TRAITOR PART 2

Nana's eyes fluttered open, her vision blurry at first, then slowly sharpening as the soft glow of artificial lights filled the space. She blinked once, twice, adjusting to the pristine, futuristic room that surrounded her. It was nothing like the dingy hospital ward she expected—or anything remotely familiar.

She sat up slowly, her movements eerily smooth and precise. Her body didn't feel the same—it felt… stronger, sharper. Her gaze drifted to her hand resting on the silk sheets. No, not a hand. A sleek, metallic construction of dark blue panels glinted under the artificial light. Her breath hitched for a moment, but it quickly turned into a low chuckle.

Swinging her legs off the bed, she rose to her feet. The cool, polished floor beneath her felt like marble. A full-length mirror stood across the room, and as Nana approached it, a smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.

There she was, staring back at herself, but not the same girl she remembered. Her eyes glimmered with a faint blue hue, and her reflection radiated an aura of power she had never possessed before. She reached up with her robotic hand, brushing her hair back, the strands falling perfectly into place. A sinister, satisfied grin spread across her face as she tilted her head, inspecting her new self.

"This… is what I've been waiting for," she murmured, her voice carrying a subtle edge.

She turned away from the mirror and scanned the room, her smirk deepening. Everything here seemed familiar, as though she had dreamt of this place long ago. The sleek metallic walls, the advanced interface panels glowing faintly on the walls, and the quiet hum of machinery—it all felt like a fragment of her past, something buried deep in her memory.

Her robotic hand twitched instinctively, and she found herself pressing a nearby panel. A holographic display flickered to life, showing her a bird's-eye view of the world outside. A sprawling cityscape, alive with towering buildings and streams of lights, stretched endlessly before her.

As she stared at the display, her mind began to race. How did she get here? What happened after the accident? And why did everything feel so… perfect?

Her lips curled again into that same evil smile. Whatever had happened, it didn't matter now. She was living her dream life, and she intended to keep it that way.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of another long day. Students rushed out in all directions, eager to get home or enjoy their after-school activities. Nana, however, had her mind elsewhere. She walked through the crowded hallway, the noise around her fading as her thoughts drifted.

Suddenly, she collided with someone. It wasn't another student, but a woman—tall, with silver hair and an aura of quiet authority. She looked to be in her early 60s, dressed neatly, and had a kind, though intense, expression on her face.

"Sorry about that," Nana mumbled, stepping back quickly.

The woman gave a small, warm smile. "It's quite all right. I believe we should talk. Come, join me for a drink."

Nana hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to make of this strange invitation, but curiosity got the better of her. She followed the woman—who introduced herself as Linda Sullivan—into a cozy, dimly lit room. The soft glow of lamps illuminated a comfortable space, filled with bookshelves and old furniture. The smell of freshly brewed tea lingered in the air.

"Please, have a seat," Linda said, gesturing to an armchair opposite hers.

Nana sat down cautiously, not quite sure what was happening.

"I know this must feel strange," Linda began, taking a sip from her cup. "But I have some things I need to ask you. You see, I'm Marlinda Hanrow. I'm a scientist here, and I'm the one who charged in Max to be your guardian after… well, after the accident. The one that took your parents and little brother."

Nana's heart skipped a beat. Her memory of the accident was foggy, distant, like a dream she couldn't fully recall. She stared at Linda, the weight of the words settling over her.

"I'm sorry…" Nana's voice faltered. "I don't remember much about that. But I was told I woke up in the hospital. I—"

Linda interrupted softly, "You were in a coma. When you woke up, it was… different. You were different. I need to know, Nana—do you remember anything before the coma?"

Nana thought for a moment, running her hand along the armrest. Her eyes focused as flashes of fragmented memories hit her, like pieces of a puzzle she couldn't quite put together.

"I… No, I don't. I just remember waking up feeling strange. Like I didn't have a body at all. I couldn't move, couldn't feel anything. It was like… I was paralyzed," Nana said, her voice shaking as the memory surfaced. "But then I saw Max. He—he gave me these… these robot hands and legs. Suddenly, I could move again. I felt alive. I felt normal. For the first time, I wasn't trapped inside myself."

Linda's eyes softened, though there was an intense curiosity behind them. "And how do you feel now? About the… the new parts of you? The inventions Max gave you?"

Nana paused. She didn't want to sound too detached, but the truth was, the new parts of her body felt… comfortable, natural even. The strange mechanical limbs had become part of her, as if they'd always been there.

"It feels good, actually. Comfortable," Nana said slowly, meeting Linda's gaze. "I can feel things now. I can walk, talk, eat—just like a normal person. For the longest time, I didn't even have to worry about… wires. No more wires for me to drink from every night."

Linda nodded slowly, as though processing everything. "You've adapted well. But I need to know more. Max hasn't told you everything, has he?"

Nana raised an eyebrow, not sure what Linda meant by that. "What do you mean?"

"Max is trying to protect you. He's been hiding things, things I need you to understand," Linda said, her voice lowering with weight. "There's a lot more going on here, Nana. A lot more than you realize."

Nana swallowed, feeling the sudden weight of the conversation press on her. There were so many gaps in her memory, so many things she didn't know. Could she trust Linda? Should she even be here, sitting with this woman who seemed to know far more than she was letting on?

But before she could say anything more, Linda spoke again, her tone even more serious now.

"This isn't just about your accident, Nana. You've been given a second chance. But there are… consequences."

Nana's heart skipped another beat. What did Linda mean by consequences?

Nana leaned forward in her seat, her gaze unwavering, her tone sharp and direct. Linda's cryptic words had only stirred her suspicions, and she wasn't going to sit idly by while this woman danced around the truth.

"I'm honored if you could just get straight to the point," Nana said, her voice calm but firm. "I don't want any crap here."

Linda blinked, a slight pause hanging in the air. Then, with a small sigh, she leaned back in her chair. She could see that Nana wasn't the type to sugarcoat things—or wait for an explanation she didn't need.

"If you want to tell me they've been using me as a weapon," Nana continued, her eyes narrowing, "I knew it. I could feel it in my bones from the start."

Linda's expression shifted. She wasn't surprised by Nana's bluntness—if anything, it seemed like the girl had already figured out the underlying truth. Still, Linda hesitated before speaking, weighing her words carefully.

"Alright then," Linda said, her voice dropping to a serious whisper. "You're not wrong. But it's worse than you think. You're not just a weapon, Nana. You're part of a bigger project. A project that's been running for years. Your accident—it wasn't just an accident. You were chosen."

Nana's jaw clenched. She wasn't shocked, but the weight of Linda's words hit harder than she expected. The pieces were falling into place, and everything she had sensed—every gut feeling she'd ignored—was suddenly making sense.

Linda leaned forward, locking eyes with Nana. "The people behind this project… they've been manipulating everyone around you. Max. Your memories. Your body. It's all part of their plan. They'll stop at nothing to control you—and they've already started."

Nana's fists curled at her sides. She knew. She had known all along. But hearing it out loud, from someone who was clearly involved in it all—it made the blood in her veins boil.

"Now," Linda said, her tone softening but still intense, "we need to stop them. But it won't be easy. There's a lot more at stake than you realize. These people—these criminals—they have powerful connections. They'll do anything to protect themselves. And you, Nana… you're their biggest threat."

Nana exhaled slowly, her mind racing. She had been used, manipulated, controlled—turned into something they could exploit. But now, Linda was telling her that she was their greatest threat. That didn't sit well with her.

"Alright, then," Nana said, her voice growing steadier with resolve. "Tell me how we're going to stop these criminals. Because if they think they can use me and get away with it, they've got another thing coming."

Linda looked at her, the corners of her mouth turning into a faint, almost approving smile. She could see the fire in Nana's eyes—the same fire that had once driven her to succeed in ways no one could imagine.

"We start by taking down the people behind this," Linda said, her gaze hardening. "And we do it the only way we know how—by going straight to the heart of their operations. No more hiding. No more games. This ends now."

Nana nodded, the weight of the task ahead of her settling in. She didn't know how they would do it, but she was ready. If they thought she was just a weapon to be controlled, they had no idea who they were messing with.

"I'm in," Nana said firmly, a smirk forming on her lips. "Let's finish this."

Linda nodded, her eyes darkening with purpose. "Get ready, Nana. This is going to get ugly."

Nana's voice was cold, cutting through the tension. "Who are we taking down this time?"

Linda leaned in, eyes sharp. "The ones who created you. The ones behind the experiment. The ones who thought they could control you."

Nana's fists clenched. "Who?"

"The scientists. And the one in charge—Dr. Hector Vance. He's the mastermind behind it all."

Nana's eyes narrowed. "Max is involved, isn't he?"

Linda hesitated. "He's been manipulated, just like you. But he's not the enemy."

Nana's jaw tightened. "Where is he?"

"That's next. We find him. Expose him. End this."

The night was still, the only sound the soft hum of machinery as Nana stood in her dimly lit headquarters. Clad in a sleek, black suit, her face obscured by a tight-fitting mask, she resembled something from a shadow's deepest corner. Every inch of her exuded a silent, deadly determination, the air around her thick with focus.

Her fingers grazed over the stack of files laid before her—information on Dr. Hector Vance, the scientists, and their twisted experiments. Each document, each detail was a puzzle piece she needed to fit together. There were no more distractions, no more uncertainty.

Nana took a deep breath, steadying herself. Tonight, she would dive into the underworld of corruption, all for the mission—her mission. There would be no room for mistakes. Every move had to be precise.

With a quick, calculated motion, she activated her computer, the screen flooding with encrypted data. She tapped a few keys, setting her plan into motion. Undercover operations, surveillance, infiltrations—she would leave no stone unturned.

The countdown had begun. There was no turning back now.

Nana moved silently through the dark corridors of the abandoned facility, her footsteps barely a whisper on the cold concrete floor. The air was thick with the sterile smell of machinery and something darker, something wrong. She had infiltrated the lab deep into the city's outskirts, far from her school, far from the life she once knew. This was no longer about playing the part of a student—it was about survival, about uncovering the truth.

She crouched behind a row of towering machines, peering through the glass into a room filled with the twisted hum of wires and mechanical arms. Inside, human figures—pale and lifeless—lay connected to systems that looked like something out of a nightmare. Their bodies were tied down, hooked up to machinery, their faces twisted in expressions of torment even in their sleep.

Nana swallowed hard, her stomach tightening. These were people—victims of the very men who had twisted her life. She gritted her teeth, remembering her own time in this hell, her mind filled with the ache of the memory.

She quickly scanned the lab, her sharp eyes memorizing every corner, every exit. Her mind worked like a well-oiled machine as she assessed the security systems. Cameras, guards, locked doors—everything was calculated, everything was in place for her to return. But not yet. Not today.

She slipped through another hallway, taking note of every guard, every security checkpoint. The place was heavily monitored, but it wasn't impenetrable. She could make her way in again. But for now, she'd gather what she could—notes, files, anything that might tell her about Dr. Vance's plan and the experiments they were conducting.

Her hand hovered over a computer terminal, but she hesitated. She couldn't risk it just yet. A few more steps. A few more pieces of the puzzle to collect. Her eyes flicked to a clipboard with names and data scribbled across it—more subjects, more victims.

She tucked it under her arm and moved toward the exit, staying low, blending into the shadows. Her heart was steady, her mind sharper than ever. She had the information she needed for now. It was time to disappear back into the night.

But as she reached the door, she heard a click—footsteps approaching.

Her pulse quickened, but her movements stayed calm. Nana stepped back into the shadows, waiting for the guard to pass. This wasn't the time to make a move. She had to be patient.

The night was still young. And she had much more work to do.

As Nana ventured deeper into the shadowed facility, the air grew heavier with a sense of danger. She moved swiftly, the sound of her footsteps lost in the hum of machinery. Her eyes darted around, taking in every corner, every crevice. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted him.

Dr. Hector.

He walked toward her, his gaze sharp and calculating. He was tall, dressed in a pristine lab coat, his demeanor calm, yet something about him felt… off. The moment he laid eyes on her, a knowing smile spread across his face.

"May I help you?" he asked, his voice smooth but laced with an underlying arrogance.

Nana froze for a split second, her instinct kicking in. "Back off!" she snapped, her tone cold as ice, not a hint of fear in her voice.

Dr. Hector raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "Aren't you just a bit impolite, Miss…?"

Nana didn't give him the satisfaction of finishing his sentence. "You don't seem to know who I am," she cut through, her voice sharp and challenging.

His eyes widened, the confidence in his face faltering for a moment. "Oh, God! My bad." He took a half-step back, then paused as if reconsidering. "Who activated you, dear? I mean… let's have a chat."

Nana's stance didn't change; she wasn't here to play games. "Fine. Let's talk," she said, her voice still icy, her mind racing with calculations. This conversation was a means to an end—a way to gather information, to find weaknesses in the system. But she wasn't about to make it easy for him.

Dr. Hector tilted his head, his smile returning, though this time, it felt more like a challenge. "You're not the first one to come poking around here," he said, his eyes scanning her form, evaluating. "But you're certainly the most… interesting."

"Flattering," Nana responded, her words dripping with sarcasm, though her focus remained on him.

Dr. Hector took a step closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "You've got fire. I admire that. But you'd better be careful, Miss. The people you're working with might not have your best interests at heart."

Nana smirked. "I'm not the one you should be worried about."

Nana's eyes locked onto Dr. Hector with cold precision, as though she could see straight through him. The silence between them stretched for a beat too long, before she spoke again, her voice steady but filled with underlying tension.

"By the way, I believe that I woke up the day after Andy passed away… and it was 10 years ago. I know because I dreamed about it."

Dr. Hector, who had been casually sipping his drink, froze mid-sip. His eyes widened, and the glass nearly slipped from his hand as he choked on his drink. He quickly set it down, his composure faltering for the first time since their encounter.

"Don't tell me—!" He gasped, his voice trailing off as he wiped his mouth nervously.

Nana didn't flinch. She continued, her tone as calm and unnerving as ever. "I've spent these past 10 years searching for you. Until I found out you were married to Linda… then divorced in 2016." She paused, her gaze piercing through him like a knife. "Would you mind… telling me who Andy is?"

The words hung in the air, thick with anticipation. Dr. Hector visibly tensed, his face betraying a flicker of something—guilt? Fear? It was hard to tell. He took a step back, suddenly uneasy.

"Andy…" he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with hesitation. "You really don't know, do you?"

Nana leaned in slightly, her eyes narrowing. "I'm waiting," she said, her voice colder than ice, yet tinged with a quiet intensity that made Dr. Hector take a sharp breath.

He seemed to weigh his options, torn between saying too much or too little. Finally, after a long silence, he met her gaze once more, but this time, it was harder, more guarded.

"You're asking about someone who… should've never been part of this," Dr. Hector said, his words deliberately slow and measured. "But I'll tell you this much, Nana… Andy was someone we couldn't control. And that's why you're here."

words cutting through the tension like a blade. "What do you mean 'we couldn't control'? In 1940, he saved a girl… Akari, right? I want to know about her."

Dr. Hector's face twitched, his posture stiffening as if he had been struck. His grip tightened on the edge of his seat, his knuckles turning white. For a moment, he said nothing, just stared at her as though weighing whether to reveal more or shut down entirely.

Nana didn't flinch. She leaned forward, her gaze unwavering, her voice low but firm. "You know who I'm talking about. Akari. Tell me what happened to her."

There was a long pause, and Dr. Hector's eyes flickered briefly to the side, as though searching for an escape or a way to avoid the truth. But there was no escaping her, not now. Not after all she had uncovered.

"Akari…" he muttered under his breath, the name almost a curse on his lips. "She wasn't supposed to exist. You weren't supposed to exist."

Nana's heart raced, but she kept her voice steady. "What do you mean? Who is Akari?"

Dr. Hector looked at her with a mixture of regret and something darker. "She was a part of an experiment. One we thought had failed. Andy… he was a soldier, a hero. But he didn't just save her. He saved you—or what you were supposed to become."

Nana's breath caught in her throat. "What are you saying?" she whispered, her hands gripping the edge of the table. "I'm not just some accident? This… this is all connected?"

He nodded slowly, his eyes dark with something she couldn't quite place. "Everything you've been through. The accident. The coma. The memories you have… They're all part of something bigger. Something we've been trying to control for decades."

The room seemed to close in around Nana, her thoughts racing. Everything she thought she knew, everything that felt real—was it all a lie?

Dr. Hector's voice dropped to a whisper, almost as though he didn't want to say it out loud. "You were never supposed to remember Akari. But she is you. And now, you're here to finish what we started."

Nana's pulse quickened. "What do you mean 'finish'? What started?"

He looked away, as if unable to meet her gaze any longer. "The world isn't ready for you, Nana. But it's coming. And there's nothing we can do to stop it now."

Nana: "Well, thanks for a little bit of information. I'll come back later."

She stood up, the words lingering in the air, her eyes still cold, like a predator calculating her next move.

Dr. Hector: Stares at her with wide eyes, trying to process the unexpected response, but before he can speak, Nana turns on her heel.

Nana's footsteps echo in the dimly lit hallway, a silent promise to return.

Nana burst back into her room, her heart pounding in her chest as the weight of something unexplainable pressed down on her. She crossed the space in a blur, her metallic hand trembling as she reached for the journal she had stolen during her last mission.

Slamming it onto the desk, she flipped through the fragile pages, her eyes scanning the scribbled notes, drawings, and fragments of data. Her breath hitched when she stopped at a page—a photograph glued neatly into the corner.

It was Akari and Andy.

Their smiles were warm and carefree, standing side by side in what looked like a serene countryside setting. Nana's fingers brushed the photograph gently, an inexplicable familiarity tugging at her chest. Her gaze lingered on Akari's face, so strikingly identical to her own.

She shook her head, forcing herself to turn the page. Another photograph fell into view, and her brow furrowed as she picked it up.

It was a funeral. Andy's funeral.

In the foreground stood a woman—a younger Linda. But something about her was wrong. Nana's sharp eyes caught every detail. This Linda didn't match the woman she knew today. Her face was softer, her posture less imposing, her entire aura different.

"What the hell is going on?" Nana muttered under her breath, her grip tightening on the edges of the journal.

Her gaze darted back to Akari's photograph, then to her own reflection in the nearby mirror. Her stomach churned as the truth hit her like a thunderbolt. They weren't just similar—they were the same.

Her breaths grew ragged as she stumbled toward her safe. Pulling it open, she retrieved the old recording tape she had found on her mission in Canada. She slammed it into the small device on her desk, pressing play with trembling hands.

The screen flickered to life, showing a grainy recording.

Scenes of Akari's life unfolded before her—her laughter, her struggles, her moments with Andy. The world they lived in was different but achingly vivid. Nana stood frozen, watching as fragments of Akari's life flooded the screen. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth.

"No…" she whispered, her voice cracking. "This can't be real."

She stumbled backward, hitting the desk. The recording ended, leaving her in suffocating silence.

But Nana wasn't done. She dove back into the safe, pulling out a bundle of documents she hadn't paid much attention to before. One folder caught her eye—an organization staff record.

She flipped it open, her eyes scanning the profiles.

There was Linda, but not the Linda she knew now. This was a younger, unpolished version of the woman—her features softer, her expression uncertain. Nana's mind reeled. Who was this person she had been working with all along?

Then she saw him.

Dr. Hector.

His profile photo as a young trainee stared back at her, unrecognizable. The man in the picture was nothing like the scientist she knew now. His kind, smiling face betrayed no hint of the cold, calculating persona she had come to fear.

It all clicked into place.

"These two…" she whispered, her voice shaking with rage. "They've been lying. They're traitors—hiding behind their masks this entire time."

Nana slammed the folder shut, her jaw tightening. Her mind raced with questions. Why had they done this? What were they hiding? And where did she fit into their plans?

She turned to the mirror one last time, staring at her reflection with renewed clarity. The smirk she often wore was gone, replaced by a look of cold determination.

"Akari…" she murmured, gripping the edge of the desk.

With that, she grabbed the journal, the tape, and the folder, stuffing them into a bag. She wasn't going to sit idly by. It was time to confront the lies head-on.