It was 3:00 in the morning when Lillie and Ethan headed to the headquarters. The sky was still dark, littered with stars and the waning moon that was mostly veiled by dark clouds.

But first, they stopped at Ethan's underground base in the middle of a deserted forest. They needed to switch the car with motorcycles. ​​

Ai was ecstatic that her mommy get to visit her personally again. The underground base was, after all, where she was built. Meaning to say, her main 'body' is there too.

Ethan was actually working on with building her an actual, moving body. It would take him years to finish if he were to build it alone.

But Lillie proposed for her engineers to assist him. That would definitely lift a lot of weight from his shoulders.

The meeting and short welcome celebration for the newest addition to their expanding organization ended with everyone's stomach filled and moods elevated; thrilled for what's to come in the near future.

"Cyrus, Cyra, I need you two for a moment."

Hearing their names being summoned by the boss, the twins left the group mingling with the two Commanders to immediately answer to Lillie's call.

"Yes, boss?" The two asked at the same time, staring at her with two pairs of seemingly innocent, curious eyes.

"To the clinic. I need you two to check my eyes."

Identical and feigned childish expressions hidden under identical masks were wiped clean, shifting into somber and worried looks.

The boss' eyes? It's rare for her to request a check-up, especially in the eyes. But when she did, it usually concerns her sight.

Oh no! Is the boss' eyesight dwindling?!

Lillie turned her back against them and unhurriedly made her way out with Ethan walking right next to her.

No words were uttered as the twins quietly trailed behind the couple, their minds flying towards various probabilities of the result they get would turn out to be something...concerning.

Lillie is not only their boss, but their benefactor and savior as well. The White Birds are willing to follow her at every step she takes, willingly allow themselves to be used to her disposal.

But their benevolent boss doesn't consider them as mere, disposable arsenals. She see them as human beings whose lives belonged to no one but themselves.

The majority of the White Birds own their lives to her. Most of them would've probably died or rot somewhere, without anyone knowing, if it weren't for White Bird offering her hands to save them.

So, you can't blame them for being overly concerned. There's no person in this organization who wouldn't worry in regards of their beloved boss' health.

The withdrawing figures caught the attention of the Elders and the two Commanders.

Seeing the twins leaving after the boss without their usual chirpy and giddy demeanor, concern started gnawing their minds.

Drunk Python and Blood Venom noticed the sudden change of atmosphere. The Elders stilled and went quiet; a distant look in their eyes, staring at the double doors where the Lady Boss and their Boss Man withdraw along with the twins.

Even though it was tough to suppress their tongues from quenching their curiosity, the two Commanders managed to hold it back, wisely choosing not to probe with whatever it was that troubles the Elders.

The Elders were quick to snap themselves out of reverie. They composed themselves and resumed back to their discussion about everyone's favorite games, trying to distract their minds from the uneasiness.

***

The clock's hands strike 6 o'clock.

Lillie and Ethan have half of the day for themselves before they could go all the way back to his underground base, switch the motorcycles with the car and change clothes, go home and change again—in their business attire—then resume another mundane routine in their respective companies.

Reassured with privacy inside her very own clinic in the headquarters, Lillie took off her mask to allow the twins to examine her eyes more clearly.

Her vitals signs were checked, and the twins' eyebrows rose.

"Your blood pressure's lower than usual." Cyra pulled the stethoscope's binaural, then wrapped the stethoscope around her neck for the meantime.

Lillie subconsciously rubbed her upper arm when Cyra removed the sphygmomanometer.

"Ah, yes. I already had a check-up." Lillie mentioned. "The doctor said that I have a mild iron-deficiency. He already prescribed me with some medicine."

The twins nodded at that and continued to conduct a physical check-up.

"Boss, if you would excuse us for imposing, but we need to extract a blood sample from you to double check your condition." Cyra said.

"Although you are exhibiting symptoms of iron-deficiency, that's not enough for us to determine why your eyes are involuntarily changing color. It could be due to an increase amount of hormones. So, we need to dig a little deeper."

"If you must. Go ahead."

Cyra tied a tourniquet on Lillie's upper arm. She rubbed a cotton ball with alcohol on the area to sanitize it, before taking the syringe and pieced it on her antecubital.

Lillie watched with blank eyes as blood was drawn out of her. The dark red liquid slowly surged up, filling the syringe until it reached the middle.

"There we go." A cotton ball was pressed on the pricked skin, and was held in place by a surgical tape.

"Would you like a lollipop, boss?"

Unexpectedly, Ethan didn't find it strange for Cyrus to ask this peculiar question without sounding as if he was only teasing her.

"Sure." Lillie replied, not a hint of bashfulness in her tone.

Of course. Just as Ethan expected, his wife wouldn't turn down sweets.

Cyrus turned the key on the drawer of his desk. He pulled the drawer to reveal a whole pack of chocolate flavored lollipops.

He gave five to Lillie, and offered one to Ethan—to which he politely refused.

"Thanks." Lillie said before she unwrapped the dollar-coin sized candy, then popped it in her mouth.

The spherical candy protruded on her cheek, giving her an impression of a hamster.

Cute...