The car sped along the road for a bit before slowing down again. Each bump made Santos look paler, and if you looked closely, you''d notice a light sheen of sweat on his forehead.


    "What a drag," the driver muttered, clearly unimpressed.


    They''d been trailing someone, but halfway through, the pursuit was abandoned. It was almost too easy to give up. Santos leaned back in his seat, ncing at the rearview mirror. Despite the lingering pain in his chest, he didn''t seem bothered. "Did they give up?"


    "Yeah, they backed off on their own," the driver replied, running a handzily through his hair.


    The traffic light ahead turned red, and he hit the brakes, catching a faint medicinal smell in the air. He turned to look at Santos, finally taking in his appearance. With a raised eyebrow, he remarked, "Your disguise this time... is pretty convincing."


    "Yeah, it is," Santos replied, a bit stiffly. Thankfully, his face was a mask, hiding any embarrassment. Clearing his throat, he added, "Drop me off at Riverside University."


    The driver just shrugged it off, not minding being treated like a chauffeur, and started the engine again.


    An hourter, they pulled up by the curb outside Riverside University''s main entrance.


    "Thanks for today," Santos said as he unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door. His foot was just about to touch the ground when the driver''sid-back voice halted him.


    “No need for thanks. We''re square now," the driver replied, casually adjusting his sleeve.


    Santos turned to look at the driver, noting the indifference on his face. Remembering the man''s cold demeanor, he pushed down the frustration that bubbled up. Without another word, he turned away and got out of the car.


    As soon as the door closed, the SUV zoomed off without hesitation. Standing there with a box in his hands, Santos took a deep breath and pulled out his phone to give Joen a call.


    Not long after, Joen''s assistant hurried out from the university to meet him.


    "Our professor isn''t around these days. He asked me to help you with checking theb equipment," the assistant exined while leading Santos to Joen''sb.


    The assistant found it odd. Santos was supposed to be inspectingb gear, yet he only brought a small box that didn''t look like any toolbox he''d ever seen.


    Santos didn''t pay much attention to the assistant''s puzzled look. Instead, he scanned theb. The damaged equipment was stacked in a corner, and his eyesnded on a storage freezer nearby.


    Pausing for a moment, he said, "I''ll call you if I need anything."


    Understanding that tech folks often had their quirks, the assistant nodded. "Sure thing, I''ll be right outside."


    Santos waved him off.


    Once the assistant closed the door, Santos walked over to the storage freezer and opened it. Just as he thought, it had basic experimental reagents, including the ones he needed.


    Focusing intently, Santos grabbed a few vials and a disposable syringe. After expertly mixing the reagents in the right proportions, he opened the small box he had brought along.