Chapter 62 - Arce And Jimena
"Mr. Manny, thank you for saving us," Jimena announced inside the car.
Emma waves his hand. "Don\'t mention. Since we\'re acquaintances by chance. This is the least I can do for you."
"You save our life out there. We can\'t repay the debt of gratitude. Thank you." Arce added.
"We\'ve arrived," Emma announced, diverting the attention of the twins.
>>These twins are quite hilarious. They don\'t even understand what kind of person that saves them. Ha. Ha. I can\'t wait to see how you rip them off.
\'Don\'t turn me into a bad person. They look quite pitiful. I won\'t demand appreciation from them. Saving them is an act of selflessness.\'
>>Really…?
…
Seating around a table in Emma\'s room. The three of them looked at each other. Or rather, Emma looked at the twins. It\'s been an hour since they returned to the hotel. Now, it was time to tell him what was going on and why they had been chased.
"Hmm, Hmm," Arce cleared his throat. He looked at Jimena before turning to Emma. "Both me and my twins are Gene scientists. We inherit this work from our parents. So we follow their footstep"
Arce continued "We are from the Alpha Continent from the City of Edos. Our parents are part of the team that first developed the first gene optimization serum. When they develop the gene optimization serum. It made everyone happy. Our parents and their co-colleague did a celebration for breakthrough in gene formation. I and my sister were there. We saw the joy in our parents\' eyes. It\'s been their long life dream to improve human genes and they successfully did it…"
"Is the \'Dew Flower\' part of the gene optimization serum." Emma asked with his brow raised. \'if it is… How the hell did Vinz get his hand on it…\'
Jimena caressed his brother\'s hand, taking a deep breath. "Yes. But it is one of the failed products. It had a huge side effect on humans. So, our parents considered it a failure. So has my brother said. Our parents realized their lifelong dream and are thinking of a better future ahead. Our parents and their colleagues plan on creating a company from it ...." Sighed.
The atmosphere around the three became heavy. The twins could not look at Emma\'s face. At the corner of their eyes there is a hint of tears. Seeing the situation, Emma looked at the two and sighed silently. \'I guess there is a painful story. But if I want to accept them… I must understand what I\'m up against.\'
After a couple of silent moments, the twins had gotten their emotions under control. Arce looked at Emma and put on a forced smile. "Sorry for seeing that. Anytime we remember that part of our life made us like that…." He wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes. "Three days after the breakthrough on the gene optimization serum. Men in black suits came to our house. This took us by surprise. But before we knew it, they took our parents away…"
"We waited for their return but it turned futile. My brother and I became restless. We did everything to find their whereabouts. But everything ends abruptly. The authorities found nothing. But we realized that some of our parents\' friends that partake in gene optimization serum were missing. Then, we realized that things are not as simple as they look…" Jimena added.
She drank water and continued. "Since we can\'t find our parents... We continued our study. But now, we pour our frustrated heart into our study. We take various gene classes. We graduated at the top of our class. 5 years of extreme research. We made a breakthrough in one of the drawbacks of gene optimization serums that our parents created. We shortened the cooling time by half…."
"However, we don\'t know how other people knew about our breakthrough. Also, since we don\'t want to end up like our parents. We have many backup plans. So, when we discover that our secret is no longer secured. We move, using one of our escape plans. While on the run, that is when we discover how deep the water is. Our enemy had its web everywhere. Our life became miserable. We were restricted from using origin bracelets. Our phones are monitored…" Arce relaxes his back on the chair. The pain on his face had lessened.
"Under desperation. We hid in one of our parents\' old labs. Fortunately or not. We discovered our parents had left an encoded message on their old computer. Jimena discovered this by luck. After decrypting the message. We found our parents and their colleague still but one of their colleagues sold them out to a powerful organization. Our parents told us to run from Alpha Continent and they even advised us to come to the Thango continent…"
"Let me take it from here…" Jimena smiled.
Seeing this, Arce nodded, smiling.
"We wondered why we couldn\'t stay at Beta Continent. But when we finish reading the message, We discover that the web of the organization is also in Beta Continent. So, only in Thango did we have a chance to survive. Also, our parents told us the location where they save their research backup… So with our parent research papers. We understood the gene optimization serum much better. Because we require money. We decided to make a gene serum with 70 – 80% side effects. We did this so that our potential buyers could depend on us for the cooldown serum. After a week, we found a buyer but the money we received wasn\'t enough for us to continue our research in Thango. So, we decided to wait another week. 2 days after we sold the first serum. We realized we have been discovered. At once, using the dark tunnel, paying exorbitant money. We manage to escape from Alpha."
"That really something… I admire your courage and bravery. But you\'ve yet to tell me why you\'re in that situation? "
"When we arrived at Thango. We buy some information. Then we discover that Reaper City is the only city in Thango that could house our research and we can live safely. We get the contact of one of the contacts of the underworld lords. Our meeting on the train. We are going to meet our contact and to sell him serum. But we don\'t realize how deadly Thango is compared to Alpha. Our ignorance led to that situation. Our contact didn\'t bat an eye to capture and tortured us. He wanted the secret of the serum. Or more or less. He wanted to hold us hostage for whoever sent us." Arce added.
"So, when we have the chance. I broke a sleeping serum that I hid in my shoe. That\'s how we are able to escape..." Arce concluded, exhaling.
…
After hearing the full story of the twins, Emma became quiet, lost in thought. \'Many shits is happening to people everywhere. Even the strongest continent couldn\'t hide their dirty deeds. However, that is none of my business for now…. So, how does this benefit me?\'
"We don\'t know what you do or who you work for. But we would like to work for you. We have nothing left. And you saved our lives twice. In appreciation, we give our life to you and like our work. You can use our work as you please… as long we research and live a peaceful life." Jimena announced.
Emma raised his brow not expecting them to say such. He looked at the twins, narrowing his eyes. "Why."
"We were naïve previously and don\'t understand the way the world operates. But we\'ve learned the hard way. Without power and money. You\'re as good as disposable goods. We\'ve nothing.." Arce answered.
"But you can make the gene optimization serum and make a huge fortune," Emma added.
Ha. Ha.
Jimena laughed bitterly. "That\'s what we thought before. But we realized if a powerful group wants our life and work, like our parents. Then we have no choice but to surrender. Besides, we realized that everyone is selfish and greedy. They won\'t allow us to amaze a fortune before they take us down."
"What if I treat you like your parents? Restricting your movement and using it for my selfish interest."
Smiles blossom on Jimena\'s face. "With all the questions you are asking. I know you\'re a good person. I don\'t say you don\'t have your selfish interest. Because that\'s normal. You don\'t force us. We surrendered to work for you, so we have nothing to complain about. Besides, what powerful organization won\'t do the same thing to us. We are just lab rats. That\'s the truth."
Emma nodded and kept quiet.
>>What are you thinking….?
\'How to benefit from this.\'
>>Simple… Just employ them.
\'I know… But I can\'t.\'
>>Why…
\'Betrayal. I don\'t know them and I don\'t trust them. I only listen to their side story. Who knows how true it is…\'
>>True…
>>Are you going to let them go because of that…?
\'I don\'t know. But if I could find something that could bind them to me not to betray me. Then, I will readily accept them.\'
>>…That slavery. You are trying to control them like your puppet.
\'I\'m not. Though I won\'t hesitate to do it if the conditions warrant it. I\'ve been a victim of betrayal. And I won\'t allow it to happen to me the second time.\'
>>…Speechless.