The next morning, Samuel arrived to find a nightmare in progress. Vance had ordered the caretakers to force Luna out into the main public display enclosure. Flashing cameras and screaming crowds swamped the viewing glass, and Luna was reacting the only way a terrified apex predator knew how: with explosive fury. She was violently charging the glass, her massive claws ripping at the air, letting out deafening, bone-chilling roars that shook the arena. The crowd wasn’t repulsed—they were cheering, thrilled by the high-octane spectacle. Standing in the keeper’s control room with a group of wealthy donors, Vance watched the chaos with a greedy smile. This violent display was exactly what he wanted to drive ticket sales through the roof.
Furious, Samuel burst into the room. “Get her out of there right now!” he roared. “She isn’t performing; she’s entering a state of lethal shock! Pull the drop-gates before she breaks the glass or hurts herself!” Vance sneered. “She’s adapting, Samuel. This is exactly what the people paid to see.””You are a parasite,” Samuel yelled. “You are treating a living soul like a carnival attraction!” Vance sneered. “You’re done here. You’re fired, Samuel. Effective immediately.”