[SAFEHOUSE]
The new safehouse was quiet. Hidden. Secure. But inside, tension filled every corner. Blitz stood in the middle; arms crossed. "…Alright." She looked straight at Phantom. "…Start talking."
Phantom leaned against the wall, calm. "…You already know something's off." A pause. "…That mission…" A beat. "…was never the organization's."
Silence dropped instantly. Blitz stepped forward. "…What?" Her voice rose, disbelief. "…So, the mission we did last time…"
"…was Vex's plan?"
"…Not the organization's task for Vex?" Phantom didn't hesitate. "…Yes." Silence. Heavy.
Specter stared at him, trying to process. "…What is going on…?" A pause. "…I don't understand…" Her voice softer now. "…Vex literally hid this from us…"
Her eyes darkened slightly. "…So from the beginning…" A pause. "…she banned us from joining her…"
"…to destroy that facility?" Phantom nodded slowly. "…She knew."
"…What was inside that place." A beat. "…And she knew…" His eyes shifted slightly. "…you wouldn't accept it." Blitz shook her head, frustrated. "…No…"
"…No, that's not true."
"…She would've told us!" Raven finally spoke, tone lower. "…Would she?" Blitz turned sharply. "…What do you mean?!"
"…Think about it." Raven's gaze steady. "…She always took the worst part of the mission."
"…Always went alone." A beat. "…Always kept something back." Silence.
Noxis crossed his arms. "…She wasn't just leading us." A pause. "…She was protecting us." That hit differently.
"…The second barrier…" Phantom continued. "…wasn't just a system." Specter's breath hitched slightly. "…It's connected…" A pause. "…to human experiments." Silence.
Specter's hand tightened. "…Experiments…?" A flicker, in her mind again. Bright lights. Pain. "…No…" Phantom's eyes softened, just slightly. "…She found out."
"…Before all of us." A pause. "…That's why she moved first." Blitz slammed her fist onto the table. "…Then WHY didn't she tell us?!" Her voice cracked. "…We're her team!" Silence.
Phantom answered quietly. "…Because if she did…" A pause. "…you would've followed her." That broke something.
Now, everything made sense. But it was too late. Silence lingered heavy.
Specter lifted her gaze, steady now. "…So that's why the organization blamed Vex…" A pause. "…for destroying the facility."
Her fingers tightened slightly. "…But why only her?" Her eyes sharpened. "…We were there too." A pause. "…We were part of it."
"…So why is she the only one taking the blame?" Silence. All eyes shifted to Phantom. He didn't answer immediately. Just exhaled slowly. "…Because she made it that way."
Blitz frowned. "…What do you mean?" Phantom stepped forward slightly. "…Before the mission…" A slightly pause. "…Vex altered the system logs."
Raven raised a brow. "…Altered?"
Phantom's eye placed on them. "…She erased all traces of your involvement." A beat. "…Every movement." A pause. "…Every access point."
"…Every record." Silence dropped. Blitz's eyes widened. "…No way…"
"…She deleted us from the mission?" Phantom nodded once. "…To the organization…"
"…you were never there." Specter's breath slowed. "…So, she…" A pause. "…took everything…"
"…on herself." Noxis spoke quietly. "…She turned herself into the only target." Raven let out a soft exhale. "…That's insane."
"…No." Phantom corrected. "…That's Vex." Blitz stepped back slightly, shaking her head. "…No…"
"…That's not fair…" Her voice cracked. "…She didn't even give us a choice…" A pause. "…She just decided for us…"
Specter lowered her gaze. Her voice softer now. "…She didn't trust us…" Phantom's eyes shifted, directly to her. "…No."
A beat. "…She trusted you too much." Silence. That hurt more. The truth was clear now. Vex didn't betray them. She protected them. At the cost of becoming, their enemy.
The room fell into a different kind of silence. Not shock anymore. Now, thinking. Noxis stepped forward, arms crossed. "…But something's wrong."
Blitz looked up. "…What do you mean?" Noxis's gaze sharpened. "…Vex doesn't just disappear." A pause. "…And we didn't find her body." Silence. "…That's not a failure."
"…That's an interruption." He pulled up a projection, data flickering. "…I rechecked the core port logs."
"…There's something odd." Specter leaned closer. "…What is it?"
"…A hidden route." A beat. "…Not listed in the main system."
"…Manually concealed." Raven raised a brow. "…Secret escape?" Noxis nodded. "…If Vex found that route…"
"…She could've made it out alive." Blitz's eyes lit up, hope flickering. "…Then she's alive."
"…Yes." A pause. "…But that's not the problem." Noxis looked at all of them. "…If she used that path…"
"…Then someone else knew about it too." Silence.
Raven tilted his head slightly, thinking. "…Maybe another player entered the game." A pause. "…Someone who knew her plan."
His eyes shifted, toward Blitz. "…Did you manage to trace her movement?" Blitz shook her head slowly. "…No…" Her voice lower now. "…I already tried."
"…Multiple times." She clenched her fist. "…The tracker is dead." A pause. "…Probably got wiped when she entered the core." Specter spoke softly, but clearly. "…So…"
"…She escaped…" A beat. "…But didn't get far." Silence. Phantom finally spoke again. "…She was taken." All eyes turned to him.
Blitz frowned. "…You sound sure." Phantom's gaze darkened. "…Because I saw the signs." A pause. "…That wasn't a random extraction."
"…It was planned." Silence lingered but this time, it didn't last.
Specter stepped forward. Her eyes, clear. Focused. "…We go back." Blitz blinked. "…Back?" Specter didn't hesitate. "…To the organization." The room froze.
"…Are you serious?!" Blitz stepped forward, voice rising. "…They just labeled us enemies!"
"…And you want to WALK back in there?!" Specter met her gaze. "…That's exactly why."
Her hand slowly patted Blitz's hand. "…We need answers." A beat. "…And the only place that holds them…"
"…is inside." Noxis nodded slowly. "…She's not wrong." A beat. "…All evidence, records…"
"…are controlled by the organization." A slightly pause. "…If we stay outside…"
"…we stay blind." Raven smirked slightly. "…Breaking in instead of running away…"
"…I like this plan." Blitz groaned. "…You people are insane." Specter continued, voice calm. "…We don't go in as ourselves."
"…We go in as shadows." A pause. "…Disguises."
"…New identities."
"…Minimal contact." Helen crossed her arms. "…I can forge access credentials."
"…But once you're in…"
"…You're on your own." Phantom, who had been silent, finally spoke. "…It won't be that simple." Specter turned to him. "…Explain."
"…Security will be tighter now." A pause. "…Phase Two is active."
Blitz frowned. "…Meaning?" Phantom's eyes darkened. "…They're not just watching anymore."
"…They're hunting from the inside too." Silence. Specter didn't step back.
"…Then we move faster." A beat. "…We go in…" A pause. "…find out what happened to Vex…"
"…and get out."
Blitz sighed, long. "…Fine." A small smirk. "…If we die, I'm blaming all of you." Raven chuckled. "Noted." They were already hunted. Already marked as enemies.
And now, they were walking straight back, into the place that wanted them dead. Because this time, running wasn't an option.
----------------------------------
The table was a mess. Wigs. Glasses. Clothes. Fake IDs.
Blitz stared at everything, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "...You're telling me..." She paused, narrowing her eyes. "...we're becoming actors now?"
Raven smirked, his tone dripping with amusement. "...You already act dramatic enough." Blitz snapped upright, her voice rising. "...HEY!"
Helen stood at the center, tablet in hand. "…Focus." She tapped the screen, faces appeared. "…New identities." A beat. "…Memorize them." Blitz picked up a wig, long. Curly. "…No way."
"…I'm not wearing this." Helen didn't look up. "…You are."
"…You're now 'Mira'."
Blitz froze. "…Mira…?" Raven laughed. "…That actually suits you." Blitz glared. "…One more word and I'll end you."
Raven adjusted his new look, glasses. Hair slicked back. "…Wow." A pause. "…I look responsible." Noxis glanced at him. "…That's the most unrealistic part." Blitz snorted. "…True."
Noxis didn't complain. Already changed. Clean. Professional. Different.
Blitz stared. "…Why do you actually look better like that?" Noxis shrugged. "…Because I'm not trying."
"…Rude."
Specter stood in front of the mirror. Quiet. She adjusted her disguise, subtle. Different hairstyle. Glasses. But her eyes, still the same. For a second, she didn't recognize herself.
"…Who am I now…?" A whisper. Then, she turned away. "…Ready." Blitz looked around. "…Wait."
"…What about him?" Phantom leaned against the wall, unchanged. "…I don't need one." Blitz blinked. "…Excuse me?"
Raven smirked. "…Of course, he says that."
"…Main character energy." Phantom ignored them. "…I won't enter with you." Silence. Specter frowned slightly. "…You're not coming?"
"…No." A pause. "…I'll move separately." His gaze shifted, slightly. "…Less attention." Blitz crossed her arms. "…Or less trust?" Phantom didn't answer.
Helen clapped once. "…Enough." A slightly pause. "…You leave in ten minutes."
"…Once you step in…"
"…there's no turning back." Silence filled the room.
Different faces. Different names. Same mission. But this time, they weren't going in as heroes. They were going in as ghosts.
[UNKNOWN LOCATION – LIAM'S HOUSE]
Soft sunlight slipped through the curtains. Warm. Gentle. Too gentle. The room was quiet, until the door opened.
Sera stepped in, bright smile on her face. "…Good morning, miss." A pause. "…Rise and shine."
Rania sat up slowly, hair slightly messy. "…Good morning, Sera…" Her voice still soft. Still unsure.
Sera clapped her hands lightly. "…Come, let's get out for a bit." She walked closer, cheerful. "…Staying in here too long is suffocating, right?" A pause. "…But first, breakfast."
Rania blinked. "…Breakfast…?"
"…Yes." Sera nodded. "…Sire already warned me." A small smile. "…You must eat before going outside today."
Rania tilted her head slightly. "…He did?"
"…He did." Sera's tone softened, just a little. Rania looked down at her hands. Quiet.
Then, she spoke. "…Wait…" A pause. "…I don't have a name." Sera froze slightly. "…What should I call myself…?"
Her voice uncertain. "…Any name suitable?" She looked up. "…Did Liam already give it to you?" For a second, Sera didn't answer. Because she knew, this wasn't normal.
"…Actually…" She forced a small smile. "…Yes." A pause. "…He did." Rania's eyes softened slightly. "…Really?"
"…Yes…" Sera swallowed lightly. "…Your name is…" A beat. "…Lyra." Silence.
"…Lyra…" Rania repeated it softly. Testing it. Feeling it. "…Lyra…" A faint smile formed, small. "…Lyra Mossberg…" Sera watched her, quiet. Something about it, felt wrong.
Rania suddenly paused. Her hand moved to her chest. "…Why…" A whisper. "…does it feel like…"
"…weird, right?" Silence.
Sera's heart skipped. "…It will feel strange at first." She replied quickly. "…But you'll get used to it." A pause. "…Lyra." Rania nodded slowly. "…Okay…"
"…Then I'm Lyra."
Outside the door, unseen. Mike stood quietly. Listening. A faint smile formed on his lips. "…Lyra Mossberg…" A whisper. "…Welcome to the family, my dear sister."
TBC