[Main Story 12-01]
A stormy afternoon, umbrella in hand,
I walk alone in the crowd.
A soaked kitty stops beside my foot.
It seems to want to take me to some unknown land.
I lost it.
Before me appears a brown-haired boy
He stands in the rain
drenched through.
I hold up my umbrella and shield him from the rain.
He turns and gives me a gentle smile.
BLACK SWAN.
I kept tracing over this strange name on the piece of paper. To the side, my notebook was spread out, thick with notes on the myriad things that had happened in this time.
From the car accident and being chased in the alley, to the even more intense rooftop shooting and secret room at the Hacker’s Summit, and then the reality show set recreating events that happened 17 years ago. All of this seemed to circle back to the same name: The Black Swan Collective.
Till now, my only impression of this organization were those cryptic sentences from the secret room.
The documents from Victor’s investigation showed that Black Swan was the largest backer of HBS.
17 years ago they had appeared before in Loveland City.
17 years ago… that’s when I showed up at the orphanage, and then lost my memory.
17 years ago, Dad reported on an orphanage human trafficking incident that caused quite a stir.
In the incident, there were a dozen of mysterious orphan deaths, several missing persons, and some children who were rescued.
After the report came out, the people involved were all arrested, and the orphanage was abandoned. But no one knew the real truth about the incident.
Two years ago, Black Swan once again became active in Loveland City, just when Dad passed away.
This can’t all be a coincidence!
Victor said he would keep investigating, but I can’t just sit around and wait.
I flipped open Dad’s notebook which he always carried with him. 10 years of his notes. Maybe what I’m looking for is inside.
I carefully read over every page, but sadly there was no sign of anything to do with Black Swan.
But I did discover some information that I’d never noticed before.
In the notes from 17 years ago, amidst a bunch of notes on superpowers, there was one case that didn’t come up in any newspaper or online search.
A family of four suddenly disappeared at a waterfall in the northern district, without a trace of struggle at the scene. The only thing left was a sedan locked from the inside and a busted camera.
The police formed a special unit, but none of their efforts ever turned up the husband, wife, or their boy and girl. As time passed, it just became another unsolved case.
Due to inaccessibility of information at the time and deliberate concealment by the police, there was no news anywhere of this incident recorded in the notebook.
Then how did Dad know about it? I broke out in goosebumps from head to toe.
Whether it happened back then or today, a thing like this was strange– and downright dreadful.
After a few empty pages, there was a follow-up report concerning Key.
At the very end of the report, Dad had written this: Key had agreed to meet with me, but now I haven’t been able to contact him. I was too late.
Kiro told me before that Key had, for certain reasons, taken a back seat. Why did Dad say he couldn’t contact him? And that he was too late?
Reading on, in notes from two years ago, I found Dad was investigating this missing family again.
The day before the car accident, Dad had written this:
Dad: If I’m not mistaken, they should be there! They’re coming back. I must hurry…
At the end of this sentence, there was a little letter “s”, with its tail sticking up a bit.
What does this mean? I flipped through the whole notebook and couldn’t find it anywhere else.
Did “they” mean Black Swan?
Why did Dad start investigating this case again two years ago? Was his car accident really an accident, or… was it related to the investigation?
This speculation chilled me to my bones. The more I thought, the more my head spun. I couldn’t sort out any of the clues within.
The ringing of the phone interrupted my thoughts. It was Gavin. I hadn’t heard from him in ages.
It rang a few times, and then I picked up. The air seemed a little stiff after our not having been in contact for so long.
I opened my mouth, then heard Gavin’s breathing on the other end.
Gavin & Me: You…
After a second’s pause, we both started talking again–
Gavin & Me: You go first…
The sound of Gavin’s laugh came over the receiver, and then he cleared his throat.
Gavin: {{mc}}, are you doing better?
{{MC}}: Yeah, recovering well. Pretty much back to normal now.
Gavin: Oh, that’s good. Actually, I…
Gavin seemed to let out a breath. He also seemed like he had a lot he wanted to tell me.
Gavin: Never mind. Just glad you’re fine.
{{MC}}: Where have you been these days? I can never get ahold of you. It worries me…
Gavin: I was out on a mission. It’s over now. No need to worry.
His voice became tender, but resolute as always.
Gavin: Where are you right now?
{{MC}}: I’m still at home… Right, I have some things I want to ask you.
Gavin: What things?
{{MC}}: About Black Swan. You remember I mentioned this organization to you?
{{MC}}: I learned some things recently. I think the dangers I’ve been in and this organization are related…
{{MC}}: Although, I have no way of proving it.
{{MC}}: The orphanage incident 17 years ago, my father’s sudden car accident, it could all tied up with this organization.
{{MC}}: Now I want more information about it. Can you… tell me what you know?
Gavin: Who told you all this?
{{MC}}: Victor…
Gavin fell silent a moment, and then quickly spoke up again.
Gavin: Alright, I’ll tell you. Wait for me. I’ll take you somewhere.
{{MC}}: Huh? Where?
Gavin: A place where I can tell you the truth.
My heart was pounding. I had a feeling that this was the closest I’d ever been to the truth.
[Main Story 12-03]
I hurried downstairs and saw Gavin already waiting for me at the door.
As if he sensed it, right when I stepped off the last step, he turned around.
I hadn’t seen him in a long time. The light through the tree leaves played shadows across his face. He seemed to be thinner than last we’d met.
He leaned on his motorcycle, legs crossed, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a helmet.
Seeing me just standing there, Gavin’s eyes narrowed, his brows perked up, and he cocked a smile, as if to ask, “Why aren’t you coming over?”.
I walked quickly over to Gavin.
Gavin: Don’t recognize me?
That’s what he said, but the smile never left his face.
I took the helmet from him, a little embarrassed.
{{MC}}: N– no, it just feels like so long since I’ve seen you…
I smiled up at Gavin, and he reached out his hands, casually helping me buckle on the helmet.
He put on his helmet and mounted the motorcycle.
I sat on the back and held on to Gavin’s waist.
Gavin: Sit tight.
The bike darted off. I leaned on Gavin’s back, wind hitting my face and whistling in my ears.
I suddenly noticed that he had a new wound on his neck.
Maybe Gavin didn’t say anything and wanted me to not to worry, but he must have been through a lot recently himself.
{{MC}}: Gavin, have you run into trouble recently?
Gavin: What makes you ask?
{{MC}}: Because… um… you look thinner…
Before I finished, my two overlapping hands were pulled forward by Gavin’s hand.
Gavin: Then hold me tighter.
I was pressed tightly to Gavin’s back. It felt a little hot, mixed with his clean scent.
He drove fast, and I was a little dizzy. All I could hear was the sound of his heart beating.
We were soon out of the city and into the suburbs.
I looked at the unfamiliar surroundings and managed to figure out from the passing road signs that this was a district where entry had been forbidden long ago.
There were no buildings to be seen in the barren land, just high, grey walls crowned with barbed wire, telling anyone who came “Keep out.”
It was said that something had caused the radiation levels in this area to exceed normal levels, making it unfit for habitation, so it had been sealed off for the long-term.
Is this the place Gavin wanted to take me?
Gavin: {{mc}}, close your eyes.
Gavin seemed to have no intention of stopping, and actually went faster. The wall came nearer and nearer. I closed my eyes in fear and held tightly to Gavin.
But what I thought would happen never did. I hesitantly opened my eyes, and what I saw before me pushed every thought out of my head.
A wide, towering sealed tunnel made of dark grey steel, with a cold light radiating from above.
We drove on a black surface, and at every arch we passed, a blue light flashed at our sides.
I seemed to feel countless lasers scanning my body, one after another, until we drove from the tunnel into a great white hall.
{{MC}}: What was that for back there…
Gavin: It’s the effect of special Evol. It effects how the human eye forms images.
Gavin parked the bike, took off my helmet, and motioned for me to get off.
I observed this bizarre space. Aside from shock, I also felt curious.
{{MC}}: Where is this?
Gavin: Special Task Force’s operations base in Loveland City.
{{MC}}: Special Task Force?
This was totally different than what I’d imagined. I thought it would be like the military, but it was completely the opposite.
The solid white hall was completely empty, with just one black apparatus standing in its center.
Gavin placed a hand on it, and after a few seconds, the apparatus’ panel lit up green.
“Identity confirmed. Welcome back, Agent B-7.” A cold, mechanical voice echoed through the space.
A crack opened in the wall, quickly widening, revealing to me everything behind it.
A silvery white corridor extended onward, each piece exactly the same, gleaming with cold steel.
As I followed Gavin past the gate, I felt uneasy and hesitated.
{{MC}}: Am I… allowed to come in here?
Gavin: Don’t worry. I’ve already put in the request.
The only sound in the silvery, steel corridor was the echo of our footsteps. Gavin spoke as we went.
Gavin: The STF is nominally a special forces division of the military, but we’re independent of them and the government, not subordinate to any organization.
Gavin: Right now it’s training time. The others are out in the field drilling.
After the corridor, to the left was a large empty space. Hearing loud chanting, I craned my head to look, and discovered this was actually an outdoor training ground.
A transparent canopy stretched over the giant clearing.
Unfortunately, they were only doing normal physical training, not Evol usage that I was imagining.
Everyone on the field was immersed in training. Just one young officer dressed in the same uniform as Gavin saw me and stared, then gave a knowing smile.
He winked at me, his mouth open and seemingly saying something. I wanted to make out what it was, but Gavin came over and blocked my view.
Gavin: We may be independent from the military, but the training here is more strict and cruel by far.
Gavin’s words drew my attention, making me forget that little incident just then.
{{MC}}: Does everyone here have a super power?
Gavin: Yes, everyone here is an Evolver, called Evol Agents.
Gavin: The main duty of Evol Agents is investigating superpower crimes and arresting super criminals. So we’re not garden variety police.
{{MC}}: When you first started protecting me, that was a mission assigned by the STF?
Gavin slowed his step and looked me in the eye.
Gavin: Not quite. I requested it myself.
He stopped in front of a large door. Blue lasers came from every direction, scanning Gavin’s body.
The blue light retracted, the lock turned, and the door slowly started to open.
Inside was a simple, white, curved wall with over a hundred screens giving off faint blue light.
Gavin walked to the control station in the room’s center, and words flashed on the screen.
“Evol Fluctuation Baseline Test”
The surface of the control station split open and two spinning instruments rose up.
A red beam scanned Gavin’s body from top to bottom, as a graph scrolled quickly across the screen.
{{MC}}: This is for detecting Evol?
Gavin: Yeah, for detecting Evol fluctuation levels.
After 10 seconds, the scan stopped, and the results showed on the screen: Evol Under Control.
Gavin: While on missions, we’re not allowed to make any slip-ups, so our Evol has to stay within range.
I was a little surprised. This was far different from what I knew about Evol.
{{MC}}: You’re saying Evol can fluctuate?
Gavin: Not only that, if it exceeds a certain amount, mutations might occur.
{{MC}}: Mutations? I never heard of that before…
Gavin: In the absence of a special reason, this situation very rarely occurs.
As if something had occurred to him, Gavin fell silent a moment and dropped the topic.
Then, the communicator in his hand sounded. He looked down and furrowed his brow.
{{MC}}: What is it? Has something happened?
Gavin: It’s fine. The Commander wants to see you.
{{MC}}: Commander?
Gavin: The head of the Special Task Force. You need his approval to enter the base.
{{MC}}: But why does the Commander need to see me?
Gavin: I’m not sure.
Gavin shook his head and lightly patted my shoulder.
Gavin: Don’t be nervous. I’m going with you.
[Main Story 12-04]
The Commander’s office was different from the high-tech style of the rest of the base. In the spacious room, behind a dark wooden desk sat a steely-faced middle-aged man.
His expression was stern, emanating an aura of cold authority.
Gavin: Commander, Agent B-7 has returned.
Gavin stepped forward, and the Commander nodded slightly. I was just thinking of what I should say when he turned his gaze to me and spoke first.
Leto: Hello, Miss {{mc}}. Perhaps you’re wondering why I asked you to come.
{{MC}}: …Is it to do with the Black Swan organization?
After I made my guess, the Commander paused a moment and then nodded approvingly.
Leto: The STF has always acted as a monitor, but now the time is ripe, and we must being a new operation.
Leto: And this operation may have something to do with you.
{{MC}}: Me?
Leto: In Black Swan’s overall scheme, you are the most crucial element.
Leto: Do not doubt your importance, although the reason is still unclear.
Leto: But the incident in Loveland City Orphanage 17 years ago, and the movements started in the recent months, all have a great deal to do with you.
{{MC}}: But… I don’t understand anything. I don’t even know what I can do.
Leto: You don’t need to overly worry yourself with that. We’ve invited you to the base in the hopes that you’ll cooperate with us in future STF operations.
{{MC}}: Me…
Suddenly having confirmation that I was involved in all this, I still couldn’t tell what was at stake. For a moment, I didn’t know how to respond.
Leto: You don’t need to answer me right away, but this matter is of grave importance, and I hope you will consider it carefully. When you’ve thought it over, give this number a call.
I nodded and accepted the card the Commander handed to me.
{{MC}}: I will definitely think it over.
Leto: Well, thank you for your understanding.
Leto: I have granted the access code to the classified archives to Captain Gavin. It should have everything you want to know.
With that, the Commander stopped talking, and I silently left the room with Gavin.
Gavin: Are you sure you want to go to the archives room?
I looked up at Gavin, and he returned my gaze with a look of worry and care.
{{MC}}: Yes. No matter what the truth is, I’m prepared.
Gavin: Alright, I’ll take you.
“Agent B-7. Highest authorization confirmed.”
The silvery metal door parted to the sides, opening onto a spacious room with vaulted ceilings.
The wall’s surface seemed like a single screen glowing with a silver sheen. A blue light flashed overhead intermittently.
This was the classified archives of the Special Task Force.
Gavin placed his hand on the reader in the center of the room, and in an instant, the words BLACK SWAN appeared on the screen before us.
Gavin: So… the Black Swan Collective, A.K.A. BSC. It is outwardly a gene research institute, but that’s actually a front for all kinds of illegal experiments.
As Gavin went on, the pictures on the screen changed, old photographs and document scans appearing before my eyes.
Gavin: In its earliest days, it was a secret underground research facility set up by a group of scientists and businessmen. After rapid development and restructuring, it formed into the international crime organization it is today.
Gavin: According to our investigations, BSC’s members number in the tens of thousands, spread all over the globe, in all walks of life.
Gavin: The only thing they have in common is that they all have a certain amount of influence on society.
The picture changed, showing twelve names.
Gavin: These are the BSC’s top brass– “The Twelve”. They hold positions of utmost importance in the organization.
Gavin: Currently, we haven’t been able to pin down any real information on the Twelve.
Gavin: And no one has ever even seen their top leader. For 17 years, this individual has never shown his face.
Gavin leaned on the table, the cold gleam casting light and shadow over his stern face, his eyes precise and shrewd.
In this moment, he showed none of his former rebelliousness, only cold solemnity.
Gavin: The gene research done by BSC was for Evol gene activation, implantation, and recreation. In other words, turning normal people into Evolvers.
I couldn’t help thinking of that British scientist Lucien once told me about, the one permanently banned by the World Gene Organization. Why would anyone do these kinds of experiments?
{{MC}}: …Can Evolvers be modified?
Gavin: 17 years ago, they successfully modified one Evolver, but afterwards no one knew what happened to him.
I broke out into goosebumps. A modified Evolver… What kind of being would that be?
Gavin: However, although BSC engages in illegal research, due to their strong counter-intelligence capabilities and the huge forces at their disposal, it’s hard for us to find any useful evidence.
Gavin: That’s also why we’ve been tracking them for so long.
{{MC}}: So what’s their objective for doing all this?
Gavin: Human evolution? Evolver rule over humanity? Or more terrifying, world destruction? As of now, we have no idea.
Hearing these words from Gavin’s mouth, my heart froze in my chest.
Gavin: You are their most crucial element related to their ultimate objective, leading them to set in motion a series of events.
{{MC}}: The most crucial element… what does that mean?
Gavin pursed his lips and didn’t respond.
After giving me a long look, Gavin turned his head.
Gavin: …Right now, we’re still not sure.
Gavin: Remember that bullet I blocked? And the bullet on the rooftop? They were both from Black Swan.
Gavin: Specially constructed, but not lethal. We detected remnants of a special potion within them.
Gavin: The lab techs just confirmed it’s a kind of hallucinogen. We’re still conducting further tests on the rest.
Every sentence from Gavin’s lips sent cold shivers down my spine.
If this bullet had entered my body… I don’t even want to imagine…
A warm hand enveloped my ice cold one. I lifted my head. Gavin was by my side, a sincere look in his eye.
Gavin: I’m here. You don’t need to be afraid.
The look in his eye told me that he would keep his word.
And I trusted him too.
[Main Story 12-06]
BLACK SWAN–
This mysterious underground organization is like a bottomless vortex. The more I learn, the more endless it feels.
Gavin and I left the archives room and decided to go to the lab to see the latest test results from those bullets.
The whole way there, I was turning over all the information I’d just received, and its connections to the clues in Dad’s notebook.
Something about me was crucial to BSC. What was it?
Why does this organization want to modify Evolvers? And what does that have to do with me?
Gavin: This way.
Gavin pulled me as I started going the wrong way the third time. He stopped and looked at me.
Gavin: What’s wrong?
{{MC}}: I don’t know, I’m a little confused…
I looked at Gavin both blankly and scared, wishing I could get the answers from him.
{{MC}}: If there’s something in me that Black Swan wants, why don’t they just come to me directly?
{{MC}}: Why go through all that trouble with the secret room and the recreated set?
{{MC}}: Just what is it they want to do?
Gavin large hand rested on my head, and the warmth from his palm helped me calm down a bit.
Gavin: Maybe the thing they’re after is something present-you doesn’t have.
{{MC}}: Present me? Then does their objective have something to do with 17 years ago…
Gavin: Before a final conclusion is reached, this is all just conjecture.
{{MC}}: I’m worried…
Gavin: Don’t be scared. I’m here.
Gavin: I’ll update you on investigation results. I’ll tell you the truth. I won’t hide anything from you.
Gavin: You just need to protect yourself. Leave the rest to me.
{{MC}}: And what will you be doing?
Gavin: Going after the truth, and protecting you.
Seeing the resolute look in his eyes, my heart slowly quieted down. Those shadowy conspiracies that seemed to be lurking behind every corner had suddenly lost their terror.
{{MC}}: Right. I trust you.
I smiled at Gavin, and he let out a sigh.
I suddenly realized Gavin’s bangs had one strand that was sticking up defiantly.
After looking for a moment, I absent-mindedly stuck out my hand to help him smooth it back down.
Gavin’s ears turned a little red, and his eyes glanced up slightly.
Just then, an Evol Agent came running in a hurry towards us.
I hastily withdrew my hand and turned my face.
Gavin: *Cough*…
Gavin’s sharp eyes scanned the Evol Agent.
Officer: Sir, the prisoner’s mood in the interrogation room is strangely volatile. You need to go see!
Hearing this news, Gavin looked at me and nodded.
Gavin: I’ll head over there in one minute.
Then, Gavin took me to an empty reception room, told me to wait for him there, and left in a hurry.
A few minutes after he left, there was a knock at the door.
Who would be looking for me at this time, and in this place?
I opened the door questioningly to see a young man smiling at me. I looked him over and then remembered he was the one who saw me when I first entered the base.
??: Hello! You’re {{mc}}, right?
Eli: I’m Gavin’s squad mate, Captain Eli. You can just call me Eli! Me and Gavin joined up together.
This person’s sudden familiarity and enthusiasm caught me off guard. For a moment I didn’t know how to react.
Eli: Is Gavin not here? Word is he brought a girl here. Everyone’s real curious.
He giggled as he spoke, giving me a knowing look.
{{MC}}: But… after we entered the base, only a few people have seen me…
Eli: Well… perhaps that’s because you haven’t noticed! Ha-ha…
He scratched his head and quickly changed the topic.
Eli: After this last mission, Gavin disappeared without a trace. He must have gone to see you, right?
{{MC}}: Huh? Gavin only just came to see me today.
Eli: He took so many injuries, I thought…
Hearing Eli say that, my heart thumped heavily. I hastily asked him to explain.
{{MC}}: He took a lot of injuries?
Eli: You don’t know about this? I thought you would’ve seen.
{{MC}}: No, I don’t… Can you tell me?
Eli: I’m not too clear on the details. It happened all of a sudden. We were still on mission, and he suddenly took off.
Eli: Having known him all these years, I’d never seen him so furious. Not even during that hell mission years back.
Eli: Over two weeks later, he finally came back, but he wasn’t with the squad. He was so beat up, I didn’t even dare ask.
Over two weeks… Wasn’t that the same time I was in the hospital? The image from this morning of the scar on the back of his neck popped into my mind.
He told me the mission was finished, that I didn’t have to worry. And I really didn’t worry.
But how would I have guessed that he was telling me this covered of injuries?
In the past half a month, just what happened to Gavin?
Eli: Anyway, don’t you worry too much. Gavin might be tight-lipped, but I can see now he’s at peace.
{{MC}}: He wasn’t like that before when he was with the squad?
Eli shook his head. He opened his phone and brought up a picture, handing it to me.
Eli: He was always like this before.
Gavin’s face in the photo was a little immature. Wearing his military uniform, even though he was saluting, there was still an unmistakable look of proud aloofness and unruliness.
{{MC}}: When was this picture taken?
Eli: This was our second year at the academy, back from the hell mission. Gavin was promoted to squad captain then, although he didn’t want it at the time.
{{MC}}: Hell mission?
Eli: Oh, that’s an academy tradition. All second-years go on a live mission. Gavin and I got paired up in the same unit.
Eli: Our mission was to apprehend a serial bomber with a superpower. His anti-recon abilities and the way he went about his crimes were particularly cruel.
Eli: We spent a whole month taking him down.
Eli: We went out with over 50 of us, and only Gavin and I came back. If he hadn’t been there for me at just the right time, I probably would’ve died there too.
Talking about those soul-stirring events of the past, a look of sorrow and loss came over Eli’s face.
Hearing him talk, I could almost see how Gavin must’ve been, filled with bravery, holding his head proudly as he ran around in a hail of gunfire.
Eli: Later I learned that this buddy almost perished there too.
Eli: That criminal must’ve found out somehow about Gavin’s weakness and set up a huge fire to go off, but luckily Gavin managed to survive it.
{{MC}}: Gavin… is afraid of fire?
Eli: Uh… not really. It’s just that, due to certain reasons, fire-related cases don’t usually get sent his way.
I was a bit shocked. In my eyes, Gavin was never afraid of anything. He hardly ever brought up these past incidents with me.
A huge swath of fire… I don’t know why, but I had a vague feeling of uneasiness.
[Main Story 12-08]
Just then came a knock at the door. An agent came in and spoke to Eli in a low voice.
Eli: Is Gavin still in interrogation?
Officer: Yes, but the prisoner still isn’t giving up anything…
Eli looked at me and slowly opened his mouth to speak.
Eli: Miss {{mc}}, I know Gavin didn’t want to drag you into this, but this is why I wanted to see you today.
Eli, who till now had been all smiles, suddenly turned serious. I nodded seriously in turn.
Eli: This prisoner we’re interrogating, his name is Jay. You should remember, he’s the one who abducted you on that rooftop.
Eli: He’s been tough to crack. Aside from admitting to his crime, he won’t say a word. But his sole BSC contact is a key figure in our investigation.
Eli: I think you’d be a turning point in the case, and I hope you’ll cooperate, but I won’t force you to join in the interrogation.
I never thought I would get asked this so suddenly. I hesitated a moment, and then nodded.
This isn’t just to help the STF. It might also be a stepping stone to me finding the truth.
At the door of the interrogation room, I took a deep breath, and then followed Eli in.
The large room was separated into an inner and outer space by a partition of tempered glass.
The interrogating officer, a stack of photos in hand, was trying to persuade the prisoner. Gavin stood there grim-faced, not noticing our entrance at all.
And opposite them, on the other side of the glass was an expressionless man in shackles, hanging his head in silence.
Interrogator: Why did you do this?
Jay: …
Gavin: If the victim dies, your sister can come back? Explain that.
Jay raised his head and looked at Gavin. His eyes were devoid of light, pitch black.
Jay: It means exactly what it says.
Interrogator: Who told you that?
Jay: No one.
They were in a stalemate. I looked nervously at Gavin and heard Eli let out a sigh.
Eli: The interrogation stops here every time. He’s refused to budge for a long time.
Gavin’s expression still wasn’t without hope. He looked at the prisoner and actually laughed.
Gavin: We’ve found your sister.
Jay: That’s not possible!
Jay’s head shot up. Gavin said nothing, just looked at him.
Jay: Not possible… she disappeared in the northern district. No one could find her…
Gavin: Where in the northern district?
Gavin gripped the table with both hands. The prisoner shook his head, clammed up, and gave Gavin a look of extreme defiance.
The northern district? I thought about the missing persons incident I’d read about this morning. The waterfall was in the northern district!
I felt a shock and instinctively took a step forward. As I did, it put me in Jay’s line of sight.
The instant he saw me, his became agitated and started thrashing around. If he hadn’t been cuffed to the seat, he would’ve rushed right up to me.
Jay: Why are you still alive? You clearly got…
A look of incredulity and rage flashed in his eyes, and then deep despair.
Jay: Why…?
Gavin: Still don’t get it? You were just being used.
Gavin strode over and stood in front of me, his face frozen stiff.
Gavin: What are you doing here?
Gavin looked at Eli, who was pretending to not know. His voice was low as he asked me and sounded very displeased.
Jay: Why didn’t you die?! You should’ve died… You should be dead!
His chest heaved, and his words were full of venom and gall.
Gavin contained his anger and let out a light laugh.
Gavin: Do you know why the victim didn’t die?
Gavin: Because that bullet wasn’t lethal. Their goal wasn’t to kill the victim.
Gavin: You were used. Your sister Josie was never coming back.
The prisoner’s eyes suddenly drew back, and he kept shaking his head in panic.
Gavin: Even now you don’t want to accept it? Your lives were thrown away by your own choices.
Jay: What do you know!? She was my sister! The only family I had!
Jay: The instant she was lost, my life was already destroyed!
His hysterical voice filled the interrogation room. His eyes grew red as his whole body shook.
Gavin: Crime is crime! No excuse is enough to make that pretty.
Gavin: No one’s life can be so easily destroyed.
Gavin: A lot of people in this world, if put in the same conditions, or worse, would never turn to crime.
I stared in a daze at Gavin. His resolute face was shining like never before, even under the room’s fluorescent lights.
He spoke with raw power and shocking force. It was like I could hear the power in his marrow and an inextinguishable heart of childlike innocence.
It was the power of destiny and faith, a grand clarity and responsibility toward matters of life and death.
The former flippant youth that I knew, and the somber, resolute man described by Eli, even today still carried within him that initial drive and certainty.
Jay: Heh… do you have any regrets?
Gavin: None.
Jay: Me too… I’ve never done anything I regret!
He shot a glance at me, a pitiable look in his eye. Just like he said, no regrets, just unwillingness and despair.
Suddenly, his whole body spasmed, and his face turned dreadfully pale. His dull eyes suddenly flared with light.
Jay: You all want the truth. All I wanted was for her to live.
Jay opened his mouth, and it curled up into an unnatrual smile. Gavin tensed in shock. He was about to say something, but that strange smile froze on the prisoner’s face.
The next instant, his pupils rapidly collapsed, and his whole body slumped backward, drained of force.
Before I could make out what was happening, two large hands covered my eyes.
The next second, I was firmly carried along by some force behind Gavin.
I was sealed off in this safe little world. My wrist wrapped tightly in his hand broke out in sweat.
Gavin: Don’t look.
I closed my eyes and pressed against Gavin’s warm back. His steady and strong heartbeat dispersed my fear.
Gavin: There’s nothing to be scared of.
As Gavin soothed the girl, he motioned to the others to take care of the situation.
Eli rushed in and grabbed the prisoner’s back, laid him on his arm, and quickly placed two fingers on his neck.
Then he looked at Gavin and shook his head.
Gavin stared wordlessly at the prisoner who had died so suddenly, his brow tightly creased.
Red blood flowed from the prisoner’s eyes, nose and mouth, dripping onto the floor where it pooled in a dark mass like a haunting bloom of flowers.
[Main Story 12-10]
As I left the interrogation room, I was still shaking uncontrollably. Gavin released his hand from my eyes but held on to my hand.
His face was even more imposing and severe than in the room. I wanted to pull back my hand, but it was held in place by a greater force.
The officers in the corridor left one by one in an orderly fashion.
Gavin: I am taking you home right now. Before then, you do not leave my side.
{{MC}}: What just happened there? That person…
Thinking back on the bizarre scene just now, my whole body ran cold. I looked to Gavin, wanting an exact answer.
Gavin stayed silent, an impenetrable mist filling his eyes.
Gavin: …He died.
My whole body shook, and I unconsciously squeezed Gavin’s hand, hoping to squeeze out some warmth.
{{MC}}: How?
Gavin: I don’t know. For a specific cause, we’ll have to await the autopsy.
Gavin looked away, not wishing to say anymore.
Gavin: I’m going to investigate, but you need to promise me you won’t dwell on this. Just wait for me for answers.
{{MC}}: Alright.
Gavin’s mouth quickly curled into a smile, but his brow remained tightly creased.
{{MC}}: The sister that the prisoner just mentioned–
Before I’d finished, a huge blaring sound came from the other end of the corridor. The whole space seemed to shake.
{{MC}}: What’s that?
It was followed closely by several more bangs, and people started shouting. The crash of metal and shattering of glass put me into a panic.
Gavin didn’t answer, walking quickly to the corner of the corridor. I ran along with him.
The big hall was filled with people, everywhere in disarray. One tall officer stood in the center.
His eyes were filled with blood, his chest heaving violently as he panted. Something looked very wrong with him.
The officers around him watched nervously. Anyone who rushed forward to restrain him was swiped away by his meaty hand.
Gavin: What is this?
Officer: Gavin! He’s a newly-joined power-type Evolver. I don’t know what caused it! He just suddenly went like this!
As he spoke, the raging officer let out a roar and wrenched a giant, round table that was fixed onto the floor into the air, raising it on high and hurling it into the crowd.
Gavin: Get back!
A cyclone whirled up, enveloping the table that was just about to fall into the crowd and tossing it aside, where it fell with a heavy thud.
Officer: Aaahh–
After letting out another screech, the officer’s muscles suddenly swelled up, oozing thin beads of blood from the torn sinews that dripped all over the floor.
Everyone moved with extreme caution, and under Gavin’s direction they backed off and encircled the raving officer, alertly watching his every move.
*Boom!*
All of a sudden, the lights above me started bursting. As I panicked, I saw a bloody figure charging towards me–
Before I had time to react, my arm was pulled back by some force, and a jacket covered my head.
Everything went black. I could only hear Gavin’s voice sounding uncommonly on edge.
Gavin: Stand here! Don’t move!
I didn’t dare take off the jacket and huddled against the wall just as Gavin told me to.
I could hear sounds of a violent struggle, howling wind, breaking glass, groans of pain…
Gavin: Unngghh–
{{MC}}: Gavin!
My heart jumped uncontrollably, and I pulled off the jacket and looked out at the scene.
I saw Gavin clutch his chest for a moment and quickly lift his hand again.
As he lifted his hand, he got a tight hold on that officer’s neck and submitted him to the ground, then cuffed him in one swift motion.
He looked up and found me, his eyes bright and fierce. Then he mouthed the words “I’m okay” to me.
My heart finally sunk back into my chest.
The remaining lights overhead flickered. There were dozens of officers between us, but it felt like we were the only two there.
Even being fully restrained, the raging officer did not stop struggling.
Gavin held him down even harder, and with a heavy face he handed the officer over to a squad of Evol Agents rushing over.
He gave them a few orders and then strode over to me.
Gavin: How are you? Scared?
I snapped out of my daze and hastily shook my head.
{{MC}}: Are you okay? That guy… what happened to him?
Gavin’s brow furrowed.
Gavin: I told you before about Evol fluctuation and mutation. He reached the Evol threshold and lost control.
{{MC}}: But don’t you all undergo the fluctuation test every day? Is this some kind of accident?
Gavin didn’t respond. The furrows in his brow deepened.
[Main Story 12-11]
Just then, the Commander arrived. After quickly surveying the scene and taking everything in, he walked over.
Leto: What’s the situation?
Gavin: Under control. Initial confirmation is that an Evol fluctuation anomaly caused a loss of control. Specific cause is unknown.
Leto: I’ll notify the intel team to do a follow up. You two come with me.
His expression was grave, and Gavin and I followed after him.
Leto: The autopsy report still isn’t out, but a poison-secreting nano-bomb was found in the prisoner’s carotid artery, set to activate as soon as he said a key word.
Leto: The intel team recovered the bomb and found this symbol on it.
The Commander turned on a screen in the small conference room displaying an enlarged symbol.
It was distorted, but one could still make out that it was an “s” with the tail sticking up.
Leto: Based on intel from our spies, we can pretty much confirm this is Black Swan’s totem.
My blood curdled in my veins. Black Swan’s totem was just like the one in Dad’s notebook!
Gavin: {{mc}}, what is it?
{{MC}}: I’ve seen this totem! In my father’s notebook!
{{MC}}: 17 years ago, when he was investigating a family a four that went missing at a waterfall in the northern district, he drew this symbol.
Leto: Does anyone else know about this matter?
{{MC}}: No.
The Commander’s expression grew heavier. He looked at the symbol on the screen and then spoke.
Leto: Since the establishment of the Special Task Force, there has only be one thing I never bring up.
He entered a password, and a black-and-white document appeared on the screen.
Leto: 17 years ago, at the northern district waterfall, a family of four went missing. We also sent people to investigate, but none of them ever came back…
He paused for a moment, and then said the following slowly and deliberately.
Leto: All of them went missing.
Leto: And everyone who knew about this case, except for me, either died and vanished in those 17 years.
Staring into the Commander’s eyes and their veiled anger, I froze. The truth far exceeded my imagination. Why would Dad go investigate this kind of thing?
Leto: Of course, we didn’t draw a total blank. We’ve made an investigation into this waterfall. The lead investigator at the time proposed a hypothesis.
Leto: We called it Black Cabin. A space that exists independent of our world.
Leto: It is the boundary between all spaces. You can think of it as a hallway, its two ends connecting spaces in different dimensions.
Leto: In this space, time does not flow. If stranded in it, a person will be lost forever in an orderless dimension.
A blurry old photograph appeared on the screen. It showed a husband and wife holding their two children, their faces beaming with happiness.
Leto: I looked up the case summary at the time and discovered these two children’s names were Jay and Josie.
Leto: Josie, Jay’s sister, was a student at Loveland High School.
A picture of Josie appeared at the bottom of the screen: a cute, petite, normal girl.
I looked at the two photographs and quickly realized what was wrong.
{{MC}}: The girl in the first picture appeared to be 6 or 7, but present day Josie was still only a high school student!
Leto: Maybe a coincidence. But maybe they went into that space. As to why they didn’t change their names, we also don’t know.
Leto: But this case now very likely has a major bearing on the waterfall incident 17 years ago.
Leto: If all of this is tied to Black Swan, then this Josie is of the utmost importance.
I unconsciously gripped my hand into a fist. Even in the spacious archive room, I felt inexplicably oppressed.
Leto: According to our people in the field, Josie has appeared multiple times at the front desk of the Greenwood Hotel in the south of the city.
Gavin: Commander, leave this mission to me!
{{MC}}: Can I also…?
Gavin: I’m taking you home.
Gavin spoke with finality, leaving absolutely no room for me to argue back.
Because the STF was busy with the recent incident, no one noticed that on the detection screen at the gate, Gavin’s section started flashing red.
After sending me home, Gavin looked up at the starless, moonless night sky with a somber expression.
Gavin: Stay home okay. No going outside.
In the past, he would always say don’t go out “unnecessarily”, but this time, he flat out forbid it.
Thinking of everything we went through today, and that person that suddenly collapsed in front of me, I nodded yes.
{{MC}}: Alright… But you better be careful.
Gavin: I will. I promise you.
He pulled on my hand, and the gingko bracelet on my wrist rested in his palm.
His eyes were tender, with a hint of a smile.
{{MC}}: What?
Gavin: Remember to keep it on. That way I can come running whenever you need me.
He lightly traced over the gingko leaf, and when he took back his hand, I glimpsed and saw a thin scar on his wrist that still hadn’t healed up.
{{MC}}: …Can you let me see your wrist for a second?
Gavin: What?
{{MC}}: I just want to take a look. I heard from Eli that you were badly injured…
Gavin: Getting injured on missions is normal. You don’t need to worry about me.
{{MC}}: But I really am worried. Let me take a look.
Gavin let out a resigned sigh, but he held out his wrist for me to see.
I lightly rolled up his sleeve and couldn’t hold back a gasp.
A red scar ran all the way up his entire forearm. The wound wasn’t big, but it wasn’t hard to imagine how serious it must’ve been.
Examining Gavin’s hand closely for the first time, I just now noticed his hands were lined with lots of scars.
Some were mostly healed, leaving only light marks, but some seemed fresh. The skin between his forefinger and thumb was also calloused from often carrying a gun.
I thought of what Eli told me about Gavin’s past. Those moments of life and death were all buried in these scars now.
I raised my head and looked in his eyes. My heart was about to overflow with worry and unease.
{{MC}}: You promised you’d be careful. No getting hurt again.
Gavin: I promise you. You won’t have to worry about me.
Watching as Gavin went, that feeling of unease deep in my heart only grew larger.
The gingko bracelet on my wrist shined with a delicate light. I prayed that Gavin’s mission would go smoothly.
(Lucien’s call: Truth & Lies)https://youtu.be/U1AGhUBK6Sk?si=E306sa9036EAFpll
[Main Story 12-14]
Because I’d been through so much today, I started dozing off as I flipped through Dad’s notebook.
A cool evening breeze blew by. Everything slowly went white, and my eyes closed.
The next time I opened my eyes, it was already the next day.
I got up sleepily from the desk. The notebook, having been slept on all night, was badly creased.
I massaged my head and looked at the clock on the wall. It was already noon.
I really slept a long time… I wonder how Gavin’s doing over there…
I called him, but there was no answer. That uneasiness in my heart pricked up once again.
A breeze blew in from the window, rustling the pages of the notebook.
A newspaper clipping in the notebook that read “Huge Fire” caught my eye.
It was from years ago. The date was blurred, and only the words could be made out.
It was about a big fire that broke out in Loveland City years ago. Multiple injured. One dead.
I suddenly remembered learning at the STF the fact that Gavin was afraid of fire.
I wanted to try making out the date, but just as I reached for it, an intense pain struck me.
A huge blaring sound went off in my head, like a chainsaw and a flame at the same time, splitting my brain in half. I shut my eyes tightly.
As my vision blurred, I saw in my mind a raging flame, leaping up to the heavens.
I saw a figure, his jacket caught on fire. His back was bowed under a heavy wooden frame.
I recognized him.
{{MC}}: Gavin!
His face was in agony, eyes squeezed shut. No matter how I cried out, he couldn’t hear me.
The leaping flames blurred his outline, and then devoured him…
I reached out, and the scene before me dissipated like smoke.
Just the vision of Gavin fallen amidst a huge fire was etched deep in my mind.
What was that? My mind raced thinking about what just happened. Why did scenes I’d never seen before appear in my mind?
I tried using my fingertip to touch the clipping, and the pain once again surged back, the red and shadows appearing again in my mind.
Could it be… that I was foreseeing the future? Gavin’s future!
Without concern for the pain, I reached out again for the clipping. I need to confirm if it really is him!
Gavin was completely surrounded by flames. He no longer had a pained look on his face, but now looked as if he was forever asleep!
The scene before me kept changing and flickering.
In the flame-engulfed room, a digital clock with the words “Greenwood Hotel” had fallen onto the carpet. The time displayed was today, 3:00 p.m.
Etched into the metal door plate was 404…
I snapped my eyes open, my entire body in a cold sweat.
The Greenwood Hotel… that was the place the Commander told us about, where Josie had shown up! I turned and looked at the clock on the wall: 2:15.
That cord in my heart that had been wound so tight suddenly snapped.
“Sorry, the number you have dialed cannot be reached…” All I could do was leave Gavin a message.
I ran as I sent Gavin a text telling him not to go into the hotel. As long as he didn’t go into room 404 before 3 p.m., my vision wouldn’t come to pass!
An agent at the STF told me Gavin hadn’t returned and must’ve went straight to the hotel. After hesitating a few seconds, I ran out the door.
Even if Gavin told me not to, even if it meant facing even more danger, I couldn’t just sit idly by while Gavin was in harm’s way.
From my place to Greenwood Hotel by car takes 30 minutes, but Gavin could do it in just 5, so I had to hurry!
With me urging him on the whole way, the driver finally pulled up in front of the hotel. I looked up and saw no sign of any fire from the outside.
{{MC}}: Hello, can you tell me if anyone is staying in room 404 today?
Reception: Sorry, our hotel doesn’t have a room 404.
{{MC}}: Then, could you tell me which room a Ms. Josie is staying in? I’m a reporter for City News with urgent information for her.
I pulled out my credentials and handed it to the receptionist. She took it somewhat skeptically.
Reception: Sorry, that’s private information. Just a press pass isn’t enough. You’d have to be law enforcement.
{{MC}}: Then give me a room on the fourth floor. Quickly, please!
{{MC}}: There wouldn’t happen to be any other Greenwood Hotels in the area? How many rooms here altogether?
Reception: We’re the only Greenwood Hotel in Loveland City. We have 6 floors, 20 rooms per floor. Here, your room card, room 411.
I grabbed the card and dashed for the elevator. I looked at the time. Still 20 minutes.
I took out my phone and tried Gavin again. This time the call went through.
{{MC}}: Hello? Gavin!
The only sound on the other end was electric static. With only one bar of signal left, I quickly spoke.
{{MC}}: Do not go to Greenwood Hotel Room 404! It’s dangerous! I’ll wait for you at the hotel entrance!
{{MC}}: You…
The call hung up on its own. Did Gavin hear what I said?
The elevator stopped on the fourth floor. As I stepped into the hall, the elevator doors clanged shut behind me.
The lights overhead swayed. The long hallway was empty, just me and my own shadow.
I hesitated a bit and walked step by step to the furthest end of the hall. 401… 408… 406…
The supposedly non-existent room 404 appeared before my eyes. A chill ran down my spine.
The door was slightly ajar.
Through the crack, I could see a warm yellow light on inside and hear the sound of happy singing coming from the TV. I shivered even more.
I reached out my hand, and before it even touched the door, it opened by itself.
The room was well-lit and the curtains tightly drawn, a show playing on TV. The water was running in the empty bathroom. It seemed like a normal room.
I stepped forward, cautiously entering the room. The carpet absorbed the sound of my footstep.
I suddenly heard a hair-raising laugh.
With a thud, the door was closed behind me, and the deadbolt turned.
I rushed to the door and pulled on the handle, but it wouldn’t open.
{{MC}}: Who’s out there? Open up! Why are you locking me in here?!
[Main Story 12-15]
??: There’s no one outside. Only inside.
A mocking female voice spoke up behind me. I turned around–
{{MC}}: It’s you!
Josie: Guess there’s no need to introduce myself.
Just like in the picture, a cute, petite girl with a cold look on her face. She rose from the sofa and walked over to me.
{{MC}}: What are you doing here?
Josie: Didn’t you all know I was here?
I turned in a panic and looked at the clock. 2:55. Not yet 3 o’clock.
I didn’t know where Gavin was right now, or if he was okay…
Josie: Are you worried for Gavin?
Seeing the creepy expression on her face, I had a vague guess in mind.
{{MC}}: You know where he is? Don’t you?
Josie: No, I don’t. I only know that originally he was supposed to be here. I didn’t expect you to come.
She turned and looked at the clock on the wall, her eyebrows slowly forming a crease.
I followed her gaze and saw that the clock hadn’t changed. It still read 2:55.
Josie’s face suddenly flashed in realization. She let out a cold laugh and then turned ferocious.
Josie: I see. He really has a charmed life. Facing imminent death, and someone swoops in to take his place.
Josie: This is all your fault. What did you come here for?
She drew closer to me, her voice becoming shrill. The unnatural smile once again crept up her face.
Josie: But no matter, you’ll just die instead of him. You were an accomplice after all!
Josie: But don’t worry, he’ll be here very soon to accompany you…
Josie: And the both of you can be buried alongside my brother!
{{MC}}: Wait! How did you find out your brother died?
A hint of scorn flashed in Josie’s eyes, and then she looked at me.
Josie: I have my ways.
{{MC}}: You weren’t there at the scene. Your brother’s death had a lot of strange circumstances.
{{MC}}: If you’re willing to go with me to the STF, they’ll give you the truth, and protect you!
Josie: Shut up! Why should I trust you? My brother was killed by you people!
The fury in her face grew, and her eyes reddened.
Josie: I can’t stand your type. You sound so nice, but you have no idea how vile you look.
Josie: Justice!? Truth!? In the end, all you want is to get rid of anyone different!
Josie: Did you know how happy I was when I heard my brother kidnapped that girl who bullied me? How I wished a bomb could just go off!
Josie: I want everyone who looked on me with contempt to pay the price!
My legs were stiff, and the sweat on my back was getting colder.
{{MC}}: You’re wrong. You’ll never get any satisfaction from that. Aside from disgust, all I felt was grief.
{{MC}}: Your brother’s only wish before he died was for you to have a good life.
{{MC}}: I also know the pain of losing the most important person in the world to you.
{{MC}}: That’s why I rushed over here. To protect someone who is important to me.
{{MC}}: Likewise, I need to protect the truth. You too…
Josie: Truth? You’ll never see it again, or him.
After interrupting me, her mouth silently opened and closed. Before I could react, an intense shock like a knife blade instantly pierced my ears.
My eardrums felt like they were being placed in boiling water. Shockwaves sharp as knives were slashing into my nerves.
I couldn’t stand it and fell to the floor, covering my head tightly, feeling like all my insides would shatter…
{{MC}}: Why… are you…
I was losing consciousness. I struggled to stand, but failed.
A wisp of flame ran up the curtain. I managed to turn my head and saw the sofa was also in flames.
The sudden fire spread rapidly. At some point, I was surrounded by the flames.
The electric clock on the table fell to the floor. It’s face read: 2:55.
{{MC}}: At least…
I let out a breath, and in my stupor I noticed something wasn’t right.
The girl was laughing. Her laugh was even more piercing than her soundwave.
Josie: Hahaha, the so-called Queen is nothing more than this!
Josie: Don’t worry, I’ll give Gavin the best present… He’ll really thank me.
[Main Story 12-18]
Gavin shut a door and continued with his search. Just then, his phone rang.
It was from the girl. Gavin answered.
The call was all sounds of electricity and static. He could make out what she was saying.
{{MC}}: Gavin, don’t go…
Gavin: What?
{{MC}}: …Greenwood …room 404 …hotel entrance…
A harsh electric wave sounded, and the call hung up.
Gavin frowned. The girl sounded urgent, giving him a bad feeling. He looked at the time on his phone: 2:50. He hurried downstairs.
The hotel lobby was completely empty, but the entrance was bustling with people. They were repeatedly looking up in panic and seemed very anxious, like something big had happened.
Gavin: What’s happened?
Passerby: You don’t know? The upper floor of the hotel suddenly caught fire! Just outta nowhere!
Gavin’s heart plummeted! He looked up and could only see a fifth-floor window with smoke coming out.
Passerby: Don’t worry. The fire department’s already been called. They’re on the way!
Gavin: What about the people inside? Is everyone out?
Gavin raised his voice, and several receptionists nodded at him.
Reception A: Everyone’s out. We didn’t have a lot of people to begin with. The guards are making a final check.
Reception A: I don’t know why the fire alarm system suddenly failed today. If someone hadn’t noticed, we’d be done for!
Reception B: Oh yeah, what about that reporter just now. How come we haven’t seen her?
Gavin: What reporter?
Gavin’s temples pulsed and his face was taut.
Reception A: Just now a female reported asked if there was anyone named Josie staying in room 404. But are hotel doesn’t even have a room 404…
Reception B: Don’t worry, she’s staying in room 411. The guard already checked, the room’s empty.
As she said that, an enormous blast came from overhead. Thick plumes of black smoke climbed skyward, and red flames flickered. The crowd cried out.
Gavin felt like all the blood in his body was rushing toward his brain!
His eyes turned red and his fists started to shake, extending to his whole body.
Reception A: Officer, why is your face so white? The fire department will be here soon. If you left something in there, you’ll have to wait…
Gavin clenched his fists and charged into the hotel.
He didn’t realize himself that a black whirlwind had started twisting silently around his body.
She’s there! In the fire!
The fire had already spread to the entire hotel. Everything was ablaze, and the scorching temperatures caused his hands to tremble uncontrollably.
The door plate engraved with 404 was distorted by the smoke and flame, as was the whole room.
Upon kicking the door open, Gavin felt like his heart was crushed under countless giant stones.
A conflagration spread out before him. The girl was about to be devoured amidst a sea of flames.
The buried memory of that fire all those years ago surged up like a flood, engulfing Gavin.
His mother’s look of despair, his own powerless cries for help, the billowing flames– it pierced Gavin’s heart like a thousand arrows.
??: Save Mom! I’m begging you, save Mom!
??: The problem isn’t that I sat by and did nothing, it’s that you’re too useless! You weren’t able to save your mother!
??: You never should have been born to begin with! You are my greatest failure!
The torturous flames twisted Gavin’s heart and distorted the face of the girl before him.
She weakly opened her eyes. Her pupils that once glittered with starlight were now cast in gloom. The words “Save me” formed faintly on her lips.
Gavin swayed. He held his head in pain, a blue vein bulging on his forehead.
The black wind surged outward uncontrollably, sweeping up the flames and instantly destroying everything in the whole room.
In the next second, he charged into the sea of fire, took hold of the girl, like he was holding a treasure that once was lost and now found.
Gavin: Don’t be scared… It’s okay…
He kept repeating these words, as if he was soothing the girl in his arms, and also telling himself.
The howling wind parted the flames and enveloped the two within. The girl sobbed ceaselessly, gripping his clothes tightly.
{{MC}}: Officer, I was worried you wouldn’t save me in time… worried I’d never see you again…
Gavin’s gaze paused momentarily on the girl’s clean wrist before focusing on the unstable wind.
His wind in the great fire seemed completely unable to block the flames. The fire singed his skin.
{{MC}}: Officer, do you think we’re going to die here…?
Gavin closed his eyes and pushed away the person in his arms.
Gavin: You’re not her!
Ever since she got to know him better, she barely addressed him in such a formal way. And she had promised to always wear her bracelet.
And this smokeless fire, no matter how much it scorches, it’s still just a pale imitation!
Gavin’s face glowed bright and solemn in the flickering firelight.
His finger trembled. That nightmare that’d plagued him all these years seemed to be lifted from his body in this instant.
The actual life he’d lived on this earth, the heaviness he’d felt, the pain of loss, the grandeur of faith, and the will to protect…
…his entire being, it was never a failure!
He opened his eyes again and saw the illusion of the girl in the flames fade away. The next instant, the sea of flames disappeared.
There was a great roaring sound, and light and darkness intertwined. The entire room was like a sealed cage.
Space opened up beneath Gavin, and he fell rapidly…
[Main Story 12-20]
Having never felt such a powerful soundwave before, I fell to the floor, not an ounce of strength left.
Josie walked up to me and stopped, completely fearless amidst the flames, laughing with abandon.
For a moment I went deaf and then slowly started hearing the sound of a heartbeat, flames, laughter…
I locked eyes on Josie. The room’s raging fire and the locked windows seemed to cut off any chance of escape.
Josie: You’re not still trying to think of a way out, are you?
{{MC}}: …As long as I’m alive, I won’t give up!
Josie: You really are showing quite some perseverance. But I don’t get it. Why not just kill you? Why go through all this trouble?
The flames crept up over me. I had nowhere to go. The scorching sensation made me feel like I was about to melt.
{{MC}}: …It burns!
I wanted to wipe away a cinder that had fallen on my shoulder, but I didn’t have the strength to move.
Time crawled by, and the leaping flames started to burn away my hope. My palms were cold with sweat.
My ability to think clearly started stalling, and the scene before me became a huge blur.
Seeing the window engulfed in flame, I couldn’t help but see Gavin’s face in my mind.
Gavin… Will I ever see you again?
Josie: I just love the look of despair on your faces after your hopes are destroyed…
Josie: Don’t get ideas! The person you want to protect isn’t going to come save you!
Just when I was about to close my eyes, I heard an enormous sound overhead–
I looked up. Flames leaped, bits of wood flew through the air, and a golden light flashed so brilliantly that I almost couldn’t open my eyes.
Gavin descended from above, his face cold, shrouded in gale winds.
He seemed to have some fresh wounds on his face, but his eyes were calm.
The moment he saw me, so many emotions flashed in Gavin’s eyes that I didn’t understand.
I couldn’t say anything. I just watched as he appeared before me.
In that moment, my heart stopped trying to leap out of my chest, returning to its original position.
I’ve witnessed Gavin rushing to save me in many dangerous moments, like the time in the alley, or on the rooftop.
This time, in the final moment of life and death, he descended like a hero from the sky.
I couldn’t say a word. I only felt like the whole world had been shut out, and all my fears were settled.
{{MC}}: Gavin…
Josie: You can still get in here?
Josie seemed shocked at Gavin’s arrival. She opened her mouth, and a brief soundwave shattered all the windows, sending glass flying everywhere.
A massive amount of air and wind rushed in, fanning the flames, which engulfed everything in an instant.
Gavin shielded me. A powerful air current crossed the flames and pushed Josie crashing into the wall. The soundwave stopped, but the fire raged on.
The chaotic wind wrapped around Gavin, separating us from the fire.
The flames kept eating away at the vacillating air current, shrinking it bit by bit. I could faintly feel the heat from the fire.
Gavin held my hand tighter than ever, making me feel more reassured than ever in a time like this.
Gavin: Don’t be afraid. I’m here.
I gave Gavin a smile. I wasn’t scared. He came. I wasn’t a bit scared.
My body relaxed at this moment, and murkiness overcame my brain. With Gavin’s hand in mine, I closed my eyes.
The last thing I saw was the red glowing flames engulfing everything.
I am in a dream.
In the dream, I see scorching flames devouring a strange residence, without a sound.
In the dream, I see a young boy, standing there petrified as the fire tinges half the sky red, along with his terrified face.
I don’t know why, but I woke up from the dream crying.
Opening my eyes, I didn’t know where I was. The white room was completely empty. No red fire, and no burn marks from their scorching flames.
Could it all have been a hallucination?
Gavin’s jacket covered my body. He stood by a busted window, staring out for a long time.
An almost imperceptible wind twined around him, stirring up little black currents.
{{MC}}: Gavin…
Hearing my voice, Gavin quickly walked over to me, squatted down, and lightly held my hand.
His face was a bit pale, on his cheeks were thin streaks of sweat, and on his forehead were slightly pulsing veins.
Then I saw a new wound on his jaw, thick with drops of blood.
Once again, I made Gavin rescue me and get injured.
My nose suddenly turned prickly.
Gavin’s face was still wound tight, but his expression was more joyful.
The next second, this joy in his eyes melted away.
Gavin: Why did you come? Didn’t I tell you to wait at home?
Gavin looked at me head on, with anger, pain, confusion, and hesitation in his eyes.
This was the first time he’d ever been mad at me.
I lifted my head and looked earnestly into his eyes.
{{MC}}: Because I was worried for you! My Evol seems to have been restored…
{{MC}}: I just saw the future, and it was about you, so I had to come and make sure you were safe…
{{MC}}: I can’t see you in danger and sit by doing nothing, so this time, don’t push me away!
At least he was okay. Anxiety and worry rushed my heart in a flurry, morphing into self-pity and tears.
Gavin went blank for a moment. As he looked at me, a heavy emotion surged in his eyes.
After a long time, he lifted his hand and brushed away my tears.
Gavin: …I’m sorry. I promise I won’t. Don’t cry.
{{MC}}: Okay.
I nodded and struggled to hold back my tears.
After calming down, I looked around and finally realized that Josie wasn’t here.
{{MC}}: What about the girl just then?
Gavin: She suddenly disappeared.
{{MC}}: Disappeared? Are we still in the same room?
Gavin: Yep. She looked like she didn’t even know what had happened herself. She was terrified. When she disappeared, the flame did too, and the room turned like this.
{{MC}}: Then, can we go out now?
Gavin: Not yet.
{{MC}}: Why?
Gavin didn’t speak. He picked me up and walked over to the window.
(Gavin’s call: Voice Message)https://youtu.be/rHA2rkfmSTU?si=RVtVtXUwUEXyy4Tg
[Main Story 12-22]
I stuck out my head and gaped in shock at the scene before me.
Billowing waves crashed down below. We seemed to be somewhere very, very high up above the water’s surface.
I looked to Gavin in disbelief.
Gavin took a coin out of his pocket and threw it down.
Gavin: No echo, no rupturing. This isn’t an illusion. This place is real.
Gavin: And the environment outside is continuously morphing.
The sound of waves faded. I looked out the window again and could only see towering cliffs.
{{MC}}: We’re not in the hotel then…?
Gavin: No. It’s changed. This hotel didn’t have a room 404 to begin with.
The uneasiness in my heart grew stronger. The absurd scene before me defied belief.
My phone didn’t have any signal. The time on the screen showed 2:55 p.m.
The time hasn’t changed since I came in here!
{{MC}}: Gavin, when I entered the room, the time was 2:55, and it still is now!
{{MC}}: Time has stopped here.
Gavin looked at the time showing on my phone and fell silent in thought.
Gavin: I received your call at 2:50.
{{MC}}: How could that be? I called you around 2:30!
{{MC}}: This place…
Gavin: Maybe this room doesn’t exist in our world.
Doesn’t exist in our world… I thought of Grandpa Chuck’s other dimension, and the Black Cabin the Commander spoke of.
Gavin obviously had also thought of this. His expression turned dour.
Gavin: The topography outside the window continues to mutate. Perhaps this place is interfacing with other different dimensions.
Gavin: If we exit in the wrong location, then it might be as the Commander speculated, that we’d be trapped forever in a chaotic space.
{{MC}}: Then how do we find the right exit?
Gavin didn’t respond. He focused on the changing scenery outside the window, his face frozen and intense. His whole body was completely still.
Suddenly, Gavin’s hand twitched, and his eyes opened wide in surprise.
{{MC}}: What is it?
I walked quickly to the window and looked down.
{{MC}}: A waterfall!
The rapid waters surged beneath the window, magnificent and beautiful, flowing ceaselessly. Although, I couldn’t hear the sound of any water.
My heart raced, the answer seemingly leaping to my lips. I turned and looked at Gavin.
He looked at me too, his eyes dim. I had a feeling he and I were thinking the same thing.
{{MC}}: I… I’m thinking of that mysterious northern district waterfall…
Gavin said nothing, just furrowed his brow.
{{MC}}: A family of four got lost there, and many Evol Agents, and later Josie went missing there too…
{{MC}}: If Jay and Josie really were the two kids who went missing all those years ago, then they must’ve made it back out of the space too!
There wasn’t any proof for saying so, but my intuition told me that this had to be the key to getting out.
{{MC}}: Gavin, do you think we could…
Gavin never took his eyes off the falls. An intense struggle seemed to be raging in his mind. Thin sweat covered his forehead.
Gavin: If, and I’m saying if, we don’t succeed in returning, and we’re trapped in an unknown dimension…
He looked at me, his face more stern and nervous than ever. Eyes that were always glowing with positivity were now black as iron, heavy with so many words.
Who knows how many dangerous moments like this Gavin had been through. In my mind, he was always decisive and assertive. This was the first time he ever seemed hesitant to me.
That inexplicable feeling in my heart surged up again.
{{MC}}: I wouldn’t regret it. But I want to try. Whatever you say, I’ll trust you.
Gavin’s expression deepened, and his hand let go. And then with a smile, the hesitant look in his eye was replaced with determination.
Gavin: Alright. If you trust in me, then I know I can do it.
He focused on the waterfall outside the window. In this room where time didn’t flow, I could still feel a second hand ticking away in my mind.
After a long silence, Gavin let out a heavy sigh and looked at me.
A hint of a smile slowly formed in Gavin’s eyes. He took my hand, placed our palms together, and locked fingers.
Gavin: Lend me your power.
I squeezed back on his hand. Gavin wrapped me gently in his embrace.
Gavin: If you get scared, close your eyes.
{{MC}}: I’m not scared.
As I spoke, a black cyclone enveloped us, becoming larger as it spun.
Holding on to me, he jumped out the window.
The gale wind whistled in my ears, and up ahead the waterfall suddenly turned dark.
After I’m not sure how long, I slowly felt an intense light shining on my eyeslids.
I struggled to open my eyes and looked up slightly into Gavin’s. An amber light flickered in his eyes.
The stars faded in the distance from us, and a blue sky had entered my field of vision.
Evening rays entwined around our bodies, and the clouds were glowing with golden light from the setting sun.
It was impossibly beautiful.
I was pressed against Gavin’s chest, hearing his steady, strong heartbeat, like the world’s most graceful solo.
For a split second, I actually wished this moment could last for a long time.
Holding me, Gavin landed firmly on the surface. I felt him let out a breath, and then he let me go.
After a silent leap, the familiar sounds of the environment once again returned to my ears.
Looking around at everything and standing on firm ground, I looked joyfully at Gavin.
{{MC}}: We did it! We really made it back!
Just then, Gavin’s face turned paler.
The wind dispersed. His hand suddenly dropped to the ground.
He was clutching his chest tightly, biting his lip till it turned white.
There seemed to be something uncontrollable trying to burst out of his body. Gavin’s knuckles were turning white.
{{MC}}: Gavin, are you alright…?
Remembering the wound on his jaw just then, I grew anxious and wanted to examine it.
When my hand touched Gavin’s arm, I was pushed away by a powerful air current.
{{MC}}: Gavin…
Gavin still had one hand propped on the ground, a vein bulging from his neck.
I got up from the ground and ran back to Gavin. The gale wind instantly whirled up, as sharp as a blade, and sliced my cheek.
{{MC}}: Aaahh–
The stabbing pain from the slicing blade made me grab my face. Blood flowed between the cracks of my fingers. The warm liquid had me astonished.
{{MC}}: …What’s happening?
I stared at Gavin. His whole body was frozen stiff in place.
He looked at me, his eyes turning scarlet red. One hand clutching his chest tightly, he slowly stood up.
Gavin: Get away from me!
{{MC}}: Gavin?
Gavin: …Or else I’ll hurt you.
As he spoke, he held his back to me, seemingly not wanting me to see his face.
{{MC}}: Gavin, are you hurt? Or…
{{MC}}: Has your Evol gone out of control?!
I wanted to go up close to him, but I was pushed away again by the gale wind.
Gavin: …Don’t get near me!
His voice sounded stifled and full of pain.
The wind was getting fiercer, and the whole of Gavin was wrapped in the center of a storm.
I couldn’t get closer, could only look on as the wind pulled us farther and farther apart.
{{MC}}: Gavin!
Gavin looked back, his eyes full of an alien coldness.
I opened my mouth, but my words were swallowed by the wind. Seeing Gavin slip farther from me, I tried with all my might to get through the wind and grab hold of him.
But no matter how I struggled, the intense wind had me trapped in place.
I watched wide-eyed as Gavin disappeared from sight, until even the last wisp of wind vanished.
The bitter tears on my face had long before been dried by the wind into tear stains.
I stood stupefied where I was, looking up the whole time in the direction Gavin had gone.
In the distance, nearing police sirens wailed. My phone regained its signal and started vibrating.
The gingko trees around me rustled, green leaves fluttering down.
I looked up, but the sky was empty.
Kiro sat in a dark room. His rapidly-tapping fingers paused, and a personal file with a photo of the girl displayed before his eyes.
He tapped enter, only to find it was empty inside– all the documents were gone.
He pondered a moment, tapping rapidly on the keyboard.
Line after line of numbers floated before him. A program named Soloman appeared on the screen.
Kiro’s lips pursed together.
He walked out of the room, squinting in the sudden sunlight as his eyes adjusted.
In the narrow corridor, a man wearing a white robe was walking the other way, a boy in black at his side.
Man in Black: Ares, the meeting is about to begin.
The man nodded and brushed shoulders with Kiro as they passed.
As they neared each other, the alarm that the meeting was about to begin sounded in the hall.
Kiro: It was you.
His voice was low, completely hidden by the sound of the alarm.
The man in the white robe made no reaction and kept walking onward.
He stood before a metal door and lightly knocked.
??: You’re here.
The man nodded and turned. His face was expressionless, even his eyes devoid of emotion.
??: Ares, it’s time to open the box.
Ares: Yes.
The man’s face was slowly covered in shadow. He lifted his eyes, his mouth hooking slightly upward.
??: Those who spend too long in the sunlight, eventually must return to the darkness.