The Death of a Villain

Gwen and Lily's break didn't last long.

Professor M

I'm sorry to wake you all, but this is important.

Gwen

Ugh... What is it, Professor?

Lily

I barely got any sleep... *Yawn*

Professor M

Mr. Henry found Director Stapleton.

Gwen

Woah?!

The shock would've caused Gwen to fall off her bed, had she been lying on one.

Though she hadn't been, the shock did jolt her awake, and she hastily picked up her weapon.

Lily

What about Rachel?

Professor M

We'll have to go see for ourselves.

The three arrived at where Henry was waiting for them.

There was a suspicious building in the middle of a deserted wasteland.

Henry

You're here. I believe this is Director Stapleton's hideout.

Gwen

It seems like it. The footprints lead here, and there are fairly recent traces of human activity.

Henry nodded and gestured to the automatons.

Henry

Please wait for a moment. I will have an automaton open the door.

The three nervously stared at the door.

Henry's automaton opened the door with great force, almost tearing it from its hinges.

The door burst open with a racket, but all that could be seen on the other side were stairs leading downstairs.

Henry

Another underground storage room? He must love stuffy, suspicious spaces.

Professor M

Well, they are quite suitable for scheming.

Gwen

We have to save Rachel.

Lily and Henry nodded in agreement.

Henry

Let's go. I'll have my automatons lead the way, since the lights don't seem to be working properly.

Henry was just about to walk down the stairs when Gwen called out to him.

Gwen

Hey, Mr. Henry. No matter what happens after all this... I won't just leave you alone.

Henry looked confused for a moment but soon made a bittersweet smile.

Henry

...Thank you. All of you.

Gwen gave a brief laugh.

Gwen

Well, actually, I'm the only official investigator here, since Lily's an assistant and the Professor is an advisor.

Henry

I see. My mistake.

Gwen

*Sigh* Seriously. It's against my moral code to let someone who tries to do the right thing face harm.

Henry

It's all the more reason to do the right thing.

Gwen

I'll tell them that you were braver than he ever was!

Henry

Haha. I'm just trying to save my family rather than chase that kind of honor. But I appreciate it nonetheless.

Lily

Of course. We know, Mr. Henry.

Henry

Let's head inside, then.

In the dark basement storage room...

The clunking of the automatons and the footsteps of Gwen and the others were the only sounds echoing inside.

But there was something distinctly different from Jack's secret lab.

Lily

...It's the smell of magic reagents. And the whole place reeks of it.

Gwen

I doubt this place was only built a year or two ago.

Gwen walked around with caution until she found something strange. She got down on one knee and brushed the floor.

Gwen

Automaton parts? Do these belong to Director Stapleton's automatons?

Lily

I don't think so. Look how rusted they are. They've been here for a long time.

Gwen

And what's this purple stain?

Gwen sniffed the purple blotch on the automaton parts and grimaced.

Gwen

Ew. It smells awful.

Lily

The parts themselves are suspicious too. They weren't cut or broken. They were torn...

Gwen packed an automaton part with a disturbed expression.

Gwen

We'll take a closer look at them later. We need to focus on finding Rachel first.

They moved deeper into the building at Gwen's urging.

The stench grew stronger as they proceeded, becoming pungent enough to cause a headache.

And the remains of automatons, which the Professor surmised were the result of fierce combat, increased as well.

Everyone kept quiet while navigating through the unsettling atmosphere, when suddenly, a desperate scream pierced the silence.

GRAAAAAAAAAH!!!

Gwen

Kgh!

Lily

Ngh!

It was the same sound that they had heard coming from Jack's lab.

But this time, it was much more biting and dreadful.

Gwen and Lily blocked their ears while Henry completely froze in shock.

Gwen

Mr. Henry! Are you okay?

Henry

Y-yes...

Henry started shaking with a blank expression on his face.

It was as if he couldn't believe the sound he had just heard.

His twitching eyes were visible even in the dark.

Gwen

Pull yourself together! Your automatons are the only things that can guide us through this darkness!

Henry

R-right. Of course. Here, this way...

Henry gave another order to the automatons.

Lily looked concerned.

Lily

The cry has become more animal-like since the last time we heard it...

Gwen

I have a bad feeling about this! Let's hurry!

Gwen and Lily were about to move forward when they felt something move in the dark.

Gwen

Duck, Mr. Henry!

Gwen tackled Henry without a second thought.

Henry

Agh!

Caught completely off guard, Henry fell to the floor with a thud.

Henry

What was that for?!

Henry was about to lose his temper when something heavy and massive whizzed above the two, where he'd been standing just a moment ago.

A giant automaton holding a huge hammer walked out from the dark with heavy stomping footsteps.

Professor M

My, it's been a while since I last saw one of these. The magnum opus of Faren's workshops—where creators strive to maximize the potential of each and every material.

Gwen

There's no time to admire the automaton!

Henry slowly lifted himself up while rubbing his back.

Henry

Yes, that's correct.

Henry nodded and ran further in.

The massive automaton turned with its equally massive hammer to block Henry's way.

Gwen took advantage of the brief moment and shoved a taser in the automaton's joints.

*Pzzt*

The shock would've been enough to make a person faint, but the automaton only twitched, with no damage done to its joints.

Gwen

Fine. It'd be no fun if a massive hunk of metal like you went down to just a taser.

Its mission obstructed, the automaton swung its hammer toward Gwen.

Gwen quickly dodged the attack and shouted.

Gwen

Professor! Lily! I think this is the last fight!

Professor M

Very well, then. Let us begin.

The automaton collapsed with a loud thud.

Gwen

*Pant* *Pant* We're running out of time. We have to keep going.

The three ran further into the building, taking no time to catch their breaths.

They arrived at the scene of a struggle. A door was cracked open behind the rubble of destroyed automatons.

Gwen and the others gripped their weapons as they stepped inside.

Gwen

...Over there.

Lily

Mr. Henry.

Standing there, in the room, was Henry.

Jack seemed to be impaled by Henry's automatons. He was on the ground, leaning against the wall.

Gwen

Mr. Henry? Is it all over now?

Henry

Yes, it is.

Jack let out a dry cough.

Henry

Again with that "third-rate" spiel? You never stop, do you?

Jack made a subtle smirk seeing Henry's response.

Jack's head dropped.

He no longer moved.

Henry stood there for a moment.

He soon bent over to embrace Rachel, who lay unconscious on the bed near Jack's body.

Henry

It's all over, Rachel...

Gwen

What happened, Mr. Henry?

Henry

I'm sorry. I saw him trying to inject something into Rachel.

Henry looked at the syringes and vials next to Rachel.

Henry

He was trying to experiment on her until the very end.

Lily

...Is Rachel okay?

Henry

She's breathing... but she has a terrible fever.

Henry glanced at Jack's limp body and then turned away.

Henry

I'll take Rachel to the clinic. What will you do?

Gwen

We'll check the surrounding area to see if there's anything suspicious.

Henry

Of course.

Henry carried Rachel out towards the hallway.

Lily

Let's investigate the scene, Boss.

Gwen

Right. I'll take a look at Director Stapleton's body. You make a record of the scene in the meantime.

Lily

She left with Mr. Henry, Boss. She said she'd leave the field investigation and evidence collection to us.

Gwen

Huh? The Professor said that?

Lily

Yeah. It surprised me too... But for now, we should examine the room ourselves.

Gwen nodded and started looking around.

The lab was a mess.

Broken automaton parts lying around everywhere...

Shattered flasks and mysterious liquids scattered on the ground...

Torn or burnt documents that were no longer legible...

Jack's bloody body slumped over a wall...

And finally, the bed that Rachel was lying on.

Gwen

...Huh?

Gwen took another look at the bed.

Hidden under the suspicious vials and torn documents containing scribbles was the doll she'd delivered to Rachel a while back.

Gwen picked up the doll.

Gwen

Rachel...

Lily, having written down the scene report, spoke up.

Lily

Let's head back, Boss.

Gwen

Yeah...