NEW MISSION

Ash, watching from a distance, wasn't sure whether this was the right choice, but one thing was clear—Nana was no longer the person he had once known. She had become something else, something more dangerous, and the world was going to feel the consequences.

He swallowed hard, hoping that, somehow, they would survive what was coming next.

As the door clicked shut behind them, the weight of the decision settled into the room like a dense fog. The man, who had introduced himself as Dr. Kale, gestured toward a sleek chair across from his desk. Nana didn't move immediately, her eyes narrowing as she studied the sterile, white-washed room. The walls were adorned with digital displays showcasing advanced technologies and medical breakthroughs. Every inch of the space reeked of power, wealth, and the promise of immortality.

Dr. Kale's smile remained, but Nana could sense the underlying tension. He was not used to being questioned, but she was in no mood to play games. She knew exactly what she wanted and wasn't about to settle for anything less.

"You offer immortality," Nana said coldly, her voice betraying no emotion. "But I'm not interested in a simple extension of life. I want control."

Dr. Kale tilted his head slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Control, you say? Control over what, exactly?"

She took a step closer, her mechanical hand flexing slightly, the metallic joints moving with an eerie precision. "Control over everything. The world, the people, the power. I want it all."

Dr. Kale's eyes gleamed with interest, though his smile didn't falter. "Ah, I see. You're not looking to be a mere client then. You want to reshape the world around you."

Nana didn't flinch at his words. She had grown accustomed to the cold, calculated nature of people like him. But now, she realized, she was no longer the person to be manipulated. The tables had turned.

"What will it cost?" she asked, her voice sharp.

"The question isn't what it will cost you," Dr. Kale replied, standing and walking toward a nearby console. "The question is what you're willing to sacrifice for that kind of power."

Nana's gaze never wavered. "I've already sacrificed everything. There's nothing left but to take what's mine."

Dr. Kale pressed a button on the console, and the walls shifted. The digital displays came to life, showing images of advanced medical procedures and experimental technologies that stretched the limits of human understanding. Organ transplants, genetic enhancements, and most shockingly, the ability to rewrite memories and personalities. A complex web of possibilities unfolded before Nana's eyes, each one more tempting than the last.

"We have the technology to make you more than human, Nana," Dr. Kale said, his voice low, almost hypnotic. "You could become the one who controls it all. Imagine a world where you are above the laws of nature, above death itself."

Nana's fingers twitched as she examined the displays. The thought of becoming something…more was intoxicating. Power wasn't just about control; it was about transcending the limitations of the body, the mind, and even time itself.

But Ash, who had been quietly observing, seemed to sense her growing obsession. His voice was hesitant, but it cut through the thick air of ambition. "Nana… Are you sure this is the right choice?"

She didn't look at him, her focus locked on the screens in front of her. The world outside—everything she had once known—felt so distant now. The small, fractured part of her that had once cared for others seemed like a distant memory, one that she had long since buried beneath her desire for control.

"I didn't come here for approval," she said flatly, her voice tinged with something darker. "This is about me, Ash. About what I want."

Ash looked away, his face full of concern. He knew she was slipping further into a path she couldn't return from. But it was too late now. The choice had already been made.

Dr. Kale watched them both, his eyes glinting with anticipation. "Nana, the decision is yours. We can begin immediately. The transformation is not for the faint of heart, but I can guarantee you that the power you seek will be within your grasp."

Without a word, Nana nodded, her heart pounding with anticipation. She had already come too far to turn back. The power she sought—she could almost taste it now, feel it thrumming just beneath the surface of her skin.

Dr. Kale motioned toward a door at the back of the room, and two assistants appeared, ushering her toward the operating table. The cold, sterile atmosphere seemed to close in around her as they prepared for the procedure. Ash stepped back, unwilling to be a part of whatever dark path Nana had chosen. He knew this was the beginning of something irreversible.

As the assistants began to prepare her, Nana's mind raced, images of the world she would soon control flooding her thoughts. The faces of her enemies, the power she would wield, the destruction she would unleash—everything seemed to fall into place. For the first time in years, she felt a sense of clarity, of purpose.

But even as she lay on the table, ready to embrace whatever came next, a small part of her—the part that still remembered who she once was—whispered a quiet warning.

Could she truly live with the consequences of her choices?

But as the anesthesia began to take hold, the answer seemed irrelevant. She was already too far gone.

And when she awoke, there would be no going back.

As the sterile, cold metal table beneath Nana's back pressed against her, the soft hum of machines and the distant beeping of monitors filled the air, a feeling of discomfort crept over her. The room seemed to blur as the doctors and assistants around her moved with precise, methodical motions, preparing her for the procedure that would change everything. But before the anesthesia could fully take hold, something happened—something deep within her mind stirred.

Suddenly, the images flashed—like a storm of memories and emotions colliding. A young Nana, lost and confused, standing in front of Andy's grave. Her last moments with him, the warmth of his hand slipping away as the world she had once known was torn apart. The betrayal, the cruel twist of fate that had stolen everything from her—everything she had ever loved. Max's cold, indifferent face, his manipulation, and the bitter realization that she had been nothing more than a pawn in a game she had never fully understood.

Her breath hitched as the memories grew more vivid, more painful. She was no longer just Nana—she was a mixture of all the people who had been hurt by this corrupt, broken world. She could hear Andy's voice, faint but clear in the back of her mind. "Stay alive… be happy…" Those words echoed in her head like a haunting refrain. But they no longer made sense. Happiness felt like an impossible dream. What did it even mean anymore? Could she be happy when the whole world was nothing but a cage?

Her eyes snapped open, and for a split second, everything felt wrong—foreign. She was on the operating table, the sterile environment around her taunting her with its cold, clinical efficiency. The darkness of her memories, the rage, the betrayal—all of it rushed back like a tidal wave. She was done with this. Done with being manipulated. Done with being used.

Her pulse quickened, and without thinking, she shot up from the table, her hands moving faster than she could process. She grabbed the nearest assistant—his face a blur of panic—as she yanked him toward her. The gun she had hidden on her person in case things went wrong was already in her hand, steady and cold.

"Get out of my way," she growled, her voice a venomous hiss.

The assistant stumbled back, fear evident in his wide eyes, but Nana wasn't listening. She pushed him aside, scanning the room for Dr. Kale. The man responsible for the lie, the one who had thought he could control her. He stood by the console, his back turned, too absorbed in his victory to notice Nana's sudden shift.

In a blink, she crossed the room with the speed of someone who had nothing to lose. Dr. Kale didn't see her coming.

With a violent shove, she spun him around, the gun aimed straight at his chest. Her heart raced, her breath sharp and shallow.

"I didn't come here for your help," she spat, her voice cold and full of fury. "I came here to take everything you've built."

The doctor's eyes widened in realization, his hands raised defensively. "Nana, wait—listen to me! This is the only way! You—"

"I don't need your lies!" she interrupted, her finger pulling the trigger.

The shot rang through the room like a clap of thunder, cutting through Dr. Kale's words. The bullet hit him square in the chest, sending him crashing to the floor, lifeless and crumpled. For a moment, everything stood still.

But Nana didn't feel the satisfaction of revenge. No, that feeling—if it was ever there—was gone. Instead, she felt… nothing. The numbness crept back in, a cold emptiness filling the void where her rage had once burned. She glanced down at Dr. Kale's body, her heart pounding, but her mind detached.

This wasn't what she had envisioned. The power, the control—it felt hollow now, like a game she had long since lost.

The assistants scrambled to react, but Nana wasn't interested in their protests. She turned on her heel, ignoring the chaos that erupted around her, the confusion, the fear. None of it mattered anymore. She was free—free from the lies, free from the chains of her past. But she was also alone.

"Let's go," she muttered, her voice a whisper, as she made her way toward the exit.

Ash stood there, frozen, unsure of how to process what had just happened. The girl he had once known was gone. In her place was something… darker.

Nana's heart thudded in her chest as she scanned the room, her eyes narrowing. The shot was done. Dr. Kale lay lifeless on the cold metal floor. The room seemed to fall into an eerie silence, the weight of the moment pressing down on her. But that silence didn't last long.

Suddenly, the door to the operating room burst open with a deafening crash. Figures in dark, tactical uniforms flooded into the space, their guns raised. It was a team sent to clean up after Dr. Kale's little experiment—merciless, unfeeling, and ruthless.

"Get down!" one of them barked, his voice deep, commanding, echoing off the sterile walls.

Without hesitation, Nana grabbed Ash by the arm, dragging him behind a nearby medical table for cover. Her breathing quickened, heart pounding in her ears. The world outside the table was a blur of motion and panic as the armed figures spread out, searching for her, their footsteps heavy.

Ash's breath was shaky. He clutched his side, eyes wide, trying to steady himself.

"Stay down, Ash," Nana muttered harshly, her voice a low growl. "This is it. We need to get out now."

Before he could respond, one of the assailants noticed their hiding spot. A sharp, commanding voice broke through the chaos. "There! Over there!"

Nana's reflexes kicked in. She reached for the gun strapped to her thigh, her fingers brushing the cold metal of the grip. She was fast—faster than she'd ever been before.

Bang.

The first shot echoed in the chaos, and one of the assailants collapsed to the ground. But they kept coming, like a wave, relentless and cold. Nana fired again, but this time, a bullet zipped by her ear. She cursed under her breath, adrenaline coursing through her veins. They were closing in.

Ash grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back. "We need to go, now!"

But as he spoke, the sound of a sharp crack rang in the air. It was almost too fast to register.

Bang.

Time seemed to slow. Nana turned, her eyes wide in horror, as Ash collapsed beside her, his hand shooting to his head, blood splattering across his fingers.

He didn't even make a sound. He just dropped.

"No!" Nana screamed, the word tearing out of her throat, raw and desperate. She threw herself forward, her mind a blur of fear and anger. The soldiers around them were still advancing, but her focus was entirely on Ash.

His body was limp, his eyes vacant, and she could feel the coldness of reality sink in. He had been shot—right through the head. His blood pooled beneath him, staining the sterile floor in a sickening red.

She couldn't stop the tremor in her hands as she reached for him, lifting his head slightly to check for any sign of life. Nothing. The pulse in his neck was gone. The world around her seemed to close in, her breath shallow as panic and rage gripped her heart.

A voice behind her barked, "Move out! We've got her!"

Nana's eyes snapped up, fury flashing through her. They had come to kill her. They had come to end her—and now Ash was gone, too.

Her hands were shaking, but the fire inside her burned hotter. She couldn't just stand there. No. She wouldn't let them win.

Her eyes found her gun. She grabbed it, her hand tightening around the grip as she turned toward the soldiers.

"Let's see if you can shoot me too," she muttered, a twisted smile curling on her lips.

With a fluid motion, she rolled to her feet and fired. The first shot took one of the soldiers down, but there were more. Too many more.

The room erupted into chaos again as the sound of gunfire filled the air. Nana's heart pounded in her chest, her mind whirling. She couldn't stop now. She wouldn't let Ash's death be in vain.

She gritted her teeth, her eyes never leaving the soldiers as they closed in. She was done running. Done hiding.

With a swift, deadly precision, she fired again, and again, taking down one soldier after another. But the more she shot, the more they came. She was outnumbered, outgunned—but she was furious.

She could feel the cold air creeping into her chest. She could feel her soul hardening with every shot fired, every life extinguished.

But they wouldn't stop. They never stopped coming.

"Enough," Nana growled, her voice cold and final. "Enough of all of this."

She shoved the gun into her belt and sprinted for the door. She wasn't just fighting for her life anymore. She was fighting for something more—something she couldn't quite name, but she knew deep inside her bones.

She had a new purpose now. A new mission.