The street was quiet again — too quiet.
Bodies of the serpent soldiers lay scattered across the snow, their numbers burned into their uniforms. Smoke drifted upward, mixing with the cold night air.
Lisa stood in the centre of it all, her shoulder still bleeding, her gun still warm.
She didn't move.
She didn't wince.
She didn't care.
But the three men behind her did.
James Notices First
James stepped closer, his eyes narrowing at the blood dripping down her arm.
"Lisa… your shoulder."
She didn't answer.
She reloaded her gun instead.
James exhaled sharply — annoyed, worried, angry all at once.
"You're losing too much blood. Stop pretending it's fine."
Lisa didn't even look at him.
"It is fine."
James clenched his jaw.
He hated seeing her like this.
He hated that she didn't care about herself.
Adam Steps In
Adam moved to her other side, his voice softer but firm.
"Lisa… please."
She paused for half a second — not because of the pain, but because Adam rarely used that tone.
He looked at her shoulder, at the blood soaking through her coat.
"You're strong. We know. But this—"
Lisa cut him off.
"I've bled more than this."
Adam's expression darkened.
"That doesn't mean you should."
Alan Loses Patience
Alan stepped forward, grabbing her wrist before she could walk away again.
His voice was low, sharp, dangerous.
"Enough."
Lisa's eyes snapped to his.
"Let go."
Alan didn't.
"You're hurt."
"I don't care."
"We do."
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
James and Adam froze.
Lisa blinked — just once — before her expression returned to ice.
The Enemy Sends a New Message
A phone buzzed on one of the bodies.
Adam picked it up.
A new message appeared:
"Lisa.
You bleed.
You fall.
They fall with you."
James's eyes darkened.
"They're threatening all of us."
Alan's voice dropped.
"No. They're threatening her to get to us."
Adam clenched his fists.
"I won't let that happen."
Lisa stepped forward, ignoring the blood, ignoring the pain, ignoring the fear in their eyes.
Her voice was calm, deadly, unshakable.
"Let them try."
She turned away, her silhouette cutting through the snow like a blade.
"I don't fall."
James, Adam, and Alan followed her — not because she needed them…
…but because they needed her.
And the serpent organization had just made the biggest mistake of their lives.