[UNKNOWN LOCATION – LIAM MOSSBERG'S OFFICE]
The room was dark. Only one lamp lit the space. Shadows stretched across the walls. Men stood in front, silent. Stiff. Afraid.
Mike sat on his chair. Relaxed posture. But his eyes are sharp. Cold.
"We can't find her." One of the men spoke. Voice careful. "…She moved too fast." Silence.
Mike tilted his head slightly. "…Too fast?" A pause. "…That's your excuse?"
The man stiffened. "…Sire, she's highly trained. We tried to..."
"TRY?" Mike's voice rose, just enough to cut through the air. He leaned forward slowly. "You've got too many people."
A beat. "…She is alone." His eyes darkened. "…And yet…" A slow clap. Mocking. "…You failed." Silence.
Another man stepped forward quickly. "…We cornered her on the deck..."
"…but she disappeared below..." Mike chuckled softly. "…Disappeared?"
A pause. "…Or you lost her?" The man swallowed. "…We are still searching..."
"NOT GOOD ENOUGH."
CRASH! The glass in Mike's hand shattered, thrown hard against the floor. Fragments scattered. Sharp. Dangerous.
One piece flew, almost hitting Sera, who stood beside him. She didn't move. Not even a step. But inside her mind,
'Whoa… that almost hit me. How many glasses is that already? If I get cut, I'm charging medical fees, I swear…'
Mike stood up slowly. The room went colder instantly. "I don't care how."
A step forward. "Find her." His voice dropped. Dangerous. "…Or I'll make sure your last shot…" A pause. "…comes from me."
Silence. Heavy. The men lowered their heads. "…Understood, sire."
"Then move." They didn't wait. They left immediately.
The room fell quiet again. Only the sound of glass pieces settling. Sera stood beside him. Still. Professional.
'(Don't talk. Don't talk. Don't talk…'
Mike exhaled slowly. Running a hand through his hair. "…Useless."
Sera nodded slightly. "…Very useless."
Mike turned. Slowly. She froze internally. 'Oh no. Why did I agree so fast?'
"…You have something to say?" Sera smiled politely. "…No, sire." A beat. "...Just agreeing with you."
Silence. Mike stared at her for a moment. Then, a faint smirk appeared. "…At least you're honest."
Sera blinked. 'Wait… I survived?'
Mike turned away again. "Prepare the next team." Sera nodded quickly. "...Noted, sire."
Then, she paused. "…Sire." Mike didn't turn. "…What?"
Sera hesitated. Just slightly. "…Why her?" Silence. "…Why are you so focused on her?"
The room shifted. Mike's hand tightened, just slightly. "…Because she deserves it." His voice is low. Controlled. But something beneath, unstable. "...She took everything."
Sera's eyes flickered. But she didn't speak again. Because for the first time, she realized. This wasn't just a mission. This was personal. Some people hunt for power. Some hunt for control. But Mike was hunting for something else. Revenge.
-----------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 72: SHE'S GONE
[RECOVERY ROOM – MORNING]
Sunlight slipped through the curtains. Quiet. Too quiet.
Blitz shifted slightly. "…Ran…" No response. She frowned. "…Ran?" Her eyes opened. Slowly, then widened. "…Wait!" She sat up instantly.
"LISA!" Specter jolted awake. "…What… what happened?!" Blitz pointed. "…She's gone!" Silence. Specter turned. Her expression froze. "…No…"
The bed was already empty. Cold. Then, something caught her eye. "…Wait." She reached down, picking up a small object. A note.
Blitz leaned in immediately. "…What is that?" Specter unfolded it slowly. A short message. Minimal. But clear.
7 - 3 - 21
↘️ 19
BLUE / LOW / EAST
Specter blinked. "…That's it?" Then, her eyes narrowed. "…Wait." A pause. "…This isn't random."
Blitz blinked. "…Hah?" Specter pointed. "…7 - 3 - 21…" A beat. "…That's not numbers." A pause. "…It's coordinates."
Blitz gasped. "…OH!"
"…And this…" Specter traced the line. "BLUE / LOW / EAST…" Her eyes widened slightly. "…Harbor." Blitz grinned instantly. "…I knew it!"
Specter crossed her arms. "…So, we know where she went." A pause. Then, they both looked at each other. "…We're going, right?" Blitz said immediately.
Specter didn't hesitate. "…Obviously." Blitz grinned. "…Good."
Specter folded the paper quickly, eyes sharp. "…Let's move." Blitz tilted her head. "…Now?"
Specter nodded. "…We escape first." A pause. "…We don't want that trio to know where we're heading." Blitz smirked. "…You mean those two and that one silent guy?"
"…Yes." Specter replied flatly. She turned, already walking. "…I'll deactivate the CCTV." Blitz cracked her knuckles. "…Then I'll track her."
"…That's your cue." A beat. "…Finally." Blitz grinned. "…Let's go."
They moved fast. Quiet. Careful. Slipping out of the recovery room, into the darker corridor. Step. Step. No sound. Cold night air hit them.
Specter immediately moved toward the control panel, checking the CCTV. Then, she paused. "…It's already down." Blitz blinked. "…Wait… what?"
Specter crossed her arms. "…So, we know where she went." A pause. Then, they both looked at each other. "…We're going, right?" Blitz said immediately.
Specter didn't hesitate. "…Obviously." Blitz grinned. "…Good."
Specter folded the paper quickly, eyes sharp. "…Let's move." Blitz tilted her head. "…Now?"
Specter nodded. "…We escape first." A pause. "…We don't want that trio to know where we're heading." Blitz smirked. "…You mean those two and that one silent guy?"
"…Yes." Specter replied flatly. She turned, already walking. "…I'll deactivate the CCTV." Blitz cracked her knuckles. "…Then I'll track her."
"…That's your cue." A beat. "…Finally." Blitz grinned. "…Let's go."
They moved fast. Quiet. Careful. Slipping out of the recovery room, into the darker corridor. Step. Step. No sound. Cold night air hit them.
Specter immediately moved toward the control panel, checking the CCTV. Then, she paused. "…It's already down." Blitz blinked. "…Wait… what?"
Specter leaned closer, analyzing the system. "…This pattern…" A faint smile. "…Only Vex can do this." Blitz crossed her arms. "…Obviously." A beat.
"…No one else knows this trick." Specter continued. "…Remember?" A pause. "…She solved this exact system in three minutes."
Blitz laughed. "…Yeah…" A pause. "…I took ten." Specter glanced at her. "…And?" A beat. "…I almost blew up our plane."
Silence. Specter sighed. "…You're unbelievable." Blitz grinned. "…But we survived."
Blitz suddenly crouched down. Eyes scanning the ground. "…Hey." Specter turned. "…What is it?" Blitz pointed. "…Footsteps." Faint. But clear enough. "…She went this way."
Specter narrowed her eyes. Following the direction. "…Back exit." Blitz smirked wider. "…And guess what?" Specter raised a brow. "…What?"
Blitz tapped her own foot proudly. "…I placed a tracker on her last night." Silence. Specter stared at her. "…You what?"
Blitz puffed her chest slightly. "…Smart, right?" Specter shook her head. "…For once." Blitz gasped. "…Oi!"
Specter looked ahead. "…She's really heading to the harbor." Blitz nodded. "…Yeah." A pause. "…But how are we getting there?"
They slowed down, moving carefully toward the back gate. Hidden. Silent. A hand tapped Blitz's shoulder. "Ehem."
Blitz jumped. "…AH!" She turned instantly, ready to punch, then froze. Raven. Standing there. Smirking. "…Relax."
Blitz glared. "…You trying to kill me or what?"
"…Not today." Noxis stood beside him, quiet. Observing. Raven tilted his head. "…Mind if we join?" Blitz crossed her arms. "…You again."
"…Can't stay away from me, huh?" Raven teased. "…In your dreams."
Specter stepped in. Calm. "…Let them." Blitz blinked. "…What?" Specter turned slightly, looking at Noxis.
"…CCTV is down." A beat. "…Which means Phantom already knows." A pause. "…They're not here by accident."
Noxis nodded slightly. "…Correct." Specter continued. "…You want to trace where we're going." A beat. "…Right, Noxis?"
Noxis gave a small, approving look. "…Nice explanation." Raven clapped slowly. "…Impressive."
Blitz rolled her eyes. "…Okay genius people, can we MOVE now?" Noxis turned slightly, gesturing toward the Land Rover Discovery that already parked outside the mansion. "…Ride with us." A pause. "…We'll get you there faster."
Blitz smirked. "…Now that sounds useful." Raven leaned closer, grinning. "…Seatbelt, Blitz." A beat. "…Hah?"
"…Don't fly out of the car again like last time." Silence. Noxis looked at Blitz. Slowly. "…You what?"
Blitz's face turned red instantly. "…OI!" A beat. "…Don't bring that up!" Raven laughed. "…Still embarrassed?"
"…Of course, I am!" She stormed toward the car. "…Just drive!"
Four of them. One car. Heading toward the same destination. The harbor. And something else, was already watching.
-----------------
From the corner, a figure stood. Silent. Unseen. Phantom. His eyes followed them. Calm. Calculating.
"…So, she moved first." A whisper. His gaze shifted, to the note still in Specter's hand. "…And you left a trail…" A faint smirk. "…Just enough." Then, he stepped forward.
Behind them, at a distance, Phantom followed. Silent. Not stopping them. Not warning them. Just watching.
"…Let's see…" His voice low. "…how far you can go."
--------------
Noxis took the paper. Looked at it. "…What is this supposed to be?" Raven tilted his head. "...A love letters?"
Blitz snatched it back. "…Oi, don't touch!" A beat. "…You won't understand." Specter added calmly.
Noxis raised a brow. "…Try me." Blitz smirked. "…No."
Noxis & Raven exchanged a look. "…We're definitely missing something."
"…Yeah." Raven smirked. "…And I don't like it."
The engine roared to life. Fast. Too fast. Blitz grabbed the seat immediately. "…WOI!" A beat. "…Slow down a bit!" Noxis didn't even look at her. "…We're being efficient."
"…Efficient my foot!" Raven chuckled from the passenger seat. "…Told you to wear your seatbelt." Blitz quickly clicked it in. "…Shut up."
Specter sat beside her, already focused. Watching the tracker. "…Signal's stable." A pause. "…She's still moving." Blitz leaned closer. "…How far?"
"…Not far." Specter replied. "…But she's not taking a direct route." Noxis finally spoke again. "…She's avoiding detection."
"…Obviously." Blitz muttered. "…That's what she always does."
The car sped through the dark road. Streetlights passing quickly. Then, Specter spoke again. Quieter. "…She knew we'd follow." Blitz blinked. "…Hah?"
"…The code." Specter continued. "…She didn't hide it properly." A pause. "…She wanted us to find it." Silence. Blitz leaned back slightly. "…So she's asking for help?"
"…No." Specter shook her head. "…She's warning us." That changed the mood.
Raven glanced at Kael. "…You hear that?" Kael nodded slightly. "…She's walking into something." A beat. "…And doesn't want them involved." Raven smirked. "…Too late for that."
Blitz crossed her arms. "…She always does this." A pause. "…Carry everything alone." Specter looked out the window. "…Not this time."
Blitz turned to her. "…Yeah." A beat. "…Not this time."
Suddenly, the car took a sharp turn. "…WOI!" Blitz almost flew forward, but the seatbelt held her.
"…I KNEW IT!" Raven laughed loudly. "…That almost happened again!"
"…I hate all of you."
Specter sighed. "…Focus." Noxis's voice cut in. Lower now. Serious. "…We're close."
The car slowed slightly. Ahead, dim lights. The harbor. But something felt off. Too quiet. Too still.
Raven's smile faded slightly. "…Yeah…" A beat. "…This doesn't look normal."
Specter tightened her grip. "…Be ready." Blitz cracked her knuckles. "…Finally."
They came looking for Vex. But what they were about to find, was something else entirely.