everything, and there aren't any more hidden files. How about you?" Ash asked me and Max.

"I don't understand the test data, but it dates back to over a decade ago. Including Griff's case." Max commented.

"I'll take a look at the test data after and see if I can't make any sense of it. There's a slim chance that I will, but I'll try. Especially if the data dates back to a decade ago." I add on.

"A bunch of soldiers died back-to-back around that time in the army. There are even dissection logs of them. This could mean a totally different thing." Max continued.

"The possibility of military involvement?" Ash asked.

"It wasn't uncommon for drugs to be used during wars. It sometimes heightened certain human responses. In terms of the dissection logs, it was most likely their way of trying to work out what effects Banana Fish had on the human body. Those logs were most likely put in place to keep track of everything they noticed by dissecting those affected by the drug." I commented, sounding way too much like a smart ass.

"You noticed, too?" Max said in response to Ash's previous comment.

"Obviously. I'm the one who hacked this. But now I'm on equal footing with Dino." Ash answered.

Neither had ignored my comment, though it seemed they didn't exactly know how to reply. Sometimes I was too smart for my own good.

"No, you stay out of this mess. This could be a nationwide conspiracy." Max said, slightly angered by the looks of things.

"What could be better?" Ash started.

"Wake up! It's not about personal vengeance anymore." Max said, quick to remark.

"It was never about personal vengeance." I said.

"What, got cold feet?" Ash asked.

"This isn't a joking matter. You know better." Max remarked.

"Yeah, I know this is way out of my league. But I have to put an end to this. For Skip and Griff. And for me to become free. Or else, I'd never..." Ash said

"Not just you." I added.

"No." Max spoke.

"What?" Ash replied, with me also getting slightly annoyed at this.

"Why risk your lives? You'll both just die in vain. Can't you see? If you both insist on continuing, I'll have to hold you down." Max replied.

"Yeah? Try to stop us then." Ash said, and it was the first time he'd included me when arguing with Max.

"You said in prison that you'll kill me for abandoning Griff." Max started as Ash had stood up.

"Go ahead, but I'm not going down without a fight." Max continued.

The little stare down lasted until Eiji's voice could be heard.

"Shorter and Kimora are back!" Eiji called out.

"Don't tell the others about this." Max said to me and Ash.

"Had no intention of mentioning anything." I said, avoiding eye contact.