Rylie. "You've really crossed the line this time. You're offici

l shrug, wondering if this mea

plans - no sooner had she stepped

ocked not on Rylie but on the glowing via

ng inside, the pale blue liquid shimmered faintly. "You'

the woman's voice. "You made it

r, barely interested. "I jus

trying to perfect this formula - lost count of my failed attempts and ran out of materials ages ag

or most, producing such a compound without flaws was nearly impossible - tiny miscalculations could ruin everything. Yet the sample in Rylie's

There's nothing mysterious about it. All it takes is pr

Estrada, from the Biomedical Research Institute next door. Join my lab! I'll get your work into leading

people, Vivian - an internationally acclaimed scientist from the Biomedical Research Institut

leaned in, murmuring, "Professor Estrada, that compound actually came from our lab's

cey and her companions. "Is that so? Are you say

did most of the work - she's always here first and leaves last. She managed all the data,

smile play across her lips. "Please, it was j

rsement. "Stacey's our star, the backbone of the whole team. Rylie, on the other h

ross her face. She had no interest in fight

"If that's true, then come with me now. We'll try to reproduce Nexo-7 i

wore nothing but humble composure. "Thank you, Professor Estrada. I promise t

a compound couldn't be that complicated. She'd already memorized Rylie's process in secret - heat, stir, tos

handing in her papers and leaving the room ahead of everyone else. Curious glances and quiet sneer

ace those tests without breaking a sweat. Once, she had deliberately t

d away from campus, making her way to Aetheris Pharmacy - a

he glass door framed in gold. A subtle blend of

rystal chandelier hung from the soaring ceiling, frac

air, a stranger might have mistaken the space

or the counter - only to cross paths with

tting your freshman finals right now? Why are you here? Are you following me?

amatic eye roll. "Don't flatter y

at Aetheris Pharmacy? There's no way you're getting past the front desk without a VIP card. Be honest - did you really trail me here just to beg me for help, hoping I wou