Part 06: Inciting Incident

ACT 1: Inciting Incident

Christian’s perspective:

Christian and Margaret arrived at Punggol Park, as they searched for the suspect, Wilbert Ho. He was reported to have been in this area after taking a bus that night.

A report on the bus driver was in the documents that Yi Shun had consolidated, but Christian was having doubts that he was still here.

“I will check the public restroom.” Christian said, as Margaret decided to look around the area. She saw a map that showed the connectors that lead from Hougang to Punggol.

Christian searched the male restroom, but there was no one inside. He looked carefully for any signs of blood that could have been used to get rid of any evidence, but it felt like he had never stepped foot in here.

“Nothing in there.” Christian said, as they both met up at the lake.

“If he walked by foot, it would take quite a long time to walk through the connectors.” Margaret said. “But… he did have at least the whole night.”

“Hmm, if he did, it would be difficult to find him.” Christian said. “By the way, do you have anything useful that you could use? Most of the proprietors that tag along have some sort of ability.”

“Right, I have this Radiation Neutron Cube.” A white cube was hung around her neck. She twisted it and the cap in the shape of a prism started to hover. She placed the other half on the ground, as the cap flew upwards, around twice of Christian’s height.

A bright light flashed from the hovering cap, and the area around them started to form a grid pattern. Holograms of a screen popped up around them, showing details about what the objects were from the Internet.

"It shows information about anything around the area that is lit up." Margaret explained. "But its information is mostly factual, and does not give you all the answers."

Christian took Maraget's clipboard and placed it in the light. A hologram panel showed up but it simply said it was a clipboard and nothing more.

"I guess it isn't too helpful." Christian said. "If it had the function to track down a suspect, that would be neat…"

"...Track down…" Christian walked around carefully, ordering Margaret to move the light as they scouted the grass field. It revealed claw marks that were grazed on the soil that lead to an empty glass bottle of beer.

"Looks like Wilbert was definitely here… drinking the night away." Christian said, as they found a narrow path that led to a bridge. It was heavily covered by bushes, but they were sliced unevenly. They approached the bridge, as the wind blew the leaves in their direction.

It was silent, awfully quiet, as a man was seen leaning at the reservoir. He was definitely the one they were looking for, as his entire arm has slowly been fused with the claw.

He had on a tattered shirt, and his pants were just covered in dirt. He was just standing there, as a newspaper was seen on a bench beside him. He laughed to himself for a good minute or so, as the paper flew right under Christian's feet.

"So my daughter is dead, huh? Is this what fate does to you?"

Wilbert finally said something, as Christian pointed his gun at him.

"You must be Wilbert Ho." Christian said.

"Are you here to take me alive?" Wilbert responded, with one hand in his pocket. "All of you people are the same… trying to secure justice in an unfair world-"

"Shut up and surrender that Corrupted Weapon now!" Christian approached him slowly, as drops of rain started to splatter against his skin.

"Let's talk for a minute. I have nowhere to run." Wilbert said, still not facing his direction. "Tell me, do you ever have a reason to live? To point that gun at me… is that the reason you live for?"

"If you are trying to spout nonsense to convince me, you would be better off telling that to the police officers." Christian yelled back, as he took another step. "I'm not interested."

"So you aren't from the police force…" Wilbert said, as his claw started to move. "Then you must be… YOU ARE… THE D, E, A!" He spun around in excitement, as Christian remained calm and held him at gunpoint.

"You don't know anything about that weapon." Christian said. "Release it at once!"

"You… you are Christian Ng, aren't you?" Wilbert grinned as if he had met someone famous. "The Underground Society speaks about you a lot. They called you a hero!"

Christian fired a bullet at his wrist, hoping it might force him to drop the Claw. But a substance covered up his arm even more, thickening the skin with reinforced lead.

"Slow down, Christian." Wilbert said. "I am NOT from the Secret Anti-DEA Society! NO, I am not one of those GUYS!" He lifted his hands up to the sky as Margaret sensed a weird disturbance from this man.

"I support the DEA. WHOLEHEARTEDLY IN FACT!" Wilbert yelled as a bolt of lightning flashed behind them. "I've heard stories of the DEA being homeless, poor, outcasts of society! And I relate to that on a spiritual level, I really do!"

"What sort of drugs have you been taking?" Christian shouted. "The DEA do not support the likes of criminals-"

"Criminals? Oh, Christian. Aren't you one of us?" Wilbert covered his face with his hands, shaking his head like a maniac. "No, no. You are someone that represents us, someone who wants to change the thinking of society… When you became part of the DEA, I was so touched by your determination to prove that you are innocent. Your fall from grace…"

"How delightful was it? To have nothing left…" Wilbert switched his tone, as he was now feeling envious towards him. "I guess… you are living proof that once you get your hands dirty, the world will start to despise you. Even when you did absolutely nothing wrong."

"Had your fill?" Christian barely opened his ears to the remarks that Wilbert was spilling. "It is raining now, and I hate it when my clothes get wet."

"The sound of rain does mute the noise of the world… just for a little while." Wilbert cried.

"Shut up with all that poetic speech." Christian said, firing up a flare into the sky. "This light will pinpoint our location to proprietors all over. So my question to you is… would you just drop your Claw already?"

"Tch, all that talk was a waste of time then." Wilbert said, swinging his claw at him without warning. "To think someone like you had the audacity to capture me? The DEA is nothing but dogs working for the government!"

A large white sword clashed against his claw, as Christian was crossing his arms without any sort of reaction.

"Would you stop being so reckless half the time?" Margaret cried as she swung her sword upwards, tipping Wilbert off balance.

"Finally, you aren't hiding that true power of yours." Christian said, as Wilbert got back up on his feet.

"A lady?" Wilbert thought, tossing a hidden pocket knife at her. "But she is definitely new to handling combat."

"Hologram: Neutron Wall." She created a wall in front of her, as the knife collided and fell into the water below.

"What? That's cheating…" Wilbert thought.

"I suggest you do take some time to reflect on surrendering your weapon." Christian said, reloading his pistol with new bullets.

"That hologram of hers is useful but it is based on her visual thoughts…" Christian thought to himself. "A plain sword and a wall are definitely created based on reactions… This means that the holograms only work if they are convincing enough to her."

"One small mistake… she might be done for." Christian took a step forward, trying to signal for Margaret to stay back.

"I got this, Christian." Margaret whispered. "I will just create weird things as distractions."

"Looks like she is getting too cocky… and hasn't understood my intentions." Christian thought, losing all sense of hope. "Oh wells, her death has nothing to do with me anyways… It'll just be like all of them…"

"...Entering the same fate…" Christian paused as he replayed the words that Wilbert told him a moment ago.

"So my daughter is dead, huh? Is this what fate does to you?" For some reason, those words left a dent in his heart, but Christian was too occupied at the moment to think about it. All he wanted was to complete his assignment.

"So… why did you kill your daughter? Your own flesh and blood?" Christian yelled, as Wilbert rushed towards him with no train of thought. He slashed his claw down, slicing off the railings and some nearby trees. One of the trees collapsed at him, but Christian fired his pistol at it. His bullet was welded into it, as it turned into a grenade that destroyed it from the inside.

"Your bullets… they can change…" Wilbert said.

"What's with all of you not answering my questions?" Christian said, as smoke came out from the barrel of his gun.

"I didn't kill her… the weapon killed her. This… cursed weapon…" Wilbert said. "The Dozer made me do it."

"The Dozer has not fully adapted your brain yet. You have a fully conscious mind." Christian said, as he unrolled his sleeves. "Your condition is the same as mine, and I know when I have been controlled by a Dozer."

"Why would you like to know?" Wilbert said, as the blades of his claw started to extend even further. "She was calling out for her mother every day… It was getting annoying… I… I am a hard worker… who had a decent job… yet she left me… for another man."

"That is cowardice." Christian said, as Wilbert sliced off the planks between them. A large splash of water rose up as he leapt beside Christian in a split second. It was merely a distraction as he sprinted towards Margaret for another strike of his claw.

"He got past me?" Christian thought. "She won't be able to react to that claw…"

"Hologram…" Margaret's thoughts were clouded as Wilbert swung his claw at her from a few inches away.

"I won't make it…" Christian looked back, as a sudden flash of green sparked from the floor upwards. It snapped one of the blades on Wilbert's claw, and absorbed some of the impact of the strike. Two small cuts were still made on Margaret's shoulder and left knee as she moved back quickly.

"Are you guys alright?" A man in a green suit arrived, and Christian was surprised to see that he had responded to the flare.

"Leave now. This man is no joke!" Christian yelled at Preston who came in clutch with his attack.

"As I said before, I am supposed to work on this case as a proprietor of this man's block." Preston said, adjusting his tie. On him was a long sugarcane that could extend from the ground wherever he wanted to. "And wouldn't you want Margaret to be saved?"

"She doesn't matter to me." Christian said harshly as Margaret knew very well that she was just a pawn in his eyes.

"Christian is right. You should leave the criminal to us." Margaret said. "We can't involve anyone else to secure a dangerous threat."

"And we have the right to end his life if necessary." Christian said. "Don't make it any more difficult."

"What the hell is this party?" Wilbert screamed, as the Wolf Claw grew back its missing blade. "Dozer, wake up already. I am not powerful enough to defeat them. I need more of your power!"

"He is talking to the Dozer?" Preston thought, knowing that he was the man who was definitely on the wanted list. The three surrounded him, as Margaret created a sword and shield this time in preparation.

“3 on 1 isn’t fair.” Wilbert said, as he took out a whistle from his pocket.

“That shady guy who sold me this weapon… he did say to use it when I am in a pinch…” Wilbert thought, as he blew into it as hard as he could. Immediately, the sound reverberated through the area, and the whistle started to glow.

“The Whistle!” Christian yelled. “It is acting like a Radiation Ring!”

Preston was wearing one as well, which was what proprietors usually wear for tracking purposes.

“The Dozers are attracted to high amounts of radiation…” Christian said. “He is… summoning the wolves…”

A loud howl in response was heard around them, as the bridge was slowly taken over by Wolf Dozers.

“It is futile.” Margaret said firmly, as she held up her shield. “There is no way for you to escape either.”

“Heh… haha. HAHAHA!” Wilbert laughed as several of the wolves charged and leapt on him at once. “This is good…”

A bright blue light spun from his claw, grabbing all of the Dozers in one swoop.

“What the hell is going on?” Preston asked, as Christian feared for the worst.

“A typical Dozer can adapt to one thing only.” Christian explained, as he fired a bullet that turned into a rain of arrows. “But there are special Dozers that have unique abilities as well…”

“That is an Enhance Dozer, rank 11 in the Dozer scale.”

As he said that, lead strings swung all of the Dozers up to the sky, soaking up all the arrows that Christian threw at Wilbert.

“He was hiding that? Why didn’t he use it beforehand?” Preston cried, as Wilbert tossed the Dozers one by one at them.

Christian shot them down with his bullets, and Preston sent his sugarcanes to pierce them.

“Normally, a special Dozer acts on its own will.” Christian said, as sweat rolled down his face. “That person we are seeing… is no longer Wilbert…”

“That means…” Preston clenched his teeth, as the lead coating had reached Wilbert’s shoulder and half of his face.

“The Dozer is in full control…” Margaret said, as the three of them rushed towards him quickly. There was no proper way to save him now, but Christian knew it would have to come to this.

“Now everything is down the drain…” Christian said. “But… it is to be expected… of my job.”

“How do we defeat him now?” Preston asked, as a chain grabbed hold onto a lamppost right beside him.

“Stay focus!” Christian fired at the chain, shattering it into pieces. “An Enhance Dozer can hold onto any object and absorb its properties until the chain itself is severed.” Margaret created a bow and fired an arrow at Wilbert’s arm.

A chain grabbed onto it, as Wilbert’s claws fused into a massive arrow. He ran towards Margaret as she blocked it with her shield quickly. The arrow cracked the shield, as Preston sent a sugarcane from under it, shoving and moving the claw upwards.

“Now!” Preston yelled, as Christian fired a bullet, this time at Wilbert’s head.

“Killing him… is the only option.” Christian thought. “He… is no longer classified as a human. Written in one of the newly established laws, after the Serangoon Human-Dozer incident…”

“An act of execution towards a Human-Dozer is legalized under the Human-Dozer Act 2100.” Margaret thought, however, the bullet went through his head as they all stopped in their tracks.

“His chain… has absorbed the water!” Christian yelled. “This… is bad!”

Wilbert’s head grew back from the bullet wound that went through his forehead. He had a creeping smile, as he dashed forward towards Margaret. He still had a conscience, even though it was now a Dozer. It was what Christian knew of a Human-Dozer, as a borrowed conscience. Margaret had nowhere else to run.

“Imagination…” Margaret recalled a conversation she had with her mentor. The same man Christian rejected before, and was said to have died in battle. His words creeped back into her mind at that very moment that felt like hours.

“...is such a powerful tool.”

“Mentor, what is this cube that you are trying to make?” Margaret from two years ago asked, as her mentor was tampering with it on his desk.

“In time, you will understand… that the human mind…”

“... can deceive anyone from understanding the real truth.”

“Wilbert, stop!” A figure appeared behind her as Wilbert stopped his attack. The voice was too clear to him, that even the Dozer that was taking over his actions could not comprehend it.

“That is…” Preston cried, as Christian stayed back and watched silently.

“Mint…” Wilbert cried out. “What are you doing here?”

Margaret was standing still, in full concentration as Wilbert walked towards the figure he called Mint.

She could only stare at the figure, concentrating on nothing else, as the figure wavered in the wind. Her emotions, her appearance, her voice, her personality were all made up by Margaret herself. An imagination that she created in her mind, and was only from the information she read about Mint.

It was all a distraction merely to see whether he responded.

And it was the only thing she could think of to escape her own death.

But… Wilbert seemed to believe that the figure was her.

Christian and Preston knew that they did not have a choice, but to watch closely. Any wrong movements might disrupt Margaret’s concentration, and cause it to disappear.

All in the sake of taking the Dozer down.

However, the timing could not be any worse.

“Put your hands up in the air when we can see them!” Several policemen arrived at the scene, as bright car lights started to turn on one by one.

Preston was not part of this as Christian could barely react to the sudden change in pace.

“We got Wilbert Ho. He is hiding at the bridge near Punggol Park.” The police officer in charge was speaking through his walkie talkie as they surrounded them. “Looks like there are three of them not acting under supervision. Yes. We’ll attend to them immediately.”

A large muscular man, around two times the size of an average human being, walked towards them with handcuffs.

"This man… looks familiar." Christian thought but his eyesight was still regaining its senses.

“Alright, let’s talk at the police station.” He said, approaching Preston and Christian.

“Keep quiet before you regret it.” Christian said as Alice ran towards Preston and hugged him.

“I called the police over.” Alice cried in tears. “We should let them handle the rest.”

“You… did?” Preston eyed at Christian and shook his head in innocence.

“Who is that girl?” The police officer asked, as Margaret was still trying to keep the figure in check. He eyed towards Wilbert and approached him cluelessly. “I did say put your hands up, Wilbert. You are under-”

It didn’t take long for three claw marks to appear on his chest, as Wilbert swiped his arm up at him. The man took a step back as many officers surrounded him with pointed guns.

“Yikes, that’s going to leave a mark.” He said without feeling any pain. “Luckily, I wore a protection suit under.”

“You guys don’t know what you are facing.” Christian said, as two policemen held him back with handcuffs. “Preston, explain to them the situation!”

“I’m sorry, Christian.” Preston said, as he stood back a few steps. “I… I seriously wasn't involved in this….”

“He doesn't seem to be lying…” Christian thought as two other policemen held Margaret down.

“You two seemed to be involved in tearing up this place.” The police officer said. “Don’t go damaging public property, man.”

"Man…?" Christian thought as the police officer winked at him.

“But he is definitely a goner.” He proceeded to command the policemen to fire, as Margaret retaliated and squirmed her way free from their grasp but to no avail.

“Let me go-” She was knocked out by the policemen as well.

Due to her unconsciousness, her figure of Mint disappeared as Wilbert finally realized this whole thing was just an illusion.

“Mint…” Wilbert laughed as the bullets seamlessly penetrated through his body like they were hitting a body of water. “You liar… you never came back to see me…”

“Our bullets aren’t doing anything!” One of the policemen yelled.

“Everything is a gosh darn lie…” Wilbert attacked the policemen, slicing off their weapons and arms cleanly with his claw. He killed several of them, until there was only the police officer left.

“What kind of bloody monster is this?” The police officer yelled, as he looked at Christian. “Answer me!”

“It is an Enhance Dozer.” Christian said. “I already warned you once. You reaped what you sow, Chief.”

Wilbert attacked the police officer, but he shocked him with his taser.

“He stopped his attack?” Christian thought. “Who the hell is this?”

“Well, I guess it can’t be helped.” The police officer smirked. “I should have known less that a

Human-Dozer was dangerous.” He picked him up by the neck, but his fingers ran right through.

“If he can adapt to water, then an electric shock will definitely paralyze him.”

“It is a pity… but you could have said something sooner about his ability.” The police officer said, grinning at him. “Now I’ll report back that all of my men are dead due to your lack of intel.”

Christian remained silent, not knowing how he could get out of this mess. He had lost all sense of hope in wanting to reason.

“The DEA sent you here to take down a threat.” The police officer held up his chin. “Very well done, Christian. Everyone knows how much of a troublesome dog you are… and how many people you have killed… those who followed you end up gone. All for the sake of keeping you in check.”

“Then leave me alone.” Christian said. “Maybe that would be a better plan from the government?”

“Yeah, maybe we could.” The police officer said. “Well, our job here is done. We shall keep you locked up in eternal hell.”

“Be my guest.” Christian said, knowing that he was beyond comprehension. “I never bloodied my hands since the beginning.”

“I was an innocent man.”

“HahaHA.” The police officer laughed hysterically. “If shooting a bullet through your wife’s head made you innocent… then I would be as free as a bird in the sky.”

“A Dozer forced my hand… it wasn’t me.” Christian cut his words halfway, as he vividly remembered the shot he took at his home. A quiet night back home, the walk in the Underground Market, the purchase of a Corrupted weapon, catching his wife in his room with another man, the weight of the pistol, the turning of his hand, shooting the wrong target and the smell of smoke after the bullet was fired.

Christian recalled it over and over.

He fell into denial, time and time again.

Till he had forgotten whether he had any ill intent.

All he remembered was the darkness of the night, drenched in the blood of shooting his own wife.

The taste of the air as he stared at the scene.

The sound of screaming as that man ran off.

All of these past memories were taking over his mind.

Time..

Christian stared at the watch of the police officer. He felt like it had stopped working. He then realized something was off. All watches and clocks were banned from being hung or worn outside, for the adaptations of Dozers can be used to manifest time itself.

But there it was, that police officer had it on.

He saw a chain being gripped onto it, as the rain stopped flowing.

Time… has stopped flowing.

No, he… has stopped flowing.

“That officer is dead and you’re next.” Wilbert spoke in his ear but Christian couldn’t move his body or speak a word. He barely knew this was happening at all. The police officer was stabbed in the chest, and multiple wounds on his neck and shoulders.

“But before that, I want to talk to you for a bit… I need someone to empathize with me once in a while…” He walked around him, knowing very well that he wasn’t going to reply back.

“Can you hear me?” Wilbert waved his hand in front of Christian. “I guess you can’t. Well, no matter, I don’t need a response either.”

“To think your friend could fool me with the figure of Mint…” Wilbert said. “I am deeply surprised… that the sound of her voice was fake, it wasn’t even close to her real voice. But I do applaud her for trying, at least she got her face and personality right.”

“Hmm… it is getting kind of boring here.” Wilbert sighed, as he grabbed a nearby bottle of water in Margaret’s bag. But he realized he couldn’t drink it. After all, time has stopped.

“It’s been ten years since Mint left me for another guy.” Wilbert continued to ramble. “From my unconscious self, that police officer was surely acting tough. Berating you on and on, without even realizing after this conversation, he is just gone and died.”

“Wait… why am I even concerned about Mint? I am not even Wilbert… I am just a Dozer.” Wilbert stopped to question his own personality and memories. “Haha, right. Wilbert is just a husk that I have entered… he is no longer in control.”

“But… his emotions were definitely empowering me.” Wilbert said, trying to figure out the beating of his heart. “Wilbert… Oh Wilbert, how sad are you to still think of someone who abandoned you?”

“Alright, this is how all things end… the lowest of the lowest dies in the hands of the strong.” Wilbert said. “With no power, no status, and nothing in the world, they will always be squashed by the foot of the wealthy and powerful.”

“But… Dozers… we are made different.”

“We adapt. We conquer. We strive to become better.”

“Humans are weak, look down on others, and create a status quo that generates destruction and feud among one another.”

“We are completely different.”

“Christian.”

“Maybe you and Wilbert shared the same thoughts, feelings, and had the same amount of hardship.”

“But I am no longer Wilbert. That Wilbert has perished.”

“Maybe it was fate.”

“We were destined to meet one another.”

“So that you can finally rest in peace and no longer suffer the torment of being a berated dog.”

Wilbert slashed Christian in his chest, and kicked him in the chin.

“I will see you in the afterlife, Christian.”

As time continued moving, the police officer fell to the ground, covered in blood. Christian realized he was bleeding profusely, as he too blacked out immediately.

“Tch, how easy it is for humans to perish.” Wilbert said, walking towards Preston and Alice who were feeling a little uneasy.

“Stay back, you feen!” Preston cried, as Wilbert wore the watch in his hand. “I can call on the strongest proprietors-”

“Die.” Preston fell to the ground, followed by Alice’s screams as Wilbert killed her off as well.

One by one, the scene was ravaged by blood as Wilbert approached Margaret.

“I will keep her alive.” Wilbert said. “Her imagination could prove useful for me. And she is a beauty too.”

“Maybe I’ll adapt into her-” A sudden shot of a bullet pierced his wrist, shattering the watch he was wearing.

He looked behind to see all of the people that he had killed vanished into thin air.

“Missed me?” Christian said, as he revealed himself behind a tree.

“How the hell are you still ALIVE-” Wilbert was shot through his shoulder, as he realized he had fallen into a trap.

“Man, the characters you created felt so unrealistic, Margaret.” Preston laughed and also revealed himself. “It almost felt like they were from a manga or something.”

“My bad… The police officer was really hard to figure out.” Margaret laughed to herself. “His personality was based on a Mystery manga I recently read.”

“She created every single policeman… no… that can’t be…” Wilbert thought, gasping for air. “She… has such an insane form of imagination-” A bullet was fired at his head but he blocked it with his claw.

Christian fired two more bullets, giving him no time to react.

One bullet was a smoke bomb, as it blinded his sight. Wilbert slashed it aggressively, as he saw a bottle coming straight at him.

He used his chain to adapt it, but his Dozer skin started to feel sticky.

“What the hell did you do to me?” Wilbert felt like he was turning to glue, and his chains could not be released from his body.

“I figured that would work.” Christian said, as Wilbert was no longer able to move from his position. “To think your imaginations were this useful… it can even be adapted into my gun.”

"Well, I suppose I am just that creative.” Margaret said, winking at him and pointing her fingers in a gun gesture.

But seriously, I gave so many clues that I was the one who summoned them…" Margaret cried like a child. "Lucky I thought of stunning him with a taser, then I got up and told you guys about my brilliant plan… and to hide behind the trees and bushes while I recreate the whole entire scene…"

"This woman… was the mastermind? I thought she was the weakest one…" The Dozer in Wilbert thought. "This glue… I can't un-adapt it…"

"Are you crazy? Your plan was way too dangerous! What if I didn't catch on?" Christian pointed at her in agony. "Oh wait… your policeman character was really unrealistic… how do I put it?"

"He was really nailing down on you, huh?" Preston scratched his head. "That Alice impersonation though… I must say, it's very convincing from only seeing her once."

"Thank you, I tried my best." Margaret laughed hysterically like an evil villain. "I also had to create both of your holograms… but that wasn't too difficult."

"You really went ham on me, didn't you?" Christian sighed. "I haven't met anyone who I hate and appreciate the help more from."

"The watch…" Wilbert cried, barely able to speak as one side of his mouth was starting to turn into glue and sealed shut. "You baited me after you hit me to the ground with that police guy…"

"Oi… don't go and create watches on people! Dozers can adapt time!" Christian cried. "If he went for you, you would have died."

"But he wouldn't, right?" Margaret said, shrugging her shoulders. "I knew I was a natural beauty, so this would all work in my favor somehow."

"She gambled it all on herself?" Wilbert thought. "That is insane… who would send themselves to die first? If I went for her, the plan would foil-"

"No… That damn Wilbert… he still wanted to see her…"

"That woman… was the only way… that gave me that decision to spare her."

"Mint… this bastard's wife… did he really still loved someone who threw him aside… and caused him to commit the murder of his own daughter…"

"...I… don't understand… humans after all."

"Well, what do we do with you?" Christian said. "I can't kill you just yet, since you are a part of Wilbert now. It'll also end his life, which by law would be fine to do so…"

"Wilbert's dream… was to find acceptance." The Dozer spoke on his behalf, like he knew him very well. "He wasn't a man who was the brightest, just an ordinary worker. I am no longer capable of separating from him, and even if I gained full control I am no longer able to act."

"I have enough of your pity story." Christian said, firing a bullet into his chest. "It is a grenade that will explode once I morph it. I only have one thing to ask… where is the missing boy? And who orchestrated this?"

"I have no clue." The Dozer said through Wilbert as he slowly lost his ability to see. Its body fused across his face, and shut his eyelids. "But I do know… that the one he bought the weapon from was a shrewd guy. Randall Tang I believe was his name…"

"Tch, so it still goes back to him…" Christian recalled what Josh said at the meeting.

"The missing boy was not part of Wilbert's plan to harm." The Dozer said, before his mouth was about to be sealed shut. "My final request… is in the back drawer of my home. It has all of my bank cards… please… send them to a charity… and don't… give them… to Mint-"

He could no longer speak, as his body started to melt from the sun's heat. The rain has finally cleared as the three ran a distance away before Christian turned the bullet into a grenade.

It exploded the Dozer from the inside, and Wilbert was no longer able to be saved.

But in the end, his request and clearing of the mess was handed over to Preston while Christian and Margaret parted ways to find the missing boy.