"It's not that I can't tell you," Mike said, pausing thoughtfully, "I'm just...not sure myself." He considered this for a moment, then turned to Lily. "You've seen the core research. Other projects are underway concurrently. However, all are stalled at the same phase, meaning you must complete several, not just one. Still, the boss said to prioritize R10 if we're short on time."

Lily, after listening intently, finally grasped the crucial point. "R10?" she exclaimed, her energy renewed.

"Yes," Mike confirmed. "All research here is numerically ordered; you've probably noticed from the documents. R10 is the most vital."

"Is R10 what I'm working on now?" Lily asked, after a moment's reflection.

"No," Mike shook his head, surprisingly. "You're working on R13."

Lily was even more astonished. "R13? But they're numbered sequentially! How did R13 start if R10 isn't finished?"

Mike nodded, sharing her bewilderment. "From what I hear, there are R16, R17, and R18. I've heard it's over twenty, actually. Most experiments failed," he added.

"So, some succeeded?" Lily picked up on a key detail.

"Yes, but they differ slightly from yours," Mike replied, glancing at his watch. "We can't delay. I'll discuss this further later. We're only relatively safe here thanks to the building's surveillance and audio monitoring."

"I know," Lily said simply. "I know where they are."

Mike was stunned, then remembered Lily and Alexander's expertise. However, he still cautioned, "Even so, you might have missed some. It's best to be cautious."

"Yeah," Lily agreed.

"Let's go then."

Fabian, unsuccessful in his dealings with Cameron, returned home dejected. He found Maria calmly eating in the dining room. She calmly cut and ate a piece of chicken, a stark contrast to her recent fits of screaming and crying.

Fabian glanced at her. While her composure wasn't entirely welcome, it was a definite improvement.

"I'm hungry!" he declared, settling into a chair as a maid quickly brought his cutlery.

Maria remained unresponsive, staring at her untouched food. Her calm was unsettling in its intensity.

Fabian felt stifled by her stillness. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, sighing. "Cameron's awake," he announced, his voice hoarse.

"Oh," Maria replied, her tone flat.

Her monosyllabic response irritated Fabian. "He chased me out immediately and reverted to his old, hostile self!" he exclaimed, his frustration evident. He couldn't understand this sudden shift. What he overlooked was that this was Cameron's usual demeanor; it was the recent, gentler treatment that was the anomaly.

"Okay," Maria responded, again with a single word, seemingly detached from the situation.