"Just a few more hours, and the deal we both want will be finalized."
Lord Yin leaned back on his golden throne, his hands resting on the armrests. Across from him sat a Superior masked figure on a far less luxurious sofa.
The man's wooden mask was unsettling—two large, hollow eyes carved deep into the wood, a wide empty smile stretched unnaturally across its face. A small carved nose connected the eyes to the mouth. His hair was hidden beneath a red cloak; nothing of his real face was visible.
Both he and Lord Yin picked up the mocktails resting on the glass table between them and raised them in a quiet cheer.
Lord Yin spoke as he lifted his glass.
"Thank you for being my first and most loyal member, Superior Saint. We've come too far now. There's no turning back."
Superior Saint chuckled softly. Several seconds passed.
Neither of them drank.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the room.
Superior Saint finally broke it.
"Aren't you going to take off—"
"Definitely not," Lord Yin cut in, his voice firm and commanding.
Superior Saint sighed. Without another word, he stood and left the room.
—————
Noah woke up in a hospital bed.
An oxygen mask was strapped to his face. His body felt heavy, his thoughts sluggish. He was dressed in hospital clothes—his mask and cloak were gone.
He swallowed and whispered weakly,
"Where… am I?"
Beside the bed stood Alice, still in her masked outfit. Another masked figure stood nearby. Alice scribbled something in her notepad before replying calmly:
"Be thankful the Rabbit Superior used the blunt side of her blade. If she had used the obsidian edge, you'd be dead."
Noah ignored her. His eyes remained fixed on the wall.
Alice sat down beside him while the other masked figure remained standing. The room was strangely empty—no other beds, no patients, no staff. Just the three of them.
The door suddenly opened.
The Rabbit Superior entered, visibly irritated, refusing to make eye contact. Behind her came another Superior—his wooden mask shaped like a crow, with wide hollow eyes and a short, sharp beak.
His presence immediately commanded attention.
He stepped closer to Noah's bed.
"This rivalry ends here," the Crow Superior said firmly. "You shake hands. We are a team, and we will act like one."
Noah was stunned. Slowly, he pushed himself upright, cleared his throat, and said:
"I'm not here for rivalry. I just want to see Ron."
The Crow Superior studied him, then glanced at the Rabbit Superior.
She hesitated, swallowed, and extended her hand.
Noah exhaled and shook her hand. The rabbit figure's grip was tight, deliberate, as if reminding him who held the power.
The Rabbit Superior turned and left without another word.
The Crow Superior looked down at Noah.
"Just as Lord Yin said," he said quietly. "Prove your worth."
Then he, too, left the room.
Alice released a breath of relief. Noah lay back, staring at the ceiling again.
The masked figure beside Alice looked confused.
"Why are you staring at the ceiling?"
Noah turned toward him.
"Everyone keeps telling me to prove my worth."
His voice rose.
"How am I supposed to prove my worth?!"
The masked figure flinched and stepped back.
Alice, however, remained unfazed. She stood up.
"We have a special guest arriving tonight," she said. "Prove your worth to them."
She left with the masked figure, leaving Noah alone.
—————
Emma sat in her room, exhausted.
Dark circles framed her once-bright aqua eyes. Her face looked hollow. She hadn't showered. Her clothes were stained. Crumbs littered the floor.
She was hunched over her laptop, obsessively researching the President's upcoming speech in Washington, D.C.
The door opened.
Vyuk stepped inside and froze at the sight of her.
"Emma… why didn't you go to work?"
She didn't look up.
"Just a few more hours," she muttered. "I've booked tickets to Washington. We'll find something—about Ron… about Noah."
Vyuk grabbed the laptop.
For a second, she didn't react.
Then she snapped.
"Give that back! Give it back!"
Vyuk hurled the laptop across the room. It slammed into the kitchen wall and collapsed into the sink in pieces.
Emma screamed.
"Are you out of your mind?! How are we supposed to—"
"Emma, shut the fuck up!" Vyuk roared.
She froze.
"Ron and Noah are gone!" he continued. "Stop this! You're destroying your life!"
"Why can't you understand?!" Emma screamed back. "We can still save them! If you just inform the authorities—"
"I tried!" Vyuk shouted. "I went to the commissioner. She wouldn't even listen!"
"Then we go ourselves—"
"Why can't you fucking understand?!" Vyuk yelled.
"They're gone! You can't bring them back! We're already on their radar. They're everywhere. If you do something stupid—"
His voice cracked.
"I don't want to lose my wife. My kids. You still have your parents."
Emma collapsed to the floor. Tears flooded her eyes. She tried to speak, but only sobs came out.
Vyuk's anger faded into despair.
He sat beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Some things can't be changed," he said quietly. "If faith had decided it's final. Our all effort will be pointless. The only thing we can do is accept it. Even if you can't accept, that's ok because in future doesn't matter how long, you have to... You have to. That's what life is"
Emma wiped her tears.
Vyuk forced a small smile.
"You should visit your parents. It might help."
—————
Midnight.
The waxing moon illuminated the island as a helicopter descended, its blades cutting through the night air. An al-Qaeda flag fluttered on its side.
Saif al-Rahaman stepped out, followed by several armed men. Masked figures escorted them through Lord Yin's base toward the meeting hall.
Inside, a long table dominated the room. Chairs lined its sides. A projector screen stood at the front. Masked figure were standing across the room.
Lord Yin sat at the far end. Five Superior masked figures sat beside him.
Lord Yin spoke calmly.
"Your men will wait outside. Only you may stay."
Saif al-Rahaman smirked.
"That's not fair, partner."
Lord Yin stared at him.
Saif sighed.
"Fine. Everyone out."
His men left. Lord Yin gestured for Saif to sit.
Noah stood among the masked figures,
confused.
Five superiors…
She said there were six.
Lord Yin stood.
"Now," he said, "let's begin this meeting."