"Listen, here, kid.", Braid ordered Jack to land on the table so the younger one could take a closer look. "This, this is your golden ticket into the cool room."

He pointed at the robot who cheerfully beeped.

JD nodded.

"So, you're helping me, dad?", he asked and looked at him.

Marcus sighed.

"I'm just the transporter.", he said but couldn't hide the displeasure about the plan.

Baird exchanged a gaze with him before pulling out a device that seemed to be a mixture of a syringe and some pill dispenser. He handed it to the young one.

"What's that?", JD eyed it from all sides.

"Something that will hopefully buy us some time.", Braid turned to the terminal to light up a holographic map. "This is the way we have to go. I'm not an expert, but I'd say we should take as little time as possible to get (Y/N) to Jinn's preferred location. Otherwise, no medical treatment."

JD frowned.

"Yeah, she told me that already."

"Did she at least agree to lend us a raven?"

"No. She isn't willing to risk any of her precious recourses. We need to do it via car."

Marcus rolled his eyes. Anger burned up in him, but it had no use complaining about something that couldn't be helped.

"So she wants the scientist but isn't willing to put anything on the table in return?", he asked, clenching his hands into fists.

With his eyes lowered, JD let himself fall onto a chair. With his head hanging low, he let out a deep sigh and had to rub his forehead. As always, he was fighting a headache. And to add to that, he was getting nervous too.

It felt like time was running out any minute now, but Jinn didn't want to do anything about it. Despite her strangely big interest in your abilities.

"Tell her that she can't tell the dead to do her dirt work.", Baird hissed and inserted some data into Jack, so he would be prepared for what was about to be his job. "If she wants this research and someone who understands it, she needs to put some effort in too."

An annoyed growl got stuck in JD's throat. It surprised him time and time again his easily angered he was nowadays. Usually, he took everything with a stupid grin and a joke. But those times were gone now and he had turned into a younger version of his father.

"Shit.", he hit the table and jumped up. "I told her everything already, but she just won't listen!"

"Then, we'll do this on our own.", Marcus suddenly said.

Struck by surprise, JD's head snapped into his direction. Eyes wide open, he gasped for air.

"Are you insane, dad?", he asked. "Without the specialists, (Y/N) would never survive!"

The expression on Marcus already hard face darkened. He let out a deep hum, but still nodded. With his arms crossed in front of his chest, he pointed at the map.

"Our house isn't as far as the settlement.", he said and quickly glanced at Baird to check if he was listening. "If Jinn didn't tear the basement apart... Braid might be able to replace the doctors."

Confused, JD frowned and looked over to the other man.

Lost in thoughts, Baird thought for a moment before looking up again.

"I thought she burned it down?", he asked.

"To the ground.", Marcus confirmed. "But the lower floors were spared, more or less. The night was too cold for the fire to burn underground."

"Do you think the chamber is still intact?"

"I didn't use it in two decades. So, no idea. But if so, could you make it run again?"

Taking a deep breath in, Baird turned to the terminal again to type in some stuff before pulling out a data log and handing it to Marcus.

"I won't go there ever again. I'm sorry.", he shook his head, dark memories lighting up inside his eyes. "The two of you should go check on it before you risk it. Just to make sure everything is actually working and doesn't need fixing."

Marcus eyed the log.

"And this is?", he asked with his eyebrows pulled together.

"An update.", Baird glanced over to JD. "It should be enough to fix the heavy damage. But after that, medical treatment is necessary. At a hospital."

Letting his eyes jump from one man to the other, JD frowned and tried to make sense of the conversation that he wasn't part of. His lips moved, but all he could do was huff in disbelieve and confusion.

Baird noticed. He turned to Marcus.

"You never told him, did you?", he asked in a low voice. "Maybe you should before going there..."

With a warning shimmer in his eyes, Marcus shook his head.

"Keep your mouth shut.", he growled. "We don't need more problems than we already have."

With a shrug of his shoulders, Baird turned around to dedicate his attention to feeding Jack with as many extra protocols and data that might come in handy.

Marcus quickly glanced at his son, squeezing his eyes tightly shut as he noticed his upset he was.

But JD grabbed his dad by the shoulder before he could escape.

"What are you talking about?", he asked with his confused anger held back. "What is wrong with the house? Why won't he go there with us?"

Marcus wanted to turn away but couldn't. To his surprise, he had to notice that JD was a lot stronger than he remembered. His hand on his armour alone was enough to keep him from running.

JD's grip tightened, forcing him to turn to him so their eyes would lock.

"Dad.", JD's voice was calm but also incredibly threatening. "What were you talking about? Because the way it sounds to me, I'm not willing to do it."

Marcus looked at his son for a very long time. His lips twitched, but he kept calm.

"It's not about the place but it's original purpose.", he said and shook the hand off. "Prepare yourself. We leave this night. And no COG. This must stay a secret, James."