At those words, Hirna's gaze abruptly sharpened, and much of the agitation in her heart was instantly quenched.
She, too, had heard rumors of the cruelty of human experimentation, and they frightened her.
But she and Sandra were different, after all. Sandra's mutation amounted to just two extra arms. With a little concealment in her daily life, she could pass as an ordinary person, blend into the crowd, and live in peace.
But Hirna had been born with blue skin all over her body, with no way to conceal it. She would have to bear the label of an outsider her entire life, enduring cold looks, humiliation, and exclusion.
She had had enough of living in hiding, enough of humbling herself and suffering in silence, and more than enough of being bullied at others' whim. She wanted so badly to become stronger, to break free of her fate, to stand openly and proudly before others without being belittled and trampled on again.
After a brief struggle, Hirna suppressed the urgency in her heart and calmed down.
Sandra's concerns were not unfounded. Behind an unknown gift, there often lurked a price that was difficult to foresee.
Recklessly staking everything on it was far too risky.
"I understand. Thank you for reminding me, Sandra."
Hirna nodded gently, suppressing the stirrings in her heart. She planned to wait and see, uncover Vought's true nature, and only then make her choice.
Meanwhile, Roland led Raven and the other four out of the noisy 30th Floor lobby. They went upstairs, passed through an orderly office corridor, and finally reached a clean, elegant little conference room.
She raised a hand to motion for everyone to sit. The sharpness in her tone had faded, replaced by a more formal gravity.
"First, congratulations to all five of you