Whether it was the Sun Gang or the agents of the Russian Intelligence Bureau, they had nearly turned all of Moscow upside down—and still, there was no trace of the two men. Even with modern surveillance technology, they could not find a single lead pointing to Kitazawa Ryōta and Kaji Ryōji.
Gone. Truly gone.
Ross had already dispatched men to investigate earlier. Those two Japanese hadn't left Moscow. After all, as foreign nationals, it was almost impossible for them to move freely across Russia.
After the Second Impact, every government had tightened controls. Anyone leaving Moscow would inevitably leave traces in the official records.
But… that was precisely where the problem lay.
No trace of them. And for someone as deeply paranoid as Ross, that was utterly terrifying.
After finishing with the last piece of intelligence on his desk, Ross leaned back in his chair to collect his thoughts.
His mind circled endlessly around Kitazawa Ryōta and Ryōji—those two Japanese. And, of course, the Sun Gang. Based on what he knew of Miloshevic, there was a nine-in-ten chance he had spilled information about the Bureau's secret operation in Nevada.
That made Ross grind his teeth in fury. But there was nothing he could do against Miloshević—the man was the boss of the Sun Gang, the largest syndicate in all of Russia. Even the government itself sometimes had to cooperate with the gang, using them to handle things too unsavory for official channels.
So, the only course of action left was clear: before things spiraled out of control, he had to find Kitazawa and Kaji. No matter how much they knew, they had to be silenced—killed without exception. If word spread, Ross himself would face the unrelenting wrath of the President.
Murder to cover the truth—his thinking aligned perfectly with Miloshević's.
The problem was… he couldn't find them. And that was the most maddening part.
Yet Ross couldn't shake the sense that the two Japanese hadn't gotten far at all—that, in fact, they were still right under his nose.
And still, even with the Bureau digging three feet into the earth, not the faintest trace could be uncovered.
It was absurd. Unsettlingly absurd.
Slamming his palm heavily against the desk, Ross cursed under his breath.
He knew: if those men were not caught, he might lose not only his position—but his life.
Because what he had done… was tied to the greatest and most closely guarded secret in the history of Russia. There was no margin for error. If exposed, it could bring about nothing less than the destruction of the Russian state itself.
That was the grim truth, beyond all doubt.
But with no progress, the director could only stew in frustration.
He sat now reading over a file on the two Japanese: Kitazawa Ryōta and Kaji Ryōji.
Both were first-class operatives from Japan. And yet, it seemed they were not in Russia under official orders from the Japanese government. Their presence resembled a private investigation far more than a sanctioned mission.
Which, in a way, made sense. Russia's operations had been directed against America. Japan had no part in it—why would Japan stick its neck out for the Americans?
Seeing that in the file, Ross finally felt a slight burden lift from his chest. He let out a slow, quiet breath.
If that was the case, perhaps the two Japanese were not such a threat after all. Maybe, faced with danger, they had already chosen to cut their losses and flee Moscow.
The night air was cool.
Ross knew it was already late. Closing the file gently, he stretched his back with a long yawn, preparing to sleep. There was a bed in his office—Ross always slept there. It was a habit that had earned him the respect of his subordinates.
But just then, a cold draft swept across him, chilling him to the bone. He shivered and hugged his arms around his chest.
"Damn it… what kind of weather is this? Why is it so cold all of a sudden?"
Muttering, he stood and took a step toward his bed.
But after only a few paces, his body froze.
A wave of icy dread rushed through him from head to toe, like a bucket of freezing water had been dumped over him.
Then a realization struck him.
This was two floors underground. How could there be a cold wind here?
The Russian Federal Intelligence Bureau was designed with absolute secrecy. The entire complex was built below ground, hidden from the world. Air circulation was handled entirely by artificial systems—much like NERV Headquarters. Though not as deeply constructed, the Bureau was still highly concealed.
There was no way for a breeze to simply drift in.
So why had it suddenly turned cold? Impossible. Unnatural.
And with that thought, a terrible sense of foreboding crept up Ross's spine.
"Director Ross. A pleasure to finally meet you. I do hope you'll look kindly on me."
A voice, clear and calm, suddenly echoed out from the darkness.
So sudden, so out of place, it made Ross's heart lurch violently.
"Who's there! Stop skulking in the shadows—show yourself at once!"
Sweat beaded down his forehead like rain. He roared into the darkness, fear sharpening his tone.
Whoever it was had managed to slip past every guard, every sensor, every automated gun turret, and enter his personal office without so much as a whisper. That alone was enough to terrify him to his core.
Ross knew better than anyone just how impossible it was to infiltrate this room. The Bureau employed hundreds of guards, countless surveillance devices, automated turrets—any intruder should have been reduced to shreds.
So how had this phantom managed it?
"No need to guess, Director Ross. I am the man you've been looking for. My name is Kitazawa Ryōta."
At that moment, the office lights flickered on—illuminating the face of a young man.
Without question, it was Kitazawa Ryōta.
He was seated casually on a chair in the corner, smiling pleasantly as though the entire situation amused him.
"Y–you… it's you! Kitazawa Ryōta!" Ross stammered, glaring at him. "How did you get in here? Do you have any idea what you've done? To trespass in a foreign nation's most critical intelligence facility is an extremely grave crime! Russia will demand a full explanation from Japan!"
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