Seojun's pulse quickened as Agent K stepped forward, his heavy boots echoing in the underground chamber. His imposing figure seemed to fill the space, his presence radiating authority and danger. The flickering emergency lights cast long shadows across the cold, industrial surroundings, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.
"I had a feeling you would be here," Seojun said, his voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through him. He adjusted his grip on Thanatos's body, his eyes narrowing on Agent K. "What do you want, K?"
Agent K's helmeted face remained emotionless, but the faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"You still don't understand, do you?" Agent K's voice was cold and detached, the words carrying an unsettling calmness. "This is bigger than you, bigger than anything you could ever comprehend. Your little rebellion—your mission—it's all been a distraction."
Seojun's mind raced. A distraction? For what?
"Distraction?" Hana spoke up, her voice sharp. She stood beside Seojun, her hand on the holster of her sidearm. "What are you talking about, K?"
Agent K didn't respond immediately. Instead, he slowly reached up and removed his helmet, revealing the face of someone Seojun didn't expect. It was a face he recognized all too well—one from the past. His blood ran cold.
"What...?" Seojun's voice faltered as his mind struggled to process the sight. "You...?"
The man standing before them was none other than Victor Hayward, a former high-ranking officer of the Syndicate, a man Seojun had thought was dead. His eyes were cold, calculating, yet filled with the same bitter hatred that had once fueled the Syndicate's ruthless operations.
"Yes, it's me," Victor said, his lips curling into a smirk. "I see you remember me. You and I go way back, Seojun. But it's time for you to understand the truth."
Seojun felt a surge of anger. He had been betrayed by his own organization, by the very people he had trusted. But Victor's presence here, alive and well, changed everything.
"Why? Why pretend to be dead?" Seojun demanded, taking a step forward. "What do you want from us?"
Victor's eyes glinted with amusement as he walked closer.
"It's simple, really," he said, his voice taking on a more sinister tone. "The Syndicate has been playing a long game, and you—Seojun, Hana—are merely pawns in it. You've done exactly what I needed, caused just enough chaos, and now..."
Victor's smile widened, almost maniacally.
"Now, Phase Three begins."
Seojun's heart skipped a beat. Phase Three. The phrase that had haunted him ever since Thanatos mentioned it. It was the final piece of the puzzle, the key to understanding the Syndicate's ultimate plan.
"What is Phase Three?" Hana asked, her voice tense.
Victor's expression darkened as he glanced at the two of them.
"Phase Three is the final act, the culmination of everything we've worked for," he said, his voice filled with cold certainty. "It's the birth of a new world, a world where the Syndicate holds absolute power. You think the explosions, the destruction... it's all been random? No, it's part of a much bigger scheme. This facility was just the beginning. What you've been running from is nothing compared to what comes next."
Seojun clenched his fists. He had been chasing answers, fighting for survival, but now he was learning that nothing was what it seemed.
"So this entire operation, everything we've done, was just to set the stage for your plan?" Seojun's voice was low, tinged with disbelief. "You've been playing us the entire time."
Victor's smile returned, and he gave a slow nod.
"Exactly. You were the perfect tools to bring everything into motion. But now... now it's time for you to make a choice." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Join us, and you can be part of the new world order. Or..."
Victor's gaze turned to Thanatos's body.
"Or you can die here, with the rest of the old world."
Hana took a step forward, her eyes blazing with fury.
"You've underestimated us, Victor," she said, her voice filled with defiance. "You'll regret this."
Victor chuckled, his laugh dark and hollow.
"We'll see, won't we?"
Suddenly, the air around them shifted, and Seojun's senses heightened. He could feel something in the distance, something powerful and unsettling. The ground trembled once more, and the chamber seemed to pulse with a new energy.
"Phase Three is already in motion," Victor said, his voice almost a whisper. "The countdown has begun. You've already lost."
With that, he turned on his heel and began to walk toward a hidden control panel in the corner of the chamber, a faint hum filling the air as he activated the final phase of his plan.
Seojun's heart raced. There was no time to waste. They had to stop Victor, no matter what it took.
"Hana!" Seojun shouted, grabbing her arm. "We need to stop him, now!"
Hana nodded, her face set in determination.
"Let's end this."
The countdown for Phase Three had begun, but it was far from over. They would do whatever it took to stop the Syndicate's plan, even if it meant risking everything.