Samantha waited at the gas station, pretending to scroll through her phone while keeping an eye on the road.

The area they were in was already far from the crowded urban district, but it was still inside the city limits.

Although it was called a highway, it was not like Francis’ old world, where there were wide open spaces. It showed just how massive this place really was.

A few minutes later, a man wearing a biker jacket walked toward her. A hat shadowed most of his face, but she recognized him the moment he sat across from her.

"Hi. Thanks for meeting me."

Lex smiled.

Gone was the cold, hostile attitude from before. His voice sounded softer.

That sudden change made her pause.

It made her feel like she had overreacted when she slapped him. Now, his smile looked more charming to her. It probably helped that Lex was good-looking and had strong charisma, a byproduct of Gamma genes.

"By the way, before we start, I want to apologize again," he added in a sincere voice.

"Me too," she nodded in response, her heart beating fast, and Francis could practically feel the vibration. He had seen this pattern before.

Men who wanted control often acted distant first.

Cold. Unapproachable. They created tension, then slowly loosen it.

When they finally showed small kindness, it felt bigger than it really was.

A simple smile felt meaningful. Basic courtesy felt special.

Because she did not feel like she was being chased. She felt like she was earning something.

Of course, not all fall for these tricks, especially the smart ones.

"Lieutenant.." She didn’t notice the subtle change in her breathing. Or how her shoulders relaxed. She only saw that Lex seemed easier to talk to now.

"Did you see the news? The Defense Force is staying silent, and the Director is handling everything. Once the negotiations go through, I’m sure you’ll be able to come back." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Her tone sounded careful. She wanted the conversation to move smoothly.

"That’s good to hear. I’m glad he still cared about me after all the problems I created for him," he sighed.

She twitched in her seat. "Of course. I heard about your relationship with him, and that he treated you like his real son. And you’re not a problem at all. You’re a hero."

Lex paused.

For a moment, his expression went still. Then a small smile slowly formed on his face.

"Hearing that from you... it actually makes me happy."

A pink flush spread across her cheeks. She tapped her feet against the floor, a little restless, trying to find the right words to keep the talk going.

Meanwhile, Francis was a bit suspicious. He already knew Samantha was easy to fool, but this felt like something else entirely.

’Did he brainwash her or something? Or is she that gullible?’

If the plan was to get her to work for them, then it was highly possible that the Director had already made arrangements for her to fall for Lex more easily in a subtle way.

One possibility he considered was indirect exposure. People around her could have casually mentioned Lex’s name or praised him before she ever met him.

If that kind of idea was repeated over time, it could shape familiarity and admiration without her noticing.

A memory surfaced from his past life.

There had been a case years ago. One of his colleagues, a former CIA agent, had been assigned to a long-term infiltration operation.

The target was the daughter of a president in a strict, tightly controlled country.

The approach was not direct.

The agent entered under a false identity. A wealthy heir with no clear background, but enough credibility to move through elite circles without question.

At first, it looked harmless.

Small appearances at the same events. Shared spaces. Brief conversations that meant nothing on the surface.

But over time, patterns formed.

People around her began mentioning him in passing. His name showed up in conversations where it didn’t need to be. He was framed as successful, dependable, almost unavoidable in her social circle.

No force. No pressure. Just repetition.

When she finally met him properly, she already had an impression built in her mind. Familiarity came first. Doubt came later, but it was already too weak to matter.

The relationship that followed was not sudden. It felt natural to her, like it had already started long before she noticed.

’I must say, whoever is behind this whole plan is very attentive to detail,’ he thought.

"By the way, Lieutenant... why did you really escape? I mean, even if you surrendered, I’m sure the Defense Force and the Director would do anything to save you."

George had already answered this, but she wanted to hear his side as well.

"Worst case, the government already set up a convoy to transfer me straight to the capital. Once that happens, the Defense Force in this city won’t be able to save me, even if they try."

"Why?" she raised an eyebrow. "Isn’t the Defense Force’s authority enough?"

He shook his head.

"It’s not about authority but the structure itself. Unlike the national government, which is interconnected, the Defense Force of each city is separated. This was done on purpose to minimize the agency’s influence."

"What?" She was surprised, because this information wasn’t open to the public.

"It’s the truth," he admitted. "I only know this because of my connection with the Director. What you see on the surface isn’t really what it is."

She frowned, eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you mean by that?"

Lex didn’t answer right away. He glanced around the empty gas station as if checking if anyone was listening.

"Our country isn’t as unified as it looks," he said at last.

Samantha tilted her head. "So you’re saying there are gaps in control?"

"There are layers," he replied. "And each layer protects its own interests. Sometimes they overlap. Sometimes they don’t."

She stayed quiet for a minute, processing it.

"That still doesn’t explain why they would send you straight to the capital,"

He gave a small, tired smile. "Do you really want to know the ugly truth about Gamma genes? About Special Categories like us?"