"If I had to take a guess, this is where your friends are being held." Zuwya stood in front of a pair of massive swing doors. Enidri and Donva stood beside her, with the latter scouting out the area nervously as his head darted in all directions. "This is the Entertainment Room. The Grani family has sunk a small fortune into this place to make it as state of the art as possible."

"If our friends are their captives, then why are they being held in a place that is meant to be luxurious?" Enidri whispered back. "With this much money, they could definitely afford an underground prison or a dungeon. Maybe even a torture chamber."

"They do," Zuwya replied, making no effort to hide her disgust. "That's essentially where I work all day. And it's also where they keep the Neo-Sapia they want to use as targets for later hunts. But Evelyn likes to put on a charade of being hospitable. Knowing her, she probably planned on showing off the place along with feeding them some of her homemade meals before she ordered a few BRUTEs execute them."

Enidri eyed the door with anger. "Sounds like a real sicko if you ask me."

"Fortunately, Evelyn isn't much of a fighter. There's no way she could take on a pair of formidable Exterminators such as yourselves."

"I... uh... I'm not an Exterminator," Donva said as politely as he could. "Just a researcher."

"That affinity of yours says otherwise."

"He's on his way to becoming one," Enidri said. "He just doesn't know it yet."

"Can we just focus on rescuing everyone?" Donva shot back at the swordswoman. "Instead of talking about my sudden change in careers?"

"He's right. I already have a plan in mind," Zuwya said as she walked in front of the door. "Evelyn has been worried about this Hunt all year. This is the very first one her daughter is going to participate in ever since she turned the proper age."

"Aww, how sweet," Enidri scoffed.

"The girl is a little monster. Just like the rest of her family. But that's beside the point. If I go in, Evelyn will listen to whatever I say if I mention how her daughter could be in danger. Since I'm the one most familiar with the targets of the Hunt, shouldn't take much convincing to tell her that the rest of the Granis are in danger."

"And then what?" Donva asked.

"I could lead her out here. Perhaps tell her that the information is confidential. And that's when you two do what you do best."

Enidri punched the open palm of her hand and grinned. "I like the sound of that!"

"You want to focus on dispatching her?" Donva whispered. "I'm not sure if I'm comfortable bringing harm to an older woman."

"You don't think she's deserves it?"

Donva became flushed with embarrassment as he scratched the back of his neck. "I just wasn't raised that way, sis."

The swordswoman rolled her only eye. “You don’t have to actually hurt her. Just incapacitate the crazy woman.”

“What if she’s got guards?”

"Leave them to me. The Granis must have skimped on their security budget. The BRUTEs we’ve taken out so far must have been older models seeing as how they’re all total pushovers. Just leave me to take care of the armed guards. You make sure Evelyn doesn’t get away. How does that sound?"

"I can work with that."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"And you," Enidri turned towards Zuwya and pointed towards her. "Once you get the housewife out of there, book it. I don't want you getting hit in the crossfire."

"I got it." The scientist nodded her head and adjusted her glasses so they covered her eyes. "You two can keep hiding. I'll be going in now to lure her out."

With the blade extinguished, Enidri pressed her back against the wall. She gave the older woman a thumbs up. Zuwya then opened the door, disappearing into the entertainment room.

****

All three pairs of eyes turned around to face the room's entrance. Evelyn's worried face turned to surprise upon seeing the scientist stand in front of the doors with her head down and arms behind her back. Janus and Itzel angled their heads as best as they could to get the best glimpse possible from the new visitor.

"I have something very important to discuss with you, Misses Grani," Zuwya said a low voice. "It is a private affair."

"Now? Of all times? Are you sure about this Zuwya?" Evelyn looked back at the projection and saw Sheila still trying to fix the game on her gun as Mag marched through the swamp with heavy footsteps. "You know how long we've been preparing for this!"

"It has to do with the targets," Zuwya replied.

"Ah, you haven't been watching the Broadcast?" Evelyn replied, a coy smile growing across her face.

"I haven't been able to. Mag's guards have kept me locked down in my lab for the past few days.”

Evelyn placed one hand over her mouth and giggled. "Oh, of course. How could I forget about that part?" Zuwya remained silent, only letting her lip quiver as she remained in the same motionless pose as before. "I just couldn't help but notice that you said 'targets.' As in, plural. If you had kept up to date with the Hunt, then you'd know that there is only one that's still alive."

"What?" Zuwya shouted, snapping out of stoic demeanor and into a state of shock. "One has been killed? Which one?"

"The one you cultivated, of course."

"Suze?" The scientist's cheeks turned red. "What happened?

"Lars got to her. Took her out with one slash. She bled to death in the middle of the Fallen Canopy. Quite underwhelming if you ask me."

Zuwya's entire body began to shake. Her hands that were once behind her back were now clenched tight and at her sides as she trembled. Janus and Itzel stared on in silence while Evelyn could barely hold back her giggling.

"Oh, and there is something else that I forgot to mention. Seems that one of your younger specimens found her way inside with her mother. I know Mag won't be happy about losing another target long before her proper time."

"You're telling me..." the scientist replied as her balance failed her. Her right leg gave out, making her topple over. She fell onto her arm, requiring the wall to prop her up. "Chup is dead too?"

"Not yet. Seems as though Gurk has taken her in. Poor fellow doesn't seem to know what he's going up against. All those dangerous threats in the Eco-Dome will devour that small child in a single bite. If only he knew what was really in store, he would have ditched her the moment he saw her. For all we know that mother duck might even still be alive right now."

"How could you?" Itzel shouted. "She never should have been in there in the first place because of this sick game! None of this should be happening right now!"

Evelyn playfully tapped her chin before looking back at the monitor. "I suppose she would be a goner regardless of if Gurk finding her. But that's beside the point. All that's left is to watch the rest of the event unfold."

Janus remained fixated on the older woman by the entrance. She remained perched against the wall, her face a deep crimson as her breathing increased. She put one hand over chest while the other used the wall as leverage to set her upright. "I... I came here. To tell you... something important..." Zuwya muttered. Evelyn spun around again.

"It better be important."

With her remaining strength, Zuwya regained the little composure she had left. After a few deep breaths, she looked at Evelyn head on. "It is. Very important. I think it would be best for you to know and possibly relay it over to Mag. I know cheating isn't his style, but the information I have could mean the difference between life and death."

"What? You just now decide to bring this up?" Evelyn's tone took a drastic tone. Gone were her playful expressions and in their place was only a look of pure dread. She reached over and picked up the radio.

"I-I suggest we discuss this information... in private." Zuwya raised her head, looking between the two restrained captives before making eye contact with Evelyn. Embarrassed by the scene, Evelyn released the button to the radio and met with the scientist in front of the room's entrance.

"I swear… if this is something inconsequential!" she bemoaned with an exasperated whisper. "You know how my husband gets when I don't watch his Hunts!"

"If you want him to survive, I suggest you let me tell this bit of info in private. This is the kind of intel that you don't want anyone else knowing about."

"Fine! But let's make it quick! I have a feeling that this Hunt is going to end very soon, and I don't want to miss any moment of it!"

"I'm sure you won't have to worry about that, Misses Grani," Zuwya replied coldly. "This won't take long at all."