The Creature and the Spy

9: The Survey

Araki Magsim's name appeared a lot during my interview.

The Tree demons were more than eager to answer my questions when I explained that I'm a social aid who's making a survey. I asked about their lives, their jobs, their old ways of living and their current ways of survival. Although I don't care about that, I still need to sound like a social scientist and ask the demographics first. It's hard to see some men well up to tears when talking about their previous lives with their female loved ones. They were happier, more financially stable, and stress free.

Currently, schools and colleges are suspended because 60% of the faculty died. No one could go to school and the business sectors are frozen. The only creatures who can still work are doctors, engineers, and social scientists. The rest, especially bankers and businessmen, are currently home ridden. Kalin works in a bank, but now he's farming to put food on the table. Andrin was in his 3rd Study (Which kinda means he's in fifth grade) in Physics path. (Apparently, children choose their interests at a very early age and enter a program according to that program. So if he's into Physics, his subjects are focused in Physics only).

After the demographics and the relevant social questions, I briefed them about adapting human socio-economic structure to their current situation. And so, I asked them the most relevant question of all: "How do you feel about that?" They would react negatively or positively, nonetheless, I inject my follow-up question: "Why? How do you feel about humans." The follow up question does not sound suspiscious, I'm sure of it. It only sounds like a curiosity, something people would think is normal no matter how sensitive the topic is.

Most of the responses are negative: For example, this man said he'd like to go up and commense a killing spree, but he cannot, not until Araki Magsim gives him signal. One man said he doesn't care. He just wants to survive with his son. Although there are men like him, a total of 98.4% of Tree Demons said they would wage war against humanity if given a chance.

Focusing on the 98.4%, they seem to have a network of ideas about the war, despite of having no idea what the war will consist of. What are the weapons? What kind of military structure? What's the current progress of the plan? I've asked those questions as follow-ups, but they genuinely don't know what. I can read emotions better than when I was a human, and I can completely tell that they're not lying.

However, there's one thing they're sure of; Araki Magsim is organizing this war.

I asked them if they're a direct part of this, and they answered that Araki isn't even in the country to begin with. Whatever he's on, he's not including his poor countrymen in his war. They have no idea if King Dimito is a part of this. They're saying the King is way too busy to think about revenge. Now that the sun has been restored, he's focused on restoring the country first.

All they have is hate, but they don't have a direct connection to the alleged war.

Now, if I report this to the HQ, how are they going to take it? Knowing humans, they would declare war to the nearest Tree Demon country, with connections or none.

I cannot come back with this kind of information. They all have the possibility of being a town gossip. In addition, the information of war only includes the name of one man: Yeah, that's right, it's my stupid ex.

I cannot comeback and practically tell my superiors, "Yeah, they on it. Let's war."

After three hours of work, I sat down on the nearest bench. I'm in the fifth village I surveyed, and I'm way too far from the Asmira household. I thought of just resting first, but then a local man approached me. He has a friendly smile, dark-red robe, the trade mark grey-skin-red-veins thing, and a large man stature.

"Mr. Mayari, would you like to have breakfast with us? You look tired."

I was about to decline politely. My stomach seems to have a different plan because it literally burst into embarrasing gurgles. We both heard it, and so to burst the awkward bubble, I stood up and followed him to their dinning table.

His family consists of three young males, and another older male who's noticably smaller and paler than him. He explained that the young kid with leaves stuck on his hair is the other male's son, while the two kids are his. They decided to live together when the smaller man's health worsen. He barely survived the sun's disappearance because his type of synthesis is close to that of a female.

The pale guy reached for the large man's hand, and mouthed a loving 'thank you.' The large man squeezed the smaller man's hand and replied, 'anything for you.'

Despite their condition, they're one of the 1.6% who claimed that their children are more important. Honestly, I'd like these people to live.

I don't want any war to happen.

And now, I want to know if King Dimito wants war. If he does, I will do everything in my power to change his mind.

_____________________________

Geneve, Switzerland.
CERN
European Organization for Nuclear Research

"Dr. Arthur Maximoff!" A young nuclear scientist in white robe and a tablet approached a tall and dark foreign scientist gawking at a radiation-proof glass room. She handed the tablet to the said doctor. "The charts from Universite de Geneve came today. The genome research said they're ready for human trials."

The doctor scrolled down the entire document, and then smiled to himself.

The nuclear scientist stared at the radiation-proof glass room as well, looking at their research that is considered a 'world saver'. She thinks it's the second best discovery of CERN next to Higgs-Bosons particle. The mediterranean-looking man beside her must be a genius. She's very thankful to be his partner, to be a part of something that could change the world for the better, that could cure any disease, and that could turn all human into better species. Billions of dollars of cancer research is nothing compared to this.

Finally, the world could change.

Dr. Arthur Maximoff, or as we all know, Dr. Araki Magsim, was never a doctor of Physics. Nonetheless, for a creature with immense intellect and exposure to science, he can study one entire science discipline within six months. He entered CERN, telling them he's an import from the Philippines and is tasked to bring his ground-breaking research in European Union.

Of course all of that is a lie.

He's not working for the Philippines. He's not working for the European Union.

"Once the human trials become successful, we can mass produce this device and help a lot of people." Araki declared.

The doctor smiled, thinking about her sickly mother suffering from stage-three colon cancer. "Yes. And for free! Thank you doctor. Thank you for bringing this to us. I've never thought nuclear radiation could be controlled and be used for the good."

"Oh, Dr. Bailey. It's just like chemo-theraphy, but only focused to DNA."

"That means it's not just for cancer. It's for every disease, even aging!"

"I agree. That's why I brought this research here. I want to help humanity." He smiled again, this time, a grim one. "I want to get rid of all their suffering."

Bullshit. Of course it is. Araki is not for humanity.

He took his wallet from his pocket, opened it and stared at a police officer's stolen picture, wearing his black NBI polo shirt.

"I'm doing this for us, my love." He thinks to himself.