Kaivan moved swiftly down the cold corridor, swallowed by the shadows that clung to the walls like a cloak of night. The chill of the karambit hidden in his boot reminded him, he was never truly unarmed.
Two guards appeared at the end of the hallway. Kaivan stopped, voice steady, trying to sound harmless. "Sorry, I was just looking for the restroom."
"Shoot him!"
Time slowed. The first bullet tore through the air, but Kaivan had already moved. The chain of his karambit swung out, deflecting the shot with a sharp metallic ring. In a single motion, the blade coiled around the first guard's neck, one pull, and the body collapsed.
The second guard raised his weapon, but Kaivan was already mid-air. His knee slammed into the man's face, sending him crashing against the wall, unconscious. Kaivan's breath came heavy, yet his pace never faltered. His shadow melted back into the dark.
He moved like a whisper of war, each step humming with quiet resolve. In his mind, routes and contingencies twisted together, escape, survive, or die. Sweat traced down his temple, but his will hardened.
The door at the end of the corridor drew closer. His fingers brushed the karambit's hilt. Footsteps echoed. Kaivan froze. His breath stilled. The pounding of his heart sounded like a war drum. Pressing against the wall, he counted the rhythm of the enemy's steps. In the stillness, he became shadow, and shadows never flinch.
When the footsteps faded, Kaivan resumed his silent march. The quiet stretched long, filled only with the rasp of his breath and the faint whisper of his steps. Every movement was measured, every second lived through his pulse. There was no space for doubt. In his head, a single thought rang on: Keep moving. Don't stop.
Elsewhere, Radit and Ethan advanced through the darkness. Enemy uniforms clung to their bodies, granting them a fragile disguise. The corridors twisted like a labyrinth, reeking of metal and chemicals. Their eyes darted, scanning every corner.
"It's like a maze…" Ethan whispered, breath trembling.
Radit nodded grimly. "Focus. Find Felicia. Get the package. Then disappear."
They reached a metal door marked Food Storage. Its handle was cold, its surface rusted. Ethan inhaled slowly, then turned the knob. The door creaked open, and the world froze for a heartbeat.
Rows of shelves stretched before them. Not food, but death. Explosives, unknown liquids, canisters marked with codes of destruction. A sharp chemical stench clawed at their noses.
Radit stepped closer, tracing a label with his gloved hand. "These… could explode?"
Ethan's voice faltered. "I only know the cartoon kind of bomb, the ones with fuses. But these… look different."
Tension thickened the air. Their breaths formed pale clouds. Radit clenched his fist.
"We need to move fast. I'm sure Kaivan will find Raphael. But right now, we find Felicia, and get out."
In a brightly lit room thick with a nauseating air, Felicia stood holding a tray of drinks. Her hands trembled slightly, but her face stayed composed, a mask of calm in the midst of a storm. Yusra, a large man with eyes like a hungry rat, watched her as though she were prey.
"Hey, pretty girl. That friend of yours… how did he get a book like the Chairman's?" Yusra's coarse voice cut through the silence. His hand began to reach forward, undoing the buttons of her shirt.
Felicia fought the wave of disgust rising from her chest to her throat. Her gaze fixed coldly on the Tome Omnicent resting on the desk. "I don't know what book you're talking about," she said, her voice steady but icy.
A crooked smile twisted Yusra's lips. "Don't be shy. I can make your life easier. How about I marry you?" He rose to his feet, his movements slow, deliberate. One by one, the buttons came undone, not his own, but Felicia's.
"Even if your chest is small… your body is still beautiful. Every woman is, to me."
Something inside Felicia finally cracked. The silent restraint she had clung to shattered in a single moment. Her hand flew before thought could stop it, striking his face with a sharp, echoing slap.
Crack!
Yusra staggered back, eyes wide in shock. Felicia didn't give him time to recover. Her kick drove deep into his stomach, slamming him into the table. Papers and books scattered across the floor.
"You filthy pig!" she screamed.
She advanced again. Fists and fury collided with flesh, every blow a release of all the fear, disgust, and humiliation she had been forced to swallow. Her knuckles throbbed, but her spirit burned bright.
Not far from there, Kaivan dashed through the dim corridors. His breath came in short bursts, but his resolve never faltered. In the distance, a sharp crash echoed through the hall, followed by a voice he instantly recognized.
He pushed harder, feet pounding against the cold floor until he reached a large door. The noise grew clearer, a struggle, a shout, and then silence.
With one swift kick, Kaivan broke the door open.
The sight before him froze him in place.
Felicia stood in the middle of the brightly lit room, chest heaving, hair tousled, her expression blazing with fury. At her feet, Yusra lay sprawled on the ground, bruised and barely conscious.
"You filthy pig!" Felicia shouted, fists still trembling. "If Kaivan were the one opening my shirt, I might not complain, but YOU?! How dare you!"
Silence followed. Only Felicia's ragged breaths and Kaivan's pounding heartbeat filled the air.
Kaivan blinked, caught completely off guard. His mouth hung half open, one eyebrow twitching upward as if trying to flee his own face.
Felicia turned, and froze when she saw him standing in the doorway like a statue. Their eyes met. The fire in her expression quickly melted into embarrassment, her cheeks turning crimson.
"K-Kaivan!? S-since when were you there?!"