[Lucia's POV]
It's unfortunate that Libra wasn't available—she could've given me the kid's schedule. Otherwise, I would've never let my lady get near him, even if that meant being a little rude to her.
I'll have a long talk with him once this is all over…But now's not the time for that.
After the soldiers left, I stepped out of the room I'd been hiding in.
It's a good thing this residence has a few secret passages connecting most of the rooms… well, almost all of them.
So now...Where to?
If I go right, I'll have to deal with five people. If I go left, I'll run into the one who seemed like the leader.
The choice is obvious.
I head left.
Drawing my blades, I walk silently through the darkness.
"None of you will leave this place… alive."
The team, now split in two, advanced toward their respective targets.
Alpha-2, now acting as the leader of the second squad, checked the map projected on his watch.
"According to Ms. Maria's map, the master should be right around the corner. Everyone, remember: aside from Lady Thorson, we eliminate everyone else. Got it?"
"YES, SIR!"
"Alright. Move slowly—don't alert them."
The squad advanced as quietly as possible.
*THUMP*
Just as they reached the corner, the sound of something falling caught their attention.
They turned, and the beams from their flashlights revealed a horrifying sight.Someone stood beside them.
A silhouette holding a round object in one hand… and beside it, a headless body collapsed to the ground.
"OPEN FIRE!" Alpha-2 shouted.
A rain of bullets followed.
The silhouette dodged to the side and disappeared into one of the nearby rooms.
As the body was torn apart like cheese, the squad rushed in—only to find the room empty.
"There!" the leader yelled.
Near the slightly ajar closet, they spotted an open doorway leading to an empty corridor.
"The door's connected," the leader said.
"But the map doesn't mention any hidden passages!" someone else replied.
"It was probably built after the original construction—either without authorization or the data was never published. Whatever the case, he couldn't have gone far. Move!"
They advanced cautiously through the dim passage.
"There's a staircase here!" someone called out.
"GO!"
The squad descended until they reached a room filled with multiple exits.
"These exits must connect to other rooms…"
"There are too many. Who knows where he went?"
"We'll never catch him… we should fall back," the leader said.
"Fall back? I don't think that's an option."
A voice cut through the silence.
When they turned, they saw the silhouette at the farthest exit.
"A… maid?" one of them asked.
"I'm afraid this room… will be your tomb."
"FIRE!"
The leader shouted again. Bullets flew toward Lucia.
She stood still, smiling.
But just before the bullets could reach her, they struck something invisible and clattered to the ground.
"What!?" the leader yelled.
"Captain, look!"
He squinted. Something was reflecting the light.
"Is that…?"
"Bulletproof glass," Lucia said calmly.
"It's hard to make, but quite durable."
She pulled out a small remote and pressed a button.
*CLICK*
All the exits slammed shut—except the one where she stood.
"Goodbye," she said, pressing another button as her door sealed shut.
The room turned red. Gas hissed up from vents in the floor.
"Don't breathe!"
"C-capt… ain…"
One by one, the squad members collapsed—until only the team leader remained.
With the last of his strength, he grabbed his radio.
"Alpha-2, report your status."
"…Passages…"
"What?"
"Passages… trap…"
"Alpha-2! Respond!"
"Passages… trap… wiped… out…"
With those final words, Alpha-2 took his last breath.
Lucia moved toward the exit, clutching her stomach
A bullet had managed to pierce her abdomen.
"Tsk…"
She tore a piece of her uniform and quickly bandaged the wound.
Taking out her phone, she dialed a number—but the call didn't go through.
"So… they jammed the signal. Damn it."
She pocketed the phone and pulled a small radio from her uniform.
"I didn't want to involve them… but there's no helping it now."
She brought the radio close to her lips.
"Scorpius, it's me."
"Leader!?"
"Scorpius… we've got a situation."
"Leader, are you alright!?"
"Come to the passage. I'm injured. I need backup—and bring painkillers."
"Understood. On my way!"
Lucia turned off the radio and slumped down against the wall.
"Ha… ha… ha…"
She looked at her watch.
"Thirty minutes… I hope that kid keeps his promise."
With that, she closed her eyes and rested.