The young man red at him for a few tense seconds before speaking up, "So, what do you want from me?"


    "I''m here to make a deal. You spill what you know, and I''ll get people on trying to save your hide. Whether they manage to or not, well, that''s on you."


    "And if I don''t wanna talk?" the young man challenged.


    "Simple. I leave, and you can kiss your ass goodbye," Tarquin replied with an indifferent shrug.


    The young man ground his teeth in frustration.


    He had anticipated Tarquining to him, but not like this. So calm, so detached. He had expected Tarquin to do everything in his power to pry information out of him, not act like he didn''t give a damn.


    The young man couldn''t get a read on Tarquin''s psyche and didn''t dare push too hard. After all, staying alive was his top priority, and right now, Tarquin was his only lifeline.


    "I don''t know his real identity. All I know is there''s a massive research facility beneath the newspaper office. They''ve been conducting experiments in secrecy, using the staff as their guinea pigs," the young man reluctantly shared.


    "Guinea pigs?"


    "Yeah, they''d inject us with stuff periodically, keep us under constant surveince, taking notes on every possible metric."


    "What are they researching?" Tarquin pressed.


    "Details? I''m in the dark as much as you are. All I know is that we were theirb rats."


    Tarquin frowned, his mother had worked at that newspaper too. Was she one of theirb rats?


    After a brief silence, Tarquin asked, "What exactly does he want from me?"


    The young man exhaled deeply, "Something vital to their research, incredibly important to them. Apparently, it''s the result of over twenty years of work, and your mother somehow managed to get her hands on it."


    "After your parents died, they turned


    their focus on you. Initially, they thought you had it, but then realized you were clueless about its


    existence. They figured such an important item would only be hidden somewhere connected to you, somewhere only you could find."  swnovel


    "So, they''ve been watching you, from childhood up till now!"


    Tarquin immediately asked, "But he''s been trying to kill me too, why? How would he find the item if I were dead?"


    "At first, he didn''t want you dead. But


    then, believing they could replicate the results without needing what your mother took, they thought about@liminating you. However, when their efforts failed, they were d you were still alive," the young man exined.  swnovel


    Tarquin remained silent, processing.


    "This is hearsay, I can''t guarantee its truth," He added after a moment.


    Tarquin gave him a longer look, then asked, "Have you ever been to that research facility?"


    "No, us surface-level folks aren''t


    allowed down there. And frankly, wouldn''t want to go. Everyone who


    own, except their own


    scientists, neveres back up."  swnovel


    Tarquin fell silent again, his mind racing with thoughts.


    "Is he a foreigner or a local?" Tarquin finally inquired.


    "A local," the young man answered.


    Tarquin''s expression tightened visibly, a clear sign of distress.


    The young man frowned, "You seem like you might know who it is?"


    Without a word, Tarquin turned and left.


    Sitting alone in his car, Tarquin lit a cigarette, taking long, deep drags in silence,


    one after another.