Project Orpheus: Tracking Gregory

I stood in the middle of the warehouse, surrounded by unconscious mercenaries and the burned remnants of Gregory's secrets.

The night was silent again, but I knew better.

This wasn't over.

Step One – Securing What I Found

I pulled out my phone, snapping pictures of the half-burned documents and the mercenaries I had taken down. Evidence was always useful—whether to blackmail someone or prepare for the next fight.

I then picked up a mercenary's radio, twisting the frequency dial until I caught something.

A distorted voice crackled through.

"—Unit three, report. Did you secure the site?"

I smirked. "Oh yeah, your guys are secured, alright. Knocked out cold."

Silence. Then—

"…Who the hell is this?"

I chuckled, tossing the radio aside. "You'll find out soon enough."

Step Two – Getting Out

With my job here done, I started walking toward the warehouse exit.

No need to stick around when I had enough clues to push forward.

Project Orpheus was real.

Gregory got too deep into something dangerous.

And now the syndicate was cleaning up loose ends.

I needed to get to a secure location, analyze the information, and decide my next move.

But just as I reached for the door handle—

I felt it.

That chilling sensation.

Someone was watching me.

Step Three – The Real Enemy Reveals Itself

I smirked, not even bothering to turn around.

"Took you long enough."

A slow clap echoed through the warehouse.

Then, a voice. Smooth, confident—and familiar.

"Samuel Gebb. Always causing trouble."

I turned my head slightly, my eyes narrowing.

Standing in the doorway, dressed in an expensive black suit, was a man I hadn't seen in a long time.

Viktor Sokolov.

One of the key players in the syndicate.

"I was wondering when you'd show up, Viktor." I exhaled smoke from my cigarette, my fingers twitching near my knife. "You here to talk? Or fight?"

He smirked. "That depends on you, my friend."

I chuckled. "I'm no one's friend."

Viktor took a slow step forward. "Then let's call this what it is—a warning."

I raised an eyebrow. "A warning? For what?"

His smirk deepened. "To stop digging. Or you'll end up just like Gregory."

I stared at him for a second.

Then, I grinned.

"You just confirmed he's still alive."

Viktor's smirk didn't last long. The moment I caught his slip, he knew he had made a mistake.

Gregory was still alive.

And now, I had to find him before it was too late.

---

Step One – Extracting More from Viktor

I flicked my cigarette to the ground, crushing it under my boot as I took a slow step forward.

"Let me guess, Viktor. You and your syndicate buddies have him locked up somewhere. And this little 'warning' is supposed to scare me off?"

Viktor chuckled, but I could see it—the slight tension in his jaw, the way his fingers twitched at his side. He wasn't as relaxed as he wanted to appear.

"You always were too stubborn for your own good, Samuel." He sighed, shaking his head. "Let it go. Walk away. Gregory made his choice."

I smirked. "Oh, I'm not walking away. And since you're here, that means I don't have to waste time tracking you down later."

Before he could react, I moved.

Void Step.

One second, I was standing in front of him. The next, I was right behind him, my blade pressing against his throat.

Viktor froze.

His men, standing in the shadows behind him, tensed—but didn't move. They knew better.

I leaned in slightly. "Where is Gregory?"

He let out a slow breath. "You think I'm just going to tell you?"

I chuckled, pressing the blade a little harder. "No, but I think you enjoy breathing. And I can take that luxury away in an instant."

His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

Silence.

Then, finally—

"The Black Site."

I smirked. "Now we're talking. Where?"

Viktor exhaled through his nose. "Outside the city. An underground facility near the old docks. You won't get in. Even if you do, you won't get out."

I laughed, releasing him as I stepped back. "You guys really need to stop underestimating me."

Viktor straightened his suit, rubbing his neck where my blade had been. His usual smugness was gone.

"This isn't a joke, Samuel. Project Orpheus isn't just about Gregory. It's bigger than you think."

I tilted my head. "Then I guess I'll have to see it for myself."

Viktor sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

He turned to leave, his men following. But before he stepped out of the warehouse, he paused.

"If you go there, Samuel… you won't just be fighting mercenaries. You'll be facing something else. Something worse."

I raised an eyebrow. "And what's that?"

He glanced at me over his shoulder, his expression unreadable.

"The reason it's called Project Orpheus."

Then, he walked out, leaving me standing in the middle of the warehouse.

I clenched my jaw, my mind racing.

The Black Site.

An underground facility.

Something worse than mercenaries.

I smirked.

"Good. I was getting bored anyway."

I turned, heading back to my Maserati.

Time to crash their little operation.