Fox Life

The plan had been discussed to the smallest detail, but Kyro still hadn't liked it. Sending Iris into the jaws of the beast was not something he was comfortable with. But she was fine with it, and he couldn't change her mind.     

In the end, he gave up and just let it happen. It would be better if everything could be finished swiftly. He was tired of living on the edge, not having time for anything but worry.     

Iris wasn't a child either. If she believed she could do it, then he had to give her the chance to prove herself. So far, it had usually been him helping her and rarely her doing anything herself.     

But when his eyes landed on her crouching next to the body of a guard, he wondered if he'd made a huge mistake. It took him a moment to even recognize her. She was glaring up at him with wide, wild eyes. Dressed in only a lab coat that hid little, she was tensed for a fight, ready to lunge forward or back depending on circumstances.     

"Iris?" he called out, not certain if she'd fight even him. He'd watched the video feed only until they stormed the house to get to her, so he didn't know the latest developments. What exactly had happened to her?     

She watched him for a moment, silent, then stood up and took a step back. It was a sort of invitation, so Kyro made his way down the steps. He didn't want to be on guard against Iris, but there was just something about her that screamed danger at that moment.     

"You okay?" he asked, coming to her side and taking her hand against his instincts.     

Iris flinched at his touch, then pulled away. "Fine." She turned around and walked away to a door in the far corner. It was unlocked, and she went to investigate more of the place.     

Sophie descended down the stairs at that moment. When she saw the seven figures lying on the ground, she whistled. "Damn, girl! That's some skill you've got there!"     

Iris' back stiffened at the comment, but she didn't say anything. Kyro went after her, but she refused to pay him any attention. It was more painful than he thought possible.     

There were animals in cages in the other room. Iris went to each one and tried talking to them, asking them basic questions like if they were human. Most didn't seem to be though. Only the donkey at the far wall nodded enthusiastically and stomped his feet.     

While Iris was busy with it, Kyro examined the rest of the room and called Sophie. He arranged for her to bring out all the animals and the changed man into their base. Once there, they could take their time to think about what to do next.     

Same went for all the data. He ordered them to make copies of everything. "Call an ambulance too."     

"You want him to live?" Sophie asked with disgust. Iris also turned a judgmental stare at him.     

"Just do as you're ordered."     

That earned him another glare, but he wasn't going to explain himself before someone who didn't put much value to life. Sophie was great to have in a fight, but her moral compass was nonexistent.     

"Come now," he said to Iris who seemed to plan to go to explore a storage room next. "We can leave the clean up to them."     

It didn't seem like Iris was thrilled by the idea, but she nodded, which Kyro took for a good sign. He had no idea why she was suddenly acting so distant, but he was going to find that out and remedy it.     

While they were walking to the car, he pulled out his phone and looked through the video feed he'd missed. There wasn't much of it, just another little speech by the scientist guy threatening Iris and him and some jumbled shots as Iris moved in her fight against the guards.     

Was it the battle then? Was she feeling down because of what she'd done to those people?     

Kyro glanced at Iris as they sat down into the car, but she didn't raise her eyes to meet his. There was no indication that she even took notice of him. She was acting like he was nothing more than a stranger.     

He thought to ask about it right away, but changed his mind when he remembered about the driver. A personal conversation would certainly go better if they had no audience.     

It was probably true, but that car ride had to be the worst one in his life. As usual, Iris was looking out the window, but this time it didn't seem like she was doing it to see what was outside. No, he could have sworn she was doing it to create a wall between them. To make sure that they had no contact.     

'You can be sad, disappointed, or feel like everything's over, but don't you dare to ever shut me out.' It was something he wouldn't allow.     

When he unlocked the hotel's door, Iris rushed past him as if running to lock herself inside the bedroom, but her plans were foiled by a little form that attached itself to her leg. Mila looked up with eyes shining and said, "Lucy slept my arms! My arms!"     

She then let go of Iris' legs to show just how she'd held the cat. Iris looked at her with annoyance, but she didn't have it in her to ignore and disappoint Mila. "That's nice…" she said with a forced smile.     

The girl didn't notice anything wrong and dragged her into the room. "It was, was!" When Kyro followed them into the bedroom, he saw Mila jumping on the bed and rushing to Lucy's side. But unlike before, when she got close to the cat, she didn't try to grab him to pull into a hug.     

Instead, she gently put a hand on his fur and stroked it. Lucy opened one eye, acknowledging all the newcomers, then closed it again. "See? Nice kitty! We are friends now!"     

"Told you it was easy," Kyro said, ruffling the girl's hair. She beamed up at him, clearly proud of her achievement. "Now, do you think you can choose what we should have for lunch?"     

"Yes!" the girl shouted out in delight and scrambled off the bed to run into the living room for the menu on the table there.     

Her departure led to the atmosphere in the room dropping instantly. Without sparing a single glance at Kyro, Iris picked up some of her clothes and started changing. He looked away, feeling a little uncomfortable, but not daring to leave. It wouldn't surprise him if she'd lock the door the moment he did.     

Once she was ready, he went to block her way out. "We need to talk," he said.     

"About what?" Iris' voice was dead, without any inflection.     

"Like what do you think you're doing. You want to just turn around and leave after everything that happened?" Kyro was growing angry against his better judgment. Did he matter so little to her?     

Iris sighed, looking away. "He was right. Misfortune always follows those around me. You'd be better off without me."     

"Bullshit. He was that misfortune and you know it. Don't try to sell that crap to me. What's really happening in that head of yours?"     

She looked up at him then, eyes glistening. "Can't you see it? I AM a monster, a freak! I didn't think much of it, did not pay attention, but back there… Did you see what I did? No normal human could have done that! I'm nothing but a dangerous monster!"