(POV Kai)
Kai can still feel it.
The warmth of Liv's hand, just inches from his grasp. The distance between them was barely there — too close to be a coincidence, yet never close enough to truly reach.
The moment keeps replaying in his head, sharper than the gunfire that once filled that narrow alley. His fingertips had brushed her wrist, just enough to make him believe that this time… he wouldn't lose her.
But Liv didn't stop.
Not because he was too late.
But because she chose.
She chose to run in another direction.
Toward Leon.
Kai stood there for a few seconds longer, letting everything move around him without truly registering it. Footsteps, commands, the chaos that followed — it all blurred, drowned out by something far heavier.
The realization that he had just lost Liv.
Not because he failed — but because he wasn't chosen.
And that was harder to accept.
He knows. He's always known.
What Leon is to Liv. Not just a teammate. Not just a partner in missions. They moved in the same rhythm, understood each other without words, and closed gaps before they even formed.
A legend. That's what people called them.
The inseparable pair.
Until that night. Until Leon was declared dead.
And after that, Liv kept living — but she never truly lived.
Kai remembers those early days when he took that position. Liv worked as if nothing had changed. Precise. Cold. Flawless. Never hesitating, never faltering.
But never really there.
As if only her body moved, while something inside her had already stopped long ago.
And that was what caught his attention.
Not because she was weak. But because she was too strong — for someone who had lost everything.
—
"Major Ranford."
Rian's voice finally pulls him back.
Kai doesn't answer. He's already moving toward the base, his steps sharp, carrying emotions that haven't settled.
—
The control room door swings open harder than usual.
Heads turn. No one speaks.
Kai walks in without slowing.
"Find Leon Archer."
The words come out flat. No explanation.
Rian hesitates.
"Major… Leon Archer was declared dead."
Kai stops. Slowly turns. His gaze is colder now.
"FIND HIM."
The voice isn't loud. But it's enough.
Rian doesn't argue. His hands move quickly across the keyboard, opening search paths one after another.
Screens fill with data.
Kai stands behind him, silent, but heavy.
Minutes pass.
"I found something… but it's strange."
Kai doesn't respond. Just watches.
"Not Leon Archer," Rian continues carefully, "but… Leon Darx."
The name hits. Kai knows it. And that makes everything worse.
"Open it."
"I'm trying," Rian says, faster now, "but it's blocked. Not just encrypted… It's like it never existed."
Silence falls. But not confusion. Understanding.
Everything that never made sense now lines up. Every moment Liv should've died — but didn't. Every bullet that missed. Every door that opened. Every system that shifted at the impossible second.
Someone was always there.
And now Kai knows who.
His fist tightens. Then he slams it into the wall.
Once. Hard. Not enough.
Again. Harder.
Not just anger at Leon. But at himself.
Because it should have been him. He should've been the one there. The one protecting her.
—
"Major Ranford…"
Rian's voice is careful.
Before Kai can respond, the system alerts. Incoming message.
Rian opens it. His expression changes instantly.
The room falls silent.
Captain Hart is with me. Find Volkov. I'll bring him to you.
Kai doesn't need a name. He already knows.
His jaw tightens. Leon isn't just alive. He's controlling the situation.
Kai exhales sharply, a humorless laugh slipping out.
"He thinks this is a game."
No one answers.
Kai looks back at the screen.
"Trace it."
Rian gets to work, pushing through layers, trying to break the system behind it.
But the result is clear.
"I can't, Major. The signal isn't from a standard network. It's like… It's embedded inside our system."
This time, Kai doesn't react immediately. He just stands there. Staring.
Then suddenly — he grabs a glass from the table and throws it against the wall.
It shatters.
No one moves. No one speaks.
Everyone in that room understands now — this is no longer just a mission. Everything has shifted.
They weren't the hunters. They were the ones being hunted.
And the target — Liv.
—
A communication line opens from command. Different tone. More official.
Directorate V.
Kai turns.
"Who reported this?"
No answer. The room tightens.
"Who reported this?" he repeats, louder.
Still silence.
His patience snaps.
"WHO REPORTED IT?!"
Rian stands.
"I did, Major."
Kai's eyes lock onto him.
"For what?"
Low voice. Dangerous.
"We lost Captain Hart," Rian says, voice shaking before steadying. "I had to report it."
In one step, Kai is in front of him. His hand grabs Rian's collar, pulling him close.
"I am your superior."
Not loud. But absolute.
"I make every decision here."
Rian holds his breath.
"…Yes, Major."
Kai stares at him for a few seconds before letting go.
But his jaw remains tight.
Because now — this isn't just about Liv. It's bigger.
And Kai knows — he won't let anyone take control. Not even Leon.
—
If this chapter made your chest tighten and your fists clench, don't let this story slip away. Add it to your collection. Stay with Kai, Liv, and Leon — because the war isn't over. And Kai's choice is just beginning.