Chapter 18: Selene

Erik helped Jalawa's out of the dead corner as the train slowly came to a stop at the platform. He scanned the crowd and spotted Michael, following behind him.

By now, it was late, and the platform wasn't crowded. Michael, wiping the rain off his face, walked toward the train doors. As he passed a pillar, he glanced over at the figure standing behind it, a woman carefully observing the passersby.

She had entered the subway drenched by the rain, her hair hanging wet in front of her pale face. She was striking, her sharp features framed by a delicate face, and her large blue-brown eyes focused intently on the people around her. When she noticed Michael looking at her, she briefly assessed him before shifting her gaze away, slowly retreating behind the pillar.

Michael felt a sense of regret as he was caught under the woman's attention, but the train had already arrived, and after a brief hesitation, he continued forward.

Erik, supporting Jalawa, followed behind him. As they passed the pillar, Eric too caught sight of the familiar face: the cold, almost frosty expression, the long black coat, and the exquisite form underneath it.

It was Selene.

Nothing had changed. She looked the same as when he had first met her.

When Erik's gaze met hers, there was something unmistakably different about him, something that stood out compared to the average person like Michael. His body seemed to hum with a subtle yet immense power, and his eyes were eerily calm, as deep as an endless black hole that could draw a person in, yet they exuded an unyielding coldness, as if forged from steel.

Selene had seen many eyes in her long life, but none could compare to his. His gaze carried an almost transparent sense of world-weariness, but it also radiated resilience and ruthlessness. As Eric merely passed by, Selina found herself involuntarily following his gaze until he disappeared behind a crowd.

This man was dangerous. Her long experience in constant peril had sharpened her intuition, and she silently warned herself.

As they observed each other, another group entered the scene.

A tall, burly black man wearing a worn leather jacket and a bald head, with several subordinates in tow, was looking for Michael. His approach was bold and unapologetic, and as he passed by Selene's position, his actions caught the attention of the man accompanying her. He walked behind the group, watching as the large man shoved aside each person in his path without a care.

The man's gaze passed over Erik's back, locking onto Michael. Just as he was about to give chase, a sudden alertness hit him, and he stopped, turning around to see who was watching.

Selene's companion had been staring at him like a predator eyeing its prey.

"Blood!" The large man shouted, his voice like a distant wolf's howl, instantly spreading across the platform. Michael, who had just been about to step into the train, turned around and caught sight of the man pulling out two guns and opening fire.

Selene's companion, caught off guard by the intense reaction, quickly ducked behind a pillar to take cover.

The gunshots sent the passengers into a panic, their screams filling the air as they fled. The noise also alerted those waiting outside, and Selina's allies immediately rushed toward the underground station.

Both sides were well-armed. The black man's group had the upper hand, and with reckless disregard for the civilians, they opened fire from multiple directions. Bullets flew in all directions, turning the platform into a warzone.

Selene's side, however, was at a disadvantage. One of her companions was hit by a strange blue bullet that exploded within his body, turning him to ash as the bullet emitted an eerie blue substance.

Watching helplessly as her comrade died in such a gruesome way, Selene's anger flared. She grabbed a pistol and charged after the culprit, only to be forced back by the relentless firepower of the large man, who targeted her relentlessly.

Eric stood in the middle of the gunfire, one hand still holding Jalawa, the other grabbing Michael by the collar to pull him out of danger. Bullets flew past him like torrential rain, but by some miracle, they missed him. Michael, too terrified to even open his eyes, crouched beside Erik, hugging his head. He didn't dare look up until a woman's pained cry reached his ears, and he gathered the courage to peek out.

Not far away, a businesswoman had been struck by a stray bullet and was writhing on the ground in pain. Seeing this, Michael gritted his teeth, forced himself to his feet, and crawled over to drag the injured woman to safety.

"It's alright, you'll be fine," Michael reassured her as he applied pressure to the wound.

One of the black man's subordinates spotted Michael's back and, seizing the opportunity, attempted to sneak up on him. But Erik, blocking the way, stood firm between them.

Just as the subordinate tried to force his way past Erik, Selene noticed the movement. She fired several shots, hitting the man and forcing him to retreat in pain.

The man, injured, staggered away, dropping his camera in the process. Without missing a beat, Selene grabbed the camera and ran into the subway after him, both of them racing to escape.

The attackers eventually retreated, and the platform fell into a tense silence, save for the groans of the wounded.

"Michael Colvin?" Eric asked.

"Yes, yes, that's me," Michael answered in a dazed, mechanical voice.

"I think I need your help," Erik said, nodding toward his companions and the injured woman.

***

Selene continued her pursuit, chasing her target through the last subway car. She smashed through the window, closing in on her prey.

After taking a hit from Selene's silver bullets, the man fled desperately, but after pulling the bullet from his body, he barely had a moment to catch his breath before realizing Selina was still hot on his trail. Panicked, he sought shelter.

Selene followed the blood trail and the discarded silver bullet, which still retained heat, indicating her target hadn't gone far.

She cautiously surveyed her surroundings, hearing movement in the distance. Raising her gun, she pressed against the wall, preparing to confront the threat. Just as she was about to peek around the corner, the train zoomed by her with a rush of wind.

It was a false alarm.

Selene let out a breath of relief, her chest rising and falling slightly as her hair danced in the wind. The train's lights illuminated her pale face, casting an ethereal glow.

She lowered her gun, about to turn away, when a shadow caught her eye.

Eric was sitting inside the train, his gaze crossing over the window, meeting hers from a distance.

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