*~~Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Five~~*

{~~Avery Sterling~~}

I sat in the basement lab, the dim overhead light casting shadows across the rows of scientific equipment that lined the counters. The air was thick with the scent of chemicals and the faint hum of machinery. Before me, a small vial of Ms. Reynolds' blood sat on the table, its deep red hue glinting under the light. This sample was the key—the starting point in a race against time to find a way to slow down the brain rot that was ravaging her mind due to Lycan Decay Syndrome (LDS).

I reached for my laptop, its screen coming to life with a soft glow. Opening a new document, I began outlining the steps I needed to take. The textbooks I had gathered earlier were stacked high beside me, each one marked with tabs on chapters I would need to reference.

First, I needed to isolate the specific enzymes and proteins in Ms. Reynolds' blood that were being affected by the LDS. I carefully transferred a small amount of the blood into a centrifuge tube, sealing it tightly before