"The big shot is always one step ahead of everyone else"

August 19th, a Friday, marked the third day since the return.

Jonathan drew back the curtains, allowing a sliver of fresh air, laden with the scent of rain, to enter the room. At nine in the morning, the rain had mostly subsided, leaving puddles and damp earth behind.

He'd skipped his usual morning run, opting for indoor training and making breakfast instead. His plan today was to hit the downtown pet markets to buy some live specimens for his experiments.

The mutated animal's blood samples were sealing them securely for now. Unsure of contamination levels, he aimed to run some experiments himself.

Most of the pet shops and stalls had opened by the time Jonathan arrived at the market. He headed straight for a reptile seller that also stocked feeder mice for snakes - just what he needed.

Jonathan purchased ten live mice. Anticipating that his experiments might consume many, he also bought a breeding pair, along with a breeding box.