The training started immediately.
No introductions.
No warnings.
No mercy.
"Again."
Daniel hit the ground hard.
His breath knocked out of him.
Pain shot through his body.
"Too slow," the instructor said coldly.
Daniel pushed himself up.
His arms trembled slightly…
But his eyes remained steady.
Across the room, the woman from before watched silently.
Arms crossed.
Observing every movement.
"He's not strong enough," she said.
The man beside her didn't look worried.
"He doesn't need to be."
Daniel charged again.
Faster this time.
More focused.
But still—
He was thrown back.
A dull thud echoed as he hit the floor again.
Silence.
Then—
Daniel laughed.
Low.
Quiet.
Unexpected.
The instructor frowned.
"Something funny?"
Daniel wiped the corner of his mouth.
"No," he said calmly.
He stood up again.
"I'm just getting started."
Something in his voice changed.
And for the first time…
The instructor took him seriously.
Meanwhile…
The city hadn't changed.
But for Lena…
Everything felt different.
She stood in front of Daniel's empty house once again.
The silence felt heavier now.
Her grip tightened on her phone.
"No one just disappears like this…" she whispered.
She had tried everything.
Calling.
Asking.
Searching.
Nothing.
It was like Daniel had been erased.
But she refused to believe it.
Her eyes moved to the broken window.
The one no one had bothered to fix.
Something wasn't right.
Taking a deep breath…
She stepped inside again.
This time—
She went deeper.
Past the living room.
Past the stairs.
Into a hallway she had never entered before.
At the end—
A door.
Locked.
Lena hesitated.
Then slowly…
She reached for the handle.
Click.
It opened.
Inside—
Darkness.
She stepped in carefully.
And then—
Her eyes widened.
The room was empty…
Except for one thing.
A small desk.
And on it—
A single notebook.
Lena walked closer.
Her heart beating faster.
She opened it.
The first page…
Was filled with writing.
Numbers.
Plans.
Ideas.
Her brows furrowed.
"This is…"
It didn't look like something an ordinary person would write.
It looked like…
A mind at work.
A brilliant one.
Then—
She turned the page.
And froze.
Her name was written there.
"Lena."
Her breath caught.
Below it—
A sentence.
"If you're reading this… I'm already gone."
Her hands trembled.
"No…"
She kept reading.
"Don't look for me."
A pause.
"You won't find me."
Tears filled her eyes.
"Idiot…" she whispered.
But she didn't stop.
She couldn't.
Because deep down…
She knew.
This wasn't the end.
Back at the facility…
Daniel stood still.
Breathing heavily.
Sweat dripping down his face.
Bruised.
Tired.
But smiling.
The instructor stepped forward again.
"This time," he said,
"don't hold back."
Daniel's eyes sharpened.
"I wasn't."
A pause.
Then—
He moved.
Faster.
Sharper.
Different.
And this time—
He didn't fall.
Should Lena keep searching... Or let Daniel go?