?


    Roseanne piped up with a bold idea one day, "Let''s apply for our ownb."


    Mamie''s eyes popped open. Scales was just as shocked.


    Was that even possible?!


    "Would Ms. Payne have... objections to that?"


    "You''re underestimating the olddy''s broad-mindedness," Roseanne chuckled, shaking her head. "It was actually her idea in the first ce."


    No sooner said than done, Scales hopped onto the university''s admin system and lodged the application that very day.


    The screen confirmed the application was submitted, promising a response within three days.


    But three dayster, they were met with disappointment—


    Application denied.


    Reason: Lab capacity reached.


    Roseanne found it odd, "I passed by thatb yesterday, and it was locked up tight, just like always. No research team in sight."


    Mamie, crunching on her potato chips, mused, "Could the admin office be ying hardball with us?"


    Scales remained silent, offering noment.


    They headed straight to the admin office after ss-


    "Why was our application denied when theb''s clearly unupied?"


    The admin staff swiveled the monitor towards them, pointing out, "See here, it says the application is unsessful. I recall thatb was just loaned out not long ago... hold on, let me check for you."


    Quickly-


    "Got it! Approved three days ago, the applicant is... Carlson, also from the Life Sciences department. You must know him, right?" Scales frowned deeply.


    Carlson had his ownb, with resources and funding specially allocated to him. It made no sense for him to request anotherb.


    "We have rooms C112 and B174 still avable, want to choose one of those instead?"


    Scales didn''t bite.


    Their experiment required a CPRT analyzer, and the entire college had only two. One was perpetually hogged by the Edna Moore team, and the other was in the veryb they had applied for.


    "...So, you''re saying, thisb was our only option, and now Carlson''s snagged it?!"


    Mamie''s eyes bulged in disbelief, her previously appetizing burrito suddenly lost its charm.


    "This is outright bullying! No, we need to talk to the professor!"


    Mamie dropped her food, ready to dash off.


    Roseanne grabbed her, and Scales quickly interjected—


    "Cool it, no rash moves. The professor''s at the hospital."


    Mamie froze.


    Madeleine wasn''t in good health, something Mamie only found out after she had enrolled. She was hardly ever seen without her herbal medicine.


    Just opening her thermos released a strong medicinal scent.


    Mamie couldn''t stand the smell, yet


    the professor had to drink it dail


    the


    alone was torturous...


    Sentent belongs to


    swno


    "So, what do we do now?" Mamie calmed down, looking from Scales to Roseanne for guidance.


    "The admin office goes by the system. Carlson applied before us, it''s only fair he got it."


    That meant they were at a dead end there.


    Their only hope now was...


    Roseanne suggested, "Let''s have a private word with Carlson."N?velDrama.Org content.


    Scales nodded in agreement.


    ...


    "Carlson, you''ve got visitors!"


    "Alright, be right there."


    Carlson put down his tools, took off his disposable gloves, and stepped out of theb.


    There, in the hallway, stood Roseanne, Scales, and Mamie.


    velve


    Carlson was momentarily taken aback. He recognized them as Payne''s newly recruited grad students, though he couldn''t match names to faces.


    He asked, "What can I do for you?"


    Scales took the lead, "Is all your research conducted in thisb?"