4 A Failed Experiment

"The 25th Experiment stopped at 80 percent two minutes ago. We almost succeeded but it seems like our subject can't accept it in large quantities. For the 25th time the experiment has repeated the exact same outcome over and over again. We still failed to obtain the results of the kind we hoped for."

Eight covered her nose with her own handkerchief as she looked down at the screen. Her face fell when she saw the results displayed on a separate monitor.

"You're right but looking on the bright side, there is an improvement in the numbers, isn't there? Before this, we could barely reach half of the percentage."

She turned to look at the guy with glasses, wearing a coat like a professor.

He smiled slightly before taking a step towards the computer, standing next to her.

"But I guess, this will be the last time we are doing the experiment after all those failures. Are you willing to let go of everything you have poured yourself into?" He added.

Eight bit her lower lip and looked down, not knowing what to say.

Nine had a point. This experiment was important to her. For the past few years, she had done all that she could just to obtain new research. It had been going well once in the past and that was the main reason why she would not give up. But now, all those years have gone down the drain because of this many failures. She could no longer continue with it.

"As you can see, the machine got very damaged due to the failure. The experiment has lost its purpose. Looks like I had no choice but to stop experimenting. Is that alright..."

Eight turned around, looking at a few people who were also standing at the back of the laboratory room, watching the experiment from the beginning while hiding in the dark. Yet her gaze was more focusing on the man sitting on the wheelchair in the middle.

"...One?"

The man who was being called as One, smiled softly. "All of these belong to you, in the first place. It would be wise if you are the one who decides whether or not we should continue. If stopping this project was your final decision then I will respect it."

"Yes, you are right. Thank you, One."

"Now, what shall we do with the subject?" Nine raised his eyebrows at her questioningly.

"For now, we should honor the dead by performing some last rites. It's only fitting that we pay our respects to the ones who passed away. We can start burying his corpse in three days."

Nine gave her a nod before turning to the two PAD who were already standing in front of the door, waiting for the instruction given by their superior. "Both of you can take him to Room 101 now."

"Yes, Professor." With that, they pushed the bed stretcher towards the door after covering the corpse with a white sheet.

After they left the room, Nine faced the group. "I think it's best that we have a short meeting. All of us have something important to discuss and I'm sure that everyone knows what I'm talking about."

"Of course. What kind of discussion could be that important if it's not regarding one of our members who will be taken to the court in two days' evening? That boy always gets in trouble." A woman wearing a pink pantsuit with a long navy half-up hairstyle, shaking her head lightly.

"He's indeed a troublemaker but we can't deny the fact that he has a very high intelligence in designing those risky devices. He's not 'The Atom Creator' for nothing. In short, he is a genius but he's also very reckless when he is so into his own 'toys'."

<'Toys' = Bombs>

Continued the man leaning on the wall while crossing both arms in front of his chest, lowering his head. He had jet black hair and a pair of gray eyes, looking at the floor instead of the people in the room.

"It would be such a waste to lose someone as skilled as him. Moreover, he's the one who caught those criminals from the Rast Tunnel case. And I wonder if..." Another man in his purple blazer with ginger mullet hair, paused when he could feel something rubbing on his ankle.

When he looked down, his heart throbbed before picking up the small creature.

"Aww! What do we have here? Looks like our adorable Wing knew that we were talking about his master. Do yew mish him~ Yesh~?" He began talking with the kitten named Wing, no longer focusing on the discussion.

<Translations: Do you miss him~>

This small distraction caused the crossed arms man to click his tongue in annoyance. "How did that hideous thing even get in here? Take it away before I throw it out myself."

"Watch your mouth Sevie! You're going to hurt our little Wing! How dare you call the most adorable being hideous? You really have no charm at all!"

"It's not like that thing could understand what I'm talking about, Five." He turned his head away from the poor kitten.

Until this day, no one knows why Seven despised that animal so much. It wasn't that Wing was ugly. The kitten was actually quite cute with its soft black fur although it was blind one side.

"Alright, enough both of you. How come our discussion got out of topic? Wait, I just realized we have another one missing person." Nine turned to the navy-haired lady. "Six, do you know where Four might be?"

Six shrugged. "He must be sleeping right now in the midst of what we are doing. You know that's what he usually did every time he went back from doing a mission. Anyways, he probably won't be joining the rescuing party."

Eight suddenly raised one arm. "I don't think I could join either. I need to do some last check up on the experiment machine."

Six patted the short golden haired girl's shoulder. "Don't overwork yourself too much, Eight. There are plenty of PAD in your lab who can help you do that."

Eight smiled. "Thanks but it's okay. I will manage just fine without them since it would be easier to do it alone."

Five shook his head lightly before placing the cat on one of the tables, gently petting it. "There. You can have Wing as your companion for the time being. Besides, you are one of the people who Ten entrusted to take care of Wing while he is not here."

"Don't forget about me. I also need some work done on the Subject." Nine pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose before turning towards One.

"Now that almost everyone is present, shall we begin our planning in the meeting room, One? Since there's one person who's very sensitive to smell if we continue to talk here."

A hand punched him on the shoulder which made him groan in pain. He could feel the death glare coming from Eight and he just winked at her in return.

One nodded and smiled. "All of you can start the meeting without me. I need to report the result of this project to the Master. So, please proceed as usual."

Done with the instruction, the man's wheelchair being pushed by one of his PAD through the door, followed by others.

"Eight, don't forget to ask your PAD to clean the lab. You might be thrown up again. You don't want to burden your PAD with more work, do you?" Nine glanced at the girl

"Yes, mother. I understand. I will make sure to remind my PAD to clean the room thoroughly before we finish with the meeting." Eight answered him sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"What did you just call me?"

"You heard me, mo-ther Nine."

Five in the back, already laughing out loud. "Now that I think about it, you are literally acting like a mother figure with the youngest, Nine."

"Come on! I'm not that old! I'm still twenty-three! And I'm a freaking man!"

The group became chaotic because of these three arguing meanwhile the rest of them just kept quiet. They are used to this anyway, so they just continue walking.

Whereas Two was the last person to step out from the lab, taking one last look at Eight's machine.

The high technology machine took three full years to create. The process involved a lot of complex calculations, some dangerous procedures and some of the most difficult experiments which resulted in multiple deaths. And yet, despite all of that, it was still a failure. Even though Eight knew she wasn't responsible for any of it since these experiments were ordered by the higher-ups, the guilt weighed heavily upon her mind.

However, Two have different thoughts. After watching the whole ordeal, she came to two theoretical conclusions.

First theory is that the experiment was almost successful, in fact, it might have worked by looking at the percentages which almost reach hundred digits in comparison to previous experiments. The reason Eight stopped the project is because she believes the machine is still not working. But what Two believe is the real problem lies elsewhere.

Her eyes focused on one of the wires that got damaged after the experiment, making her frown slightly.

That wire is not something a normal human could break or even touch with a bare skin. It is made from some sort of metal that has a high density and high resistance against all types of attacks. A slight contact, it could cause severe electrical shock. And that's exactly the reason why Eight yelled at Nine to not touch the wire with his bare hands, instead of using safety gloves.

"That's not possible..."

Even if her assumption might be wrong, Two knew that her other theory was not totally off base. The second theory about their last subject was the causes behind the failed experiments.