Wiping soot off his face Well, that went... not as planned, huh? Still, progress!
Okay? Oh, I'm fine. Just a little explosion, nothing to worry about. laughs maniacally
And what about my girlfriend? Is she okay?
Your girlfriend? Ha! Good one, Julian. You really think I'd let her get caught up in this? She's safe, for now.
Alright. I'll go check on her.
grabs Julian's arm Not so fast, my dear boy. We can't just leave everything behind. There's still work to be done here.
But boss, I need to see her!
No time for distractions, Julian! We have to ensure the success of our next experiment. Besides, she's safer in the dark than with you. Now, let's focus.
But how do you know she is safe?
Because I've taken care of it, of course. You just have to trust me, Julian. Now, let's move on before something else goes wrong.
How do you know? You can’t know unless you actually saw her.
smirks Oh, trust me, Julian. I have my ways. Consider it a little insurance policy to keep your precious girlfriend safe.
What do you mean by that?
leans in closer, whispering Let's just say I have some... special connections. People who owe me favors.
Why do you even need to do this?
leans back, arms crossed Because, Julian, this is bigger than both of us.
Bigger than love or fear?
smirks Oh, you have no idea, Julian. This goes far beyond love and fear. It's about power and control.
Power and control? That sounds dangerous.
Dangerous? Oh, it's more than dangerous, Julian. It's the only way to ensure our survival in this twisted game we're playing.
Survival in a twisted game? What do you mean?
As they continue talking, Julian begins to uncover a dark truth about their twisted game and the real reason behind Steven's actions.
smirks Ah, Julian, you're finally catching on. This game is called "The Dark Illusion."
The Dark Illusion? What exactly is that?
The Dark Illusion is a twisted game of mind control and manipulation.
Mind control and manipulation? That sounds like science fiction.
Science fiction? Oh, this is very much real, Julian. pulls out a device from his pocket With this, we can manipulate people's thoughts and emotions.
What? How is that possible?
winks It's all thanks to my little invention - the ThoughtWave.
ThoughtWave? I never heard of such a thing.
smirks Well, you're about to find out, Julian. Welcome to the world of ThoughtWave. activates the device, sending a wave of hypnotic suggestions through the air