Ramon, the leader of the infamous Gilt Rats syndicate, was busy working away on the several projects he had running in his lab. On the surface, he still had to actually perform some part of the legitimate research for which the facility and his room were designated. This meant he needed to produce insufficient data, or at least make it look like there was progress but constant, frustrating unsuccess in other areas, all to keep up the appearance of a struggling but dedicated team.
But the vast majority of his time, and the facility’s resources, was spent on his true goal: creating specialized machinery meant to enhance the human body to fight at superhuman levels. Ramon’s ambition was centered on designing a robust suit that could enhance the human physique, allowing them to essentially become a type of super soldier.
This was Ramon’s secret reality because he wasn’t just anyone in the Gilt Rats; he was the leader. He was the shadowy figure who orchestrated everything behind the scenes, a man nearly no one on the outside, or even the inside, knew was the true power behind the syndicate. He was the leader of an organized crime group with grand plans to push his organization further than ever before. To do that, he wanted to make a large scene, a big, shocking splash with their new technology at the next major Invasion event, a global showcase for power.
While he was intensely busy, looking at the schematics and designs, trying to see what parts they could make cheaper while still having the items remain just as effective in order to mass-produce these suits for their own people, he got an alert on his watch.
The sensor went off. Bobo is coming to pay a visit?
Quickly, Ramon, as well as the other "researchers" in the room, acted. Every single person on his team were actually high-ranking members of the Gilt Rats, not scientists. They swiftly changed their computer screens and set up their equipment so it looked like normal, mundane lab work was in progress. They pretended to be consumed by their work, and then the sound of the door opening echoed through the lab.
"Ah, Ramon and your team, it seems you are busy as always," Bobo said, sweeping into the room with Karen in tow. "I don’t think there has been a single time where I have come in here and you’ve been on break. Your dedication is remarkable."
Ramon stopped what he was doing and came over to greet her, but then he realized there were more guests in the room as well, she wasn’t on her own. When Ramon looked at the woman with the blonde hair, he immediately recognized her. It was Karen Stern, Bobo’s intimidating mother. Ramon had made sure to gather information on as many of the Stern family members as possible, just in case there were more opportunities to get a hand on their money or influence.
However, there were two others in the room whose presence he absolutely did not like. A random blonde-haired man who looked entirely weak (Warma), a large guard that had quite the silent, menacing presence just standing near the door (Na), and lastly, a man wearing a strange, full-head mask of black glass (Max).
"Is there something I can help with?" Ramon asked, his expression perfectly controlled. "Are these some clients that wish to try out our product ahead of time perhaps?"
Testing products on the rich and desperate was one of the ideas Ramon had himself once he eventually took over the facility. Some of the products actually worked; they were just stuck in the agonizing trial period or waiting for regulatory approval. There were many wealthy individuals who would pay a significant amount of money to be able to test if the products truly worked or not, those who were desperate and didn’t have time to wait, as long as the treatment had already shown some level of success.
Ramon had already been trying to gather his own network within the facility of researchers who were willing to arrange it so some products might have "gone missing" from inventory, allowing him to sell them for huge, untraceable cash.
"That’s not the case, Ramon," Bobo explained quickly. "But I wanted to introduce you to this man here, as he is very important to our company’s future and you might see him from time to time."
She then gestured for Max to introduce himself as he stepped forward, the sleek black suit giving him an air of dangerous authority.
"I am the Chairman of the Billion Bloodline group," Max explained, his voice deep and augmented by the modulator. "We are currently in talks with investing a significant amount of capital into the facility, as well as all of its ongoing projects." He projected confidence. "So we are going around learning what each department does and how the money can best be utilized. We want it to be a long-term relationship, and we might even give more funding to particular projects, or funding to the facility with developing certain products we see fit. So please, feel free to show off what you have been doing."
When Max spoke up, he had a crucial thought burning in the back of his mind: This is the lab where Evon was working. It was now beyond a reasonable doubt that this entire research facility was most likely linked to the Gilt Rats, and judging from how Bobo was acting, and even how she was talking to Ramon with such genuine respect, she seemed to have absolutely no idea that she was dealing with a criminal mastermind.
This just made Max wonder even more: Just what were the Gilt Rats doing here, taking such massive risks by operating directly in a Stern family facility?
If we look at it, Max mused, his mind racing through the syndicate’s history, they were also linked to the Black Hounds and took most of the money from Chad as well... could it be, that they’re here to take even more money from the Stern family through this facility?
If that’s the case... I want to find out their entire plan, and when I do, I’ll take it all for myself instead. Max had the biggest, most ruthless smile, but it was completely hidden behind his black glass contraption. He had just gone from corporate investor to undercover investigator, ready to steal a syndicate’s entire future.