"I am called Victor."
Tension flooded the room at once, as if the air itself had frozen. All eyes turned to him: Hamilton's wide with shock laced with suspicion, Louis standing open-mouthed—and Ilio… Ilio alone wore a faint, cold smile.
"And then?" Ilio asked calmly.
"What do you mean, 'then'?" Victor replied, his voice slightly rough.
Louis rushed toward him, gripping his shoulders tightly, eyes burning with anticipation.
"Tell me! What did you remember? What did you do before I met you? Who are you really?"
Ilio gently pushed him aside.
"Step back, Louis. Don't question him too much right now. He hasn't fully regained his awareness yet. Don't pressure him. We'll know soon enough."
Victor looked straight at Ilio.
"Your name is Ilio… correct?"
"Yes."
"I feel… as if I know you."
A faint smile curved Ilio's lips.
"Don't try to remember now. It will only give you a headache, and you won't recall anything real. The information will flow into your mind piece by piece. Let it come naturally."
"No… I remember," Victor said with strange steadiness. "Only a small part… but it's there. Tell me—what year is this?"
"We are in the year 3000," Ilio answered without hesitation.
"Really… That's strange," Victor murmured, trying to comprehend the staggering number.
"It doesn't matter right now," Ilio said, glancing at Hamilton and Louis. "You stay here. Hamilton, Louis—we're heading to support the others in Verdantiz. The situation there is worsening."
"I'm going too," Victor said suddenly, his voice firm.
"You can't," Hamilton snapped.
"I must go. You have no authority over me. And besides… I want to repay your kindness."
"I won't allow it!" Hamilton shouted. "Seal the doors!"
Ilio intervened calmly.
"Victor… why exactly do you want to go?"
"I want all my memories back. They're still distorted—fragmented. I'll search for the remaining two capsules."
Everyone froze.
"And how do you know the number of capsules?" Ilio asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"What? I… I don't know how I knew," Victor replied, clutching his head.
This time Ilio's smile widened.
"I see… That's natural. Yes, you may search for them with us. But we are a group. If you wish to join us, it will help you greatly."
"So you have a method," Victor said. "Fine. I'll help you. Even if I have nothing to offer now, I can leave whenever I choose."
"Ha… interesting," Ilio replied. "You're different from before. Then we have an agreement."
"What do you mean by 'different from before'?"
"Nothing," Ilio said quickly. "I'm certain you'll be useful. We need to increase our numbers as well."
Before they could shake hands, an emergency call rang in Ilio's earpiece. He raised it swiftly.
"Alex… what is it?"
Alex's voice came through distorted, tense.
"We're in serious trouble."
Hamilton snatched the earpiece.
"Alex! What's happening over there?"
"We have casualties… the First Squad… they've been wiped out. We found them in formation… only bodies."
Shock struck the room like lightning. Hamilton stiffened. Ilio narrowed his eyes. Louis… was quietly, terrifyingly furious.
"I'm going. Now," Louis whispered.
"No!" Hamilton shouted. "Don't act on emotion. Use your head. How could he survive while two of our elite die so easily?"
"Easily?" Louis shot back, rage barely contained. "You mean Lina and Noah were easy?"
Hamilton hesitated, but Ilio cut in.
"No… they couldn't have died like that. The bodies may be fake—unless R-308 is behind this."
"And the only way to know," Louis said, "is to go myself."
"Yes… I'll go as well," Ilio added.
"I'm coming," Victor said abruptly.
"It seems it truly is R-308," Ilio murmured. "He's caused chaos for years. Unstable, unlike the other Synced. This is our chance to bring him down… We've failed several times because of him."
"Listen to me!" Hamilton shouted.
But at that very moment, Ilio said quietly,
"Mr. Hamilton… I believe the decision is no longer yours. They've already left."
Victor, Ilio, and Louis moved quickly down the corridor. Ilio carried a small, gleaming weapon and handed it to Victor.
"What is this?"
"It's a Pulse. Simple weapon. Easy to use. I doubt you'll have trouble with it."
"The observers had it too."
"'Observers'—an odd term. But you're right. It's distinctive. As for Louis… he isn't carrying one now. He's angry. The First Squad has three members—he's one of them. Two boys and a girl. They were his friends. That's why he's furious."
"That sounds harsh," Victor said. "Don't you feel anything for them?"
"I prefer to think about the group's interests rather than the dead," Ilio replied evenly. "I don't believe they would be pleased if we wasted time mourning them. They devoted themselves to the group until death… and so must we."
From behind, Hamilton's voice echoed as he tried to follow, but they were already moving swiftly through the corridor toward Verdantiz.
They entered the car. It shot forward at full speed through tunnels and across rough roads.
—
[Verdantiz]
Above the highlands of Verdantiz, opposite the industrial building, a figure spoke through an encrypted channel.
"Hamilton and the others are coming… Louis is with them. It seems he'll do something reckless. No matter. We've secured all sides of Verdantiz."
"Yes… it was easy. The forest environment helped us greatly. And we'll exploit its resources. Look… they've arrived."
Ilio stepped out first and hurried to Alex.
"What's happening? Is what you said true?"
"Yes… but we're not certain about the two bodies. We found them without… without… ah… how do I say it—"
"Ilio," Louis interrupted near Victor, "let me go to the industrial building. It's the only place left, right?"
"Yes… only that remains. But why?"
"I don't believe they're dead. They're the best among us. They may have been kidnapped."
"You might be right… Victor will follow you."
"I'll go without being noticed."
"Fine. Probably you can… Hamilton, do what you deem best."
Through the earpiece, Hamilton's firm voice sounded:
"Attention all units: take your positions. Prepare your weapons. Do not allow anyone unfamiliar to leave your sight. And if you see R-308… eliminate him without mercy."
"Understood."
"Understood."
"Understood."
"Son… be careful. I don't want to lose you," Hamilton said.
"Yes, Father," Louis replied, then whispered to himself, "Victor might do something reckless if I don't warn him… Fine. I'll warn him."
He turned toward the car and knocked on the window.
"Victor! Victor! Roll it down—I need to tell you something. Damn it… you're forcing me to be rude!"
He opened the door.
No one.
"What…???"
"Father! Victor isn't in the car!" Louis shouted.
Ilio looked over, troubled.
"Louis… what is it?"
"Victor… where are you? Has anyone seen a young man around?"
"No."
"No."
In the distance, they saw someone running swiftly toward the industrial building.
"It looks like Victor," Ilio said.
"Louis—go! We can't let him go alone."
Louis dashed forward.
"Right!"
Across the fields and trees of Verdantiz, Victor ran, his gun in hand, a few words carved deep into his mind:
"I must go… I must go… no matter what."
To be continued…