Within the deserted confines of the old factory grounds, figures moved like shadows, patrolling the perimeter and securing the central structure with caution. Each was armedâsome with baseball bats, others with blades, and a few carrying compact firearms fitted with silencers. The use of silencers wasnât just a preferenceâit was a necessity. Any loud noise would alert the nearby urban zones, and their operation would be compromised.
Away from the main group, two men casually walked side by side. One carried a blade, the other swung a bat with idle ease. Their footsteps echoed softly as they drifted apart, turning opposite corners of the outer wall.
"Hey, Iâm heading to the restroom. Be back in a sec," one of them muttered before disappearing around the corner.
"I told him not to guzzle that much soda... Now heâs off again. If the boss catches us slacking, weâre toast," the other grumbled, nervously glancing around.
A sudden voice, calm yet chilling, cut through the quiet.
"But youâll die now... and not at your bossâs hands. Mine."
Before the man could scream or turn, a gloved hand clamped over his mouth, and in one swift, surgical motion, his throat was slitâcleanly and precisely, leaving not a single drop of blood on the ground. In under ten seconds, the attacker dragged the lifeless body into a secluded area.
The surroundings returned to silence.
"Hey, whereâd you go, Bob?" the second man, Nick, called out. He sighed. "I told him to wait. Idiot. Looks like Iâll have to teach him a lesson later... maybe with a rod this time."
As he began walking away, something caught his eyeâa boot sticking out from behind the wall. Narrowing his gaze, he noticed faint drag marks in the dust. Alarm rising, Nick followed the trail.
Then he saw the body.
Bob lay slumped against the wall, throat ripped open, eyes wide with horror. Nick stumbled backward, panic overwhelming himâuntil he sensed a presence behind him.
Before he could react, a dagger drove straight into his heart. He gasped. A heavy punch landed against his jaw, sending him sprawling forward. Groaning, Nick clutched at his wound, pain wracking his body.
He raised his bloodshot eyes to the figure looming over himâa masked and hooded man, expression unreadable.
"Wh-Who... who are y-you?" Nick gasped, pain lacing every syllable.
The figure crouched.
"Just someone who needs something from this place. You're in the way. Those you work for... are my prey. I am their Nemesis."
"Please... donât... I donât want to die..." Nick begged, grabbing the manâs leg desperately.
"Sorry. The strong prey on the weak. If our roles were reversed, youâd show me no mercy."
Without hesitation, the masked man plunged the dagger into Nickâs chest once again, right into the same spot.
Nickâs eyes glazed over, his last expression one of bitter regret.
The killer stood up, shaking his head.
"I donât have much time left. Five minutes and a few seconds before he regains control... and Iâve already wasted too much. Seventeen more remainâbut itâs doable."
The man wasnât Rey.
It was
Aiden
, having possessed Reyâs body to infiltrate the facility.
He wiped the blade clean in a swift motion.
"I hope I can prevent him from seeing any of this."
Meanwhile, within Reyâs consciousness, he found himself trapped in a boundless white room, featureless and silent. Panic set in quickly as he banged on invisible walls, trying to escapeâbut to no avail.
Just when despair began to settle, he noticed a faint outlineâa hidden door embedded in the far wall. Hope surged. He sprinted toward it and tried everything to pry it open, but it wouldnât budge.
Exhausted, he collapsed onto a couch, gasping for breath. "What... is this place...?"
Outside, Aiden moved like a phantom.
Every kill was swift, deliberate, and without a trace. Sometimes he used distraction, other times stealth. When necessary, he fought openly, taking down his enemies with cold efficiency.
The body adapted more smoothly nowâReyâs body was learning to move the way Aiden did.
As he approached the central building, Aiden ensured each corpse was hidden, every blood trace removed. His movements were clinical.
Back in the white room, Rey sat up, wiping sweat from his brow.
"I hope everythingâs okay..."
Suddenly, his vision swamâand he fell forward, gasping.
When his eyes opened again, he was back in his body.
Confused, Rey looked around. Aidenâs faceâpale, strainedâfloated into view.
"Hey... how did we get inside...? You look like crap."
Aiden let out a weary breath. "I temporarily possessed your body to sneak in. It drained a lot of my energy."
Rey blinked, heart pounding. "You... possessed me?"
"Yeah. We can talk about it later," Aiden said quickly. "What matters now is that the relic is nearby. I can sense it."
"Okay... give me a moment," Rey muttered, pressing a hand to his chest. His whole body ached. Whatever Aiden had done, it had taken a toll on him too.
"Hurry," Aiden urged, scanning their surroundings. "If their boss finds you, youâre dead."
Minutes passed. Rey stood and followed Aidenâs directions, searching frantically.
Fifteen minutes later, he still hadnât found it. He was about to give up when Aiden suddenly stiffened.
"Rey, that way. I feel somethingâenergy. Itâs close."
Rey rushed forward and reached a stack of cardboard boxes. He began tearing through them until one tumbled over, and a strange, cube-like object rolled out.
"There! Thatâs it!" Aiden said, a rare urgency in his voice.
Rey reached for the relicâbut something caught his eye. Turning his head slightly, he noticed a few men nearby, clustered around a chair... with ropes.
He shifted positions for a clearer lookâand his heart stopped.
It was Evan.
Beaten. Bound. Bloodied.
His friend had been captured.
And now, everything was about to change.
Hey readers! Hope you enjoyed this intense chapter! Things are heating up, and secrets are beginning to unravel. If you liked the chapter, donât forget to support the novel.
Have a great day or night, my friends!