"Mr. Nixon, wait here," ordered Fonda when the big man intended to follow Angelina, who had stepped inside first.

The artificial wall closed after the two women were in the room. White. Again, Angelina got a clean impression of the surroundings.

The surveillance cameras right on the ceiling of the entrance equipped the place, which looked like a giant semicircle without windows. Even so, Angelina could feel the cold air from the central air conditioner while she examined various medicines that filled two glass cabinets: ointments, bandages, and scalpels. Weird, the room is similar to an examination room, even a surgical room, but without the bed for the patient.

However, Angelina was more interested in knowing about him as she observed the iron bars on her left.

The low roar coming from inside the cage piqued her curiosity. A tiger is wounded.

Her eyes lingered on the cage and found the animal curled up on the floor, near the bars, where Fonda was at that time.

"Is the tiger seriously injured?" asked Angelina in a worried tone. The roar was weak and slow. Did he lose a fight with other tigers?

"See for yourself." Fonda held back laughter. For some reason, Angelina felt that her partner mocked her.

Angelina turned sour. She almost forgot about her coworker's irritating personality. "I am sorry, Doctor Fonda. According to safety standards, we need at least four people to handle an injured tiger, and having Mr. Nixon would be helpful."

"This animal is tamed." Fonda grinned. She squatted down and slid her left hand between the bars, stroking the distinctive striped back Sumatran tiger. "He is also in a wounded state, poor thing…"

Angelina caught her breath in shock. Touching a conscious wild animal, even if injured, is perilous. "W-what?! Not dangerous? H—he could attack you."

Fonda dismissed the concerns with a snort. However, she retracted her hand before turning to Angelina, who watched her. "I have stitched it up using the sliding tissue flaps method. Your job is to check it out. If you are scared, you can use a blowpipe. It is in the same cabinet as the bandages."

Angelina hesitated even to move. There were too many oddities in this place. A hospital with a secret zoo underground? And, she had to examine a tiger with a colleague whose sanity she was beginning to doubt? Seriously.

However, the weak roar made her focus on her duty. "What is the emergency status?"

"Major," Fonda replied. "The stitches on his back need to be checked. He may soon die of infection because the doctor in charge was too casual about his condition."

Angelina gasped. It was a sin for doctors, including veterinarians, to neglect a patient. The woman ran to the closet to grab the supplies she needed.

"You can find the anesthetic blowgun on the left side." Fonda provided the information with no intention of moving from her spot. Instead, she looked delighted as Angelina seemed frantic.

Angelina ignored the mockery-like tone. She hurried over to Fonda and crouched next to her. Despite the dim lighting, she could see ten centimeters of stitches on the skin. Fonda seemed to have shaved the fur around the wound area.

Compassion took hold of her heart. It must have hurt like hell.

"What is his name?" Angelina asked. She regretted lingering too long while looking around. The beast did need help.

"Ramaik."

Angelina leaned, then whispered, "Hello, Ramaik. My name is Doctor Angelina. Nice to meet you."

The tiger turned to change position with its head facing Angelina. Their gazes met before her eyes widened as the face of an Asian man in his thirties caught her eye.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

*****

Angelina loves watching movies, especially fantasy movies about vampires, werewolves, or mutant humans. However, seeing one of those characters exist in real life made her legs shake with fear.

The tiger man watched Angelina with his yellow eyes. Four fangs—two from the upper and others from the below—peeked out between his parted lips.

Angelina held her breath in shock as her gaze traced the sick, lying-down figure. Ramaik's hands were similar to the two front legs of a tiger. However, his light brown chest belonged to a human.

Angelina continued to examine her patient. She found the tiger man wearing dark blue jeans, making her conclude that the figure in the cage, who seemed to be having a little trouble breathing, had intelligence and deserved to be treated like a human.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Angelina stiffened as Fonda whispered in her ear. "He is the first Inyiak created by Genma Corporation."

"Inyiak?" Angelina suddenly remembered the image of an old Malay grandmother. However, the being, who had the nickname Granny for Malay people, was not only a male but also far from old.

Fonda grinned. "A tiger man from Kerinci, Jambi, Indonesia."

Ramaik let out a low roar, not a threat, but a moan of pain. Instead, Fonda rubbed his hand. "Genma Corporation tried to combine human and tiger cells but always failed, so they decided to follow the mythology."

Angelina held her breath as Fonda stroked Ramaik's shoulder while continuing her speech. "They sought out a family rumored to be descendants of the Inyiak and took Ramaik."

"You mean, kidnapped him?" Angelina paled. She seemed to know what happened next. Genma Hospital was where crazy people conducted illegal experiments that could harm humans!

Angelina trembled as Fonda chuckled and rubbed his gaunt cheeks. "Maybe. I heard they did it to some other kids, but he was the only survivor."

I need to get out of here! Angelina sensed danger. She stood and said, "Sorry, I resign."

Angelina glanced at the dying half-beast man before turning around and rushing towards the door. She had to escape first. After that, she will think about the fate of that poor man.

"Doctor Angelina, what do you think Genma Corporation will do to its employees who terminate contracts on a whim?"

The question caused Angelina to halt her step. Her heart skipped a beat as her colleague rose and walked over to her.

"Don't you think it's strange that a veterinarian, who is experienced and has worked in the same place for many years, died in a crocodile cage?"

"...found pieces of his body in the crocodile cage. The police thought if this veterinarian had an accident while conducting an animal inspection alone ....."

Angelina remembered the scene she had watched on the television channel.

"Drh. Fadlullah Jamaluddin, M.Kes. Do you recognize him?"

Fonda's whisper made Angeline turn to stare back at her interlocutor, who was now leaning in at the wall.

"Such a smart man. He even recommended one of his best students to us." Fonda's lips twisted into a grin. "Too bad he made a wrong move and fell there."

"Y—you're crazy," Angelina stammered. That crazy woman had killed her professor. She had to get out of here alive!

Fonda, however, appeared unfazed as she chuckled while covering her mouth with her right fist.

"Doctor Angelina, what do you think is more terrible than death?"

Angelina looked at Fonda with a flash of confusion in her eyes even though not a single word came out of her lips, while her hands, which were still trembling, were ice-cold.

Scare!

She was scared!

They were almost the same height, but with the help of the stilettos, Angelina had to raise her head to meet their gaze.

"...is seeing the person you love die..."

Paul!

"It seemed that Fonda could read what Angelina was thinking because that woman smiled wider before whispering, 'We have to be very careful. Traffic accidents have been happening a lot lately ...."

Angelina paused her breath for a second due to shock. If something happened to Paul, then she would be back alone. She had to prevent that from happening!

"What do you want?" Angelina hissed. Her eyes felt hot as her body continued to tremble with fear. However, she forced herself to stare back at Fonda.

"Do your job," Fonda replied as she leaned back. She turned to the tiger man. The creature still lay on the floor, roaring in pain. "He is an important asset to Genma. Take good care of the beast. Your welfare will improve."

"H—he's not an animal!" Rage took hold of Angelina as well. "You should not treat him like this!"

However, Fonda only shrugged, not caring. "Whatever he is, his life will end soon if the doctor in charge just stands here like a fool, right?"

Angelina almost slapped that woman, but the weak roar made her realize the situation. She forced herself to swallow the lump of anger she felt before rushing back towards the bars where Ramaik was locked up.