Deadly desires: the Donna's obsession.

Scarlett jerked her hand free from Mori's grip, her gaze sharp enough to cut steel.

"What the hell do you want, kid?"

Mori turned to her coldly, crossing her arms. "Do you really want me to tell you that here, Lilith Russo?" her tone was so casual it felt like a slap.

Scarlett froze.

Her expression didn't betray her shock, but her mind raced. She hadn't heard that name, her name, in years.

For a moment, she weighed her options—ignore her or play along?

She decided to go with the latter.

"Careful kid, you're playing with fire."

Mori didn't flinch.

Turning around, she walked toward the locker room, not bothering to see if she would even follow or not.

Scarlett hesitated for a second before following after her.

Inside the locker room, Mori leaned against a bench, her hands stuffed in the pockets of her uniform.

Scarlett shut the door behind her with a soft click, her arms crossed as she leaned against it.

"You've got ten seconds to convince me not to kill you," she hissed, also crossing her arms.

Despite the visible threat Mori didn't budge. She simply raised a brow, pulling out her phone. "Hacking's kind of my thing. Your files aren't as secure as you'd think. But that's not the point."

Scarlett's eyes narrowed. "Then what's the point?"

Mori reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded newspaper.

"Do you know about project X, I need to talk to you about it."

Scarlett tilted her head. "Project X?" she repeated, tapping a finger on her chin. "Sounds to me like something out of a bad sci-fi movie. Should I somehow be aware of it?"

"Yes, because I know you're involved."

Her smirk faltered for a second before returning. "Do you now? And what exactly makes you think that?"

Mori stepped closer, holding the newspaper out to her. "Because it all comes back to you."

Scarlett didn't take the paper. Instead, she leaned against the locker, crossing her arms as she studied her with narrowed eyes.

"Enlighten me."

Mori unfolded the newspaper, revealing a faded headline that read: "PROJECT X: INHUMANE EXPERIMENTS EXPOSED."

She tapped the article with her finger. "Project X was a series of illegal experiments—genetic modifications, drug trials, whatever else the scientists thought they could get away with. They targeted children. Abducted them. Tortured them. And killed them. All in the name of 'progress.'" Below the article was a black-and-white photo of a crumbling building surrounded by armed guards.

"This was where it all happened," Mori pointed at the building. "Some GeneX lab disguised as a research facility. They experimented on kids—turned them into something else. Most didn't even survive but they claimed it was all for 'science,' for some breakthrough that never even came. But really, it was about power. Control. And you..." She paused, meeting Scarlett's gaze. "You were one of those children, weren't you?"

Scarlett didn't answer immediately. Her mind flashed with images she'd long buried: the cages, the blood, the desperate screams of children.

Her jaw tightened, but she forced a dry laugh. "That's quite the conspiracy theory. What's next? Aliens? Mind control?"

Mori stepped closer, her voice unwavering. "Stop pretending. I see it in your eyes. You remember it. The cages, the experiments...the way..."

"Enough!!" Scarlett interrupted, her voice cutting through Mori's like a blade.

Mori ignored her and continued. "You don't have to admit it. But I know. And if you think I'm wrong, tell me this, why does it all feel familiar?"

Scarlett's jaw tightened, her nails digging into her palms.

She didn't answer. She didn't need to.

Mori took a step back, her expression softening slightly. "I'm not here to accuse you. I'm here because I need your help."

Scarlett arched a brow, her smirk returning. "My help? That's rich. And what exactly do you need my help with? Starting a charity?"

Mori didn't answer and instead pulled out another item from her pocket, a faded yearbook.

She flipped it open, her fingers stopping on a page near the back.

She pointed to a picture of a man in a lab coat, his face stern and tired, underneath the image read: Dr. James Moreau, Science Faculty Advisor, 20XX-20XX."

"This was my father," she said quietly.

Scarlett tilted her head slightly to get a better view of the picture.

"He was a scientist," Mori continued, her voice steady but tinged with bitterness. "He had worked here since when Valmont High was a lab till it became a school. But unfortunately he mysteriously disappeared on October 12th, 2014. And yet, here he is in a yearbook from 2016." She flipped the page to show Scarlett. "Explain that."

Scarlett's eyes flickered to the dates, her mind already piecing together the implications.

"And that's not all," she continued, pulling out another folded piece of paper.

This time, it was an old article. The headline read: "FORMER LABORATORY SOLD TO NEW OWNERS AMID CONTROVERSY."

She held it up for Scarlett to see. "After the GeneX experiments were exposed, this place was suddenly sold to the current principal; no explanation, no arrest, no investigation, nothing. And now it's full of students who have no idea what this place used to be."

Scarlett's lips twitched into a cold smile. "And you think you're gonna be the one to blow the lid off this whole thing? That's ambitious, kid. Stupid, but ambitious."

Mori rolled her eyes. "I don't wanna blow the lid off anything, I just want justice. For my father. For every child who suffered in that lab. And I think you should want the same, for yourself and for your mother."

Hearing her, Scarlett suddenly burst into laughter, clapping her hands wildly.

"Justice? Justice?" She stepped closer, towering over Mori. "Let me tell you something, kid. Just three days ago, I used an entire family as manure for my vineyard including their newborn child and took over their olive plantations in Malta, just because I felt bored. I'm a villain, girl. Your so-called 'Justice' doesn't interest me."

Mori's jaw tightened. "You're not a villain. You're a victim pretending to be one."

This time it was Scarlett's turn to roll her eyes. "There are no victims in a war, only survivors with blood on their hands, and I've got plenty of them. I'm sure you've done some 'villainous things' in your time too, so stop acting righteous, as if you're any better than me."

Mori didn't back down. "I'm not better than you. But I'm not like you, either. I still believe in something. I still believe in doing what's right."

Scarlett chuckled, shaking her head. "And what's 'right,' huh? Your so-called 'right' is decided by those on top, those with power, they decide what's right and wrong... what's good and evil. To them you're all fucking chess pieces."

Mori's lips pressed into a thin line. "So, what, you think you're above morality? Above good and evil?"

Scarlett laughed again. "Good and evil are fairy tales. I don't believe in them. There's only hunger and the lengths people go to satisfy it."

For a moment, the two stared at each other, the air between them crackling with tension.

Finally, Mori broke it. "You don't have to believe in justice. But don't you want revenge? For your mother?"

Scarlett's eyes flickered for a brief moment with pain, anger, regret but it was gone in an instant, replaced by her usual cold detachment.

"So you finally admit that what you want is revenge and not justice." She grinned, walking up to Mori and tapping her shoulders. "Look here, kid, I don't need your lectures and I definitely don't need your help." Without another word, she faced the door, ready to leave.

Mori's voice followed her. "You can pretend all you want, Scarlett. But deep down, you know I'm right. You're not as untouchable as you think. You've got cracks and I can see them."

Scarlett turned to face her fully again. "And what are you going to do, exploit them?"

Mori held her gaze. "Maybe. Or maybe I'll just help you see them for yourself."

Scarlett stepped back, her heels clicking against the tiles as she turned back towards the door.

"Good luck with that, kid." She glanced over her shoulder. "But don't forget—villains always win."

Without another word, she pushed the door open and walked out, leaving Mori alone in the locker room.

Mori's dark eyes narrowed.

"Not this time."