To avoid confusion, Chapter Seven and Eight was real, okay? This chapter will have the partial explanation on the last part of Chapter Eight.

~~~~~

Lesley and the whole SABER Squad were on their way to Dr. Rooney's laboratory with the still unconscious mad scientist Dr. Leo.

She was still confused on what happened. But she knew she was with Emperor Scorpion as far as she remembered.

Did he stung me again to make me unconscious?

The whole SABER Squad was even very thankful to her for capturing the mad scientist. After they turned over Dr. Leo to Dr. Rooney, they would be going to the Lumina City in Moniyan Empire.

She was guilty because she felt she didn't deserve those praises and thank you when she knew herself didn't know what really happened.

"Cous!"

Lesley smiled upon hearing that voice. Claude immediately gave her a hug but then pull away and checked her.

"Are you okay? Did that fucker do something to you?" Claude asked while checking if she had some wounds or whatever.

"Language!" Lesley reprimanded her cousin and flicked his ear, "I'm fine. If I am not, then I won't be here."

"Ah yes, yes of course, you're already fine. It's obvious by the way you answered." Claude said and put his arm on her shoulder.

They started walking towards Dr. Rooney's laboratory.

"Claude." Lesley called her cousin.

"Hmm?" Claude hummed and looked at her.

"I'm not the one who captured Dr. Leo. We were both unconscious when SABER squad found us. Don't you think it was really suspicious?" Lesley said and looked at him, "I mean— you know me, if I really did capture him, I would bring him here right away."

Claude stopped walking so did she since his arm was one her shoulders.

He faced her, "You are thinking too much."

Lesley narrowed her eyes, "I thought you are a walking information?"

Claude laughed, "I am but I really have no idea what happened to you. Dr. Rooney called me that's why I'm here. All of the Moniyan Warriors were in the Lumina City now, including Iri."

She still gave her cousin a suspicious look, "That's not your usual answer when you are asked."

"How do you say so?"

"I can sense you are holding back with your words."

Claude chuckled, "Woman's instincts huh, that's really scary. Do you think Iri has that too?"

"Unless she is not really a woman then she doesn't." Lesley rolled her eyes, "And don't change the topic."

Claude just gave her a smile before placing both of his hands to her shoulder and pushed her to walk towards Dr. Rooney's laboratory.

"Claude, I'm serious. I need an answer. I'm so confused right now."

But Claude didn't speak and just pushed her gently towards Dr. Rooney's laboratory.

"Lesley." Dr. Rooney called her when he saw her entering the room.

Lesley bowed her head a little as a greeting.

"Thank you for capturing Leo. He was already awake now. Do you mind if you join me to interrogate him?" Dr. Rooney asked her.

She nodded and made their way towards a special room where Dr. Leo was being held. He was placed inside an inescapable cell.

Dr. Leo was lying in the bed- he was already paralyzed but he was still bound to the bed.

"Leo." Dr. Rooney called the mad scientist but he didn't look at them.

"I won't ask if you're okay since that would be insulting but I just want to ask one question." Dr. Rooney added, "When you were creating this VENOM squad, did it even cross your mind that these individuals can still go against you even if you modified their minds?"

That question seemed shocked Dr. Leo as his eyes widened after that question.

"You know that Baker taught us about brains— all of its functions and capacities as well as the subconscious mind. Have you forgotten that?" Dr. Rooney said while walking slowly towards Dr. Leo.

"I perfectly modified them— I created their memories, removed their emotions— everything." Dr. Leo firmly said.

Dr. Rooney sighed, "If that's what you believe." He looked at him, "Now, do you remember what happened before you lost consciousness?"

She saw Dr. Leo frowned before speaking, "I was in my room when suddenly I was shot on my body parts to make me paralyzed. I assumed it's that sniper." Dr. Leo said as he nodded his head towards her direction.

"And then I regained my consciousness for a bit while we were on our way but I managed to puncture her with a sleeping chemical." Dr. Leo added.

That makes sense... Lesley thought. But why do I still feel that something is not right?

=====

"What would you do with him now, Dr. Rooney?" Lesley asked when they went out of the room where the mad scientist was being held.

"The SABER squad and I will have a meeting after this. We will try to extract some information from Leo and use it to find the solution to revert the VENOM to normal."

"Do I need to be there?"

Dr. Rooney shook his head, "Not really. Princess Silvanna is waiting for you at the Lumina City. And your service is already outside the laboratory."

"I see." Lesley nodded, "Please tell me if I can be of any help."

"You've already done so much help, Lesley." He patted her head, "Thank you for surviving. Thank you for fighting for your life. Thank you for picking up your pieces."

That made Lesley gasped and tears pooled in her eyes. Those words touched her— as if she saw her father in Dr. Rooney.

"I'm sure your parents will also say those words to you." The scientist added.

Lesley gently wiped her tears and smiled, "Thank you, Dr. Rooney."

=====

Lesley arrived at the Lumina City a few days later. She was immediately welcomed by the Moniyan warriors- especially by the girls.

"It's so nice to see you again, Lesley." Silvanna said after giving her a tight hug.

"Thank you, Sil. I'm sorry that you have to see me in my weakest state before." Lesley said with a small smile.

"That's not your weakest state, Les." Silvanna contrasted, "That's when you were in one of your strongest state." She said, giving her a warm smile.

Lesley felt at ease after hearing those words from Silvanna. She really loved that Silvanna's trait— she had this presence that gave you a everything-will-be-alright feels. That you wouldn't have to worry as long as she was there.

She then looked at Granger who just gave her a small nod, "Hey, Gran—"

"Not with that ugly nickname again, Lesley." Granger cut her.

"Oh, you don't want your crush—"

"Have mercy, Lesley." Granger said again, but she was pretty sure that he was blushing behind that cover up.

"Big Sis Lesley! Someone wants to talk to you!" They heard Harith shout from the entrance door of the castle.

All of them looked at the door and saw two silhouettes.

Lesley gaped at the sight of them and she lost it when she saw them spreading their arms— inviting her for a hug.

She quickly ran towards them and gave them a tight hug. She was now crying because of mixed feelings— relief, happiness, guilt, sadness and such.

"Did you miss us, my daughter?" Lady Kimberly Vance asked Lesley and kissed her cheek while she was hugging her tightly.

She couldn't speak and just nodded, which made her adopted mother chuckled.

"How were you, daughter?" Duke Herald Vance asked her and patted her head.

That question made Lesley cry harder. And her adoptive parents noticed that something wasn't right in her.

"Lesley? Why are you crying too much?" Lady Vance asked with worry.

"I'm so sorry, Mother and Father." Lesley apologized, "I'm so sorry. I couldn't protect Harley enough and now he was taken away."

Lesley expected them to rampage and scold her for not protecting Harley enough. After all, they placed Harley under her tutelage because they trusted her but looked at what happened.

Her adoptive parents were just staring at her for seconds while she was still crying.

Her mother raised her hand to her face. She involuntarily closed her eyes, but then she felt that her mother was wiping her tears away.

"Silly daughter, you really think we would get mad at you?" Her mother said.

Lesley opened her eyes, shocked.

"We knew what happened. Rita informed us a bit when you visit the Castle Aberleen." Kimberly said, "I am envious though since you didn't even visit us."

"It's because I think I don't have the rights to face you, not until I bring Harley back." Lesley whispered and bowed her head down.

"What did I say about that mindset of yours?" Herald said, "Don't blame yourself for something you did nothing wrong, Lesley. Your Mother and I know that you are doing everything you can to save Harley."

"And we also believe in Harley. He has many cards under his sleeves- figuratively and literally. He took it from your sly father."

"Hey." Herald whined at his wife.

"Yes, Herald? Do you want to say something?" Kimberly said while raising one of her eyebrows.

"Nothing, my love." Herald surrendered.

That made Lesley chuckled. Her adoptive father was really understanding towards her mother.

"May I ask what brings you here in the capital?" Lesley asked after that emotional part of conversation.

They started walking towards the leisure room of the castle. The rest of the Moniyan warriors were also there, but a bit far from where the Vance family was sitting, giving them enough privacy.

"We received a letter from His Majesty. Annual meeting of heads of the Moniyan Empire."

Lesley remembered it now. Once a year, her adoptive parents would travel here in the capital for the annual meeting. Though she and Harley would stay back in the Vance Household to protect it while the heads were away.

She frowned when she realized something, "Who was left there to protect the household."

Kimberly smiled at her, "Who else? I bet you have already met her— your aunt, of course."

That made Lesley gasped.

"She was roaming around the north, daughter. She was checking and protecting the place from time to time."

"Why didn't you tell me about it? That I have still an aunt? A cousin?" Lesley asked. She was not angry with the fact that her adoptive parents hid it from her but maybe she was a bit sad.

Kimberly and Herald's smiles faded when she asked that.

"Will you be mad at us if we tell you that we were afraid that you will leave us if you knew that you still have an aunt?" Kimberly whispered, her eyes were full of worry. "We love you as if you are ours, Lesley. We've seen you grow as time passed by. Your mother may have died upon giving birth to you but it was as if she was still with us because she looked like you, except for the color of your hair."

Lesley stayed silent and thought of what her adoptive mother said. She was still a child that time, she craved for family love after she lost her father. And maybe, if her aunt introduced herself that time, she would want to be with her but it would be impossible since her aunt was an assassin for hire. Just like what her aunt said, she wouldn't be able to take care of her because of nature of her work.

Everything really falls into their places at the right time. Lesley thought as she stared at her adoptive parents. They looked worried on what would be her reaction.

She gave them a warm smile, "I would be lying if I will say that I am not hurt with the fact that you hid it from me but I understand you, Mother and Father."

That made her adoptive parents smile and enveloped her in a hug.

"I told you that Lesley would understand you, Kim. She's Ainsley's daughter."

Lesley lifted her gaze to see who said that and saw that it was Rita Paxley, with her husband Gregory and eldest son, Gusset.

She slowly stood and gave the Paxley family a curtsy as a greeting, which made the Paxleys chuckled at her.

"Why you're so formal, Lesley?" Rita said and kissed Lesley on her cheek, "That's how you should greet me next time."

She blushed, "That's too casual, Lady Paxley."

Rita frowned, "What's wrong with that? You'll be part of the family—"

"Mom, slow down." Gusset said while chuckling before looking at her, "Hello, Lesley."

She bowed her head a little, making him chuckled.

"You're too stiff." Gusset commented.

"Oh, hello Rita and Gregory." Kimberly greeted the Paxleys. "You met Gusset again, my daughter."

"Again?"

"Oh, I remember you had a crush on him when you first met while you were still young." Her mother said while acting like she was really thinking.

That made Lesley gaped, "Huh?"

I don't know that. I don't even remember meeting Gusset or any of the Paxleys when I'm still a kid.

Rita chuckled, "Yes, but Gusset had already a crush towards his future wife then."

Both Lesley and Gusset palmed their faces and shook their heads. They already knew on why their mothers were friends.

"I wonder if my biological mother has the same wavelength as yours." Lesley said while chuckling.

"She's kind, sweetie but her wavelength is different from us. If she's alive, you are already married by now to Gus—"

"Okay, enough Kim. You're getting noisy. Don't spoil too much." Rita cut off her mother.

Kimberly just pouted.

They were now sitting with cups of tea— well, a cup of coffee for her. She was seated beside Gusset while their parents were so engaged with conversation.

"May I know how you met each other? I mean, I know Lady Paxley and my biological mother were both assassins before." Lesley asked after sipping her coffee.

"Kim and Herald were already engaged that time when the Paxley Elders hired your mother to kill Kim. Kim was supposed to marry Gregory, you see."

That revelation shocked Lesley to the core.

What the hell?

~~~~~

Okay, I'll cut this here since it's getting long. Hahahaha.

I was thinking to make a separate book for back story of their parents. Hahahaha. But I'm too lazy, tee-hee.

And, I can't access my deleted one shot books in my library anymore. I don't have any soft copy for the one shots. *sighs* I'll miss reading the comments there.