"Vex, Specter, Blitz…"
"Red Veil is now active."
For a moment, no one moved.
Then, Zara blinked. "…Wait. Blitz?" she repeated, before breaking into a grin. "Okay, I love that."
Alisa folded her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Of course you do. It fits you. Loud. Fast. Reckless."
"Hey!" Zara nudged her shoulder. "At least mine sounds cool. What about yours? Specter? Sounds like a ghost."
Alisa's lips curved slightly. "Exactly."
Zara paused. "…Okay, that's actually kind of cool."
They both turned to Rania.
"…Vex?" Zara tilted her head. "What kind of name is that?"
Rania stayed silent for a second. Alisa glanced at her, softer now. "It suits you," she said quietly. "You don't talk much… but when you do, people listen."
Zara laughed. "Yeah. She's the scary quiet type."
Rania sighed lightly. "You two talk too much." But this time, there was the faintest hint of a smile.
Zara grinned and suddenly threw an arm around both of them. "Whatever. As long as we're together, right?"
Alisa didn't pull away. "…Right."
Rania didn't respond but she didn't step away either.
For a brief moment, they were just three girls.
Laughing. Breathing. Living.
Then, the silence shifted.
Zara's smile faded slightly. "…So that's it?" she asked, quieter now. "We just… become these names?"
Alisa's gaze lowered. "We were never meant to keep our real ones."
Zara's grip loosened. "…Blitz," she murmured. "Sounds like I'm meant to destroy something."
"You are," Alisa replied.
No teasing. No smile.
A pause. Zara looked at her again. "And you? Specter… a ghost?"
Alisa's eyes darkened. "A ghost doesn't get caught."
This time, Zara didn't laugh. Slowly, her gaze shifted to Rania. "…Vex."
Rania finally spoke. "If a name can control fear… then it's useful."
Zara frowned. "That's not what I meant."
Rania looked at both of them. Calm. Still. Already distant. "We're not here to like it."
The air changed.
Alisa spoke next. "…Then we just follow orders?"
Rania didn't hesitate. "Yes."
Zara exhaled quietly. "…Even if one day..." She stopped. Didn't finish.
But all three of them felt it.
Even if one day… we're ordered to eliminate each other. No one said it. No one needed to.
Because in that moment, something invisible… shifted.
They were still standing side by side. Still breathing the same air. Still wearing the same smiles.
But something had already begun to break.
And none of them realized, that one day, that unspoken thought…
would become real.
Because from that moment on, they were no longer just friends.
They were Red Veil.
-----------------
Rain fell steadily over the city, painting the streets in reflections of neon and shadow.
From the rooftop of an abandoned building, Vex stood alone. At least, that's how it looked.
Her gaze remained fixed on the structure across from her: a high-security facility, lights dim, guards minimal. Too minimal.
A trap. Or worse, a setup.
"VEX, proceed to target." The command came through her earpiece.
Vex didn't respond. She simply adjusted her gloves… and stepped forward.
Behind her, two shadows moved silently. Careful. Precise.
Blitz landed lightly on the edge of the rooftop, crouching as she scanned the perimeter. "Tch… she really came alone," she whispered.
"Of course she did," Specter replied softly, emerging from the darkness behind her. "That's what worries me."
Blitz smirked. "Relax. We're here now."
Vex paused mid-step. A faint smirk tugged at her lips.
"…You're terrible at hiding," she said calmly.
Blitz froze. Specter sighed.
"Well," Blitz muttered, standing up. "So much for stealth."
Vex turned slightly, her eyes sharp but not surprised. "You weren't supposed to follow."
"Yeah?" Blitz crossed her arms. "And let you walk into a possible death trap alone? No thanks."
Specter stepped forward, her voice quieter but firm. "We're Red Veil. We don't split."
A brief silence. Rain falling between them.
Vex looked at both of them... really looked. Then turned back toward the mission site. "…Do what you want."
Blitz blinked. "…That's it?"
Specter narrowed her eyes. "You knew we'd come."
Vex didn't deny it. "Just don't slow me down."
Blitz grinned. "That's more like it."
The three of them moved as one. Just like before.
-------
Inside the facility, everything was too quiet.
No alarms. No resistance. No life.
Blitz frowned. "Okay… I don't like this."
"Stay sharp," Specter whispered, scanning every corner.
Vex walked ahead, her steps steady. Unshaken.
Then... A sound. A slow… deliberate clap. Echoing through the empty hall.
"Well…" A voice followed. Low. Familiar. Dangerous.
From the shadows, a figure emerged. Untouched by the tension. Unbothered by their presence.
"So they sent Red Veil after me…"
Blitz raised her weapon instantly. Specter's breath caught. Vex, froze.
He stepped forward, the dim light finally revealing his face.
Calm.
Cold.
Alive.
Phantom.
A faint smirk played on his lips. "Guess they're getting desperate."
The air tightened. Time slowed.
Blitz was the first to react. "Target locked..."
"Don't." Vex's voice cut through the moment. Sharp. Immediate.
Blitz turned. "What?!"
Specter's eyes snapped toward Vex.
Phantom chuckled softly. "There it is…"
His gaze shifted, locking onto her. "… Rania."
Silence.
Blitz stiffened. Specter's expression darkened.
He took another step closer. Not afraid. Not cautious. Like he had nothing to lose.
"Still going by Vex, huh?" His voice dropped slightly. Almost… personal.
Specter tightened her grip. "Don't..."
"And you," Phantom continued, glancing briefly at her, "Spectrum of lies. Always watching."
"…It's Specter," she corrected coldly.
He smirked. "Of course it is."
His eyes moved again, landing on Blitz. "And you…" A pause.
A faint amusement in his tone. "Still reckless."
Blitz scoffed, gripping her weapon tighter. "Say one more word and I'll..."
"Shoot me?" He tilted his head slightly. "Go ahead."
Silence. Heavy. Suffocating.
Because none of them, pulled the trigger.
Phantom's gaze returned to Vex. And this time, it wasn't mocking. "…You hesitated."
Vex's grip tightened. But her finger, never moved. "…You shouldn't be here," she said.
A soft laugh escaped him. "Funny." He stepped even closer. Too close.
"Because I was about to say the same thing."
Specter moved slightly. Positioning. Calculating. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Then, she saw it. Her eyes widened. "Vex..."
Too late. A red dot appeared. On Vex's chest.
Then another. On Blitz. On Specter.
Dozens. Snipers. Hidden. Everywhere.
Phantom exhaled slowly. Almost… disappointed. "You walked right into it."
Blitz cursed. "Damn it!"
Specter's mind raced. "There's no exit... this whole place..."
"...was never the mission," Phantom finished quietly.
Silence.
Vex finally understood. This wasn't an assassination. It was an execution. "If Red Veil is assigned… the mission is already over."
Phantom looked at them. Something unreadable in his eyes.
"…Yeah," he murmured. "…just not the way you thought.
Gunshots echoed.
And everything, went dark.
TBC