“Father? Father?” Sheila came running from the escape tunnel while Zuwya trailed right behind her with Eva sitting on her shoulders. The young hunter’s eyes were wide open as her head darted around the huddled group.

Enidri stepped away from Gurk and shook her head as Sheila rushed to her. “Sorry kid.”

“But you said...” Sheila said with trembling lips. She fell to her knees and hung her head low. “You said you’d bring him back!”

“I tried, Sheila,” the swordswoman said quietly. “I really did.”

“Father!” The hunter balled up a fist and slammed it into the sand. She continued as her fingers dug into the desert ground. Enidri stood over her, staring at her while a small frown stayed on her face. Dallas then stood by her with his hand over his belt.

“She’s one of them, right?” he whispered.

Enidri nodded. “Yeah.”

The enforcer pulled a pair of cuffs off his belt and stood over the crying woman. “Sorry about your loss, ma’am, but I’ve got to take you in.” Dallas placed a hand on Sheila’s upper arm and slowly brought her up to her feet. She kept her head down, sobbing to herself as the enforcer took hold of both her wrists. After placing a cuff on each hand, he pressed a button that connected them with an electric tether.

“Your vehicle’s totaled,” Enidri said as she watched Dallas lead Sheila to his carrier.

“Right. I’ve already called HQ. They’re going to send another vehicle over this way soon. But protocol says that I’ve got to detainees inside a carrier whenever possible. Since the doors still work, she’s going to have sit inside. Or at least what’s left of it.”

Sheila sniffled again with her head still hung low. Enidri activated her projection and sorted through some menus. “I’ll send that money back to you,” the swordswoman replied. “Just give me a minute.”

“Don’t... worry about it...” Sheila replied without taking her eyes off the ground. “I won’t need it anymore.”

“You sure?”

Sheila nodded. “Yeah. Won’t do me much good anymore.”

“If you say so.” With some hesitation, Enidri deactivated her screen. Dallas continued to guide Sheila back to his carrier until she picked her head back up. With soggy eyes, the hunter faced Dallas.

“Can I... say one more thing before you haul me off?” she asked.

“Don’t see why not. You’ve been cooperative.”

Sheila turned her around to face the others. They all huddled around Gurk and hugged him. The crocodile looked over his shoulder and noted the Sheila’s sorrowed face and slowly stepped away from his friends to meet with the hunter.

“Sheila,” Gurk said as he approached. She glanced down, avoiding eye contact with him.

“I-I’m sorry,” the hunter said under her breath.

“Me too.”

Itzel stepped forward, eager to protest, only for Janus to extend one arm to stop her from advancing.

“You’re not going to actually listen to what she has to say, are you?” Itzel whispered.

“She’s cuffed. Not like she’s going to be any threat to Gurk.”

With a pout, Itzel crossed her arms and tapped her foot as she continued to watch Gurk and Sheila’s conversation. The crocodile placed a hand on the young woman’s shoulder. She lifted her head up and stared into Gurk’s eyes while tears streamed down her face.

“What? You have nothing to apologize for,” Sheila said steadily.

“Your father.”

“Oh. That’s what you meant.” Sheila sniffled again. “Yeah. I’m sorry too. But... I can’t be mad at anyone but myself.” She shut her eyes tight as Dallas tugged on her arm.

“Come on, Miss Grani,” the enforcer said politely as he guided towards his totaled carrier. “I’m not supposed to let you talk to victims like that.”

With her head down again, the hunter walked with Dallas to the carrier. He opened the rear passenger seat as much as he could and Sheila complied by sitting herself inside. He then slammed the door shut before dusting his hands together. Through the cracked windows, Sheila’s silhouette sobbed into the back the front seat. Dallas ignored the captives tears as he returned to the others.

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“Is there anyone else I should know about?” the enforcer asked.

“She’s got a mother that’s just as lovely as her. The lady should be taking a nap upstairs in the estate,” Itzel said as she pointed up the hillside.

“Is she armed?”

“Nah,” Enidri said. “They had some bots securing the perimeter, but we took care of them a while back.”

“Understood.” The enforcer pulled the pistol from his holster before approaching the stairs that led to the to the top of the estate. “But you never can be too sure.”

The swordswoman nodded. “I get it.”

As Dallas headed up the stairs Zuwya approached Gurk from behind. She tugged on the sleeve of jacket, making him turn around. His eyes lit up when Eva greeted him from atop the scientist’s shoulders with a big smile and wings spread, ready for an embrace.

“Hello, Gurk,” the old woman said with a tiny grin.

“Hi,” Gurk replied.

Zuwya stood on the tips of her toes. The beaming sunlight bounced off her glasses as she stared into the crocodile’s eyes. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

“Nope.”

“I see.” The scientist stood down and adjusted the bridge of her glasses with one finger. “It has been a while, and you were just a mere hatchling when we were separated.”

“Huh?” Gurk’s eyes opened wide as he stared at the scientist. Zuwya smiled as she pressed one hand against the crocodile’s face.

“I created you, Gurk. Many, many years ago.”

Gurk’s jaws trembled as well as his hands. He slowly spread his arms apart before taking Zuwya in for a hug. “Mom?”

“Yes, Gurk! That’s one to look at it! I... am your mother.”

“No way!” Itzel ran to their side, keeping her distance to avoid interrupting the moment. “I never would have guessed you’d find your... parent... here of all places!”

“Same,” Gurk mumbled as he hugged Zuwya tighter. Despite the old woman’s shivering from being so close to Gurk’s body, she maintained a steady smile. Eva joined in as wall, spreading her wings as far apart as she could and wrapping them around their legs. “Sister?” the crocodile asked as his eyes peered down at the duckling.

“Yes. That would seem to be the case.”

Gurk ended the hug and took a few steps back. Both Janus and Itzel were next to them, smiling as well.

“What happened?” Itzel asked the scientist.

Zuwya took in a deep breath. “I’ve spent my entire life studying biology. Ever since I could remember, the living world fascinated me. So much so that there was nothing I wanted more than to create it myself.”

Itzel glared at the scientist with a raised eyebrow. “You didn’t think to do it... the old-fashioned way?”

Zuwya’s face turned somber. “If I could, I would have. But as you can see, I’m old. I worked in some of Scholburn’s most advanced labs.”

“You must have been very gifted,” Janus said.

“I was. I got to use all the latest technology available. But that came at the cost of them not being properly tested. To summarize, my extended exposure to certain auras and substances hampered my ability to reproduce.” Zuwya then looked and pressed placed her hands behind her back. “Not to mention that I neglected to study the science of... meeting others,” she whispered.

“So... you made Gurk?” Janus said.

Zuwya lifted her head back up and nodded. “That is correct. I decided to put my research to good use. Gurk was originally meant to be used for an experiment to test a new method of installing Implants into organic matter.” She squinted her eyes as she pressed her pointer finger against her thumb. “Although you looked nothing like you did now. You were nothing but a cluster of cells. They wanted me to dispose of you once the test failed. But despite the experiment not having the desired effects, you still grew. First a heart. Then a pair of eyes. Some would say I waited too long. But once I saw your little claws start to form... I couldn’t just discard you as instructed.”

“I’m glad you hesitated,” Itzel said as she patted Gurk on the shoulder. “I don’t know what I’d do if I never met big guy here.”

“Although... I’m sure you know, you weren’t the only one, Gurk. All good experiments require multiple trials and tests to prove anything.”

“So that’s why there are a few other Neo-Sapiens roaming around,” Itzel said.

“Correct. Unfortunately, my actions violated Scholburn’s ethical code. They deemed my creations dangerous, so there was a special order to destroy my work. But rather than let my creations perish, I freed them.” Zuwya lowered her head as she placed a hand on Gurk’s chest. “I’m sorry I couldn’t have stayed with you longer, Gurk. I lost everything because of my decisions and became a fugitive on the run. There was no way I could keep all of you under my watch while keeping away from law enforcement.”

“Is that why Mag had you working for him?” Janus asked.

“That is correct. The word of my work spread quickly. Mag approached me as a philanthropist; someone that wanted to see Neo-Sapiens treated with the same amount respect as the rest of the population. But it wasn’t until much later that I found out he had more sinister intentions.”

“That’s what I wanted to ask you, Miss Zuwya,” Janus said. “Why would you continue working with Mag even after you knew he was using them as targets for his hunts?”

“I had no choice. Mag is an excellent hunter. Either I make new victims for him to hunt... or he’d go out into the world and capture the original Neo-Sapiens. He already proved what he was capable of when we first met. Managed to capture two and threatened to kill them on the spot.” Even though the sun’s reflection obscured her eyes, sorrow was still present in the old woman’s face. A single tear escaped from underneath her frame that she promptly wiped away with the swipe of her finger. “So I made a compromise. It wasn’t something that I was happy to do, mind you. I deliberately hampered the latest generation of Neo-Sapia. I made them weaker, feel less pain.” She tapped the side of her head with a finger. “Made them... less sentient. Closer to organic robots than anything else.”

“That must be why the Granis were so dead set on hunting Gurk,” Itzel said with a twinge of disgust. “Your creations must not have been giving them much of a challenge.”

“That’s exactly what happened. Mag went against our agreement and captured Gurk. But I’m so glad that it ended up being his last mistake.”

“And Eva?” Gurk reached down and lifted the duckling from underneath her wings. She let out a pleasant chirp as her eyes locked with his.

“She’s special. I did not create her the same way as the others. If anything, she’s closer in design to you than her mother. Seems like the hindrances I engineered skipped a generation.”

“Nice.”

“I’m sure she has an affinity, just like you,” Zuwya said with a smile.

“Sister!” Gurk put Eva back down and rustled the feathers on her head with the palm of his hand.

“Now look at that Gurk,” Itzel said with a wide grin. “Looks like you’ve got your own family!”