Emma's eyes stayed on the photograph.
Her finger slowly moved across the faces.
Valeria.
Diana.
Selene.
Mostang.
Then it stopped.
Kane.
In the photo he was just a 13-year-old kid, being held by Valeria while she grinned proudly. He looked awkward, slightly annoyed by the attention, while everyone else laughed around him.
Emma stared at his younger face.
"…What happened to you…?" she murmured quietly.
Years had passed since that picture.
The team had scattered.
Some were gone forever.
Some disappeared.
Kane had been one of the ones who vanished from the world after the war with Vencor ended.
Emma had not seen him in years.
The room was silent.
Then—
Knock. Knock.
Emma's eyes shifted to the door.
Without hesitation she slid the photograph back into the drawer and closed it.
Her face returned to its usual calm expression.
"Yes?"
The door opened.
One of her generals stepped inside.
He stood straight.
"Your Majesty."
Emma looked at him.
"What is it?"
The general hesitated slightly.
"Someone has requested to meet you."
Emma immediately asked,
"Joseph?"
The general shook his head.
"No."
Emma's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Then who?"
The general answered:
"He said his name is… Kane."
For the first time in a long while—
Emma's eyes widened slightly.
Just a little.
She stood up immediately.
"Bring him here."
Then she added quickly,
"And treat him like a VIP."
The general nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He left the room.
Emma stood there quietly for a moment.
Kane.
After all these years.
Minutes later—
The door opened again.
And a young man stepped into the room.
He was 19 years old now.
Much taller than the boy in the photograph.
His features sharper, more mature. The look in his eyes carried experience far beyond his age.
The kid Valeria used to hold had grown into someone else entirely.
The door closed behind him.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Emma looked at him carefully.
Taking in the years that had passed.
Then she finally said quietly:
"…Kane."
Her voice was calm.
But there was something slightly softer in it than usual.
---
The door closed behind him.
The room fell quiet.
The boy from the photograph was gone.
Standing there now was a 19-year-old Kane—taller, broader in the shoulders, his posture confident. His eyes were calmer, more serious than the kid Emma remembered.
He looked at her for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"Hey… Emma."
His voice was much deeper now.
Emma studied him briefly. The change in his voice, his presence… the years had clearly shaped him.
She gestured lightly toward the chair across from her desk.
"Sit."
Kane nodded once and took the seat.
Emma sat across from him.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. They simply looked at each other, silently acknowledging how much time had passed.
Emma finally broke the silence.
"How was life?"
Kane leaned back slightly in the chair.
"Good."
Simple. Straightforward.
Emma gave a small nod.
"Good."
Another short silence passed.
Then her expression became a bit more serious.
"Why are you here?"
Kane looked at her calmly.
He didn't hesitate.
"Heard about everything."
Emma watched him carefully.
Kane rested his arms on his knees slightly, looking at the floor for a moment before lifting his eyes again.
"Looks like Vencor still isn't finished."
Emma's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Kane…"
He continued before she could respond.
"His grandson."
"Joseph."
"I've seen what he's doing."
The room grew quiet again.
Kane leaned back in the chair.
"He's getting big."
Emma didn't deny it.
"He is."
Kane tilted his head slightly, studying her.
"You're letting him."
Emma remained calm.
"Yes."
Kane looked at her for a second longer.
Then a small smile appeared on his face.
Not mocking.
More like recognition.
"You haven't changed."
Emma raised an eyebrow slightly.
Kane chuckled quietly.
"Still playing the long game."
Emma leaned back in her chair.
"You didn't come here just to observe."
Kane shook his head.
"No."
A small pause.
Then he said it plainly.
"I came to help."
The words hung in the room.
Emma watched him carefully.
Her voice was calm, but serious.
"You know this isn't the same fight."
Kane didn't look intimidated.
"Good."
His eyes hardened slightly.
"I'm not the same kid either."
Silence filled the room again.
For a brief moment, Emma thought of the photograph in the drawer.
Valeria holding him proudly.
Kane glanced around the office once before looking back at Emma.
"So."
He leaned forward slightly.
"What's the plan, Emma?"
Emma leaned back slightly in her chair, watching Kane.
"actually, You're not the only one who came back." she said calmly.
Kane tilted his head a little.
"What do you mean?"
Emma's tone stayed relaxed.
"Someone else is already on his way."
Kane stared at her for a second.
Then a slow smirk appeared on his face.
"…Mostang."
Emma didn't need to answer.
Kane leaned back in the chair, folding his arms.
"Been a long time."
A few minutes passed.
Then—
Knock.
Emma simply said,
"Come in."
The door opened.
A man walked in with the same casual attitude he always had.
A cigarette rested between his fingers as he stepped inside the office.
Mostang.
He stopped after a few steps.
His eyes immediately landed on Kane.
For a second he didn't speak.
Then he let out a short laugh.
"Well, damn."
Kane stood up from the chair.
Mostang walked closer.
The two looked at each other for a moment before extending their hands.
They shook hands firmly.
Mostang looked Kane up and down.
Then he shook his head slightly.
"Shit."
A smirk formed on his face.
"You grew up."
Kane chuckled.
"Last time you saw me I was barely reaching your shoulder."
Mostang took a drag from his cigarette.
"Yeah."
Smoke left his mouth slowly.
"And Valeria was dragging you around everywhere."
The room went quiet for a second at the mention of her name.
Kane's smile faded slightly.
But he didn't say anything.
Mostang glanced toward Emma.
Then back at Kane.
"So."
He leaned casually against the desk.
"You came back just in time."
Kane raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Mostang smirked again.
"Looks like we're about to kill another Vencor."
Emma stood silently behind the desk, watching the two of them.
The room had grown quieter after the brief reunion.
Kane leaned against the side of the desk, arms folded, while Mostang stood nearby, lazily holding his cigarette.
Smoke drifted slowly toward the ceiling.
Emma watched them both for a moment.
Then her eyes shifted to Mostang.
Her voice was calm, almost casual.
"…Mostang."
He glanced at her.
"Yeah?"
Emma's gaze stayed steady on him.
"You had a crush on Diana."
A small pause.
Then she finished the question plainly.
"Didn't you?"
The room went completely still.
Kane looked between the two of them, surprised by the sudden topic.
Mostang didn't answer immediately.
The cigarette between his fingers burned quietly as smoke curled upward.
For once…
He didn't smirk.
He didn't joke.
He didn't deflect.
He just stared down at the floor for a few seconds.
Then he took a slow drag from the cigarette.
Exhaled.
Silence.
Finally he spoke.
"…Yeah."
His voice was lower than usual.
Kane stayed quiet.
Mostang gave a small shrug, but it lacked his usual carefree attitude.
"Wasn't exactly subtle, was I?"
Emma didn't respond right away.
Mostang rubbed the back of his neck slightly.
"She was…"
He stopped for a second.
Searching for the word.
"…different."
His eyes moved briefly toward the window.
Then he chuckled quietly, though there was no humor in it.
"But you know Diana."
He flicked a bit of ash off the cigarette.
"She was too busy being… Diana."
Kane looked down slightly, remembering her smile in the photo.
Mostang added one last thing, softer this time.
"I never told her."
Silence filled the room again.
Emma's eyes stayed calm.
But there was a quiet understanding in them.
Another piece of the past.
Another thing that was lost with Diana.
Outside the window, the city lights kept glowing.
The room stayed quiet after Mostang's confession.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Emma straightened slightly behind her desk and looked at both of them.
Her voice returned to the calm, controlled tone they both remembered.
"You already know about everything."
Kane nodded once.
"Joseph."
Mostang took another drag from his cigarette.
"Yeah. Hard not to hear about the guy taking cities."
Emma folded her hands lightly on the desk.
"If we fight…"
She paused.
"No one interferes."
The words were clear.
Firm.
Kane immediately reacted.
"Emma, that's—"
She cut him off.
Just by raising her hand slightly.
Kane stopped mid-sentence.
Emma's eyes locked onto his.
"You know what happened to Valeria and Diana when they did."
The room fell completely silent.
Kane's expression changed.
He did know.
They both did.
Years ago… during the war with Vencor.
Valeria's death against Roland. An old friend of vencor
Diana's death against Vencor.
They interfered.
They tried to help her in the fight.
And they paid for it.
Kane looked down slightly.
His jaw tightened.
Mostang slowly exhaled smoke, staring at the floor.
Neither of them argued.
Emma continued quietly.
"This fight started with me."
Her gaze was steady.
"It ends with me."
Kane clenched his fist slightly but said nothing.
Mostang crushed the cigarette into a nearby ashtray.
Then he spoke calmly.
"…So what do you want us to do?"
Emma's answer came immediately.
"Everything else."
She looked at both of them.
"Joseph will bring people."
"Followers."
"Governments watching."
"Chaos around the fight."
Her tone stayed level.
"You two handle that."
Kane lifted his head again.
Mostang crossed his arms.
Emma finished calmly:
"But Joseph…"
Her eyes hardened slightly.
"…is mine."
Silence returned.
Then Kane exhaled slowly.
"…You really haven't changed."
Emma didn't respond.
Mostang gave a small smirk again.
"Alright, boss."
He leaned back slightly.
"Guess the old team's working again."
Kane nodded slowly.
But in his eyes, there was still one clear thought.
He remembered Valeria smiling in that photograph.
And Diana laughing beside her.
And he understood why Emma had made that rule.
Because last time…
Interfering in Emma's fight
cost them two lives.
---
Mostang crushed the cigarette in the ashtray.
Emma gave him a short look.
"I need eyes."
Mostang understood immediately.
"Joseph?"
Emma nodded once.
"Follow his movements. His allies. His money. His weapons."
Mostang smirked slightly as he grabbed his coat.
"So… spying. Just like always."
Emma didn't react.
"exactly."
Mostang walked toward the door, stopping briefly beside Kane.
He tapped Kane's shoulder once.
"Good seeing you again, kid."
Kane gave a small nod.
Mostang opened the door.
Before leaving, he glanced back at Emma.
"I'll call when I find something."
Then he left.
The door closed.
---
Now the room was quiet again.
Only Emma and Kane remained.
Emma sat down slowly across from him.
For a moment she studied his face again.
The boy Valeria used to protect had become someone else entirely.
Her voice softened slightly.
"Kane."
He looked up.
"What happened to your life… exactly?"
"…After I became what I am now."
Kane leaned back in the chair, staring at the ceiling for a moment.
Then he shrugged lightly.
"Nothing exactly."
Emma stayed silent.
Kane continued.
"I didn't stay anywhere long."
"Different cities."
"Different countries."
He looked back at her.
"I was basically a wanderer."
Emma listened quietly.
Kane's eyes dropped to the floor for a second.
"…Just remembering my big sister."
Emma understood immediately.
Mira.
His big sister
The one who raised him.
Emma didn't say anything for a few seconds.
Then she nodded slowly.
"I see."
She stood up and walked to the window.
The city lights reflected in the glass again.
After a moment, she turned back to him.
"I have something for you."
Kane raised an eyebrow.
"A mission?"
Emma nodded.
"Yes."
He stood up.
"What kind?"
Emma's expression returned to the calm, strategic look she always had.
"Different from Mostang's."
She walked back to the desk and pulled a small folder from it.
Sliding it toward him.
Kane opened it.
Inside were locations, names, and movement routes.
Joseph's influence map.
But one section was circled.
A hidden network supporting Joseph.
Supply lines.
Money.
Back channels.
Emma spoke quietly.
"Joseph isn't rising alone."
Kane looked through the pages.
"Someone's helping him."
Emma nodded.
"Several people."
She looked directly at him.
"I need that network broken."
Kane's eyes sharpened slightly.
"No noise?"
Emma answered calmly.
"No noise."
A short silence.
Then Kane closed the folder.
A small, confident smile appeared.
"Got it."
Emma watched him for a moment.
Then she added one more thing.
"Kane."
He stopped at the door and looked back.
Emma's voice was calm but firm.
"Come back alive."
Kane smirked slightly.
"Don't worry."
He tapped the folder.
"Valeria didn't train me to die that easily."
Then he left the room.
The door closed.
Emma stood alone again.
Outside, the city lights continued shining.
And far away—
Joseph's empire continued growing.
But now…
The old war had begun moving again.
Chapter end