Grey: Monsters

Ryuma was seated in a square-shaped room, a table and chair in front of him, and by his side was a tinted window. A handcuff made with materials used to capture Nephilims was placed on him; no matter how many times he tried, he would never break out of it or transform.

The metal door opened, and Leonard walked into the room empty-handed. He locked eyes with Ryuma's stoic gaze before proceeding to the chair in front of him.

Both of them remained quiet, looking at each other for some time before Ryuma broke the silence.

"How is she?"

He asked, his pitch barely high.

Leonard took his time before answering.

"There's no point in lying to you, so I'll be blunt. There's no cure. The doctors have been looking into her for the past few days now, but there was nothing they could find. The sickness is unknown, and the chemical that caused it too. But don't worry, both Saiya and Aya have been put in a vegetative state so they can't feel the pain."

"I wonder if you are telling all this to make me feel relieved. If that's your plan, then it isn't working."

"Well, that's not my plan. Look at this…"

Leonard pressed on his wrist, and then a screen popped up, revealing the event of the examination.

It showed Ryuma dashing out from the smoke screen with incredible speed and launching at the Nephilim.

"That's quite some speed coming from someone whose suit could only draw out one percent of his physical capability."

Ryuma moved his gaze from the screen to Leonard's face.

"For how long did you know?"

He asked.

"From the very first day I saw you," Leonard answered and then continued, "You will be moved to the United States in a few hours. There your verdict will be served, either you are sentenced to death or… you will be used for experiment purposes–"

"I am not going anywhere until Saiya wakes up."

Ryuma cut in.

"I'm sorry, but it's not you that decides what happens from here on out."

Leonard stood up to leave, but Ryuma stopped him.

"Promise me… promise me that Saiya will be okay."

"Sorry, I can't guarantee that."

Leonard stepped out of the room, leaving Ryuma alone.

Ryuma raised his head up and tilted it sideways, looking at the tinted window. He could sense some people there. He tried to use his ears, but he couldn't hear anything that was happening beyond this room, and that's how it had been since he came to Shibuya Base.

The only speculation was that the base was using a kind of electromagnetic field to hinder his hearing ability.

But that was the least of Ryuma's problems right now, as all he could think about was Saiya.

---

Leonard walked into a room filled with medical equipment and machines. In front of him were two beds occupied by Saiya and Aya, who were sound asleep.

Both of them shared the same visible effects from having made contact with the minix gas: reddish skin with pores all over their body.

The minix gas was Wolot's last plan to wipe out everybody in Hokkaido after he had retrieved Ryuma. The gas was made by heating up the decayed carcass of Nephilims, thus making it very deadly as not only does it burn the skin upon contact, it goes on to burn the lungs if inhaled. It was truly the final blow.

"What's their status?"

He asked the doctor who stood beside him.

"Nothing has changed, Captain, but if their condition continues, it will prove to be very deadly."

Leonard's interest was piqued.

"Explain."

"Our recent data shows that the N-cells–"

"N-cells?"

"That's what we call it. N stands for Nephilim."

"Okay, you can continue."

"The N-cells are multiplying at a very fast rate and are attacking all the white blood cells."

"Just like HIV?"

"Yes, like HIV, but in this case, more deadly. We tried administering HIV treatment, but all our efforts proved futile. Captain, if nothing is done as fast as possible, I'm afraid…"

The doctor didn't continue. He knew Leonard was well aware of what he was talking about.

Leonard sighed and moved his gaze to the Ko siblings, both fast asleep on a chair at the side of the room.

"How long have they been here?" Leonard asked.

"They stayed through the night. They said they are friends to the two victims."

"Give them something to eat and make them go back to their dorms."

"Roger, Captain."

Leonard left the room.

---

"This is truly unforeseen: a scenario where Nephilims are capable of mimicking humans—or should I say humans are capable of mimicking Nephilims."

A voice spoke. It was the only holographic display in the room. It was the Head Captain.

All gathered in the room were the captains having their usual meeting, but today's meeting was heading toward a huge step the Japan Rangers were going to take, one that would open a new outlook on how humans perceive the world they live in.

"Has the Nephilim been able to say anything?" the Head Chief asked.

"He hasn't said anything to me," Soyo answered.

"Me too, man," Kazushi added.

Masaiko shrugged and spoke.

"I think the only person it speaks to is Captain Leonard. So tell us, Captain Leonard, what valuable information have you gotten from it, and why are you against torturing it?"

Leonard glanced his cold gaze at Masaiko. He jolted back a little upon meeting Leonard's eyes, then immediately moved his gaze.

Leonard straightened up in his chair.

"Head Chief, I'd like to start off with this: Ryuma is not a Nephilim. He is a human like us–"

"Then can you explain why he's able to transform into those monsters?"

Masaiko interrupted.

"Then explain why I'm able to do this."

Leonard crushed a part of the metal table with ease. He turned, looking at the Head Chief.

"He will go to the United States as planned. However!! Ryuma demands that Lieutenant Saiya must be treated before he complies with any verdict placed on him."

"That monster??"

"Be calm, Captain Masaiko."

The Head Chief stepped in before Masaiko could speak further.

"There's no cure to the sickness. We don't even know the components of the gas that caused it, so how do we make a cure? Captain Leonard, I want you to lie to him…"

Leonard spun a little, taken aback from a rare angle.

"Lie to him, telling him that Lieutenant Saiya has recovered. Then he needs to serve his verdict. That's the most important thing. Then, if he doesn't comply… we will have to do it by force."

"Understood, sir," Leonard said after a moment of silence