A new experiment was being carried out. The scientists stood at separate control stations, their expressions sharp and dangerous.
The moment the cables tightened around Noir and electricity began to surge—
BOOM!
A small explosion echoed from the technical floor directly below. The entire laboratory system flickered; monitors spasmed violently.
"What the hell was that?!"
"Sabotage! Abort the procedure immediately!" a lead researcher shouted.
The scientists scattered at once—some rushed toward the central restraint controls, others ran out to inspect external data lines—leaving the space slightly emptier.
The mechanical arms withdrew from Noir's body. The locking frame still held her tightly, but the energy output dropped, allowing her muscles a fraction of relief. This was a more advanced device—so the pain it inflicted had been far worse.
Noir drew a breath. Her eyes cracked open, red-blue light flashing briefly within them. She knew this was no random malfunction.
Elsewhere—
From a shadowed corner of the corridor, Lysander silently lowered a laser pistol still smoking faintly, then concealed it the instant a squad of soldiers rushed past. His expression remained blank, the image of a loyal, exemplary commander surveying the situation. He walked calmly away from the sparking control panel, a single thought echoing deep within him.
/Noir… live one more day./
At a distant temporary base, Doctor Aurel and Ari monitored the hacked data feed. Signal lines flickered erratically.
Aurel's hands clenched until they trembled.
"This… this disruption is coming from inside. Someone interfered. But who?"
Ari gripped his shoulder, her blue eyes tight with worry.
"It doesn't matter who. Noir is still alive—but we have to move faster. If the system restarts, security will double."
The air in the control room thickened, stretched taut like a drawn bowstring—one touch away from snapping.
"Help me scramble the southern surveillance division," Aurel said urgently.
"Got it," Ari replied, concise.
Meanwhile, Specter and Orion were blending into a column of soldiers as alarms blared through the steel corridors. Orion curled his lip, whispering,
"Did you hear that? That's definitely her location."
Specter clenched his fist, quickening his pace, resolve flashing in his eyes.
/Noir… wait for me. I will find you./
Inside the laboratory, Noir tilted her head slightly, sensing the restraint cables vibrate as power levels dipped. For the first time in days, a small spark of hope ignited.
Before the alarms could fully fade, layers of data across the core system erupted into a crimson storm. Warning windows flooded the screens.
"Suspicious intrusion detected – scanning all servers."
In the hidden control room, Doctor Aurel clenched his jaw. He had just managed to implant a simulation layer to mask Noir's location when—
Ten new connections swept in simultaneously.
"Damn it… they've mobilized the entire cyber-security division," he hissed, fingers flying across the keyboard.
Ari frowned.
"One against ten. Can you hold?"
Aurel exhaled harshly, voice hoarse.
"Even if I can't… I have to. If I fail, the kids will be the ones who pay."
Inside Void's system, security engineers shouted to one another, sleeves soaked with sweat.
"There's a foreign signal—extremely sophisticated simulation! Deploy full cross-check bots!"
"Lock down tier-three loops! No more data leakage!"
Ten simultaneous assaults struck like blades, carving through layer after layer of virtual defenses.
Aurel stayed calm amid the chaos. Code poured across the screens like floodwater as he countered, planted data traps, constructed false dead-ends, steering his enemies astray.
But with every passing second, his heart pounded harder. Sweat dripped onto his lenses, reflecting blue flashes.
"Ari, prep a backup extraction route. If the main wall collapses, at least we keep Noir's signal."
Ari pressed her lips together and nodded, her hands shaking with each keystroke.
The tension was suffocating—like a game of deathly chess. One single mistake, and everything would collapse.
At Void headquarters, within the steel corridors, Specter and Orion continued moving as patrol soldiers. The alarms faded, but the pressure only intensified. Orion shot his partner a glance.
"Doctor… don't leave us blind."
Specter tightened his grip on the weapon beneath his armor, his gaze turning cold.
"He'll pull through. We have no other option."
Inside the lab, Noir remained suspended, body immobilized as glowing steel restraints slowly tightened again. She didn't know why the experiment had been interrupted—but her heart suddenly raced, as if sensing that somewhere out there, someone was gambling their life just to keep her alive.
VOID's facility blazed under cold white lights. The central laboratory lay deep within the core, surrounded by layered security doors and hundreds of electronic eyes that never stopped turning.
Specter and Orion, clad in guard armor, merged step by step into the flow of personnel. But the closer they drew to the core, the heavier the pressure became for Orion.
Every corridor was fitted with heartbeat sensors. Every camera linked directly to the main control room. One slip, and their fabricated identities would be stripped away.
Orion dipped his head, using the blind spot created as two squads rotated shifts. He signaled Specter.
"I'll go ahead. You handle the system."
Specter nodded slightly. From his sleeve slid a device no larger than a lighter. He pressed it against a cable panel; silent blue current spread outward as several cameras flickered briefly.
"You've got less than five minutes," Specter whispered.
Orion inhaled sharply and darted through the opening. His shadow skimmed along steel walls, exploiting every gap, every pocket of darkness. His heart thundered—but his eyes stayed cold and steady. A swordsman did not tremble.
Inside the laboratory, Noir hung restrained, metallic bindings flashing as streams of data raced along the pillar. She was conscious now, eyes half-open, dimly perceiving a silhouette beyond the thick glass.
/Orion…?/
She dared not believe it—but her instincts screamed yes. He was here. Very close.
Orion saw her too. Through the frosted glass, their gazes met. Noir tried to move, but the restraints tightened, leaving only her eyes burning with fragile hope.
Orion ground his teeth, flattening himself against the wall, waiting for two guards to pass before slipping into a safe gap.
Meanwhile, Specter persisted with his small devices. Each camera went dark for less than ten seconds before rebooting. Sweat ran down his temples as he muttered,
"Hurry, Orion. I can't cover you much longer…"
Short, sharp sounds echoed—guards collapsing.
But then—
Red warning lights flared as the perimeter scan activated. The organization had begun to suspect something. The surveillance net was tightening faster than ever.
"No,…This isn't good—this really isn't good!? The cameras are being reset right now, all of you. Specter! Orion! Do you hear me?" Aurel said, his voice edged with panic.
Specter and Orion exchanged a brief glance.
Another wave of pressure descended upon them.